Search
Search results
The Kringle Caper
7.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
Shenanigans are afoot at the North Pole, and it's up to you to figure out what happened! The...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
In what can only be described as a failed attempt at a sequel, Nicholas Cage reprises his role as Johnny Blaze, and Blaze’s alter ego Ghost Rider.
In this follow-up chapter to the 2007 film that first brought Marvel’s Ghost Rider to the big screen, Cage’s character has left the States to run from the demon inside him. His attempts to control the Rider work best when he is far from people, but his plans are derailed upon the entrance of a young boy and his attractive mother. The boy is the object of desire for Mephistopheles (the demon who turned Blaze into the Rider). The film takes you on a wild ride while Ghost Rider attempts to prevent the devil from getting his claws on the boy.
Lets cut right to the chase: this is, bar-none, one of the worst films I’ve seen in at least a decade. It’s right up there with D-Wars. While the first film had decent acting (minus Cage), a well-thought-out script, and special effects that made sense, the sequel is a complete failure even when compared to its predecessor.
The complete lack of a coherent script, the terrible acting, and the nonsensical actions of the Rider (not to mention the extremely cheesy dialog) make it clear that this film is an extremely poor attempt by Hollywood to capitalize on the recent success of other Marvel/DC titles. Unfortunately, this movie was cobbled together with one liners and special effects that weren’t convincing enough to pass the test.
Being a long time Marvel/DC comic fan, I always approach these films with low expectations, so I can be surprised when they’re done well — and at the very least, enjoy it. Despite this, I still feel like the hour and twenty minutes of my life spent watching Ghost Rider is time I can’t have back.
The only moment of hope this film had was Christopher Lambert as the tattooed monk.
I encourage all of you who wish to see it, even after reading this review, to wait until it’s available for cheap home viewing.
In this follow-up chapter to the 2007 film that first brought Marvel’s Ghost Rider to the big screen, Cage’s character has left the States to run from the demon inside him. His attempts to control the Rider work best when he is far from people, but his plans are derailed upon the entrance of a young boy and his attractive mother. The boy is the object of desire for Mephistopheles (the demon who turned Blaze into the Rider). The film takes you on a wild ride while Ghost Rider attempts to prevent the devil from getting his claws on the boy.
Lets cut right to the chase: this is, bar-none, one of the worst films I’ve seen in at least a decade. It’s right up there with D-Wars. While the first film had decent acting (minus Cage), a well-thought-out script, and special effects that made sense, the sequel is a complete failure even when compared to its predecessor.
The complete lack of a coherent script, the terrible acting, and the nonsensical actions of the Rider (not to mention the extremely cheesy dialog) make it clear that this film is an extremely poor attempt by Hollywood to capitalize on the recent success of other Marvel/DC titles. Unfortunately, this movie was cobbled together with one liners and special effects that weren’t convincing enough to pass the test.
Being a long time Marvel/DC comic fan, I always approach these films with low expectations, so I can be surprised when they’re done well — and at the very least, enjoy it. Despite this, I still feel like the hour and twenty minutes of my life spent watching Ghost Rider is time I can’t have back.
The only moment of hope this film had was Christopher Lambert as the tattooed monk.
I encourage all of you who wish to see it, even after reading this review, to wait until it’s available for cheap home viewing.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Meow! The Cult of Cat in Tabletop Games
Jul 18, 2019
I remember when I joined a cult. Wait, I have not yet done that. I have joined fraternities and other organizations, though, where there are specific ritualistic initiations and periods of testing and awakening just prior. These trials have included written tests, symbolic experiences with the brethren, and sometimes just silly stuff that make no sense but to bring us closer together. This is the tarry of your anthropomorphic character as you attempt to gain the favor of your brethren and pass all the tests along the way into the Cult of Cat.
NOTE: I have never been hazed nor have I hazed another. Just wanted to get that straight.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a review copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know if the final components will be similar or different, or if the Kickstarter campaign will alter or add anything through stretch goals. -T
As an initiate to the Cult of Cat it is your duty to pass the test and not break any rules. The winning player, therefore, is the one who can perform all of the necessary rules without breaking any. Let me explain. The game is a giant stack of cards. Upon these cards is the name of the rule, an illustration that matches the rule, and an explanation of the action to be completed. At the beginning of the game you are dealt two cards (or one card dependent on number of players in the game) and one card is dealt face-down to the middle of the table. You look at your dealt cards, study them, and pass your hand to the player on your left. So you now have seen two rules that you have passed, and you have received two rules from your neighbor on the right. I hope you remembered what you passed…
On your turn you will play a card from your hand, announce and perform its action, and then perform all the actions on your opponents’ cards that you can possibly remember to impress the brethren and hopefully not break any of their rules in the process. Once you are satisfied with your performance you point to the player on your left and ask, “Have I broken any of your rules?” If you performed one of the rules in their hand incorrectly, or omitted one of their rules, then they are required to say, “Yes.” At this point they announce the rule you have broken, add that card to the card that was dealt face-down to the table, and you add your played card to form a pile of three. Shuffle those and draw one for yourself, your opponent draws one, and the remainder stays on the table. This is the game and it continues until someone has correctly performed the actions of their opponents and not broken any rules.
Components. Again, this is a giant stack of cards. I do not know what the quality will be after the Kickstarter campaign ends, so I cannot really comment on them. My review copy cards were fine. The art on the cards is really comical and funny. I mean comical like in comic books. I like the art quite a bit, and while I am not really looking at the illustrations as I play (there is already so much I am trying to remember), when I look through the deck I chuckle at a lot of the cards.
Guys, this is a great party game. It is rules-light, doesn’t require a ton of strategy, and gets people up and moving and out of their comfort zones. It really is perfect for those times when you have reluctant players or partners to get them into the gaming mood by having them perform ridiculous but super fun actions. Winners, losers, it doesn’t matter at the end of this game. Everyone is sure to have a really great time playing. If you love Happy Salmon, I can almost guarantee that you will also love Meow! as something a little different. And we at Purple Phoenix Games love Happy Salmon! I am really looking forward to the Kickstarter campaign to see what Peter C. Hayward has up his sleeves.
NOTE: I have never been hazed nor have I hazed another. Just wanted to get that straight.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a review copy of this game for the purposes of this review. These are preview copy components, and I do not know if the final components will be similar or different, or if the Kickstarter campaign will alter or add anything through stretch goals. -T
As an initiate to the Cult of Cat it is your duty to pass the test and not break any rules. The winning player, therefore, is the one who can perform all of the necessary rules without breaking any. Let me explain. The game is a giant stack of cards. Upon these cards is the name of the rule, an illustration that matches the rule, and an explanation of the action to be completed. At the beginning of the game you are dealt two cards (or one card dependent on number of players in the game) and one card is dealt face-down to the middle of the table. You look at your dealt cards, study them, and pass your hand to the player on your left. So you now have seen two rules that you have passed, and you have received two rules from your neighbor on the right. I hope you remembered what you passed…
On your turn you will play a card from your hand, announce and perform its action, and then perform all the actions on your opponents’ cards that you can possibly remember to impress the brethren and hopefully not break any of their rules in the process. Once you are satisfied with your performance you point to the player on your left and ask, “Have I broken any of your rules?” If you performed one of the rules in their hand incorrectly, or omitted one of their rules, then they are required to say, “Yes.” At this point they announce the rule you have broken, add that card to the card that was dealt face-down to the table, and you add your played card to form a pile of three. Shuffle those and draw one for yourself, your opponent draws one, and the remainder stays on the table. This is the game and it continues until someone has correctly performed the actions of their opponents and not broken any rules.
Components. Again, this is a giant stack of cards. I do not know what the quality will be after the Kickstarter campaign ends, so I cannot really comment on them. My review copy cards were fine. The art on the cards is really comical and funny. I mean comical like in comic books. I like the art quite a bit, and while I am not really looking at the illustrations as I play (there is already so much I am trying to remember), when I look through the deck I chuckle at a lot of the cards.
Guys, this is a great party game. It is rules-light, doesn’t require a ton of strategy, and gets people up and moving and out of their comfort zones. It really is perfect for those times when you have reluctant players or partners to get them into the gaming mood by having them perform ridiculous but super fun actions. Winners, losers, it doesn’t matter at the end of this game. Everyone is sure to have a really great time playing. If you love Happy Salmon, I can almost guarantee that you will also love Meow! as something a little different. And we at Purple Phoenix Games love Happy Salmon! I am really looking forward to the Kickstarter campaign to see what Peter C. Hayward has up his sleeves.
Darkness Falls
8.7
Rate It
Book
If the lights go out forever, can love survive? When four women from different walks of life are...
Dystopian CME Event Lesbian Romance
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated WarGames The Dead Code (2008) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since a computer took the world to the edge of nuclear annihilation in “War Games” The film starring Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy was a cautionary tale about the dangers of taking the human factor about military decisions, and like films such as “The Terminator” a cautionary warning about dependence on technology.
As the two and a half decades unfolded, many films have emerged that feature a central theme of technology run amuck, and how despite our frailties, humanity in the end is the ultimate master of its own fate.
In the new film “Wargames: The Dead Code”, audiences are given an updated retelling of the classic tale with more than a few reverent nods to the original.
The film stars Matt Lanter as Will Farmer, a good natured techie who is as eager to help his neighbor fix his computer as he is to play online games with his friend Dennis (Nicholas Wright). When Will decides to take on a new game that features terrorist attack scenarios he inadvertently triggers a series of events that will soon cause hundreds of thousands of lives to hang in the balance.
The game is actually a top secret project that is designed to locate, test, and remove any potential threats and is overseen by a computer system named Ripley.
Will embarks on a school trip to Montreal hoping to spend more time with the lovely Annie (Amanda Walsh), and is unaware that forces are at play that thanks to a unfortunate series of events, will soon have Amanda and Will not only running for their lives but locked in a race against time to prevent a catastrophe of epic proportion.
The film has a good premise, but asks you to take several leaps of faith as it progresses and uses logic that at times is absurd even for a genre film. Much of the film unfolds as a movie of the week rather than a taut action thriller that should be expected with the talent attached to the film, as many of the characters are not developed enough for the audience to truly care about their fates.
The film is also surprisingly short in the suspense department, though it does try to make up for this with some nice chase sequences.
It is a shame that the talented cast could not be given a script worth of their talents or the premise of the film.
As the two and a half decades unfolded, many films have emerged that feature a central theme of technology run amuck, and how despite our frailties, humanity in the end is the ultimate master of its own fate.
In the new film “Wargames: The Dead Code”, audiences are given an updated retelling of the classic tale with more than a few reverent nods to the original.
The film stars Matt Lanter as Will Farmer, a good natured techie who is as eager to help his neighbor fix his computer as he is to play online games with his friend Dennis (Nicholas Wright). When Will decides to take on a new game that features terrorist attack scenarios he inadvertently triggers a series of events that will soon cause hundreds of thousands of lives to hang in the balance.
The game is actually a top secret project that is designed to locate, test, and remove any potential threats and is overseen by a computer system named Ripley.
Will embarks on a school trip to Montreal hoping to spend more time with the lovely Annie (Amanda Walsh), and is unaware that forces are at play that thanks to a unfortunate series of events, will soon have Amanda and Will not only running for their lives but locked in a race against time to prevent a catastrophe of epic proportion.
The film has a good premise, but asks you to take several leaps of faith as it progresses and uses logic that at times is absurd even for a genre film. Much of the film unfolds as a movie of the week rather than a taut action thriller that should be expected with the talent attached to the film, as many of the characters are not developed enough for the audience to truly care about their fates.
The film is also surprisingly short in the suspense department, though it does try to make up for this with some nice chase sequences.
It is a shame that the talented cast could not be given a script worth of their talents or the premise of the film.
The New Science of Learning: How to Learn in Harmony with Your Brain
Terry Doyle and Todd Zakrajsek
Book
Learning to learn is the key skill for tomorrow. This breakthrough book builds the foundation every...
Starting Your Own Shop: All You Need to Know to Open a Successful Shop
Book
This no-nonsense guide to opening a shop offers a fresh approach to a popular subject. This book...
Dauntless (Nevermore Trilogy #3)
8.0
Rate It
Book
The Debut series by New York Times Bestselling author Shannon Mayer! The Nevermore Trilogy...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
I really wanted this movie to be epic. I wanted it to be the follow up that so many waited so long to see.
However, it fell just short of that goal in my book.
Anchorman 2 picks up in 1980 where Ron Burgandy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina
Applegate) are married, have a 6-year old son, and are co-anchors for a local news station in New York.
Not long into the movie, something comes between the two, and we see Burgandy hit a new low as an
announcer at Sea World. But he is approached with an opportunity to work at the first 24-hour news
channel, and a chance to get his old team back together. Along with Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ
Kind (David Koechner) and Brick Tamland (Steve Carrell), Ron Burgandy takes the world by storm with
a new format, and vastly different “news” stories than what some traditionalists would call news.
As I said, there was so much potential for this movie that it just seemed to miss. It felt like they tried
to force too much of Brick’s “natural charm” that made him so popular in the first, even with the love
interest they brought in for him this go around. You top that off with recycled jokes, not just from
the first movie (which I would have been okay with), but from other movies as well. I immediately
recognized 2 from the Austin Powers franchise alone.
It’s not to say that the movie didn’t have its moments. There were quite a few times where I was caught
off guard by something I was not expecting, or where the joke fell naturally into place. But the rest of
the movie seemed forced. And one cameo in reference to MTV had me downright upset. But hey, not
everyone shares my view.
So my test? Would I pay to see this movie in theaters? No. Wait for it to come to disc/digital
download. I have a feeling it won’t be long before it gets there.
However, it fell just short of that goal in my book.
Anchorman 2 picks up in 1980 where Ron Burgandy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina
Applegate) are married, have a 6-year old son, and are co-anchors for a local news station in New York.
Not long into the movie, something comes between the two, and we see Burgandy hit a new low as an
announcer at Sea World. But he is approached with an opportunity to work at the first 24-hour news
channel, and a chance to get his old team back together. Along with Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ
Kind (David Koechner) and Brick Tamland (Steve Carrell), Ron Burgandy takes the world by storm with
a new format, and vastly different “news” stories than what some traditionalists would call news.
As I said, there was so much potential for this movie that it just seemed to miss. It felt like they tried
to force too much of Brick’s “natural charm” that made him so popular in the first, even with the love
interest they brought in for him this go around. You top that off with recycled jokes, not just from
the first movie (which I would have been okay with), but from other movies as well. I immediately
recognized 2 from the Austin Powers franchise alone.
It’s not to say that the movie didn’t have its moments. There were quite a few times where I was caught
off guard by something I was not expecting, or where the joke fell naturally into place. But the rest of
the movie seemed forced. And one cameo in reference to MTV had me downright upset. But hey, not
everyone shares my view.
So my test? Would I pay to see this movie in theaters? No. Wait for it to come to disc/digital
download. I have a feeling it won’t be long before it gets there.
The Independence Incident
8.0
Rate It
Tabletop Game
We've been tracking a group calling themselves the Culper Ring who believes there are elaborate...