Firefly Cargo Crate #1 Review – March 2016

I’ve long had mixed feelings about subscription boxes. I had a Loot Crate subscription for a while, and it’s definitely fun getting a regular package in the mail full of surprise items in which you have an interest, but I didn’t keep my subscription for very long. I always felt that while technically getting my “money’s worth” from the box in the sense that the value of the items inside met or exceeded the cost of the box my money could be better spent elsewhere. I’m a pretty big geek/nerd, and those type of boxes are theoretically right up my alley, but the reality was that there was only ever one or two items I really liked or had any interest in in each box and the other stuff felt like filler. And even the items that were a big hit weren’t necessarily things I would have bought on my own, so I ended up just filling my house with stuff I didn’t necessarily want even if it was stuff I liked. In the end, the bulk of the enjoyment came from the anticipation and mystery of what would be in the next box and the thrill of discovery, rather than from the box itself.

But Loot Crate recently teamed up with Quantum Mechanix (qmxonline.com), purveyors of a wide variety of exclusive items from a variety of licenses, to offer a new box just for fans of Firefly/Serenity: the Firefly Cargo Crate. Firefly is one of my all-time favorite shows and Serenity one of my favorite movies, so this seemed tailored just for me. Add in the fact that each bi-monthly Cargo Crate will contain a Little Damn Hero “Mini Master” figure (redoing a line of figures by QMX from a few years ago which were extremely popular but which only released figures of 7 of the 9 main characters from the show), and I was sold. Loot Crate claims that each box contains at least $65 worth of items and the boxes cost $39.99 each (including S&H), though you can save a little money by purchasing a longer plan. The first Firefly Cargo Crate arrived this weekend, so I thought I’d do a bit of an unboxing/review and give you a peek at what’s inside. And if you’re interested you can click here to save $5 off this or any Loot Crate!
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Quote of the Day

McCoy: Well, either choke me or cut my throat. Make up your mind.

Star Trek – Season 1: Episode 24 – “Space Seed”

Cinderella’s Castle Cross-Stitch, day 195

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Quote of the Day

Willow: Hey, Buff. What cha looking for? You wanna borrow something?

Buffy: What is this?

Willow: (nervously) A doodle. I do doodle. You, too! You do doodle, too!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer — Season 3: Episode 11 — “Gingerbread”

Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane

10 Cloverfield Lane is a movie that no one saw coming. It’s been 8 years since Cloverfield was released, and while there might have been some clamoring for a sequel at the time it mostly died out a long time ago. Producer J.J. Abrams moved on to other things, including Super 8, the Star Trek reboot, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And while I mostly enjoyed Cloverfield, I liked it more for its boldness the scope it brought to the found footage genre (and it’s shocking trailer) than for the film itself, so the idea of another film in the series never held much interest to me. But despite all of that, here we are with 10 Cloverfield Lane, not exactly a sequel but a “blood relative” to the original monster movie, surprisingly announced only two months ago and which could not be more different both from its predecessor and the bulk of other offerings from Hollywood today. It’s a tight, intense little film that constantly keeps you guessing, both frightening and empowering, anchored by some fantastic performances, bringing a surprising amount of emotion to what is otherwise a thriller. It’s a memorable spinoff to a largely forgettable film which it manages to surpass in every way, and which may have already delivered one of 2016’s best cinematic experiences.

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Quote of the Day

‘Tell me, Stephen, what did you drink on that infernal rock?’

‘Boiled shit.’ Stephen was chaste in his speech, rarely an oath, never an obscene word, never any bawdy: his reply astonished Jack, who looked quickly at the tablecloth. Perhaps it was a learned term he had misunderstood. ‘Boiled shit,’ he said again. Jack smiled in a worldly fashion, but he felt the blush rising. ‘Yes. There was one single pool of rainwater left in a hollow. The birds defecated in it, copiously. Not with set intent – the whole rock is normally deep in their droppings – but enough to foul it to the pitch of nausea. The next day was hotter, if possible, and with the reverberation the liquid rose to an extraordinary temperature. I drank it, however, until it ceased to be liquid at all; then I turned to blood. Poor unsuspecting boobies’ blood, tempered with a little sea-water and the expressed juice of kelp.’

HMS Surprise – Patrick O’Brian

Tonight’s Movie: 10 Cloverfield Lane

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Reaction: Agents of SHIELD – “Parting Shot”

Bobbi and Hunter

I’ve been sick this past week, but I didn’t want to skip over the latest Agents of SHIELD episode, as it was both emotional and exciting while also marking a big change to our beloved show. Last week brought General Talbot back into the midst in an effort by the global community to come to a consensus on the Inhuman problem, while also revealing a potential vaccine against Terrigenesis. This week’s episode was a direct follow-up to last week’s, dealing with SHIELD’s pursuit of Gideon Mallick and his attempts to strike a bargain with Russia to further HYDRA’s plans. It was a fun mission, with most of the team working together for a change, but the most important developments of the episode occurred in its final minutes. So let’s jump right into “Parting Shot” written by Paul Zbyszewski and directed by Michael Zinberg.

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Quote of the Day

 

Inara: Thank you for the wine. It’s… very fresh.

Mal: To Kaylee and her inter-engine fermentation system.

Inara: Are you in pain?

Mal: Absolutely. I got stabbed, you know, right here.

Inara: I saw.

Mal:Don’t care much for fancy parties. Too rough.

Inara: It wasn’t entirely a disaster.

Mal: I got stabbed! Right here!

Inara: You also lined up exciting new crime.

Mal: It’s good to have cargo. Makes us a target for every other scavenger out there, though, but sometimes that’s fun too.

Inara: I am grateful, you know, for the ill-conceived and high-handed attempt to defend my honor, although I didn’t want you to.

Mal: Gracious as that is, looking back, I probably should have stayed out of your world.

Inara: My world? If it is that. I wasn’t going to stay, you know.

Mal: Yeah? Why is that?

Inara: Oh, someone needs to keep Kaylee out of trouble. And all my things are here. Besides, why would I want to leave Serenity?

Mal: Can’t think of a reason.

Firefly — Episode 4 — “Shindig”

Quote of the Day

Kirk: You ready, Bones?

McCoy: No. I signed aboard this ship to practice medicine, not to have my atoms scattered back and forth across space by this gadget.

Kirk: You’re an old-fashioned boy, McCoy.

Star Trek – Season 1: Episode 24 – “Space Seed”