The Silmarilian
By Jrr Tolkien
Book.
I love lord of the rings, that being said, the Silmarilian is dry and hard to read. Published after Tolkien died and before he finished the book.
The Silmarilian is the complete story of middle earth, from it's foundations to it's end.
It does explain all about Sauron and how he became so powerful, also about Gandalf and all the other wizards. Where the elves come from. More about hobbits, orcs and rings.
The Silmarilian itself would be better served as a reference guide to the published series instead of the stand alone book people want it to be.
There is a overwhelming urge for people to declare everything that Tolkien touched a masterpiece. When in actuality a lot of it is hard to read and unfinished. His published works is great and definitely a masterpiece.
If you can find a copy of the first print of the Hobbit it has a lot of differences. Tolkien rewrote parts of the book to fit into Lord of the Rings for the 2nd printing. For example, when Bilbo gets the ring, Golem agrees he was bested a wishes Bilbo a safe journey.
4 out of 10
Taylor
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Shrek forever after.
Shrek Forever after.
DVD and BLU-Ray,
It’s been a long time since Shrek first came on the scene. Computer animation has changed a lot; it makes me wish they would remake the original with the new tech.
Shrek longs for a simpler life without all his responsibilities and his swamp back to its original state. The plot of every Shrek movie by the way. Making a deal with Rumplestiltskin, he ends up never being born alter the world and everyone else for the worse.
The fat alternate reality Puss is one of the funniest parts of the movie.
Eddie Murphy’s voice acting sounded very unconvincing.
Cameron Diaz seems to have just phoned it in.
Mike Myers seems to have better luck with his voice then he does with his physical acting.
The story wasn’t so great and seemed like just random filler.
This is supposed to be the final Shrek movie. But they all have been worth a few laughs and made a ton of money so we will just have to see. I doubt it will be the last.
6 out of 10
Taylor.
DVD and BLU-Ray,
It’s been a long time since Shrek first came on the scene. Computer animation has changed a lot; it makes me wish they would remake the original with the new tech.
Shrek longs for a simpler life without all his responsibilities and his swamp back to its original state. The plot of every Shrek movie by the way. Making a deal with Rumplestiltskin, he ends up never being born alter the world and everyone else for the worse.
The fat alternate reality Puss is one of the funniest parts of the movie.
Eddie Murphy’s voice acting sounded very unconvincing.
Cameron Diaz seems to have just phoned it in.
Mike Myers seems to have better luck with his voice then he does with his physical acting.
The story wasn’t so great and seemed like just random filler.
This is supposed to be the final Shrek movie. But they all have been worth a few laughs and made a ton of money so we will just have to see. I doubt it will be the last.
6 out of 10
Taylor.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron.
Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron.
By Aaron Allston.
(Previously published on Goodreads.com.)
Wraith squadron is one of the worst Star Wars books in the series. Allston is one of the least original authors currently writing books. It is a shame he is still writing star wars books.
A good author tries to continue a series, adding to the overall narrative. Allston tries to rework the series to be his own.
A lot of his characters and stories are flimsy reworkings of characters from tv shows or movies. A particularly obvious example that I like is his latest books and the almost scenario to scenario similarities to Doctor Who episodes.
I still read his books but I consider them at the same level as good fan fiction and not part of the official Star Wars cannon.
This author is what killed my obsession with Star Wars years ago. I used to buy anything and everything Star Wars. I had a collection of over 45 thousand pieces. Now I maybe have 100 pieces left, and no longer buy things.
1 out of 10
Taylor
By Aaron Allston.
(Previously published on Goodreads.com.)
Wraith squadron is one of the worst Star Wars books in the series. Allston is one of the least original authors currently writing books. It is a shame he is still writing star wars books.
A good author tries to continue a series, adding to the overall narrative. Allston tries to rework the series to be his own.
A lot of his characters and stories are flimsy reworkings of characters from tv shows or movies. A particularly obvious example that I like is his latest books and the almost scenario to scenario similarities to Doctor Who episodes.
I still read his books but I consider them at the same level as good fan fiction and not part of the official Star Wars cannon.
This author is what killed my obsession with Star Wars years ago. I used to buy anything and everything Star Wars. I had a collection of over 45 thousand pieces. Now I maybe have 100 pieces left, and no longer buy things.
1 out of 10
Taylor
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Toy Story 3.
Toy Story 3.
DVD and Blu Ray
Let me start off by saying always read the fine print. Commercials and the movie box advertise that Toy Story 3 is the 1# animated movie of all time. That's all well and good, but it isn't.
If you read the fine print in the commercial or on the sticker it reads " according to movieguide.com".
This kind of advertising trickery really makes me mad because it wasn't even the best of the trilogy let alone the 1# money maker. Most people read this and assume it's true.
But on to the movie.
This is actually the second Toy Story 3. Disney decided to make 3 without Pixar who didn't want to do it. The story involved the Buzz Lightyear toys being recalled and sent back to the factory in Mexico and the group of toys go on an adventure to rescue him.
I know voice recording was done. But I am not sure how much animation was made.
Toy Story 3 was a good movie, but not the best. Tim Allen's voice sounds a little aged. The story seemed a little bit forced, being that its animation you can keep Andy young forever. So why make him grow up. It had some minor problems but worth watching.
Little known fact: In high school I was offered college and a job at Pixar. I turned it down, thinking that computer animation was just a fad.
6 out of 10
Taylor
DVD and Blu Ray
Let me start off by saying always read the fine print. Commercials and the movie box advertise that Toy Story 3 is the 1# animated movie of all time. That's all well and good, but it isn't.
If you read the fine print in the commercial or on the sticker it reads " according to movieguide.com".
This kind of advertising trickery really makes me mad because it wasn't even the best of the trilogy let alone the 1# money maker. Most people read this and assume it's true.
But on to the movie.
This is actually the second Toy Story 3. Disney decided to make 3 without Pixar who didn't want to do it. The story involved the Buzz Lightyear toys being recalled and sent back to the factory in Mexico and the group of toys go on an adventure to rescue him.
I know voice recording was done. But I am not sure how much animation was made.
Toy Story 3 was a good movie, but not the best. Tim Allen's voice sounds a little aged. The story seemed a little bit forced, being that its animation you can keep Andy young forever. So why make him grow up. It had some minor problems but worth watching.
Little known fact: In high school I was offered college and a job at Pixar. I turned it down, thinking that computer animation was just a fad.
6 out of 10
Taylor
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Diner for Schmucks.
Diner for Smucks.
DVD and Blu ray.
Man I wanted to like this movie. The previews showed it to be a laugh a minute comedy, it was not.
The main story of the movie was about a guy played by Paul Rudd who tries to get a promotion and marry his girlfriend and about 30 minute into it he accidentally hits Steve Carrel with his car, who tries to be helpful but ends up screwing up Rudd's life.
The actual diner didn't even happen until around the hour mark and was full of extras and cameo stars that have been overplayed in other movies.
Zack (insert name here) played (insert name here) who comically controls people with his mind. A role which could have been really really funny fell short of expectations.
Paul Rudd's girlfriend runs an art gallery and works exclusively which an artist named Keiran who think himself sort of a artistic god. Creating pictures where he is half man half goat, or demon like. His character actually works in this movie, his persona is so over the top that's it very comical.
I hate when comedy movies try to teach us lessions. Are we supposed to walk away and think "I guess we know who the real schmucks are, the people who judge others too harshly."
Dinner for Schmucks seemed like someone had a good idea but it wasn't long enough or funny enough so they kept adding elements different from the main theme. This is a not unheard-of technique in hollywood. It happens all the time.
Taylor
4 out of 9.
DVD and Blu ray.
Man I wanted to like this movie. The previews showed it to be a laugh a minute comedy, it was not.
The main story of the movie was about a guy played by Paul Rudd who tries to get a promotion and marry his girlfriend and about 30 minute into it he accidentally hits Steve Carrel with his car, who tries to be helpful but ends up screwing up Rudd's life.
The actual diner didn't even happen until around the hour mark and was full of extras and cameo stars that have been overplayed in other movies.
Zack (insert name here) played (insert name here) who comically controls people with his mind. A role which could have been really really funny fell short of expectations.
Paul Rudd's girlfriend runs an art gallery and works exclusively which an artist named Keiran who think himself sort of a artistic god. Creating pictures where he is half man half goat, or demon like. His character actually works in this movie, his persona is so over the top that's it very comical.
I hate when comedy movies try to teach us lessions. Are we supposed to walk away and think "I guess we know who the real schmucks are, the people who judge others too harshly."
Dinner for Schmucks seemed like someone had a good idea but it wasn't long enough or funny enough so they kept adding elements different from the main theme. This is a not unheard-of technique in hollywood. It happens all the time.
Taylor
4 out of 9.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Knight and Day.
Knight and Day.
DVD and Blu Ray
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz star in a comedic spy movie. Sounds like a hit. Yet when I saw a advertisement for the DVD release I was a little stumped it seemed funny and action packed. But why hadn't I heard of it.
After reading online that the movie went through 5 directors and a series of rewrites and casting changes, I suspected it was terrible. I still sat down and watched it.
Tom Cruise plays a secret agent who supposedly went rouge stealing a perpetual energy source the size of a battery. Cameron Diaz gets involved by forcing her way onto a airplane filled with agents and Tom Cruise. She doesn't know who to believe because Cruise acts totally insane for the majority of the movie.
This movie is really fun, packed with a lot of decent jokes, funny sayings, satire and espionage. Like when Tom Cruise shoots a fireman in the leg and tells him he'll be a hero and probably get a promotion, and that it's just a flesh wound.
Peter Scarsguard plays protagonist to the two main characters but had no real character development and his whole character seemed to be a glorified extra.
It really is too bad that this movie didn't do so well in the theaters, a sequel would have been fun to watch.
I don't really know why it is called knight and day though.
7.5 out of 10
Taylor
DVD and Blu Ray
Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz star in a comedic spy movie. Sounds like a hit. Yet when I saw a advertisement for the DVD release I was a little stumped it seemed funny and action packed. But why hadn't I heard of it.
After reading online that the movie went through 5 directors and a series of rewrites and casting changes, I suspected it was terrible. I still sat down and watched it.
Tom Cruise plays a secret agent who supposedly went rouge stealing a perpetual energy source the size of a battery. Cameron Diaz gets involved by forcing her way onto a airplane filled with agents and Tom Cruise. She doesn't know who to believe because Cruise acts totally insane for the majority of the movie.
This movie is really fun, packed with a lot of decent jokes, funny sayings, satire and espionage. Like when Tom Cruise shoots a fireman in the leg and tells him he'll be a hero and probably get a promotion, and that it's just a flesh wound.
Peter Scarsguard plays protagonist to the two main characters but had no real character development and his whole character seemed to be a glorified extra.
It really is too bad that this movie didn't do so well in the theaters, a sequel would have been fun to watch.
I don't really know why it is called knight and day though.
7.5 out of 10
Taylor
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Blythe Watch 2.
Rom Howard to appear in the movie. Read this article.
http://m.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a299085/ron-howard-could-appear-in-arrested-movie.html
http://m.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news/a299085/ron-howard-could-appear-in-arrested-movie.html
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