How I Won NaNoWriMo 2014 + My Thoughts on Sonic Boom

"Now that finals week is almost over, I'll have much more free time to write blog posts." That's a quote directly from my LAST blog post, and yet here I am on the last day of 2014 combining two posts into one. *sigh* In my defense, it's Christmas vacation, and I have been using my free time to catch up on Phineas and Ferb...and stuff.

Anyway.

First up, National Novel Writing Month 2014. I WON!! So, what did I do this year vs. last year that helped me cross that 50k? Well, here is a brief list:

1) Writing buddies. They say that having writing buddies during NaNo make all the difference, and you know, they were right. I attended four or five different write-ins at my college library. It was only myself and two guys, but having people around who understand what it is to be a writer is awesome. We gorged ourselves on M&M's and Cherry Coke to keep ourselves going. The most words I wrote at one write-in was 4,000. Not bad!

2) Determination. Because I bragged to everyone at the end of October / beginning of November that I was going to win this year, I pushed myself extra hard during the last week to get it done. Despite quite a few setbacks, I did just that! See for yourself:

3) A story I cared about. Last year I was trying to write a story that I came up with on the night of October 31st, and it did not go well. I never broke 10k. This year, however, the story I wrote was one I had been thinking of and brainstorming for for months ahead of time. NaNo was my excuse to sit down and write it.

4) Outlining. I don't usually outline, but 50k in 30 days calls for some modifications to my pattern. I sat down and figured out generally where I wanted the story to go and then started writing on November 1. My outline seemed to be a failure at first because what was supposed to be four chapters ended up being one. But it really came in handy near the middle and end of the 50k run because that's about the time you come down off your NaNo high.

Fun Fact: "Escape to Utopia" (my NaNo 2014 project) is actually a story I've already written. I first wrote the story back in 2009, but looking back on it now, it really was a fail. At first I didn't know that the story I was brainstorming for earlier this year would end up working out to be an updated version. But when I figured that out, I decided to have fun with it. Characters from the original version came back in the second - only one character did not make an appearance. Also, I have now expanded the original version to become a trilogy. My plan is to work on the sequel, "Rise of Sarama," for NaNoWriMo 2015.

All right. So that's my NaNoWriMo post, as promised. Now for SONIC BOOM!!

Overall, of course, I like Sonic Boom a lot. For what it is, it's a really good show (better than, say, Spongebob). It has humor, action, and a whole lot of Sonic. The characters are the same personality wise (with the possible exception of Knuckles, and the total exception of Eggman). I have nothing to say about the games since I have not yet played them, but from what I hear, "it's Sonic '06 all over again."

Despite the redesign, Sonic's character is still there: fun, fast, and caring. Tails is still the tinkerer, and Amy is the level head that glues them all together. Sticks is an interesting addition - I am still 50/50 on whether I like her, but come on, this scene was cute:

All right...Knuckles. I don't have a problem with his appearance so much as I do his personality. The Knuckles I grew up with was a work-alone, rough, tough, determined, short-tempered Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds. Now he is all muscle and no brain, it seems. That really bugs me. With the Chaos Emeralds apparently out of the picture (I have a theory about that - next year!), what does Knuckles have to live for? How was he raised? Apparently he works better in a team now, but his IQ is ridiculously low. I can get over the absurd muscles that he never needed before. What I can't get over is his newfound stupidity. Why?

Now Eggman. Gone are the days of the smart (but still has his moments) villain - usher in the age of the idiot. For real? Again, the Eggman I grew up with was intelligent, patient, ruthless, and, of course, evil - but he had his slight good side, too. This year they've taken the "slight good side" and made it so that Eggman is mostly good, but when you tick him off, he unleashes a demolition robot just because he can. I mean, come on. Episode 8 was just...no.

*sigh* Now for my personal favorite - Shadow! I could write an entire post about this guy alone, but I'll save that for another time. There are some things about his redesign that I didn't notice before. One, his chest fur is smaller. Two, his skin is lighter. Three, the red streaks on his arms and legs are gone! How did I miss that one? His personality is also a bit tweaked. Thankfully, he is mostly still there, but my question is: what is his motivation? How does he know Sonic and why is he after him? At first it seems like a true rivalry, but at the end of "Rise of Lyric" (I watched the cutscenes), he smiles and appears satisfied that Sonic defeated Lyric. I just...don't understand. I can't complain too much, though, because he is my favorite character and I still love him just the way he is.

Sonic Boom has been put on pause until next year, though they haven't said when he'll return. That bugs me, because for the longest time they were like "October 2014" and then it ended up being November 8. Then they air episodes for a month and are like "be right back...eventually." Just...what?? I want my Sonic Boom! 

I guess my final thoughts as far as the TV show are as follows: it is definitely made for kids, and with that in mind, it is great for what it is. Much better than a lot of the other crap they show nowadays. Last I heard it was #1 for it's audience. That's a good sign. There are flaws, for sure, but it is a brand new take on the Sonic world that everyone just needs to get used to - both audience and creators alike. It will probably be a couple of years before they get all the fine tuning done.

Also, one last thing. I am not one of those "you ruined my childhood" people, unless they really screwed up the reboot. I don't think the creators have Sonic Boom have messed up royally, though I do have my issues with Knuckles and Eggman, as described above. I just think it's different and my mind needs to get used to it. That's all. I am excited that Sonic is back! What the what!

Well, that's all from me for this year. See you in 2015! Happy New Year!

All the Little Details

I have an excuse, I promise! First, I am a college student. I am busy. Second, NaNoWriMo ate up ALL of my time in November. Third, a lot of changes have taken place this month that I have had to adjust to and deal with and etc. All the little details to follow.

First off, I am 19 now. My birthday was at the end of October. I also just passed my two-year mark as a blogger. Going on three! This year for Halloween I was Sticks the Badger, a brand-new character from the Sonic Boom universe. (My thoughts on Sonic Boom will be in this post, too. Patience!)

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) was INSANE. At the very beginning I was preoccupied with things because my mom hurt her back and it started to snow (creating icy roads) and Sonic Boom premiered and all of that. BUT I still managed to come back and WIN NaNoWriMo for the very first time! 50,076 words in 30 days! I did it! :D (Tips on how to win NaNo will be in another post. I don't know why it says 50,176 in this screenshot.)

And now it's December, and all of us college students are cramming for finals week and cannot wait for our Christmas break! Man, do I need it. A TON has happened this month. This guy that I met back in October that I went on a couple of dates with ended up not working out - he didn't like the friend zone. Meanwhile, I have been reintegrated into my group of friends from high school, so I'm being swept back up in the wave of insanity that comes with them. And, of course, finals. I feel like I've done well on my finals so far. Tomorrow is my last one before break - math. I am dreading it, but my consolation is that this is the last math class I ever have to take for the rest of my life. FREEEEEEDOM!!!

All right. On to the fun stuff.

SONIC BOOM. YES. I was waiting for this for SO LONG and now it's finally here (on pause until next year, but still)! I am really liking this new show. It definitely takes a new approach to the characters Mobians know and love, but I think it does well in keeping them true to who they have always been. Sonic is still fun, fast, and caring. Tails is the tinkerer, Knuckles is the muscle (though I don't like what they've done to his IQ), Amy has REALLY grown as a character, and of course, Sticks is just one crazy jungle chick.

I have not played the Sonic Boom games, but from what I've heard, "it's Sonic '06 all over again." I hate that. Sonic has really struggled as a gaming character for the past several years now. He deserves better! However, I have watched the cutscenes from both Rise of Lyric and Shattered Crystal to get an idea of what the story is, and MAN am I loving this new take on Sonic's world. And of course, SHADOW made his grand entrance into the new games! WOO!! (I have my theories about his rebooted character, but I will elaborate on that in another post.)

Also, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) was released on DVD on Tuesday! I bought it and watched it right away, of course. That was my fifth time seeing the film. I caught a few things this time that I hadn't the first four, too, which was interesting. (The snow chase scene was still awesome.) In addition to that, I bought the TMNT 2012 Season 2 Volume 3 DVDs for my collection. Season 3 got off to a great start, but by the time episode five rolled around, I was like, "OK...when do they go back to the city?" Those Dream Beavers were awful. Going to be honest - I did NOT like that episode. And that's coming from me, mind you. They made up for it with "Race With the Demon," though.

Christmas is a week from today! Crazy! I have already done all of my Christmas shopping for friends and family. I had to buy 90% of the gifts online, though, since my town really doesn't have anything to offer that's new. Hopefully I chose well. We shall see.

All right. That's a quick update for you all - I plan to write two more posts before the end of this year. 1) Sonic Boom in depth. 2) How I Won NaNoWriMo (and why I failed last year). Stick around! I won't be gone as long this time, I promise. Now that finals week is almost over, I'll have much more free time to write blog posts. Stay tuned, and Merry Christmas! :D

Doctor Who? (My FIRST Doctor Who post!) *Spoilers*

I finished David Tennant's last episode less than five minutes ago. I think it's safe to say I'm a wreck. But I could think of no better time to write a blog post about Doctor Who than right now. So here I am!

Backstory: I have two Whovian friends that I have been close to for a while. One day a few years ago, Friend #1, Katie, invited me to hang out at her place for a while. After a bit we got bored with the video games, and she said, "Dude, you HAVE to check out this show called Doctor Who. It's really cool."

Thus I watched the first episode of Doctor Who, starring Christopher Eccleston. At the time I was more focused on the fact that mannequins coming to life were totally weird. I didn't pay much attention to what was going on. Things seemed too fast-paced and random for me to keep up. So after that day, I didn't give the show a second thought.

Enter Friend #2, Rachel. I was over at her house after school one day, and Doctor Who was on TV, starring David Tennant. When I asked what the show was and she told me, I was confused. I thought the Doctor was played by someone else. She began explaining things, then proceeded to drag me back to her room where we ended up watching the first three episodes with Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor.

I still didn't get it.

Long story short: over the course of the past four years, I have slowly been watching more of Doctor Who and learning about the regeneration thing and the weird-but-cool relationships with his companions and whatnot. Any time I hung out with Rachel, we watched Doctor Who.

Then the fateful night came. I was at a sleepover with her and she started playing some episodes before she passed out. I was left alone to really watch the show instead of talking and watching at the same time. I got caught up in the story. The episode I was watching happened to be part one of two. I couldn't just leave it hanging like that, so I let the next one play. I was really intrigued. I watched another episode after that...then fell asleep.

The next morning, Rachel, her mom, and I all gathered around to watch the 50th Anniversary episode. It was awesome. I was becoming more and more interested in this show that EVERYONE was talking about. So finally, when I went home that day, I looked up Doctor Who for Dummies on YouTube, which did a much better job of explaining the show than my two friends, who are well-versed Whovians (and I think have forgotten what it was like before they met the Doctor).

Anyway, after watching that video, I decided to give the show another try, and I started back at the first episode. I got a few episodes in before I reverted back to TMNT. (What can I say? I am Mobian and a Shellhead before anything else!)

And then Rachel told me that a new Doctor was coming on Christmas Day. I thought to myself, "Perfect! I can start watching with the new Doctor and just go from there."

Except if there's one thing I've learned in the past few years, it's that Doctor Who is not a show you can skip around in and still understand everything. One must start from the beginning to fully appreciate the plot and characters.

So when BBC released the trailer for the 12th Doctor, I sat down and told myself, "All right. For real. Watch the show from the beginning so you can get to the new Doctor."

Best decision I ever made. (Well, second-best. Well...third-best. First-best was clicking on the video that introduced me to Sonic. Second-best was clicking on the trailer for the TMNT 2012 series.)

July 2014 I began watching the series from the beginning AGAIN. Only this time, I stayed with it. Peter Capaldi seems like he will be an interesting Doctor, and the only way I will be able to understand things when I watch his episodes is if I watch all the episodes leading up to that. No skipping around for me! I finished Series 1 pretty quickly, then started into Series 2 in August. I just finished Series 4.

My thoughts?

I can't believe I never watched this show before! It's really good! No wonder there are so many Whovians.

Considering that Christopher Eccleston was the Doctor for one season, I don't have much to say about him. I liked his darker personality...I mean, he DID just come away from a massive war as the only survivor. I primarily liked watching his relationship with Rose transform him. I can't say that I cried when he left, since I really didn't get to know him that well, but it was still kind of sad because he was the Doctor that started it all for me.

Then David Tennant came in. I was curious to see what the big deal about this actor was. Any time someone asked, "Who's your favorite Doctor?" the answer I heard 90% of the time was David Tennant. I just didn't know why. But holy crap, watching his character development and seeing his ongoing storyline and different companions was really cool. I bawled like a baby when he lost Rose...TWICE!! Seriously! Can the poor guy never get a break?

Then there was Martha. As I explained to my dad, I really liked her exit. She handled it well and left for a good reason. She didn't die or get sent to a parallel world or have her memories erased...she just decided she'd seen enough. Good for her! I can relate.

Donna was really fun. I liked her a lot, mostly because she was never a love interest. She was strictly a friend, and that's exactly what the Doctor wanted/needed. I did feel terrible when she lost all of those memories, but I didn't cry.

David Tennant's exit from the show was one I was dreading...and honestly, I put it off FOREVER. I just didn't want to say goodbye. But alas, I knew I had to do it eventually, so I finally decided to just rip the band-aid off. I finished his last episode less than an hour ago. I have never bawled so much about anything concerning Doctor Who before. "I don't want to go," was the most heartbreaking thing ever. But it was also bittersweet, because in comes Matt Smith, and he's the actor I always considered to be MY Doctor. So while I was crying saying goodbye to David, I was also fangirling over Matt's entrance.

Here we go again! On to Series 5...Geronimo!

Series 1 Favorites:

• 6 - Dalek
• 8 - Father's Day

Series 2 Favorite:

• 3 - Tooth and Claw

Series 3 Favorites:

• 1 - The Runaway Bride
• 2 - Smith and Jones
• 5 - Daleks in Manhattan
• 6 - Evolution of the Daleks
• 8 - 42

Series 4 Favorites:

• 2 - Partners in Crime
• 4 - Planet of the Ood
• 9 - Silence in the Library
• 10 - Forest of the Dead
• 11 - Midnight
• 15 - The Next Doctor

Overall: I love this show. I will miss David Tennant like no other, but I am also super excited for Matt Smith. I will continue to slowly make my way through the series until I am all caught up - then I can watch Peter Capaldi's episodes.

I'd better get on it. Allons-y! :D

Cartoon Mania! (Longest Blog Post Ever) *Spoilers*

You can thank Big Hero 6 for this blog post. I recently saw the newest trailer for the movie and became obsessed with it. Can't wait to #MeetBaymax on November 7!

First, I want to start with Sonic Boom, since that will be shorter. They have officially announced a premiere date: NOVEMBER 8!! I am super excited for this new TV show. It reminds me of a modern version of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" from the 1990s. However, it seems smarter in some ways and also has a whole new cast of characters (like Shadow!). From what I have seen so far, it is obvious that this show is meant for younger kids, but that won't stop this Mobian from tuning in on November 8 to watch Sonic the Hedgehog return. Let the new generation of Mobians rise! :D

Now on to the main event: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I want to talk about a couple of things here, just because I can. First and foremost: a recap of what we saw in Season 2. *SPOILERS TO FOLLOW*

One thing that really stands out to me is how far Karai has come in this season. When we saw her in Episode 3, "Follow the Leader," she really had it out for the Turtles and Master Splinter while the Shredder was away. She tried (and failed) to capture them several times. This continued on until about two-thirds of the way through the season, when, in Episode 19, "The Wrath of Tiger Claw," Karai finally realized that Splinter was her true father. I have to say I cried when, in Episode 22, "Vengeance is Mine," Karai hugged Splinter for the first time. It was a moment I had been waiting for ever since the end of Season 1. I still hate that Karai was mutated, but I also trust the writers of this series to resolve that conflict in a satisfying way.

Long story short, Karai made some huge progress as a character in this season, and I am anxious to see what will happen next - especially since Leo still can't seem to wrap his mind around the fact that she is his sister.

Second, Casey Jones! I was so excited when he made his big debut in Episode 4, "Mutagen Man Unleashed." I had been a fan of Apritello until that point. From the moment he winked at April and introduced himself, I was like, "Oh, yeah. Casey wins. Hands down." And that remains true to this day, at least for me. I know a lot of Shellheads out there who still ship Apritello, and that's great. But as for me, it will always be Capril, hands down. I have my reasons for that, but I won't go into it here. The main point I want to make with Casey is that he really shook things up, and not just because of April and Donnie. His introduction to the Turtles was a huge deal. I loved the Casey vs. Raphael fight in Episode 8, "The Good, the Bad, and Casey Jones." Again, I had been waiting for that for a while, so when it happened I was fangirling really hard.

I like how this season explored a new aspect of Casey - his fear of rats. I thought it was humorous as well as interesting. He seems to have overcome his fear of Splinter, at least, thought I can't say that for rats in general. Casey and the Turtles really hit it off, too. He and Raph are best friends now, it seems, while his relationship with Leo and Mikey seems equivalent to April's. However, he and Donnie obviously have issues. One thing I do like, though, is that when it comes down to the core of things, the two really care for each other. Feelings for April aside, they truly are friends. But as soon as the redhead comes into the scene - poof! Frenemies to the end. I'll explore a bit more of that later in this post.

In conclusion: I love Casey Jones, and I'm rooting for Capril all the way! I look forward to seeing the love triangle develop more in Season 3.

All right. Irma. I suppose I must. I have never liked Irma in this series - she is so annoying! Every time I get excited about Casey and April being on a date, it's like, "Oh, never mind, Irma is with them." She wasn't as boy-crazy as she was in the 1987 series, but she still played the part of the odd-but-somehow-likeable best friend of April's. So when it was revealed in the Season 2 Finale that Irma was actually a Kraang undercover...holy cow! Let's just say I did not see THAT coming! Part of me is glad to see her go because I never did like her to begin with, but another part of me is going to miss her at least a little. I mean...she was one of only three females on the show. (Well, sort of...looking back on it now, knowing that a male Kraang was in there is kind of creepy.)

Basically, all I have to say about her is good riddance. Now maybe Casey and April can have a REAL date!

Just a few more minor notes before I move on:

Slash was an awesome addition to this show. Bittersweet at first, because he WAS Raph's pet, after all...but ultimately, I loved his character for the few episodes we saw him. I hope he returns in Season 3.

TIGER CLAW. Oh my word, what can I say?? He has got to be my favorite villain. His introduction was epic, his return was even more epic, and his continued presence as Shredder's second in command is the most epic thing ever! I am always excited to see him in an episode.

I can't wait to see Bebop and Rocksteady in Season 3. They had a teaser episode, but it wasn't enough! I need more!

Finally, concerning Dominic Catrambone, who was the voice of Leonardo from Episodes 18-26. I have to say I totally misjudged him back when I posted my first Nerd Rage. At the time, I was really upset about Jason Biggs' being fired from the show, but as time went on, I came to understand why he was removed. I will still miss him, but you know, being kicked off the cast of TMNT was his own fault. Dominic did really well filling in for Leo, all things considered. I know Nick tried to voice match him to Jason, but there was enough of a difference that it didn't really work out that way. Still, he played the part with satisfactory results. He was well received by fans. I wish they would have kept him, but alas, it was not meant to be. So to him I say: Thank you for being an awesome Leonardo. You will be missed. (And sorry I went into nerd rage at first.)

Now for the grand finale: What did I think of the Season 3 Premiere?

Well, I've watched the episode twelve times already, if that's any indication.

There were a lot of things I loved about "Within the Woods." I primarily liked the character development surrounding Leo, but I'll get to that in a minute. First for the small stuff. I loved the references to the 1990 TMNT movie, in which the Turtles were forced to flee from NYC with Casey and April and live in a farmhouse for a couple of months. The roles of Leo and Raph were switched in this episode (in the movie Raph was the one who was badly hurt, not Leo), but I think I loved it even more because of that.

Something I really enjoyed in this episode was the brief Casey vs. Donnie spat. I was like, "It's about time!" I know it was just for fun, but there was some real motivation behind it, and I was so excited to see it finally happening, because I knew one day it would have to come up eventually. It was too short for me, but you know, I'll take what I can get.

I also liked the Creep. Well, as much as I could, anyway. His creation was something we haven't seen before in this series - born from turtle vomit, which was mostly mutagen, but not 100% as with the other mutants in the show. In addition to that, the Creep was a creature of the swamp instead of an animal, and he was not human before transformation. That's new! We have seen plant mutations before (as with Snake in the first episode of Season 1), but nothing like this. Besides all that, the Creep was - well - creepy! He freaked me out a little. (The music in this episode was creepy, too, which helped to set the mood even more.)

All right. Now for the big one: Seth Green as the new, official voice of Leonardo. How did he do?

First let me say that I especially love how they explain Leo's voice change. Obviously when he wakes up from his coma his voice is completely different (courtesy of Seth), but at least they explained the change. Because of his epic fight with the Shredder, Leo sustained damage to his throat, which permanently altered his voice. He will sound different for the rest of his life. I love that! This is the first time we have seen an injury majorly affect a character like this (unless you count SAINW, which I don't, in this case), and the fact that it is brand new really excites me. Plus it makes it easier to get used to the new voice, at least for me.

Seth certainly brings a fresh perspective to Leonardo's character. Our hero has learned much and has matured even more now after his fight with the Shredder. His voice change is a permanent reminder of what he went through and the changes he will have to come to terms with from now on. Seth's voice will take a bit of getting used to, but I think he definitely has potential to bring something new to Leo's character while still keeping him in his place as the leader in blue. I look forward to more new episodes with Seth Green as Leo.

Well, that's all for now. I just kind of got in the mood to do a full-on, in-depth look into my thoughts on TMNT 2012's recent episodes. My favorites from Season 2 are:

• 3 - Follow the Leader
• 4 - Mutagen Man Unleashed
• 7 - Slash and Destroy
• 13-14 - The Manhattan Project
• 19 - The Wrath of Tiger Claw
• 22 - Vengeance is Mine
• 25-26 - The Invasion

What I am most looking forward to in Season 3:

• Leonardo's character development
• Karai's character development
• Casey x April x Donnie
• The introduction of the Punk Frogs
• New villains (i.e. Bebop and Rocksteady)
• How the Turtles will take back NYC, reunite with Splinter, and take down the Shredder once and for all!

BOOYAKASHA!!

Happy Mutation Day! (+My Thoughts on the TMNT Movie)

One question: Why have I not updated this blog since August 13? One answer: I have no idea. Quick update: I started college on September 3 and am going strong! There are a lot of things I love about college vs high school, though I miss the latter sometimes.

I have also started watching Doctor Who regularly. The last episode I watched was S04E13-14 "The Stolen Earth" and "Journey's End." Let's just say I cried...a lot. If all goes well, I will be all caught up by the end of the year. I am totally in love with this show. I can't believe I never watched it before. (I'll elaborate on this more in another post.)

All of that aside, it's time to tell you what this post is about: TMNT 2012's Mutation Day! That's right! Two years ago today, TMNT 2012 aired on Nickelodeon, and I have been swept up in the tidal wave of fandom ever since. I can't tell you how much I love these guys. (Also, has anyone noticed that they are now sixteen in the show? They never celebrated on screen, but it happened.)

The Season 2 finale was AMAZING. Holy crap. There was so much about it that I loved - and I'll admit, my favorite part was when Leo was thrown through the window. Not because he was hurt and unconscious, mind you, but because it paid homage to my favorite version of the Turtles, when Leo fought off hordes of the Foot Clan before being tossed through a window. After that, the Turtles fled from the city, just like they did in the Season 2 finale. I just...I can't even...the feels!!

I need to get this out there, too: Remember way back when I first heard Dominic Catrambone as Leo and I freaked out because it wasn't Jason Biggs? Well...I changed my mind. I really grew to love his voice and I wish Nick would have kept him, but alas, Leo will be voiced by Seth Green from here on out. I am anxious to see how he does. HE'S the one who will have three episodes to impress me, because quite frankly, Dominic impressed me after his second episode. XD

All that being said, I am SUPER excited for the Season 3 premiere on Friday. What happens to Leo? Will Donnie admit his feelings for April? How will the guys reunite with Splinter? And what about Karai? I NEED ANSWERS!!

All right. One last thing. You all are probably like, "Dude, didn't you see the new TMNT movie? You said you were going to do a review!" And my answer would be yes, I did see it, and yes, I was going to do a review...but I changed my mind. Writing a real review would take too long, and I just don't have time anymore to do it. Instead, I will enlighten you with my thoughts about the film.

Above all else, know this: I LOVED THIS MOVIE. Holy crap, did I love this movie. I saw it in theaters four times. It was just so good. I had a lot of doubts going into it, but coming out, all of those doubts were erased. Despite all of the bad press surrounding this film, Michael Bay did a good job keeping the Turtles in character. And surprisingly, Megan Fox did a decent job as April. I still can't think "That's April O'Neil" when I look at her, but at least she didn't totally butcher the character. Fun fact: Megan was pregnant while filming this movie. Isn't that crazy? I could never do all of that action stuff if I was pregnant. (Well, maybe I could, so long as the Turtles were involved.)

The Good: The Turtles were in character, the story was new while still keeping some elements of previous story lines, the action scenes were good (I mean, come on; that snow chase scene was awesome), the music was epic, and it was funny. I love that Raph was in character. (SPOILERS: I also really love that he pretty much laid out all of the reasons why I love him in his goodbye speech at the end. I cry every time.)

The Bad: Holy plot holes, Batman! There is so much left open or unresolved in this movie. If you are part of the Turtles universe, you can fill in some holes, but not all of them. Second, why the heck was Eric Sacks in this movie? What purpose did he serve? Third, Shredder's armor was WAY over the top. Too many blades. (Though I have to admit, the Shredder vs Splinter scene was EPIC.)

Overall, it was so worth the $30+ I probably spent going to see this movie multiple times. First, I went to the premiere showing on August 8 with my dad. The very next day, I went to see it again. About a week later, I saw it again. Another week later, my whole family went. I can't express how much I love this film. That moment when we first see the Turtles' faces in the movie is the COOLEST MOMENT EVER!! :D

Right. I think I've gone all-out nerd long enough for one day. To celebrate TMNT 2012's Mutation Day, I will be watching S01E01-2 "Rise of the Turtles" and S02E25-26 "The Invasion" to see how far the Turtles have come in two years. It will be epic.

COWABUNGA!!

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Movie Review by Guest Blogger, Marie Gilbert

Remember how I said that my grandmom and I went to see the newest "Planet of the Apes" movie in theaters a couple of weeks ago? We decided to each review it and then post on each other's blogs because we loved it so much. Last week you saw my review, and although I had intended for hers to come out after my review of the newest TMNT movie, I decided that it would make more sense to post this first. (That, and I need some extra time to think about things before I write my TMNT review.)

So without further ado, please welcome my guest blogger, Marie Gilbert (aka Grandmom)!

Planet of the Apes

If you’re my age, you’ve probably seen the original 1968 film, Planet of the Apes, starring Charlton Heston as George Taylor the American astronaut who with his crew crash landed on a strange planet after spending thousands of years in hibernation. The film which is based on Pierre Boulle’s 1963 novel, La Planete des Singes, introduced moviegoers to intelligent gorillas and speechless, animalistic humans.

The film’s ending, along with Taylor’s shocking realization of his true location, is seared forever in my mind and I became an instant fan. Unfortunately, I found most of the sequels to Planet of the Apes a big disappointment, but at the time I wasn’t sure why. It was only after watching the 2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes and this year’s blockbuster, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes that I understood what was missing from the earlier films.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

To give my thoughts on The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, I do need to mention the 2011 film The Rise of the Planet of the Apes which was directed by Rupert Wyatt and starred James Franco as Will Rodman and Andy Serkis as Caesar. The 2011 film did what all the previous films in the franchise did not do. It allowed the movie audience to become one with an intelligent species that is endangered in the real world.  Will Rodman (Franco) a scientist from the Sen-Sys Biotech Company is working on a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a disease that his father is victim to…but we all know that the plans of mice and men often go astray.

The company does its research on chimpanzee subjects and the drug ALZ-112 makes one of the chimps, Bright Eyes, extremely intelligent, but she goes on a rampage. Due to this mishap, Will is forced to take her infant and raise it. Infant Caesar grows more intelligent each day, but he still has animal tendencies that Will Rodman must deal with. The drug may be a blessing for the primate characters of the film, but its side effect on humans is catastrophic. While the airborne disease becomes a pandemic nightmare for mankind, Caesar and his fellow intelligent chimpanzee friends escape to Muir Woods; their new home. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes changed the game plan on the franchise by telling the story from a new perspective. We began to identify with Caesar. He was the hero of the film; the survivor against man’s cruelty towards non-humans.

 Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

The 2014 film directed by Matt Reeves and starring Andy Serkis as Caesar, Jason Clarke as Malcolm, Gary Oldman as Drefus and Toby Kibbell a bonobo and Caesar’s second in command, focused on the lives of the primates living in Muir Woods.  Have you’ve ever truly looked into a primate’s eyes. I do whenever I am at the zoo or when watching all the National Geographic documentaries about the dire conditions of a species, be they Chimpanzee, Bonobo or Gorilla. There is intelligence in those eyes and before we split off from our cousins millions of years ago, we were just like them and we have the DNA to prove it ranging between a 95 to 99% similarity.

In the 2014 film we see Caesar in charge of his troop of fellow primates.  They’ve not only built shelter for themselves, but they successfully hunt for food. When Drefus (Oldman) the leader of a small band of human survivors living in a section of San Francesco sends Malcolm and his team to check for a source of water power to keep their city running, they encounter Caesar’s son, Blue Eyes (Nick Thurston) and Rocket’s son, Ash (Doc Shaw). Ash is injured.

The film deals with Caesar and Malcolm trying to keep peace between the two species, but mistakes are made by both sides and it’s not only the humans who thirst for supremacy; stupid choices are made by both men and beast alike.

Conclusion

Humans have this false illusion that we are above nature. It is because of this mistaken belief that our oceans are polluted; our air dirty and species around the globe go extinct at an alarming rate. We forget that the havoc we cause to nature will eventually come back to kick us in the butt. If we don’t respect nature and the other life forms that share this planet with us, then we are doomed.

When you look into the eyes of any animal, you see a comrade that has survived, like us, the evolutionary trip through time. They deserve our respect. See the movie. We are witness to an old story told through new eyes and it feels right.

~

You can find Marie Gilbert on Google + and on her blog, Gilbert Curiosities. :-)

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes: Movie Review

Here's a back-story for you: when I was visiting my grandparents on the East Coast these past couple of weeks, we went to see the new Planet of the Apes movie in the theater (which had really nice recliner seats, by the way). When it was over, my grandmom and I were so impressed with the film that we agreed to review it and then post each other's thoughts on our blogs. My grandmom has already posted her review on her site, mine will be making an appearance there next week, and vice-versa.

That being said, here is my review of the movie.

I am among the new generation of fans for the Planet of the Apes movies. I know that there were movies made in the 1960's, but I only ever saw one of them (I have no clue which one it was). Honestly, I didn't care for it. The story wasn't really interesting, the characters were kind of bland, and the ending was unsatisfactory. That, and being a teenager with today's technology, I am used to better animation and effects than they had back then. Perhaps that was also part of the reason I disliked the older movies.

However, when the 2011 version of "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was released, I really enjoyed it. I had no idea they would make a sequel, though in retrospect that was kind of obvious. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" is basically the origin story of Caesar and how he came to be the character we know today. The 2011 film focuses on a human scientist named Will Rodman and a tragic accident in an experimental laboratory that leads him to adopt a baby chimp, which he names Caesar. From there the story follows Caesar's life in the lap of luxury until the day his animal instincts take over, he is introduced to other chimps for the first time, and must quickly learn his place in the animal kingdom. Ultimately, he leads a "prison break" of sorts and leads his fellow primates into the Muir Woods. When his human caretaker comes after him, he refuses to return to the life he knew and instead takes on a new future.

2014's "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" takes place about 10 years after the first movie, when the Simian Flu has wiped out millions of people worldwide, leaving only a handful of survivors left. Most remaining humans are afraid of the apes and want nothing to do with them, but necessity for power drives them to face their fears. The main human in this film is a man named Malcolm. He is willing to do whatever it takes to help the people around him as long as it means having peace with the apes. Caesar feels the same way. When the humans realize their only hope for survival lies beyond the apes' home, Malcolm and Caesar form a truce that, unfortunately, doesn't last long. Koba, one of Caesar's followers, is not too happy with the idea of having humans around all the time. He, unlike his leader, was treated terribly by the human race, and he has not forgotten. Koba challenges Caesar's authority many times before finally making a drastic move that will change the course of history on Earth forever. (No spoilers here!)

In conclusion, I only have this to say: I am easy to please when it comes to movies, but it takes a lot to really, truly impress me with one. "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" wasn't one of those films where I walked out of the theater thinking it was okay and shrugging it off as something I'd watch again with my family on DVD. This movie really got the gears in my brain churning. For days after seeing it I couldn't stop thinking about the characters, the story, the animation and effects. The entire film was mind-blowing. I give it a 9/10 rating and definitely recommend that you watch it before it leaves theaters. It's one of those movies that is just better on the big screen.

~

Marie Gilbert's review of "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" will be posted here on my blog next week, after my review of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

Sonic Prologue: Film Review (+TMNT Coming Soon!)

Today is August 5. Sonic Prologue was released three days ago.

And I forgot. #worstmobianever

That being said, I am going to redeem myself by doing a full-on movie-style review of this 25 minute fan film, which is now available on YouTube and the Sonic Prologue Film Blog. Go watch it!

First I just have to say this: Sonic Prologue was a million times better than "Sonic," the fan film featuring Jaleel White. It was accurate, had good voice acting and animation, the story was one we are familiar with, and great voice casting. I mean, TheDragonSuperman as Robotnik? That had me on board from the moment it was announced.

This movie is about - wouldn't you know it? - Sonic and Tails. Specifically, it's about the day they met and the day Sonic faced his metal counterpart again before the events of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. All Mobians know this story. Tails spots Sonic running around, thinks he's the coolest person ever (because he is), and starts following him everywhere. Of course, Sonic notices him pretty quickly, and the rest is history. That was the basis for this film, but it went more in depth than that. For instance, when Tails was following Sonic around, it wasn't really stalker-ish creepy. It was more of a young kid longing to be like his hero and thus taking a closer look to see what he was all about and what made Sonic who he was.

The story itself is actually a flashback. At the very beginning we see modern Sonic and Tails hanging out in the Green Hill Zone and talking about how that's where they met. From there the rest of the movie is simply retelling the story, with twp more brief modern scenes thrown in before the end.

I thought this movie was really well done, considering that it was fan-made. Many fan-made things are just "eh" instead of amazing. But I think Doryan Nelson did a good job in creating this movie. He really captured the essence and humor of Sonic as well as providing good action sequences. (The Sonic vs Metal Sonic scene was extremely well done. I have watched that part so many times; it's just so good.) The soundtrack for this film is a healthy mix of tunes we are familiar with and new, original pieces. While at first it is odd to hear someone else's voice coming out of Classic Sonic (rather than the usual Jaleel White), you get used to it quickly and find it was a perfect fit for him. And of course, TheDragonSuperman does a great job as Robotnik.

Excited yet? Watch the movie here on YouTube and be sure to download the soundtrack here for FREE! And that's a wrap for my Sonic Prologue review.

But wait! There's more! Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hits theaters in JUST THREE DAYS!! Finally! And um...I may have reliable intel that there's a slight chance I will see it a day early...in 3D...because that's how I roll. Haha! In either case, whether I see it Thursday or Friday, I will be posting a movie review shortly afterwards with all of my thoughts. Just a heads up: there will most likely be spoilers. Don't say I didn't warn you! Until next time, COWABUNGA!! :D

Has this month been busy or what?

Answer: yes. Crazy busy. But that's okay, because I get to spend some time in the city with my grandmom and grandpop and cousin Nathan. (You should have seen the look on their faces when I asked them what a hoagie was. In Wyoming we just call them subs. Haha)

Anyway, it's July 30 and I just realized I haven't posted a blog at ALL this month, and I decided to give a brief update while my crazy family watches Sharknado 2 upstairs.

First, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my younger brother Kadin, who is now officially 14! Woo! :D

Second: the TMNT movie premieres in nine days! I'm excited! Along with that, the Season 2 finale of the TV show will air this September, and it looks SO AWESOME!! So many references! Like...Leo fighting the Foot and Shredder by himself and then crashing through a window...sound familiar?? :D

Third, for those of you who read Roof Oasis by my grandmom, Marie Gilbert, I can promise that the sequel will be even better! I've had the opportunity to read the first six chapters, and I couldn't put it down. It will be worth the wait, I promise.

Fourth, my family and I went to see Planet of the Apes in theaters the other day, and the verdict? It was AMAZING. It usually takes a lot to really, truly impress me with a movie, and this one did it. It was easily 10 times better than the first. I can't wait for more Planet of the Apes movies in the future. A full review will be on its way once I get back home (and probably just in time for the TMNT movie review).

Finally, the biggest news yet: have you heard the new, official theme for the TMNT movie, called "Shell Shocked?" No?! Then what the heck are you waiting for?? Here it is!

Hope you all are enjoying your July! I promise I will post more stuff in August. I've just been busy this month with this trip to Philidelphea and everything. For now, maybe this awesome TMNT pic will tide you over:

Roof Oasis: Book Review

I FINALLY finished this book! I literally started it when I first got the copy back in May. I just have had so much other stuff going on, I never had a chance to sit down and read it like I have had this week. Before I go into my review, I want to say congrats to my grandmom on being officially published! How exciting is that? Also, I am going to be completely, 100% honest about what I think. (I liked the book, so don't worry, grandmom!)

Roof Oasis is a sci-fi / dystopian / horror novella set in the year 2051 (if I did my math correctly). It follows the lives of Michael and Lucy, 28-year-old twins, as they attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse and reunite with their alien friend from their childhood. As the plot moves along, the twins are separated, living on two different worlds as war rages on Earth. I won't give any spoilers here, but that is a basic idea of the story.

First, I want to say that while this is not a book I would normally read, I did enjoy it. The characters were interesting - not just your typical protagonists. They each had their own lives to live and challenges they had to face. The setting was familiar, the descriptions were easy to picture in your mind's eye, and the plot was constantly moving along and keeping things interesting - not a moment was wasted in this 64-page novella.

Some things I especially liked about this book are as follows: The character Razhep was unique and interesting. I always liked it when he was in a scene. I knew the locations fairly well, having visited some of them before. The logic behind the apocalypse was sound and also a bit scary, since I remember hearing about the Antarctic life discovery in my aquatic bio class last year. The Leader, as he is known, has my interest. I want to know who he is, exactly, and more about the powerful demons who work for him. (I also want to know how the protagonists are going to kick his butt later on.)

Some things I didn't prefer about this book: I don't like language in any books, no matter who wrote them, so that's one thing. Second, there was a particular scene which described children being eaten by zombies, and that grossed me out a little. I know that if something like this were to happen, it would be accurate, but that doesn't make me like it any more. Finally, while I did like the fast-moving pace of the story, there were three or four brief sections that moved along a little too fast, I think.

Overall, I would give this book 3/5 stars for a great storyline, interesting characters, and fast-moving action. If you are interested in a zombie apocalypse tale but don't have much time to read, Roof Oasis is a good place to go. Even if you do have time to read, it's a good place to go. Congrats again to my grandmom and I anxiously await Book 2! :-)

New Ninja Turtles Design & Toy Review

So on Sunday I was walking through Walmart with my mom, and we had just left the toy section (after I found a pair of sweet Raphael earbuds) when I saw it: an entire display of the new Ninja Turtles, along with the new toys! Finally! An up-close look at what Michael Bay has done to our heroes in the half-shell.

I took a long time to really look at each of the Turtles up close, and I pulled out the toys to take a look at them, too. My mom actually continued on without me; I was taking so long. But this movie has been under wraps for so many months now...it was awesome to finally get a good look at them.

Well..."good" may not be the right word. The following paragraphs detail the four Turtles - along with some supporting characters - and give my opinion on each. Keep in mind that these are just my thoughts. I can't claim to speak for every Shellhead out there.

And we're off. First up, Leonardo. Personally, I think Leo looks the best out of the four of them. If the turtles HAVE to wear something, I think they did a good job with him. It's a simple samurai outfit. I also think that his face looks the best of the four; usually he wears a serious expression, but his eyes are calm, which really reflects who he is as a leader. Forget about the rest of him - when I look in his eyes I can see it's really Leo in there. At least they got that right.

Second, Raphael. OK, now, I know that Raph is the big, tough guy. But I think they took that to a bit of an extreme. His facial expression in almost every photo you see is anger. His eyes scream "I'm going to kill someone," and that's kind of scary, actually. I've never really been scared of Raphael (my favorite turtle), but this version of him radiates power and anger. It's kind of creepy. Plus, he's huge compared to the other turtles. Exaggerated muscles, much? Something I did notice upon closer inspection was something between a gash and a scar on his lower left cheek. Bet you can't guess where he may have gotten that. *sarcasm*

Gonna be honest...I really don't like how Donatello looks. At all. At first I thought that I was just thinking he looked bad because of the trailer and some preview pics, but when I saw him close up for the first time, I was like, "Um...no." Because it's just not him! Yes, he's the geek of the bunch, but having him wear a bunch of tech gear on his shell and carry a metal bo staff and wear nerdy glasses...that's too much. I love nerds as much as the next person, but it's way too much for Donnie. Plus his legs look way too skinny in proportion to the rest of him. It's like he's a hulk of a turtle from the waist up, but from the waist down, he's a stick person. It just looks wrong. One good thing I do have to say for him is this: I really like the Japanese writing on his bandanna. That's pretty cool.

Finally, Michelangelo. Right after Leo, he's the best looking Turtle. He wears the most of the four of them, with jeans and shoes and necklaces and sunglasses...the whole bit. It's crazy. But you know, as crazy as it is, it really does reflect him. Mikey's always been the most outgoing. It makes sense that he would wear the most human stuff and try to fit in more than the others. But again, it seems a bit much. It seems like they got his personality right, though, based on the trailer. "It's just a mask, don't freak out." *takes it off* "Right?" (And then April O'Neil faints. Way to go, Mikey.)

Now for Splinter. Holy cow. Actually, I agree with my dad on this one: he looks the least messed up of all of the redesigned characters. Yeah, the mustache is new, but everything else looks about the same. Fine, he's wearing blue instead of red or brown, but really, that's about it. He's still a rat. He looks like a shorter version of the 2012 Master Splinter. (To me, anyway.)

Shredder is a white guy. Sorry, I just can't get over that. Shredder is not Oroku Saki. He's Eric Sachs. Really? What the heck happened there? Where's Tang Shen? Did Shredder adopt Karai in this movie? Cause he's white but she's Asian, so...yeah. (I promise, I am not racist.) And where does the rivalry between him and Splinter come from now? Is there a rivalry at all? Oh, boy, we're in trouble.

It's weird to see Foot Soldiers carrying guns instead of katanas or nunchucks, but I suppose in all fairness, the original Krang never carried around alien guns with him and the 2012 Kraang do. So...just something I'll have to get used to.

I have nothing to say about April O'Neil.

Overall: ...eh. I don't know. It could be a lot worse, but it really could be a lot better, too. I don't think the Turtles are 15 in this movie. I'm convinced they have to be at least 17, probably more like 18 or 19. Honestly, they look like young adults (which is the route Michael Bay wanted in the first place), but the title says they're still teens, so...yeah...probably older teens, though. There are some smaller details I like about the redesigns, but mostly I wish they had just stuck with the Turtles we're familiar with. I don't like the idea of a white Shredder. That just seems wrong. (Again, I'm not racist.) The Foot with guns? Weird. Megan Fox as April O'Neil? Seriously, when I see her, I can't think of her as April. I can only think of her as Megan Fox. I still don't like that casting choice, but as I've said before:

I reserve judgement until August 8.

In summary: even after everything I've seen concerning this movie, I am optimistic. It won't be a perfect Ninja Turtles movie by any means, but maybe they will at least do a decent job. I am expecting to walk out of the theater with mixed feelings, probably liking some aspects of it and hating others.

Here's a fun fact for you: when I was inspecting the Turtles in the middle of Walmart, some younger kids passed by (the new generation of Turtles fans). One was a girl, probably about seven, who said she didn't like the new look at all. Two others were boys, maybe five and eight, who liked the look and were excited to see the movie. There are mixed feelings among the newest generation as well. We're not alone.

I did purchase a movie Leonardo action figure on Sunday. I was in debate for a while about whether I should get one, but when we got to the checkout line I decided to go back and grab it. After all, what kind of a Shellhead would I be if I didn't at least give this movie a chance? They're still our Turtles. They look different, yes, but they are Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo.

Here's hoping Michael Bay doesn't ruin them.

A King's Arrival is Never Silent (and other Nerdy News)

It took me forever and a day, but I FINALLY managed to get to a theater to see Godzilla! If I had to summarize it in one word, I would say, "Amazing." I have never seen a Godzilla movie before, though I know at least a little about the original movies thanks to my dad. That being said, I went into the theater without a clue as to how the story would turn out, but I was impressed with how good it was - and seriously, the fight scenes were incredible! I don't know how they did it, but every time Godzilla was fighting, I was unable to tear my eyes away. Incredible!

SPOILERS (skip past this paragraph): The only thing I have is this: for a movie called "Godzilla," he wasn't on screen too much. It took almost an hour for us to see him the first time and then another half hour to see him the rest of the time. Basically, he was only on screen a full 45 minutes or so, and it's a 123-minute movie. Other than that, though, it was very well done.

If you want more info, go check out the Black Nerd's review of this movie. I agree with about 90% of what he has to say about it. It's a very spoiler-lite overview. :-)

Sonic Boom Update! So, in one of my previous posts, you may remember my mentioning a character that many Mobians thought was a redesigned Marine Raccoon. Well, I'm here to let you know (if you don't already), that it's not! The new character's name is Sticks the Jungle Badger. She seems like she will be a very unique and interesting character. Click here for a quick look into her voice, personality, and role in the show.

One more thing. A while ago I mentioned that I was watching Mumfie, a TV show I didn't even know about based on a character I loved when I was a kid. I haven't finished that show yet (I'm close), but in the meantime I have recently discovered My Little Pony. Yes, yes, I know...get it out of your system, people. As Sonic says...

Now, having put that out there, I just want to say that I love this show. I began watching just a few days ago (Tuesday, I think it was), and I'm already halfway through Season 2. It's really good! I was expecting it to be a lot fluffier and more toddler-oriented than it is. It seems like it's meant for elementary-aged girls, but the message of the show can reach anyone who is willing to listen. I know it has especially gotten to me, for personal reasons.

Anyway, my favorite characters are Rainbow Dash and Spike the Dragon. (Spike is so cute! :D)

Also, for a life update, I have been enjoying my time off from school, mostly just chilling out at home with family. It's been nice to know that I don't have to stress about homework or worry about any obligations for the moment. I have been actively searching for a job, though a lot of people probably wouldn't believe me if I told them that. I am enjoying my summer break while I can, though. Can you blame me? I worked really hard the last couple of weeks of school and have been busy the first two weeks of summer vacation. I deserve a break!

Anyway, that's all for now! Stay tuned for more nerdy updates in the near future!