Green Phoenix - Building Better Backstories V

So this editorial was always going to be a real pain in my ass. For one, it seems to have become culturally "cool" to rip into the Star Wars sequel trilogy and mock it relentlessly without taking into account any of the positive traits that the series does possess. And there are a few truly positive elements of the sequel trilogy that I think need to be given their due credit, especially if we are going to try and improve upon the franchise. The trilogy has some truly inspired cinematic and narrative moments that, if properly explored, would've been absolutely inspired.

That being said, I would be lying if I didn't understand and at the very least agree that the Star Wars sequel trilogy overall wasn't a steaming hot mess almost from the word go. Which is a damn shame because the acquisition by Disney had all the hallmarks of being a momentous achievement and a chance to restart the series from all of the enormous weight of the Legends canon; that is the Star Wars material released independent of the Lucas-era films up until the Disney acquisition.

I've known ever since the release of The Rise of Skywalker that some kind of Building Better Backstories was going to be necessary for the sequel trilogy, but I also struggled to figure out how best to fix the franchise.

It will be difficult, but I think I have a solution. It may not contain many specific narrative elements, but we will take a look at what went wrong, what they could've used, and how that might have worked for a better trilogy overall.

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Fidget Spinner (Steam) - PC Game Review

Well, this is a real game title that gives little hope for quality. It was gifted to me as a joke so, I may as well give it a quick review. Click "read more" to see said review.

Green Phoenix - Walking With Beasts Review

 

A few weeks back, I took a look at the BBC Documentary series Walking with Dinosaurs. I've gone on record stating just how much I adored that series and its influence on my cinematic tastes and experiences.

Knowing how important Walking with Dinosaurs was to my childhood and cinematic sensibilities, it really should come to no surprise that I would keep the show going by taking a look at the other entries in the Walking with... franchise at some point down the line.

Well...today is the day.

Released in 2001, 2 years after its predecessor, Walking with Beasts uses the same combination of animatronics and computer-generated imagery to tell the story of life after the extinction of the dinosaurs. With Kenneth Branaugh reprising his narrator role from Walking with Dinosaurs for the British version of the series, Walking with Beasts brings together much of the same crew and team that brought dinosaurs back to life to tell the story of the rise of mammals and their transition into a world dominated by human beings.

But does Walking with Beasts live up to its predecessors legacy? Or was Walking with Dinosaurs to big of a shadow to shine against?

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Chojin Sentai Jetman Episode 2: The Third Warrior - Summary/Review

Back again with more Jetman. The first episode came and went with only 3 Jetmen introduced. So, we continue on to the second episode in order to possibly get the full introduction to this season. Click "read more" for my full coverage.

Something Phishy This Way Comes: Steam "Fraudulent Purchase" Scam is Back. How It Happens, and What You Can Do to Prevent It.

It started as any normal evening; Just browsing the internet, looking for deals, and playing games I liked. I had work the next evening and was already looking to get ready for bed. Then, I get a message on Steam. Someone I don’t know with a familiar name tells me that they had accidentally reported me for a “fraudulent purchase.” It struck me as odd, but not unbelievable, given I was one to occasionally search for cheap games through sites like Fanatical, Green Man Gaming, and occasionally more out of the way sites of potentially ill repute. Thus, I had asked who I had to talk to. I am sent to someone who appears to be a Steam Administrator. The script I had installed to enhance my Steam browsing experience even said as much. I was also given a Discord username to contact, alternatively.

MOP: Operation Cleanup (Playstation 4) Review.

You'd be amazed at how many deep cut PS4 games are so widely overlooked.  (They wouldn't be called deep cuts if they weren't overlooked.)  There's more than you'd think and I am reviewing another one of those games today.  This is MOP: Operation Cleanup for the PS4.  (Click on "Read More" to read the full review.)

Yakuza Kiwami [ps4] reveiw

    Yakuza Kiwami is a remake of the PlayStation 2 classic Yakuza, in which you play as Kazama Kiryu as he fights with many enemies ranging from Yakuza to the Japanese police force. This game is held together by a gripping story, and a beautiful combat system. (note: I haven't played the first yakuza game, so this review isn't a comparison]