Something Awesome #30 - Movie Reviews - Transformers: Age of Extinction

There are some things that are inescapable. People will always die, Justin Bieber will remain famous for doing nothing that contributes positively to the world, and Michael Bay will keep making dumb action movies, like the Transformers movies. These are facts of life, and they cannot be avoided. It's also a fact that the Transformers movies only peripherally capture what made The Transformers great as a TV series back in the '80's. It's true that you have to have some knowledge of the Transformers universe to follow the plots in these movies completely, and that there are going to be holes. However, I will continue to defend these movies (except for the second one, it was just trash), and despite myself, I feel that this review is going to devolve into me explaining why, unless I get the explanation out of the way quick.

Remembering Casey Kasem

According to ABC News, voice actor and radio personality Casey Kasem has passed away today at the age of 82. Mr. Kasem was the originator of the radio program American Top 40, and the voice of several classic cartoon characters, including three generation one Transformers, Robin in The Batman/Superman Hour and Super Friends, and Shaggy Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise. Mr. Kasem was a legend who seemed to genuinely enjoy entertaining others. I am truly sad to see him go, though I do hope he's gone on to entertain others in a better place.

"Keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars."

                                                                               --Casey Kasem, 1932-2014

A Little Something Awesome - Last Night, Friday the 13th

I wouldn't say that I'm a superstitious person (knock on wood), but I certainly enjoy the idea of an entire day devoted to superstitions. I love Friday the 13th, for similar reasons to why I love Holloween. It's fun, it's creepy, and I love to see the look on peoples' faces when I remind them what day it is. The looks range from cheerful, to mildly nervous, to downright anxious, and I find it all hilarious.

Maybe I'm easily amused, I dunno.

Anyway, whether you enjoy or are even aware of Friday the 13th, I'd be willing to bet that last night still somehow felt different to you. Not only was it Friday the 13th, it was also the night of the full moon, and that moon happened to be a yellow "honey moon", and at its perigee (or closest point in it's orbit around Earth, and therefor looks larger). Just the combination of a "honey moon" on Friday the 13th is so rare that it hadn't happened since 1919, and won't occur again until 2098. I'm actually starting to feel bad for not getting this update up last night as I'd planned (problems logging into the site, thanks Friday the 13th) to get the word out.

Either way, it was awesome. I got a pretty good look at the "honey moon" while I was walking around at midnight hoping to be bitten by, and turned into, a werewolf (it's something I do, don't judge me). For those who didn't get a chance to see it last night, there are plenty of great images to be found online, as well as a live broadcast which I'm sure will be uploaded to YouTube for repeat viewing eventually. Regardless, the night was awesome, and you can't deny that any more than you can not come back again later for another Something Awesome.



Something Awesome #29 - Movie Reviews - How to Train Your Dragon 2

I've had this blog for a while now, but, sadly, I haven't had it long enough to have been able to review the absolutely spectacular movie How to Train Your Dragon when it was released. It is for this reason that readers of this blog are unlikely to know that I am a huge fan of the Dragon's franchise, from the movies, to the books (upon which the movies are very loosely based), to the weekly animated series on Cartoon Network, which recently completed its second season, under the title Dragons: Defenders of Berk. Why wouldn't I love these stories? They are the perfect blend of humor, adventure, fantasy, and slice of life, and in the case of now both movies, some of the greatest visual effects work that I have ever seen or could ever imagine seeing. I was lucky enough to find time to go this evening to see the local premier of the sequel. I'll admit, I was apprehensive going in despite some really positive feedback from other critics, and let's just say that my apprehension has since been happily put to rest.

A Little Something Awesome - This Epic Music Video

Stuck all night, alone, in the Las Vegas Airport, Richard Dunn could have passed out in a chair somewhere. Instead he shot a music video to Celine Dion's All By Myself. It's impressively shot, impressively performed and lip-synched, and even a little touching from time to time. Check it out below, and come back later for another Something Awesome.



A Little Something Awesome - Legend of Zelda 2015 Teaser Trailer at E3!

I am a huge fan of the Legend of Zelda games, characters, and worlds. I am terrible at said games, and have never been able to make through one all of the way myself, but I love them nonetheless, which is why I was very very excited to see the following video pop up from the E3 conference going on this week.

 

Are you a gamer? Are you a fan of the Zelda franchise? Let me know in the comments below, and come back later for another Something Awesome.