Death of an Icon: The Arcade

It seems growing up that I took Arcades for granted. I always figured they'd be around. I mean, I have very early memories of playing Pac-Man at Straw Hat Pizza. Of course, there was the odd birthday at the Tully Road Chuck E. Cheese, which is the biggest one of its kind, a 3 story monstrosity with a gigantic rat mascot that one can see from the freeway and something like 5 different birthday rooms.

But it wasn't until about 1991 that Arcades took a much bigger part in my life. For those who aren't into Arcade history, that was the year that Street Fighter II was unleashed upon the world. The sequel to Capcom's 1987 release Street Fighter, Street Fighter II introduced us to 8 playable characters, 6 more than the first. It also gave us 4 "boss" characters, who would later become playable in an upgrade. It was a fighter that was deceptively simple. You had 3 punch buttons and 3 kick buttons. But there was a much deeper fighting engine lying beneath that simplicity that brimmed with complexity. Each character played differently and people could find the one that best matched their personalities.

Funny. In those days, I was drawn to Ken, the Shotokan fighter from the USA who was very similar to the main character Ryu except that he was a bit weaker but faster. Nothing really changes. To this day, Ken is still the character I main. Does that mean that I haven't really grown up? Hmm, I probably have to ruminate on this one.

Street Fighter II soon became a right of passage, a way for boys to transition into manhood. Sure, you may laugh at it now but all the tell-tale signs were there. Before that, boys would prove their masculinity by getting into schoolyard fights, or by joining various sports, eager to exercise their competitive natures and show they were the best. The same thing happened at the arcade. The better you were, the longer you played. Because the machine was set so that you could continue playing until you were defeated in a best out of 3 match, either by computer or by human opponent, you could theoretically play until you didn't have any more challengers. You'd see kids line up their quarters on the arcade machine, forming a type of queue, calling it "Next game" or "I play winner" to mark their intentions. Those whose talents weren't up to snuff played their matches, lost, turned around dejected, only to return with another quarter and lining up at the back of the queue waiting for their next chance. The winners? Well, they had bragging rights. Each successive win, each opponent defeated, just added to the intensity in the atmosphere, with each player frothing at the mouth to get a chance to take the guy out. It was like a gauntlet. Only the strong survived.

There were many days of cutting school to go to the 7/11 around the corner to get a couple of rounds in. Many days spent at the arcade at Eastridge mall, or again on the top floor of Chuck E. Cheese. And even though Street Fighter II became available on the home systems, there was still nothing quite like the arcade experience. I mean, it's nice playing against your friends and family. But that gets stale pretty fast. You get to see how people play. You understand what their weaknesses and strategies are. You begin to read them. But going to the arcades...suddenly you were playing strangers. You were putting your reputation on the line in front of people you didn't know and you had to save face. Losing was certainly a humbling experience. Victory, on the other hand, was always sweet.

After Street Fighter II and all its variations, there was Mortal Kombat. Then Killer Instinct. It's funny that the arcade boom of the 90's started with Street Fighter as it would also be responsible for its demise. Arcades used to have varied games but with the success of Street Fighter, they became overwrought with me-too fighters and even worse, other Street Fighter type games like Marvel Vs. Capcom and Darkstalkers. They pushed aside shooters and racers, two genres that normally flourished at arcades. Instead, everyone wanted a fighting game and it wasn't too long that people got bored at the lack of variety. Coupled with this was also the fact that the home systems had become powerful enough to produce arcade perfect translations. Pretty soon, publishers were skipping the arcades altogether, finding greater and more stable success with a home release.

Of course the final nail in the coffin was the advent of online gaming. Now, people can play other players all over the world and not just at their neighborhood arcade all from the convenience of their living rooms. You have access to people 24/7 waiting to play and find a game at any time of night. But is that necessary better? While there have been great strides recently, especially with the "arcade mode" in Super Street Fighter IV that closely mimic the "I've got next" arcade experience, it's still not quite the same. There's nothing quite like proving your mettle to the person standing right next to you, playing the psychological game, and being able to read their actions. Until someone can recreate that experience perfectly, Arcades will always have a special spot in my heart.

Post-script:
All hope is not lost. If you live in Japan, that is. The Arcade is alive and well in the land of the rising sun. Hmm, maybe I should visit my cousin Gemma.

Life: A Terminal Condition

Life. It's like a good horror movie: no one gets out alive. It's a miracle that human beings don't just sit in fetal positions, giving up, resolved to the fact that sooner or later, each and every one of us is going to bite the big one. But I guess that's kind of the point. It isn't about how much time we're given but what we do with that time. Sounds like the inside of a Hallmark card. Or a graduation speech.

They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. They say that God only gives you what you can handle. They say a lot of things. I'm convinced that "they" don't really know their ass from their ears. But if what they say is true, then I am Superman. Not in the Jungian sense. No, in the "Last Son of Krypton", "Faster than a Speeding Bullet", invulnerable to everything but Kryptonite, sense.

Thing is, when's it going to stop? I've long since accepted that I'm now getting to the age where the people I've grown up around, the people I've looked up to, are going to die sooner rather than later. Does that make it any easier? Is that realization supposed to calm you when you lie awake at nights, worried that the next one...the next one, will be someone closer?

Or do you just resign yourself to the fact and, as I said above, you make do with the time you have? You know what's extremely apropos this time around?

Do No Go Gentle Into That Good Night

by Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night, 

Old age should burn and rage at close of day; 

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right, 

Because their words had forked no lightning they 

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright 

Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, 

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, 

And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, 

Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight 

Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, 

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height, 

Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. 

Do not go gentle into that good night. 

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

It's a dirty world we live in. No one ever said it would be easy. I never expected it to be. I guess I just never expected it to be so rough. Maybe that's the big cosmic joke. You don't get the peace you want until its your time to go. A dirty, dirty world.

Comic-Con 2010

It's been 5 years since I've been to Comic-Con in San Diego. And it's not like I've been missing it all this time. I mean, even when they were going to be showing stuff from The Dark Knight, I didn't blink an eye. I'd already been to Con something like 7 or 8 times since starting college. So, dammit, why have I been following the Con coverage this year like a crackhead sitting at a street corner, lips powdery white, jonesing for his next fix? Why indeed.

I'm not a huge Marvel fan. My favorite Marvel character is Daredevil, who despite the awesome work by the likes of Frank Miller and Kevin Smith, wasn't exactly a top tier character. I also like Ghost Rider. Again, not top tier by any means. Of course I've read the X-Men and familiar enough with its history to wax intellectual about the Dark Phoenix or the allegory of MLK vs. Malcom X translated in human/mutant relations. And, of course, I loved Spider-man when I was a kid (but then again, who didn't?).

But growing up, my heart was always with DC. Whether it was watching the Super Friends on a Saturday morning, or reading the latest issue of Detective Comics, the heroes of DC just clicked with me. I know Marvel prides itself on its character's having "normal human" problems. Peter Parker has to find a way to pay the rent. Tony Stark not only has to deal with the fact that he's a total douche but also that pesky alcoholism that he's afflicted with. And Matt Murdock has to not only deal with the fact that he's blind but that his girlfriend is freakin' hot! I mean, how unfair is that? It's like At First Sight, that movie starring Val Kilmer and Mira Sorvino, only Karen Page is hotter. You know, for a comic book character. Oh wait. Did I forget to mention that she's a heroin addict, becomes a porn star, and sells Murdock's identity for drug money? Man, Marvel's peeps got problems. See, DC heroes seemed larger than life. I hated when DC tried to "humanize" their heroes, or as I like to call it, "Marvelizing". I didn't want to read comics to see Spider-man struggling to pay his rent? I wanted to see Batman take down the Joker's latest dastardly scheme!

Now, the movies have been a totally different story. While I still love Christopher Reeves' Superman, and Nolan's work on the Batman movies, I also loved Singer's X-Men films, Spider-man 2, and the first Iron Man. So I guess this is why I was really looking forward to Con this year because I knew one of the panels was going to be devoted to Marvel's slate of upcoming movies. I probably would have been more excited if my excitement wasn't tempered by my lukewarm reaction to Iron Man 2. Or the fact that not only is Joe Johnston (not exactly an A-list director despite Jurassic Park III being a guilty pleasure) directing the Captain America movie (probably one of my least favorite comic characters), but that he cast Johnny Storm himself, Chris Evans as the lead character. It kind of seemed like a recipe for disaster.

I had more confidence in the Thor movie (despite the fact that I'm not really a fan of that character) especially after seeing Hemsworth's bulk and that he looks like a picture perfect Thor. It also doesn't hurt that Kenneth Branagh is directing. But no, what I was more interested in was the Avengers news. Though I am not a fan of Joss Whedon (I know. Firefly was awesome. Buffy was awesome. I've heard it. I just don't get it), I am excited at the prospect at putting together Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth as the Avengers.

So that brings us to today's Con coverage. I am officially disappointed that I didn't go this year. Not only did they show stuff from Captain America. Not only did they show stuff from Thor. But they actually brought out the cast of The Avengers. RDJ. Hemsworth. Evans. Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow. Sam Jackson as Nick Fury. And the newly announced Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner aka The Hulk(taking over for Ed Norton who, like Tony Stark, is a complete douche and who also took over for Eric Bana). I'm sorry but that's just a stellar cast. I'm really hoping that Whedon can pull this off.

I guess there was also a Green Lantern panel. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the character. I mostly know him from his adventures with The Flash in The Brave and the Bold or in various Justice League stories. Of course, there was his whole Zero Hour thing where he became Parallax and started creating worlds. Or whatever. But this is a movie I'm not that excited about. I like Ryan Reynolds but I picture him more as The Flash, what with the fact that he tends to be more humorous. And while I like Martin Campbell as a director (after all he did two of my favorite Bond flicks in Goldeneye and Casino Royale) I'm just not sure how he's going to pull off a dude with a ring that creates giant green fists to knock people out that just won't seem like something out of Jim Carrey's The Mask. So I find it really weird that I'm more looking forward (looking farther forward?) to a Marvel movie than a DC one.

Last but not least, Capcom had a huge announcement at the Con. Anyone who knows me knows I love me some Street Fighter. And while I'm looking forward to the new Marvel vs. Capcom game coming out, my heart actually belongs to the slower paced gameplay of the main Street Fighter series and the Alpha line. It's why I played Street Fighter III a hell of a lot more than I did Marvel vs. Capcom 2. So what do they announce today? Street Figher X Tekken! I'm not quite sure how that's going to work out as Tekken is mostly a brawler game and Street Fighter tends to be projectile based, but I am interested in seeing how they pull this off. Apparently, Capcom is doing SF X Tekken in a style similar to Street Fighter IV (cue complete nerdgasm) and Namco is going to be doing Tekken X SF in a style similar to Tekken.

I know that I'm probably one of the few people that actually liked Arika's Street Fighter EX series (where SF was redone in complete 3d to compete with the likes of Tekken) but I can see this working. If they can balance the fighters well enough, I think both games have the potential of being really good. I am not really a huge Tekken fan but I might become one of Capcom can translate the gameplay well enough into the SF world.

So Comic-Con International. I missed you this year. Maybe one day, I will once again grace the hallowed halls of Exhibition Hall H. And who knows what'll be announced then? The Justice League movie (yes, please). Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat? Or better yet a Capcom/Namco/SNK/Midway royal rumble? How awesome would that be? Cue change of underwear.

The Great Mind**** or: The Inception Review

It has been a few days since I've seen Inception. I didn't feel up to writing an actual review until I'd let the movie sink in a bit. I didn't want to just give some offhand impression to sully the reputation of this film, that by not devoting enough time to a review that it would be an insult to Nolan and company. Or maybe it's just that the movie messed with my mind a bit and I needed the time to clear up the cobwebs. Either way, I am here with the review.

The Summary

Honestly, I can't say much about the summary of the movie without giving away the movie itself. The tagline, "Your mind is the scene of the crime" is probably the most apt and concise description of the film. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a man with a troubled past (does he ever play any other kind any more?) who leads a team of thieves. The hook? They steal secrets and ideas. And I'm not talking about simple corporate espionage here, like an Enron meets Jason Bourne kind of thing. They steal secrets and ideas FROM YOUR MIND (dun dun dun!). That's really all I can say about the movie. Watch it for yourself to see how it plays out.

The Good

1. The effects - a movie that takes place in dreams should have an appropriate feeling of unearthliness, almost, dare I say, dreamlike. Inception has this in spades and it is pulled off very well. From locations that don't look "quite right" and gravity that doesn't move "quite right", this movie really nails an alternate reality that may look much like our own but does not function by the same rules.

2. The performances - the cast all turned in top notch performances. While this is obviously DiCaprio's show, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, and Ken Watanabe all put in incredible work. Of particular note is Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I'm keeping my eye on this guy. After impressive turns in Brick and (500) Days of Summer, and then a really good one in Inception, this guy is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

3. The concept - Nolan hits the ground running with the whole "dream" thing and pulls it off really well. He walks the fine balance of reality and dreamstate and creates a very cohesive world that feels real even when it's not "acting" real. Excellent work.

4. The action - the action set-pieces are all well done and mostly shot using traditional techniques, from the spinning room made famous by Fred Astaire to good old ski chases as popularized in James Bond movies.

The Bad

1. The Dialogue - there were parts in which the dialogue just seemed too cheesy or forced. While the characters did the best they could with these lines, the fact that so much was so good really drew attention to the lines that were bad. Also, there were moments in the first 45 minutes that were packed so full of exposition that it was hard to swallow it all. I know Nolan was establishing the rules of the dreamworld, but large blocks of exposition are difficult to digest.

2. The pacing - this mostly refers to the first half of the film. The pacing grinds to a halt whenever the above-mentioned exposition blocks come up. Once they get to the main job, the main part of the story, the movie hits its stride and runs at a very tense, perfectly plotted pace.

Overall, I loved this movie. While it was by no means perfect, I found the balance of thought, emotion, and action to be well done. I loved that the movie didn't talk down to the audience (even with all the exposition). It wasn't as pretentious as The Matrix (particularly in the sequels) about the concept of reality versus simulation. Instead, the movie takes a very intellectualized concept and interprets it in an emtional fashion, lending it a sense of gravitas. I think if Nolan had trimmed about 10 minutes off the top of the film, he would have a perfect movie on his hands. As it is, he has a great movie and one of the best I've seen in a while.

As an aside, I've realized that I'm really a big fan of Nolan. I loved Memento (which I daresay, was a hair better than Inception simply because it was paced much better). I enjoyed Insomnia. I adored The Prestige. And of course I loved his Batman films. Courtney even asked me if I liked Inception more than The Dark Knight. That was a difficult one to answer but ultimately it came down to the fact that it featured two of my favorite comic book characters of all time, my favorite hero (Batman, duh) and my favorite villain (Joker, double duh). I really need to get around to watching Following, his first film, which I have but has been on the list of unseen films I've been meaning to tackle. But when I do, you can bet I'll review that too.

Once more unto the breach : Predators Review

I want to make one thing abundantly clear before I get started with this review. I liked the first Predator. I didn't love it. I just liked it. I was a bigger fan of the Alien series, particularly the first 2. I guess it was probably because the Alien movies were very character driven, with Ridley Scott and James Cameron both creating very memorable characters and Predator was more about archetypes and testosterone. So anyway, let's get on with it.

The movie starts off with a bang. Adrien Brody snaps awake in freefall and his parachute won't open. Within 10 minutes, we meet the whole ragtag group. In the tradition of the first Predator, you get your archetypes. You get the nerdy guy. You get the quiet guy. You have the leader. They are all being hunted.

Sound familiar? Yes, it's much like the first Predator. Which is a good thing. There really isn't much to the plot. But then again, I don't think it has to. This is a movie that knows what it wants to be. It wants to be like the first Predator, which really didn't have much of a plot but really just an excuse to string together action scenes and awesome kills. It was all about guns, muscles, and gore. This movie carries on in that tradition. And while I would normally rail on a movie for lack of plot, I somehow find it fitting.

I do have to say that I found the characters in this film to be quite a bit more endearing. Yes, they are still archetypes, but the movie spends a bit more time (albeit superficially) giving them genuine moments to shine. We're not talking about Hamlet here but for what is there, it works.

The Good
1. The Opening - I've already described it. What an awesome way to start a movie. Let's drop the audience right into a scene of a guy dropping in the sky.
2. Laurence Fishburn - his character was HILARIOUS and kind of sad at the same time. His appearance really adds something different at just the right time.
3. Japanese Dude w/ Katana vs. Predator - What a cool fight scene. Very reminiscent of the opening fight between Ryu and Sagat in the Street Fighter Anime.

The Bad
1. Predictable - yes I know that the plot and that it was trying to be like the first Predator, but it is a little too familiar. You can see the beats and reversals from a mile away.
2. Pacing - the movie has two settings - bat**** insane and snail pace. I'm not sure if it was bad editing or what but sometimes the movie just ground to a halt.

Overall, I liked the movie. After being disappointed with Terminator Salvation and the last 2 Alien movies, not to mention Predator 2's concrete jungle, I didn't have high hopes for this film. Thankfully, the movie instead goes back to the original to great success. But as Aliens built on the original Alien while adding more interesting characters, so too does this film. Which is probably why they decided to name it Predators, adding an S just as Cameron's entry into the Alien series did.

If you're looking for a great action movie, see The A-Team. But if it's not playing any more, go see Predators. But go with this caveat. Do not see this movie if you don't like the original Predator. It may not be your cup of tea.

Game Night 7/17

Had a small get together last night. I find that as I get older, it gets harder and harder to get groups of friends together for a simple night of gaming. Invariably, work, kids, LIFE gets in the way. But no matter. It's not like my apartment can really hold that many people any way.

Started the night out with Mario Kart Wii, which always seems to be a crowd pleaser. Alcohol and go-karting just seems to be a match-made in Mushroomland heaven. Of course, this also leads to much hilarity. By the team we got to Bowser's Castle in Star Cup, we were a bunch of giggling spazzes that didn't even end up placing above 6th. But whatevs, right? It's all in the name of fun.

After that, we got our Super Street Fighter 4 fix. Now, I am not too proud to say that while I may not be the best at Street Fighter, I also am far from the worst. I've gotten quite used to being middle of the pack. Growing up, I could usually hold my own at the arcades but my cousin, Rhem, would always dominate at the game.

I realize now, much later of course, what was wrong with my play-style. As with most teens, I was fairly bullheaded. I had difficulty adapting my strategy and fighting style so people would often be able to telegraph my moves. I was overly aggressive and barely ever blocked. Forget about anticipating your opponent and playing the footsie game. No, instead I thought I was content with small two hits combos and the occasional connecting Super. Going into college, I continued to follow the main Street Fighter and Street Fighter Alpha series while my cousin branched off to the VS. series with Marvel vs. Capcom. At that point, my SF fix was only quenched by my small college playgroup, none of whom ever dedicated that much time to the game. It wasn't until Street Fighter IV came out and I was playing on Live that I realized how crappy my playing actually was. And I did what any self-respecting player does. I gave up. Because online SUCKS.

...

Well, not entirely true. I still play online and often get my rear handed to me. But as a result of this and the sheer variety of play-styles I've encountered, I too have learned to adapt. You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.

So there we wee last night, playing Super Street Fighter IV and I was kind of dominating. I don't mean this to be boastful in the grandest MotherTrucker way (shout out to my Cox peeps, you know who I'm talking about). I'm just stating facts. I was holding onto my control stick while the other pad was making its rounds. I lost one match, with the victory going to my friend Eric, which was a bit surprising because he made it clear that he "sucked" at the game. It was a well-deserved win on his part.

After the game, I showed the guys the famous video of Daigo Umehara vs. Justin Wong at the EVO 2004 Street Fighter 3 finals in which he makes an incredible comeback in the last round of the last match of the tournament. If you have not seen this, you must.



Overall, the night was a success, despite the lack of attendance. A good time was had by those gracious enough to make it this time around. Hopefully the next one will be even better.

Into the New

I was feeling adventurous on Thursday so I decided to try a new Phờ and a new FroYo place.

Little Saigon

Just opened on Eastern and 215. Because it is so new they didn't even have an ATM/Debit machine at the register so I had to trek around to find the nearest ATM machine to pull out cash. I know right? Cash! Anyway, the place is one of those Vietnamese/Chinese restaurants, probably since Vietnamese food isn't as prevalent around here so offering Chinese gives more options for people who aren't very adventurous. They had a pretty extensive menu ranging from soups, rice dishes, fried noodle, fried rice, and various meat dishes. Not particularly feeling like soup in the face of 103 degree Vegas heat, I decided to stick with a rice dish off the Vietnamese side of the menu.

I played it safe by ordering the Combination Vegetable and Seafood with Rice. It's basically a sitry fry that includes Baby Chinese Greens, Celery, Broccoli, Carrots, Green Peppers, Cabbage, Squid, Shrimp, and Fish Balls in a savory sauce. I am not quite sure what is in this sauce but it's like crack to me. I've gotten this same basic thing at most other Phờ places that offer it, starting with the old TK Noodle on Tully Road in San Jose, CA. This dish did not disappoint. The flavors were spot on. The sauce wasn't too thick or runny and it complimented the rice. I'm not a huge fan of fish balls so I could have taken them or left them. The surprise of the dish was the squid. It was soft and only slighty chewy which was a really good texture and consistency. Overall, a really good dish.

The restaurant itself is really nice for a Phờ place. There are the traditional paintings on the walls, though they don't all have the same type or even color frame so it was a little distracting. I was impressed by how big the space actually was as I am accustomer to smaller, hole-in-the-wall type places. Of course, since it had just opened, there really wasn't a wait to be seated, nor was there a problem with the service as there were 3 servers on duty. The only true issue, which I have been assured will be rectified soon, was the aforementioned absent ATM/Debit machine.

Yogels

After having such a savory dinner, I really needed something sweet to offset the saltiness. I decided to try out Yogels rather than go one block the other way to Yogurtland.

Yogels is a very inviting place. It's small but the layout maximizes the space well with a topping island in the middle and the yogurt dispensers about against the wall with tables on the opposite wall. When looking at the toppings and yogurt, you notice little signs that show the nutritional information by recommended serving size. I also noticed that the cups weren't nearly as big as those found at Yogurtland or uSwirl which is good for those trying to control their caloric intake. Rounding out the good stuff was the price. The yogurt is already $0.30 an ounce. If you go for Happy Hour from 3pm to 6pm (since when is an hour 3 hours?) then you also get an additional 30% off your purchase. As a result of this, my entire cup only cost $2.50. Not bad for what I got.

Of course, not all is picture perfect at Yogels. The quality of the Yogurt itself was fairly poor. It was too much like the the type of soft serve you would get at a buffet, that is it say that it wasn't smooth at all. I picked my traditional toppings of a drizzle of fudge, strawberries, and almonds. The strawberries weren't fresh, instead opting for what looked like canned and extremely sweet strawberries cut in slivers. A personal dislike of mine are almonds cut in slivers which is what was on offer. Completely disappointed in the toppings.

So yes, I got the yogurt for really cheap but it wasn't really worth the price. I really should have ended the afternoon on a high note after Little Saigon and just gone to Yogurtland, even if they do have slivered almonds. At least the yogurt itself is good and the berries are fresh.

Too Early

"Bugs!" She yells clear across the office, loud enough the walls shake. It's too early for this. It's too early for bugs, or rodents, or any damned thing. It's too early for this.

She comes over, shaking like she's on the losing end of a crack withdrawal, her eyes bleary from lack of sleep but jammed open wide with fear. "Bugs!" she yells again, this time her voice as shaky as she is. It's only 5:02. Too damned early.

Too damned hot too. The lady with the voice like cotton candy said it was already 92 degrees. At 5 in the damned morning. I think back to mornings in Santa Cruz, down at Natural Bridges, the cold of the sand as it rubbed between my toes. It was cool then. A damned sight cooler than 92 degrees at 5 in the AM.

Bugs. She's never even seen bugs. Not like I've seen them. Roaches as big as small birds. And flying too. The flap of their wings like the sound of a miniature radio helicopter, like the kind some poor guy pawns on some infomercial long after everyone's gone to sleep and way past the time that anyone actually cares. Now those were bugs. They were mean suckers too. Afraid of no man and just as soon bite you as look at you.

I remember New Year's Eve back at the house on the beach in the P.I. There's me and my cousins, standing in the dust, watching as M80's blow through a tin can. The air smells like smoke and sweat and the sulfur smell of firecrackers that tickles the nose and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention. And above the cracks of fireworks, above the drunken laughter that would soon make way to tearful confessions as old friends reminisce of far younger days, you hear the steady hum of bugs. Like miniature helicopters.

I tell her to calm down as best I can, all nice-like. She ain't never seen bugs. No like I've sen them. I tell her to sit at another station and she hesitates. You can see the gears turning. She's not even awake enough to really think this through. She finally walks aways and I get a slice of quiet.

*RING* It's only 5 in the AM and already I've got to take this call. It's a live one. You can hear it in the rep's voice. Only 5 in the AM. It's too early for this.

Movie Review Round-Up

It's been a disappointing year so far in Cinemaland. I don't know if it's just that I've gotten older but year after year I find myself less excited for the new batch of film releases. That's not to say that the movies are necessarily getting worse (that argument opens a really big can of worms that I may get into in the future) as I find good and bad movies every year. It's just that I haven't really been blown away by a trailer or gotten caught up in any one movie's hype machine. In any case, here is a rundown of the high profile films I've seen so far in 2010.

Alice in Wonderland

I have to admit that I was tentative about this film. I have a strange relationship with Tim Burton. I like most of his movies but I find him to usually favor style over substance a little too much. And most times, I find his style a little too over-the-top and distracting. Plus, I still haven't forgiven him for Batman Returns (Batfans, don't bother getting your panties in a bunch. I like the movie for what it is, a Tim Burton movie and not as a Batman film). So it was with much trepidation that I approached his reimagining of Alice in Wonderland.

Burton has been at the top of my list for directors to tackle a remake of The Wizard of Oz if it were ever to be made. I felt that his weirdly gothic style would be an interesting fit for Oz. That and I think he's at his best when handling fairy tales. I also really wanted to see him tackle the flying monkeys. So I find it out that I never considered him for Alice in Wonderland. Having now seen the film, I don't even know why I was tentative. His style probably fits Wonderland more than Oz, with the wonderfully bizarre creatures and people populating the world.

Overall, I liked the movie. I thought it was a good "sequel/reimagining". Johnny Depp was typically bizarre as the Mad Hatter but the movie was stolen by Helena Bonham Carter's Red Queen. It's hard to steal a movie from the likes of Johnny Depp AND bizarro nutzoid Crispin Glover but she succeeds in every scene they are in together. My main complaint with the film is Mia Wasikowska. I find her performance fairly flat and overly understated. I understand that this may have been intentional to balance out the hijinx of the previously mentioned actors but it didn't work for me.

Clash of the Titans

This was a movie I actually was excited to see. I had read about a year ago that Lawrence Kasdan (one of my favorite screenwriters) was handling the script. My excitement was cooled a couple weeks before release when I found out that Kasdan was replaced by the dude that wrote Aeon Flux. Major disappointment. Although the visuals were good, none of the movie made any sense. they decide to make Perseus a tough hero who hates the Gods but then has him turn on a dime for no real good reason. He literally receives gifts "out of nowhere". They introduce characters that go nowhere and serve no real purpose.  I just don't understand how they could go from a writer like Kasdan (who wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark and co-wrote The Empire Strikes Back) and go with the Aeon Flux guy. This movie could have been something really great but missed the mark by an incredibly wide margin.

Iron Man 2

Even though I really liked the first Iron Man, one of my favorite films from the summer 2008, I wasn't really that hyped for this movie. I think it was because the first image I saw associated with it was of Mickey Rourke in full Whiplash regalia on the racetrack and I thought it looked terrible. Surprisingly, his character and look in the finished film didn't really bother me. I thought it fit well in the established universe. I also thought that Robert Downey Jr turned in another good performance has Tony Stark, with equally good turns by Gwyneth Paltrow and Sam Rockwell.

My major problems were with Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, and Samuel L. Jackson. Don Cheadle just seemed to be sleepwalking in the role, with none of the bluster or fire that I've come to expect from him. I'm not saying that Terence Howard was necessarily better but I found Cheadle's performance flat in this movie which is disappointing because he is capable of so much more (and honestly I was expecting more because I love his work in other films). Although Scarlett Johansson certainly looked good in the leather catsuit as Black Widow, she felt oddly out of place in the movie. Maybe it's because I was expecting her to actually BE RUSSIAN which is a major part of her character and I thought would tie in especially well since Rourke's character was also Russian. But alas, it was not meant to be and I wasn't impressed. Last is Sam Jackson who is the perfect physical embodiment of Nick Fury from The Ultimate line of Marvel comics. So why does he now just play a parody of himself? At no point did I ever feel like he was Nick Fury, director of SHIELD. He just seemed like Sam Jackson saying lines as Sam Jackson would. For a perfect example of this, check out the scene with Tony Stark in the donut shop. Terrible.

Also, enough with the Iron Mav vs. other "Iron Men" thing. I'm ready to move on. Please have the Mandarin next.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of TIme

This was a movie I was teetering on whether to see it or not. I loved The Sands of Time as a video game. It had memorable characters, frustratingly smart puzzles, and an excellent action and control system. Overall, I thought the movie was good. It was an entertaining way to spend 2 hours. Sure the plot was hokey but at least it made sense. No one's performance really stuck out as particularly bad with almost everyone putting in a good effort. The action (particularly the Parkour stuff) was really well done as was the cinematography. I thought that the banter between Dastan and Tamina was well-written, though tthe chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton could have used some work. It was definitely a light-hearted and breezy affair, the kind of movie that is perfect for pure escapism.

The A-Team

I can't say enough how much I liked this movie. To me, it's the sleeper of the summer. I went in with very low expectations and was really impressed by the performances, the story, the characters, and the action. I have some familiarity with the show, enough to remember the personalities of the characters and I thought that this movie really embraced them. Murdock was just the right amount of looney tunes, with Face quite the narcissist. I loved Hannibal Smith's commitment to his men and his country, something that I thought would feel really out-of-place in today's cynical world but was embodied perfectly by Liam Neeson. The only sour point would be "Rampage" Jackson as BA Baracus. Unfortunately, the dude had some big gold-plated shoes to fill and he just doesn't have the same charisma or bravado as Mr. T. He plays his part well enough but you feel that he is completely out of his league with the actors around him. 

Paramount needs to take some notes from Carnahan and company on how to approach Mission Impossible. I say reboot the whole thing and fire Tom Cruise. Do an actual remake that features Jim Phelps, Rollin Hand, Cinnamon Carter, etc. But now that Neeson is playing Smith, who could play essentially the same type of role with Phelps?

Toy Story 3

I am not ashamed to say that this movie made me cry. Twice when I saw it the first time and once more on the second viewing. Toy Story was a fun movie, introducing the world to the first fully CG full length feature film. It was a really good buddy movie that was funny and sentimental in all the right places. Toy Story 2 improved on this by really focusing on the concept of forgotten toys and the obsessive nature of collectors. The flashback in part 2 that shows Jessie's owner Emily finally moving on, set to the Randy Newman penned, Sarah McLachlan sung tune "When She Loved Me" was heartbreaking, really making you feel the sadness and the longing of a toy abandoned by her owner. I remember seeing this scene in the theater and was amazed at how effective the combination of music and animation was and how moved by it I was (I had choked back a few tears). None of this could prepare me for Toy Story 3.

While the pacing of the film wasn't as tight as its prequels, it more than made up for it by expanding the roles of the other toys. There is a "jailbreak" scene that occurs in which all the toys must play a part, akin to the roles in Ocean's Eleven. This all leads up to a very emotional conclusion as the toys must face the fact that Andy has grown up and is moving on to college. Again, I was surprised by how moved I was by this film. The animation was incredible (the detailed fur on Lottsa Huggs bear in particular), the performances were pitch perfect, and the music was top notch. But really, it just came down to Pixar's uncanny ability to pull at the heartstrings in a very honest, natural way. And again, they really made you feel the moment from a toy's perspective.

Eclipse

I've already written a full review of Eclipse that you can read below. Overall, I liked it. It was the best film out of the "saga" so far. The action and direction really knocked it out of the park in this one. Now if they could just work on the wigs.

Eclipse Review

I find it... odd...that the first review I'm doing for my new blog happens to be about Eclipse, the new entry in the Twilight "saga". See what I did there? It's in quotes. Because I hardly think that it counts as a saga. Star Wars? A saga. The Arthurian legends? A saga. Twilight? Teen angst at its worst. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start from the beginning.

I am absolutely certain of 3 things. One, Twilight is not a Saga (dammit, there I go again). Two, there is a part of me that is inexplicably drawn to these movies (and not even in a rubber-necking at a crash site sort of way), and three, I have not, nor do I ever intend to, read the books these flicks are based on.

So pretty much, in a roundabout way, I'm telling you that I'm probably one of the best people to give you a critique on the films based on the merit of the films alone. Some people will scoff at that and say that I am not getting the full experience of Twilight. In response I digitally spit on your face. It is my firm belief that any adaptation needs to be able to stand on its own, its creators taking advantage of all facets of the new media and imbuing it with its own distinct sense of identity. If I wanted to read the books, I would read the books. If I want to see a movie based on a book, I want to see a movie and not some weird mutant creature that can't decide if it wants to be a book or a movie. So let's get on with it shall we?

As a general rule, I try not to post any spoilers. Considering that this is the third film in a series, I cannot help but possibly spoil incidents in the first two movies. If you cannot handle that for some ungodly reason, then please click elsewhere. Possibly to www.levelupfilms.com. I hear they do great work there.

The Summary
Eclipse picks up where New Moon left off. Edward and Bella are reunited and Jacob is kind of left to the side. Bella still wants to become a vampire and Edward is all torn up about the morality of it all. "Should I or shouldn't I take her soul?" The lame love triangle set up in the last film continues here with Bella and Edward flaunting their obsessive infatuation with each other and Jacob trying his best to mark his territory on Bella's heart. Meanwhile, mysterious killings are happening in Seattle, a mere hop, skip, and a giant leap away from Forks. True to the clueless idiot she is, Bella, of course, cannot put two and two together to see who is behind the killings. I mean, it's not like mysterious killings didn't just happen TWO FREAKING MOVIES AGO.

In any case, the killings are actually the first stage in a developing War Machine. Hitler started with Austria. Twilight has new vampires. The point of this War Machine? To kill Bella Swan. Why? Well...because revenge is a dish served cold. Cold as ice. 'Cause vampires are dead and don't generate body heat. Whatever.

Quick Aside
At this point you might be getting the impression that I don't like Bella Swan. You would be correct. She's a terrible protagonist. She is weak. She isn't particularly smart. She's completely reactive. And she's nothing more than an object to two boys. Basically, she is the stereotype that women have been trying to destroy for the better half of the last century. I guarantee you that if a man had written the Twilight books, he would have been raked across the coals for writing such a pathetic character. But anyway...

The movie culminates in a giant showdown in a meadow somewhere. The vampires and wolves join forces, facing the common enemy. Bella is protected and finally makes her choice, which wasn't really much of a choice since she ALREADY BLURTS IT OUT IN THE FIRST FEW LINES OF THE FIRST MOVIE.

The Good
1. The Direction - David Slade knows how to make a movie. The cinematography and pacing were all top notch. I've heard complaints that it was a little slow for some people but I liked it. It gave the movie room to breathe which lent more gravitas (if I can even apply that word to this movie) to the drama and the action.
2. Improved CGI - the wolves looked much better this time around as did the transformations. It looked much more natural and didn't stick out as they did in the first two films.
3. Less focus on Bella - after her incessant whining in New Moon, it was very refreshing to get to know a lot of the other characters, such as Jasper and Rosalie, in this film. I also appreciated the scenes between Edward and Jacob, particularly the one in the tent. There was something very honest in that moment and just good character work overall.
4. The Action - the battle scene in the meadow was fantastic. It was really visceral and choreographed well. I was literally sitting on the edge of my seat with a big smile plastered on my mug through the whole scene.

The Bad
1. Taylor Lautner sucks at acting - Well, maybe he doesn't suck, but he's not well suited to the part. I don't know how Jacob is written in the books but from what I see, I think he should be the polar opposite of Edward. Where Edward is kind of withdrawn and distant, I picture Jacob as being very passionate, almost impulsive. I hate to say it, but I feel like we should get the feeling that there's this beast inside him that is always threatening to get out. Lautner is far too soft-spoken for Jacob. When he's telling Bella that he knows she has feelings for him, I just don't believe it. Which is too bad since I think the tension between the fire of Jacob and the coldness of Edward would play off well.
2. Bad wigs - It's not like Twilight is known for good hair but Bella's wig in the movie was almost as bad as Jacob's in New Moon. My wife brought up a good point after the movie. Slade used a lot of close-ups in the movie which wasn't done in the others. I actually appreciated that because it made it feel more intimate. Courtney felt it was too claustrophobic. I think that it's because of this that the crappiness of the wigs are all the more visible. The camera is even closer than normal so you see the flaws.

Another Aside
My friend Casper did a v-log about the idiocy of casting brunettes as blondes and vice versa. I kind of wonder if that was intentional to give the characters a more...otherworldly quality to them. Or maybe I'm just overthinking it.

The Bad - con't
3. The Music - I didn't find the soundtrack of this movie to be a strong as the first film. Or at least it isn't as immediately memorable.
4. The Writing - I can't speak for Stephanie Meyer and her novels, but all the movies are filled with a list of "things not to do" in storytelling with the biggest offender being that the writers spend too much time telling things instead of showing it. Too often people wear their hearts on their sleeves and say exactly what they are thinking and doing, instead of playing in subtext and showing action. Which leads me to...
5. The Love Story - I guess this is kind of unfair that I'm putting this because this really applies to all three movies but I just don't buy the love story. Which is kind of sad because the whole "saga" hinges on this love story. The problem is that Bella always says she's in love with Edward but I don't really see it. I don't see it in her actions (if anything she seems selfish and self-absorbed) nor do I see it in any chemistry with Edward. No. I don't see love there. I see obsession. I see infatuation. I see co-dependency. But I don't see love. I mean, how good can there love be when Stephanie Meyer has to resort to the character having to tell you in the first few lines of the first book that she's in love with Edward rather than showing it develop?

In Conclusion
Believe it or not, this was my favorite of the Twilight movies. Despite my litany of "bad" things, I still enjoyed the hell out of the movie. This was the first of the flicks that I thought felt like an honest-to-God movie. It didn't feel like some feeble attempt at cramming events from the book to appease fans. The other films felt disjointed, like someone had gone through and picked all their favorite scenes from each book and just loosely tied them together. In this one, it felt organic and focused. I still have major problems with the love story and Bella, but I feel that Slade did a good job of trying to add as much subtlety as the material would allow. Again, the scene in the tent between Jacob and Edward was an excellent example. It bristled with tension and oneupmanship. But it also had a healthy dose of compassion and understanding. Now if only they didn't spend the entire scene saying everything they were thinking and feeling, and the scene would have gone from a 7 to a 10. Overall, not the worst film I've ever seen, and certainly not the best one I've seen this summer. But I was entertained for two and a half hours and I feel like I got my matinée money's worth.

Vampire Day

So Monday was Vampire Day, a day that my wife and I had designated for a marathon of Vampire related materials. Shortly after we watched New Moon, we had a Vampire week by also watching Bram Stoker's Dracula and Interview with the Vampire. One major thing struck us both in that period. Modern vampires had gotten incredibly emo. I mean, yes, Gary Oldman's Dracula was pretty emo, in that gothic romantic sort of way. And Louis was definitely emo, what with his incessant, "What does this all mean? Have I got a soul?" claptrap. But neither of them were anything like the sheer mountain of emo that Edward et al are. I mean, if emo was a baseball player, Edward would be the Babe Ruth of emo. But I digress...

Vampire day started off in a very un-Vampire sort of way: lunch at The Cracked Egg with a little detour to the Tea Time Cafe for a Taro Milk Tea with Boba. After that, we hit the theaters to check out Eclipse. I will probably do a more in-depth review this evening but right off the bat:

Dislikes:
1. Jacob is a terrible actor. TERRIBLE.

2. Bella still sucks. Sure she isn't as whiny as in New Moon but she's still a complete idiot.

3. Bella's wig. I know she was probably still rocking the mullet she had from The Runaways movie but jeez...it was better than Jacob's from New Moon but not by much.

Likes:
1. The fight scene in the meadow. Well chorgeographed and shot.

2. The CGI wolves like much better this time around but their animation is still off in parts.

3. This was the first of the Twilight films that actually felt like a movie. The plot was much more focused and paced much better.

After Eclipse, we did some grocery shopping then headed home for the 2nd part of Vampire Day: True Blood. We had never seen the show and were keen to partake. The first couple of episodes were strange, seeming to value shock over character development. But I realize that Alan Ball and company were simply trying to set the tone for the show. That was no excuse, however, for some really bad acting, especially from Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer. However, after the 3rd episode, Courtney and I were hooked and we ended up watching 8 episodes of the show, finishing seaon 1 the following night.

Couple impressions:
1. Sookie sucks. She may not be on the same scale of dumbassery as Bella but she's pretty close.

2. What's with Vampire/Idiot Girl/Shapeshifter love triangles?

3. Lafayette is the highlight of the show. He steals every scene he's in.

4. The flashbacks to Bill's Civil War past are better than anything Edward, Emo Boy Extraordinaire, and siblings have to offer.

5. Anna Paquin is not attractive. Like at all. Fortunately, they had the likes of Lynn Collins and Lizzy Caplan to make up for her. Hmm...both girls have the initials LC. Coincidence?

Overall, Vampire Day was a rousing success. We definitely got our fill of bloodsuckers and shapeshifters with a helping of moronic female protagonists. Next up is Season 2 of True Blood.

Week in Review - 6/26-7/3 Pt.2: That's Entertainment!

I'm continuing Part 1 of the Week in Review. This time I'll be tackling the stuff we did while my cousin Gemma was in town. I apologize for the tardiness of my post but it's been a busy weekend all building up to Vampire Day which I'll get to in a bit. (ooh...cliffhanger)

After eating Raising Canes on Saturday, we went to the Outlet Mall right across the parking lot. Did the whole shopping thing. Was really hoping for a new pair of Vans but alas it was not to be. When the Outlets are charging the same price or more as a regular mall store, you know there's something wrong. Instead, I walked out with a couple ties. Nice ties to be sure but not exactly a pair of slip on Vans, you know what I mean?

After the Outlets, we went home for a bit to recharge then had dinner at Hash House A-Go-Go. That evening, we decided to go see Toy Story 3 at Rave in Town Square. Since we had some time to kill, we decided to partake in some spirits. We found ourselves at Blue Martini downing Patron shots. I gotta tell you, I love me some Patron but I don't love it $11 a shot worth. But hey, my cousin was in town and we were doing the tourist thing so it was fun to do. After that, saw Toy Story 3. This was the second time I'd seen it since I'd already watched it the week before with Courtney. I don't know what it is about that series but each one gets me acting like a kid again.

On Sunday, we took it easy. After brunch at The Cracked Egg, we hit up Target to pick up a few supplies. As my sister and I pointed out to Gem, the two things we did the most around these parts was eat and shop. I think after this trip she realized how serious we were about both. Later that day, we went to go see the A-Team at the Green Valley Ranch. Again, this was the second time I'd seen that movie. Wanted to go since neither Gem nor CJ had checked it out and I just plain enjoyed the hell out of that flick. Plus, I used some Super Saver Coupons out of the Entertainment Book and saved us a few bucks.

We then headed to dinner at Lindo Michoacan, gorged on entirely too much food and found ourselves with time to kill at The Mirage waiting for Love to start up. So, of course, to get us in the mood, we hit The Revolution Lounge and had ourselves a few cocktails. They had these weird specials which were quite obviously sponsored by Stoli. Each one came with a free martini glass. This being Vegas, we all assumed that we were going to get some cheesy plastic martini glass, maybe with an etching of the Fab Four on the side. But to our surprise, our drinks came in a normal glass accompanied by a black box, with the multi-colored swirls that are often used in the print advertising for Love. Tucked inside this was an honest-to-goodness martini glass. Pretty awesome. And to top it all off, the drinks were good too. Especially the Fab Four, which  I had the pleasure of imbibing. It was something like 4 different flavors of Stoli and some sour mix. Good stuff.

I've seen Love 3 times now and I'm blown away each time. I already had the soundtrack so I knew the movements like the back of my hand but nothing beats seeing it. My favorite piece is still Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The way the music surrounds you as little beads of flashing lights dance around you "like a million eyes that call you on and on" is hypnotic. A close second is Something. Gem was right when walking out she said that she was surprised at how erotic that piece was. And she's right. Four women flying around, wisps of fabric trailing behind them, as they pull and sway with a lone guy in the middle. Great stuff. And the part that always surprises me? Overlaying Ringo's vocals on Octopus' Garden on top of the strings from Good Night. It's dreamy, nostalgic, and like a soft lullaby all in one. If you are a fan of The Beatles, you owe it to yourself to see this show.

So that's about it for the week in review. At some point, I'm probably going to do a run down of the movies I've seen this summer. But first, I've gotta cover Vampire Day.

Week in Review - 6/26-7/3 Pt.1: The Food Tour

I'd like an ongoing "feature" in which I wrap up the week and mention things that weren't covered on a daily basis. Seeing as I just started this blog yesterday, you dear reader get to be the (un)lucky recipient of a full week's worth of updates.

The Food Tour
My cousin Gemma came out to visit us, wanting to spend time before her impending move to the land of octopus ice cream and vending machines with panties in them, i.e. Japan. She had two "musts" on her list of to-dos so that we could plan our POA (Plan of Action/Attack, not Prisoner of Azkaban). They were:

1. See The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil
2. Eat at all the places we've been raving about

So with this we embarked on a Food Tour that left our stomachs heavier and our wallets lighter. It broke down thusly:

On Saturday we had lunch as Raising Canes. All my family loves them some Canes. Must be something in the sauce. On a sidenote, after lunch we went to the Outlets on Las Vegas Blvd and some poor Food Court chicken finger place was giving out samples with a sauce that looked suspiciously like Canes' but had an overly mayo flavor to it. It tasted very greasy which isn't all that great considering you're already eating deep fried chicken. 

After shopping, we hung out for a bit then met my parents at Hash House A Go Go. This place was featured on The Travel Channel's Man vs. Food where the dude ate a ginormous breakfast burrito. They don't mess with food at this place. Gemma ordered the New York Times approved "Sage Fried Chicken and Waffles".  The presentation was out of this world. Imagine a stack of waffles on top of which are two chicken breasts stacked vertically. It was a tower of food held together with a steak knife. The best part about this dish? There is bacon cooked into the waffles. Bacon. In. The. Waffles. Heart attack city or a gift from the Gods? You decide.

On Sunday, we went to the Cracked Egg for brunch. The food was outstanding as always. I had Gem try the Multi-Grain Pancakes, about which she was tentative. Ah, but she should know by now that I wouldn't steer her wrong and she wasn't disappointed.  I was sketchy about having at first as well, thinking that it would be gritty or heavy. At the very least, I thought it would probably have the taste if not the texture of cardboard. But instead you get a pancake, that admittedly is not as fluffy as others, that is smooth and tasty as the batter has a good helping of cinnamon. So good.

For dinner that night we went to the newly opened Lindo Michoacan in Henderson. Of note at this location is the fantastic view of Las Vegas offered by the panoramic windows. The only thing that could have made this better was if the sun had actually set and the Strip was lit up in all its neon glory. Here I had a three component meal. In Top Chef they would probably describe it as a medley, a trio, or Chicken prepared three ways: Chicken Enchilada, Chicken Taco, and Chicken Tostada with the customary sides of beans, rice, and pico de gallo. After tackling the Enchilada and Taco, I barely made it halfway through the Tostada before throwing in the towel. Just too much food. Tasty deliciousness but too much nonetheless. We topped the dinenr off with an order of Sopapillas split between us. Awesome.

The next day, Monday, we made the drive to Mt. Charleston. It sounds like an incredible chore but it's about a 30 minute drive from our apartment. Mt. Charleston is a perfect place to go to on a hot Vegas summer day since the temperature is usually about 15-20 degrees cooler up there. We had lunch at The Lodge and decided to sit outside to enjoy the cool air. Both my sister and I had the Buffalo Burger. Hmmm, I do love me some Buffalo Burger. It's nice and lean but still really juicy. Couple that with a massive amount of Sweet Potato Fries that Gemma ordered and we were set.

For dinner that night, we went to Texas de Brazil. For those who have never gone to a Brazilian Churrascaria, you owe it to yourself to at least try it. It's all-you-can-eat but not in the traditional buffet sense. Sure, there is a salad bar buffet (with awesome goat cheese, potatoes au gratin, and sautéed mushrooms) but that's not how you get your entrées. Instead, guys with skewers of meat come around the tables in their gaucho pants, slicing off cuts to your hearts content. Imagine the carving station at your local buffet but tableside. With a dozen different stations coming every couple minutes. As always, the House Special Sirloin was the winner of the evening but honorable mentions go out to the Filet (without the bacon. I know, right? I thought bacon made everything better? But in this case, the bacon added a bit more saltiness that the Filet did not need) and the Garlic Sirloin. For dessert, we had the Banana's Foster Pie which we all love but none as much as Courtney, my wife. Truly an awesome way to end the Food Tour.

So that ends Part 1: The Food Tour. I'll be following it up with Part 2: The Entertainment to talk about the movies and shows we saw.

On the topic of Family

I was talking with one of my cousins the other night. For those not in the know, I have a million cousins. Not literally, of course. That would be ridiculous. But sometimes it feels like that.

So anyway, me and Mr. E were chatting it up when invariably the subject of family came up. And he says to me...not once but twice...he says to me, "You guys, our cousins, are like my brothers and sisters."

You see, we had just recently gone to a family function (shout out to Stockton, CA! wait...hold that...nevermind). There, we saw our parents interact with their cousins. They, like us, were very close growing up. They sang in choirs together. Went on camping trips together. Basically one big family. But flash forward a couple decades and you see that time, families, careers...LIFE... has pushed them apart. Now I'm not trying to imply that they were strangers. There was definitely a familiarity there. It was kind of that feeling that it was a bunch of people relating to who they were and not to who they are now.

This got Mr. E wondering if the same thing would ever happen to us. I mean, a long time has passed since we all lived in East Side San Jose, hanging out at Grandma's house every weekend, playing long games of Guarding Base (if you're interested in learning the rules of this totally awesome game, just ask). We've kind of split up to different places, with families now based in Sacramento and Las Vegas and one cousin soon to move to Japan. A bunch are in college. A couple of us have gotten married. A couple of cousins have little miniature versions of them running around.

I guess it's why I've been so thankful that my family has accepted my wife fully. And it also helps that she is very family oriented. Because part of my life is making my main family (my wife, me, my dogs and maybe future versions of ourselves) and my extended family live in harmony. And so far its been going well. They've accepted her. She's accepted them (even after the vomit incident). Who could ask for anything more?

So the question remains, "Would that ever happen to us?" My answer is no. It won't happen because we can't let it happen. We have to make a concerted effort to make the time. Honestly, we have no excuse. We live in a world of Instant Messengers, Text Messaging, Facebook, Video Conferencing, and Xbox Live. Keep in constant contact so that the next time we see each other, be it in six months or six years, we'll still know who each other is and not get caught up in who each other was. After all, I wouldn't expect any less from my brothers and sisters.

Reboot. Refresh. Rewind.

Decided to create an entirely new blog, separate from Level Up. Did so mainly because I need an outlet for more personal pursuits. Hence, what you now see in front of your eyes.


It's a work in progress. But then again, so is life. Ooh. Deep. That's how we do on the ciné-gang.


Funny story about the name. I've been throwing it around in my head for a while as a new Production Company name. Something that was separate from Level Up Films as I devote that to projects I do with my production partner, Casper. I also felt it was time to distance myself from Random Acts Productions, a  name I've used since college.


"But why ciné-gang?" you might be asking yourself. Or not. I don't really care since I'm going to tell you anyway.  There is a type of soup that's indigenous to the Philippines called "sinigang". Good stuff. Sour. Hot. Feels really good when you've got a sore throat. It just came to me over a hot bowl of sinigang that the first half sounded like  the first have of cinema. i just decided to add the "accent egu" because I wanted to be fancy. That's right. I said it. FANCY.


So, anyway... what to expect from this blog? If you've read my blogs in the past you probably won't be surprised. I'll be doing the occasional movie review. Random thoughts on entertainment media, from TV shows to movies to comics to video games. Random thoughts really about anything... Why did I decide to move on from Random Acts Productions again?


So please, sit back, relax, and enjoy the time you spend in my little corner of the universe.