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believe victims

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Blog Entries posted by believe victims

  1. believe victims
    So, I saw that new Star Wars movie today. I wrote up a whole big review, but it's too profanity-laden to post (not because I disliked the movie; I just swear very casually off BZP), so instead I'm just going to say it's very good. Of the two extensions of a pre-existing franchise I've seen this year, I would definitely, definitely recommend TFA over Jurassic World. Unlike JW, it doesn't rely on nostalgia to sell it; it actually took the time to make a good movie in the process.
     
    okay but one spoiler thing, alright? i'll try to put it in spoiler tags but they don't always work. Don't click if you haven't seen it, etc.
     
     
     
     
    (oh yeah also i'll take care of the premier membership giveaway soon. i've been a little lazy lately. i haven't forgotten; one of the two entrants will get it, i guarantee)
  2. believe victims
    So, thanks to the convention circuit, I have a free six-month premier membership. However, I already have Lifetime, so I may as well give it to someone else.
     
    I don't want people just saying "give it to me", though, so to enter, please give me a one paragraph essay about Chrom in the comments below. Winner will be selected randomly, so don't feel pressured to perform here; write whatever Chromes to mind.
     
    (That said, MLA citation is a nice touch.)
     
    Let's say you need to get your essays done by... Saturday the 19th. That seems like enough time.
     
    Happy holidays!
     
    (I also need suggestions for a new member title. I don't want to waste the opportunity, but I also need something as good as "Certified Dinosaur Pedant")
  6. believe victims
    I will cotton to being a bit of a curmudgeon, I suppose.
     
    But the more I see of this movie, the more I hate it. How could the company that made Finding Nemo then go on to make such bland, uninspired animal designs?
  7. believe victims

    uh oh

    By believe victims,

    so i got LEGO Dimensions for the Xbox 360 today and when plugging in the game pad I accidentally "dropped" the xbox and the disk came out of alignment and seems to have gotten scratched
     
    now I don't know what to do. i can't just get a whole new starter pack just for the game disk and i was really looking forward to playing this...
  8. believe victims

    Reclaim the Word

    By believe victims,

    For too long the word "dinosaur" has been used to mean "something old and inferior", and it's time this stopped. Dinosaurs did not die through any design flaw of their own; in fact, they were in their prime when they went extinct, with some of the biggest and most powerful members of their current clades emerging within the last few million years before their demise. (Tyrannosaurus, for instance, may have had the most powerful bite of any creature.) Rather, they were unceremoniously terminated and replaced with inferior creatures.
     
    This is the new meaning of "dinosaur" I recommend: "something perfectly serviceable that is nonetheless replaced or followed by a far inferior copy". For example, Windows 7 is a "dinosaur". The first two Shrek movies were "dinosaurs". It just makes more sense.
  10. believe victims
    I was initially going to write a recap each day, but I turned out to not have the energy required, so here's just an overall recap.
     
    First things first: I am never riding the bus again. It's noisy, the bus rattles like it's being shaken apart, and some dude vomited in one on the way home. There was nothing pleasant about this experience.
     
    The convention, meanwhile, was quite enjoyable. One of the first things I purchased was a big bag of Galidor parts, and boy did I have fun. I even won a MISB Gorm in the silent auction! (I hate collectors, though, so I opened it. Not like its value can go down. )
     
    Admittedly, I took my Galidor jokes too far, for which I apologize. I am, unfortunately, not the best at knowing what's taking a joke too far.
     
    Metalbeard was nominated for the Best Bionicle - Humanoid Brickee and ended up winning! Even if I don't (Fiddler was nominated for non-humanoid, but lost to Kayru's Kayru.)
     
    Speaking of Fiddler, this was its last con. I'm not one for keeping things together, and I haven't had its parts available for over a year now, so it was time to let it go. Next year, though, don't be surprised to see a new crab on the convention circuit.
     
    I spent a lot of time with friends/acquaintances I never got to meet before, and certainly had a good time with them. Admittedly, it was quite jarring how different people's real voices are from the voices I read their posts in online. Still, I got to see a side to some of the staff I've never seen before, even if it may have just been because I hung around Andrew because we roomed together. Fun!
     
    I was pretty awkward, what with all the newness, and I ended up having a meltdown on the final day because I was convinced everyone hated me because of something stupid, but overall it was a positive experience. Who knows? Maybe I'll try coming down again next year. I certainly have plenty of plans for MOCS!
     
    (P.S.: Despite what I was told, I made it through the entire weekend and still say it "em-oh-see". I am unbreakable.)
  13. believe victims
    Wow, I can't believe Brickfair VA is in a week already! Especially since there are still preparations I'd been putting off.
     
    Like bus tickets! Just bought those today, which means they ended up more expensive than I had planned. With those, though, I've at least got the basics ready. I've got the tickets, the room, and the MOCs. (Well, besides a Love theme vignette I wanted to make; that's gonna be a bit last-minute.) Still, it feels like I've got so little time to prepare!
     
    Still excited, though. This is my first big serious AFOL even type thing. A little anxious! But we'll see. I hope to see some friends there!
  14. believe victims

    Victorion

    By believe victims,

    Whiny fans keep blaming Hasbro for Victorion having two helicopters.
     
    She's a fan-built bot. People voted for her limbs. People voted for two helicopters, not Hasbro.
     
    Sure, hate the helicopters. (I don't; I think they give some nice symmetry to her.) But don't blame Hasbro for following the fans' votes.
  18. believe victims
    I have said many a word of how Jurassic World seeks to bring dinosaur science of the 1980's to the public. I apologize, for I have spoken in error.
     
    They're going back further than that.
     

     
    That's right, it's a tail-draggin' dinosaur, right out of the early 1900s, for your viewing pleasure. Mind you, this tail posture is impossible for Stegosaurus (with one of the most compelling reasons for this being that its cloaca would be crushed), and has been known to be so by palaeontology since the Dinosaur Renaissance (the very revolution in thinking of dinosaurs that the original Jurassic Park brought to the big screen), and even a one-minute consultation with almost any palaeontology expert would be enough to keep something like this out of the film.
     
    Honestly, at this point, just stick the sauropods in the swamps and put heat lamps in the exhibits for the cold-blooded creatures. While they're at it, they can lay off their palaeontology consults, because clearly they're being paid for absolutely nothing. There is nothing in this film so far that shows they did any research beyond watching the first film. It is, quite frankly, pathetic.
  19. believe victims
    Stopped by the library today to return The Breakfast Club and while I was there I checked out a volume of the Transformers More Than Meets The Eye comics. After reading it, I was so caught up in an overwhelming desire to take part in capitalism I stopped by target and bought a couple of Transformers toys (with my focus being Whirl, who appears in the comic.)
     
    Whirl is nice, with all the usual upsides of Voyager-class toys: full articulation, decent transformation, overall polished look. My biggest complaint is he comes with a ton of stickers, most of which are smaller than a sliver of pinky nail, none of which are any fun at all to apply. Also, after reading David Willis's review, I am extremely cautious when transforming the legs; lord knows I don't want to shell out another 25 dollars because of fragile knees.
     
    Bombshell is fun almost entirely because he turns into an insect and it is a very nice insect. I don't even care about any other aspect of him just. A+ insect that turns into a robot.
     
    Legends-class Strongarm unexpectedly is about as fun to transform as her Warrior-class toy, and actually very nice for a two-inch-tall Transformers toy.
     
    Between Bionicle coming back and my newfound appreciation for Transformers, I've bought a lot of toys. This seems like it probably says something about me as a person.
  20. believe victims
    I don't want to come across as a curmudgeon, but when you're writing a book that's intended to be educational, the details really count.
     
    So when you have a theropod missing its primaries on its hands or this wrinkly, shrinkwrapped monstrosity, that's disappointing. It's bad enough that Jurassic World treats science the way a two-year-old would treat Grandma's ashes if left alone with them; to have a book created for it that claims to be educational fall short of this goal is even worse.
     
    Honestly, I'd rather have the Jurassic Park franchise give up all pretenses of actually caring about actual dinosaurs rather than put out another disappointment like this in an attempt to make up for their main media's casual disregard (and blatant hatred) of all things scientific.
  21. believe victims

    "Dark"

    By believe victims,

    What does it mean for a story to be "dark"?
     
    Does it mean it has death? It can't be; people died in Transformers: Animated, and I've yet to see it described as dark.
     
    So what is it about death that makes something dark? Well, based on things I've seen described as "dark" (The Dark Knight trilogy, Michael Bay's Transformers, Bionicle 2005-2008), I'd say a "dark" story places an emphasis on killing, and on casual disregard for life. The more reference to death and deadliness, the more mature your story! A cavalier attitude towards life is a mark of a dark story.
     
    Does it mean it has a deep, mature story? It can't be; the Transformers film is a bunch of explosions loosely held together by the thin threads of what might be called a plot if you squint at it, yet it's still dark. On the other hand, Land Before Time has a quite well-written and arguable mature story (ignoring its characters roles as talking 80's dinosaurs), yet only the most foolhardy would describe it as a dark film.
     
    So what is it about "mature" stories that makes something dark? Well, taking a sampling of "dark" media again, it would seem the most important aspect is that no one is happy. Everyone is grimacing, or scowling, or in emotional anguish, everything is in low-key lighting, there's guns everywhere, and everyone want to kill. (Anyone who doesn't is naïve and will soon be "fixed".) In "dark" stories, happiness only exists to be stamped out by the cruel, cruel, world. Because hating everything is realistic!
     
    Does it mean it has deep, complex characters? Can't be; movieverse Transformers have personalities that would blow away in a light wind, while Parks and Rec has deep, rich characters that feel like real people.
     
    So what kind of characters make a dark film? From my experience (and as alluded to above), they care little for the consequences of death, are always angry, and have a penchant for one-liners that could be swapped out between any two characters to the same effect. They are not necessarily deep, nor complex, nor even realistic.
     
    Does being "dark" mean being a good story? Of course not. There are many movies that are praised for being dark and edgy that are honestly the cinematic equivalent to devouring your own toe jam. They exist only for you to walk in, turn your brain off, and watch a bunch of people with weapons kill each other.
     
    Does being "dark" mean being a bad story? I don't necessarily think so. I've watched movies that might be described as dark (i.e. Snowpiercer) that were also good, strong stories with rich characters. Being "dark" and being good aren't mutually exclusive.
     
    The trick is that the story's defining feature shouldn't be that darkness. If all people can say about is that it was "dark and edgy", chances are it's let its story flop by the wayside to maximize the sheer edge. Characters become unbelievable for the sake of being gritty, story becomes irrelevant to the need for pure bloodbaths, and any remotely human emotion is removed unless it's blind rage.
     
    A story cannot survive on being "dark" alone, and that should definitely not be the end goal of all stories. Being a well-written and solid story is a far more palatable idea, and if that means "sacrificing" the need to be "dark" so you can be "mature" and draw in the kind of audience who watches something solely because it's "dark", then so be it. In my opinion, they aren't even worth catering to.
  22. believe victims
    Okay, so birds are flying dinosaurs. Dinosaurs have had their chance at flight and took it, and became wildly successful.
     
    What we have just learned, however, is that dinosaurs made another foray into flight that looked decidedly more ridiculous.
     
    Say hello to Yi qi, the bat-winged theropod. Look at it. It even has feathers and isn't even bothering to use them to fly. What a weirdo.
     
    (The fossil did come from China, which spawned the infamous Archaeoraptor that idiots continue to insist proves all feathered fossils are hoaxes, so I'm wary, but for now, let's laugh at this ridiculous theropod.)
  23. believe victims

    Brickfair

    By believe victims,

    So I'm probably going to regret thinking about this in the morning when I'm fairly less sleep-deprived and bold but I guess I'm actually considering attending Brickfair VA this year??? I've never been there before and the idea of planning my own trip as an adult is daunting but I guess this is something I'm seriously considering?
     
    Right now, the biggest obstacle is travel. Living in Minnesota pretty much means being halfway across the country from everything, and that includes Brickfair. Traveling halfway across the country is expensive. An airplane flight costs pretty much my current monthly budget, and buses are over half still. (Plus I was recently warned away from Greyhound buses for being a little unreliable.) If push comes to shove, though, I could try supplementing my usual budget with some money from art commissions, and cutting back on some spending in other areas. So transportation is a maybe, depending on budget.
     
    idk. I should probably make up my mind on this soon, since hotel room things are probably best hashed out sooner rather than later. This entry is kind of thinking aloud and also kind of letting people know that this is a thing I'm considering? (If my presence worries you, know that I'm much quieter in real life )
     
    I guess that's pretty much it for this entry??? I guess it's a lot of words for "I'm maybe thinking of going to BFVA kind of". So yeah.
  24. believe victims
    (This is related to the latest in S&T arguments, but reading the argument is not necessarily a prerequisite for understanding this entry. Additionally, while it was sparked by something bonesiii said, this entry isn't necessarily directed at him.)
     
    I've heard that Bionicle was supposed to take some work to understand a few times now now, and it just doesn't click with me. When I think of a story that requires work to understand, I think of Snowpiercer, with its rich, deep-running themes that run throughout its entire core. I think of The Great Gatsby, which is filled with symbolism that works towards its greater ideas.
     
    Basically, when I think of a story that takes some work to understand, I think of theme.
     
    The reason I think of working towards theme is that it's one of two fulfilling things to work for when reading a story. (The other is mostly applicable to detective stories, which is working out the mystery before the answer is revealed.) I've said it before (where it fell upon rather deaf ears) but theme is at the heart of every story. Every story sends a message. (Maybe more. (Imagine.)) In fact, one could say that conveying a theme is the goal of all stories (besides those that also strive to sell toys.) To understand a theme and unwrap the author's intent takes a lot of work, and doesn't even always have a concrete correct answer, but what it gives you is a deeper understanding of the story. Snowpiercer takes work to understand, but when you do understand it, it's so much more fulfilling than just an action movie on an apocalypse train. It's this work that I expect a story to provide, and it's the lack of such work that usually results in me finding a story unengaging, because without theme, there's just not much there. Things just happen. It's why it infuriates me when I see someone say to turn your brain off and enjoy the movie; to me, no story should ever only be enjoyable without thought. It needs substance. That is how a story should make you think.
     
    Contrast this with the evidence I've seen that Bionicle was meant to make you think. Bionicle's theme is mind-bogglingly simple to figure out, imo; it's a nine-year story about team work, and occasionally more refined aspects like leadership. That's not what I'm told needs thought. What I'm told I need to think about is the height of robots, or the wacked-out physics, or whether Kapura teleports via flatulence. Even just piecing the wildly tangled knots of storylines is work. That's not the work I expect from a story; I'm not supposed to figure out the logistics of the fictional world. It's not worthy work to come up with the midichlorians of Bionicle, because what does that actually have to do with the story? How is my understanding of the story itself actually enriched by that? Is the thinking required to make sense of this story actually worth it?
     
    idk, that's my thoughts on the role of thinking in stories. I don't want to turn my brain off, but I want my efforts to actually be rewarded with a deeper understanding of the story rather than simply making sense of an author's inability to organize storyline coherently.
  25. believe victims

    PSA

    By believe victims,

    If your story about the genus Brontosaurus being revived is accompanied by a tail-dragging, swamp-dwelling, camarasaur-headed, wrinkly elephantine monstrosity then I hate you.
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