STUFF OF THE DAY...


I woke up all kinds of fuzzy headed today, maybe not enough sleep? It could have been the Slurpee from 7-11 I sucked down at 9:00 last night,  but I'm sitting here wondering why we only have five fingers and five toes on each hand and foot? Why not six? For that matter, why not four? Who made this decision? Granted I know some folks are born with an extra digit here and there, but it still seems like we'd be able to get more done faster with more fingers. I know I'd be able to type faster. For that matter why do we only have two arms? Goro from Mortal Kombat had the right idea...  Strange brain space today... 

ANYWAY onwards dear readers. Had a chance to catch a screening of Frances Ha last night and I gotta tell you well worth it, pick up my review on my new page Flick Show Ticket and decide for yourself if my unabashed praise for this gem of a comedy is enough to convince you to find it in your area.


Today's random topic is...

X-BOX One VS PS4 

Whenever people start talking about which video game console is better than the other, I always picture this scene from RoboCop...

 As most of you gaming individuals are no doubt aware(unless you live under a rock) there are two NEW!!! video game systems hitting the marketplace this fall. YAYA! or BOOOO!!! Depending on how you want to look at it. Do we really need new systems? Probably not? Are they going to be fun as hell? You better believe it... well... maybe. The trick dear readers, we may be about to experience the first generation of console gaming where you don't actually OWN the game you payed money for. No, that doesn't mean Microsoft and Sony are going to stream games(which they should), no it means the game you pay top dollar for, you are merely licensing. Dat's right. Licensing. If you want an interesting, if not one-sided breakdown check out this rant on Forbes. I swear this is not going to be a shit on Sony or a shit on Microsoft post. As of this writing it is only Microsoft that has unveiled full specs for their system, in addition to confirming the long rumored axe to used games. While you can argue that they do allow used games, what they don't allow you to do is barrow your friend's game. SO say you're heading over to your best friends place and want to get a little two player action going, in order to do that you have to unhook your system, cart it over to your friends place, hook it all up again and then start playing. Sure the disc will work on your friend's machine... only after they pay for it! Since this system is yet to launch, there is still time for Microsoft to clarify and potentially right this wrong. Now Sony's new PS4 is NOT off the hook on this either. Sony has yet to give any real specs for the PS4 beyond the graphics, games, and show off the new touch pad enabled controller. That's it. They haven't even showed off the system! So there is still plenty of time for X-Box and PS4 to wander down the same rabbit hole together and both learn how to equally piss off their fan base.
   What do I find interesting or exciting about these consoles? Well aside from the graphics capabilities, not all that much really. Sure they're going to have 4kHD resolution graphics but since the cheapest entry level 4kHD TV set costs over $25g's that isn't really an up shot. Both come Blu-Ray enabled, cool... but still... so what? Microsoft offers a slew of interesting entertainment center features that are both interesting and outright frightening! For one the new X-Box will be able to voice and visual cue control your TV. COOL! But in order to do that, the microphone has to always be on, AND it saves your voice and image sample to create a user profile that is cataloged and stored... Not Cool... too 1984 for it's own good I say. As for Sony, well... until I actually SEE what the system looks like, I'm inclined to believe that there isn't going to be one. I know this isn't true, but the hours are ticking away and they don't have a whole lot to show for themselves.(UPDATE)
Apparently I spoke too soon? about being charged a fee? Check out what the AP has to say. Honestly at this point, I am just confused what Microsoft intends to do with their games. One thing is for sure, they are not owning the story here. Rumor and speculation is winning the day and that is not a good thing.
   What system am I inclined to get? Well, to be perfectly honest, neither. Both are cwoming with a price tag north of $350 and I just don't play enough games to plunk down that much cash. With more games focusing on lifetime sucking multiplayer and less on interesting single player story telling, I'm having a harder and harder time justifying a $60 price tag for a new game. Unless one of these systems flies out of the gate with some of the most bleeding eye inducingly beautiful graphics and exhilarating games that gives people heart attacks... I'm probably going to stick this round out. From the Apple 2GS, to the Sega Mastersystem, to the NES, SNES, Genesis, PC, Playstation 1, 2, and 3 - I have been playing games quite awhile, and to be honest... I don't think I'm going to miss them all that much. Maybe I'm growing up.

  Anyway, thanks for reading folks! If you have thoughts about the next round of console wars, take your comments out of your pocket and leave them below! If you missed my first issue of ToyAddiction, pop on over and give it a read. Till Monday, enjoy your weekend, get some rest and have fun. Adios - MGH

 

Who Likes Good Horror Movies?

First up, in keeping with a recent rant about the utilitarian usefulness of Superman's underpants, as if on cue, the good gents over at Screenrant posted up a nice and concise history of Superman's red, yellow, and blue suit in it's various comic book and cinematic incarnations, so check that out here if you're so inclined. Well worth the read in my opinion, but correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a late 80's "Superboy" show too? I have vague memories watching an episode or two and just hating it... of course that could just be memory regurgitation of Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. Anyone have more info about this?

Also in time for next week's release of "Man of Steel" I'll be putting together a memory review of the past Superman Films. Superman has served a huge chunk of my life for a good long while, so part of me reverts to a child-like state when I read about any new movie coming along.

In other news...

It appears that, at least for the time being, GOOD horror movies are making a comeback. Starting with the suspenseful and effective Mama, onwards to the chilling and outright terror inducing Evil Dead remake, we find ourselves with this week's release of "The Purge." No, this is not a movie about bulimia, it is a movie where in the near future, crime is at an all time low of 0% because one night a year, the US government legalizes all crime. Murder, mayhem, destruction is all legal. You can participate, or you can hide and hope you're safe long enough to make it through the night.

Until today, I have purposely avoided actually watching this trailer. Not out of disinterest in the picture, but because I love genre films, in particular I love horror films. Ever since I was a small kid I spent my Saturday mornings watching the Thriller Matinee Double Feature on TV 20 out of Detroit. This was my avenue to watching edited down movies that my Mom probably wishes to this day I didn't see. They showed everything from Halloween, to the most recent Friday the 13th, to The Howling and beyond. Due to this early exposure I've become immune to most fright flicks that have come down the Hollywood pipeline, so when a new horror movie comes out and it actually looks GOOD, I get really excited. 

"The Purge" opens tomorrow and I honestly can't wait. Even as of this writing, the %54 Rotten Tomatoes score doesn't dissuade me in the least bit. In fact it probably encourages me more to give it a shot based on the simple fact that not everyone likes it. When all the critics gush over a horror movie, I tend to be a bit dubious about how scary it could be. Just watching the trailer you'll see it has an interesting if improbable hook to create(hopefully) a visceral and effective terror film. The heavy handed political commentary is there, sure, but so long as it doesn't overshadow the entire show, I'm okay with being preached to by deranged would be killers in sadistic looking masks. If anything that's why I enjoyed the underscored subtleties of the original Nightmare on Elm Street and the Halloween movies so much. Fingers crossed for this one to hold out and deliver the goods. If not tomorrow, in the very near future I'll be getting a review up, so keep on the lookout for that.

I have procrastinated all morning, I need to get more writing done on my book, so on that note I will leave you all with the teaser promo for my beloved and long missed favorite Saturday afternoon children's program. Aside from Svengoolie on ME TV on Saturday Nights, I don't know of any local channels that are as dedicated to getting recent horror movies out onto TV screens quite like Detroit Channel 20 used to do on a weekly basis. Good times man, good times.

Until next time... be cool, stay in school... even when it's summer vacation, go to school. No one else will be there.