Happy frickin' Holidays

So this is a small rant on the state of holidays in the US of A. If I here one more person complain about Christmas being a 'religious holiday' I'm going to flip. I just have to say I'm tired of people getting all fussy about a pagan turned christian holiday that in today's world has nothing to do with any religion except consumerism! Name me one person you know who goes to church on Christmas? Now name me people that exchange presents on that day. You see? You don't have to celebrate anything remotely Christian to enjoy the season.

People are such humbugs I think. I mean, what other country gets pissed at their holidays like we do? It's a day off people, take it! If I started getting Diwali or Rosh Hashanah off I wouldn't complain because even if I don't celebrate it, I get to sleep in and lounge on my couch playing Dragon Quest all day. Why would you want to complain about that? And for those people who think complaining about getting one holiday off but not others will work, let me just say that the more religious holidays you want off, the less you're going to get. Companies are instead going to make you work ALL religious holidays instead of giving you more time off. Same principle, different application. I'm sorry but there are too many holidays to give us them all off so people just picked the majority vote (sorry but the majority of US citizens still say their Christian). Please stop complaining about time off and enjoy it. Have we really gotten so stupid as a country that we WANT to work more?

Classics of the Horror world

I have this love/hate relationship with the horror genre. In one instant, I'm enthralled with the imagination and creativity of it, in the other I'm scared witless (I'm not afraid to admit it) and disgusted by it. This can be seen in my weekly viewings of the Scifi channel's Ghost Hunters series (which I watch religiously) and the following bedtime fiascoes. I am what some might call a 'baby' when it comes to such things and yet I still dance around it like a moth drawn to a flame. Oddly enough, movies bother me much more than their literary counterparts so I spend a good deal of time reading stories by Richard Matheson and H.P. Lovecraft.

I've also begun a slow plodding process of reading through all of the horror classics. So far I have read Bram Stoker's Dracula, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. This has made me a little cynical about what we've made these mythos into. What I grew up knowing as these characters is not at all what I read in the stories. Here's a few little things I noticed that we've evolved these myths into that weren't original to the text.

Dracula: Ah Dracula, the most famous of all Vampires who has now become a trendy goth kids best friend and stemmed atrocities such as Underworld and Twilight. The story of Dracula and the vampires goes back much farther than Bram Stoker, he was simply the genius who compiled legends and lures he had learned and turned it into a fairly entertaining story (I must admit it was very wordy and at times tedious). Getting back to the book, Dracula could actually walk around during the day...in the sun...without special vampire sunscreen (can't find a link but this is a reference to the movie Blade). He just couldn't use his powers until night. Another thing is that people didn't become vampires until they died. Therefore you were just a sick human after you were bit. It wasn't until you croaked that you came back...hence why vampires live in coffins.

Frankenstein: I'd first like to point out that Frankenstein is the name of the man who creates the monster, the monster is actually just called "Frankenstein's Monster." Frankenstein is frightened by his creation not excited when it begins breathing. There is no "IT'S ALIVE!" scene when it begins growling and there is no electricity...at all. In fact the creation sequence is very anti-climatic, he just starts breathing; then Frankenstein pees himself and runs away (well, kind of like that). Frankenstein is not a doctor either, he is a student at a university and makes this creation in his dorm room, not a castle laboratory. And lastly, Frankenstein is from Geneva...which makes him Swiss.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: This was a short story so there wasn't much to change however I notice that many of today's interpretations have Mr. Hyde being this huge monster of a man. In the story, Mr. Hyde was an evil looking midget or small man that only killed maybe two people (by today's standards that's nothing). And in the end, he kills himself so he does not escape to France like many renditions have (at least the ones I grew up with).

I'm still working my way through some others. I have The Invisible Man awaiting my eager mind and I'm looking for a good Werewolf classic. There doesn't seem to be one from my research but I shall continue to try. If you know of one, please let me know.

Final Fantasy vs Dragon Quest

So I'm a big fan of Dragon Quest but I also do love a good Final Fantasy game. Since I'm in the midst of both Dragon Quest 4 and Final Fantasy IX, I thought I'd do a little comparing.

First off, I want to point out Dragon Quest was the first of the two to come out. Though not completely original (if you've been following my blog you'll know a small history of the CRPG [Console Role Playing Game]) Dragon Quest was one of the most popular CRPGs to come out in Japan. Final Fantasy's success was actually with the American crowd the same year Dragon Quest II hit the markets (that would be 1987). So that being said, neither is original, and Final Fantasy was not the first of the two.

Gameplay:
Okay, so this is something that's hard to discern. I mean, both of them are pretty repetitive. Walk around towns, fight monsters, traverse labyrinths, fight monsters, and follow a main plot. Not much else to it. However, at least with Dragon Quest I noticed every battle is a little bit new, even if it's just matching up monsters differently. Final Fantasy has a habit of putting the same one or two monsters together over and over so you're having de ja vu tons of times per overworld crossing. I have to vouch for Final Fantasy though in the fact that the story line and backgrounds make it a little easier to deal with the repetition, I recently beat Dragon Quest 8 and I can't begin to tell you how annoying it was to see the formula pan out so precisely, no storyline to help conceal the fact that your DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I tell you, side quests are killer when you know you're on one.

Graphics:
So most people like Final Fantasy graphics better than Dragon Quest. I think this is mostly because Dragon Quest is on a whole cuter than Final Fantasy.That is quite true when you look at the graphics of most console games in today's market and Final Fantasy is definitely running with that trend. Not that that's a bad thing, the environments are stunning, the magic spells breath-taking, and the battles epic...at least for the first few times you have to go through them. What I think Dragon Quest lacks in quality it gains in quantity. Battles are so much faster in Dragon Quest games. There are no fancy camera pans or especially beautiful spells but that doesn't really matter when you have to fight monsters for long periods of time. You just want to be done and over with it and Dragon Quest delivers that. That bodes well also for towns and dungeons. You can see where you're going, there are no points when you have to ask yourself, is that a place to go or just visual fluff? So although Final Fantasy graphics are incredible, Dragon Quest still has something to offer.

Characters:
Dragon Quest characters are usually straightforward, unlike their Final Fantasy counterparts. This can be both a good and bad thing. The characters of Dragon Quest don't delve deep into emotions or psychological issues like Final Fantasy does which means the storylines are more about beating an evil than fighting the demons within. If you've been reading my blog you realize I am one who prefers more streamline stories. This makes Dragon Quest more appealing to me. I mean, how many who have played Final Fantasy VII really actually understood the entire story? Be honest now, how much did you guess or make up. Then take a look at the obnoxious main character of Final Fantasy VIII. Most people didn't vibe with that one. On the other hand, the stories in Final Fantasy games do help make the repetition of side quests easier to stomach, unlike Dragon Quest who just places them in front of you exactly as they are. The last thing I have to say about characters is design. In Dragon Quest, most characters are distinguishable as male or female or whatever they're supposed to be. However, Final Fantasy (especially the newer ones) blur the lines between the two. Even the masculine males look very effeminate and hard to distinguish from their female counterparts. I find this a little annoying since I really hate it when you can't distinguish to what you should or should not be tuned into.As a CRPG fan I think I find Dragon Quest more appealing just for the sheer simplicity. Final Fantasy is a very complex series and I find it hard to digest at times. This in no way makes it bad. I am really enjoying Final Fantasy IX though I have to take small breaks in between just to recoup and get ready to delve into it again. Dragon Quest 4, however, is something I can pick up, play for a few hours, then put down again without the need for any type of emotions (frustration, excitement, etc) involved. It's a nice light snack compared to Final Fantasy's sumptuous meal.

Legend

Holy crap did I forget this movie ever existed! I was watching tv at a party this weekend, trying to substitute water for beer (bad substitute but a better wake up the next morning) and this came on. I was shocked I had not thought of this to write about!

What I remember of this movie as a youngin' was it being a little risque in the facts that there was woman's cleavage, death, and torture. I wasn't really affected by this back then but looking at it now, I don't think I'd allow my kids to watch it until their at least in the double digits age wise (like 10-12).

I still kind of liked this movie in a way. However, I couldn't get over the unnecessary fantasy elements, like glitter on everything and those damnable bubbles! I also noticed there was a lot of sweating going on during the movie. It seems that everyone was really hot, even in the snow.

Also, did anyone else notice Tom Cruise had a unibrow? He looks really dorky for a heartthrob. I also couldn't believe Tim Curry was the devil dude. I wonder how he kept his head up, I mean his is a pretty thin guy (out of costume).

The dialogue isn't very good either. Very goth and on the childish side. The movie does have a very simple plot that it doesn't veer to far away from which is nice. However, the situations the characters are put in were very adult at times. Like watching someone get hacked to bits to be eaten in the background of the kitchen. You could inference what was going to happen to the heroes if they didn't escape.

I'm really on the fence about this movie. It was a really dark kids movie that was a bit repetitive at times but entertaining none the less. It also cues up really well with Mare the metal band.

The presidential humorist

So I the last movie I wanted to write about was the Dark Crystal however, I haven't watched that one in 7 years so I'm waiting until my Sihaya gets it in from netflix. I do have another subject to talk about and it involves this popular fellow:
Okay, so he's all the buzz right now, talking about change, history, and all that jazz but I'm here to talk about something a little different. I was having a discussion with some coworkers about George W. Bush and they brought up the point that political cartoonists are going to miss him (they did make a hefty living off of his...follies) and I got to thinking, that probably won't happen to Obama like it did to Bush, Clinton, and a load of other presidents.

My reasoning behind this is his heritage. I mean, the majority of political cartoonists are of a different ethnicity and making fun of another heritage is a big taboo in today's society (which I don't believe it wrong). This concludes that cartoonists and the like will probably voice jokes less and walk on eggshells when doing so. I'm not saying there won't be humor involved, just that it won't focus on his lesser attributes, especially once we learn them (because no one is perfect...remember that).

Now this is a theory I have made up based on the way I see people living around me. I know many people that are excited about Obama taking office just for the fact that he is of the background that he is...and nothing else. I find this a flawed system. Obama shouldn't be great because of his genes, he should be great because he is a solid leader with good credentials and I strong grasp of what America needs.

Good luck Obama. I say this because you have a lot of scrutiny to put up with both positive and negative. Be the PERSON we need for the future.

The Princess Bride

To be quite honest, I don't think I've ever stopped watching this movie. It's such a classic and for once, I'm not the only one to think that. Watching it as a child I remember the love story not being too overwhelming, the feel good emotions it gave me, and the silly humor it added to spice everything up. That and I remember Cary Elwes, which I feel is the closest thing our generation has to Errol Flynn.

This movie has been great all throughout my life. My sihaya and his most pretentious movie friends enjoy it and that's saying something. The movie has a very straightforward plot with a charming cast of characters and many catchy one liners. Who doesn't remember the word "Inconceivable?"

There is enough adult humor to make it enjoyable to parents but not enough to expose children to things they shouldn't hear or comprehend. This makes it a great movie for all ages and gives it a little more intellect to it than things like Care Bears or Willow. I feel it is a happy medium between those movies and others like The Last Unicorn (though the stabbing of Inigo Montoya can be a little gruesome for the very young).

One thing I'm noticing while writing these movie reviews is that the best movies so far have had very simple, straightforward plotlines. They don't try to add too many twists and turns, just a string of related incidents that keep with the main idea. This, I think, gives the writers more time to develop the characters, setting, and so forth without much others distractions.

Movies like this are timeless and aren't just enjoyable for the nostalgia like some of the ones I liked on my list. This is a great movie to sit back and enjoy time with friends, family, even your beloved. By the way, did I mention this is a great date movie guys?

Care Bears Movie

Ahhh, the Care Bears. Such a strong part of the 80's kid culture they had to make their own movie. As a child, I didn't have any special bond with these lovable little bears. Come to think of it, the only think I remember from the movie is the jungle bears...or whatever they're called...it apparently wasn't that important to me.

So I tried to watch this one a few months ago after drinking a bit and fell asleep. I don't even remember what part I was at but the dialogue was so canned, the songs were incredibly awful and the booze were so warm and fuzzy I just dozed off. Not like it mattered much, the plot was predictable and I could see exactly where it was going.

The movie was kind of what I remember (or don't remember) it to be: Forgettable.