Is Journalism Safe?

I went for Mass Communications in college and got two degrees during my four years. As I look at yet another shooting, this time at a Capital Gazette building in Annapolis, Maryland, I asked myself the same question when I saw another shooting a few years ago. As for the title of the topic, is journalism safe?

Long story short, Jarrod Ramos killed five people and is now in jail and being charged with first degree murder. More than likely, he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The stories are pouring about a grudge against the Capital Gazette. Stuff that has landed him in hot water and the paper publishing them leading to a lawsuit. Seems to me that this guy was not there mentally.

The last time a shooting happened that killed journalists was back in 2015 with a WDBJ crew in Virginia. And at that time, I said the same thing regarding whether or not journalism was safe. I'm more inclined to say yes, but I will also say that it's not something to take lightly. You have to be very careful about what you do. Telling the absolute facts and not being one sided can be a lot more helpful than making one side out to be a lot better than the other.

Like any job, there will always be risks. You have to deal with some of the negatives even if the positives are exhilarating. With this being major incident, I would hope journalists are more cautious about what they do, but considering some of the stuff they put in the papers, there's a bit of doubt.

YouTube Videos: June 22-28

Quit Crying, Political Sides!

If there's one thing to think of when hearing about news, it's this. Don't believe every word a newsperson or guest says. The last week has been anything but mundane. However, it also starts showing just how dreadful liberals can get.

Might as well start with the Pam Bondi incident down in Florida. As reported all over the Internet, people harassed her constantly as she was at a movie theater. All because she was a Republican who sided with President Trump on immigration. Even with protection from cops, it was turmoil and chaos.  Then of course, there's the Red Hen incident involving Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She and her group were refused service and owner Stephanie Wilkinson went on to say she would do that again. Wilkinson is within her rights to refuse anyone service, but because of the hate for Trump, that's a bad move. I get it, but I have a feeling this will either bite them badly or drive more business for a short time.

Of course, we have to mention Maxine Waters, the politician out of California. Any normal person would just show disgust. Not her. Instead, she wants people to keep harassing Republicans. Personally, I think she's only looking to create controversy. No way is this going to help her or any Democrat. When both sides are criticizing her and that she can't handle questions about her speech, it's says more about her and her character than it does others.

Then again, you got the Hollywood stars crying foul at the immigration thing and now the travel ban still being in effect. Now, I'm all for wanting to see some people get out of war torn or high tension areas. However, there's still quite a bit of people who come in illegally. We can't just let everyone in. And quite honestly, I don't buy into the Hollywood stars feeling bad. It seems like phony stuff to get upset about and that their way of life is threatened. If they actually gave a damn, they would be doing stuff all the time instead of waiting until the elections to start "caring."

No matter what, both sides are at each others throats. And usually, it's the liberals with the loud mouths and the conservatives with the loud reactions. When does it stop? After Trump stops being President in two to six years? Can't we figure out a way to all get along?

There's no easy solution, and I'm not sure if there is anything to fix this mess.

Bao Short Film Review

If you're familiar with Disney films when you see them in theaters, you will also see short films. When I saw Wreck It Ralph in the theater back in 2012, it has the short, The Paperman. If you see The Incredibles 2, you will see Bao, a short film from Domee Shi.

Shi is Chinese, and she creates a story centered around a Chinese woman who finds love in a dumpling that becomes alive. I hate to spoil the thing, but there is a lot of meaning to this, and although it didn't happen to me, this is one that could possibly make you cry. Without getting into details, there is adult issues that go on with the woman, who lives with her husband and is alone all day as he works.

What I look at with this short is that you don't lose sight of where you come from. You might want to get away from your family, but you will always remember your origins. At least that's what I got out of Bao. For parents, it's that dread of one day that your family is completely grown up and that there's nothing that you can do to keep them with you and continue traditions that have occurred throughout yours and their lives.

Overall, it has a nice message and while it may have funny moments, there is a special meaning to this. With that, Shi, who has worked on several Pixar films, deserves a lot of credit for making something special and unique to audiences.

Score: 8.5 out of 10.

The Incredibles 2 Review

I've had some time to soak in what I saw last week in the theater with The Incredibles 2. Now, I've always considered the original to be Pixar's most overrated movie. Good, but vastly overrated. Going in, I was expecting it to be somewhat better, but it exceeded my expectations and is one of the few sequels that you can say is better than the original.

As a heads up, this takes place immediately following the end of the first one. Things go bad for the Parr family, but opportunity comes a knocking later. A businessman wants to bring superheroes back into the spotlight and get them to be legal again. With that, he has Helen Parr start building up the urge to keep the world safe with stopping crime again as Elastigirl. As for husband Bob, AKA Mr. Incredible, he has to be a stay at home dad with the kids.

Regarding the film, it's pretty lengthy. You're going to be spending a little over two hours at the theater and that is also including trailers and how long you show up prior to the screening. It stays on point and doesn't have many dull moments. They make good use of screentime for the family and provide a lot of laughs and and enough action to where one doesn't overlap the other. One important thing, however, is that it doesn't lose its identity in today's world of glorified Marvel popcorn flicks. It stays fresh and unique without needing to rely on call-backs. Also, it provides an interesting twist that you wouldn't think for a kids film.

Visually, it is an amazing sight to see. You can tell that Pixar has crafted their work into being better and better every since their inception in 1986 and The Incredibles 2 is maybe their finest work yet. One warning is that there is a few scenes that may trigger epilepsy for some people. Michael Giacchino did a great job creating the soundtrack. Both Holly Hunter and Craig T. Nelson are excellent as Helen and Bob, though Hunter sounded a bit more older at points. Bob Odenkirk and Catherine Keener are solid in their performances as the brother sister duo who want to make superheroes legal again. I'm a little disappointed at Frozone not getting much attention for this film, but Samuel L. Jackson is great for his few scenes.

With other characters, it is very solid, especially as the film continues. There isn't many complaints that I have to say about this. It's an all around excellent thrill ride that should please mostly everyone. Is it worth waiting 14 years? For fans, it is. Go see it in the theater. You will have plenty of time the next few weeks to see it. A rare time a sequel is better than the original.

Score: 9 out of 10

The Nutty Mind of Jim Carrey

There was a time when Jim Carrey seemed unstoppable in comedy. His ability to be wacky characters paid off a lot following his time on the show In Living Color. You talk great movies, odds are you will hear Dumb and Dumber or Liar Liar or some movie that had a lot of physical comedy, slapstick. Now these days, he does paintings, but not the kind that you want your mother to see.

If you haven't seen what Carrey has talked about over the past year, you will see a guy that is very obsessed with politics, as with most Hollywood actors. He has been on a complete warpath, criticizing the White House, Mark Zuckerberg, and a few others. Reading articles of why he started painting, I get it. It's a coping mechanism to ease your mind off of something that had happened. I wouldn't doubt some would after a break up. His approach to painting members of the White House has been met with the usual praising and panning.

There's being upset, and then there's shit like that. Going after people in Washington isn't new, but the antics that happen now is not even funny. People knew when to go after George Bush and Bill Clinton. It's the same with Trump, but with Hollywood upping the ante by ten. If it's a way of venting his anger and frustration, I get it. But Carrey hasn't learned anything from what happened last year with Kathy Griffin. She held up a fake head of the President, and it bit her really bad, making her lose whatever CNN jobs she had. Eventually, these paintings are not going to be a good excuse anymore. I'll give him credit that he can paint, but that talent can be used on other things.

Bashing is a part of life, but there are certain things you have to restrain from doing. As his line was in Dumb and Dumber, Carrey is one pathetic loser.

YouTube Videos: June 15-21

Spyro the Dragon (PS1) Review

With the remastered trilogy coming out in a few months, I went through the original Spyro the Dragon. This was a game that was an alternative to Crash Bandicoot. It has held up well for the most part and plays smoothly for being about 20 years old.

For the core gameplay, you collect treasure, save dragons, and find eggs through over 30 levels in six different worlds. In one of the most razor thin plots, Gnasty Gnorc has turned dragons into crystal after an insult. As Spyro, you can charge, use dragon flame, roll, and glide. It's a game that you can pick up and play and instantly get the hang of it.

Graphically, it's a beautiful looking one. There's nice backgrounds and areas. The dragons and enemies are unique in their worlds. Animations are fluid for the time. It's music is phenomenal. Led by Stewart Copeland, he creates a fantasy world while incorporating a bit of rock from his days with The Police and making movie soundtracks. Sound effects are like watching a cartoon. Voice acting can be a little cheesy, but it holds up a lot better than most other games of the 32/64-bit era.

Spyro's level design is built around his attacks and flying. They make it enough of a challenge that you can figure it out on your first or second try and then you can fly by the level in a matter of minutes. It is a little bit linear, but you have a lot of freedom in movement in the space of the level. You will adapt very quickly to how each level plays.

This is a little difficult, but not on that level of the original Crash Bandicoot. You have a dragonfly that serves as your health and getting hit without him loses you a life. Hazards include water and lava. My only complaints are some of the later levels being a bit too difficult and the flying not being as smooth in those later ones leading to a few lost lives. But if you're looking for something on the PlayStation, Spyro the Dragon is a must for anyone looking 3D platformers from the late 90s.

Score: 8 out of 10

Why The Incredibles 2 Debuted Strong

Without any doubt, The Incredibles 2 was going to start it's first weekend strong. But I don't think it would have been that strong until seeing the numbers for its Thursday night at 18 plus million and Friday's 70 plus million. Just as a note, the original made 70 mil in it's opening weekend. For the new sequel, it broke records for animated films, making 180 million as of now according to Box Office Mojo.

There are reasons why this film had a very good weekend. I like to chalk it up as a film people have been waiting to see for a very long time. It's a sequel that they wanted Disney and Pixar to make unlike the Cars films. A family of superheroes is not a bad idea and expanding on that allows more freedom on how they handle it, the powers they have, and a few other things. In an era now with the glorified Marvel popcorn flicks, you would think Incredibles 2 would lose some sort of identity, but brand recognition helps it out quite a bit.

This is one of those films I intend on seeing this summer. It's got the same cast for the adults and some new ones to boot. Getting in some laughs and serious moments is what I'll expect, especially with Mr. Incredible becoming a stay at home dad while Elastigirl goes off to save the day and bring superheroes back into being relevant. I've always thought the original was good, but vastly overrated. I think this is Pixar's most overrated film, but this sequel might be one that if I do see it, it might be better than the original.

Topping the original is not an easy feat for most movies, but Incredibles might be that one that will for many.

Is Soccer Even Loved?

It's World Cup time. As usual, lots of people will keep their eyes on the teams involved and who advances. Typically, this brings out the ones that may not be huge into the sport and watch a few games. But the point of this blog is the title. Is soccer even loved?

This is hard to judge because Europe and Africa are huge into soccer, which is called futbol in those regions. Ever wonder why FIFA sells so well? Europe buys into it. Now, I don't think America hates the sport. It's just that it's not exactly an exciting one to spend a couple of hours watching. Maybe it's the type of sport that has really high stakes such as the tournaments and World Cup, which gets a decent amount of ratings.

If individually, I could see a handful out of 8 or 10 going for a soccer match. It also has to depend on what happens during a game. Stuff like faking injuries, who gets penalized, the whole nine yards. There has to be a little bit of excitement to say that you saw that on television.  Going to a real game, whether it's high school, college, pros, that would vary. Most would probably see the high school ones and maybe college just because of reading in the newspapers about the one or two kids that are from their area making an impact for their team.

Overall, I would say it's tough get a good grasp on the legitimate love of soccer. Enjoy the time of the World Cup while it lasts because it will be back to the same old stuff after it ends.

YouTube Videos: June 8-14

Bethesda E3 2018 Impression

I'm not really much into discussing E3, the showing for the newest video games. However, Bethesda has me a little interested in some of the titles that are coming out within the next year to two years. It's franchises that I've loved and enjoyed immensely  Let's get into it.

Personally, I don't think anybody was expecting another Doom game. Yet, there will be one. Eternal has the mentality as Doom II. It's going to be bigger. There will be more enemies, diverse levels, and a few other knick-knacks that will make this ideal for anyone looking for other first person shooters. This is should do quite well whenever this comes out.

Wolfenstein has been quite an expansion since MachineGames and Bethesda took over. Youngblood looks to continue what has been happening since The New Order. You have the opportunity to play as one or both of the twin daughters of BJ and Anya Blazkowicz. It's the first in this set of games to have a co-op mode and have you doing the same thing as usual in killing Nazis. I would hope they didn't kill Anya off, but that's a wait and see scenario. It comes out next year, so it lets others get into these set of games and vision what has happened since The New Colossus.

The last ten years has seen a rise in the Fallout series. Now comes the latest with Fallout 76, which is set to release in November according to Cnet. It's also going to be an online survival game set way before any events in the franchise. I can this being successful early on. How much this will catch on is another question in itself. More than likely, it's not going to catch up with Elder Scrolls, but it could hold interest for a while. 

Speaking of Elder Scrolls, there will be a sixth one. I'm sure little details will be given as the game goes through development. Also planned is a brand new IP in the form of Starfield. There is also a new Prey game. Overall, this has me excited a little bit and gives me something the next years when they do come out to play on PlayStation 4. 

Battletoads is Back!

No review today, but some interesting stuff to come out of Microsoft's E3 conference. Within the past year, we've seen Sonic Mania, a new Bubsy, and the recently released Shaq Fu sequel. It's like living in the 90s again. Now it's going to keep feeling like that decade with the announcement of a new Battletoads video game.

The franchise made it's debut in the summer of 1991 on the NES and only lasted a few years. All of it's games were developed by Rare and were pretty much an attempt to go after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Years have gone by and there's that question of whether there would be new games. It's slated for next year and that has to be making waves.

Now comes this question. What kind of game is it going to be? If anything, it could be a platformer/beat em up type similar to the original. Then again, it could be one genre, but how that flies with Rare is up to them. As long as it doesn't stray from what made it a bit recognizable, this could be one of Microsoft's bigger exclusives for the Xbox One. Hopefully, it's not as brutally difficult as the NES original.

People envy the 90s, and that's not always a bad thing.

Ultimate Warriors

For the NBA, the script was already in the hands of the Golden State Warriors. It was clear what was going to happen, and it did. They won the Finals in convincing fashion against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is their third in four years and they were able to do this on the road as well, something other teams struggled to do.

The shake up in the winter said a lot about the Cavs. Getting rid of a number of their players was the tip of the iceberg. How they were able to advance to the Finals is beyond me. They also squandered their opportunity to at least win a game. However, JR Smith's blunder at the end of regulation in Game 1 will be looked at as one of the biggest goofs of all time. It also gave the Warriors the edge which culminated into a win to begin the series.

With the champions, it's through the use of all their developed stars. Stephen Curry was back to being in true form after battling injuries. Kevin Durant was always the X factor for them this year, delivering strong moments and claiming another MVP award. Klay Thompson is the guy you don't think of, but he's the underrated player that pops up whenever the team needs a boost of confidence. Of course, Draymond Green is that physical type of player that isn't afraid to go for the ball. Whether that leads to fouls/technicals is another story. Add in a decent bench, and this adds more to Steve Kerr's early legacy so far.

So what happens? Some things might happen behind the scenes for the Warriors. I see someone getting ousted. In Cleveland, there is speculation LeBron James could go somewhere else. If he does, the Eastern Conference will be a lot different no matter what team he picks. Next year could be Boston or Toronto's shot to make the Finals. The Cavs would have to really start developing players if they don't want a repeat of 2010 through 14.

These Warriors are mighty and strong. Their dynasty has gotten much stronger and will be remembered for years to come.

A Trophy for the Capital(s)

Never in my life had I ever seen a team in the Washington DC area win a championship. The last time that happened was at the start of 1992 with the NFL's Redskins Super Bowl. For that franchise, it has been nothing but mediocrity since. The NBA's Wizards have been on the rise the last ten or so years, but can't advance past the second round. Even with the move from Montreal, MLB's Nationals have been disappointing despite success the last six years.

This is where the NHL's Capitals come in. With their win against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, they got their first Stanley Cup wins and their first trophy ever. Similar to the Wizards, they have done well, but have had nothing to show. No joke, they've had best records in seasons and they fail to either the Pittsburgh Penguins, the New York Rangers, or some other team that sneaks up and gets the best of them.

You could tell after they got past the Penguins this year, it could have been an easy ride for them. Getting through Tampa Bay was not a cakewalk either. I did not expect this Stanley Cup Final to be finished that quick. The Golden Knights were a force to be reckoned with. Unstoppable was what I would say regarding their three series prior to the Final. It is still an expansion team, but this should be the standard for what all teams in any sport should look up to. They did a lot more than MLB's expansion teams from the 90s.

Where does this land for the Capitals? If you're Alexander Ovechkin, you just landed yourself a spot in the Hall of Fame when you're finished. It also means for DC, ending a lot of heartbreak since 1982. Looking at Pro Hockey Reference, they have had so many first and second round exits, the question was whether they would win a Stanley Cup at all. A few other guys have cemented their legacies as well. This is something they will savor for the rest of their lives.

Hockey has a new place for the Stanley Cup.

YouTube Videos: June 1-7

Star Wars Oversaturation?

In only two weekends, Solo: A Star Wars Story has only made over 150 million dollars domestically according to Box Office Mojo. This past weekend saw it only make 28 million, which was a huge dip. More than likely, this will struggle to make 200 mil domestically. But why?

I like to chalk it up as oversaturation of the brand. There have been four films in the last three and a half years. To compare, there were three between 1977 and 83. There were three between 1999 and 2005. At least there wasn't a franchise fatigue for those two periods of time. Part of the reason why Force Awakens did well was because of three generations of people seeing it. You had the ones from the 70s and 80s, the ones from the 90s and 2000s, and the current ones of today. Part of me thinks Last Jedi did better than expected because of the last time of seeing Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia.

The funny thing with Disney is that they were criticized for their constant sequels of their animated films, typically direct to video. That pales in comparison to what they have done with Star Wars and even the Marvel brand. While I believe Marvel films will start to decline at some point, they're not making a new Captain America or a new Thor every year. They're not that stupid, but at the same time, they are with the oversaturation. I hope with Solo, they weren't expecting to make a billion worldwide. If they were, then this was a big misfire that went way off target of expectations.

If there is a silver lining to it, Star Wars Episode IX will be out Christmas 2019. At the very least they can forget this bomb of a film. Disney has nothing to blame but themselves for this. Not every Star Wars project is going to be a guaranteed hit. I would expect IX to do very well next year, but after that, I don't know if any new projects will come up. Maybe a lesson can be learned from doing something like Solo.

Action Point Review

To say Action Point flopped is the understatement of the year for films. Typically, Johnny Knoxville is a bankable guy. However, it bombed in its debut. Was it the material or trying to go a different route?

My expectations were there a little bit. I was expecting some crazy stuff and there was. However, this was scripted. I don't think I found any parts that were trying to get reactions like it was in the Jackass films. For the plot, Knoxville talks to his granddaughter about the time he ran a theme park where things were a lot looser and lenient back in the 70s. Customers are going to a new park and a businessman wants to buy Action Point. Instead of bowing down, plans are to make the place more fun without any strict rules.

I would say I was a little disappointed, but that's coming off of not expecting it to be fully scripted. There are quite a bit of funny things that occur. Just the amount of mayhem around the park and trying to stop the businessman is more than enough to be satisfied. Knoxville really takes a beating with some of the things that happen to him. If you're big into him, I would check it out if it is still playing in theaters. However, I would wait until seeing it on Blu-ray or DVD. Not a great movie compared to the Jackass ones, but not as bad you might think.

Score: 6 out of 10

Bee A Bitch

In the cable world, you can say mostly anything and not have any issues depending on the network. Some people know they can and moron Samantha Bee got herself bitten in the ass by her insult of Ivanka Trump. There's better of ways of doing political comedy, and it's clear she doesn't and hasn't.

I expect jabs mainly at Presidents and certain politics that cause an incident. Unless specific, I don't think I have ever heard anyone go after a child of the President. Bee went that route and called Ivanka a "feckless cunt" last week on her TBS show and has created a storm of controversy, including losing sponsors. It's been said that she apologized but I don't buy into it.

With this and the Roseanne incident, there's that question of restraint from saying things on television or tweets on Twitter or any social media site. To be honest, I'm expecting something worse to come out of Bee's mouth. There's that gut feeling that she's going to create more controversy. That's why I don't buy into the apology. I don't think she's sorry. I view her as someone who is trying to be very edgy and not even trying to be funny. She's in that same mold as Jon Stewart. They're not funny, but they crave attention. Who even says something that vulgar? And especially to someone like Ivanka? Maybe I'm missing something since I don't really watch the news.

If there's that wonder of political comedy going down the toilet, here's your example. Between this, all the late night shows and Saturday Night Live, when does it start becoming funny again? After Donald Trump stops being president? Only time, ratings, and the 2020 election will tell. Otherwise, people like Bee are going to be ousted one day if they keep creating controversy after controversy.

YouTube Videos: May 25-31