Edge of Tomorrow: Book vs. Movie

Though it’s no longer in theatres in most places, this is a comparison of the “Edge of Tomorrow” movie and its All You Need is Kill counterpart. I only read the book because I liked the movie so much. Which is odd because Tom Cruise is in it, and I’m really not a fan of his. Before I even start the review, the movie and book are starkly different. Sure they hold the same general idea, but completely different events occur. Let’s get into it.

I’ll start with the movie first, because that’s what we saw first. Edge of Tomorrow, starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, is a dystopic future full of a world war against the Mimics–an alien species here to destroy the humans. All the world comes together to fight this threat, creating the United Defense Forces (UDF). The Mimics basically know how the battle will go, due to their ability to communicate-time travel in the past and let them know not to do certain tactics. This makes them almost unbeatable. Almost. Even though half the world is ravaged, there is still hope.

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That hope is in the form of Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise. In separate occasions, they both have the ability to “restart.” This means that if they die, they’ll simply wake up on the day before. For Tom Cruise, it happens when he gets the “blood” of a server Mimic all over him. And then he gets stuck in the loop of being in training to going to battle to dying. Over and over and over. However, the movie does an excellent job with humor and relatability which made it truly enjoyable to watch. Eventually, Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise get together once they realize they’ve been through the same thing and do a final end-all mission to destroy the Mimics forever. But I won’t spoil any more for you.

Now let’s move onto All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka, the book the movie is based on. And that’s not even the original. It’s originally Japanese that has been translated into English, which, of course, changes it. The book starts with a fresh recruit in the Japanese part of the UDF (Tom Cruise was a Col., and he was American). He’s green as can be, not ready for battle but without much of a choice. Just as in the movie, he goes into battle and gets killed. But…he wakes up on the previous day! At first, he thinks it’s just a weird dream, but then it keeps going for another 160 days. The same problem still exists–Mimics are killing all humans on the planet so they can xenoform the planet. However, the book is much more crude–lots of swearing, all written in 1st person. There is a lot of focus on the loneliness that these “time-looped” people have to endure. The ending events in the book are completely different from the movie. I don’t want to say much more, but I was surprised. It was much more heavy, I guess would be the right word.

All in all, I would probably choose the movie over the book. You will rarely ever hear me say that, especially a movie with Tom Cruise in it, but I have to be honest. It could be part of the translation from Japanese to English, but the movie engaged me more. Though, I’m starting to like the book’s ending more and more as I dwell on it. There is a graphic novel of All You Need is Kill that I wish I got instead of the paperback. It would be more fitting, I think.

The concept of both the book and the movie is great–it grabs onto you and keeps you there. It’s a nail-biter and it makes you laugh. And Emily Blunt was freaking awesome. I would absolutely see the movie again and would recommend the book to anyone. And as always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Jul102014

Underwater Audio Waterproof iPod Review

$165. What can that get you nowadays? A few trips for two to Chili’s. An outdated Biology textbook for college classes. Enough groceries to last the week. Well that last one sounds pretty worthwhile, but all in all, we spend money on items that don’t last very long or leave worthwhile impressions. It could cost $30 to go to the movies without even getting any drinks or snacks. We often regret a lot of these temporary purchases. Why don’t we invest in something that lasts?

I’ve swam competitively for quite some time and have spent upwards of six hours in the pool a day. Unlike other sports that I have played above the water, swimming offers us very little to look at or listen to and it is so easy to get BORED. Triathlon and endurance sports have become more popular and there has been a growth in the swimming industry as a result. Working with triathletes, competitive swimmers, and newcomers of all levels always turns me to the same recommendation. Practice. Time in the water… time in the pool, time in the open water.

One question. What can make that time in the water more enjoyable? Swimming is not easy. Even if you find your groove, it is physically exhausting. You don’t want it to be mentally exhausting as well. Well, here is the solution for swimming as by yourself in the pool. MUSIC! Sure, you can put speakers in the pool but I don’t think everyone else will appreciate that so you to create your own little world in that lane of yours. This leaves us with one option… using an underwater MP3 player. Are there multiple choices? Of course, but I recently had the pleasure of trying out a new one and here is what I have to say about it!

The Product: Waterproof iPod Bundle

The Price: $165 for the whole bundle

The Provider: Underwater Audio

The Pros:

It’s an iPod shuffle. Very easy to use. Very familiar in our society. iTunes is free and most of us already have it.
That iPod shuffle has a clip. That clip will hook onto your suit, no matter what gender as long as the material is thin enough. (Not a 7mm wetsuit.)
The earbuds have multiple earplugs and options for people with different shaped ears. The cords are long enough to wrap them around your suit or goggle straps so they stay in place.
It’s competitively priced and you will get your money’s worth if you swim often.
Shipping is fast and it is well packaged with all the necessary charging devices.
The music is not so loud that other swimmers can hear your music.

The Cons:

You need to be careful about just getting the headphones and actual iPod wet, not the USB charging cables.
You need to take the time to clip the device in and set up the headphones so they don’t fall off when moving quickly.
The music is not so loud that other swimmers can hear your music! I know it’s in both categories but sometimes if there are just a few of you in the pool, it doesn’t hurt to share!

The Bottom Line:

This is a product well worth purchasing if you train in the pool. Whether you are an olympic swimmer or a triathlete, this makes 12,000 yards go by a lot faster. The length of the earphones is great for competitive swimmers since you don’t have these awkward cords being ripped out by your arms when they move throughout the water into the path of your pull. You can’t just throw it on but if you take two minutes to put it on right you don’t have to worry about the iPod unclipping or earphones popping out on your flip turns. (I did not try any starts with these on… obviously?) It obviously works well in open water as well, although I’m not so keen on the idea of using music in open water… personal preference.

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So go over to www.underwateraudio.com and check out this product! Trust me, it makes swimming laps a lot more enjoyable at a reasonable price. And as always, stay hungry and fit!

Jul082014

#22 Greatest Video Game of All Time

After a slight hiatus, we are back on our series of the Top 25 Greatest Video Games of All Time! Don’t forget to check out our video game brain trust as well as #25, #24, and #23! This week we are rolling into #22. We all come from different backgrounds and video game tastes which makes this list so interesting! See below for our picks for #22.

Kai Powell – Soul Calibur – One of the few fighting games I really played, but boy did I play it. Junior year of high school, I’d basically play everyday at lunch with a random group in the back of our biology teacher’s classroom. It was really approachable, but also clearly had tiers of skill, with the best players almost always beating the worse players. It had a group of memorable and distinct characters (I played as Lizardman) and straightforward, comprehensible mechanics. Soul Calibur was the perfect lunch time distraction.

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Scott (Po) – Super Metroid – The premiere mix of horror and gameplay. I’ve yet to play a game that mixed mood, puzzle, and overall playability so well since.

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Andrew – Mega Man 4/series(NES + forward) – Same thing, should be higher. Series needs to be refreshed. It didn’t matter whether gameplay was the same, whether it was Mega Man or Mega Man X, you had a new map and different colored enemies and that was pretty much all you needed. The music was always fantastic. You had upgrades! Mega Man 4 had one of the best intros of all time. For anything. Period. Heartbreaking. Emotional. Legendary. The TV show was phenomenal (it’s a tie in so it counts). Mega Man X was probably the last good game in the series , Mega Man 64(Legends) was pretty disappointing all around but this game could play just like Metroid Prime if it was given another chance. Hell, make it a rail shooter…just give it another shot. Give a new generation of gamers the chance.

Alana (Fit) – Battlefield 1942 – I’m not talking about the whole series here, I’m talking just the original Battlefield 1942. For way longer than we should have, my brother and I just played the demo. The only level in this demo was Wake Island, north of the Marshall Islands. I loved this game and I find it astonishing now that we never got bored of playing that one level over and over and over and over. Multiplayer, of course, so that it would never be the same. You could play as the Japanese or the Americans on this specific level. We played tons of Call of Duty, but what made this stand out was that you could use vehicles! And oh what fun that was.

We eventually bought the game and got the rest of the levels as well as the ability to play as Germans, English, etc. We would have jeep wars, where we would race each other in jeeps, which always resulted in a fiery crash of doom. Learning how to fly airplanes was certainly interesting as well as I would usually run into the building before I could get my tail in the air. All of the different classes you could play really made it special to me. I would always play as a medic and make it my duty to heal anyone out there. It highlighted teamwork, which I absolutely loved. We always played the scenarios where you would try to capture as much flags (aka land) as possible so that you would win with the highest points. The variety of ways to play really made this a fun one for me and I would still play it today. And you bet you would find my in the front seat of a jeep, nearing a cliff’s edge. This first-person shooter was truly a blast to play. I tend to stick to the original.

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Chris (Hungry) – Marvel vs Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes (2000, Arcade) – Yes, I also had it for PS2, Dreamcast, and later for the iPhone but nothing lives up to the arcade console. This game will most likely be the only game in the fighting genre on this list although some Mortal Kombat installments were extremely enjoyable. I was also a big fan of Gundam Battle Assault and other games that provided the opportunity to use your favorite characters from various other sources, but I’ll get back on track. This game makes my list because not only was it one of the best fighting games of all time, it also led to hours of great times at various arcades throughout the Jersey Shore. It’s huge cast of characters from two of my favorite entities of all time presented so many combinations for arcade and versus mode. The one down side is the story, because I love a good story. That is what makes some of the newer Mortal Kombats so good… a little extra on the story. (Marvel Super Heroes crushed this category by using Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet arc as the basis of the game.) This was a classic save the world by beating the final boss… (SPOILER) Abyss. His background and three forms make for a solid enemy, add the fact that he’s unplayable and it makes him even better. Maybe not quite as good as Onslaught in the first game, but still solid.

As for my team, it was relatively standard with some variations when I was having a hard time defeating an opponent. First, either Cable or War Machine. Cable had some cheap projectile attacks that kept your opponents at distance. War Machine had some amazing special attacks that hit often and added to your combo a lot. Second, either Ryu or Akuma. They would typically be my close combat character for dealing with some of the bigger and slower enemies like Hulk and Blackheart. They were usually my best bet in any pinch due to my playing style. Finally, Captain America. No alternate there. Obviously I played with every character at some point but these were my competitive ones. The Captain was always one of my favorites and as much as Wolverine if my favorite character, I just couldn’t get much done with him. Captain and myself worked perfectly together, using the shield as an extension of ourselves and creating distractions to bring in aid attacks and rush the enemy. Final Justice will always be my favorite special in the game. With that team, I had a blast and set a ton of high scores in arcades throughout NJ only to have my brother take some of those records back. I will play this game anywhere, anytime. It’s replay value is unmatched. Who was your go to team? Could it take down Cable, Akuma, and Captain America?

So that sums up #22 for our video game trust. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for next week! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Jun292014

Top 3 World Cup Commercials

With all great sporting events, come great commercials. The World Cup is certainly not excluded in this. True, not all Americans will “get” them because Americans aren’t super into soccer. But still, I think anyone can appreciate these commercials. It was tough to choose between the many that different companies have put out, but we have narrowed it down to a Top 3 with a few honorable mentions.

3. The Last Game (Nike). This commercial is long, so you will mostly likely not see the entire thing aired. However, it is awesome. It’s set in the future where they’ve replaced the “Greats” with clones who can do no wrong. Ronaldo goes around to recruit the Greats back from where they’ve slunk off to (Neymar turns into a barber). They train together and face the Clones to bring back true football. Who will win?!

2. House Match (Adidas). This is just hilarious because you get two all-time “retired” greats–Zidanne and Beckham. You also get two current players, Bale and Moura. The younger players are playing themselves in a video game and Beckham proposes they play actually football. The hilarity ensues as they play two on two, wrecking Beckham’s house. Pure classic.

1. #BecauseFutbol (Hyundai). Although it’s the shortest commercial of the bunch, I think it’s the best. It has the most genuine, puts-a-grin-on-my-face feeling. A pregnant couple walk into the hospital, only to be surrounded by other expecting parents. Nurses are struggling to find places to put newborns and wonder what happened 9 months ago. And what of course was 9 months ago in this commercial? The Spain winning the World Cup. It shows a flashback and shows the genuine joy you feel as your team wins. I love it. It always leaves a huge smile on my face.

Honorable Mentions: You can see for yourself…it was tough not to put these in the top 3.

1. Adriana Lima Transforms a Man Cave (Kia). Simply classic making fun of Americans.

2. “Avoidance” (#BecauseFutbol) (Hyundai). Literally me at work.

I hope you enjoyed our selection of favorite World Cup commercials. I could watch them over and over. I hope you are enjoying the World Cup itself, as well! Cheer on! As always, stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: What’s YOUR favorite World Cup commercial?

Jun152014

The World Cup: Perfect for Machine Cardio

Ahhh, the World Cup is finally here! If you unfortunately don’t know what I’m talking about, let me explain… biggest sporting event of the world! Teams from all parts of the world coming together to battle in tournament (soccer or football). It’s a glorious glorious thing for soccer-lovers like Hungry and I. And I’m telling you that these games can tie directly into your fitness! Do you ever feel the drudgery of doing cardio on machines (aka treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc.)? Then this is the ticket for you!

Since Thursday (the start of the World Cup), I’ve found myself on the cardio machines more than usual. Why is that? Because as I’m pumping away at the elliptical, I’m completely engrossed in the World Cup games! Yes, I may be embarrassing myself by throwing up my hands or yelling at the gym TVs, but I am WORKIN‘ it.

“Machine cardio” becomes a chore for most of us on a routine basis. This means we aren’t putting our all in, say if we did sprints or some other high-intensity, high-focus exercise. When you’re into something, whether it be a song you’re jamming to or a game you are loving, you are working hard. Your mood is up and you are pumping those machines! This means you are working harder, burning more calories, increasing the capacity at which your muscles are fighting, and generally getting a better workout. Set the program to “interval” and just rock it.

Take advantage of amazing soccer being played every day (at least once a day!). Jump on that elliptical or treadmill, even if there’s only 15 minutes left in the half. Something is better than nothing! I know I’ve stepped on the treadmill in these past few days JUST for an excuse to watch the game at the gym. The World Cup is such a perfect way to sneak some machine cardio in especially if you normally despise it! Watch the World Cup to stay hungry and fit!

*Question of the Day: Who are you rooting for in the World Cup?

BONUS KITTY PIC

Sajah being so darn handsome

Jun102014

#23 Greatest Video Game of All Time

Down from #25, we are up to #23 in our Top #25 Video Games of All Time! I’m excited to reveal the variety in our video game brain trust for this week’s picks. Check out #24 if you haven’t already and brace yourself for #23! Comment below if you have something to say!

Kai – System Shock 2 – A deeply unsettling, atmospheric FPS sci-fi horror game with RPG elements. The story of the corrupted starship Von Braun is fantastically told through diary entries and FPS encounters. Great voice acting makes the world of System Shock 2 really come alive, including one of the best villians in-game history: SHODAN. The game brings all these elements together to deliver a powerful, scary experience, and paved the way for impactful storytelling in games like Half-life and Bioshock.

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Scott (Po) – Donkey Kong Country 2 – Endlessly lovable and replayable. The perfect platformer.

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Andrew – Mario Kart(SNES/N64 + forward) – (Diddy Kong Racing was excluded for this one) I am normally one of those people who harps on playing campaign and avoiding multiplayer(don’t get me wrong I play multiplayer I just love campaign first and often) but this is a pure party game. Nothing better than the thrill of firing that spikey shell and watching it pound into the first place lead (or firing three perfectly aimed green shells to dispatch 3 opponents[or getting lightning and running all over your opponents{I could probably do this for forever}]). Racing was fun but Battle Mode was the ultimate test, everyone enters with 3 balloons and only one person gets to leave. Plenty of fun times were had but most people complained because sometimes if you got hit with 2 shells you would lose 2 balloons and sometimes you would lose 1 but that’s what happens when you race in the high stakes world of the Mushroom Kingdom.

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Alana – SimTower – Where do you start with SimTower? A “Sim” game where you are in charge of building up a tower with commercial and residential blocks to get as many stars as you can. You get to start with floor 1 and build your way upwards and downwards. It’s a game that I’ve played and watched my brother play thousands of times. The replay value of this is off the charts. You can completely customize your “Tower” in whichever way you’d like. However, this will affect your rating, how much money you get, and how popular you become. You have to manage the economy, wait times, cockroaches, and more. Santa Clause will even stop by in the fourth quarter of the year! You could follow certain families in the building as well as restaurants or offices. The excitement of seeing your product grow is palpable as the months continue and the economy kicks off. There’s the need of juggling stress of the people in the tower. I always remember the elevator problems and needing to build more and more to keep the tenants happy. The only sad part is that I can’t get the sound to play anymore because it’s that old. I still don’t think I ever got that 5-star rating.

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Chris – Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. (N64) – The third of four Ken Griffey Jr baseball installments for the Super Nintendo and Nintendo 64, this game is my favorite sports game of all time. Although Madden 2004, NBA Live 2001, and RedCard 20-03 round out my final 4 for team sports games (Mario Tennis for individual sports games) I will spoil a part of my list and let you know that no more sports games will appear. I am so story-based that the insane number of hours logged on these and untouchable replay value are simply not enough to get a spot on the list.

Griffey, however, has a special place in my heart. He was and is my favorite baseball player of all time. This game allows you to hit a home run with him at any time after entering a short sequence of buttons. He even calls out the shot. Honestly, I didn’t play much against human opponents, but my brother and I tallied thousands of hours in the franchise mode. What made it so fun was the fantasy draft and the user’s ability to create an all-star team with ease.

I would reset the draft until I got the first pick, draft Griffey, take some more favorites the next few rounds and create the best team possible. Then, I would draft closers that have high ratings in later rounds and trade them for other players that have high ratings, like Barry Bonds. (He would always go top 5.) After accumulating a dream team, it was time to PLAY BALL! Oh, and no team of time was complete without Heathcliff Slocumb.

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That sums up #23 for our video game trust. Do you agree or disagree with our various views? Let us know in the comments below! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

Jun062014

Transitor Review

This is a guest post from our good friend, Nerdy Neanderthal, a nerdy fitness dude. Expect more posts from him ranging from workouts to beer discussions to nerd surges!

Pros:

Excellent, deep combat
Stunning visuals and music
Price ($20)

Cons:

Drags in the middle slightly
Too much information at times
Little sense of exploration

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Transistor is a beautiful dystopian RPG; reminiscent of the Great Gatsby if it were written by Ernest Cline. You play as Red, a lounge singer, whose voice has been stolen by the “Camerata” a group of nefarious people trying to restore order to the city of Cloudbank. The seamless blending of turn based and action combat lends itself perfectly to a world graced by beautiful music, both score and soundtrack, and a story that is revealed slowly and carefully. This game is an absolute must play for any rpg fan, and I would recommend it to almost anyone who just enjoys good games regardless of genre.

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Artistically, this game is stunning. Bright vibrant colors are spliced with the rust of a falling city. The touches of color from yellow on a motorcycle to the red on the Process (the bad machines) show the great discourse of this world. The writing does nothing but enthrall. While the story shies away from the save-the-blank-to-save-the-world troupe of most RPGs that does not mean you will not be invested in the story. The player is giving little snippets here and there from the voice-over sword to writings in computer consoles that slowly unravel the complex and shades of grey story. The music is the perfect accent piece to bring up the emotional tones of the game. The developers used sound perfectly from a near perfect musical score to the needle drops of Red’s song. The main theme, “We All Become” will be stuck in my head for days.

The combat system is the perfect “easy to learn, hard to master” model. As you unlock powers, there are no tutorials, just experimentation and the knowledge that comes from it. You can get in there and mash but you will not want to just spam “x.” Every power in the game can be an action, an augment, or a buff; allowing great complexity for a limited move set. The action is a blend of turn-based and real-time, very similar to the VATS system from the Fallout games. You are given unlimited time to plan but each action has a cost. The game does not coddle, some of the process hit very hard so proper strategy is not only rewarding but a must. You are encouraged to experiment as bonuses are giving for linking different moves together. The player can re-spec at any save point in the game for no charge, and the stations are frequent and easy to find.

Transistor is not without flaws. There are stretches in the towards the end where you never have an exciting encounter but there is an influx of computers without the knowledge of which information is important; a little streamlining would have gone a long way.

Transistor is beautiful, fun, engaging, but lacking a little bit of direction in the third act. For any JRPG or action RPG fan, I cannot recommend this game highly enough for the price of a movie ticket and a popcorn. (you will get a lot more time out of Transistor) The music and visuals will draw you in, the combat will keep you experimenting all the way until the end.

9.5

Nearly Perfect

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May282014

GODZILLA Movie Review (2014)

A 29-film series that will not stop now! I think I got that number right. After all, I have seen them all countless times so that does make it easier to keep count. Oh no… wait a second, I only saw Godzilla (1998) one time and told myself I could never sit through it again. Not even the magnificent Jean Reno could save that movie for me. Oh well, let’s get back to what everyone wants to talk about… Godzilla (2014).

As a child whose Christmas List every year contained the entirety of the Godzilla franchise on VHS (I taped them off the television from a very young age), I was extremely cautious about this reboot. The initial trailer was not appealing… at all! There were no signs of other monsters and it seemed that Godzilla would again be a villain to America. My expectations were low and luckily I was wrong. I really enjoyed the movie and sharing the experience with Fit, who very kindly let me talk about the 1954 version and many of the sequels in detail for hours and hours.

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The acting was average to above average. Bryan Cranston has been on fire since Malcolm in the Middle (a little humor), Ken Watanabe is a legend in my books, and both Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen weren’t… awful. Part of me wanted Sam Worthington to play the lead but I really do enjoy the casting of “no-name actors.” It allows them to be the main character of that one movie and not Jake Sully/Perseus/that guy from the Terminator I never saw. On top of that, the star of the movie… Godzilla, was depicted SO WELL! I was extremely relieved to see this after that AWFUL creature stepped on-screen in 1998.

Now I did read a list that you can check out here and while I agree with almost everything mentioned, the first four are all aspects I really don’t care about since the star is… Godzilla! I came to watch him wreck other monsters and pile up some collateral damage and I got exactly that. If we get lucky, a crossover with Pacific Rim might happen in the near future. (Slattern was estimated to be 182 meters, compared to Godzilla’s 108 in his largest form, but don’t worry, the King of All Monsters wouldn’t lose.) SPOILER: He even used his ATOMIC BREATH. (Fit was like what the … at this point. Then I told her he can “fly.”)

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The soundtrack was fitting, the scenes were diverse enough, the editing was clean, and the plot was exactly what it needed to be. It showcased the importance of Godzilla as a symbol for the abuse of nuclear technology (we will leave it at that) and his role on Earth. He has no interest in the affairs of humans; his goal is to assert himself as the King of All Monsters and humans are often caught in the colossal wrestling matches that his reign ensues. It might seem as if he is our savior, but that’s not really the case because we aren’t worth his time. King Kong, MechaGodzilla, Mothra, Gigan, Biollante, King Ghidorah, etc. are all worth his time. We can even throw Ebirah in the mix, the list never ends anyway. That point was made, along with the point that we need to “control” our use of nuclear energy, and the point that Godzilla owns this planet.

I am looking forward to a sequel that continues to pay homage to Toho’s earlier work while wisely using our modern-day technology to make Godzilla look like he doesn’t have neck issues. Hopefully, the lead male and female can develop some more personality but it’s no necessary for me to enjoy something so close to my childhood heart.

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THE BOTTOM LINE: Whether a fan of the series or not, just go see it! These colossal monsters done right will keep most audiences entertained and are worth a $6 first show of the day ticket.

As always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

Hi I’m cute

Apr082014

Movie Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

As we near the end of Phase II in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron as the final two installment before beginning Phase III, Captain America: The Winter Soldier adds tons of new paths for the movies in Phase III. It gives you an insight into what Iron Man 4, Ant-Man, Thor 3, a possible Hulk with Mark Ruffalo, and most of all, Captain America 3 might have to offer. It presents tons of potential, which Marvel can take advantage of or just tie off easily. Before I talk about that and really get into some spoilers, let me say a few words about the movie.

The Winter Soldier was one of Marvel’s best movies since 2008. It had a little bit of everything that you want from a quality movie: good acting, some laughs, some tears, some nail-biting, some jaw dropping action scenes, a reliable soundtrack, some amazing effects and scenery, and some plot twists that kept you intrigued. It brought you some heroes you know and love and some new ones as well. It also introduced some anti-heroes, some villains, some super-villains (you could argue) and as I mentioned before, contributed a ton to the Marvel movie-verse.

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Overall, it lacked the romantic connection that the first Captain America created between Peggy and Cap. This is personal preference, but I care about story and I love a good romance. Therefore, what they did in Captain America 1 really worked well for me. I know this because it made me want a relationship between the two even though they never really had it. Sure, in House of M, they got married but they later divorced. That wasn’t satisfying and the closure with Peggy in this movie was as lively as a piece of cardboard, for me. He had cut all ties, she acted like she moved on, and I was not happy! But that’s a total aside, I can’t believe I went into so much depth about that so let me just cut that off now! (You can comment if you want to know how I feel about that whole situation.)

SPOILER ALERT

Now for some spoilers, so turn away, or read even closer. The movie was filled with references to characters in the Marvel universe. Rumlow, the guy who was roasted in the end (but alive) is arguably the Cap’s most consistent super-villain. As Crossbones, he is Red Skull’s henchmen and he is the person who assassinated the Captain in Marvel’s Civil War. You get the idea he’ll make a comeback since they showed his battered body… alive. Also, there is a lot more to Batroc the Leaper than the movie shows. I loved the casting of my favorite mixed martial artist, GSP, as the role. He is sort of a funny villain as he has fought everyone with his huge ego and sense of honor, leaping around ridiculously and always getting beaten. He’s great.

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When Hydra was listing all their threats, there were a few names that appeared but one stood out. Bruce Banner, Anthony Stark, Maria Hill… Steven Strange. OH YEAH! Doctor Strange was mentioned so they have to bring him in soon! I think he might help the team out in Phase III when they finally go to take on the villain of the whole movie-verse (in my opinion), Thanos. Looking forward to that. Also, for those of you who saw it and don’t know who Agent 13 is… she is Sharon Carter, Peggy Carter’s “niece” and Cap’s main love interest, period. (There is hope for the Cap/Chris Evans in this movie-verse!)

But let’s get to the real good stuff, the endings! One shows that Nick Fury has burned the secret stash of SHIELD and will chase Hydra members. (SHIELD really always comes back in the comics, so yeah.) The Winter Soldier checks out his exhibit in the Smithsonian… BUCKY! (We need him to take Cap’s place when he dies!) Cap is going with Falcon to find Bucky. Natasha is going to find herself a new identity. Agent Hill is working for Stark. Sharon is in the CIA. Oh wait, that’s all the boring stuff. Here is the good stuff!

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Baron Strucker, a Hydra big boss, acknowledges that SHIELD and Hydra are no longer powerful, basically. But he is! He has Loki’s Staff that was given to him by Thanos. (Strucker, don’t steal anything from Thanos… maybe he is working for him now!) But even more amazingly, and this was one of the best parts of the whole movie, he has Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Quicksilver, I think, is going to be in Days of Future Past. I don’t know what that means since X-Men hasn’t (unfortunately) been included in the Marvel movie-verse. And more importantly, Scarlet Witch is sort of awesome so between her and Dr. Strange being introduced, that’s just great.

END OF SPOILERS

So all in all, I think most casual movie-goers, Marvel nerds, and film critics will find enough points of greatness in this film to say it was worth the trip. And while I did not love the story, since they teased me with Cap/Peggy in the first one so much, it had enough extra laughs and references to make it worthwhile. Go see it! And as always…stay hungry and fit!

BONUS PUPPY PIC

On a walk

Jan222014

The Coolest Airport in the Southern Hemisphere

Wellington, New Zealand, of course! No really, it is absolutely awesome. And that’s mostly because of Weta Workshop (which you will see in a later post), which created most of the props, weaponry and armor, and lots of the digital effects in Lord of the Rings, Avatar, the Hobbit and more. They are truly amazing. More on them later. Tolkien fans will love this airport. I think the shock factor is a big part of this airport’s coolness. You just don’t expect what you’re going to walk into. And my family did a great job not saying anything (shocker there).

So when you get past checking and get into the terminal, you are first blasted with three huge eagles with Gandalf atop one of them hanging from the ceiling. I was totally amazed. I mean these are huge props, huge. We estimate 20 feet in each direction. Yeah it was literally awesome. Side note: recent earthquake in New Zealand (as in 2 nights ago) actually knocked one of the giant eagles to the ground! Nobody was hurt but…woah.

And then you walk by more shops and restaurants, and then…boom. Gollum comes reaching in from the ceiling. And I don’t mean Andy Serkis-sized Gollum. I mean freaking huge–42-feet kind of huge! It’s Gollum’s head and arms reaching in for a fish, with bubbles about too! It’s really hard to describe how amazing it is. You have to see it in person to really feel the impact. Especially for Tolkien fans.

HE’S GONNA EAT ME

The rest of the airport is definitely unique too. All the shops are Kiwi-focused from Haka shirts to Kiwi poo to Merino wool everywhere! If you leave your shopping to the last minute, this is a perfect spot for you! Food options are also excellent, better than the average as far as airports go. Keep an eye out for awesome statues like dwarves and sheep. In addition, as far as security goes, it’s a breeze. Don’t even have to take your shoes off! Take that, America! Just kidding…kind of. Anyhow, if you’re looking for yet another reason to head to New Zealand, do not miss out on the Wellington Airport.