28 Dec 15
To continue with our regularly scheduled programming, we've got Xorgoth's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. More EM and reviews coming up. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:34:04
Before he brought us Star Wars, George Lucas had two other feature-length directorial outings: THX 1138 and American Graffiti. If Star Wars is all you know from Lucas, these films are quite the change of pace. We also have two recently concluded series from the fall season: One Punch Man and Attack on Titan: Junior High. Also, following SAO, we're picking up another trapped-in-game-world series with the first season of Log Horizon. And because I just recently played through it again, I've got a review for one of the finest video games ever made, Super Metroid.
I know this is much later than usual, but following the Yuletide festivities, I was laid low by the plague. I'm on the mend, though, hence this post. Look for the next chapter of TTWC2 coming up shortly, then more EM and reviews set to a theme yet to be determined. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:13:41
24 Dec 15
'Twas the morn before Christmas and all through the house, some creatures were stirring, namely two nekos. There's also a fair bit of activity following the big dustup two weeks ago in Chapter 5 of JJ. We've still got reviews coming up, but obviously that's going to have to wait until after Christmas. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 10:16:41
22 Dec 15
We've got scales of a different shade with our latest lead. If you like Dragons, get ready for the King with Xorgoth's prologue of TTWC2. He's more of an overt dirtbag than Ophis Python, which you might find entertaining. Look for more JJ and the other side of George Lucas later in the week. And Christmas. Look forward to that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:33:55
18 Dec 15
This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of 16 years of angsting and will soon see the dawn of a new golden age. Of course a nerd like me is a Star Wars fan, but there have been some dark times. A new hope is born and its name is Star Wars - Episode VII: The Force Awakens. (Spoiler alert: It's really good!) To commemorate the event, I marathoned the previous films in preparation and have drawn up reviews for your reading pleasure. First is the noble Original Trilogy: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. We also have the more contentious Prequel Trilogy: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith. If we can expect the quality level of Episode VII to be maintained (or even exceeded), then the Sequel Trilogy is going to be one amazing ride.
In other news, look for us to kick off Xorgoth's section of TTWC2 next week, more JJ, and reviews of some of George Lucas' work outside of Star Wars. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 10:29:11
17 Dec 15
Though I've been immersing myself in a galaxy far, far away, I still have time to deliver up the latest chapter before I go to see Episode VII. Here's Chapter 5 of EM. You get a little more insight into the world of Altamira. Look for my Star Wars blowout coming soon. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:40:23
15 Dec 15
We bid a fond farewell to a certain unfortunate serpent with Ophis Python's epilogue of TTWC2. Next week we'll be picking up the story of another scaly individual, the Dragon King Xorgoth. Look for more EM and a Star Wars blowout later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:40:06
14 Dec 15
Last week I reviewed Accel World and now we're covering another series by Reki Kawahara, Sword Art Online, along with the second season and the TV special in between, Sword Art Online: Extra Edition. We also have the omake series accompanying the DVD/Blu-Ray release of each season, Sword Art Offline and Sword Art Offline 2. While this would be more than enough for a week's batch of reviews, I'm feeling generous, so I'm going to give you another series from the same studio, The Seven Deadly Sins (Nanatsu no Taizai) and the subsequent OAV episodes. Lastly, as a change of pace, we have Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary. You may note the irony that the books in the section are separated by exactly 100 years. Anyway, look for the end of our time with Ophis Python in TTWC2 and more EM and special reviews featuring the films about a galaxy far, far away, to include a much anticipated new release. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:53:19
10 Dec 15
Hovering over the crater, we find our target resting near the center. Sounds like something you might see in Chapter 4 of JJ. We've still got SAO reviews coming up, so look for that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 10:24:44
08 Dec 15
It's time for snakes in the city with Ophis Python's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. These are the same events from Daphne's Chapter 4 of TTWC1, only told from Python's perspective. Next week we'll be bidding him adieu. In the meantime, we've got more JJ and a SAO-stravaganza of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:38:52
07 Dec 15
It won't be long before I start a fifth page for the movie reviews, so I should really give some attention to the other sections. To that end, we kick things off with a review of Suikoden III. There's a long story attached to this playthrough, but that'll be a story for the blog. We also have its predecessor, Suikoden II and the two visual novels in between, Suikogaiden, Vol.1 and Suikogaiden, Vol.2. We round out the batch with an anime that's all about gaming: Accel World and the extra OAV episodes that follow the main series. We'll have more TTWC2 and EM coming up, and I'll be doing a Sword Art Online special for the next batch of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:04:13
04 Dec 15
As a Japanese, the mascot takes the sempai/kohai relationship very seriously. Among the sempai's responsibilities is the need to keep the kohai on track. If our mascot doesn't keep a sharp eye on things, the junior mascot in training won't get any work done. This is all only tangentially related to today's update. We move things along with Chapter 4 of EM. The stakes are about to get raised. Look for the week's batch of reviews in the next day or two. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:12:01
01 Dec 15
Our scaly friend gets to cut loose a bit in Ophis Python's Chapter 4 of TTWC2. Just two more weeks and we'll be moving on to our next lead. Before that, though, we've got the next chapter of EM and some primarily Suikoden-centric reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:49:11
29 Nov 15
The devil sea is a treacherous place, so it's little surprise that it's a prime location for disaster films. We've got one of the heavy-hitters in the subgenre, The Poseidon Adventure, along with its sequel Beyond the Poseidon Adventure, and the lackluster remake Poseidon, which killed more than one career. Two other examples we have for you are The Last Voyage and Juggernaut. You'd think I'd have James Cameron's Titanic included in here, but I don't. It seems my heart won't go on after all. For a change of pace, we've also got a review for a new release, Disney/Pixar's The Good Dinosaur. Next week we'll have more TTWC2 and EM and a batch of video game-based reviews to celebrate the conclusion of my first playthrough of Suikoden III. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:12:12
28 Nov 15
Well, I meant to have this out sooner, but there was outing and abouting that'll become clear when you see the addendum to the coming reviews. I've been sitting on this idea for a while now and decided now was as good a time as any to launch it. Here it is: the Else Arc. Longtime readers should know that each Arc is governed by particular rules. Even the If Arc has a number of strictures to it, but the Else Arc has no limits whatsoever. It's divorced from my main canon, so any violation of the rules won't have an impact on the wider system. To whet your appetite for what this new Arc has to offer, I've got teasers for several stories. First is the transdimensional (mis)adventures of a reprobate sorceress, The Legend of Nell. (I'm going to spare myself the trouble of listing all nine entries individually.) Next is the superhero parody Liberty 7. Next, I lampoon D&D-style RPGs in Dimwald and the GM and moe magical girl anime in Puchi Dojiko Majokko Destiny. I can't guarantee any of these stories will be started up right away, but maybe I'll drop some breadcrumbs along the way. In other news, we've got reviews coming up next. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:44:38
26 Nov 15
It's Thanksgiving, people. Be sure to watch what you eat. Root and the gang would probably be thankful if they weren't going up to the frozen North, but they are and we get ready to head out in Chapter 3 of Junker Jorg. I may put together that surprise I hinted at on the blog as a Black Friday gift for readers who opt to stay in rather than dive into the mercantile chaos. Also have some under the sea reviews (or, rather, reviews of films where things above the sea go under). Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:19:56
24 Nov 15
Coincidentally, I watched POTC2 before hopping on this update. I mention it because this week we're on the high seas for Ophis Python's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. You can celebrate your thankfulness later this week with more JJ and some reviews of the perils of the sea. I may even have an extra surprise which may not be as much of a surprise if you follow the blog. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:21:12
23 Nov 15
There are plenty of onscreen couples that seem like a good idea on paper but when you put them together, the magic's just not there. That definitely wasn't the case for William Powell and Myrna Loy and we've got four of their films for you this week: The Thin Man, its sequel After the Thin Man, Manhattan Melodrama and Evelyn Prentice. And as a change of pace, the silent film The Toll of the Sea. Coming up is more TTWC2 and JJ and reviews of movies about maritime disaster. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:49:25
20 Nov 15
Say hi to my friend Sara. You can find her in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture in front of the Nakanohashi 106 Building, just across the Nakatsu River. She's sort of a muse of mine. You see, there are a lot of statues like her all over the place in Japan and it helped inspire Everyday Magic. I thought about what would happen if Sara suddenly came to life. See where this idea goes in Chapter 3. Look for a new batch of reviews featuring the cinematic pairing of William Powell and Myrna Loy. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 23:56:33
17 Nov 15
It's time to bid farewell to the snake. No, not the final farewell. He's just going on a trip. It's going to turn out very well for him. Ophis Python's Chapter 2 of TTWC2 is now up. We've got more EM and movie reviews coming up later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:00:55
16 Nov 15
It's time for a reprieve from all the spooky scary and creepy crawly with some light-hearted fare. We've got four pictures from the Marx Brothers: The Cocoanuts, Animal Crackers, Horse Feathers and Duck Soup. We've also got the hilarious murder mystery parody Murder by Death and if you like Peter Sellers, you get him in triplicate in The Mouse That Roared. I haven't decided what the theme for next week'll be, but it'll probably be more of the softer fare. There'll also be more TTWC2 and EM. so look forward to that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:59:14
13 Nov 15
The mascot is always up for a drink, so she'll fit right in for Chapter 2 of Junker Jorg. This is a pretty big one, so you may want to have a beverage of your own to enjoy while you peruse it. We've still got some comedic movie reviews in the offing. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:56:11
10 Nov 15
Life doesn't improve any for our current lead in Ophis Python's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. Look for the next chapter of JJ in a couple days and some comedic reviews after that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:53:54
09 Nov 15
October may be over, but we've got another batch of reviews you may find a bit on the scary side. First is the original Omen trilogy: The Omen, Damien: Omen II, and The Final Conflict. And if you want a bizarro blender version of similar themes starring several major film directors, here's 1979's The Visitor. To round out our demonic selection, we've got Sir Anthony Hopkins playing Hannibal-lite in The Rite. And now I'm thinking we need a change of pace, so the next batch of reviews is going to center around comedy. Look for more TTWC2 and JJ as well. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:33:41
06 Nov 15
The mascot can always be trusted with your package, unlike a certain magical feline loosely based off her. We've got Chapter 2 of EM for your reading pleasure. In the next day or two we'll be opening the gates of Hell for the latest batch of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:25:14
03 Nov 15
It's time once again to pick up the story of a new character. We begin this latest section of TTWC2 with Ophis Python's prologue. Coming up later in the week, we have more EM and batch of reviews about possessions and Antichrists and such. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 10:42:54
31 Oct 15
Happy Halloween, one and all. We close out our month of scary movie reviews with zombies by the truckload. Now, I realize the Romero films would be a natural choice, but that'll have to wait until next year. I do at least have the remakes of Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead, for whatever that's worth. (They're actually among the better remakes made.) If you want something a little sillier, I've got Return of the Living Dead and Return of the Living Dead: Part II. For a change of setting, we have the Africa-based The Dead. We've also got both 28 Days Later and its sequel 28 Weeks Later. Lastly, it's not technically a zombie movie, but it makes you think it is: Mimesis. Even though the theme of scary films is officially over, I'm thinking about playing with movies featuring possessions and such next week. We'll also be starting up Ophis Python's section in TTWC2 and continuing EM. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 11:10:22
30 Oct 15
We've got the mascot and the junior mascot apprentice checking out the sights as we get into Chapter 1 of Junker Jorg. I have also included an introduction to cover a few details about the world the story is set in. We've got reviews of zombie films coming up to cap of our month of horror, so look forward to that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:50:05
27 Oct 15
We bid farewell to the Dark Eternal with Dox's epilogue of TTWC2. Next week we'll be picking things up with a far more relatable giant snake. (You think I'm joking, but it's actually true.) In the meantime, though, we've got more JJ and we'll bring October's scariness to a close with some zombie reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:19:44
24 Oct 15
Do you like haunted houses and otherwise menacing domiciles? If so, then have I got some reviews for you. We kick things off with the corny classic The House on Haunted Hill, then follow with the crappy direct-to-video sequel of its remake Return to House on Haunted Hill, a heavy hitter of Japanese horror Ju-On: The Grudge, the earlier, more obscure horror-comedy from the same country House, Rob Zombie's feature debut House of 1000 Corpses, and if that's too many corpses for you, try The House of Seven Corpses. And because I want to bump up the overall score for this week's reviews, we call on Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Yes, it's a hotel and not a house, but I'm bending the rules. Looking out to next week, we wrap up Dox's section in TTWC2, continue on in JJ and close out our Halloween reviews with everyone's favorite horror menace: zombies. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:52:10
23 Oct 15
You can trust a mascot with your packages. After a nearly three-year hiatus, Everyday Magic is back with Chapter 1 and this time it'll run through to the end. We've still got spooky house reviews coming up, so look for that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:58:47
20 Oct 15
Evil cannot comprehend good, they say. Sometimes it has trouble with less evil too. The Dark Eternal puzzles through the Knight of Chaos' behavior in Dox's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. Next week will mark the end of our time with the Dark Eternal and we can move on to the world's most tragic giant snake. Look for EM to come back from its long hiatus in a couple days and some spooky house reviews after that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:18:42
19 Oct 15
We follow up our Dracula reviews with some werewolf fun. We've got the 1941 classic The Wolf Man, the low budget 1979 remake Wolfman, the Jack Nicholson movie Wolf, the slightly unconventional urban horror Wolfen, the amazing An American Werewolf in London, and Jupiter Ascending. What? There's a wolfman in it. Look for more TTWC2, the resumption of Everyday Magic and more scary movie reviews, with the topic being houses of horror. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:44:11
15 Oct 15
We've got a happy little snow bunny because we're starting a new book with the prologue of Junker Jorg. Just as a reminder, we'll be alternating between JJ and Everyday Magic. Look for those werewolf reviews in the next couple days. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 23:28:51
13 Oct 15
The Dark Eternal finds a new toy in Dox's Chapter 4 of TTWC2. Look for the launch of JJ in a couple days and some werewolf reviews after that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:17:36
11 Oct 15
We continue our Halloween movie reviews with the big daddy himself, Count Dracula. I could easily have a month of Dracula reviews, maybe even two, but I've got a decent slice for you this week. We start off with Dracula from 1931, followed by Hammer's 1958 Horror of Dracula, the 1979 version, Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula, the Wes Craven-produced Dracula 2000, the utterly rubbish Dracula 3000, and finally last year's Dracula Untold. You can probably guess that I'm going to follow all this vampire stuff with some werewolf stuff next week. Besides that, we've got more TTWC2 and the debut of Junker Jorg. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:46:01
08 Oct 15
The time has finally come. We bid the Ticonderoga series a fond farewell with the Epilogue of Tico4. This is the end to a journey nearly as old as the site. From 28 Mar 07 to now. Four books over the course of eight years. This isn't the end for the cast, though. You'll be seeing them again in a number of shorts I have in reserve. I want to dedicate this finale to my dearly departed Number 1 fan. This would be her birthday. I would've liked for her to have seen the story to the end. Well, nothing for me to do but continue on in her honor. In other news, look for a batch of Dracula-themed reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:12:25
06 Oct 15
Well, the Dark Eternal got his baby, so now it's off to zombie military school with him. This is only a slight exaggeration of what happens in Dox's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. In a couple days we wrap Tico4 and then after that we'll be having some reviews of films featuring the infamous Son of the Dragon. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:17:31
03 Oct 15
I've been holding off on my reviews of horror films until now. In fact, it was marathoning most of the films presented today last year that contributed to my decision to start doing these reviews. (In case you're wondering about my 6-month rule, the reviews were written within six months of seeing them.) We kick off the October scary reviews with the Hellraiser series. We've got the original Hellraiser, Hellbound: Hellraiser II, Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth, Hellraiser: Bloodline, and then all the direct-to-video sequels: Hellraiser: Inferno, Hellraiser: Hellseeker, Hellraiser: Deader, and Hellraiser: Hellworld. (No, Hellraiser: Revelations didn't happen.) We've got more TTWC2 coming up next week, the grand finale of Tico4 and a batch of reviews featuring everyone's favorite bloodsucker. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:53:11
29 Sep 15
Any of you out there have a mother who has a habit of pestering you about giving her grandkids? Alternatively, are any of you mothers who pester your kids about giving you grandkids? Well, if so, Dox's Chapter 2 of TTWC2 will have some relevance for you. Get ready to kick off October this weekend with the question "What's your pleasure, sir?" Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:35:19
28 Sep 15
Well, the Summer 2015 season has ended and I have reviews for three of the featured series: GATE, Overlord, and... Monster Musume. >_> We've also got the OAV series Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar and the last feature film of famed Ghibli director Isao Takahata The Tale of Princess Kaguya. We've got more TTWC2 coming up and as we're going into October, expect plenty of horror-themed reviews. For this week, we have such sights to show you. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 02:41:47
24 Sep 15
It's entirely coincidental that I watched Network for the first time a couple days ago. What am I talking about? You'll see. We get a little view of the aftermath in Chapter 32 of Tico4. And now we just have two more weeks until we bring Tico4 to a close. In the meantime, look for those reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 01:37:01
22 Sep 15
We've got some disagreements about the destiny of darkness in Dox's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. Be on the lookout for more Tico4 and anime reviews later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:50:36
21 Sep 15
It's time for a celebration of one of the great filmmakers of the previous centuries. I don't have the most obvious title yet, but that'll come in a future installment. That I do have is Throne of Blood, Yojimbo, its sequel Sanjuro, Rashomon, and Kurosawa's take on Dostoevsky's The Idiot, Hakuchi. Be on the lookout for more TTWC2 and Tico4 plus reviews of a sampling of anime from the summer season. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:55:26
15 Sep 15
A new darkness is born into the world in Dox's prologue of TTWC2. I'm thinking about some Kurosawa reviews later this week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:15:05
13 Sep 15
I'm going to dispense with the attempt to render the theme song in text, but have it playing in your head as I set this one up. A couple years ago I tried to watch the Rocky movies but couldn't get into it. Being a captive audience for the first one last year managed to turn things around and now I've gone through the entire series and have the reviews here for you now. That's right. We've got Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V, Rocky Balboa, and Rocky 5000. Oh, scratch that last one. (Believe it or not, as a smart-alecky kid, I made that joke before Mel Brooks committed it to the silver screen. Emergence at work.) Anyway, look for us to start up a new lead in TTWC2 and a batch of reviews whose theme is to be determined. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:51:38
10 Sep 15
The mascot watches intently as the final battle reaches its conclusion in Chapter 31 of Tico4. Four more weeks to go and we wrap. Everyone excited? In other news, look for reviews in the next couple days. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:27:56
08 Sep 15
We bid farewell to the unfortunate Khrom Orghim in Orguz's epilogue of TTWC2. Next week we'll be picking things up with the sinister and enigmatic Dox the Dark Eternal. In the meantime, we have more Tico4 and some pugilistic reviews coming up. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 14:06:27
07 Sep 15
It increasingly appears that my review weekends are becoming review Mondays. Anyway, I decided to do a little mini-tribute to Ronald Colman with no other themes coming to mind at the moment. We have the excellent 1937 version of The Prisoner of Zenda, his final role in The Story of Mankind and a forgettable romcom made notable by his leading role, My Life with Caroline. For a couple more recent films, we have Snowpiercer and The Maze Runner. We close out Orguz's section of TTWC2 tomorrow, wind down the final battle in Tico4 and will then step into the ring with the Italian Stallion for our next batch of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 20:09:11
02 Sep 15
I had other stuff occupying me that delayed this a little more than planned, but here's Orguz's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. We're almost done with Orguz. Look for us to bid him farewell next week. In the meantime, more reviews coming up this weekend. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:01:29
01 Sep 15
I had a hectic weekend, so I wasn't able to get around to posting the reviews, but rather than skipping a post, I'm going to double up with the reviews now and post the latest chapter of TTWC2 in several hours. Let's start up the "enemy" series of reviews. We've got Enemy at the Gates, Enemy of the State and Enemy Mine. And with Enemy Mine, we have to have the original film, Hell in the Pacific. Lastly, because when we understand our enemy well enough to defeat them, we love them, we cap things off with Ender's Game. Look for the next chapter of TTWC2 in a bit and a yet to be determined batch of reviews over the weekend (hopefully). Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:38:52
27 Aug 15
The mascot awaits any and all challengers, much like Marshal Graves for his big showdown in Chapter 30 of Tico4. Three more chapters to go and that'll be a wrap. I must've misread the calendar because it looks like the epilogue will drop on 08 Oct rather than the end of September. Well, that doesn't change too much. Look for the reviews this weekend. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:16:24
25 Aug 15
We move right on along with Orguz's Chapter 4 of TTWC2. The next chapter of Tico4 will follow in a couple of days and then by the weekend we'll have a batch of reviews where "enemy" is the theme. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:10:30
23 Aug 15
We've got a melange of reviews this week, the French term being appropriate as one of the movies is Luc Besson's paranormal action thriller Lucy, which takes a premise that might as well be based on phrenology and turns it into an alternate Black Widow origin story. (Actually, a Luc Besson-directed Black Widow origin story could be really good.) We also have Monster House and It Came from Outer Space. We have the TV series and followup OAV series of The Comic Artist and Assistants: The Animation, which I happened to watch on a whim, the latter of which kicking off a new section for the reviews for shorts, mini-series and OAVs. Lastly, we bring my reviews of the Attack on Titan manga to a close for the time being with Volume 15 and Volume 16. Coming up, more TTWC2, Tico4 and possibly my "enemy" week of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:27:21
18 Aug 15
You can hear the beat of the drums of war in Orguz's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. Look for a grab-bag of reviews later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:01:30
16 Aug 15
We celebrate our first entry of the book reviews with George RR Martin's A Dance with Dragons, a good complement to my earlier review of Season 5 of the TV series. On the movie front, we have two very different films, Jorge Gutierrez's The Book of Life and a somewhat obscure but quite good Robert Mitchum film, The Yakuza. We also continue with the Attack on Titan manga with reviews of Volume 13 and Volume 14. Look for more TTWC2 and a batch of reviews whose theme is yet to be determined. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:32:13
13 Aug 15
The mascot will come to learn that her little empire is a fragile thing, just as the so-called 'Lord' Gnosis will in Chapter 29 of Tico4. Reviews coming up in the next few days. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 16:04:23
11 Aug 15
Life continues to be cruel in Orguz's Chapter 2 of TTWC2. At the risk of stirring darkness-induced audience apathy, I have to tell you that there's not really a light at the end of the tunnel. Poor old Orguz is a study in a spiral of tragedy. In other news, look for the next chapter of Tico4 on Thursday and more of a mixed media batch of reviews after that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 18:06:33
10 Aug 15
Funny how this weekend thing is increasingly becoming a Monday thing. I could try pleading extenuating circumstances, but we all know that if it weren't for FE14, I'd have time enough to get things out on time. Anyway, let's get on with the show. First things first, I promised you DeepStar Six and here it is, a far more watchable film than I was expecting. From there, I decided to feature Bette Davis with The Dark Horse, All About Eve, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and The Whales of August. And then for randomness' sake, enjoy Sir Alec Guinness trying to pass himself off as a Japanese businessman in A Majority of One. Look for more TTWC2 tomorrow, Tico4 on Thursday and an enemy-themed batch of reviews this weekend. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 14:35:44
04 Aug 15
You may recall back in TTWC1 how King Solon was grieved to learn of his son's defection to Notos. Well, he's not the only royal with those problems. Our poor Goblin friend is dealing with much the same in Orguz's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. And while I haven't decided on a theme for this week's reviews yet, I will say that a certain deep-sea duel in 1989 will find completion. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 18:16:51
03 Aug 15
Those of you following the blog should already know about Tzipi's Garden, a Cross Arc story of the Fifth Empire Cycle. Well, now you have a teaser to whet your appetite. Also, in anticipation of its pending resumption, I've filled out the table of contents for Everyday Magic and did the preliminary legwork getting the file structure put together for both it and Junker Jorg. More TTWC2 coming up next. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 18:24:31
02 Aug 15
I decided that this week's theme would be Michael Biehn's troubled career as a Navy SEAL in Navy SEALs, The Abyss, and The Rock. From The Abyss, we go to its rival Leviathan and taking Leviathan's lead Peter Weller, we get The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimsension. Speaking of Peter Weller, I'm going to have to have a RoboCop week in the near future, but I should try to catch the remake first to round out the list. I also need to hunt down DeepStar Six so I can have the complete collection of dueling deep-sea movie of 1989. As for other events on the site, we continue with Orguz in TTWC2 and there's no telling what I'll do for reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:06:39
28 Jul 15
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, a reality we'll see in abundance as we start in with a new lead in Orguz's prologue of TTWC2. Look for more Tico4 and reviews later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:50:41
27 Jul 15
There's not really a theme this week, but our first two items are movies about stuff their directors thought were cool, Luc Besson's The Fifth Element and Guillermo del Toro's Pacific Rim. If I had a movie from the Aughts, we'd have samples from each of the past five decades, but The Wolverine was 2013 like Pacific Rim. The 70s and the 80s are represented by Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Clue. We start on Orguz's section of TTWC2 tomorrow and kick off the final battle of Tico4 on Thursday. As for the week's reviews, it may wind up being another grab-bag. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:22:06
21 Jul 15
We bring our time with the Knight of Chaos to a close with Caligo's epilogue of TTWC2. Next week we'll pick things up with perhaps the most sympathetic lead in TTWC2 (though that's admittedly a low bar). Look for the reviews later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:37:58
20 Jul 15
The Duke does his take on Dirty Harry with McQ and Brannigan. We also have another of his later films with Cahill, US Marshal and one where he just plays an old man with She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. Then there's Volume 11 and Volume 12 of the Attack on Titan manga. We wrap up Caligo's section of TTWC2 tomorrow and I may just have a grab-bag of reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 02:08:26
17 Jul 15
The mascot has something to say to the apprentice junior mascot, much as words get exchanged in Chapter 27 of Tico4. This marks the end of the buildup. Starting next time, we dive right into the climactic final battle. Look forward to that and in the meantime, reviews coming up this weekend. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:03:49
14 Jul 15
You know what's important in life, even in the heart of darkness? Companionship. Unless of course said companionship comes to you in a mockery of the laws of Nature, as we find in Caligo's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. It's hard to believe it, but we're almost done with Sir Caligo. Next week will be the end for him and then we move on to King Orguz. In the meantime, look for the next chapter of Tico4 and some John Wayne-centric reviews later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:06:27
11 Jul 15
I decided that we'd go to the wax museum this week, starting with 1933's Mystery of the Wax Museum, its 1953 remake House of Wax and the utter rubbish 2005 remake, also named House of Wax, but taken literally because the filmmakers are morons. We've also got Volume 9 and Volume 10 of the Attack on Titan manga and just to mix things up (and not because I accidentally pulled the poster and decided to go ahead and post the review), Castle Siege: The Movie, otherwise known as Ironclad. Keep an eye out for more TTWC2 and Tico4 next week and maybe a look to that real American hero the Duke for reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:35:27
07 Jul 15
Conflict! The war rages on in Caligo's Chapter 4 of TTWC2. I still haven't decided on a theme for the reviews later in the week, so I guess it'll be a surprise. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:53:43
06 Jul 15
The youngest members of the audience may not be aware of this, but there was a time when Disney appeared to be in a death spiral, but then it turned things around, leading to what some people call the Revival Era. I already have a review of Frozen up, but I thought I should add the other films in the period, so we've got reviews of The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and Big Hero 6. We also have a TV review for the recently wrapped Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? As always, expect more TTWC2 coming up. I haven't decided on a theme for the week's reviews, though. I'll probably do some more manga reviews of Attack on Titan. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 01:26:00
03 Jul 15
We find the mascot in bed with a mysterious newcomer, a fitting metaphor for the conspiracy chicanery in Chapter 26 of Tico4. By the by, said newcomer is the latest addition to the team, currently putting in her time as an apprentice junior mascot. Look for the reviews coming up soon. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:50:35
01 Jul 15
The dusky lady surveys the battle from on high, not unlike what you'll see in Caligo's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. I know this is a little late, but I had orientation to go to. Look for the latest chapter of Tico4 in the next day or two and some Disney reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 02:51:46
27 Jun 15
Fans of the Bard, I have some goodies for you. I have Laurence Olivier's Hamlet and Othello and Orson Welles' Macbeth, Othello and Chimes at Midnight. Look for more TTWC2 and Tico4 next week and perhaps some selections from the Disney Revival for reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:09:03
23 Jun 15
Now there's a face that's ready for action. We'll need to see similar resolve in Caligo's Chapter 2 of TTWC2. Looking out on the horizon, for this week's reviews, I'm thinking of something a little Shakespearean. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:33:03
21 Jun 15
I wasn't expecting a family film outing so soon, but as a result, I've got another opening weekend review with Pixar's Inside Out. As for the promised topic for this week, I've got not only Speed and Speed 2: Cruise Control, but also the 1936 Speed. Should satisfy your need for speed. Also, seeing as how it wrapped last Sunday, here's my review of Season 5 of Game of Thrones, the first live-action entry into the TV section. With Fire Emblem if set to come out soon, I pushed through to messily get through the end of Kakusei, so here's my review of Fire Emblem: Awakening and because I beat it last year, have a review of Fire Emblem: Sacred Stones as well. I'm trying to resume FE6, but it's kicking my tail. I've been spoiled by the easier entries in the franchise. In other news, look for more TTWC2 next week and a theme for reviews yet to be announced. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:39:38
19 Jun 15
The junior mascot faces down the mascot who trained her, not entirely unlike the goings-on in Chapter 25 of Tico4. How will the Saratoga's hunt for the Ticonderoga turn out? Read on and see. Also be looking for the latest batch of reviews coming up soon. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 20:18:30
16 Jun 15
The children of darkness slumber, but the time to awaken draws nigh. Here's Caligo's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. Look for more Tico4 Thursday and reviews on the weekend. Besides the need for speed I mentioned earlier, I might be doing my first live action TV review of a certain show who's season finale dropped Sunday. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 18:13:33
13 Jun 15
I promised competing war movies and you can't get much more opposed than John Wayne's The Green Berets versus Oliver Stone's Platoon. But enough of that. Chris Pratt on a motorcycle with his raptor posse! It's Jurassic World, in theaters now. Seriously, people, go see it. And for a much less grim military-themed movie from 1986, enter the danger zone with Top Gun. Last but not least, we have something I was up until about 0800 this morning watching, No Game No Life. Look for more TTWC2 and Tico4 next week and reviews with a need for speed. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 23:28:35
09 Jun 15
Do glowy-eyed critters give you the heebie-jeebies? Imagine driving home at night out in the backwoods and your headlights setting off dozens of those glowy eyes. Pleasant dreams. Yes, giving vampires they glowy eyes certainly ramps up the creepiness factor, and on that note, I bring you Caligo's prologue of TTWC2. Hopefully you enjoy the coming seven weeks with our boy Sir Caligo. I mentioned my idea of war movies for the reviews this week. I may just do a point/counterpoint of two war movies specifically at odds with each other. Other than that, there's a certain movie coming out this week that may get featured as well. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:36:48
07 Jun 15
I was going to split this into two parts, but I decided to go ahead and have one giant blowout. (It also saves me the trouble of re-indexing one day after another.) For last week's update, I promised something Caesarian, so here it is: the 1945 adapatation of George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra, the 1953 version of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, and the infamous Elizabeth Taylor vehicle Cleopatra. I joked about it during the update with the Alien tetralogy, so here's Alien Nation and because that movie stars Mandy Patinkin, let's add The Princess Bride. I've also got a couple Tyrone Power films: King of the Khyber Rifles and Witness for the Prosecution. Last but not least, we have one of the primary culprits behind my missing last week's update: Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4 of Azumanga-Daioh. I said the format for the comic/manga reviews gave me problems. You try writing about the story in a slice of life 4-koma gag series. I don't feel my reviews do the material much justice, but I can't let myself get hung up on them any longer. You'll also notice that the movie section has gotten long enough that I split it into two pages. I decided that for the sake of mobile and low bandwidth readers, I'd limit the picture index to 50 entries per page. And now that all that's taken care of, look for us to get started in on Caligo's section of TTWC2 in a couple days and as for the next batch of reviews, I'm thinking about some war movies. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:16:49
04 Jun 15
The mascot rages against her confinement with a single skyward scream. Our gang, however, may well be on the road to normalization in Chapter 24 of Tico4. And now that the pieces are in place, we're going to start barreling toward the grand finale. In other news, look for back-to-back review postings. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 20:36:32
02 Jun 15
Today we bid farewell to the Spider Queen with Arachne's Epilogue of TTWC2. This is also the end to our revisiting of the "Ayame and the Spider" photo series. From here on out, TTWC2 will continue to be represented by the Mascot Auxiliary. Look for the Knight of Chaos Sir Caligo to rise to the fore next week. He happens to be my favorite of the TTWC2 leads. Maybe you'll think so as well. Moving on, we've got a new chapter of Tico4 coming up Thursday and we're going to have two review posts to make up for missing last week's deadline. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 18:24:23
26 May 15
We're almost done with our fun with spiders with Arachne's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. Just one more week and we'll be moving on to our next lead. Looks for more reviews later on in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 23:08:14
25 May 15
Circumstances have prevented me from getting this out sooner. However, rather than skipping an update, I'm pressing forward. I'm happy to present the entire tetralogy of the the Alien franchise: Alien, Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. I planned on trolling you a bit by adding Alien Nation to the list, but I didn't have the chance to watch it before the week's activities began. Instead, I present Volume 1 of Azumanga-Daioh, a change of pace from all the Attack on Titan I've been doing lately. In other news, we've got more TTWC2 tomorrow and more reviews that may or may not have a theme to them. I'm thinking something Caesarian. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 05:11:10
22 May 15
The mascot speaks to you from a cage as a symbol. She is in a cage because you are in a cage. You have lived your life in the cage, so you never even saw the bars. Open your eyes See the bars that confine you and rebel, rebel against the humiliation of your birthright, the cage they would have you live and die in. *beat* If you like demagoguery like that, get another helping of it in Chapter 23 of Tico4. In other news, reviews coming up soon. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:19:34
19 May 15
What's new with our spider friend? Find out in Arachne's Chapter 4 of TTWC2. Look for the latest chapter of Tico4 and a bunch of reviews brought to you by the letter A later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:02:33
17 May 15
*sigh* Late again. Well, so it goes. This week's theme is movies about what Denarian Saal would call "a bunch of a-holes": Guardians of the Galaxy, Stanley Kubrick's adaptation of Lolita and Reflections in a Golden Eye. I'll let you decide whether or not the a-holes involved are or are not 100% dicks. (Yes, yes, I'm being rather low-brow today, but if you see the first movie on today's list, you'll be in on the joke.) Besides movies, we've also got Volume 7 and Volume 8 of the Attack on Titan manga. Some of the above may apply there too. Friggin' MPs. ^o^
We draw ever closer to the end of Arache's section of TTWC2 next week and more of Tico2. As for next week's reviews, I'm thinking about a trip to space, where no one can hear you scream. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 01:28:40
12 May 15
I was almost late again on the update, but I managed to remember it in time. We've got more fun with our spidery protagonist this week with Arachne's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. I haven't committed to a theme for this week's reviews yet, so I guess it'll be a surprise for everyone. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:23:47
10 May 15
Yes, yes, late again. Seems to be a trend this week. By the time I get back into the swing of things, things are going to get disrupted again. Well, anyway, let's get on with the show. Following last week's review of Avengers 2, I've got some more comic-based movies for you with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past. We've also got Volume 5 and Volume 6 of the Attack on Titan manga. Lastly, we have a review of an anime series that wrapped earlier this year, Maria the Virgin Witch. Look for more TTWC2 next week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:41:32
07 May 15
Both the mascot and Marshal Graves are busy getting ready for company in Chapter 22 of Tico4. Look for some reviews tomorrow or the day after. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:43:16
06 May 15
This post is a day late, but out of sensitivity to the French, I couldn't have a post on Cinco de Mayo. Ha ha. No, I just didn't hop on it as soon as I should've. Still a little out of it. Anyway, here's Arachne's Chapter 2 of TTWC2. Look for the next chapter of Tico4 tomorrow and some more reviews after that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:27:43
02 May 15
We've got a change of pace with my reviews with a couple flicks currently in theaters: Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ex Machina. We also continue our manga review of Attack on Titan with Volume 3 and Volume 4. And then the black sheep of the bunch is The Swan Princess. Next week we have more TTWC2 and Tico4. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:05:33
01 May 15
It's the eighth annual observation of International Ayame Jellybean Day. Raise your glasses to everyone's favorite stubby-tailed mascot. Cheers!
Posted by: James
UTC 20:15:28
26 Apr 15
I've got a couple new Cross Arc teasers I've been hinting at for a while now. If you've been following the blog, you know I've been piddling around on one of them lately. Here they are: Battle School and Princess Protector. I'll admit the title to the latter is a little cornball, but I'm letting my Japanese sensibilities call the shots on this one. Anime fans out there know what I'm talking about. Anyway, hopefully these pique some interest. Look for a story update Tuesday. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:06:38
25 Apr 15
I've got the manga reviews I was talking about last week. We kick things off with All You Need is Kill: Volume 1 and Volume 2, Attack on Titan: Volume 1 and Volume 2, and Volume 1 of Super Dimension Fortress Macross the First. As I've read through all 16 volumes of Attack on Titan currently available almost as soon as I acquired them, you can be expecting more manga reviews to come. In fact, I may start having more diversified review sets. Beyond that, more TTWC2 next week and maybe a couple new teasers before that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:29:29
23 Apr 15
The mascot arrives at the castle for inspection, not unlike the legendary Marshal Graves in Chapter 21 of Tico4. I believe I have some overdue manga reviews to post in the next couple days, so look forward to that. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:06:06
21 Apr 15
I apologize for my absence. It wasn't due to limited Internet access in the course of my travels. A week ago today, I lost a reader, my best reader and my number one fan. She was much more to me than that, but there has not and will likely never be another person so invested in my work and so unflagging in her encouragement. My life is much diminished in her absence and I'll admit that for a moment I considered abandoning my work entirely as a fruitless vanity, but considering her support over the years, it would be a more fitting tribute to continue on. It is a great regret that I failed to grant her wish to see my work in print during her lifetime and though I've stated an ambivalence to publication in the past, I will certainly renew my efforts once I achieve a little more financial stability. In the meantime, I need to move forward, but her memory will never be far.
Moving on with the show, I'm reviving the "Ayame and the Spider" series from several years back due to its thematic relation to our new lead character. We kick things off with Arachne's prologue of TTWC2. I'll be making up for the missed Tico4 chapter later in the week and may post a slightly larger review update as well. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 14:50:51
14 Apr 15
We send off the big bad of the Chaos Dominion with surprisingly little ceremony because I'm hungry and I want to go eat. Here's the Monarch Lich's epilogue of TTWC2. I might've at least found a picture to accompany the update otherwise, but I'm having a rare moment of consistent Internet access at this hotel, so I'm making the most of it. I'm not sure just yet as to whether or not I'll be able to get any more updates out this week, but if I can, you'll be seeing a new chapter of Tico4 out Thursday and then the reviews Friday or Saturday. I'm thinking of getting some manga reviews up, so if I can make that happen, be on the lookout for it. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:01:23
11 Apr 15
I'm coming to you live from Japan, sitting in my hotel lobby while I wait for the ATMs to open. What better time for a review? (Also, the wi-fi's down in the rooms.) Now, it'd be thematic to have a Japan-centric batch of reviews, but instead I'm going to give you the movies I saw on the flight over here. We've got two films that wowed last year: Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Interstellar, plus that old classic The NeverEnding Story. And just to mix things up, I've got a couple bad movies as well: American Cyborg: Steel Warrior, and the proto-Rush Hour Collision Course. I don't know what my Internet access is going to look like next week, so any updates will come as I have access, if I have access Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:00:23
07 Mar 15
The Dark Queen looks down on you in displeasure. Expect a similar look in the Monarch Lich's Chapter 5 of TTWC2. As far as update go over the next couple weeks, we're just going to play it by ear. If I've got a connection, I'll do an update. Whether or not I decide to double up to make up for missed updates when I get back remains an open question. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:43:37
03 Apr 15
In light of current releases, here's a review of Fast and Furious. What? That isn't what you were expecting? Huh... Well, anyway, it's a week of crime and punishment with four Perry Mason movies: The Case of the Black Cat, The Case of the Lucky Legs, The Case of the Stuttering Bishop, and The Case of the Velvet Claws. For TV, we also have Death Note. I can at least guarantee the next chapter of TTWC2 next week and hopefully I'll have an answer about what I'm going to do during my vacation to Japan. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:21:17
02 Apr 15
Curl up and settle in for Chapter 20 of Tico4. This is a nice little breather before the Mutiny Arc goes full-bore straight to the end. In other news, reviews coming up tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:09:23
28 Mar 15
I said we were swashbuckling this week and here we are. We start off with a trio of Errol Flynn flicks: Captain Blood, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Sea Hawk. We also have the Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Robin Hood rip-off The Flame and the Arrow and the 1952 version The Prisoner of Zenda. More TTWC2 and Tico4 up next week. Don't know if I'll have a theme for the reviews next week or not. It'll be surprise. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 20:59:31
24 Mar 15
The Dominion is preparing a little present for Zephyr in the Monarch Lich's Chapter 3 of TTWC2. In other news, I've got a trip to Japan coming up and Internet access is bound to be spotty. I haven't decided if I'll provide extra content before I leave or just go a couple weeks without updates. I'll let you know when I've made up my mind. In the meantime, look for a special swashbuckling update Friday or Saturday. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:22:09
21 Mar 15
I've shown my sensitivity to the Irish in general and my Irish ancestors specifically by waiting until today to post my review of Blown Away (1994) and have added another movie about the IRA, Odd Man Out. (Hey, if TCM thought it was fine to play on St. Paddy's Day, I should be able to post a review four days later.) To mix things up with a little Latin flavor, I've also got Captain from Castile and The Three Caballeros. The real odd man out is the rather meh Knight Without Armor, unless the thought of seeing Marlene Dietrich's bare shoulders a couple times is enough to keep you warm through the Siberian winter. In other news, I decided to make foreign language titles a subheading in the individual articles so it all displays a little cleaner. I'm thinking about some swashbuckling next week. Look for that and for the next chapter of TTWC2. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:46:54
19 Mar 15
The mascot is shocked at the latest surprising turn of events. Check it out for yourself in Chapter 19 of Tico4. The sierra is real and it has struck the oscillator. In other news, look for new reviews in a day or two. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 07:20:39
17 Mar 15
The spies of the Lord of Shadow are always watching. Today we have the Monarch Lich's Chapter 2 of TTWC2. In light of St. Patrick's Day, I briefly considered posting my review of the mediocre 1994 mad bomber thriller Blown Away (not to be confused with the 1993 film of the same title which appears to be worse), but that'd probably be insensitive. The ghosts of my Irish forebears would probably haunt me for it, so content yourself with this week's chapter instead. Look for the next chapter of Tico4 later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:02:41
14 Mar 15
For this week's reviews, we have a selection of recent videogames. We have the reasons I got a WiiU with Hyrule Warriors and Super Smash Bros. for WiiU, one of the reasons I got a 3DS with The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, and why I got a 2DS with Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, plus the inspiration for this last decision, the director's cut of Shantae: Risky's Revenge. By and large, I play the Japanese version of games, but for the convenience of my English-speaking audience, I index them by their NA titles. Obviously, the rating of "Watch It" would be "Play It" for video games (except for maybe MGS4). Now I need to think about some book and comic/manga reviews so all the sections have representation. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:55:20
10 Mar 15
Surely you didn't think I'd be forgetting my bread and butter with all this review hubbub. (You might be forgiven for thinking so if you follow my progress on the blog.) Tellus Tuesday continues with the Monarch Lich's Chapter 1 of TTWC2. Remember that Tico4 updates continue to be every other week, but there'll be more reviews Friday or Saturday. Now let's see if I can get some actual novel writing done. I'd like to finish Tico4 this week, so let's see if I can make it happen. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:18:26
This is the last of the initial series of reviews. I thought I'd add some entries to the TV section with a selection of recent anime, with major hits like Attack on Titan and Kill La Kill to more low-key series like Maria Holic Alive and Xam'd: Lost Memories and the somewhat obscure Mysterious Girlfriend X. And now we can shift into a weekly schedule, so I'll be back again Friday or Saturday, maybe with some video game reviews. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 03:26:11
09 Mar 15
Arabian nights, like Arabian days, more often than not are hotter than hot in a lot of good ways, or that's what people tell me. Now, you'd think that Disney's Aladdin would be included in today's batch, but you'd be wrong. Maybe it'll show up in a Disney Renaissance post. What I have for you today are The Thief of Bagdad (1924) and its better known 1940 remake, Kismet, and Lawrence of Arabia. And because I like to mix things up, I also have 47 Ronin. I'm perhaps one of the only people who would have 47 Ronin anywhere near Lawrence of Arabia, but therein lies my whimsy. One more entry in the inaugural event to go. Now that I've got a decent list of movies started, perhaps I'll turn my attention to one of the other sections. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 19:59:05
08 Mar 15
I've got some more reviews for you. We start of with an Orson Welles trio of The Lady From Shanghai, The Third Man, and Touch of Evil. We also have something special for you, sports fans, The Great Santini. Last and—to be brutally honest—least of the bunch is The Cell. A lot of the films in my backlog can be clustered into themes, so I may lean toward doing things like that. Hard to say if I can wait until October to release my reviews of the Hellraiser franchise. We'll see what comes next. Two more updates like this until I switch to the regular weekly schedule. Will one of your favorites show up? Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:59:39
07 Mar 15
I found myself writing a bunch of reviews today, so I decided to bundle up a few representing all the movies that I watched today. I think I'll do this a few more day until there's a decent stock built up, then I'll just do a cluster of about five or so on Fridays or Saturdays, excepting opening night reviews of new releases. In case the first entry had you thinking I was going to be covering old films exclusively, we have several more recent releases here. We have Edge of Tomorrow, Frozen, Maleficent, The Lego Movie, and just to mix things up, the 1937 mystery/comedy Super-Sleuth. Because these are rather short, it doesn't take me too long to churn them out and I have a backlog of over 100 films to cover. I plan on having a standing buffer of about 20 reviews on hand for a rainy day. I also need to think about adding reviews for other media as well, but a lot of that'll have to go on the back burner for now. Who knows what manner of assortment I'll have waiting for you tomorrow? Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 08:08:53
06 Mar 15
I so rarely post twice in a single day that I had to dip into the archives to ensure I was consistent on the format. It's somewhat unprecedented to unveil two new features in a single week, but allow me to present James' Reviews. Now, I don't plan on becoming a serious critic or anything. This is just a fun little addition to the site. We kick things off with a brief review of 55 Days at Peking, a 1963 epic starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner and David Niven that I watched earlier in the week. I plan on having at least one review out a week, but depending on how much I get into it, there may well be more. Don't let the first entry fool you. I'll be doing bleeding edge media as well as old classics. With the summer blockbuster season fast approaching, I'll be hopping on some the big ones, so look forward to that. If I need to clarify things about how these reviews work, I'll do so as it comes up. In the meantime, enjoy.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:51:55
The government is not at all hiding from the current storm of allegations leveled against it by the media. Whatever would make you think that? See the government's response for yourself in Chapter 18 of Tico4. In two weeks we'll start the story's Mutiny Arc, so look forward to that. More TTWC2 in the interim as well plus something else new in the offing. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 06:56:15
03 Mar 15
I'm changing things up. Because I've been making such good progress on TTWC3 over the past week, I don't see any reason to give myself two years of serializing TTWC2 before I get to it. As such, I'm inaugurating Tellus Tuesday. Basically, Tellus Arc stories are going to be a weekly feature for the foreseeable future. And we start things off with the debut of The Trident War Chronicles: Volume II - The Book of the Darklands. We kick things off with the Introduction and The Monarch Lich's Prologue. You can tell we're shaking things up by today's representation from the Mascot Auxiliary. (See how there's two of them because it's Volume II and they're black 'cause it's all about the Darklands. Clever, right?) I don't know if I have enough pictures of them to keep the joke running for all 56 chapters, but I'll see what I can do.
In case you're worrying about Tico4, the latest chapter is still coming out this week. Serials from the other arcs will remain on a biweekly basis for the time being, but if I think I have sufficient lead time, I may bump up the schedule to a weekly one in the near future. Also, if you've been reading the blog, you may be aware of another feature I'm thinking about debuting later in the week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 09:15:17
12 Feb 15
The mascot prepares for a confrontation with her archnemesis, much like our heroine in Corona's Chapter 5 of TTWC1. The week after next will mark the end of TTWC1 and from there we can start to look at things from the Darklanders' perspective. Before that, though, we've got to see how things are going in Tico4. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 23:17:33
05 Feb 15
The mascot is watching you. That isn't really thematically related to today's chapter, but it's something worth knowing. Here's Chapter 16 of Tico4. The temperature's rising and it's just a matter of time before it all boils over. In other news, we've got the big showdown between Corona and Xorgoth next week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 00:39:02
29 Jan 15
Sometimes even though you want them to stay, they must go. So it is in Corona's Chapter 4 of TTWC1. That anniversary content I promised is still on the way and of course the torture by news organization will be continuing in Tico4 next week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 20:44:22
27 Jan 15
Happy anniversary, Palidor Media! It's almost becoming a tradition that I come to the anniversary (mostly) empty-handed. I guess I'm going to have to start the preparations earlier in the future. Kazuya's informed me that if I make him draw and color backgrounds again, he'll kill me. ^_^; His commemorative illustration should be ready in another day or two, as will some of the new content I have waiting in the wings. I will go ahead and tell you the plan for the year, so this won't be a total wash.
As you know, TTWC1 will be wrapping in four weeks. From there we'll move on to TTWC2, then TTWC3 and then on to The Brothers Pendragon. I may move the update schedule for the Tellus Arc to a weekly basis to move more quickly through The Trident War Chronicles. We'll see. As for the Space Arc, Tico4 will wrap in December and there may be some intermittent shorts, but this will probably go quiet there for a while. To fill in the void, I'll be bringing some Cross Arc content. In October, I'll debut Junker Jorg and I plan to restart Everyday Magic and alternate between the two of them.
Also, I'm going to go forward with launching a sixth Arc, the Else Arc. Basically, the Else Arc will hold any stories that don't fit anywhere else. The rules I apply to the other Arcs won't apply here. Anything goes. To avoid a bunch of broken links, I'm going to retain the "Five Arcs" label, so consider the Else Arc to be a sort of hidden Arc. I'll have some teasers on the way soon. Other than that, look for this week's chapter of TTWC1 and let's see what mischief we can get into this year. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 22:05:46
23 Jan 15
The mascot's eyes are glued to the TV as MCN runs its latest hatchet job in Chapter 15 of Tico4. Although it should go without saying, the ISIS mentioned here and in earlier chapters isn't the one in the news. Unlike Archer, I'm not changing the name of the organization because of those scum. Here, ISIS stands for 'Internal Security Information Service' and is roughly equivalent to our NSA. With that cleared up, look for more Corona next week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:04:35
14 Jan 15
The White Dragon(-cat) does not understand your human emotions. This is a fairly short one, but here's Corona's Chapter 3 of TTWC1. We're halfway through her section. The end is in sight. Meanwhile, more mud's about to be slung in Tico4 next week. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 21:37:02
08 Jan 15
The mascot is looking very serious because there's some heavy stuff going on this week in Chapter 14 of Tico4. In other news, next week we have Corona in the Darklands. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 04:02:25
02 Jan 15
A new year dawns as the White Dragon(-cat) watches over you from atop her perch. Between my wanderings in the wilds and the irresistible lure of my recently acquired copy of Zelda Musou, I've been neglecting my authorial responsibilities, but I haven't forgotten about my readers. Here's Corona's Chapter 2 of TTWC1. Next week we pick up with our gang on the lam in Tico4. Stay tuned.
Posted by: James
UTC 17:04:27