Double Disney

maleficent-2014I’m joined in the reaction chamber by Petra and we take on a double dose of Disney films. Maleficent is the box office darling right now, but our reaction to the film is less than enthusiastic. By the same token we finally get around to watching The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer – a film that was nearly universally panned. And we got really excited about it. The short version of the podcast is: skip Maleficent and go see The Lone Ranger.

Don’t forget, this is the final week to get in on the Opposing Forces Kickstarter, so jump in! read more

Dark Sun Apocalypse

Curtis and I continue our Doomsday Prepping, focusing this time on how to get ready for the advent of the Dark Sun, when a rogue asteroid spins our planet into a closer orbit, turning the world into a desert planet. Curtis got some new toys, and we do a bit about using the new Dwarven Forge miniature dungeon. The pieces are really spectacular, and there will be pictures posted into the blog later in the week. Other topics include updates on our plans to attend Fear the Con 5, Free Comic Book Day, and the premiere of The Avengers this weekend. Check out the artwork from Atomic Earth, and send us some feedback to mindspike@criticalpressmedia.com! read more

Asgardian Box Office

Curtis and I gather round the coffee table to kick around Thor. Not harshly, mind, but we do feel that it needs to be kicked a bit. I really wanted to like this movie in the same way that I like Iron Man or the Incredible Hulk. Unfortunately, the result was somewhat lackluster – with a story that just didn’t live up to the potential of its characters. Nevertheless, there is a great deal of good stuff going on in this movie, and we found it to be an acceptable offering, if not a particularly outstanding one. read more

Corporate Oppressors

Released now, calculated to bring as little benefit or press to the film as possible, Curtis and I break down as much of “Avatar” as we can stomach. We lay the entirety of the blame at James Cameron’s doorstep – he really ought to know better. We do some side trails into the fad that is the current generation of 3D movies, “Prince of Persia” – which we both really enjoyed, in spite of my frustrated rant about the ending, and then plug upcoming RPG projects here at Critical Press Media. Hey, it’s worth repeating: look for OpenD6: Agents to hit digital download and POD before the end of the summer! read more

Censorship and Ratings

Gather round the coffee table while Curtis and I discuss our reactions to the documentary “This Film is Not Yet Rated”. Topics of the show include censorship, the ratings system, the rights of artistes, and what makes a film age or content appropriate. Just because something reflects real behavior does not make it art.

Find out more about:

  • This Film is Not Yet Rated – the movie under review
  • The MPAA – the industry tyrants
  • Screenit – independent movie reviewers
  • Plugged In – media reviews from Focus on the Family
  • read more

    Elements of Setting

    Some quick reviews on the Horseclans stories by Robert Adams, How to Train Your Dragon follows. After that, the guys and I sit down and discuss elements of rpg settings and what makes a good one.

    Those Horseclan books are hard to find, check the Amazon store to make the job a bit easier!

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    Titans 9

    We share a pair of movie discussions this week, as I cursorily examine the new Clash of the Titans as well as District 9. In summation – I’m not horribly impressed with either movie. The brightest spot in my week is the fact that Chris and Kathy VanderKaay are back in the podworld with a new show …. The Anatomy of Fear.

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    Olympian Wonderland

    I take a crack at some movies and books, casting my observations on Tim Burton’s treatment of Alice in Wonderland, and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Tune in to see if my mental notes jive with yours, and don’t forget to tell me what you think!

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    Family Movie Night

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    Some family, some not so family.  Some good, some not so good.  The wife and I recline and share some views on the movies we’ve seen this week, the movies we’re anticipating, and the state of movie making in general.  We touch on the topic of horror films, highlight the technical improvements of the new Star Trek over the old, and despair for the glory days of Disney past like the old fogeys we are.  Movies include: The Battle for Terra, Star Trek, assorted Disney films, Friday the 13th, and Halloween.  Plus an update on November contests and stuff.  There’s a whole slough of worthy links on the blog page, so don’t forget to click some of them. read more

    Makes Me Crazy

    Mistreatment of my favorite characters makes me crazy.  Unearned reputation makes me crazy.  Spending two and a half years on a comic book hoping against hope that it will turn out to be epic (or at least comprehensible) makes me crazy!  And when the Powers That Be decide to turn a waste of paper into a waste of film, shoot a trailer and promotional reel that looks freakin’ awesome, and then utterly fail to deliver the goods on a product that I really should have known better than to buy in the first place . . . well that really makes me crazy! read more