Monthly Archives: April 2014

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Posted on by
33

I have to say that I wasn’t particularly thrilled by Captain America: The First Avenger.  As the last film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be released before The Avengers, it felt like just one more piece in the puzzle rather than a compelling story in its own right.  That’s not to say that I disliked the film, or that it was particularly bad (still a big step ahead of Iron Man 2), it just wasn’t as interesting to me as Thor or Iron Man.  It was another solid origin story, with a strong cast and a fun setting, but the end result of the film seemed to just serve as setup for The Avengers.  (In a recent rewatch of that film, I’ve realized that I might have judged it a little too harshly upon my first viewing.)  Three years and four movies later we now have Captain America: The Winter Soldier, which might be the most complex and interesting film Marvel has made to date, not to mention one of the most entertaining, and it’s a game-changer for the universe its predecessor helped to create. Continue reading →

Is Agents of SHIELD about to become The A-Team?

Posted on by
11

Obviously, there are spoilers for Captian America: The Winter Soldier ahead, so wait to read this until after you’ve seen the movie if you don’t want it ruined for you.

Agents of SHIELD has recently been calling itself Agents of SHIELD: Uprising, along with momentarily replacing the SHIELD logo with Captain America’s shield, and the events of the last episode led up to the events of the film.  Clearly, Captain America: The Winter Soldier will have a big impact on the show going forward, not to mention the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I have some quick thoughts about what this might mean for Coulson and his crew going forward. Continue reading →

Quote of the Day

Posted on by
Reply

“Dumbledore says people find it far easier to forgive others for being wrong than being right,” said Hermione.  “I heard him telling your mum, Ron.”

“Sounds like the sort of mental thing Dumbledore would say,” said Ron.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – J. K. Rowling

Quote of the Day

Posted on by
Reply

Willow:  Hi!

Buffy:  Oh, you’re here with someone?

Willow:  No, I’m just here. I thought Xander was gonna show up.

Buffy:  Oh, are you guys going out?

Willow:  No, we’re just friends. We used to go out, but we broke up.

Buffy:  How come?

Willow:  He stole my Barbie… Oh, we were five.

Buffy:  Oh.

Willow:  I-I-I don’t actually date a whole lot… lately.

Buffy:  Why not?

Willow:  Well, when I’m with a boy I like, it’s hard for me to say anything cool, or, or witty, or at all. I-I can usually make a few vowel sounds, and then I have to go away.

Buffy:  It’s not that bad!

Willow:  No, i-it is. I think boys are more interested in a girl who can talk.

Buffy:  You really haven’t been dating lately.

Willow:  It’s probably easy for you.

Buffy:  Yeah, real easy.

Willow:  I-I mean you don’t seem too shy.

Buffy:  Well, my philosophy, do you wanna hear my philosophy?

Willow:  Yeah, I do!

Buffy:  Life is short.

Willow:  Life is short!

Buffy:  Not original, I’ll grant you, but it’s true. You know? Why waste time being all shy and worrying about some guy, and if he’s gonna laugh at you. Seize the moment, ’cause tomorrow you might be dead.

Willow:  Oh, that’s nice!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 1: Episode 1 – “Welcome to the Hellmouth”

Today’s Movie

Image

2

20140405-153230.jpg

Quote of the Day

Posted on by
Reply

The expression “Making a mountain out of a molehill” simply means making a big deal out of something that is actually a small deal, and it is easy to see how this expression came about. Molehills are simply mounds of earth serving as condominiums for moles, and they have never caused anyone any harm except maybe a stubbed toe if you were walking through the wilderness without any shoes on. Mountains, however, are very large mounds of earth and are constantly causing problems. They are very tall, and when people try to climb them they often fall off, or get lost and die of starvation. Sometimes two countries fight over who really owns a mountain, and thousands of people have to go to war and come home grumpy or wounded. And, of course, mountains serve as homes to mountain goats and mountain lions, who enjoy attacking helpless picnickers and eating sandwiches or children. So when someone is making a mountain out of a molehill, they are pretending that something is as horrible as a war or a ruined picnic when it is really only as horrible as a stubbed toe.

A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy – Lemony Snicket

Review: Divergent

Posted on by
1

To the casual observer, Divergent might seem like an attempt to cash in on the success of The Hunger Games, especially when you consider the number of similarly themed previews that showed before Divergent.  It seems like “young adult” (hate that term) post-apocalyptic stories are “in” these days, and those who haven’t read the Divergent books might be tempted to write the film adaptation off as just another clone.  However, to do so would be a mistake, as the Divergent series has a lot to offer, even if this first film is perhaps not everything we might have hoped it would be.  The books are filled with interesting ideas and compelling characters and I hope the remaining books are adapted for the screen, because the story covered in the two remaining books is interesting and unconventional, and would make for movies very different than we’re used to.

Divergent tells the story of Beatrice Prior, who was born in a ruined, future version of Chicago, where the citizens are divided into five factions, each of which embodies a certain desirable trait and fulfills a certain role in society.  Continue reading →

Quote of the Day

Posted on by
Reply

Miles O’Brien: I wouldn’t take it personally, Worf.

Julian Bashir: I rather like the way you smell.

Miles O’Brien: Yeah… sort of… earthy, peaty aroma.

Julian Bashir: With a touch of… lilac…

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Season 5: Episode 6 – “Trials and Tribble-ations”