As anyone who knows me would say, I am a huge huge fan of Star Wars. I've seen every original trilogy and prequel trilogy film at least ten times, and now the sequel trilogy and spin-off films twice each at least. One thing that does not get talked about enough is the acting in Star Wars. There have been some really good acting performances in Star Wars and some not so good ones. I'm going to rank my Top 10 Acting Performances, in order. At the end, I'll list my favorite line of theirs that they delivered. Here we go.
10. James Earl Jones/David Prowse, Darth Vader - Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
Hey, voice acting still counts as acting. Even though they never met, James Earl Jones and David Prowse combined made one of cinema's greatest villains ever. James Earl Jones especially was bone-chilling as Lord Vader, and his attempts to lure Luke to the dark side were certainly tempting. And then at the end, Luke and Vader connecting through the force was awesome.
Favorite line delivery: "No, I am your father."
9. Harrison Ford, Han Solo - Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi
It was a toss-up between RotJ and A New Hope for me with Harrison/Han. I went with Return of the Jedi just barely because his character had already been established and we got to see him go from being freed in carbonite to winning the Battle of Endor. He conveyed being blinded from the carbonite freezing very well, and the way he shrugged at the Empire when he had them outnumbered was just classic Han.
Favorite line delivery: "I think my eyes are getting better. Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."
8. Ian McDiarmid, Supreme Chancellor/Emperor Palpatine - Ep. III: Revenge of the Sith
This guy has so many meme worthy lines in Episode III, it's amazing. And they were delivered so well, too. Ian really shined in Episode III, turning Anakin to the dark side, starting with telling him the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. On some of my watches of Episode III, I really only pay attention to his lines because he was just that good.
Favorite line delivery: "I am the senate!"
7. Carrie Fisher, Princess Leia Organa - Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back
Carrie was really good in all of the OT films, but I think she was at her best in The Empire Strikes Back. Her annoyance at Han all the way to Bespin was very relatable. The way she fell for him was as well. And then her dismay at Han being frozen in carbonite and then trying to tell Luke it was a trap, I just can't imagine someone acting it better.
Favorite line delivery: "Why, you stuck up... half-witted... scruffy-looking... Nerf-herder!"
6. Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker - Ep. VIII: The Last Jedi
Thank goodness we got a decent amount of Hamill in one of the sequel films. He was amazing in TLJ. It's my least favorite film in the trilogy, but I can watch it through just for him alone. Mark was fairly decent as Luke in the OT, but he clearly learned a few things since then.
Favorite line delivery: "Amazing. Every word of what you just said was wrong. The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. And I will not be the last Jedi."
5. Felicity Jones, Jyn Erso - Rogue One
The best female acting performance in Star Wars? In my opinion it is. Felicity was perfect for the role of Jyn. The way she fought for her father and inspired others was, well, inspiring. I really felt connected to her character, partially because of the writing, but also because of her great performance.
Favorite line delivery: "We have hope! Rebellions are built on hope!"
4. Adam Driver, Kylo Ren/Ben Solo - Ep. IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Many Star Wars fans have already stated Adam Driver's acting carried the sequel trilogy. He was fantastic. My favorite part is after he got the lightsaber from Rey, he shrugs at the Knights of Ren, much like his father Han Solo would have. Also, his conversation with his dad, which helped turn him back to the light side.
Favorite line delivery: "Look at yourself, you wanted to prove to my mother that you were a Jedi but you've proven something else. You can't go back to her now, like I can't."
3. Ian McDiarmid, Emperor Palpatine - Ep. VI - Return of the Jedi
Second time on the list? Why not? Ian McDiarmid is a terrific actor. I'm surprised he hasn't been in more stuff. The role of Emperor Palpatine seems to have been written around Ian McDiarmid's acting ability. I find it amazing that George Lucas cast him while Ian was in his 30s and played the elderly Emperor at that age. That would be like Jake Gyllenhaal or Zachary Levi playing the Emperor today.
Favorite line delivery: "Oh, I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."
2. Alec Guinness, Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ep. IV: A New Hope
The only Star Wars actor to get nominated for an Oscar for their role in Star Wars is Alec Guinness. He isn't often talked about for his performance, but he was amazing. It's a shame he got killed off as early as he did. Fortunately, Alec was able to continue his role as Obi-Wan as a Force Ghost in the next two films, albeit in a smaller capacity.
Favorite line delivery: "You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
1. Ewan McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi - Ep. III - Revenge of the Sith
The only way to top Obi-Wan Kenobi is with another version of Obi-Wan Kenobi. It's a matter of my personal opinion, but I prefer Ewan's performance by a hair. He was tremendous with the delivery of some of the most iconic lines in all of Star Wars. How can I choose just one?
Favorite line delivery: "You were the chosen one! It was said you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the force, not leave it in darkness!"
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Five Star Wars Video Game Ideas
Star Wars is a series filled with excellent video games. A few of them I even consider my favorite all-time video games. I have thought of some ideas (realistic ones, so no KOTOR III, although you better believe I'd want that) of games that someone should make. There may have even been rumors about a few of these, so I may have had some insight on a couple of these.
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian Video Game
How can a video game not accompany this awesome show? In the very first episode I thought this would make a great video game. You would complete various bounties across the galaxy, and each time you would be able to earn beskar/credits to spend on new armor, guns, and upgrades. It doesn't have to be based on "The Mandalorian" AKA Din Djarin, but it could be. You could be another Mandalorian. Although it would be cool to have "The Child" with you on missions like on the show. One thing I thought of was it would be cool if they styled it as like a Star Wars version of "Destiny". You can choose different missions on different planets, and sometimes try to find various items. And it would be a great opportunity to have an open world Star Wars game.
- Star Wars: Battle Commander
I don't have the clearest idea for this game, but simply put I see this as a modern version of Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. It would probably be PC only. You would gather resources, build up an army, and then attack an enemy. There would be elements of the sequel trilogy in this. You wouldn't control the actual army, (like where they aim), but you would be able to tell them what to do. It just would be cool to have a more realistic-looking Star Wars strategy game. I'd also like it if they let you simulate different scenarios to see who would win, such as 50 Gungans vs. 5 Droideka's, or 100 Clone Troopers vs. an AT-AT.
- Star Wars: Casino Games
It's not the best title, but it's the best I could come up with. I could see this as an Android/iPhone app. The game would feature all of the board/card games from Star Wars, including Dejarik, Pazaak, Sabaac, and others (Maybe slots?). You could have a profile, and try to accumulate credits by winning games. And they could include different locales you could play games at, from Canto Bight (obviously) to perhaps cantinas on Tattooine or Coruscant.
- Star Wars: Stormtrooper
There have been countless Star Wars games where you fight against Stormtroopers: The Jedi Knight series, Battlefront, The Force Unleashed, and Jedi: Fallen Order. But what about playing as a Stormtrooper? Sure, you can do that in Battlefront, but I'd like a game where you go through the training of being a Stormtrooper. You rise through the ranks and are forced to do some morally gray actions. Then, when your character has had enough, they desert the Empire and fight as a renegade/outcast. This could even be about a Clone Trooper or a First Order Stormtrooper if the developers wanted. But being a character that we get to know in the suit would be pretty cool. And of course, the ability to pilot a speeder, AT-ST, or even AT-AT would be pretty darn cool (from a first person perspective). Basically, I'd like to see a Star Wars: Republic Commando, but from a Stormtrooper's perspective.
- Star Wars: Battle Experience
Again, don't hold the title against me. This one I see as a Virtual Reality Game. Once Virtual Reality or something similar becomes more common in households around the world, they could make this game. You put on the VR headset and you get instantly immersed into a Star Wars battle. Imagine VR and physically feeling like you're in the Battle of Hoth, the Battle of Endor, the Battle of Geonosis, or the Battle of Naboo. I would just be in heaven. I believe VR video games will be fairly common some day in the not so distant future, and they would have to make a Star Wars game to go with it.
Those are my Top 5 Star Wars video game ideas. I really hope at least one or two of these are made. If they are, I will definitely buy them and play them. It will be interesting to see years from now how close these games are to happening, if they ever will.
- Star Wars: The Mandalorian Video Game
How can a video game not accompany this awesome show? In the very first episode I thought this would make a great video game. You would complete various bounties across the galaxy, and each time you would be able to earn beskar/credits to spend on new armor, guns, and upgrades. It doesn't have to be based on "The Mandalorian" AKA Din Djarin, but it could be. You could be another Mandalorian. Although it would be cool to have "The Child" with you on missions like on the show. One thing I thought of was it would be cool if they styled it as like a Star Wars version of "Destiny". You can choose different missions on different planets, and sometimes try to find various items. And it would be a great opportunity to have an open world Star Wars game.
- Star Wars: Battle Commander
I don't have the clearest idea for this game, but simply put I see this as a modern version of Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds. It would probably be PC only. You would gather resources, build up an army, and then attack an enemy. There would be elements of the sequel trilogy in this. You wouldn't control the actual army, (like where they aim), but you would be able to tell them what to do. It just would be cool to have a more realistic-looking Star Wars strategy game. I'd also like it if they let you simulate different scenarios to see who would win, such as 50 Gungans vs. 5 Droideka's, or 100 Clone Troopers vs. an AT-AT.
- Star Wars: Casino Games
It's not the best title, but it's the best I could come up with. I could see this as an Android/iPhone app. The game would feature all of the board/card games from Star Wars, including Dejarik, Pazaak, Sabaac, and others (Maybe slots?). You could have a profile, and try to accumulate credits by winning games. And they could include different locales you could play games at, from Canto Bight (obviously) to perhaps cantinas on Tattooine or Coruscant.
- Star Wars: Stormtrooper
There have been countless Star Wars games where you fight against Stormtroopers: The Jedi Knight series, Battlefront, The Force Unleashed, and Jedi: Fallen Order. But what about playing as a Stormtrooper? Sure, you can do that in Battlefront, but I'd like a game where you go through the training of being a Stormtrooper. You rise through the ranks and are forced to do some morally gray actions. Then, when your character has had enough, they desert the Empire and fight as a renegade/outcast. This could even be about a Clone Trooper or a First Order Stormtrooper if the developers wanted. But being a character that we get to know in the suit would be pretty cool. And of course, the ability to pilot a speeder, AT-ST, or even AT-AT would be pretty darn cool (from a first person perspective). Basically, I'd like to see a Star Wars: Republic Commando, but from a Stormtrooper's perspective.
- Star Wars: Battle Experience
Again, don't hold the title against me. This one I see as a Virtual Reality Game. Once Virtual Reality or something similar becomes more common in households around the world, they could make this game. You put on the VR headset and you get instantly immersed into a Star Wars battle. Imagine VR and physically feeling like you're in the Battle of Hoth, the Battle of Endor, the Battle of Geonosis, or the Battle of Naboo. I would just be in heaven. I believe VR video games will be fairly common some day in the not so distant future, and they would have to make a Star Wars game to go with it.
Those are my Top 5 Star Wars video game ideas. I really hope at least one or two of these are made. If they are, I will definitely buy them and play them. It will be interesting to see years from now how close these games are to happening, if they ever will.
Monday, January 27, 2020
2020 MLB Predictions
Is it baseball season already? Well no, not really. It's coming up soon, though! Yes, it's early to be making predictions, but I just couldn't wait any longer. I'm going to rank the teams in each division based on how I think they'll finish (Sorry, no win-loss records this year). And then, postseason predictions. I have done surprisingly well in postseason predictions in the past, although last year's prediction of Dodgers/Yankees fell flat. I'm more interested in the American League so I will go more in depth there.
* = Wild Card
NL East
1. Braves
2. Nationals*
3. Phillies
4. Marlins
5. Mets
Comment: The Braves have a young nucleus that just gets even better. The defending champs Nats do well, but can only muster a wild card. The Phillies have an up and down season. The Marlins surprise a lot of people (again), and the Mets stink it up thanks to Beltran getting axed before he could even manage a game.
NL Central
1. Brewers
2. Cubs
3. Cardinals
4. Reds
5. Pirates
Comment: The Brew Crew do well again and claim the division. David Ross does fairly well in his first year, but not enough for a playoff spot. The Cards and Reds do all right, not awful. The Pirates struggle after trading Marte.
NL West
1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks*
3. Padres
4. Giants
5. Rockies
Comment: I think this is the best all-around division. The Dodgers repeat as division champs--again. The D-Backs fight them all the way to the end for the division crown but fall just short. The Padres are in it most of the year but fade away late. The Giants are rebuilding, and with a new manager, tread water for this year. The Rockies aren't awful, but they can't pass any of their division rivals.
AL East
1. Yankees
2. Rays*
3. Blue Jays
4. Red Sox
5. Orioles
Comment: The Yankees surge again, this time hoping for a healthier regular season and more success in the playoffs. The Rays do surprisingly well and claim a wild card spot. The Blue Jays ride their youth movement, but are still a year away from really contending. The Sox struggle after losing their manager. The Orioles are.... the Orioles.
AL Central
1. White Sox
2. Twins
3. Indians
4. Tigers
5. Royals
Comment: Surprised, are you? The White Sox are my dark horse and surprise team of 2020. The Twins remain competitive but are unable to claim a playoff spot. The Indians are decent but not great. The Tigers make progress, and the Royals are just there.
AL West
1. Angels
2. Astros*
3. Athletics
4. Rangers
5. Mariners
Comment: Joe Maddon goes into LA and leads them to a division title in his first year. The Astros have a bit of a let-down season following their scandal, but still manage to claim a wild card spot. They're just too talented. The A's are in it to the end but fall short. The Rangers chug along and aren't bad. The Mariners surprise some teams and make progress, but the rest of the division is too tough.
Some surprises there, I'm sure. How will the playoffs unfold?
Wild Cards:
NL: Nationals vs. Diamondbacks - Diamondbacks win
AL: Rays vs. Astros - Astros win
Divisional Round
NL: Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks - Dodgers win
Braves vs. Brewers - Braves win
AL: Yankees vs. Astros - Yankees win
White Sox vs. Angels - White Sox win
Championship Series
NL: Dodgers vs. Braves - Braves win
AL: Yankees vs. White Sox - Yankees win
World Series
Braves vs. Yankees: Yankees win in 5
Yet again I pick the Yankees to win the World Series. Will they come through this time? Time will tell. I'll be content with any winner except for the Astros. I'd prefer them to not make the playoffs, but they just have too much talent. Coming up soon I'll talk about the Mariners, what I expect from each player going into 2020.
* = Wild Card
NL East
1. Braves
2. Nationals*
3. Phillies
4. Marlins
5. Mets
Comment: The Braves have a young nucleus that just gets even better. The defending champs Nats do well, but can only muster a wild card. The Phillies have an up and down season. The Marlins surprise a lot of people (again), and the Mets stink it up thanks to Beltran getting axed before he could even manage a game.
NL Central
1. Brewers
2. Cubs
3. Cardinals
4. Reds
5. Pirates
Comment: The Brew Crew do well again and claim the division. David Ross does fairly well in his first year, but not enough for a playoff spot. The Cards and Reds do all right, not awful. The Pirates struggle after trading Marte.
NL West
1. Dodgers
2. Diamondbacks*
3. Padres
4. Giants
5. Rockies
Comment: I think this is the best all-around division. The Dodgers repeat as division champs--again. The D-Backs fight them all the way to the end for the division crown but fall just short. The Padres are in it most of the year but fade away late. The Giants are rebuilding, and with a new manager, tread water for this year. The Rockies aren't awful, but they can't pass any of their division rivals.
AL East
1. Yankees
2. Rays*
3. Blue Jays
4. Red Sox
5. Orioles
Comment: The Yankees surge again, this time hoping for a healthier regular season and more success in the playoffs. The Rays do surprisingly well and claim a wild card spot. The Blue Jays ride their youth movement, but are still a year away from really contending. The Sox struggle after losing their manager. The Orioles are.... the Orioles.
AL Central
1. White Sox
2. Twins
3. Indians
4. Tigers
5. Royals
Comment: Surprised, are you? The White Sox are my dark horse and surprise team of 2020. The Twins remain competitive but are unable to claim a playoff spot. The Indians are decent but not great. The Tigers make progress, and the Royals are just there.
AL West
1. Angels
2. Astros*
3. Athletics
4. Rangers
5. Mariners
Comment: Joe Maddon goes into LA and leads them to a division title in his first year. The Astros have a bit of a let-down season following their scandal, but still manage to claim a wild card spot. They're just too talented. The A's are in it to the end but fall short. The Rangers chug along and aren't bad. The Mariners surprise some teams and make progress, but the rest of the division is too tough.
Some surprises there, I'm sure. How will the playoffs unfold?
Wild Cards:
NL: Nationals vs. Diamondbacks - Diamondbacks win
AL: Rays vs. Astros - Astros win
Divisional Round
NL: Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks - Dodgers win
Braves vs. Brewers - Braves win
AL: Yankees vs. Astros - Yankees win
White Sox vs. Angels - White Sox win
Championship Series
NL: Dodgers vs. Braves - Braves win
AL: Yankees vs. White Sox - Yankees win
World Series
Braves vs. Yankees: Yankees win in 5
Yet again I pick the Yankees to win the World Series. Will they come through this time? Time will tell. I'll be content with any winner except for the Astros. I'd prefer them to not make the playoffs, but they just have too much talent. Coming up soon I'll talk about the Mariners, what I expect from each player going into 2020.
Kobe Bryant, The Legend
I was devastated and shocked to hear the passing of NBA legend, Kobe Bryant. I feel like there's a hole in my chest. I feel like the world is no longer whole. And to hear that his daughter was with him and perished along with him just breaks my heart further. I can only imagine what he must have been thinking in his final moments; probably about his daughter, Gianna. Kobe Bryant was not only a great basketball player, but to me he was my favorite basketball player of all time.
I got into sports in the late 90s/early 2000s. Around that time, I hadn't fully attached to the Seattle teams yet. I became a fan of the dynasties of that time. In the NFL, I cheered for the Denver Broncos. In MLB, I cheered for the Yankees. And in the NBA, I cheered for the Lakers. Of those three teams, I grew most attached to the Lakers, because the Sonics were going through a rebuilding phase, and because the Lakers back then were so good and fun to watch.
I grew attached to one player in particular, one Kobe Bryant. He was the Lakers leading scorer every year and their most exciting player. His ability to sink fadeaway jumpers was unparalleled. Even as I started growing attached to the Sonics, he was still my favorite player even though he was a rival of my favorite team. Watching him match up with Ray Allen when the Lakers and Sonics played was always a joy to watch.
Kobe's in every NBA video game I've ever owned, from NBA Hangtime as a youngster to NBA Live '09. To me, he is synonymous with NBA star; nobody could rival him in career accomplishments. He was the leader on the most well-known basketball team in the world in one of the biggest cities in the world. Hard to top that.
I didn't follow his later career too much, because after the Sonics left for Oklahoma City, I lost interest in basketball. I still cheered him on, and I'm glad he was able to get one more ring, post-Shaq. His 81-point game was incredible, something I never thought would happen in my lifetime. That game only further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it. To me, he will be the greatest, because he ascended during the rise and peak of the NBA. I didn't see much of Michael Jordan's career, and I've stopped watching NBA basketball during most of Lebron's career. But Kobe was there for all of it, and I don't think there will be anybody greater in my eyes.
I hate that this happened. He was gone way too soon. He was very invested in things after his playing days, and I can only imagine what great things he would've gone on to do. And his daughter, who may have had a career in basketball herself, had her life cut way too short. It breaks my heart.
The only thing we can do is grieve and move on. I have a special place in my heart for the Lakers organization, and now because of Kobe's passing, I always will. There will never be another Kobe, no one to match him in stats and accomplishments. His playing days were done, but he will still be sorely missed from this world. RIP Kobe.
I got into sports in the late 90s/early 2000s. Around that time, I hadn't fully attached to the Seattle teams yet. I became a fan of the dynasties of that time. In the NFL, I cheered for the Denver Broncos. In MLB, I cheered for the Yankees. And in the NBA, I cheered for the Lakers. Of those three teams, I grew most attached to the Lakers, because the Sonics were going through a rebuilding phase, and because the Lakers back then were so good and fun to watch.
I grew attached to one player in particular, one Kobe Bryant. He was the Lakers leading scorer every year and their most exciting player. His ability to sink fadeaway jumpers was unparalleled. Even as I started growing attached to the Sonics, he was still my favorite player even though he was a rival of my favorite team. Watching him match up with Ray Allen when the Lakers and Sonics played was always a joy to watch.
Kobe's in every NBA video game I've ever owned, from NBA Hangtime as a youngster to NBA Live '09. To me, he is synonymous with NBA star; nobody could rival him in career accomplishments. He was the leader on the most well-known basketball team in the world in one of the biggest cities in the world. Hard to top that.
I didn't follow his later career too much, because after the Sonics left for Oklahoma City, I lost interest in basketball. I still cheered him on, and I'm glad he was able to get one more ring, post-Shaq. His 81-point game was incredible, something I never thought would happen in my lifetime. That game only further cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to ever do it. To me, he will be the greatest, because he ascended during the rise and peak of the NBA. I didn't see much of Michael Jordan's career, and I've stopped watching NBA basketball during most of Lebron's career. But Kobe was there for all of it, and I don't think there will be anybody greater in my eyes.
I hate that this happened. He was gone way too soon. He was very invested in things after his playing days, and I can only imagine what great things he would've gone on to do. And his daughter, who may have had a career in basketball herself, had her life cut way too short. It breaks my heart.
The only thing we can do is grieve and move on. I have a special place in my heart for the Lakers organization, and now because of Kobe's passing, I always will. There will never be another Kobe, no one to match him in stats and accomplishments. His playing days were done, but he will still be sorely missed from this world. RIP Kobe.
Friday, January 24, 2020
Ranking the Nine Skywalker Saga Star Wars Films
Star Wars is my favorite film franchise of all time, and probably always will be. There's not a single film in the series that I do not enjoy. As a huge Star Wars fan, I obviously have my preferences and opinions on the films. For this list, I am ranking the Nine "Skywalker Saga" Star Wars films, so Episode I through Episode IX.
And in my usual fashion with ranking things, I assign each one attributes and sort them. The attributes are Rewatch-ability, Believability, Quality, and Lore.
- Rewatch-ability is pretty self-explanatory, but to further explain, it's how much I look forward to watching the film if I am to rewatch the entire nine episode series.
- Believability may seem odd for a sci-fi film, but it's more of if the Star Wars universe existed, how believable are certain actions and events that unfold.
- Quality is just how good of a film it is, from the plot to the acting to the visual effects. We know the sound and music are always top-notch, but not always everything else.
- Lore is how well it contributes to the Star Wars lore. Does it contradict other films? Does it introduce too many new things? If it does, I dock it a point or two at least. Obviously the original trilogy will score best here.
Each rating is on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.
9. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 2
Quality: 2
Lore: 3
Total: 11/20
Comment: Most consider Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the worst in the series. For a while, I considered it slightly above Episode II, but it really isn't. It's at least got some rewatch value, as the lightsaber battle is always fun to watch. There's a bit of meme-worthy stuff, as well. It suffers in its believability, such as when Anakin pilots a Naboo fighter and doesn't take it seriously. It's never been considered a great film, and this is probably the Star Wars film where the acting is the worst. It is the earliest in Star Wars chronological order, so it contributes a bit to its lore and doesn't do much to make the OT look bad.
8. Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 2
Lore: 4
Total: 12/20
Comment: Episode I for me is a tad more rewatchable than Episode II. I can't explain it. The visual effects are probably the worst, especially the awful green screens they had to use. The worst is when Mace Windu jumps off a Republic warship shortly after the start of the Battle of Geonosis. See what I mean here. It is so clearly obvious he is in front of a green screen. But this film signals the start of the Clone Wars, and I think it does a decent job of getting us hyped for it.
7. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 2
Total: 12/20
Comment: Is this really the third worst Star Wars film? It might be. It's not bad; it's just not as good as the others. It may be partially due to my high expectations, but I feel J.J. Abrams started out the sequel trilogy so well only to have it lack in the end. I have seen every Star Wars film at least twice in theaters, and this and the next are the two I just didn't care to watch a third time for a long time. Anyway, Palpatine coming back from the dead? Sigh. At least the film did well in the technical aspects, and a shoutout to Adam Driver for his terrific acting. I've shared my thoughts on how I feel about Force Heal and Force transport items.
6. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 2
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 13/20
Comment: That may seem like a low rewatch-ability score, but there's only two scenes I ever look forward to when rewatching TLJ: Kylo turning on Snoke and killing him and the ensuing fight, and Luke and Kylo's "fight" at the end. It's a decently made film in terms of effects and acting and I found it probably the most believable of the sequel films. It started the Force transport items technique, which I am not a fan of.
5. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 4
Total: 15/20
Comment: So many meme-worthy quotes and scenes in this, which makes it very rewatchable. I'm still not a huge fan of how Anakin turned to the dark side, but it's definitely the best made prequel film. I did like how Anakin became Darth Vader physically and they captured that very well.
4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 15/20
Comment: TFA is definitely the most rewatchable sequel film to me; I did see it three times in theaters. Everything else was fairly decent and it was such a pleasant experience seeing a well-made Star Wars film with good acting and effects (and a well-written plot). The part that was hardest to get over was how it cancelled out the Expanded Universe where Han and Leia had not just one kid but three, including a boy who turned to the dark side, just like Ben/Kylo. But no one can say TFA is a bad film, and in my opinion, it's the best film outside of the Original Trilogy.
3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 18/20
Comment: Most would agree RotJ is the worst of the Original Trilogy; but that's like saying The Fellowship of the Ring is the worst Lord of the Rings film. It's still a really, really good movie. I do find myself spacing out a little when I rewatch RotJ, if I'm being honest. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 in believability is because of the Ewoks being able to take out the "entire legion of [The Emperor's] best troops". It still fits in with the rest of the trilogy with being a high quality film and contributing mightily to the Star Wars lore.
2. Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 19/20
Comment: Don't get me wrong, ESB is still amazing. Most people consider it their favorite Star Wars film, and many consider it one of the greatest films ever made. I just prefer the original over this. I took off a point for believability (again) because of Luke heading to Bespin foolishly. He also foolishly ignored Leia's screams of "It's a Trap!". I guess Leia said it first. But everything else is magnificent, and I'd feel overly critical to give this film less than a 19/20.
1. Episode IV: A New Hope
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 5
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 20/20
Comment: To me, this feels like two movies in one. There's the climax of escaping the Death Star and Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's fight, and then there's a second climax of Luke blowing up the Death Star. This film epitomizes Star Wars, and not only have there been countless parodies of this film, but The Force Awakens is technically a re-imagining of this very plot.
So, here they are in order, from my least favorite to favorite:
9. Episode I TPM
8. Episode II AotC
7. Episode IX TRoS
6. Episode VIII TLJ
5. Episode III RotS
4. Episode VII TFA
3. Episode VI RoTJ
2. Episode V ESB
1. Episode IV ANH
If I were to include Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would put Rogue One fifth behind The Force Awakens and I would put Solo between The Last Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.
And, let's see the average rank by trilogy:
Prequel: 7.3
Original: 2
Sequel: 5.6
A few of these could move up and down a spot, but not far. The original trilogy is the best, and neither the prequel trilogy nor the sequel could live up to it. The sequel trilogy, however, is better than the prequels as a whole.
And in my usual fashion with ranking things, I assign each one attributes and sort them. The attributes are Rewatch-ability, Believability, Quality, and Lore.
- Rewatch-ability is pretty self-explanatory, but to further explain, it's how much I look forward to watching the film if I am to rewatch the entire nine episode series.
- Believability may seem odd for a sci-fi film, but it's more of if the Star Wars universe existed, how believable are certain actions and events that unfold.
- Quality is just how good of a film it is, from the plot to the acting to the visual effects. We know the sound and music are always top-notch, but not always everything else.
- Lore is how well it contributes to the Star Wars lore. Does it contradict other films? Does it introduce too many new things? If it does, I dock it a point or two at least. Obviously the original trilogy will score best here.
Each rating is on a scale of 1-5, with 1 being the lowest and 5 the highest.
9. Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 2
Quality: 2
Lore: 3
Total: 11/20
Comment: Most consider Episode I: The Phantom Menace as the worst in the series. For a while, I considered it slightly above Episode II, but it really isn't. It's at least got some rewatch value, as the lightsaber battle is always fun to watch. There's a bit of meme-worthy stuff, as well. It suffers in its believability, such as when Anakin pilots a Naboo fighter and doesn't take it seriously. It's never been considered a great film, and this is probably the Star Wars film where the acting is the worst. It is the earliest in Star Wars chronological order, so it contributes a bit to its lore and doesn't do much to make the OT look bad.
8. Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 2
Lore: 4
Total: 12/20
Comment: Episode I for me is a tad more rewatchable than Episode II. I can't explain it. The visual effects are probably the worst, especially the awful green screens they had to use. The worst is when Mace Windu jumps off a Republic warship shortly after the start of the Battle of Geonosis. See what I mean here. It is so clearly obvious he is in front of a green screen. But this film signals the start of the Clone Wars, and I think it does a decent job of getting us hyped for it.
7. Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Rewatch-ability: 3
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 2
Total: 12/20
Comment: Is this really the third worst Star Wars film? It might be. It's not bad; it's just not as good as the others. It may be partially due to my high expectations, but I feel J.J. Abrams started out the sequel trilogy so well only to have it lack in the end. I have seen every Star Wars film at least twice in theaters, and this and the next are the two I just didn't care to watch a third time for a long time. Anyway, Palpatine coming back from the dead? Sigh. At least the film did well in the technical aspects, and a shoutout to Adam Driver for his terrific acting. I've shared my thoughts on how I feel about Force Heal and Force transport items.
6. Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 2
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 13/20
Comment: That may seem like a low rewatch-ability score, but there's only two scenes I ever look forward to when rewatching TLJ: Kylo turning on Snoke and killing him and the ensuing fight, and Luke and Kylo's "fight" at the end. It's a decently made film in terms of effects and acting and I found it probably the most believable of the sequel films. It started the Force transport items technique, which I am not a fan of.
5. Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 3
Quality: 4
Lore: 4
Total: 15/20
Comment: So many meme-worthy quotes and scenes in this, which makes it very rewatchable. I'm still not a huge fan of how Anakin turned to the dark side, but it's definitely the best made prequel film. I did like how Anakin became Darth Vader physically and they captured that very well.
4. Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 4
Lore: 3
Total: 15/20
Comment: TFA is definitely the most rewatchable sequel film to me; I did see it three times in theaters. Everything else was fairly decent and it was such a pleasant experience seeing a well-made Star Wars film with good acting and effects (and a well-written plot). The part that was hardest to get over was how it cancelled out the Expanded Universe where Han and Leia had not just one kid but three, including a boy who turned to the dark side, just like Ben/Kylo. But no one can say TFA is a bad film, and in my opinion, it's the best film outside of the Original Trilogy.
3. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Rewatch-ability: 4
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 18/20
Comment: Most would agree RotJ is the worst of the Original Trilogy; but that's like saying The Fellowship of the Ring is the worst Lord of the Rings film. It's still a really, really good movie. I do find myself spacing out a little when I rewatch RotJ, if I'm being honest. The only reason it doesn't get a 5 in believability is because of the Ewoks being able to take out the "entire legion of [The Emperor's] best troops". It still fits in with the rest of the trilogy with being a high quality film and contributing mightily to the Star Wars lore.
2. Episode VII: The Empire Strikes Back
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 4
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 19/20
Comment: Don't get me wrong, ESB is still amazing. Most people consider it their favorite Star Wars film, and many consider it one of the greatest films ever made. I just prefer the original over this. I took off a point for believability (again) because of Luke heading to Bespin foolishly. He also foolishly ignored Leia's screams of "It's a Trap!". I guess Leia said it first. But everything else is magnificent, and I'd feel overly critical to give this film less than a 19/20.
1. Episode IV: A New Hope
Rewatch-ability: 5
Believability: 5
Quality: 5
Lore: 5
Total: 20/20
Comment: To me, this feels like two movies in one. There's the climax of escaping the Death Star and Obi-Wan and Darth Vader's fight, and then there's a second climax of Luke blowing up the Death Star. This film epitomizes Star Wars, and not only have there been countless parodies of this film, but The Force Awakens is technically a re-imagining of this very plot.
So, here they are in order, from my least favorite to favorite:
9. Episode I TPM
8. Episode II AotC
7. Episode IX TRoS
6. Episode VIII TLJ
5. Episode III RotS
4. Episode VII TFA
3. Episode VI RoTJ
2. Episode V ESB
1. Episode IV ANH
If I were to include Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story, I would put Rogue One fifth behind The Force Awakens and I would put Solo between The Last Jedi and Revenge of the Sith.
And, let's see the average rank by trilogy:
Prequel: 7.3
Original: 2
Sequel: 5.6
A few of these could move up and down a spot, but not far. The original trilogy is the best, and neither the prequel trilogy nor the sequel could live up to it. The sequel trilogy, however, is better than the prequels as a whole.
I'm Sorry, but Fortnite Failed with Chapter 2
I have previously shared my love of the game "Fortnite", which I play on the Xbox One. It's a game I have played off and on for the past year and a half now. Back in October, Epic Games decided after Season 10... no, sorry... Season "X", that they were going to go to Chapter 2, Season 1, instead of a Season 11. I guess this kinda makes sense...? ... if they don't want to have Season numbers get too high.
But it's how they've handled this "Chapter 2" that is alienating a ton of Fortnite players, myself included. They have delayed Season 2 of Chapter 2 twice now, their updates have been few and far between, it's way too hard to move around the map, and Fortnite streamers/YouTubers are struggling to find ways to make new and exciting content.
When Chapter 2, Season 1 was first released, it was supposed to end at the end of December. Then, it was pushed to February 6. And just recently, Epic Games pushed it yet again to February 20. I understand they want to make sure Season 2 is polished and ready (and they're switching game engines apparently), but I think in the end this may do more harm than good. I am not the only Fortnite player who long ago lost interest in the current season. What was the theme, anyway? In recent seasons, we had a futuristic theme, we had a time travel theme, we had a lava/volcano theme, and we had a snow/airplane theme. This season has been rather theme-less and boring. And this boring season keeps getting prolonged. The new map definitely took a while to get used to, but at this point, it's already lost interest and made a lot of players yearn for the old map. Boy, if Epic Games loses a huge chunk of Fortnite players between October and February, they should know why.
Perhaps worse than not having a clear theme to the current season is not having many updates. What new items/weapons were introduced? Bandage bazookas... um... harpoon guns... fishing rods... and those were all introduced at the beginning of the season. There was Winterfest and the Star Wars event, which were nice. Lightsabers were in the game, which was cool, but of course only for a limited time. People really wanted a lightsaber pickaxe, yet Epic Games did not listen to their players. Ever since, Fortnite has just been adding challenges, but not introducing anything new into the game. It's getting to the point where these challenges feel like work instead of fun. Most of the updates, while being few and far between, were just minor tweaks to the game and didn't really add new content.
The thing I personally hate most about the current season is the lack of mobility items. Mobility items are any items you can store in your inventory and that can help you move faster across the map, or you can use them to get away from an enemy you know you can't beat. Past mobility items included balloons, impulse grenades, rift-to-go's, shadow bombs, and bounce pads. There is not a single mobility item in the game at the moment (Harpoon guns do not count). To top it off, there are no land vehicles, and the only vehicles are boats. I'm glad they introduced boats, but I did not want that to be at the expense of every land vehicle. Where are ATK's? How about drift boards? Anything? Getting around the map has never been harder, and to make matters worse the zones that spawn on the map have often been towards the edges of the map, so if you landed on the opposite end, unless you spend little to no time looking for loot, you're screwed. Yes, players can swim as well, but unless you're swimming with a current, you're not going much faster than sprinting.
Content creators that play Fortnite are struggling, big time. Muselk has admitted to struggling to come up with ideas for videos. Lazarbeam barely plays Fortnite anymore, and in a recent video of his, he pleaded to Epic Games to give us updates and new things. Lachy has resorted to doing "Fashion Shows", which is critiquing people's outfits and emotes. These three guys I follow are struggling to come up with content because Fortnite is not introducing new guns, game modes, or changes to the map. These YouTubers/streamers rely upon the game for updates so they can make videos that they can then make money off of. This is their livelihoods, and I think Epic Games has sacrificed too much to try to make a great Season 2. I guess the silver lining is that it forced content creators to get creative, but they are fully capable of doing so with routine updates.
All I can say is this next season better be worth the wait. I played a lot during the Star Wars and Winterfest events, but I have played only a little since. It's just the same thing over and over. Epic Games has delayed Season 2 of Chapter 2 by almost two months. There is going to be a lot riding on how well the next season is received and how well it performs. If there are bugs or if the changes aren't received well, we may look back on the introduction of Chapter 2 being the start of the end of Fortnite. I hate to say it, but the next season may make or break the future of this game. Some streamers and YouTubers have already speculated that the game is dying or dead, and if Chapter 2 doesn't live up to expectations, there won't be any speculation anymore. Epic Games won't completely stop adding to Fortnite, but a lack of players could result in even fewer updates and events.
But it's how they've handled this "Chapter 2" that is alienating a ton of Fortnite players, myself included. They have delayed Season 2 of Chapter 2 twice now, their updates have been few and far between, it's way too hard to move around the map, and Fortnite streamers/YouTubers are struggling to find ways to make new and exciting content.
When Chapter 2, Season 1 was first released, it was supposed to end at the end of December. Then, it was pushed to February 6. And just recently, Epic Games pushed it yet again to February 20. I understand they want to make sure Season 2 is polished and ready (and they're switching game engines apparently), but I think in the end this may do more harm than good. I am not the only Fortnite player who long ago lost interest in the current season. What was the theme, anyway? In recent seasons, we had a futuristic theme, we had a time travel theme, we had a lava/volcano theme, and we had a snow/airplane theme. This season has been rather theme-less and boring. And this boring season keeps getting prolonged. The new map definitely took a while to get used to, but at this point, it's already lost interest and made a lot of players yearn for the old map. Boy, if Epic Games loses a huge chunk of Fortnite players between October and February, they should know why.
Perhaps worse than not having a clear theme to the current season is not having many updates. What new items/weapons were introduced? Bandage bazookas... um... harpoon guns... fishing rods... and those were all introduced at the beginning of the season. There was Winterfest and the Star Wars event, which were nice. Lightsabers were in the game, which was cool, but of course only for a limited time. People really wanted a lightsaber pickaxe, yet Epic Games did not listen to their players. Ever since, Fortnite has just been adding challenges, but not introducing anything new into the game. It's getting to the point where these challenges feel like work instead of fun. Most of the updates, while being few and far between, were just minor tweaks to the game and didn't really add new content.
The thing I personally hate most about the current season is the lack of mobility items. Mobility items are any items you can store in your inventory and that can help you move faster across the map, or you can use them to get away from an enemy you know you can't beat. Past mobility items included balloons, impulse grenades, rift-to-go's, shadow bombs, and bounce pads. There is not a single mobility item in the game at the moment (Harpoon guns do not count). To top it off, there are no land vehicles, and the only vehicles are boats. I'm glad they introduced boats, but I did not want that to be at the expense of every land vehicle. Where are ATK's? How about drift boards? Anything? Getting around the map has never been harder, and to make matters worse the zones that spawn on the map have often been towards the edges of the map, so if you landed on the opposite end, unless you spend little to no time looking for loot, you're screwed. Yes, players can swim as well, but unless you're swimming with a current, you're not going much faster than sprinting.
Content creators that play Fortnite are struggling, big time. Muselk has admitted to struggling to come up with ideas for videos. Lazarbeam barely plays Fortnite anymore, and in a recent video of his, he pleaded to Epic Games to give us updates and new things. Lachy has resorted to doing "Fashion Shows", which is critiquing people's outfits and emotes. These three guys I follow are struggling to come up with content because Fortnite is not introducing new guns, game modes, or changes to the map. These YouTubers/streamers rely upon the game for updates so they can make videos that they can then make money off of. This is their livelihoods, and I think Epic Games has sacrificed too much to try to make a great Season 2. I guess the silver lining is that it forced content creators to get creative, but they are fully capable of doing so with routine updates.
All I can say is this next season better be worth the wait. I played a lot during the Star Wars and Winterfest events, but I have played only a little since. It's just the same thing over and over. Epic Games has delayed Season 2 of Chapter 2 by almost two months. There is going to be a lot riding on how well the next season is received and how well it performs. If there are bugs or if the changes aren't received well, we may look back on the introduction of Chapter 2 being the start of the end of Fortnite. I hate to say it, but the next season may make or break the future of this game. Some streamers and YouTubers have already speculated that the game is dying or dead, and if Chapter 2 doesn't live up to expectations, there won't be any speculation anymore. Epic Games won't completely stop adding to Fortnite, but a lack of players could result in even fewer updates and events.
My Top 5 Super Bowls
I love the game of football, so I obviously watch the Super Bowl every year. On some occasions due to working a retail job, I've had to miss the start of a game, but I have seen the majority of every Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXII, when the Denver Broncos beat the Green Bay Packers. With Super Bowl LIV just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to list my Top 5 Favorite Super Bowls ever. These are the most memorable Super Bowls to me, and the ones I had the most fun watching.
Honorable Mention: Super Bowl XLIX - Patriots vs. Seahawks
I have to include this as an honorable mention, because I really enjoyed the first 98% of this game. I just didn't like the ending. But knowing we were about to (probably) get our second straight Super Bowl win, and to beat one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history was a sweet feeling--at the time.
5. Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens vs. 49ers
A blackout, the longest play in Super Bowl history, and an almost epic-comeback. What more could you ask for? Oh, how about watching your least favorite NFL team lose on the biggest stage possible? To see the 49ers comeback effort fall short was just music to my ears. They had been our division rivals for a decade now, so I had built up enough animosity towards them.
4. Super Bowl XXXVII - Buccaneers vs. Raiders
A team I really enjoyed watching in the early 2000's was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They had one of the greatest defenses of all time with Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, and Ronde Barber. And it was Dexter Jackson who won Super Bowl MVP, go figure. It wasn't a close contest, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I remember I had a small wager with my grandpa on the game--he thought the Raiders would win. It wasn't for much (a dollar) but it was more for the pride in knowing I picked the better team.
3. Super Bowl LI - Patriots vs. Falcons
Now, I dislike the Patriots, but I love a good comeback. I also was thinking in the couple years before this game, that we were very due for a Super Bowl that goes to overtime. And this was the first Super Bowl in history to go to overtime. And of course, one of the greatest comebacks in sports history happened in this game, so I had to include it.
2. Super Bowl LII - Patriots vs. Eagles
This Super Bowl set all kinds of records for offensive production including most total yards between the two teams. The Philly Special play is one of the best Super Bowl plays of all time, seeing as it came on 4th and goal. And to top it off, Brady got strip sacked, proving he was mortal. The Eagles had gotten revenge for Super Bowl XXXIX.
1. Super Bowl XLVIII - Seahawks vs. Broncos
Was there any question? The Seahawks got the quickest score in Super Bowl history (although it wasn't anything they did). This game is quintessential Legion of Boom at their peak. But it was Malcolm Smith of all people, who had the key defensive play on a pick six. It was forced by Cliff Avril hitting Manning as he threw, so Smith was just in the right place at the right time. The Hawks started the 2nd half with a kickoff return touchdown from Percy Harvin and never looked back. The Hawks first (and so far only) Super Bowl win may forever be my favorite Super Bowl ever.
Super Bowl LIV is just 9 days away, and I think there's a decent chance it could make this list. The Chiefs enter as 1.5 point favorites, a very close line for a Super Bowl, and it's hard to get closer than that. As a Seahawks fan, I will of course be rooting for the Chiefs, but also because I would fully support the Kansas City Chiefs as the new AFC dynasty.
Super Bowl LIV was definitely enjoyable and close (until the end). If it were to make the list, it would be at #5, and it would really only supplant Super Bowl XLVII because it was more recent.
Honorable Mention: Super Bowl XLIX - Patriots vs. Seahawks
I have to include this as an honorable mention, because I really enjoyed the first 98% of this game. I just didn't like the ending. But knowing we were about to (probably) get our second straight Super Bowl win, and to beat one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history was a sweet feeling--at the time.
5. Super Bowl XLVII: Ravens vs. 49ers
A blackout, the longest play in Super Bowl history, and an almost epic-comeback. What more could you ask for? Oh, how about watching your least favorite NFL team lose on the biggest stage possible? To see the 49ers comeback effort fall short was just music to my ears. They had been our division rivals for a decade now, so I had built up enough animosity towards them.
4. Super Bowl XXXVII - Buccaneers vs. Raiders
A team I really enjoyed watching in the early 2000's was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They had one of the greatest defenses of all time with Warren Sapp, John Lynch, Derrick Brooks, Simeon Rice, and Ronde Barber. And it was Dexter Jackson who won Super Bowl MVP, go figure. It wasn't a close contest, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I remember I had a small wager with my grandpa on the game--he thought the Raiders would win. It wasn't for much (a dollar) but it was more for the pride in knowing I picked the better team.
3. Super Bowl LI - Patriots vs. Falcons
Now, I dislike the Patriots, but I love a good comeback. I also was thinking in the couple years before this game, that we were very due for a Super Bowl that goes to overtime. And this was the first Super Bowl in history to go to overtime. And of course, one of the greatest comebacks in sports history happened in this game, so I had to include it.
2. Super Bowl LII - Patriots vs. Eagles
This Super Bowl set all kinds of records for offensive production including most total yards between the two teams. The Philly Special play is one of the best Super Bowl plays of all time, seeing as it came on 4th and goal. And to top it off, Brady got strip sacked, proving he was mortal. The Eagles had gotten revenge for Super Bowl XXXIX.
1. Super Bowl XLVIII - Seahawks vs. Broncos
Was there any question? The Seahawks got the quickest score in Super Bowl history (although it wasn't anything they did). This game is quintessential Legion of Boom at their peak. But it was Malcolm Smith of all people, who had the key defensive play on a pick six. It was forced by Cliff Avril hitting Manning as he threw, so Smith was just in the right place at the right time. The Hawks started the 2nd half with a kickoff return touchdown from Percy Harvin and never looked back. The Hawks first (and so far only) Super Bowl win may forever be my favorite Super Bowl ever.
Super Bowl LIV is just 9 days away, and I think there's a decent chance it could make this list. The Chiefs enter as 1.5 point favorites, a very close line for a Super Bowl, and it's hard to get closer than that. As a Seahawks fan, I will of course be rooting for the Chiefs, but also because I would fully support the Kansas City Chiefs as the new AFC dynasty.
Super Bowl LIV was definitely enjoyable and close (until the end). If it were to make the list, it would be at #5, and it would really only supplant Super Bowl XLVII because it was more recent.
Thursday, January 23, 2020
My Reviews of 2019 Movies
Hard to believe, but I saw 29 movies released in 2019 and 24 of them in
theaters. I think it was perhaps the best year for cinema ever.
Of course, if you haven't seen any of these films, this is your spoiler
warning. If you get to a film you're still planning on seeing don't read
my review for it.
Glass - 6.5/10
I don't know what it was. It felt like it was missing something. Or maybe I expected a movie with all three supernatural beings to be more exciting. It kept me entertained, but that's about all I can say. It was well acted by the big 3 of Jackson, Willis, and McAvoy, but that’s one of the few good things about it.
The Upside - 7.5/10
I definitely enjoyed this flick, but I wasn't really ever wowed by it. Everything was pretty much expected from what I saw in the trailer. Bryan Cranston was perfect as billionaire Phillip DeCasse. Kevin Hart was believable as the ex-con father. Kind of hard to believe Phillip would hire an ex-con to take care of him. But Kevin and Bryan had great on-screen chemistry.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - 6.0/10
I can't explain it, but I just lost interest in this series as it went along. The first one I really enjoyed, and the second one was okay, but I didn't enjoy quite as much. This one was very meh. The villain was so stereotypical and predictable. I just lost interest at times.
The Lego Movie 2 - 5.5/10
I honestly didn't care for this one. I think the magic of the first one didn't pass on to this one. Also, I got spoiled a bit that Rex was Emmet because I saw Chris Pratt voiced both characters. Oops. Anyway, I didn't really see this film as necessary, although it did have some nice moments and I loved some of the voice casting. Also they kind of copied Toy Story with the LEGO characters acting like sentient beings that could move.
Fighting with My Family - 7/10
It was fun and enjoyable, although a tad predictable. I wish the brother had been able to advance as a wrestler, but seeing as this is based on a true story, they couldn’t make stuff up. I fell in love with Florence Pugh’s portrayal of Saraya. She did an amazing job and looked good while doing it. Lena Headey and Nick Frost weren’t really believable as a married couple, but they somehow sort of made it work.
Dumbo - 7/10
Very cute and heartwarming. Believable? No. But neither is a flying elephant. The part that made me cringe was Michael Keaton's character basically destroying his own park's operations to try to get things under control. It just made no sense. The kid actors did a really good job. Not my favorite Disney live action adaptation, but it certainly could've been worse.
Captain Marvel - 8/10
I'm torn with this one. On one hand, Brie Larson killed at as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. On the other hand, I didn't really understand the mythos behind where she came from and how she lost her memories. There were some parts that were too out there for me. But I still enjoyed it as a whole. And having Nick Fury lose his eye the way he did… too funny.
Us - 8.5/10
What Get Out lacked in violence this makes up for it in. However, that doesn't mean it was better than Get Out. The family we follow predictably makes some questionable choices. And the twist was pretty obvious. If Get Out had never happened, I think this would be a bit better received because people wouldn't have Get Out to compare it to. But still it was thrilling, suspenseful, and captivating.
Avengers: Endgame - 10/10
This (slowly) became the biggest box office hit of all time, so I had to rate it high. It was everything I hoped for. The only thing I wished for was that Spider-Man, Star Lord, and all the snapped Avengers appeared sooner. But I totally understand why they didn't. The Avengers saga was finished by all of the original Avengers. My favorite moment by far was after all the Avengers appeared, Steve got Thor's Mjolnir, and he said his famous line: "Avengers... Assemble." That gave me some of the biggest chills I have EVER experienced watching a movie. And Captain Marvel's re-entrance was a close second.
Shazam! - 7.5/10
D.C. finally puts out a light-hearted and funny superhero film. It didn't make me laugh as much I was hoping, probably because most of the funny moments were in the trailers. Zachary Levi was an absolute perfect casting choice for Shazam. There hasn't been a sequel announced yet, but they sure set up for one with the post-credits scene. I hope they have a sequel and include an actual D.C. superhero to join Shazam.
Pet Sematary - 6.5/10
First off I wasn't a huge fan of the changes they made from the book: Most notably being Gage surviving and Ellie dying. I wasn't a huge fan of Jason Clarke as Louis Creed, either. He's not a bad actor, just not someone who I think fits the role. And Lithgow, while a good actor himself, isn't 80+ years old like the book describes Jud Crandall as. Despite all that, the movie was still enjoyable and thrilling. It captured a lot of the same elements and feelings the book had. However, I think the original film adaptation was a bit better at staying true to the book.
Aladdin - 8/10
One of the more enjoyable Disney live action adaptations. Will Smith was surprisingly good and put his own take on the Genie. Mena Massoud was very believable as Aladdin and did his singing parts well. My biggest gripe with Aladdin was Jafar. He sounded and looked almost nothing like the original. He did, however, capture the evilness of Jafar, I'll give him that. Also the climax/ending seemed a bit rushed. It was definitely more suspenseful in the original animated version. I did love how Genie introduced the story and then we find out he had kids with Jasmine's handmaiden. Very cool addition.
Rocketman - 8.5/10
If Taron Egerton doesn't win awards for his portrayal of Sir Elton John, I'll be shocked and flabbergasted (He won a Golden Globe, at least). Aside from Egerton, I still really enjoyed the film. I learned a lot about "Reginald's" upbringing. Richard Madden did a fantastic job. And I like how they had Taron do his own versions of Elton's songs. They were still very catchy and enjoyable. My favorite would probably be "I'm Still Standing", the song done at the end.
John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum - 8/10
I'll start out by saying John kicked ass with Halle Berry's character Sofia. That scene with the two of them and her dogs was easily the highlight. It's unfortunate she wasn't in the film at the end. Of course the scene that was hard to watch was John having to cut off his own finger... ouch. He is one tough motherf***er. My favorite kill of John's would have to be the giant guy towards the beginning who he killed with just a book. Either that or the horse kicking the one guy. What'll he kill someone with next? And then the ending... how the hell did John survive being shot and falling that far? But it makes me excited for Chapter 4 for sure.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 6/10
These Godzilla films just aren't doing it for me. I found my believability in the film waning a lot. I was entertained for most of the film, but I was never really wowed. Millie Bobby Brown was great, but her character wasn't that well written. I also didn't like how her dad played by Kyle Chandler basically become the decision maker when it came to Godzilla, yet he had no official rank or position.
Detective Pikachu - 7.5/10
Never did I think we'd ever see a live action Pokemon movie. First off I thought Justice Smith did a great job in the lead role. But my favorite was of course Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. He was hilarious as usual. And I saw him being Tim's (Justice Smith) father from a mile away. Bill Nighy was predictably cast as the villain. I would definitely watch this again on a rainy day.
Toy Story 4 - 8.5/10
The toys get separated and have to work and scheme to make their way back to each other. Sound familiar? This time it's Woody going after Bonnie's new favorite toy "Forky". I mean you could make a hundred Toy Story films with the same general plot. But I liked the additions of the new toys. And they did such a great job of turning Gabby Gabby from a villain to a toy to root for. I actually got tears in my eyes when she was accepted by that little girl and her family. The main gripe I have is that Woody was separated from all the other toys. Maybe they're setting up for Toy Story 5. We'll see.
Yesterday - 7.5/10
So Earth experiences a worldwide flash/loss of power and a British-born Indian fellow named Jack Malik is one of a few people who remembers the Beatles. It's an interesting premise, but never really explained. I did really like Himesh Patel's performance; both his singing and acting were great. It was also funnier than I thought it would be with Joel Fry's character of Rocky providing most of the comic relief. Lily James was as lovely as ever. When Jack went to visit one of the Beatles, I so wish Paul McCartney was going to make a cameo appearance. Instead, they cast an actor to play John Lennon. Oh well. Still a very enjoyable film, despite its lack of believability.
The Lion King - 8.5/10
Say what you want, I loved it. It was well cast, my favorite being Billy Eichner as Timon. I just didn't really like Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar. Apparently Jeremy Irons was willing to reprise his role of Scar (just like James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa), so why not let him? Anyway, the film didn't deviate too much from the animated original which I liked. I liked the new hyenas, and they stayed true to actual hyenas by having female be the leader and the biggest which is true in real life. The thing that made this film was the chemistry between Eichner, Seth Rogen, and Donald Glover. They really did seem like old friends.
Spider-Man: Far From Home - 9/10
Best standalone superhero movie I've seen in years. Jake Gyllenhaal's character being the bad guy was pretty obvious, but the film was entertaining from start to finish. Tom Holland again absolutely KILLED it as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and even Zendaya did a great job as MJ. I loved the illusions Mysterio made Spider-Man see and how Spider-Man had to fight against it to finally beat him. And then the post-credits scene... biggest jaw dropper of a post credits scene I’ve ever scene.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 8.5/10
Boy I sure could tell this was a Tarantino flick. DiCaprio was awesome, but Brad Pitt may have been even better. Could Pitt get a supporting actor nomination? I could definitely see it (He did). This film was quite drawn out and long, as are many Tarantino films, but sometimes I wondered why certain scenes and dialogue was in there. But at the end it sure had a great climax and surprisingly for a Tarantino film, had a happy ending. At first I didn’t like how he basically “rewrote history”, but after contemplating on it for a bit, I’m glad he did.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - 8/10
I can see why they made this F&F spinoff film. Johnson and Statham have great chemistry. Throw in Kirby and that threesome really gelled well together. Idris Elba was awesome as the villain and seemed unbeatable. It was also surprisingly funny. I didn't like how they had to force the romance between Hobbs and Hattie (Kirby). Didn't seem natural. Another thing that bugged me was how it was portrayed Deckard Shaw was only a few years older than his sister Hattie, when in reality Statham is over TWENTY years older than Vanessa Kirby. I guess Statham just ages really well, but I wish they had been portrayed as further apart in age. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this film and I loved how they showed Hobbs' Samoan roots.
Angel Has Fallen - 7/10
Hard to say which film in the "Has Fallen" series is best, but Angel Has Fallen may be it. It was enjoyable throughout, and Nick Nolte as Mike's father was a nice addition. I didn't like how they recast Mike's wife, Leah. Also this marks the second straight in the series a black female authority figure dies. I liked Morgan Freeman as the president, and Tim Blake Nelson as the deceitful and villainous VP. Lastly, the premise of this movie is timid at best. Why wouldn't the FBI at least give Mike a chance that he was set up? Hasn't he proven his integrity and worth time and time again? Other than that, solid film.
It : Chapter Two - 7.5/10
This film was a mixed bag. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't. I don't think it was as good as its predecessor. I really liked the scene at the Chinese restaurant and how they imagined everything transforming and trying to hurt them. I didn't like the end and how they tried to get back to Pennywise. I lost interest. The ending in how they defeated Pennywise was a bit underwhelming. I will say they cast very well for the most part, and the actors did a pretty decent job.
Joker - 9.5/10
Holy shit. Excuse my language, but this movie stunned me. I should've seen some things coming, but I didn't. I tried not to predict what would happen or think too much during the film, and I'm glad I did. If there ever were a film based on a comic book that showed how some fairly normal person can turn into a murdering lunatic, this is it. Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely tremendous, and it certainly was the best acting I've ever seen from him. He should at least be nominated for an Oscar. Will they make a sequel? They might just have to.
The Addams Family - 6.5/10
Honestly, it wasn't bad. But there were too many moments that were eye roll-inducing. The pink house being the worst. I don't know why this had to be made, and I don't know how they already have a sequel in the works. I liked the voice casting choices and they all did a great job. Writing? Meh at best.
Doctor Sleep - 7.5/10
This film was so close to being a lot better. Ewan McGregor was a decent choice for Danny, but the original Danny had brown eyes and they had to change that... Anyway, the villains weren't too compelling and Rebecca Ferguson's "Rosie" character--what was her power again? But it kept me entertained which isn't easy to do for a 2 and a half hour movie.
Knives Out - 9/10
A great murder mystery film. The set-up was great, and I was able to keep track of (most of) the characters and their ties to the family. I thought Ana De Armas was perfect as the caretaker that we could root for. Chris Evans proved he can go from a hero to basically being the villain. I think this is a film that requires a rewatch just so you can see everyone’s motives again and better understand the choices they make. Daniel Craig’s southern accent wasn’t bad, but I’m so used to hearing his British one that it was a bit of a distraction.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - 7.0/10
I hate rating a Star Wars movie less than 8/10, but “The Rise of Skywalker” doesn’t deserve it. There are too many things that, upon reflection, bother me about the film and the way the “Skywalker Saga” concluded. Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter is probably worse than being a nobody. I liked the idea that a girl (or anyone) doesn’t have to have special parents (or ancestors) to be a special person themselves. The Chewbacca red herring was unnecessary. What did BB-8 do, again? Oh yeah, he helped with Rey’s training… at the beginning. And I do not like how you can now transport matter using the Force, although that was technically introduced in The Last Jedi. And I don’t like how you can Force heal anyone. Makes me wonder why it wasn’t a necessary part of Jedi training and why Obi-Wan didn’t use it to save Qui-Gon, or why Anakin didn’t use it to save his mother. Sometimes introducing plot devices in a series creates plot holes for the other films. JJ started out the sequel trilogy pretty great with The Force Awakens, but he finished it rather lamely with this one.
Well, that was all the films I saw in 2019! I don’t think I’ll see quite as many in 2020. One, because I don’t think there’s as many films coming out that I want to see, and two, because I’m going to try to save a bit more money, and constantly going to the theaters to see films adds up. But if it’s a special film that I will enjoy, then it’s worth it. But I will definitely be more selective here in 2020. Check my other post here to see what films I’m looking forward to in 2020.
Glass - 6.5/10
I don't know what it was. It felt like it was missing something. Or maybe I expected a movie with all three supernatural beings to be more exciting. It kept me entertained, but that's about all I can say. It was well acted by the big 3 of Jackson, Willis, and McAvoy, but that’s one of the few good things about it.
The Upside - 7.5/10
I definitely enjoyed this flick, but I wasn't really ever wowed by it. Everything was pretty much expected from what I saw in the trailer. Bryan Cranston was perfect as billionaire Phillip DeCasse. Kevin Hart was believable as the ex-con father. Kind of hard to believe Phillip would hire an ex-con to take care of him. But Kevin and Bryan had great on-screen chemistry.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World - 6.0/10
I can't explain it, but I just lost interest in this series as it went along. The first one I really enjoyed, and the second one was okay, but I didn't enjoy quite as much. This one was very meh. The villain was so stereotypical and predictable. I just lost interest at times.
The Lego Movie 2 - 5.5/10
I honestly didn't care for this one. I think the magic of the first one didn't pass on to this one. Also, I got spoiled a bit that Rex was Emmet because I saw Chris Pratt voiced both characters. Oops. Anyway, I didn't really see this film as necessary, although it did have some nice moments and I loved some of the voice casting. Also they kind of copied Toy Story with the LEGO characters acting like sentient beings that could move.
Fighting with My Family - 7/10
It was fun and enjoyable, although a tad predictable. I wish the brother had been able to advance as a wrestler, but seeing as this is based on a true story, they couldn’t make stuff up. I fell in love with Florence Pugh’s portrayal of Saraya. She did an amazing job and looked good while doing it. Lena Headey and Nick Frost weren’t really believable as a married couple, but they somehow sort of made it work.
Dumbo - 7/10
Very cute and heartwarming. Believable? No. But neither is a flying elephant. The part that made me cringe was Michael Keaton's character basically destroying his own park's operations to try to get things under control. It just made no sense. The kid actors did a really good job. Not my favorite Disney live action adaptation, but it certainly could've been worse.
Captain Marvel - 8/10
I'm torn with this one. On one hand, Brie Larson killed at as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel. On the other hand, I didn't really understand the mythos behind where she came from and how she lost her memories. There were some parts that were too out there for me. But I still enjoyed it as a whole. And having Nick Fury lose his eye the way he did… too funny.
Us - 8.5/10
What Get Out lacked in violence this makes up for it in. However, that doesn't mean it was better than Get Out. The family we follow predictably makes some questionable choices. And the twist was pretty obvious. If Get Out had never happened, I think this would be a bit better received because people wouldn't have Get Out to compare it to. But still it was thrilling, suspenseful, and captivating.
Avengers: Endgame - 10/10
This (slowly) became the biggest box office hit of all time, so I had to rate it high. It was everything I hoped for. The only thing I wished for was that Spider-Man, Star Lord, and all the snapped Avengers appeared sooner. But I totally understand why they didn't. The Avengers saga was finished by all of the original Avengers. My favorite moment by far was after all the Avengers appeared, Steve got Thor's Mjolnir, and he said his famous line: "Avengers... Assemble." That gave me some of the biggest chills I have EVER experienced watching a movie. And Captain Marvel's re-entrance was a close second.
Shazam! - 7.5/10
D.C. finally puts out a light-hearted and funny superhero film. It didn't make me laugh as much I was hoping, probably because most of the funny moments were in the trailers. Zachary Levi was an absolute perfect casting choice for Shazam. There hasn't been a sequel announced yet, but they sure set up for one with the post-credits scene. I hope they have a sequel and include an actual D.C. superhero to join Shazam.
Pet Sematary - 6.5/10
First off I wasn't a huge fan of the changes they made from the book: Most notably being Gage surviving and Ellie dying. I wasn't a huge fan of Jason Clarke as Louis Creed, either. He's not a bad actor, just not someone who I think fits the role. And Lithgow, while a good actor himself, isn't 80+ years old like the book describes Jud Crandall as. Despite all that, the movie was still enjoyable and thrilling. It captured a lot of the same elements and feelings the book had. However, I think the original film adaptation was a bit better at staying true to the book.
Aladdin - 8/10
One of the more enjoyable Disney live action adaptations. Will Smith was surprisingly good and put his own take on the Genie. Mena Massoud was very believable as Aladdin and did his singing parts well. My biggest gripe with Aladdin was Jafar. He sounded and looked almost nothing like the original. He did, however, capture the evilness of Jafar, I'll give him that. Also the climax/ending seemed a bit rushed. It was definitely more suspenseful in the original animated version. I did love how Genie introduced the story and then we find out he had kids with Jasmine's handmaiden. Very cool addition.
Rocketman - 8.5/10
If Taron Egerton doesn't win awards for his portrayal of Sir Elton John, I'll be shocked and flabbergasted (He won a Golden Globe, at least). Aside from Egerton, I still really enjoyed the film. I learned a lot about "Reginald's" upbringing. Richard Madden did a fantastic job. And I like how they had Taron do his own versions of Elton's songs. They were still very catchy and enjoyable. My favorite would probably be "I'm Still Standing", the song done at the end.
John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum - 8/10
I'll start out by saying John kicked ass with Halle Berry's character Sofia. That scene with the two of them and her dogs was easily the highlight. It's unfortunate she wasn't in the film at the end. Of course the scene that was hard to watch was John having to cut off his own finger... ouch. He is one tough motherf***er. My favorite kill of John's would have to be the giant guy towards the beginning who he killed with just a book. Either that or the horse kicking the one guy. What'll he kill someone with next? And then the ending... how the hell did John survive being shot and falling that far? But it makes me excited for Chapter 4 for sure.
Godzilla: King of the Monsters - 6/10
These Godzilla films just aren't doing it for me. I found my believability in the film waning a lot. I was entertained for most of the film, but I was never really wowed. Millie Bobby Brown was great, but her character wasn't that well written. I also didn't like how her dad played by Kyle Chandler basically become the decision maker when it came to Godzilla, yet he had no official rank or position.
Detective Pikachu - 7.5/10
Never did I think we'd ever see a live action Pokemon movie. First off I thought Justice Smith did a great job in the lead role. But my favorite was of course Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu. He was hilarious as usual. And I saw him being Tim's (Justice Smith) father from a mile away. Bill Nighy was predictably cast as the villain. I would definitely watch this again on a rainy day.
Toy Story 4 - 8.5/10
The toys get separated and have to work and scheme to make their way back to each other. Sound familiar? This time it's Woody going after Bonnie's new favorite toy "Forky". I mean you could make a hundred Toy Story films with the same general plot. But I liked the additions of the new toys. And they did such a great job of turning Gabby Gabby from a villain to a toy to root for. I actually got tears in my eyes when she was accepted by that little girl and her family. The main gripe I have is that Woody was separated from all the other toys. Maybe they're setting up for Toy Story 5. We'll see.
Yesterday - 7.5/10
So Earth experiences a worldwide flash/loss of power and a British-born Indian fellow named Jack Malik is one of a few people who remembers the Beatles. It's an interesting premise, but never really explained. I did really like Himesh Patel's performance; both his singing and acting were great. It was also funnier than I thought it would be with Joel Fry's character of Rocky providing most of the comic relief. Lily James was as lovely as ever. When Jack went to visit one of the Beatles, I so wish Paul McCartney was going to make a cameo appearance. Instead, they cast an actor to play John Lennon. Oh well. Still a very enjoyable film, despite its lack of believability.
The Lion King - 8.5/10
Say what you want, I loved it. It was well cast, my favorite being Billy Eichner as Timon. I just didn't really like Chiwetel Ejiofor as Scar. Apparently Jeremy Irons was willing to reprise his role of Scar (just like James Earl Jones reprised his role as Mufasa), so why not let him? Anyway, the film didn't deviate too much from the animated original which I liked. I liked the new hyenas, and they stayed true to actual hyenas by having female be the leader and the biggest which is true in real life. The thing that made this film was the chemistry between Eichner, Seth Rogen, and Donald Glover. They really did seem like old friends.
Spider-Man: Far From Home - 9/10
Best standalone superhero movie I've seen in years. Jake Gyllenhaal's character being the bad guy was pretty obvious, but the film was entertaining from start to finish. Tom Holland again absolutely KILLED it as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and even Zendaya did a great job as MJ. I loved the illusions Mysterio made Spider-Man see and how Spider-Man had to fight against it to finally beat him. And then the post-credits scene... biggest jaw dropper of a post credits scene I’ve ever scene.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 8.5/10
Boy I sure could tell this was a Tarantino flick. DiCaprio was awesome, but Brad Pitt may have been even better. Could Pitt get a supporting actor nomination? I could definitely see it (He did). This film was quite drawn out and long, as are many Tarantino films, but sometimes I wondered why certain scenes and dialogue was in there. But at the end it sure had a great climax and surprisingly for a Tarantino film, had a happy ending. At first I didn’t like how he basically “rewrote history”, but after contemplating on it for a bit, I’m glad he did.
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw - 8/10
I can see why they made this F&F spinoff film. Johnson and Statham have great chemistry. Throw in Kirby and that threesome really gelled well together. Idris Elba was awesome as the villain and seemed unbeatable. It was also surprisingly funny. I didn't like how they had to force the romance between Hobbs and Hattie (Kirby). Didn't seem natural. Another thing that bugged me was how it was portrayed Deckard Shaw was only a few years older than his sister Hattie, when in reality Statham is over TWENTY years older than Vanessa Kirby. I guess Statham just ages really well, but I wish they had been portrayed as further apart in age. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this film and I loved how they showed Hobbs' Samoan roots.
Angel Has Fallen - 7/10
Hard to say which film in the "Has Fallen" series is best, but Angel Has Fallen may be it. It was enjoyable throughout, and Nick Nolte as Mike's father was a nice addition. I didn't like how they recast Mike's wife, Leah. Also this marks the second straight in the series a black female authority figure dies. I liked Morgan Freeman as the president, and Tim Blake Nelson as the deceitful and villainous VP. Lastly, the premise of this movie is timid at best. Why wouldn't the FBI at least give Mike a chance that he was set up? Hasn't he proven his integrity and worth time and time again? Other than that, solid film.
It : Chapter Two - 7.5/10
This film was a mixed bag. There were parts I liked and parts I didn't. I don't think it was as good as its predecessor. I really liked the scene at the Chinese restaurant and how they imagined everything transforming and trying to hurt them. I didn't like the end and how they tried to get back to Pennywise. I lost interest. The ending in how they defeated Pennywise was a bit underwhelming. I will say they cast very well for the most part, and the actors did a pretty decent job.
Joker - 9.5/10
Holy shit. Excuse my language, but this movie stunned me. I should've seen some things coming, but I didn't. I tried not to predict what would happen or think too much during the film, and I'm glad I did. If there ever were a film based on a comic book that showed how some fairly normal person can turn into a murdering lunatic, this is it. Joaquin Phoenix was absolutely tremendous, and it certainly was the best acting I've ever seen from him. He should at least be nominated for an Oscar. Will they make a sequel? They might just have to.
The Addams Family - 6.5/10
Honestly, it wasn't bad. But there were too many moments that were eye roll-inducing. The pink house being the worst. I don't know why this had to be made, and I don't know how they already have a sequel in the works. I liked the voice casting choices and they all did a great job. Writing? Meh at best.
Doctor Sleep - 7.5/10
This film was so close to being a lot better. Ewan McGregor was a decent choice for Danny, but the original Danny had brown eyes and they had to change that... Anyway, the villains weren't too compelling and Rebecca Ferguson's "Rosie" character--what was her power again? But it kept me entertained which isn't easy to do for a 2 and a half hour movie.
Knives Out - 9/10
A great murder mystery film. The set-up was great, and I was able to keep track of (most of) the characters and their ties to the family. I thought Ana De Armas was perfect as the caretaker that we could root for. Chris Evans proved he can go from a hero to basically being the villain. I think this is a film that requires a rewatch just so you can see everyone’s motives again and better understand the choices they make. Daniel Craig’s southern accent wasn’t bad, but I’m so used to hearing his British one that it was a bit of a distraction.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker - 7.0/10
I hate rating a Star Wars movie less than 8/10, but “The Rise of Skywalker” doesn’t deserve it. There are too many things that, upon reflection, bother me about the film and the way the “Skywalker Saga” concluded. Rey being Palpatine’s granddaughter is probably worse than being a nobody. I liked the idea that a girl (or anyone) doesn’t have to have special parents (or ancestors) to be a special person themselves. The Chewbacca red herring was unnecessary. What did BB-8 do, again? Oh yeah, he helped with Rey’s training… at the beginning. And I do not like how you can now transport matter using the Force, although that was technically introduced in The Last Jedi. And I don’t like how you can Force heal anyone. Makes me wonder why it wasn’t a necessary part of Jedi training and why Obi-Wan didn’t use it to save Qui-Gon, or why Anakin didn’t use it to save his mother. Sometimes introducing plot devices in a series creates plot holes for the other films. JJ started out the sequel trilogy pretty great with The Force Awakens, but he finished it rather lamely with this one.
Well, that was all the films I saw in 2019! I don’t think I’ll see quite as many in 2020. One, because I don’t think there’s as many films coming out that I want to see, and two, because I’m going to try to save a bit more money, and constantly going to the theaters to see films adds up. But if it’s a special film that I will enjoy, then it’s worth it. But I will definitely be more selective here in 2020. Check my other post here to see what films I’m looking forward to in 2020.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Top 5 Choices to Replace Alex Trebek as host of Jeopardy
As we all know, Alex Trebek is in the middle of battling pancreatic cancer, and we know he won’t host Jeopardy much longer, unfortunately. He is rumored to retire soon so he can get his affairs in order, but if that does happen, who replaces him? They will continue to air Jeopardy as it draws in millions and has a large and steady fanbase, but they will need a new host. So I have come up with 5 picks to replace Alex, and they are in order from my least favorite to top favorite. I also decided to list their biggest strengths and biggest weaknesses in terms of hosting Jeopardy.
Before I name my Top 5, some candidates who I like as hosts, just not for Jeopardy:
Ellen DeGeneres, Howie Mandel, Chris Harrison, Ryan Seacrest
Ellen is a good host, I just don’t like her voice for Jeopardy. Howie fulfills the Canadian part just like Alex, but again his voice doesn’t suit the show well. Chris Harrison would be too safe of a pick and it just wouldn’t go over well with Jeopardy fans. And Seacrest would just go over very poorly with Jeopardy fans. His voice is perhaps too energetic for Jeopardy.
Now, my Top 5 Choices, in order:
5. Ben Bailey
Ben certainly can host a quiz show as he did in Cash Cab, which he won multiple Emmy’s for. I found out he lives in New Jersey, so he’d have to move to Los Angeles to do Jeopardy. He has a nice sounding voice, but maybe one that doesn’t quite mesh with Jeopardy; it’s hard to say. Also, he’d have to wear a suit on every taping of Jeopardy, which he did not have to for Cash Cab. Biggest Strengths: Quiz accumen, ability to read clues promptly and professionally Biggest Weaknesses: Lives in New Jersey, voice may not suit the show
4. Brooke Burns
Hear me out. Brooke did very well as host of “The Chase” on GSN and she was nominated for an Emmy for her hosting on there. Jeopardy producers would probably love to hire either a minority or female host, and Brooke fulfills one of those. She is very good at reciting things quickly and she’s also good at making small talk with contestants, as the new Jeopardy host will have to do. I also like the sound of her voice; I feel like it fits the show well. If she wants the job, she'll have a legitimate shot. Biggest Strengths: Ability to recite clues quickly and professionally Biggest Weaknesses: Background as C-List actress
3. Laura Coates
Apparently, this CNN news analyst was mentioned by Alex as one of his possible replacements (according to her Wikipedia). She’s definitely got the on-air charisma and appearance down, and her voice is very professional and suits Jeopardy. She also fulfills both the minority and female host attributes. Biggest Strengths: Fulfills minority quota, professional Biggest Weaknesses: Lack of hosting in past
2. Wayne Brady
Let me give you a list: Alex Trebek, Bob Barker, Pat Sajak, Dick Clark, Wayne Brady. Those are the five most Emmy-nominated game show hosts of all time. The advantage Wayne has is his age, still only 47 years old. He does have a good-sounding voice, and we know he’d be very personable with the contestants. And it doesn’t hurt to be a minority, as it’s rumored Jeopardy wants to go with a female, a minority, or both.
Biggest Strengths: Hosting accolades and background, name recognition Biggest Weaknesses: May not be considered serious enough for Jeopardy given improv background
1. Brad Rutter
Who better to replace Alex than the highest earning Jeopardy contestant all time? According to his Wikipedia, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting and.... hosting. He does have a really nice sounding voice, and you can’t ask for a candidate that knows the game better. The main problem being his lack of hosting in the past and to go with him would be a bit cliche. But if I was in charge of picking Alex’s replacement, Brad is the guy who I’d go with. It would be like the best Survivor contestant ever replacing Jeff Probst… could happen. He already has a connection with the Jeopardy fan base. Biggest Strengths: Jeopardy connection, professional-sounding voice Biggest Weaknesses: Lack of hosting in past, too safe a pick I found out Alex's contract expires in 2022, so if his health holds up he may host until then. I think any of these five people would do a decent job. Of course, it'll probably be someone that I never considered or thought of. But until then, I'm going to enjoy Alex as host for as long as I can.
Before I name my Top 5, some candidates who I like as hosts, just not for Jeopardy:
Ellen DeGeneres, Howie Mandel, Chris Harrison, Ryan Seacrest
Ellen is a good host, I just don’t like her voice for Jeopardy. Howie fulfills the Canadian part just like Alex, but again his voice doesn’t suit the show well. Chris Harrison would be too safe of a pick and it just wouldn’t go over well with Jeopardy fans. And Seacrest would just go over very poorly with Jeopardy fans. His voice is perhaps too energetic for Jeopardy.
Now, my Top 5 Choices, in order:
5. Ben Bailey
Ben certainly can host a quiz show as he did in Cash Cab, which he won multiple Emmy’s for. I found out he lives in New Jersey, so he’d have to move to Los Angeles to do Jeopardy. He has a nice sounding voice, but maybe one that doesn’t quite mesh with Jeopardy; it’s hard to say. Also, he’d have to wear a suit on every taping of Jeopardy, which he did not have to for Cash Cab. Biggest Strengths: Quiz accumen, ability to read clues promptly and professionally Biggest Weaknesses: Lives in New Jersey, voice may not suit the show
4. Brooke Burns
Hear me out. Brooke did very well as host of “The Chase” on GSN and she was nominated for an Emmy for her hosting on there. Jeopardy producers would probably love to hire either a minority or female host, and Brooke fulfills one of those. She is very good at reciting things quickly and she’s also good at making small talk with contestants, as the new Jeopardy host will have to do. I also like the sound of her voice; I feel like it fits the show well. If she wants the job, she'll have a legitimate shot. Biggest Strengths: Ability to recite clues quickly and professionally Biggest Weaknesses: Background as C-List actress
3. Laura Coates
Apparently, this CNN news analyst was mentioned by Alex as one of his possible replacements (according to her Wikipedia). She’s definitely got the on-air charisma and appearance down, and her voice is very professional and suits Jeopardy. She also fulfills both the minority and female host attributes. Biggest Strengths: Fulfills minority quota, professional Biggest Weaknesses: Lack of hosting in past
2. Wayne Brady
Let me give you a list: Alex Trebek, Bob Barker, Pat Sajak, Dick Clark, Wayne Brady. Those are the five most Emmy-nominated game show hosts of all time. The advantage Wayne has is his age, still only 47 years old. He does have a good-sounding voice, and we know he’d be very personable with the contestants. And it doesn’t hurt to be a minority, as it’s rumored Jeopardy wants to go with a female, a minority, or both.
Biggest Strengths: Hosting accolades and background, name recognition Biggest Weaknesses: May not be considered serious enough for Jeopardy given improv background
1. Brad Rutter
Who better to replace Alex than the highest earning Jeopardy contestant all time? According to his Wikipedia, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting and.... hosting. He does have a really nice sounding voice, and you can’t ask for a candidate that knows the game better. The main problem being his lack of hosting in the past and to go with him would be a bit cliche. But if I was in charge of picking Alex’s replacement, Brad is the guy who I’d go with. It would be like the best Survivor contestant ever replacing Jeff Probst… could happen. He already has a connection with the Jeopardy fan base. Biggest Strengths: Jeopardy connection, professional-sounding voice Biggest Weaknesses: Lack of hosting in past, too safe a pick I found out Alex's contract expires in 2022, so if his health holds up he may host until then. I think any of these five people would do a decent job. Of course, it'll probably be someone that I never considered or thought of. But until then, I'm going to enjoy Alex as host for as long as I can.
Tuesday, January 21, 2020
YouTubers Who I Used to Watch (and miss)
One of my favorite forms of entertainment is YouTube. You can watch almost anything on there. I've been a viewer and subscriber of some of their content creators for close to 12 years, and I have seen many different YouTube channels rise and fall. Here I am going to list some YouTubers that I may still be subscribed to, but they no longer upload like they used to. Basically, these are the YouTube channels I miss getting new content on. I'll also throw in my favorite YouTube video of theirs.
The Microwave Show/Jogwheel/Jonathan Paula/Movie Night
The one I think I miss most is the combination of channels put together by Jonathan Paula. At one point, he was doing the Microwave Show, "Is it a Good Idea to Microwave This?", he did his own content, reviewing tech and shared his thoughts on current events in "The World According to Jon", AND he did his show "Movie Night" in which he reviewed films. The Microwave Show was awesome. He and his buddies Jory and Riley would microwave various objects to see the results. My personal favorite was the Airbag episode. They stopped doing the show about a decade(!) ago, and then Jon kept doing solo projects. However, in recent years, Jon has basically stopped releasing new content and focused more on his family. He got an actual job working Mondays through Fridays, and he has two daughters now. I am still friends with him on Facebook and follow him on Instagram. Perhaps someday he'll get back to releasing tech reviews and more consistent "Movie Night" episodes, but I doubt it. He still releases his annual Oscar Movie reviews in February, at the very least.
Favorite video: "Is it a Good Idea to Microwave an Airbag?"
Barats and Bereta
Barats and Bereta were a comedy duo formed by Luke Barats and Joe Bereta. They met at college, Gonzaga University, and started making videos while in school there. They kept uploading content after graduating and their content exploded. They did some great sketch comedy videos, such as "Mother's Day", "God's Facebook", and "Cubicle War". Basically, they were Smosh before Smosh. They were Rhett and Link before Rhett and Link. They unfortunately went their separate ways years ago. Joe joined SourceFed on YouTube, although I've never been a big fan of that channel. Luke hasn't done any solo projects or joined anyone. I just wish they'd get back together and release new content. At least their channel is still up with all of their old content, which I watch every few years or so.
Favorite Video: "Douche Off"
Pranksist Productions
I discovered these guys after Jack Vale held a prank contest on his channel, and I don't remember if these guys won, but they definitely were finalists. I don't even remember the two guys' names, but they were the absolute best pranksters. My favorite videos were when they randomly screamed in elevators at their school, and had to come up with some elaborate lie as to why they were screaming. I remember they're from Indiana; one with long, dark, curly hair and the other with blonde hair. Their screaming pranks may have induced some of my hardest laughs ever. The dark haired guy had a high-pitched scream which was hilarious.
Favorite Video: "Elevator Screaming"
Magic of Rahat
I don't know why Rahat stopped making videos, because at the time he stopped his channel was doing well (and seemed to be on the rise). But his most famous videos were going through drive-thru's of various fast food restaurants and pranking them by being a robot, Elmo, or other character. He was also good at changing his voice to match his character. But most notably, his best work was his design of the characters and ways he would prank people. He'd have to design a way for the costume to work and look realistic while still being able to drive in it. On one of his videos he designed the seat of his car to go around him, so it looked like no one was driving. Some of the reactions of the fast food employees were just priceless, and if anyone's looking for a laugh, I highly recommend watching one of his drive-thru videos (or better yet, all of them).
Favorite Video: "Drive Thru Robot Driver Prank"
Jaboody Dubs
Now they still upload content, but I miss when they would dub over infomercials. They have a "Sticky Buddy" infomercial dubbing that has over 27 million views. I think they must have run out of infomercials to dub over, because that content was gold. My favorite was the "Orange Glo" dub, I think. I can still watch these over and still laugh at them, even though I know all of the jokes they make. They did curse a lot, but that's what made them so funny, because you wouldn't expect the infomercial hosts themselves to curse. They were the best at impersonating Billy Mays, RIP. Now they do video games and talk about various things. Not as entertaining, IMO.
Favorite video: "Orange Glo Dub"
Kipkay
He still uploads content as well, but not as much as he used to. He used to show a lot of hacks and how-to's, then he went on to reviewing tech gadgets. Still enjoyable, but that's not how he gained his subscribers. My favorite part was when doing these hacks and how-to's, his cats would make an appearance and sometimes play with whatever he was working on at the time. He's very tech savvy, and there are a ton of things he's crafted that I'd love to own.
Favorite Video: "World's Loudest Alarm Clock"
The Microwave Show/Jogwheel/Jonathan Paula/Movie Night
The one I think I miss most is the combination of channels put together by Jonathan Paula. At one point, he was doing the Microwave Show, "Is it a Good Idea to Microwave This?", he did his own content, reviewing tech and shared his thoughts on current events in "The World According to Jon", AND he did his show "Movie Night" in which he reviewed films. The Microwave Show was awesome. He and his buddies Jory and Riley would microwave various objects to see the results. My personal favorite was the Airbag episode. They stopped doing the show about a decade(!) ago, and then Jon kept doing solo projects. However, in recent years, Jon has basically stopped releasing new content and focused more on his family. He got an actual job working Mondays through Fridays, and he has two daughters now. I am still friends with him on Facebook and follow him on Instagram. Perhaps someday he'll get back to releasing tech reviews and more consistent "Movie Night" episodes, but I doubt it. He still releases his annual Oscar Movie reviews in February, at the very least.
Favorite video: "Is it a Good Idea to Microwave an Airbag?"
Barats and Bereta
Barats and Bereta were a comedy duo formed by Luke Barats and Joe Bereta. They met at college, Gonzaga University, and started making videos while in school there. They kept uploading content after graduating and their content exploded. They did some great sketch comedy videos, such as "Mother's Day", "God's Facebook", and "Cubicle War". Basically, they were Smosh before Smosh. They were Rhett and Link before Rhett and Link. They unfortunately went their separate ways years ago. Joe joined SourceFed on YouTube, although I've never been a big fan of that channel. Luke hasn't done any solo projects or joined anyone. I just wish they'd get back together and release new content. At least their channel is still up with all of their old content, which I watch every few years or so.
Favorite Video: "Douche Off"
Pranksist Productions
I discovered these guys after Jack Vale held a prank contest on his channel, and I don't remember if these guys won, but they definitely were finalists. I don't even remember the two guys' names, but they were the absolute best pranksters. My favorite videos were when they randomly screamed in elevators at their school, and had to come up with some elaborate lie as to why they were screaming. I remember they're from Indiana; one with long, dark, curly hair and the other with blonde hair. Their screaming pranks may have induced some of my hardest laughs ever. The dark haired guy had a high-pitched scream which was hilarious.
Favorite Video: "Elevator Screaming"
Magic of Rahat
I don't know why Rahat stopped making videos, because at the time he stopped his channel was doing well (and seemed to be on the rise). But his most famous videos were going through drive-thru's of various fast food restaurants and pranking them by being a robot, Elmo, or other character. He was also good at changing his voice to match his character. But most notably, his best work was his design of the characters and ways he would prank people. He'd have to design a way for the costume to work and look realistic while still being able to drive in it. On one of his videos he designed the seat of his car to go around him, so it looked like no one was driving. Some of the reactions of the fast food employees were just priceless, and if anyone's looking for a laugh, I highly recommend watching one of his drive-thru videos (or better yet, all of them).
Favorite Video: "Drive Thru Robot Driver Prank"
Jaboody Dubs
Now they still upload content, but I miss when they would dub over infomercials. They have a "Sticky Buddy" infomercial dubbing that has over 27 million views. I think they must have run out of infomercials to dub over, because that content was gold. My favorite was the "Orange Glo" dub, I think. I can still watch these over and still laugh at them, even though I know all of the jokes they make. They did curse a lot, but that's what made them so funny, because you wouldn't expect the infomercial hosts themselves to curse. They were the best at impersonating Billy Mays, RIP. Now they do video games and talk about various things. Not as entertaining, IMO.
Favorite video: "Orange Glo Dub"
Kipkay
He still uploads content as well, but not as much as he used to. He used to show a lot of hacks and how-to's, then he went on to reviewing tech gadgets. Still enjoyable, but that's not how he gained his subscribers. My favorite part was when doing these hacks and how-to's, his cats would make an appearance and sometimes play with whatever he was working on at the time. He's very tech savvy, and there are a ton of things he's crafted that I'd love to own.
Favorite Video: "World's Loudest Alarm Clock"
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Movies I am Most Looking Forward to in 2020
The year 2019 was an amazing year for movies and big box office hits. We had Avengers: Endgame, the biggest box office hit ever. We also had Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Lion King, It: Chapter Two, Joker, and Aladdin. Coming soon, I'll post quick reviews of every 2019 release I saw, giving my thoughts on each of them. And now you can go to that by clicking here.
But what does 2020 hold in store for cinema? I'll rate each film on a score of 1-5, 5 being I will definitely see it, and 1 being I probably won't see it in theaters unless my friends really want to.
Dolitte: 2
As of me writing this, Dolittle is already out in theaters and I don't have plans to see it yet, so I might not. I might have to watch it after it's been released on DVD/digital.
Birds of Prey: 2
This is like a spin-off from Suicide Squad, I guess. I like Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, so I might see this. But I'm not dying to see it.
Sonic the Hedgehog: 1
I was never a huge fan of the Sonic games as a kid, although I did play them a little. This might be interesting, but something I can definitely wait to watch.
The Call of the Wild: 1
Not a movie I'm desperate to see, but Harrison Ford might have some meme-worthy quotes in this. Him as a grumpy old man is just pure entertainment to me.
Onward: 3
Tom Holland and Chris Pratt voice brothers who are trying to resurrect their dad, I think. Looks fun and heart-warming. It could go either way if I see this in theaters or not.
A Quiet Place Part II: 4
I really enjoyed the first one, and thought it set up very well for a sequel. Without John Krasinski, it won't be the same, but it'll still be with the same family. We'll probably see this.
Mulan: 3
Disney continues with its live-action remakes of their animated classics. This is one I would see, but I don't have to. I don't really like the idea of giving Disney money to urge them to make more live-action remakes, although I've done that plenty already.
No Time to Die: 4
I'm a fairly big James Bond fan, having seen all of the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig "Bond" films (I still need to watch the older ones, especially the ones with Connery). If my friends don't want to see it, I might have to see it on my own, depending on the reviews it gets.
Black Widow: 5
I love the casting in this, from David Harbour to Rachel Weisz. This will probably be the last time we see ScarJo as Black Widow, and I'll be interested to see what connections this has to the other Marvel/Avengers films.
Fast & Furious 9: 5
I got into the Fast & the Furious series in the past couple years. I even saw "Hobbs & Shaw" last year. They return to the rest of the crew, and I'm excited to see it, even if I might have to see it on my own (again).
Wonder Woman 1984: 4
Gal Gadot kills it as Wonder Woman. From the trailer, it looks to be another well-made Wonder Woman movie. I will almost for sure see this, although I think I could wait until DVD/digital release if need be.
Top Gun: Maverick: 1
Fun fact: Top Gun (the original) is the only film I've seen in a different language. I saw it dubbed in German in my German class in high school. I don't know if I'll see this (probably not), but I'd have to watch the original in English first.
Free Guy: 5
This looks crazy, but in a good way. I hope this gets good reviews. I know of a few YouTubers who have small roles in this. I'll definitely see this, being a huge gamer myself.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife: 2
I have only seen Ghostbusters 1, the original. I didn't see any of its sequels/spin-offs. So it's a bit unlikely I'll see this, but you never know. Reviews might dictate if I see it or not.
Tenet: 4
Christopher Nolan is at it again, and how will he mess with our minds this time? I'm curious to find out. I definitely want to see it at some point, hopefully in theaters.
Bill & Ted Face the Music: 3
I really enjoyed the original Bill & Ted, so I might see this one. Hard to believe they are doing another after so many years.
The King's Man: 3
This film was originally supposed to come out in November 2019, then it was pushed to February 2020, and now it's September 2020. Those delays make me not really want to see it, despite being a fan of the first to "Kingsmen" films. There's no Colin Firth or Taron Egerton in this, so it'll be hard to relate.
BIOS: 2
It's directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who directed some of the best Game of Thrones episodes. It also stars one of my favorite actors, Tom Hanks. I might see it, might not. I'll have to see what the trailer looks like.
Halloween Kills: 3
I saw "Halloween" in 2018, so I'll probably see this at some point. Hard to believe Michael Myers keeps surviving.
Eternals: 3
It's a Marvel movie, so I will definitely see it sooner or later. There are no returning Marvel characters in this, so we'll see how it does at the box office. Also, people might have "Marvel fatigue" and not want to see a Marvel movie after Endgame. I guess this also applies to Black Widow.
Godzilla vs. Kong: 3
I've not been too impressed with the recent Godzilla movies, especially the most recent one, "King of the Monsters". But I am a big monster movie fan, so I will see this. I could pass on seeing it in theaters, though.
That's it... not that impressive of a list, to be honest. And there's not really a film I was as excited to see as Star Wars and Avengers: Endgame. But here's my top 5:
5. A Quiet Place Part II
4. No Time to Die
3. Fast & Furious 9
2. Black Widow
1. Free Guy
But what does 2020 hold in store for cinema? I'll rate each film on a score of 1-5, 5 being I will definitely see it, and 1 being I probably won't see it in theaters unless my friends really want to.
Dolitte: 2
As of me writing this, Dolittle is already out in theaters and I don't have plans to see it yet, so I might not. I might have to watch it after it's been released on DVD/digital.
Birds of Prey: 2
This is like a spin-off from Suicide Squad, I guess. I like Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, so I might see this. But I'm not dying to see it.
Sonic the Hedgehog: 1
I was never a huge fan of the Sonic games as a kid, although I did play them a little. This might be interesting, but something I can definitely wait to watch.
The Call of the Wild: 1
Not a movie I'm desperate to see, but Harrison Ford might have some meme-worthy quotes in this. Him as a grumpy old man is just pure entertainment to me.
Onward: 3
Tom Holland and Chris Pratt voice brothers who are trying to resurrect their dad, I think. Looks fun and heart-warming. It could go either way if I see this in theaters or not.
A Quiet Place Part II: 4
I really enjoyed the first one, and thought it set up very well for a sequel. Without John Krasinski, it won't be the same, but it'll still be with the same family. We'll probably see this.
Mulan: 3
Disney continues with its live-action remakes of their animated classics. This is one I would see, but I don't have to. I don't really like the idea of giving Disney money to urge them to make more live-action remakes, although I've done that plenty already.
No Time to Die: 4
I'm a fairly big James Bond fan, having seen all of the Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig "Bond" films (I still need to watch the older ones, especially the ones with Connery). If my friends don't want to see it, I might have to see it on my own, depending on the reviews it gets.
Black Widow: 5
I love the casting in this, from David Harbour to Rachel Weisz. This will probably be the last time we see ScarJo as Black Widow, and I'll be interested to see what connections this has to the other Marvel/Avengers films.
Fast & Furious 9: 5
I got into the Fast & the Furious series in the past couple years. I even saw "Hobbs & Shaw" last year. They return to the rest of the crew, and I'm excited to see it, even if I might have to see it on my own (again).
Wonder Woman 1984: 4
Gal Gadot kills it as Wonder Woman. From the trailer, it looks to be another well-made Wonder Woman movie. I will almost for sure see this, although I think I could wait until DVD/digital release if need be.
Top Gun: Maverick: 1
Fun fact: Top Gun (the original) is the only film I've seen in a different language. I saw it dubbed in German in my German class in high school. I don't know if I'll see this (probably not), but I'd have to watch the original in English first.
Free Guy: 5
This looks crazy, but in a good way. I hope this gets good reviews. I know of a few YouTubers who have small roles in this. I'll definitely see this, being a huge gamer myself.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife: 2
I have only seen Ghostbusters 1, the original. I didn't see any of its sequels/spin-offs. So it's a bit unlikely I'll see this, but you never know. Reviews might dictate if I see it or not.
Tenet: 4
Christopher Nolan is at it again, and how will he mess with our minds this time? I'm curious to find out. I definitely want to see it at some point, hopefully in theaters.
Bill & Ted Face the Music: 3
I really enjoyed the original Bill & Ted, so I might see this one. Hard to believe they are doing another after so many years.
The King's Man: 3
This film was originally supposed to come out in November 2019, then it was pushed to February 2020, and now it's September 2020. Those delays make me not really want to see it, despite being a fan of the first to "Kingsmen" films. There's no Colin Firth or Taron Egerton in this, so it'll be hard to relate.
BIOS: 2
It's directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who directed some of the best Game of Thrones episodes. It also stars one of my favorite actors, Tom Hanks. I might see it, might not. I'll have to see what the trailer looks like.
Halloween Kills: 3
I saw "Halloween" in 2018, so I'll probably see this at some point. Hard to believe Michael Myers keeps surviving.
Eternals: 3
It's a Marvel movie, so I will definitely see it sooner or later. There are no returning Marvel characters in this, so we'll see how it does at the box office. Also, people might have "Marvel fatigue" and not want to see a Marvel movie after Endgame. I guess this also applies to Black Widow.
Godzilla vs. Kong: 3
I've not been too impressed with the recent Godzilla movies, especially the most recent one, "King of the Monsters". But I am a big monster movie fan, so I will see this. I could pass on seeing it in theaters, though.
That's it... not that impressive of a list, to be honest. And there's not really a film I was as excited to see as Star Wars and Avengers: Endgame. But here's my top 5:
5. A Quiet Place Part II
4. No Time to Die
3. Fast & Furious 9
2. Black Widow
1. Free Guy
Monday, January 13, 2020
Seahawks Position by Position Overview for 2019-2020
The Seahawks season is over, finishing with a 28-23 loss to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round of the playoffs. We can argue about the officiating or the defense's or offense's lack of consistency, but I'm just going to go over each position group for the Hawks and how they did for the 2019 season. The common theme is that the Hawks were hit heavily with injuries. The silver lining to that is that it gave the backups and rookies experience, most of them playoff experience, too. I'll also discuss how much of a need the position is in the offseason on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being a dire need and 1 being something we could basically ignore. And then finish up with a letter grade.
Quarterback: I think Russell Wilson had his best season. He carried the team more than ever, especially when injuries hit late in the season and we could no longer run the ball effectively. For this reason, he deserves MVP, because there is literally no other player that is more valuable to their team. There's really only one thing about his game I wish he'd improve, and that's throwing the ball away instead of taking sacks. He took a ton of sacks this year, which largely (but not entirely) can be attributed to the offensive line. But late in the year, you can see he occasionally held the ball too long and had opportunities to either find a receiver or throw the ball away. I don't think Geno saw the field at all this year, which is fine with me.
Need: 1
Grade: A
Running Back: Boy it is unfortunate Carson, Penny, and Prosise all went down within a few weeks. Before they went down, Carson and Penny were really doing well. The silver lining to them going down is that it gave us an opportunity to see Marshawn Lynch again and Travis Homer. Homer is a very capable back, and he could very easily be a #2. I think the Hawks consider trading Penny in the offseason. They don't have to, however. Seeing the injury bug hit this position hard will probably make John Schneider want as much depth as possible. I don't think Marshawn returns. And I think the Hawks finally part ways with Prosise. If the Hawks trade Penny, they'll bring in an undrafted rookie to compete for a backup role.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Wide Receiver: Lockett's not a true #1, but he doesn't have to be. With the emergence of D.K. Metcalf, I think the Hawks finally found a #1 guy. Boy was he a steal, and he should only get better. The rest of the group leaves a lot to be desired. Moore, Turner, and Brown all had just ok seasons. I think the Hawks only keep one, maybe two of those guys. I wish John Ursua had gotten more of a shot, but I expect him to in 2020 (Let him work the slot like Doug Baldwin did!). This unit was one of the healthier all year, which is mainly why Ursua was mostly inactive in 2019. I think the Hawks draft a mid-late receiver, hoping he can develop into a legit #3 some day. Overall, this group was criticized for their failure to get open at times, despite Wilson prolonging plays with his scrambling.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Tight Ends: Dissly gets hurt...again. If he hadn't, I think the Hawks win the NFC West and are still in the playoffs. He's a legit all-around tight end, but he just has to stay healthy. Jacob Hollister had his moments, but he also had drops and fumbles. I think the Hawks need to acquire a tight end for depth in case Dissly gets hurt yet again. Wilson to Dissly sure was fun to watch while it lasted in 2019.
Need: 3
Grade: C+
Offensive Line: The shakiest position group on the team, and it has been for years. They weren't as awful as past years, but injuries to Britt, both guards, and Brown really hurt this unit. The Hawks have to address this group in the offseason and make it a primary concern. Depth is needed, as well as a new right tackle, with Ifedi probably on his way out. The Hawks also need more youth at the guard positions and will soon need to find Duane Brown's successor.
Need: 5
Grade: C-
Defensive Line: I have to start out by saying boy LJ Collier has been a disappointment so far. He was mostly inactive all year, and I don't think he made any big plays. Acquiring Jadeveon Clowney was huge, but will he remain a Hawk? I like the rest of the guys in Green, Jefferson, and Reed. Ziggy Ansah was largely a disappointment. This unit did not get enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2019, and it will have to improve somehow in 2020. Unless they expect Collier to live up to his first round status, they need to address this position in the offseason with a fairly significant addition.
Need: 4
Grade: C
Linebackers: Bobby was All-Pro and KJ was pretty solid himself. Kendricks was doing ok, but Carroll/Norton asked him to cover routes more than anything, which included covering wide receivers. Cody Barton had a very solid rookie campaign, and he could be given a starting role in 2020. Ben Burr-Kirven was only seen on special teams but did well. Shaquem Griffin was used in pass rush situations to some effectiveness. This is a group I'm not concerned about going into 2020, but they'll need better coaching next year.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Defensive Backs: Shaquill Griffin had his best season in 2020. He only got flagged once in the regular season, a remarkable achievement for a starting cornerback. Tre Flowers, however, got burned multiple times, got flagged a lot more, and missed more tackles. Most Hawks fans don't think he should be starting in 2020. Quandre Diggs was an excellent addition, and he reminded me of an Earl Thomas/Kam Chancellor hybrid. Bradley McDougald did well, especially with tackling. We'll see what role Tedric Thompson has next year after being hurt for most of the season. I expect more out of this unit as it is Coach Carroll's specialty, and I grade them harshly as a result.
Need: 4
Grade: D+
Special Teams: Myers was certainly shaky at times, but with kicking the way it is in today's NFL, that's honestly about average and the Hawks would be foolish to move on from him. Dickson had a decent season, although not quite as good as his rookie campaign. The coverage was mostly good all season, except for perhaps the Saints game. The return game left a ton to be desired, as I don't think we had an electrifying return all season. I think the Hawks have sorely lacked a return specialist for a while, and with Lockett getting older, he cannot be relied on anymore. The Hawks need to draft some kind of return specialist, maybe KJ Hamler out of Penn State. But otherwise, they are set on ST.
Need: 2
Grade: C-
Coaching: This was both a great and terrible coaching job by the Seahawks coaching staff this season. Being able to get to the divisional round despite a ton of injuries is at least partly indicative of a good coaching job. However, Ken Norton Jr's schemes were largely exposed and he was often left adjusting and trying to fix things, rather than being the aggressor and making offenses adjust to him. Schottenheimer had an up and down season as coordinator, and he did fairly well late in the year given the circumstances. Carroll had some questionable coaching decisions, most notably not going for certain fourth down attempts. I really think this defense needs a different leader, but I can see Carroll wanting to stick with KNJ, unfortunately.
Need: 3
Grade: D+
Overall GPA: 2.33 (C+)
Overall, this team did better than most people expected, and most position groups did a good job. If certain areas are addressed, mainly the lines and secondary, and we can stay relatively healthy next season, I can see this team doing really well. Coordinators aside, if you have good enough players, they will succeed. I think a certain strength and conditioning coach should be fired (Ivan Lewis), even though he was hired less than a year ago. There's a reason they call him "Ivan the Terrible". Let's hope Pete and John address the right needs in the offseason, and there are far less injuries in 2020.
Quarterback: I think Russell Wilson had his best season. He carried the team more than ever, especially when injuries hit late in the season and we could no longer run the ball effectively. For this reason, he deserves MVP, because there is literally no other player that is more valuable to their team. There's really only one thing about his game I wish he'd improve, and that's throwing the ball away instead of taking sacks. He took a ton of sacks this year, which largely (but not entirely) can be attributed to the offensive line. But late in the year, you can see he occasionally held the ball too long and had opportunities to either find a receiver or throw the ball away. I don't think Geno saw the field at all this year, which is fine with me.
Need: 1
Grade: A
Running Back: Boy it is unfortunate Carson, Penny, and Prosise all went down within a few weeks. Before they went down, Carson and Penny were really doing well. The silver lining to them going down is that it gave us an opportunity to see Marshawn Lynch again and Travis Homer. Homer is a very capable back, and he could very easily be a #2. I think the Hawks consider trading Penny in the offseason. They don't have to, however. Seeing the injury bug hit this position hard will probably make John Schneider want as much depth as possible. I don't think Marshawn returns. And I think the Hawks finally part ways with Prosise. If the Hawks trade Penny, they'll bring in an undrafted rookie to compete for a backup role.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Wide Receiver: Lockett's not a true #1, but he doesn't have to be. With the emergence of D.K. Metcalf, I think the Hawks finally found a #1 guy. Boy was he a steal, and he should only get better. The rest of the group leaves a lot to be desired. Moore, Turner, and Brown all had just ok seasons. I think the Hawks only keep one, maybe two of those guys. I wish John Ursua had gotten more of a shot, but I expect him to in 2020 (Let him work the slot like Doug Baldwin did!). This unit was one of the healthier all year, which is mainly why Ursua was mostly inactive in 2019. I think the Hawks draft a mid-late receiver, hoping he can develop into a legit #3 some day. Overall, this group was criticized for their failure to get open at times, despite Wilson prolonging plays with his scrambling.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Tight Ends: Dissly gets hurt...again. If he hadn't, I think the Hawks win the NFC West and are still in the playoffs. He's a legit all-around tight end, but he just has to stay healthy. Jacob Hollister had his moments, but he also had drops and fumbles. I think the Hawks need to acquire a tight end for depth in case Dissly gets hurt yet again. Wilson to Dissly sure was fun to watch while it lasted in 2019.
Need: 3
Grade: C+
Offensive Line: The shakiest position group on the team, and it has been for years. They weren't as awful as past years, but injuries to Britt, both guards, and Brown really hurt this unit. The Hawks have to address this group in the offseason and make it a primary concern. Depth is needed, as well as a new right tackle, with Ifedi probably on his way out. The Hawks also need more youth at the guard positions and will soon need to find Duane Brown's successor.
Need: 5
Grade: C-
Defensive Line: I have to start out by saying boy LJ Collier has been a disappointment so far. He was mostly inactive all year, and I don't think he made any big plays. Acquiring Jadeveon Clowney was huge, but will he remain a Hawk? I like the rest of the guys in Green, Jefferson, and Reed. Ziggy Ansah was largely a disappointment. This unit did not get enough pressure on opposing quarterbacks in 2019, and it will have to improve somehow in 2020. Unless they expect Collier to live up to his first round status, they need to address this position in the offseason with a fairly significant addition.
Need: 4
Grade: C
Linebackers: Bobby was All-Pro and KJ was pretty solid himself. Kendricks was doing ok, but Carroll/Norton asked him to cover routes more than anything, which included covering wide receivers. Cody Barton had a very solid rookie campaign, and he could be given a starting role in 2020. Ben Burr-Kirven was only seen on special teams but did well. Shaquem Griffin was used in pass rush situations to some effectiveness. This is a group I'm not concerned about going into 2020, but they'll need better coaching next year.
Need: 2
Grade: B
Defensive Backs: Shaquill Griffin had his best season in 2020. He only got flagged once in the regular season, a remarkable achievement for a starting cornerback. Tre Flowers, however, got burned multiple times, got flagged a lot more, and missed more tackles. Most Hawks fans don't think he should be starting in 2020. Quandre Diggs was an excellent addition, and he reminded me of an Earl Thomas/Kam Chancellor hybrid. Bradley McDougald did well, especially with tackling. We'll see what role Tedric Thompson has next year after being hurt for most of the season. I expect more out of this unit as it is Coach Carroll's specialty, and I grade them harshly as a result.
Need: 4
Grade: D+
Special Teams: Myers was certainly shaky at times, but with kicking the way it is in today's NFL, that's honestly about average and the Hawks would be foolish to move on from him. Dickson had a decent season, although not quite as good as his rookie campaign. The coverage was mostly good all season, except for perhaps the Saints game. The return game left a ton to be desired, as I don't think we had an electrifying return all season. I think the Hawks have sorely lacked a return specialist for a while, and with Lockett getting older, he cannot be relied on anymore. The Hawks need to draft some kind of return specialist, maybe KJ Hamler out of Penn State. But otherwise, they are set on ST.
Need: 2
Grade: C-
Coaching: This was both a great and terrible coaching job by the Seahawks coaching staff this season. Being able to get to the divisional round despite a ton of injuries is at least partly indicative of a good coaching job. However, Ken Norton Jr's schemes were largely exposed and he was often left adjusting and trying to fix things, rather than being the aggressor and making offenses adjust to him. Schottenheimer had an up and down season as coordinator, and he did fairly well late in the year given the circumstances. Carroll had some questionable coaching decisions, most notably not going for certain fourth down attempts. I really think this defense needs a different leader, but I can see Carroll wanting to stick with KNJ, unfortunately.
Need: 3
Grade: D+
Overall GPA: 2.33 (C+)
Overall, this team did better than most people expected, and most position groups did a good job. If certain areas are addressed, mainly the lines and secondary, and we can stay relatively healthy next season, I can see this team doing really well. Coordinators aside, if you have good enough players, they will succeed. I think a certain strength and conditioning coach should be fired (Ivan Lewis), even though he was hired less than a year ago. There's a reason they call him "Ivan the Terrible". Let's hope Pete and John address the right needs in the offseason, and there are far less injuries in 2020.
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Survivor: Winners at War Outlook and Predictions
One of the most anticipated seasons of Survivor in recent memory is the upcoming season, season 40, titled "Winners at War". For the first time, the cast will be comprised entirely of players who have won the game before. This has long been rumored to be a season, and for their 40th, Survivor is going all out. And for the first time, they are offering up $2 million as the grand prize for the winner. I'm very excited for this season, the most excited I have been probably since Heroes vs. Villains. I'm going to go over each contestant, their chances, and what I expect from them, and then at the end, give them a range in which I think they'll be voted out. (In parentheses)
First though, I wanted to say I think there will be a divide between new school and old school players. People like Ethan, Rob, Amber, Danni, Yul, Parvati, and Tyson have known each other for many years (at least ten), while newer players like Wendell, Nick, Michelle, Adam, and Sarah haven't known everyone for quite as long. I think the old school people will stick together and the new school people will stick together. I can only hope there's somewhat of a mix when we get far into the game, and the new school people don't just pick them off one by one. By my count, there are eight players who played in a season in the first ten years (up until Heroes vs. Villains), and twelve who did not. If those twelve band together (six per tribe?), they could pick off the older players one by one.
Anyway, here's the list of previous winners on Winners at War, sorted alphabetically by first name:
Adam Klein: Adam is definitely a strong strategic player and may be identified as so early. It's been a trend in recent seasons that strong strategic threats are just as dangerous, if not more so, than strong physical (challenge) threats. He could be an early boot, but if he makes the right alliance could go far. (11-5)
Amber Mariano: One of two Survivors that hasn't played in over 15 years, Amber will instantly be a target, not just because of her and Rob, but because she's won an All-Stars season before. It will be interesting to see how she holds up, as I expect her and Rob will be on opposite tribes at first. I don't expect her to get far, and to be honest I'd be surprised if she made it to the merge. (20-14)
Ben Driebergen: Everyone knows Ben's story. He was saved by a twist in the game, a twist many fans think was put in for the purpose of saving him. He's obviously likable, and I don't see him making it to the final tribal council. I expect him to be voted out near the merge, as he would probably be labeled a threat to win. (13-8)
Danni Boatwright: How will players who haven't played in over a decade fare? Well, Danni is one of them. She, like Amber, has had kids since her season, so that could put her at a disadvantage physically, as well as making her out to be a threat to win. She could be an early boot or make it far, depending on how well she holds up and who she makes alliances with. (18-12)
Denise Stapley: The woman who holds the record for amount of Tribal Councils attended in a season, she'll need to have better luck this time or she will be voted out for people thinking she is bad luck for a tribe. After all, in Heroes vs. Villains, Stephanie was basically voted out for that reason. I think Denise will make it to the merge if her tribe does okay, but after that I'm not sure. (13-8)
Ethan Zohn: The true Survivor. This will be his first time playing since his cancer scare/diagnosis, and he definitely will be a threat to win. I think it will be very hard for him to make it far in this game, as who wouldn't vote for a cancer survivor in the final tribal council? (19-14)
Jeremy Collins: I think Jeremy is the dark horse of the season. People will be so focused on getting other people out that he will slip by. He's a really good all-around player, and people may forget how dangerous he can be late in the game. I think he'll make it far. However, I noticed he is the only male to ever win an "All-Stars" type season, so if people realize that he could be in trouble. (9-4)
Kim Spradlin: Kim is probably the one I remember least, so please forgive me. I think she'll make it further than most females, as she won't be considered a threat for any reason. (10-4)
Michele Fitzgerald: She played five years ago, and is the second most-recent female winner. I think she could make it far, depending on the alliances she forms. I like her chances. (8-2)
Natalie Anderson: For some reason I have a strong feeling she is on the jury. I can't explain it. She could be underestimated, but she could also be an early boot. Hard to say. I'll say somewhere in the middle. (12-6)
Nick Wilson: Will the recent winners be early targets? If they are, Nick could be in trouble. If not, I can see him making it far, perhaps forming an alliance with some more recent winners (Wendell, Michele, Sarah). (7-2)
Parvati Shallow: Like Amber, she's technically won an All-Stars season, so I think she will be an early target. Like Amber and Danni, she's also had kids since the show. People will know she can win over a jury, so I'd be shocked if she got close to the end. (18-12)
Rob Mariano: Survivor's golden boy! Boy, he's gonna have his work cut out for him. If there's a Survivor Mount Rushmore, him and his Red Sox cap are on it. Will this go the way similar to Redemption Island, or Heroes vs. Villains? Oddly, Rob has never been part of a jury, and I would love to see him there. (13-8)
Sandra Diaz-Twine: Now, she's the only two-time winner, but here's what I think her strategy will be: She'll convince people that no one will vote for her in the final tribal council and she won't get any votes. If she isn't able to convince people of that, she'll be an early target. But if she can, she could go far, but I'm sure there will be people who won't want her even sniffing the final tribal. Could go either way, but I think people won't care and will want her gone. (20-14)
Sarah Lacina: The most recent female winner of Survivor (still), Sarah has a good shot to go far, I think. I don't see her being labeled as a threat, at least not early. She's got a real good shot, and if I had to put my money on a handful of Survivors who could win this season, she'd probably be one of them. (7-1)
Sophie Clarke: I honestly think she's one of the weaker winners. She went against Albert and Coach in the final tribal council, neither of whom are deserved winners themselves. But that doesn't mean she can't do well in this season. Nobody is going to consider her a threat, and if she makes the right alliance, she could go far. (8-3)
Tony Vlachos: Tony is the quintessential Survivor target now having won. He also can rub people the wrong way. He and Sarah have an iffy relationship so we'll see how that goes. I don't see him making it far, maybe even a pre-merge boot. (18-12)
Tyson Apostol: Tyson is one of my favorite Survivors ever, and I hope he goes far. I think he will so long as he doesn't get down in numbers. Jury at the least, I bet. (11-6)
Wendell Holland: The only Survivor to win on a tie-breaking vote is this man. He's a good all-around player and I don't see him being a target early. I'd love to see him get far again. Here's hoping he will. (7-1)
Yul Kwon: Yul's smarts and wisdom will make him an early target. I could see him being an early boot or making it fairly far. Hard to say, but I think he'll manage to talk his way out of being voted out at least once. (18-12)
So that's what I think of everyone. Remember, only one male has won an All-Stars type season (Jeremy). The rest have been females (Amber, Parvati, Sandra, Sarah). Will that trend continue or will a man win?
Just for fun, I will predict their boot order, keeping in mind everyone's ranges I gave them. I bet I will be pretty close on a few of these.
20. Amber
19. Ethan
18. Sandra
17. Parvati
16. Tony
15. Yul
14. Danni
13. Ben
JURY
12. Denise
11. Rob
10. Natalie
9. Tyson
8. Kim
7. Adam
6. Jeremy
5. Sophie
4. Michele
FINAL THREE
3. Nick
2. Wendell
1. Sarah
That's right, I have Sarah winning Survivor: Winners at War. I could see an alliance of Sarah, Wendell, Nick and Michele. I think Nick and Wendell would kind of cancel each other out in the final tribal council, allowing Sarah to claim the title of Sole Survivor (again). I also have a lot of the older veteran players as early boots (Amber, Ethan, Sandra, Parvati, Yul), unfortunately.
First though, I wanted to say I think there will be a divide between new school and old school players. People like Ethan, Rob, Amber, Danni, Yul, Parvati, and Tyson have known each other for many years (at least ten), while newer players like Wendell, Nick, Michelle, Adam, and Sarah haven't known everyone for quite as long. I think the old school people will stick together and the new school people will stick together. I can only hope there's somewhat of a mix when we get far into the game, and the new school people don't just pick them off one by one. By my count, there are eight players who played in a season in the first ten years (up until Heroes vs. Villains), and twelve who did not. If those twelve band together (six per tribe?), they could pick off the older players one by one.
Anyway, here's the list of previous winners on Winners at War, sorted alphabetically by first name:
Adam Klein: Adam is definitely a strong strategic player and may be identified as so early. It's been a trend in recent seasons that strong strategic threats are just as dangerous, if not more so, than strong physical (challenge) threats. He could be an early boot, but if he makes the right alliance could go far. (11-5)
Amber Mariano: One of two Survivors that hasn't played in over 15 years, Amber will instantly be a target, not just because of her and Rob, but because she's won an All-Stars season before. It will be interesting to see how she holds up, as I expect her and Rob will be on opposite tribes at first. I don't expect her to get far, and to be honest I'd be surprised if she made it to the merge. (20-14)
Ben Driebergen: Everyone knows Ben's story. He was saved by a twist in the game, a twist many fans think was put in for the purpose of saving him. He's obviously likable, and I don't see him making it to the final tribal council. I expect him to be voted out near the merge, as he would probably be labeled a threat to win. (13-8)
Danni Boatwright: How will players who haven't played in over a decade fare? Well, Danni is one of them. She, like Amber, has had kids since her season, so that could put her at a disadvantage physically, as well as making her out to be a threat to win. She could be an early boot or make it far, depending on how well she holds up and who she makes alliances with. (18-12)
Denise Stapley: The woman who holds the record for amount of Tribal Councils attended in a season, she'll need to have better luck this time or she will be voted out for people thinking she is bad luck for a tribe. After all, in Heroes vs. Villains, Stephanie was basically voted out for that reason. I think Denise will make it to the merge if her tribe does okay, but after that I'm not sure. (13-8)
Ethan Zohn: The true Survivor. This will be his first time playing since his cancer scare/diagnosis, and he definitely will be a threat to win. I think it will be very hard for him to make it far in this game, as who wouldn't vote for a cancer survivor in the final tribal council? (19-14)
Jeremy Collins: I think Jeremy is the dark horse of the season. People will be so focused on getting other people out that he will slip by. He's a really good all-around player, and people may forget how dangerous he can be late in the game. I think he'll make it far. However, I noticed he is the only male to ever win an "All-Stars" type season, so if people realize that he could be in trouble. (9-4)
Kim Spradlin: Kim is probably the one I remember least, so please forgive me. I think she'll make it further than most females, as she won't be considered a threat for any reason. (10-4)
Michele Fitzgerald: She played five years ago, and is the second most-recent female winner. I think she could make it far, depending on the alliances she forms. I like her chances. (8-2)
Natalie Anderson: For some reason I have a strong feeling she is on the jury. I can't explain it. She could be underestimated, but she could also be an early boot. Hard to say. I'll say somewhere in the middle. (12-6)
Nick Wilson: Will the recent winners be early targets? If they are, Nick could be in trouble. If not, I can see him making it far, perhaps forming an alliance with some more recent winners (Wendell, Michele, Sarah). (7-2)
Parvati Shallow: Like Amber, she's technically won an All-Stars season, so I think she will be an early target. Like Amber and Danni, she's also had kids since the show. People will know she can win over a jury, so I'd be shocked if she got close to the end. (18-12)
Rob Mariano: Survivor's golden boy! Boy, he's gonna have his work cut out for him. If there's a Survivor Mount Rushmore, him and his Red Sox cap are on it. Will this go the way similar to Redemption Island, or Heroes vs. Villains? Oddly, Rob has never been part of a jury, and I would love to see him there. (13-8)
Sandra Diaz-Twine: Now, she's the only two-time winner, but here's what I think her strategy will be: She'll convince people that no one will vote for her in the final tribal council and she won't get any votes. If she isn't able to convince people of that, she'll be an early target. But if she can, she could go far, but I'm sure there will be people who won't want her even sniffing the final tribal. Could go either way, but I think people won't care and will want her gone. (20-14)
Sarah Lacina: The most recent female winner of Survivor (still), Sarah has a good shot to go far, I think. I don't see her being labeled as a threat, at least not early. She's got a real good shot, and if I had to put my money on a handful of Survivors who could win this season, she'd probably be one of them. (7-1)
Sophie Clarke: I honestly think she's one of the weaker winners. She went against Albert and Coach in the final tribal council, neither of whom are deserved winners themselves. But that doesn't mean she can't do well in this season. Nobody is going to consider her a threat, and if she makes the right alliance, she could go far. (8-3)
Tony Vlachos: Tony is the quintessential Survivor target now having won. He also can rub people the wrong way. He and Sarah have an iffy relationship so we'll see how that goes. I don't see him making it far, maybe even a pre-merge boot. (18-12)
Tyson Apostol: Tyson is one of my favorite Survivors ever, and I hope he goes far. I think he will so long as he doesn't get down in numbers. Jury at the least, I bet. (11-6)
Wendell Holland: The only Survivor to win on a tie-breaking vote is this man. He's a good all-around player and I don't see him being a target early. I'd love to see him get far again. Here's hoping he will. (7-1)
Yul Kwon: Yul's smarts and wisdom will make him an early target. I could see him being an early boot or making it fairly far. Hard to say, but I think he'll manage to talk his way out of being voted out at least once. (18-12)
So that's what I think of everyone. Remember, only one male has won an All-Stars type season (Jeremy). The rest have been females (Amber, Parvati, Sandra, Sarah). Will that trend continue or will a man win?
Just for fun, I will predict their boot order, keeping in mind everyone's ranges I gave them. I bet I will be pretty close on a few of these.
20. Amber
19. Ethan
18. Sandra
17. Parvati
16. Tony
15. Yul
14. Danni
13. Ben
JURY
12. Denise
11. Rob
10. Natalie
9. Tyson
8. Kim
7. Adam
6. Jeremy
5. Sophie
4. Michele
FINAL THREE
3. Nick
2. Wendell
1. Sarah
That's right, I have Sarah winning Survivor: Winners at War. I could see an alliance of Sarah, Wendell, Nick and Michele. I think Nick and Wendell would kind of cancel each other out in the final tribal council, allowing Sarah to claim the title of Sole Survivor (again). I also have a lot of the older veteran players as early boots (Amber, Ethan, Sandra, Parvati, Yul), unfortunately.
My Gripes with Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
The app and game I have played the most the past two years (or so) is definitely Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery. Anyone that knows me knows that I am a huge Harry Potter fan, so when this app came out in April of 2018, I had to play it. I've basically been hooked since then, but I have stopped playing the game for multiple days at a time. That is because there are certain things the developers have chosen to implement into the game that I do not like. If anyone from Jam City that has input on the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery game reads this, please try to fix one of these things at the very least:
- Dueling
One of my biggest complaints I have with the game is the dueling. It's just a boring game of rock-paper-scissors. There's very little strategy involved. The games are clearly rigged because in a standard game of rock-paper-scissors, you would have the same move as your opponent (draw) 1/3 of the time. In dueling in HPHM, you draw only 10% of the time, if that. Worst of all, no matter what moves you select and when, you lose a little more than you win. My suggestion is to add helping items or bonuses that can give you a boost in dueling, such as healing items, tiebreakers, or extra damage. These bonuses or advantages could be earned through events and/or classes. That would increase the strategy in dueling ten-fold and make it much more fun. Or if that's too hard to do, make dueling more like an actual 1/3 shot of either winning, losing, or drawing.
- Full Marks
Full Marks events are near impossible to win. I won't go over their details in what is required to do well (and possibly win), but they last between five to seven days, so in order to get a top prize you have to be at it 24/7 for close to an entire week. Even if you are, you'll likely still remain behind at least one or two players. I am convinced some of the players on the leader board that you compete with are bots and not real players. I have read many posts and comments on Reddit about how when people see a Full Marks event, they take a break from the game because the event is just not worth it. You bust your butt for an entire week for coins and maybe some books? Not worth it. My suggestion is to have rewards for getting a certain amount of points, regardless of how everyone else does. It's fine to have the grand prize (outfit, decoration for dormitory) be a competition between players, but every other prize should be obtained from reaching a certain number of points, just like in House Pride events.
- House Pride
Speaking of House Pride events, they are not perfect, either. I like how you get rewards no matter how your team does, but getting the top prize is near impossible now. When this event first started out, it was very easy to win, and now it's impossible. No matter how often I play and get extra energy from spots around the castle, I always am behind at least one person on my team and behind at least one house for the house totals. One thing I have read is that as you progress through the game, your energy requirements to complete classes goes up. When you first play, it only takes 10 energy or so to get a star in a class. In year six, it takes 15-20 energy. In other words, a team full of first and second years can complete classes much quicker than a team of sixth years. That should not be the case; in fact, it should be the other way around. Jam City, you have this backwards. I don't know how, but somehow make it easier for dedicated players to the game like myself to win these House Pride events. Perhaps give players in later years a multiplier on the house crests earned. But we should not be penalized for being further in the game than other players. I honestly cannot remember the last time I won either a House Pride or Full Marks event.
- Story/Characters
The story in the game has severely lacked in years 5 and 6. The story gets released so slowly, it can be very hard to try to remember what was going on in the last chapter. I am getting to the point of losing interest in ever finding out who's behind this "R", if we'll ever find and get revenge on Rakepick, and if our brother Jacob will ever hang around for more than a minute. I can't remember the last time our story involved Tulip Karasu or Barnaby Lee. You've made a mockery of Tonks, whose only apparent character trait is being a prankster. And Ben Copper's character took a complete 180 and became cold and uninteresting. And you can't seem to make up your mind if Merula will ever come around, or if she's going to forever be our arch rival. And with the story being released as slowly as it is, it's extremely hard to get invested in it at all, and I find myself not really caring too much for what the characters are saying.
- Focus
Clearly, Jam City's focus in the past year or so in the game has been to try to get people to spend real life money by introducing new pets, creatures, and now dorm decorations. It seems like every time I go on the game there's a new thing to buy or try to invest books in. I know, that's how you guys keep the game running, but if you keep at this pace, people aren't going to care. The game is slowly becoming all show and no substance. Some players have realized this, and more will if you're not careful. Many apps and games have seen their profits dwindle because they tried too hard to get people to spend money and didn't focus on making a quality game. I don't feel as fulfilled with having creatures and pets as I do with a great story, interesting characters, and fun and winnable events to do. The game is at its best when the pets and cosmetics are an additional/side feature, not the main feature.
- Creature sidequests with Hagrid
Every now and then a sidequest with Hagrid will pop up involving a pet or creature. However, the most recent two are ones that make me not want to even try anymore. The sidequests require we adopt a certain pet or creature, and their requirements are insane. First, the Welsh Green Dragon, which requires 60 Red and 30 Blue Books. Blue books are extremely hard to get in the game, and getting just two or three in an event is very tough to do (usually it's the reward requiring the most amount of classes/crests). And you're asking for thirty of them!? Second, the Puppy Crup, which requires 120 Brown Books. Fortunately, Brown Books are a lot easier to obtain, but 120 of them?! And woe is me, I spent 50 Brown Books on a Streeler mere days before the Puppy Crup sidequest comes out. Figures, right? If I had known, I would have saved my Brown Books. These requirements to obtain these creatures to further our friendship with Hagrid are just insane, and they make players like me not want to even bother because it's so difficult and time-consuming to earn them. And you can't expect players to shovel out real money just so they can progress a sidequest.
- Friendship Requirements/Attribute Requirements
The requirements to level up certain friendships are insane. I'm talking about Jae, Badeea, Liz, and Fred. Having to do a friendship task 20-30 times with each to level up is just way too much. And having to spend our hard-earned coins each time just adds insult to injury. I've basically stopped doing the friendship tasks unless I'm trying in a Full Marks Event and it requires a friendship task. At least there are some friends who don't require that many points to level up, such as the three Quidditch friends (Orion, Murphy and Skye), Chiara, and Talbott (sort of).
And then the points required to level up your attributes (courage, empathy, knowledge) get insane around the late 20's. At level 29, it requires over 17,000 points?! Are you kidding me? I'd say the average net for an attribute in a 2 hour class is 15 points. That's being generous, because you don't always get attribute points as a reward, and the highest you can get (40) is pretty rare. Doing the math, this would require us to do 567 two hour classes or 227 eight hour classes! To level up all three attributes, it would take 1,700 two hour classes or 680 eight hour classes! That's just insane. And playing the game every time you reached full energy (during awake hours, so 18 hours for most) would take an attribute to level up between 70-80 days, and that's if you focus on that one attribute only and play pretty much every time you reach full energy while you're awake. That is asking way too much of us.
I say all this despite the fact I am on it basically every day, every few hours. I still really like the game, but honestly the times when I decide to take a break and not play, I feel a bit of a relief that I'm not stressing over trying to win an event or complete a sidequest before time runs out. I am seriously thinking of taking a break from the game for a while, and not just for a few days. It's getting to the point where it's not worth it anymore. I would definitely come back and play again, if only to catch up on the story. But it is getting to that point with me, and I will not hesitate to stop playing for a while. The game is just not what it used to be. The story is severely lacking in quality, events are near impossible to win, and the side bits of the game (Dueling, pets, friendship tasks) are just not worth the time and effort. The game started out great, but then fizzled out in its second year, and if they're not careful, the same downward trend will continue, and they will lose players.
Edit: I am currently in a hiatus from the game, and part of me wants to go back to the game, but when I think about doing so, I just lose interest very quickly. This game has unfortunately descended into the depths of money grabbers, and I just lose interest in a game quickly when that happens. Also, it's hard to keep up with the game when you're busy with a job and other apps take up your time.
- Dueling
One of my biggest complaints I have with the game is the dueling. It's just a boring game of rock-paper-scissors. There's very little strategy involved. The games are clearly rigged because in a standard game of rock-paper-scissors, you would have the same move as your opponent (draw) 1/3 of the time. In dueling in HPHM, you draw only 10% of the time, if that. Worst of all, no matter what moves you select and when, you lose a little more than you win. My suggestion is to add helping items or bonuses that can give you a boost in dueling, such as healing items, tiebreakers, or extra damage. These bonuses or advantages could be earned through events and/or classes. That would increase the strategy in dueling ten-fold and make it much more fun. Or if that's too hard to do, make dueling more like an actual 1/3 shot of either winning, losing, or drawing.
- Full Marks
Full Marks events are near impossible to win. I won't go over their details in what is required to do well (and possibly win), but they last between five to seven days, so in order to get a top prize you have to be at it 24/7 for close to an entire week. Even if you are, you'll likely still remain behind at least one or two players. I am convinced some of the players on the leader board that you compete with are bots and not real players. I have read many posts and comments on Reddit about how when people see a Full Marks event, they take a break from the game because the event is just not worth it. You bust your butt for an entire week for coins and maybe some books? Not worth it. My suggestion is to have rewards for getting a certain amount of points, regardless of how everyone else does. It's fine to have the grand prize (outfit, decoration for dormitory) be a competition between players, but every other prize should be obtained from reaching a certain number of points, just like in House Pride events.
- House Pride
Speaking of House Pride events, they are not perfect, either. I like how you get rewards no matter how your team does, but getting the top prize is near impossible now. When this event first started out, it was very easy to win, and now it's impossible. No matter how often I play and get extra energy from spots around the castle, I always am behind at least one person on my team and behind at least one house for the house totals. One thing I have read is that as you progress through the game, your energy requirements to complete classes goes up. When you first play, it only takes 10 energy or so to get a star in a class. In year six, it takes 15-20 energy. In other words, a team full of first and second years can complete classes much quicker than a team of sixth years. That should not be the case; in fact, it should be the other way around. Jam City, you have this backwards. I don't know how, but somehow make it easier for dedicated players to the game like myself to win these House Pride events. Perhaps give players in later years a multiplier on the house crests earned. But we should not be penalized for being further in the game than other players. I honestly cannot remember the last time I won either a House Pride or Full Marks event.
- Story/Characters
The story in the game has severely lacked in years 5 and 6. The story gets released so slowly, it can be very hard to try to remember what was going on in the last chapter. I am getting to the point of losing interest in ever finding out who's behind this "R", if we'll ever find and get revenge on Rakepick, and if our brother Jacob will ever hang around for more than a minute. I can't remember the last time our story involved Tulip Karasu or Barnaby Lee. You've made a mockery of Tonks, whose only apparent character trait is being a prankster. And Ben Copper's character took a complete 180 and became cold and uninteresting. And you can't seem to make up your mind if Merula will ever come around, or if she's going to forever be our arch rival. And with the story being released as slowly as it is, it's extremely hard to get invested in it at all, and I find myself not really caring too much for what the characters are saying.
- Focus
Clearly, Jam City's focus in the past year or so in the game has been to try to get people to spend real life money by introducing new pets, creatures, and now dorm decorations. It seems like every time I go on the game there's a new thing to buy or try to invest books in. I know, that's how you guys keep the game running, but if you keep at this pace, people aren't going to care. The game is slowly becoming all show and no substance. Some players have realized this, and more will if you're not careful. Many apps and games have seen their profits dwindle because they tried too hard to get people to spend money and didn't focus on making a quality game. I don't feel as fulfilled with having creatures and pets as I do with a great story, interesting characters, and fun and winnable events to do. The game is at its best when the pets and cosmetics are an additional/side feature, not the main feature.
- Creature sidequests with Hagrid
Every now and then a sidequest with Hagrid will pop up involving a pet or creature. However, the most recent two are ones that make me not want to even try anymore. The sidequests require we adopt a certain pet or creature, and their requirements are insane. First, the Welsh Green Dragon, which requires 60 Red and 30 Blue Books. Blue books are extremely hard to get in the game, and getting just two or three in an event is very tough to do (usually it's the reward requiring the most amount of classes/crests). And you're asking for thirty of them!? Second, the Puppy Crup, which requires 120 Brown Books. Fortunately, Brown Books are a lot easier to obtain, but 120 of them?! And woe is me, I spent 50 Brown Books on a Streeler mere days before the Puppy Crup sidequest comes out. Figures, right? If I had known, I would have saved my Brown Books. These requirements to obtain these creatures to further our friendship with Hagrid are just insane, and they make players like me not want to even bother because it's so difficult and time-consuming to earn them. And you can't expect players to shovel out real money just so they can progress a sidequest.
- Friendship Requirements/Attribute Requirements
The requirements to level up certain friendships are insane. I'm talking about Jae, Badeea, Liz, and Fred. Having to do a friendship task 20-30 times with each to level up is just way too much. And having to spend our hard-earned coins each time just adds insult to injury. I've basically stopped doing the friendship tasks unless I'm trying in a Full Marks Event and it requires a friendship task. At least there are some friends who don't require that many points to level up, such as the three Quidditch friends (Orion, Murphy and Skye), Chiara, and Talbott (sort of).
And then the points required to level up your attributes (courage, empathy, knowledge) get insane around the late 20's. At level 29, it requires over 17,000 points?! Are you kidding me? I'd say the average net for an attribute in a 2 hour class is 15 points. That's being generous, because you don't always get attribute points as a reward, and the highest you can get (40) is pretty rare. Doing the math, this would require us to do 567 two hour classes or 227 eight hour classes! To level up all three attributes, it would take 1,700 two hour classes or 680 eight hour classes! That's just insane. And playing the game every time you reached full energy (during awake hours, so 18 hours for most) would take an attribute to level up between 70-80 days, and that's if you focus on that one attribute only and play pretty much every time you reach full energy while you're awake. That is asking way too much of us.
I say all this despite the fact I am on it basically every day, every few hours. I still really like the game, but honestly the times when I decide to take a break and not play, I feel a bit of a relief that I'm not stressing over trying to win an event or complete a sidequest before time runs out. I am seriously thinking of taking a break from the game for a while, and not just for a few days. It's getting to the point where it's not worth it anymore. I would definitely come back and play again, if only to catch up on the story. But it is getting to that point with me, and I will not hesitate to stop playing for a while. The game is just not what it used to be. The story is severely lacking in quality, events are near impossible to win, and the side bits of the game (Dueling, pets, friendship tasks) are just not worth the time and effort. The game started out great, but then fizzled out in its second year, and if they're not careful, the same downward trend will continue, and they will lose players.
Edit: I am currently in a hiatus from the game, and part of me wants to go back to the game, but when I think about doing so, I just lose interest very quickly. This game has unfortunately descended into the depths of money grabbers, and I just lose interest in a game quickly when that happens. Also, it's hard to keep up with the game when you're busy with a job and other apps take up your time.
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