Archive for rants

How I Learned to [Not] Love the Adaption

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , on 12/20/2014 by Taylor Holt

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Written by Bryce Waller with additions by Taylor

Opinions. We all have them, they are all awesome, and everyone loves to hear them all the time. I have listened to many about why a certain film was good and why I should enjoy it as well. This happens from time to time. A movie comes out, based on a book, an older movie, a TV show, whatever. And when the viewers of that movie enjoyed it, I’m surrounded by happy-go-lucky Who-villians that don’t mind telling me why I’m being such a Grinch.

What recent film in particular would I be speaking of, you ask? The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, of course. We get a bad reputation, us fans of the original work that have a hard time giving up so many aspects of what made the source material so great. And while I can look past a lot, there comes a time for any nerd to stand up and say “I DON’T HAVE TO ENJOY THIS!” Not in the actual theater of course.

Nor do I have to enjoy every adaption Hollywood shoves down my throat for that matter! And neither do you. And that’s okay. Here’s why. Continue reading →

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What The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Got Right

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , , on 12/19/2014 by Taylor Holt

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Spoilers Ahead!

Written by Bryce Waller

As I sit here listening/crying to Howard Shore’s score for The Fellowship of the Ring, the film that started it all for me, I cannot help but sit here and wonder where we went wrong. And by “we” I mean Peter Jackson.

No, we are not the same person – he has a much bigger belly and a cooler accent, but I believed for years now that we were kindred spirits. Kindred spirits in the same way that Turin and Beleg Strongbow appear to be in the pages of Children of Hurin. I being Turin, obviously, with my sword skills and anger issues when someone cuts me off in traffic, and PJ (only I can call him that) clearly being the Sindarin elf who teams up with me/Turin to rid the world of Morgoth’s evil and Hollywood of crappy fantasy films.

But I was betrayed by PJ. My love has grown weary and can no longer accept these films that he is making. I mean, come on dude- three friggin’ movies for a book with 300 pages (Give or take a few pages of genealogies or appendixes)?!?

We had a chance to be great here, PJ. YOU blew it! But to pretend nothing came from this new trilogy of films would be kidding myself. As a purist of the Middle-Earth universe, and as disappointed as I am with The Hobbit films, it’d be a shame to only acknowledge the ways Mr. Jackson has strayed. Continue reading →

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The Flash Preview (A Rant from a Fan)

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , on 07/07/2014 by Taylor Holt

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Written by Bryce Waller

Got a second?

Take a moment and have a good laugh at this behind the scenes look at the upcoming Flash television series. Continue reading →

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Aunt May Needs to Die Already

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , , , on 05/01/2014 by Taylor Holt

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I’ve read multiple stories over the years in various mediums and wouldn’t ya know it, I eventually wrote some stories of my own! And let me tell you, nothing sets a reader/viewer/listener (for those of you who like that Adventure radio) on edge than that tasty prospect of DEATH.

So when characters either can’t die, or can just as easily come back, who cares anymore? Not me! Keep reading or I’ll kill you. Continue reading →

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The Problem with Christian Movies (From a Christian)

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , on 02/28/2014 by Taylor Holt

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It was bound to happen. As soon as I saw the poster for the recently released Son of God movie, I knew exactly where this was going to go. Church groups would buy advanced tickets, it would be talked about by anybody that even heard a movie about Jesus was coming out.

It’s already much closer to being under the radar than Passion of the Christ was but then again, this wasn’t directed by Mel Gibson and acted in a completely different language.

And it doesn’t need to be Passion. I don’t hold that as the standard for biblical movies as much as I do the standard for movies featuring Jesus but even still, it’s difficult subject matter. But why couldn’t it have been better?

And for that matter, why can’t so-called Christian movies just be better? Continue reading →

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I Just Realized April O’Neil is Disgusting

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , on 01/29/2014 by Taylor Holt

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Seriously! 26 years and I’m just now catching up to this fact that should have been unavoidable. Ninja Turtles have long been a source of nostalgia for me and not much more.

When I see art online for it, I might even save it (Dave Rapoza anyone?), but past being stereotypes of different personalities, there’s usually not much more to get out of it than what the title implies- the turtles are mutants, they’re ninjas, and they’re forever kids.

But the turtles themselves are not the problem. They are who they are and for some reason, they’ve decided to listen to Splinter and save humanity as many times as necessary even though their lives will go no where else. No, my problem is not these unsung reptile heroes, it’s their human friend, April the freak. Continue reading →

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Ramble On

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , , , on 12/10/2013 by Taylor Holt

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So have you heard Denzel Washington, Idris Elba, and Colin Salmon are considered for Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor? Well, they are.

And in the same day, Bryan Singer (director of X-Men, X-Men 2, and whatever this new one is called) has announced that he may or may not have something to do with another X-Men movie coming out in 2016 with X-men baddie  Apocalypse as the main villain.

Where do you get off, Singer? I’ve never understood that phrase until now.

Continue reading →

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Written Rant: Evil Dead/Carrie Remakes

Posted in Whatever with tags , , , , on 10/16/2012 by Taylor Holt

I love the Evil Dead movies. Not so much Army of Darkness as much even though that seems to be what the majority of the fanbase latched onto in the series. It was only a matter of time before they remade it and they’d been talking about it for years. I just got wind that it’s been in production and they’ve just released a photo of one of the Deadites in the basement. She looks like Linda Blair in The Exorcist. It’s not that this picture alone looks stupid but everything I’m seeing about it (cast, crew, plot) makes me think this is going to be one of those remakes that uses the name, certain key moments, and then abandons all else because who cares, it’s money.

I don’t know what to think in situations like these. Universally, globally, there are a million other things going on in my life that take precedence over this but I still can’t help but be annoyed. This, and I’m having a case of writer’s block today and this is something of a cure. Continue reading →

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Keep Your Politics Out of My Batman

Posted in The Dark Knight Rises Stuff, Whatever with tags , , , , on 07/23/2012 by Taylor Holt

 

It’s not uncommon for filmmakers to put their political and/or religious beliefs out of the stories they tell. Movies themselves are full of themes, ideas and messages, it goes without saying. In fact, if you don’t have an overall point, your movie probably sucks. But notice the difference between a message or theme from your beliefs. One is an ultimate point, something the film is centered around, constantly being conveyed through whatever it is the characters do.

In the 2003 remake of Willard (don’t remember?), Willard Stiles is a pathetic man with absolutely nothing to his name, and his life is being run into the ground with an especial amount of help from his tyrannical bully of a boss. You feel sorry for Willard (Kinda. Depends on how you feel about Crispin Glover) until he gets his iota of power by controlling an army of rats. He, in time, becomes just as bad as his boss to make an hour and a half short. The idea being don’t become what you hate. While this isn’t to say that everyone should strive to be like Willard, at least not financially, the movie had a message and it was made clear to those who wanted it. Most times people don’t, or don’t need to pick up on this but many times you can just feel it. It centers the film. But a message isn’t what I’m speaking of. Continue reading →

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Five Movie Characters That Needed a Punch in the Face

Posted in Top 5 Lists with tags , , , , , , on 06/26/2012 by Taylor Holt

Ever wanted to punch someone in the face? Course you have. Many of you no doubt have done this already. While I don’t directly condone violence, sometimes you just need it to get the job done. Self-defense counts as violence, as we all know and protecting your loved ones is a given. And while I’m not encouraging these particular celebrities in the following article to be assaulted, some characters they played sure could have benefited from it.

I don’t necessarily mean just villains either. The Joker is a villain, but he’s likable. Rattlesnake Jake is cool, and Megatron has got too much going for him as an antagonist that a punch in the face is beyond him. Unless it’s from Optimus Prime.

I’m talking about characters that just make you so mad as you’re watching the movie that you want to reach through the screen and strangle them, regardless of whether or not it’s a cartoon, a child, etc., etc….

I’m not saying it would have fixed everything. Many of these characters need something worse and by the end, might actually get it. But that doesn’t mean a punch wouldn’t have made me feel better during the times they were being such jackasses. Continue reading →

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