Finally, the Eagles have won a Super Bowl. It is the team's first Lombardi Trophy, and the first championship since 1960, before the AFL-NFL merger. That was almost 60 years ago!
The reason the Eagles won is the exact reason I like watching football so much: If you want to win games, you have to play as a team. In baseball, you can win with a couple of sluggers and ace pitchers, but in football, although the quarterback is the most important position, all 11 men on the field have to get the job done. This became obvious to Washington owner and colossal douchebag Daniel Snyder when he tried to play real-life fantasy football and signed a bunch of high-priced players. The team tanked because everyone in the locker room thought they were better than everyone else, and many members of the team hated each other. In 2005, the last time the Eagles got to the Super Bowl, talented but cocky wideout Terrell Owens had a very public beef with then-QB Donovan McNabb and the locker room was fragmented. One of the analysts on the Eagles postgame show (I forget who) even said they should send T.O. to Al-Qaeda so he could tear that organization apart from the inside.
The Eagles were able to play as a team because there were no clashing egos, and most of the players seemed to like each other. That was evident in their sometimes hilarious TD celebrations, and the fact that they worshipped together every week, as evidenced in this video. I still believe that God doesn't care about the outcome of a sporting event, but the fact is that the players are men of faith, and this faith unifies the team.
Finally, they were bitten by the injury bug, losing Darren Sproles, Jason Peters, and, most significantly, starting QB Carson Wentz. Fans were going crazy, but the Eagles didn't panic, and simply asked, "Who's the next man up?" Granted, Nick Foles is one of the better backup QBs in the NFL, and is better than the starters on several teams.
The coaching was great as well. Give credit to head coach Doug Pederson, a former QB himself, because he had the guts to run so many run-pass option plays, and the "Philly Special," which will go down in Eagles history along with the Miracle at the Meadowlands and the fans booing Santa Claus.
Also, many Super Bowls are boring blowouts, or 7-3 defensive duels. This was actually one of the best and most entertaining games I have ever watched. It was the shootout to end all shootouts - There were a total of 1,151 offensive yards, the most in any NFL game, regular season or postseason. There was one punt in the entire game. Zach Ertz' second TD reception was a bit questionable, but God knows the Patriots got enough breaks from the refs this season.
Foles, who was named Super Bowl MVP, was brilliant. He passed for 373 yards and 3 TDs, and even caught a TD reception on the Philly Special play, something Tom Brady was unable to do during a similar play.
So, a lot of people are wondering if this team will stay together. The Eagles will face salary cap issues next season. I think Foles will either start somewhere (many teams like Arizona and Cleveland need starting QBs), or may retire. Why not? He was the Super Bowl MVP, and according to my pastor, wants to become a clergyman after retiring from football. Sproles is old and injury-prone, so he can go, and Jason Peters, as good as he is, costs the team a lot of money and isn't getting any younger.
People are saying this is the start of a dynasty. I won't go that far yet, but Wentz will be back next year, and hopefully many more years, and he is damn good.
For now, let the celebration continue, because the team and the city deserve it. More than 2 million people turned up for the victory parade, because Eagles fans are the greatest fans in the world!
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Tuesday, January 9, 2018
Taking a look at Pixar's latest
I don't try to use spoilers in my reviews, but I will post a spoiler alert just in case...
I had the pleasure of seeing "Cars 3" and "Coco" in the span of a couple of days, and I am glad to see Pixar return to what I hope is a consistent stream of good, original stories.
Let's start with "Cars 3." Most, not all, of us thought "Cars 2" was mediocre trash. I agree with that assessment, and I still believe it was Pixar's worst movie (although I still haven't seen "Brave").
"Cars 3" is what "Cars 2" should have been. "Cars 3" works as a true sequel to the first movie, and continues the story and character arcs, as opposed to the loud, obnoxious mess that was "Cars 2."
In this movie, Lightning McQueen finds himself outrun and outclassed by newer, more advanced race cars. McQueen is at a proverbial crossroads, having to put his massive ego in check and decide where he needs to go with his career.
Paul Newman's Hudson Hornet character gets a larger role here, bringing back some of the heart that made the franchise's first movie good. Also, Larry the Cable Guy's Tow Mater, who was nearly as annoying as Jar Jar Binks in "Cars 2," thankfully only gets a few lines in this outing, Unfortunately, that means a lot of the Radiator Springs gang, like Sally, Luigi and Flo get pushed to the sidelines as well.
Overall, this was an entertaining movie with a great premise that proves that this franchise has some gas left in the tank after all. (Sorry, couldn't resist).
This brings us to "Coco," Pixar's latest film, and the last original film from the animation studio for a while, because most of the upcoming movies are sequels, starting with "The Incredibles 2" in a few months.
"Coco" was, in a word, brilliant. I still have quite a few movies to see, but this was the best movie of 2017 that I have seen so far. It follows Miguel, who finds himself in the Land of the Dead.
I have nothing but good things to say about this movie. The message about the importance of family is spot-on, it shows the power and importance of music, and the animation is dazzling (as it should be for a $200 million production).
Also, I strongly recommend taking your kids (5 and up) to see it. First of all, for the messages above. Secondly, it exposes them to customs of other ethnic groups, particularly Dia Los Muertos. Finally, it may make death less scary to children, because it shows the dead happy, celebrating and having fun.
I am hoping that the Academy sees fit to make this a best picture nominee, but I am guessing it will be nominated for, and likely win in the best animated film category.
Either way, this is a great movie for viewers of all ages.
I had the pleasure of seeing "Cars 3" and "Coco" in the span of a couple of days, and I am glad to see Pixar return to what I hope is a consistent stream of good, original stories.
Let's start with "Cars 3." Most, not all, of us thought "Cars 2" was mediocre trash. I agree with that assessment, and I still believe it was Pixar's worst movie (although I still haven't seen "Brave").
"Cars 3" is what "Cars 2" should have been. "Cars 3" works as a true sequel to the first movie, and continues the story and character arcs, as opposed to the loud, obnoxious mess that was "Cars 2."
In this movie, Lightning McQueen finds himself outrun and outclassed by newer, more advanced race cars. McQueen is at a proverbial crossroads, having to put his massive ego in check and decide where he needs to go with his career.
Paul Newman's Hudson Hornet character gets a larger role here, bringing back some of the heart that made the franchise's first movie good. Also, Larry the Cable Guy's Tow Mater, who was nearly as annoying as Jar Jar Binks in "Cars 2," thankfully only gets a few lines in this outing, Unfortunately, that means a lot of the Radiator Springs gang, like Sally, Luigi and Flo get pushed to the sidelines as well.
Overall, this was an entertaining movie with a great premise that proves that this franchise has some gas left in the tank after all. (Sorry, couldn't resist).
This brings us to "Coco," Pixar's latest film, and the last original film from the animation studio for a while, because most of the upcoming movies are sequels, starting with "The Incredibles 2" in a few months.
"Coco" was, in a word, brilliant. I still have quite a few movies to see, but this was the best movie of 2017 that I have seen so far. It follows Miguel, who finds himself in the Land of the Dead.
I have nothing but good things to say about this movie. The message about the importance of family is spot-on, it shows the power and importance of music, and the animation is dazzling (as it should be for a $200 million production).
Also, I strongly recommend taking your kids (5 and up) to see it. First of all, for the messages above. Secondly, it exposes them to customs of other ethnic groups, particularly Dia Los Muertos. Finally, it may make death less scary to children, because it shows the dead happy, celebrating and having fun.
I am hoping that the Academy sees fit to make this a best picture nominee, but I am guessing it will be nominated for, and likely win in the best animated film category.
Either way, this is a great movie for viewers of all ages.
Monday, December 11, 2017
A painful setback...
I was going to write about some great Pixar movies I was finally able to catch up on, but something more urgent came up. First of all, I have been rolling along for a while. I enjoyed Grange Fair, Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, and a lengthy vacation down south with little fatigue. This all recently came to a screeching halt.
I normally tag along with my wife when she works in Sayre, PA on the New York border because it's a break from the kids and the normal routine, not to mention her company puts us up in a nice hotel where everyone knows us. We arrived there on Tuesday and planned to leave Wednesday. I woke up Wednesday morning and noticed that my right eye was nearly swollen shut. We paid a visit to the ER at Guthrie Hospital in Sayre. They determined it was a superficial infection, gave me an oral antibiotic and sent me on my way. We returned home Wednesday evening.
The next morning, I felt a constant pain on the right side of my forehead. It began to swell and was warm to the touch, sure signs of infection. We then decided to go to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, hoping it was an abscess they could drain. After a head CT, an MRI and a consult with a plastic surgeon, who determined in about 2 minutes she wasn't going to touch it, we needed a neurosurgeon to look at it, because the infection was outside and inside my skull. Mount Nittany's neurosurgeon "left" a few months ago. I am not sure about the circumstances, so that is all I am going to say about that. Meanwhile, my entire face swelled up, and both of my eyes were swollen shut. I was in a good deal of pain.
Since there were no beds available at Hershey, I was transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The neurosurgeon determined, obviously, that all the infection needed to be removed. In order to do that, an infected bone flap on the right side of my head would need to be removed as well. Since they weren't touching my actual brain and I was in a lot of pain, we decided to have the surgery done at Geisinger instead of traveling to Duke. Despite lots of post-surgical pain and a real push for us to choose Geisinger's neuro team over Duke (like that will ever happen), everything went as planned, and the diagnosis was a severe staph infection. We think the surgery and infection a month after the initial surgery was also staph, and may have been misdiagnosed as MRSA.
A few days later, I was discharged. I have to wear a helmet while in motion because part of my skull is missing and my brain is vulnerable. Also, I need to be on IV antibiotics for several weeks, so I have a home pump that administers the medicine. In about 6 months when the infection is completely eradicated, they will put in a prosthetic bone flap. Hopefully, this will be it for infections for quite a while.
I returned home, and all I can seem to do is sleep. I even get winded walking up the stairs of our house. Hopefully I will be rested up enough so I can enjoy the holidays with my family.
This was a whirlwind tour of three hospitals, and I was pleased with the care and nursing at all of them, especially Geisinger. They made sure I wasn't in pain overnight, and I was getting enough sleep. Thanks also to friends and our church family for praying and sending lots of food. Also, thanks as always to my lovely wife, whose life was sent into upheaval once again, as she had to make sure the kids were taken care of, and juggle my care around her work. To add insult to injury, my mother-in-law, Sandy, was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, so Jaci had to drive back and forth between Danville and State College. (Sandy has returned home and is recovering well.) I feel so bad, but so appreciative for everyone who has to alter their schedule when I am stuck in the hospital. Hopefully it will be a long time until my next unplanned visit.
I normally tag along with my wife when she works in Sayre, PA on the New York border because it's a break from the kids and the normal routine, not to mention her company puts us up in a nice hotel where everyone knows us. We arrived there on Tuesday and planned to leave Wednesday. I woke up Wednesday morning and noticed that my right eye was nearly swollen shut. We paid a visit to the ER at Guthrie Hospital in Sayre. They determined it was a superficial infection, gave me an oral antibiotic and sent me on my way. We returned home Wednesday evening.
The next morning, I felt a constant pain on the right side of my forehead. It began to swell and was warm to the touch, sure signs of infection. We then decided to go to Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College, hoping it was an abscess they could drain. After a head CT, an MRI and a consult with a plastic surgeon, who determined in about 2 minutes she wasn't going to touch it, we needed a neurosurgeon to look at it, because the infection was outside and inside my skull. Mount Nittany's neurosurgeon "left" a few months ago. I am not sure about the circumstances, so that is all I am going to say about that. Meanwhile, my entire face swelled up, and both of my eyes were swollen shut. I was in a good deal of pain.
Since there were no beds available at Hershey, I was transported to Geisinger Medical Center in Danville. The neurosurgeon determined, obviously, that all the infection needed to be removed. In order to do that, an infected bone flap on the right side of my head would need to be removed as well. Since they weren't touching my actual brain and I was in a lot of pain, we decided to have the surgery done at Geisinger instead of traveling to Duke. Despite lots of post-surgical pain and a real push for us to choose Geisinger's neuro team over Duke (like that will ever happen), everything went as planned, and the diagnosis was a severe staph infection. We think the surgery and infection a month after the initial surgery was also staph, and may have been misdiagnosed as MRSA.
A few days later, I was discharged. I have to wear a helmet while in motion because part of my skull is missing and my brain is vulnerable. Also, I need to be on IV antibiotics for several weeks, so I have a home pump that administers the medicine. In about 6 months when the infection is completely eradicated, they will put in a prosthetic bone flap. Hopefully, this will be it for infections for quite a while.
I returned home, and all I can seem to do is sleep. I even get winded walking up the stairs of our house. Hopefully I will be rested up enough so I can enjoy the holidays with my family.
This was a whirlwind tour of three hospitals, and I was pleased with the care and nursing at all of them, especially Geisinger. They made sure I wasn't in pain overnight, and I was getting enough sleep. Thanks also to friends and our church family for praying and sending lots of food. Also, thanks as always to my lovely wife, whose life was sent into upheaval once again, as she had to make sure the kids were taken care of, and juggle my care around her work. To add insult to injury, my mother-in-law, Sandy, was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, so Jaci had to drive back and forth between Danville and State College. (Sandy has returned home and is recovering well.) I feel so bad, but so appreciative for everyone who has to alter their schedule when I am stuck in the hospital. Hopefully it will be a long time until my next unplanned visit.
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Another trip to Duke... and a detour!
We loaded up the car, and, along with the kids, we traveled to my bi-monthly scan and consultation at Duke. As most of you saw, judging by the number of likes and comments on Facebook (By the way, thank you!) I had another clear scan.
We then traveled down to Florida to visit Aunt Val and Uncle Biff, and take in a couple of theme parks while we were in the neighborhood. Based on my brother's tips, and other reviews from sites like the DIS, helped to determine what rides we would take in.
We only had the time/money to visit two parks, so we decided on the Magic Kingdom, the first and still the best park in Disney World (although I have never been to Animal Kingdom). The other one was a no-brainer. As a family of Potterheads, we visited both Universal parks.
Our first park was the Magic Kingdom. This is the most visited theme park in the entire world, and it certainly seemed that way when we were there. Waits ranged from 30 minutes (even for the "smaller rides") to 150 minutes. Here are the rides we rode in order.
The Haunted Mansion: 45 minute wait. Still amazing. I still can't figure out how they pull off the effects in here today, let alone in 1971 when they built the attraction. The kids loved it too. Although the ghosts are friendly, some of the darker and/or noisy portions of this ride may scare little ones. This ride is a must-see and is worth waiting in line for.
It's a Small World: 45 minute wait. The costumes, images, music and message make this a timeless classic. No one should leave the Magic Kingdom without riding this.
Peter Pan's Flight had a 90 minute wait, so we skipped it. I remember it being good but not great.
We ate at the Columbia Harbour House for lunch. I had a decent tuna salad sandwich, but like any restaurant in any theme park (with the exception of Knoebels), it was very overpriced.
Splash Mountain was closed for repairs, which sucks, because it's an awesome ride. Also, the Hall of Presidents was closed for refurbishment, which is a bummer because it's fun, and I wanted to boo Trump.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: The sign said the wait was 65 minutes, but the actual wait time was about half that. For my money, this is still the best ride in the park. I should begin by saying that my doctor at Duke and I agreed that I could ride thrill rides as long as there were no inversions. Anyway, this is a smooth, impeccably themed roller coaster. It is thrilling, but not too intense, so the younger set as well as coaster freaks like me can all enjoy it.
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor: 30 minute wait. Like my brother, We were pleasantly surprised by this ride. You can text jokes prior to the ride and some are included in the show. Sadly (and unsurprisingly), none of mine were. They use a person behind the stage and motion-capture technology (used for Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies) to bring this ride to life. The best gag is "that guy." You will have to experience it to see what I mean. Well worth waiting for.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin: 30 minute wait. This is a combination of a ride and shooting gallery, similar to "Men In Black" in Universal. Although this ride is newer and is a decent experience, MiB is better.
Space Mountain: I've been on it, meh. Nowhere near worth the 70 minute wait.
Speedway: This didn't work out because you could only fit two people in a cart, my wife had no interest in the ride and I didn't want to send our 8-year-old on the ride alone. Besides, they are supposedly going to wreck this ride for a "Tron" themed ride.
Tomorrowland People Mover: A 60 minute wait to ride a monorail where the track moves instead of the cars? I don't think so.
Just FYI, Stitch's Great Escape, supposedly a lousy attraction, is closed for renovation.
The relatively new Seven Dwarves Mine Train looked interesting, but no ride is worth waiting 2 1/2 hours for, especially a ride I hear is short and underwhelming.
Mad Tea Party: A great ride, but not worth waiting 50 minutes for.
Dumbo: A 30-minute wait for a ride you can go on at just about any smaller park.
The Barnstormer: 45 minute wait. A Goofy-themed kid's roller coaster. A bit short, but our 8-year old loved it, especially the theming, which included "flying" through a billboard.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Still awesome, and made even better with the addition of characters from the movies. The Jack Sparrow animatronic character used facial mapping technology, and nearly looked real.
Sadly, the Jungle Cruise, one of my favorite rides, had a 70-minute wait, the rugrats were getting tired and we wanted to beat the post-fireworks rush, so we called it a night.
Two days later, we found ourselves in the massive parking garage at Universal Orlando, with my cousin Brian along for the ride. The package we got included Fast Passes which are accepted on almost every ride, but even the standby waits were short, ranging from 5 to 30 minutes.
We proceeded into the park and made our way to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Escape From Gringotts: This ride tries to replicate the opening scene from the eighth Harry Potter movie, in which Harry, Hermione and Ron break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. They eventually ride a dragon out of the bank. This is a fun, exciting ride that uses a combination of 3D and animatronic technology. I would wait up to 60 minutes for this ride.
We looked in some shops, including Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Hopefully the candy sold in the store, such as Puking Pastilles, doesn't have the same effect it did in the books and movies.
We didn't have time to ride all rides at both parks, mainly because they closed at 7:00. We had to pick and choose the rides.
The Simpsons Ride: I don't like this ride on principle because it replaced the fabulous Back to the Future ride, based on my favorite movie. At least the DeLorean and the time traveling steam engine were still there. That out of the way, The ride is a motion simulator using an IMAX-sized screen. This was a funny, crazy ride that is more rough and intense than its predecessor, especially the part where Maggie uses your ride vehicle as a pacifier. Really. I would like to ride this again sometime because I am sure there are a lot of jokes I missed. I would wait up to 45 minutes for this ride.
We ate at Fast Food Blvd. for a healthy lunch. Some of us got the Krusty Burger, which was supposedly good, others got the aptly named Heat Lamp Hot Dog, and I got a Sideshow Bob Footlong, which was loaded with chili, onions and kraut. Yummy. Did I mention how expensive theme park food is?
Men in Black Alien Attack: Like I mentioned before, this is a shooting gallery ride similar to the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Magic Kingdom. This is executed better because of more elaborate theming, targets that are easier to hit, and the fact that the front and back rows compete for the high score, and a high enough score qualifies you to join the MiB. Needless to say, we did not qualify. Lots of spinning, so steer clear if you have a weak stomach. This WAS my favorite ride at Universal (keep reading), but I would still wait a good 60 minutes to get on this ride.
We decided it was time to get to the other park, so we high-tailed it to Platform 9 3/4 and boarded the Hogwarts Express. If you look out the windows, you see projections of London, the British countryside, and the Dementors stop by to try and steal your soul. Also, the Weasley twins make an appearance to promote their joke shop in Diagon Alley.
At Hogsmeade (the village outside of Hogwarts Castle) there was snow on the roofs of the buildings. There was a presentation inside the wand shop called "The Wand Chooses the Wizard" in which a lucky kid is plucked out of the audience and gets to try out wands. Like in the movie, the first two wands break light bulbs and knock things over, and the third wand glows, and is a match for the wizard. To answer a question Adam had, yes, the person chosen to test the wand has to buy it for the exorbitant $40-50 they charge in order to keep it. Our 8-year old and I bought the wand of our favorite character, Sirius Black, and our 7-year old bought Harry Potter's wand.
Also, if you buy an "active" wand, you can wave it at certain spots in the park to cause actions like a fountain spitting water at you, a frog croaking, etc. This was a lot of fun.
Flight of the Hippogriff: This is another good kids' coaster, similar to Goofy's Barnstormer ride. Not as much theming as its counterpart, and it is a short ride, but the important thing is the 8-year old loved it.
By the way, Dueling Dragons is history, and will be replaced by another roller coaster, which could be any number of themes. I won't even try to guess.
We then went to The Lost Continent, where we were greeted by the Enchanted Fountain. Obviously the voice of the fountain was nearby, because it interacted with us. The highlight was when our 8-year old waved his wand at the fountain, and the fountain responded by spitting water at him.
Jaci and the kids went on to Seuss Landing, while Brian and I rode Poseidon's Fury, which is essentially a special effects show with lots of fire, water and lasers. This may be a little dark and loud for smaller kids, and you have to stand for the entire ride. I would wait no longer than 20-25 minutes for this.
We then met up in Seuss Landing. Very good theming. I wonder if the designers of this park were on something...
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: Another small spinning ride like Dumbo. What sets this apart is the fact that water is getting squirted at you from all directions. I was riding with our 8-year old, and, of course, he deliberately moved the fish up and down into the water jets. Guess who was sitting on the outside and got drenched?
Cat in the Hat: A fun family-friendly ride, and a good adaptation of the book into this format, sometimes quoting the book line-for-line. It almost got rid of my memories of the awful Mike Myers live-action movie. Almost. Well worth a 30-minute wait.
We then hopped the train back to the other park, and caught a couple of good rides on the way out.
Revenge of the Mummy: This was my first time on this ride, and is my new favorite ride at Universal. It combines a dark ride with a coaster, and has some crazy coaster elements like drops that seem taller than they are (The longest drop is only 39 feet), launches, helixes, and some genuine moments of airtime. Very impressive for an indoor coaster. I don't want to give anything away, but the last 45 seconds or so are crazy! I would easily wait up to 90 minutes to get on to this ride.
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon: This entertaining ride, the newest in the park, has the entire theater (72 people) as a motion simulator vehicle. You race the Tonight Show host through the Big Apple as he throws pizza at you, and even uses a T-shirt cannon, reminiscent of Fozzie the Bear's "cheap 3D tricks" in the incomparable "Muppetvision 4D" ride at Disney. This ride may be a bit bumpy for the smallest children, but is not dark or scary. This ride uses a "virtual line," meaning you must have an express pass or reservation for the ride, and there are no "lines" per se. You can freely roam around in the lobby and second floor. In the lobby, which is decorated with memorabilia from former "Tonight Show" hosts (even Conan O'Brien), an "NBC Page" will give you a color-coded studio pass, and you proceed to the second floor to board the ride. Meanwhile, you will be entertained by Hashtag the Panda and/or the Ragtime Gals. Overall, a fun and entertaining experience.
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I wasn't permitted to ride anything that turns me upside down, so that ruled out The Hulk and the Rip, Ride, Rockit Coaster. Also, I heard the Forbidden Journey was a very intense ride, so I skipped that as well. Brian said the Forbidden Journey was less intense than the Escape From Hogwarts, which I did go on. He also said he hated the over-the-shoulder harnesses on the Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster because he kept banging his head on them.
Overall impressions: I liked Universal better because it was much less crowded and the lines were significantly shorter than the Magic Kingdom. I may have thought the opposite if the lines were long in Universal.
The theming in both areas of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was impeccable. The King's Cross station seemed dirty, and Hogwarts (we went through the line but didn't get on the ride) was replicated perfectly, down to the moving paintings, including the Fat Lady. The areas in Diagon Alley had signs for "pram parking," a Britishism for stroller. I only wish they also had "Way Out" (exit) signs and "WC" (restroom) signs. Finally, they needed a "Mind the Gap" sign in the train station.
I have been to the Magic Kingdom a few times, but this time was different because I got to see it through my children's eyes for the first time. They got tired and cranky, but they had a great time. We all saw Harry Potter for the first time, and we were overwhelmed. I wanted a hat and a robe, but the wand was so expensive, we had to stop there. Maybe next time.
Now it's time to thank people who helped us on the trip.
Aunt Val and Uncle Biff: My aunt and uncle graciously let us crash at their place north of Orlando. We basically invaded their house for a week and ate their food. They gave us nothing but hospitality and kindness. Also, there were two pools in their community, one of them heated. I haven't taken a swim for a while, and the dips in the pool felt great.
Jaci: Sadly, my lovely wife was stuck doing all of the driving. I can't drive because of a seizure risk. Some of it was stressful, including the stretch on I-95, America's Main Street.
Fred and Sandy: They visited our house daily to feed the cat, and clean the litterbox. Amelia was considerably more chunky when we got home. Hmmm......
Universal Studios Orlando: Because of my illness, they offered my family 30 percent off two-park tickets and complimentary Fast Passes. Considering the cost of theme park admission these days, that is a good discount. It should be noted that Disney World did not offer anything. In both cases, I won't forget this.
Jill: Jaci's coworker generously donated her vacation time so we could extend ours.
One of Jaci's Facebook friends, who is a travel agent, gave us a gift card for Disney.
Finally, thanks to all family and friends who were excited for us to go, and gave us tips and suggestions on how to navigate the parks.
We then traveled down to Florida to visit Aunt Val and Uncle Biff, and take in a couple of theme parks while we were in the neighborhood. Based on my brother's tips, and other reviews from sites like the DIS, helped to determine what rides we would take in.
We only had the time/money to visit two parks, so we decided on the Magic Kingdom, the first and still the best park in Disney World (although I have never been to Animal Kingdom). The other one was a no-brainer. As a family of Potterheads, we visited both Universal parks.
Our first park was the Magic Kingdom. This is the most visited theme park in the entire world, and it certainly seemed that way when we were there. Waits ranged from 30 minutes (even for the "smaller rides") to 150 minutes. Here are the rides we rode in order.
The Haunted Mansion: 45 minute wait. Still amazing. I still can't figure out how they pull off the effects in here today, let alone in 1971 when they built the attraction. The kids loved it too. Although the ghosts are friendly, some of the darker and/or noisy portions of this ride may scare little ones. This ride is a must-see and is worth waiting in line for.
It's a Small World: 45 minute wait. The costumes, images, music and message make this a timeless classic. No one should leave the Magic Kingdom without riding this.
Peter Pan's Flight had a 90 minute wait, so we skipped it. I remember it being good but not great.
We ate at the Columbia Harbour House for lunch. I had a decent tuna salad sandwich, but like any restaurant in any theme park (with the exception of Knoebels), it was very overpriced.
Splash Mountain was closed for repairs, which sucks, because it's an awesome ride. Also, the Hall of Presidents was closed for refurbishment, which is a bummer because it's fun, and I wanted to boo Trump.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: The sign said the wait was 65 minutes, but the actual wait time was about half that. For my money, this is still the best ride in the park. I should begin by saying that my doctor at Duke and I agreed that I could ride thrill rides as long as there were no inversions. Anyway, this is a smooth, impeccably themed roller coaster. It is thrilling, but not too intense, so the younger set as well as coaster freaks like me can all enjoy it.
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor: 30 minute wait. Like my brother, We were pleasantly surprised by this ride. You can text jokes prior to the ride and some are included in the show. Sadly (and unsurprisingly), none of mine were. They use a person behind the stage and motion-capture technology (used for Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies) to bring this ride to life. The best gag is "that guy." You will have to experience it to see what I mean. Well worth waiting for.
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin: 30 minute wait. This is a combination of a ride and shooting gallery, similar to "Men In Black" in Universal. Although this ride is newer and is a decent experience, MiB is better.
Space Mountain: I've been on it, meh. Nowhere near worth the 70 minute wait.
Speedway: This didn't work out because you could only fit two people in a cart, my wife had no interest in the ride and I didn't want to send our 8-year-old on the ride alone. Besides, they are supposedly going to wreck this ride for a "Tron" themed ride.
Tomorrowland People Mover: A 60 minute wait to ride a monorail where the track moves instead of the cars? I don't think so.
Just FYI, Stitch's Great Escape, supposedly a lousy attraction, is closed for renovation.
The relatively new Seven Dwarves Mine Train looked interesting, but no ride is worth waiting 2 1/2 hours for, especially a ride I hear is short and underwhelming.
Mad Tea Party: A great ride, but not worth waiting 50 minutes for.
Dumbo: A 30-minute wait for a ride you can go on at just about any smaller park.
The Barnstormer: 45 minute wait. A Goofy-themed kid's roller coaster. A bit short, but our 8-year old loved it, especially the theming, which included "flying" through a billboard.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Still awesome, and made even better with the addition of characters from the movies. The Jack Sparrow animatronic character used facial mapping technology, and nearly looked real.
Sadly, the Jungle Cruise, one of my favorite rides, had a 70-minute wait, the rugrats were getting tired and we wanted to beat the post-fireworks rush, so we called it a night.
Two days later, we found ourselves in the massive parking garage at Universal Orlando, with my cousin Brian along for the ride. The package we got included Fast Passes which are accepted on almost every ride, but even the standby waits were short, ranging from 5 to 30 minutes.
We proceeded into the park and made our way to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Escape From Gringotts: This ride tries to replicate the opening scene from the eighth Harry Potter movie, in which Harry, Hermione and Ron break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. They eventually ride a dragon out of the bank. This is a fun, exciting ride that uses a combination of 3D and animatronic technology. I would wait up to 60 minutes for this ride.
We looked in some shops, including Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Hopefully the candy sold in the store, such as Puking Pastilles, doesn't have the same effect it did in the books and movies.
We didn't have time to ride all rides at both parks, mainly because they closed at 7:00. We had to pick and choose the rides.
The Simpsons Ride: I don't like this ride on principle because it replaced the fabulous Back to the Future ride, based on my favorite movie. At least the DeLorean and the time traveling steam engine were still there. That out of the way, The ride is a motion simulator using an IMAX-sized screen. This was a funny, crazy ride that is more rough and intense than its predecessor, especially the part where Maggie uses your ride vehicle as a pacifier. Really. I would like to ride this again sometime because I am sure there are a lot of jokes I missed. I would wait up to 45 minutes for this ride.
We ate at Fast Food Blvd. for a healthy lunch. Some of us got the Krusty Burger, which was supposedly good, others got the aptly named Heat Lamp Hot Dog, and I got a Sideshow Bob Footlong, which was loaded with chili, onions and kraut. Yummy. Did I mention how expensive theme park food is?
Men in Black Alien Attack: Like I mentioned before, this is a shooting gallery ride similar to the Buzz Lightyear ride in the Magic Kingdom. This is executed better because of more elaborate theming, targets that are easier to hit, and the fact that the front and back rows compete for the high score, and a high enough score qualifies you to join the MiB. Needless to say, we did not qualify. Lots of spinning, so steer clear if you have a weak stomach. This WAS my favorite ride at Universal (keep reading), but I would still wait a good 60 minutes to get on this ride.
We decided it was time to get to the other park, so we high-tailed it to Platform 9 3/4 and boarded the Hogwarts Express. If you look out the windows, you see projections of London, the British countryside, and the Dementors stop by to try and steal your soul. Also, the Weasley twins make an appearance to promote their joke shop in Diagon Alley.
At Hogsmeade (the village outside of Hogwarts Castle) there was snow on the roofs of the buildings. There was a presentation inside the wand shop called "The Wand Chooses the Wizard" in which a lucky kid is plucked out of the audience and gets to try out wands. Like in the movie, the first two wands break light bulbs and knock things over, and the third wand glows, and is a match for the wizard. To answer a question Adam had, yes, the person chosen to test the wand has to buy it for the exorbitant $40-50 they charge in order to keep it. Our 8-year old and I bought the wand of our favorite character, Sirius Black, and our 7-year old bought Harry Potter's wand.
Also, if you buy an "active" wand, you can wave it at certain spots in the park to cause actions like a fountain spitting water at you, a frog croaking, etc. This was a lot of fun.
Flight of the Hippogriff: This is another good kids' coaster, similar to Goofy's Barnstormer ride. Not as much theming as its counterpart, and it is a short ride, but the important thing is the 8-year old loved it.
By the way, Dueling Dragons is history, and will be replaced by another roller coaster, which could be any number of themes. I won't even try to guess.
We then went to The Lost Continent, where we were greeted by the Enchanted Fountain. Obviously the voice of the fountain was nearby, because it interacted with us. The highlight was when our 8-year old waved his wand at the fountain, and the fountain responded by spitting water at him.
Jaci and the kids went on to Seuss Landing, while Brian and I rode Poseidon's Fury, which is essentially a special effects show with lots of fire, water and lasers. This may be a little dark and loud for smaller kids, and you have to stand for the entire ride. I would wait no longer than 20-25 minutes for this.
We then met up in Seuss Landing. Very good theming. I wonder if the designers of this park were on something...
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish: Another small spinning ride like Dumbo. What sets this apart is the fact that water is getting squirted at you from all directions. I was riding with our 8-year old, and, of course, he deliberately moved the fish up and down into the water jets. Guess who was sitting on the outside and got drenched?
Cat in the Hat: A fun family-friendly ride, and a good adaptation of the book into this format, sometimes quoting the book line-for-line. It almost got rid of my memories of the awful Mike Myers live-action movie. Almost. Well worth a 30-minute wait.
We then hopped the train back to the other park, and caught a couple of good rides on the way out.
Revenge of the Mummy: This was my first time on this ride, and is my new favorite ride at Universal. It combines a dark ride with a coaster, and has some crazy coaster elements like drops that seem taller than they are (The longest drop is only 39 feet), launches, helixes, and some genuine moments of airtime. Very impressive for an indoor coaster. I don't want to give anything away, but the last 45 seconds or so are crazy! I would easily wait up to 90 minutes to get on to this ride.
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon: This entertaining ride, the newest in the park, has the entire theater (72 people) as a motion simulator vehicle. You race the Tonight Show host through the Big Apple as he throws pizza at you, and even uses a T-shirt cannon, reminiscent of Fozzie the Bear's "cheap 3D tricks" in the incomparable "Muppetvision 4D" ride at Disney. This ride may be a bit bumpy for the smallest children, but is not dark or scary. This ride uses a "virtual line," meaning you must have an express pass or reservation for the ride, and there are no "lines" per se. You can freely roam around in the lobby and second floor. In the lobby, which is decorated with memorabilia from former "Tonight Show" hosts (even Conan O'Brien), an "NBC Page" will give you a color-coded studio pass, and you proceed to the second floor to board the ride. Meanwhile, you will be entertained by Hashtag the Panda and/or the Ragtime Gals. Overall, a fun and entertaining experience.
Finally, as I mentioned earlier, I wasn't permitted to ride anything that turns me upside down, so that ruled out The Hulk and the Rip, Ride, Rockit Coaster. Also, I heard the Forbidden Journey was a very intense ride, so I skipped that as well. Brian said the Forbidden Journey was less intense than the Escape From Hogwarts, which I did go on. He also said he hated the over-the-shoulder harnesses on the Rip, Ride, Rockit coaster because he kept banging his head on them.
Overall impressions: I liked Universal better because it was much less crowded and the lines were significantly shorter than the Magic Kingdom. I may have thought the opposite if the lines were long in Universal.
The theming in both areas of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was impeccable. The King's Cross station seemed dirty, and Hogwarts (we went through the line but didn't get on the ride) was replicated perfectly, down to the moving paintings, including the Fat Lady. The areas in Diagon Alley had signs for "pram parking," a Britishism for stroller. I only wish they also had "Way Out" (exit) signs and "WC" (restroom) signs. Finally, they needed a "Mind the Gap" sign in the train station.
I have been to the Magic Kingdom a few times, but this time was different because I got to see it through my children's eyes for the first time. They got tired and cranky, but they had a great time. We all saw Harry Potter for the first time, and we were overwhelmed. I wanted a hat and a robe, but the wand was so expensive, we had to stop there. Maybe next time.
Now it's time to thank people who helped us on the trip.
Aunt Val and Uncle Biff: My aunt and uncle graciously let us crash at their place north of Orlando. We basically invaded their house for a week and ate their food. They gave us nothing but hospitality and kindness. Also, there were two pools in their community, one of them heated. I haven't taken a swim for a while, and the dips in the pool felt great.
Jaci: Sadly, my lovely wife was stuck doing all of the driving. I can't drive because of a seizure risk. Some of it was stressful, including the stretch on I-95, America's Main Street.
Fred and Sandy: They visited our house daily to feed the cat, and clean the litterbox. Amelia was considerably more chunky when we got home. Hmmm......
Universal Studios Orlando: Because of my illness, they offered my family 30 percent off two-park tickets and complimentary Fast Passes. Considering the cost of theme park admission these days, that is a good discount. It should be noted that Disney World did not offer anything. In both cases, I won't forget this.
Jill: Jaci's coworker generously donated her vacation time so we could extend ours.
One of Jaci's Facebook friends, who is a travel agent, gave us a gift card for Disney.
Finally, thanks to all family and friends who were excited for us to go, and gave us tips and suggestions on how to navigate the parks.
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Starship shows are back!
--------SPOILER ALERT--------
This season, the oft-delayed "Star Trek Discovery" finally premiered. Also, Seth MacFarlane introduced a show called "The Orville." Comparing these shows would be like comparing apples and oranges, but both shows are entertaining and successful, and well worth watching. Both shows have also been picked up for a second season.
First, "Star Trek Discovery." There had been a lot of chaos prior to the premiere date, with showrunner Bryan Fuller leaving, and the numerous delays. It was originally supposed to premiere in January 2017, but was pushed back multiple times to September 2017. This is different from any other Star Trek show. As the creators said, they needed a "Star Trek show for the post-Sopranos era of television."
The show is serialized and not as episodic, which works well here. Also, I like the opening credits, which uses images and blueprints as opposed to the ship flying through space through nebulas and asteroid belts. Also, there is no cheesy pop song during the credits, like the Show Which Will Not Be Named.
First of all, because this is on a pay-per-view platform (CBS charges $6 per month to subscribe to All Access with commercials, $10 without), the budget is huge, about $8 to $9 million per episode. That's more than a lot of movies. You can see it on screen, because the effects are movie-quality stunning. The ship uses an experimental "spore drive," which transports the ship to other parts of the universe instantaneously. The hull is made up of three concentric circles. When the drive is activated, the circles spin in opposite directions, the ship rotates fully, and then vanishes. Trust me, this looks cooler than it sounds.
Also, thanks to the pay-per-view format, there are no standards-and-practices requirements. The producers promise to keep things at a PG-13 level, and promise that there won't be any explicit sex scenes (save that for the fan fiction), but the violence is a little more bloody, and they went where no Star Trek movie or show has gone before by using the f-bomb. The word "shit" was used a few times in Star Trek IV, Generations (by Data with his newly activated emotion chip, and he said it for a good reason), and twice by Lily in First Contact (but she was from the late 21st century). Even though I never use the f-word (snicker), I am not offended by it. However, I don't buy its use in this show, because, based on what Spock said about the use of "colorful metaphors" in the 20th century in Star Trek IV, I thought cursing was no longer a "thing" by the 23rd century.
Okay, you are probably wondering what this show is about. It takes place 10 years before the timeline of the original series with Kirk and Spock. Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is a human raised by Spock's parents, Sarek and Amanda, on Vulcan. She is the first Starfleet officer to be charged with mutiny. She ends up on the Discovery while she is being transported between prisons, which is not coincidental.
Starfleet is at war with the Klingons, who are trying to unify and conquer the galaxy, because that is what Klingons like to do. However, the Klingons are given some depth and not portrayed as purely evil. They have clear motivations and goals, and it seems like they are at war with the Federation because they are simply in the way of their goal.
Other characters are first officer Saru, who is able to sense the coming of death, bright-eyed cadet Sylvia Tilly, and captain Gabriel Lorca, played by Jason Isaacs, who most of us know as Lucius Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies. He is a brilliant tactician, but he cares about his crew, like any good captain. However, they make it rather obvious that he has been out in space and in the heat of battle too long. (watch the last two episodes to learn more about this character's motivations).
Overall, this is a very good show, and I will continue to watch it. My only complaints are that the show tries too hard to be gritty sometimes, and is visually too similar to the new Star Trek reboot movies. Also, even though this show takes place 10 years before the original series, the technology is advanced, using touch screens and holographic communication. If they were going for continuity, the bridge would be painted in bright colors and have lots of beeping noises and blinking lights. However, I don't think they are going for continuity, and as Nicholas Meyer (who is on the writing staff for this show) said, every show or movie, regardless of when it takes place, is a product of the date it was released.
Finally, the show understandably gave the Klingons a makeover. It may have been a bit too drastic, because they are now bald-headed and look almost reptilian. For those of you who remember the 1980s, they look a lot like Grig from "The Last Starfighter." At least they are not a bunch of guys with tan makeup and mustaches.
Now, on to "The Orville." I had no idea this show even existed until this past summer (2017), and I thought it was going to be an all-out spoof of Star Trek, which I thought (and still think) is a terrible idea. It's not even a straight-ahead comedy like the great movie "Galaxy Quest." It still has plenty of laughs. MacFarlane's motivation to create this show was that he thought too much of today's sci-fi is dark and dystopian, and he wanted a bright, fun and optimistic view of the future, especially after he found out that "Discovery" was going to be dark and gritty.
The show takes place on a mid-size vessel (The Chevy Malibu of starships?) MacFarlane also stars in the show as captain Ed Mercer, who caught his then wife, Kelly, in bed with a blue-skinned alien a year before the show takes place. As luck would have it, Kelly ends up being Ed's second-in-command, but they develop a friendship and good working relationship. Other characters include a woman, who looks like she is 90 pounds soaking wet, with enough strength to knock down a metal door with her bare hands, and Isaac, an artificial lifeform who believes most species are inferior to his.
This is similar in tone and structure to the original Star Trek series, because the show introduces characters, and brings up issues like sexual mutilation, and how a true democracy functions where every single citizen has a say. There are just enough changes to this show to keep Fox from getting sued - the governing body is called the Union instead of the Federation, plasma torpedoes instead of photon torpedoes, etc. The effects aren't as detailed as "Discovery," but are still very good. They put a lot of money and effort into the show. A lot of writers and directors from Star Trek shows were poached for this show like Brannon Braga, and Jonathan Frakes (as a director). Jon Favreau, who directed "Iron Man," helmed the first episode of the series.
Although "Star Trek Discovery" is sprinkled with a fair bit of humor (especially the recent episodes with Rainn Wilson as intergalactic con man Harcourt Fenton "Harry" Mudd), "The Orville" tries for laughs much more often. The problem is, you have to like MacFarlane's sense of humor. Remember, this was the guy who sang "We Saw Your Boobs" (NSFW) at the Oscars. However, his jokes are greatly toned down compared to his animated shows, and, in my opinion, most of the jokes are downright funny. My favorite so far is when the crew is trying to teach Isaac how practical jokes work. They put "Mr. Potato" pieces on his head (He doesn't use his "eyes" to see, they are just there for aesthetic reasons). He got his revenge on the crew member by amputating his leg while he was sleeping. Don't worry, everyone was fine in the end.
So what is the verdict? Again, these shows are very different in tone and intent, so it's like comparing
apples and oranges. This is close, because both shows have great effects, good characters, and good acting. I will keep watching both shows. "Discovery" is better written and thought out as a single coherent story, while "The Orville" is episodic. However, "The Orville" benefits from its storylines that bring up moral debates, and its sense of humor. I will give "The Orville" the edge, because you have to pay $6-$10 per month for CBS All Access in order to watch "Discovery." However, in you don't like "Family Guy" or "American Dad," you probably won't like "The Orville."
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
"Wonder Woman" review: The DCEU is finally getting it together!
I was excited to see this after the rave reviews it received from critics and moviegoers alike. This was also a pleasant surprise after the mediocrity, like "Man of Steel" and "Dawn of Justice" that DC was churning out. Part of that was due to director Zack Snyder, who is up there with Michael Bay and Joel Schumacher on my list of hack directors, although I have to admit the "Dawn of the Dead" remake was good fun. I think the DC higher-ups are trying to get rid of Snyder, but more on that later.
The movie starts on an island full of Amazons, a bunch of women who can kick pretty much anyone's ass. A wayward World War I pilot crash lands near the island and is rescued by the Amazons. Diana, princess of the Amazons, wishes to go with the pilot and end the war, who she thinks was caused by her evil half-brother Ares.
The movie plays out as a good period piece, and makes a statement about the treatment and strength of women without shoving the point down viewers' throats. Also, it's about time a female superhero gets to lead a movie, instead of getting shoved into the background, like Black Widow.
Also, the movie is well-paced, with a good balance of character development and action. The action scenes are very entertaining and have great effects and fight choreography. The Lasso of Truth is especially cool. Director Patty Jenkins, who also helmed "Monster," is a very competent director, considering her lack of experience in this genre.
If it wasn't for a certain movie sequel featuring a CGI raccoon, a baby tree and Stallone, this would have been the best comic book/superhero adaptation of the year.
Also, Gal Gadot, even though she was Miss Israel 2004, has limited acting experience. However, she is cast well for this iconic role. Her statuesque looks and decent acting make her a good choice for Wonder Woman.
A sequel, which will once again feature Gadot in the starring role and Jenkins as the director, is slated for summer 2019.
This flick was unsurprisingly one of the top hits of the year, making more than $410 million in the U.S. (second only to the Beauty and the Beast live-action remake) and more than $800 million worldwide. Also, its quality puts it on par with the Marvel movies. However, the DCEU has a long way to go before it can go head to head with the Marvel Cinematic universe, which is essentially a machine that turns out nothing but good, entertaining popcorn movies. There hasn't been a bad Marvel movie yet. Most of them are good, some of them are great.
My only gripe is I wish that they would havc explained when and where Diana picked up the name Wonder Woman. Maybe that will be addressed in the sequel.
As always, the DCEU is trying to play catch-up. In a couple of weeks (November 2017) the Justice League movie hits theaters. This movie features Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash. I also think there is a pretty good chance that a certain Man of Steel will return to fight with the League. Zack Snyder was directing the movie and will be credited as the director. Earlier this year, Snyder "left" the project after his daughter committed suicide, and the overworked Joss Whedon was hired to direct the reshoots and wrap up the film.
Personally, I think Snyder leaving was no accident. With "Dawn of Justice" being a critical and box office disappointment, I think it might have been the studio's intention to get rid of Snyder, since this is the most important film by far in the DCEU. You can already see Whedon's influence in the trailers for the film. The newest trailers, presumably overseen by Whedon, actually make sense and give you some idea of the story, as opposed to the first trailers, which resembled a music video, complete with loud music and slice-and-dice editing.
Anyway, pardon my digression. The bottom line is Wonder Woman is a damn good movie that fans and non-fans will like. (My wife also enjoyed this movie).
The movie starts on an island full of Amazons, a bunch of women who can kick pretty much anyone's ass. A wayward World War I pilot crash lands near the island and is rescued by the Amazons. Diana, princess of the Amazons, wishes to go with the pilot and end the war, who she thinks was caused by her evil half-brother Ares.
The movie plays out as a good period piece, and makes a statement about the treatment and strength of women without shoving the point down viewers' throats. Also, it's about time a female superhero gets to lead a movie, instead of getting shoved into the background, like Black Widow.
Also, the movie is well-paced, with a good balance of character development and action. The action scenes are very entertaining and have great effects and fight choreography. The Lasso of Truth is especially cool. Director Patty Jenkins, who also helmed "Monster," is a very competent director, considering her lack of experience in this genre.
If it wasn't for a certain movie sequel featuring a CGI raccoon, a baby tree and Stallone, this would have been the best comic book/superhero adaptation of the year.
Also, Gal Gadot, even though she was Miss Israel 2004, has limited acting experience. However, she is cast well for this iconic role. Her statuesque looks and decent acting make her a good choice for Wonder Woman.
A sequel, which will once again feature Gadot in the starring role and Jenkins as the director, is slated for summer 2019.
This flick was unsurprisingly one of the top hits of the year, making more than $410 million in the U.S. (second only to the Beauty and the Beast live-action remake) and more than $800 million worldwide. Also, its quality puts it on par with the Marvel movies. However, the DCEU has a long way to go before it can go head to head with the Marvel Cinematic universe, which is essentially a machine that turns out nothing but good, entertaining popcorn movies. There hasn't been a bad Marvel movie yet. Most of them are good, some of them are great.
My only gripe is I wish that they would havc explained when and where Diana picked up the name Wonder Woman. Maybe that will be addressed in the sequel.
As always, the DCEU is trying to play catch-up. In a couple of weeks (November 2017) the Justice League movie hits theaters. This movie features Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash. I also think there is a pretty good chance that a certain Man of Steel will return to fight with the League. Zack Snyder was directing the movie and will be credited as the director. Earlier this year, Snyder "left" the project after his daughter committed suicide, and the overworked Joss Whedon was hired to direct the reshoots and wrap up the film.
Personally, I think Snyder leaving was no accident. With "Dawn of Justice" being a critical and box office disappointment, I think it might have been the studio's intention to get rid of Snyder, since this is the most important film by far in the DCEU. You can already see Whedon's influence in the trailers for the film. The newest trailers, presumably overseen by Whedon, actually make sense and give you some idea of the story, as opposed to the first trailers, which resembled a music video, complete with loud music and slice-and-dice editing.
Anyway, pardon my digression. The bottom line is Wonder Woman is a damn good movie that fans and non-fans will like. (My wife also enjoyed this movie).
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Have the Eagles found their perfect QB?
Last season, the Eagles were able to trade up in the draft to take QB Carson Wentz, a 6'5" passer from North Dakota State. Although his first season was a little shaky, the Birds finished with a mediocre, but not horrible, 7-9 season. This year, they are 6-1 out of the gate, and much of that is due to Wentz's incredible play. Although he didn't have crazy high numbers last week, this is one of the best games I've ever seen from any Eagles quarterback (and he is in good company with Randall Cunningham and Donovan McNabb). Here are some of the reasons Wentz is the perfect player for the Eagles and Philly.
1. He is an accurate passer.
Most of his passes are thrown with pinpoint accuracy. He knows how to put balls in the receivers' hands, and doesn't throw too many interceptions. The only times he seems to be off the mark is when there is a miscommunication between the QB and receiver in the huddle.
2. He is mobile.
For a lanky 6'5" guy, he really can move. He seems to know when he is out of options and has to keep the ball. The play where there was a pile of players almost certainly looked like a sack, but Wentz managed to wriggle out of the pile of large humans and rush for 17 yards. That was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. (link courtesy of NFL)
3. He has field awareness.
I think the most important skill for a QB to have at any level is being able to see the big picture. Wentz does this very well. He knows when his receivers are open, when they aren't, and how the defense is lined up. He isn't afraid to call an audible if he doesn't like what he sees.
4. He is tough and hardworking.
The most important skill for an athlete to have in Philadelphia is to be tough and play your heart out. More than 20 years on, people still hate on Ricky Watters after the "For Who, For What" game, and rightfully so. This town has no place for prima donnas who care more about their own stats than their team. Wentz will usually slide on a run like a QB is supposed to do, but he isn't afraid to take a hit to get a first down or extra yard. Also, he can take a hit and get back up. In Sunday's game, he was slammed to the turf. The very next play, he threw a bomb down the field, setting up a touchdown. (sorry, no clip yet).The commentators said he was "North Dakota Tough," but I am going to call him "Philly Tough." Philadelphia is a proud, working-class town, and they want athletes that don't quit and give their all on every play. That is why some of the names mentioned most in Eagles lore are Reggie White, "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik, and the incomparable Brian Dawkins.
5. His O-line protects him.
Even the best quarterbacks struggle if the offensive line can't block and the QB has no time to throw the ball. After some struggles in the first couple of games, the line has jelled as a unit and are doing a good job protecting their quarterback. Jason Peters' injury will hurt the line, but I am sure Vaitai (I'm not even going to attempt to spell the man's first name) will become accustomed to his new role after a week of practice.
6. He has some good receivers who know how to make plays.
One of the reasons the Eagles haven't been able to win a big game is the lack of playmaking receivers. Todd Pinkston? James Thrash? This season has seen a lot of production from free agency acquisition Alshon Jeffery, and some catches from Torrey Smith. Third-year man Nelson Agholor seems to have found his place as a great slot receiver.
7. Wow! A running game!
Last season, the Eagles were very pass-heavy. This is one of the reasons Wentz struggled a bit. It looked like more of the same early this season, as the offense remained out of balance. However, during the win over the Giants in Week 3, the running game came to life, led by LeGarrette Blount, with lots of help from Wendell Smallwood. Blount is a classic (I hate this cliche) downhill runner who can burst through the line. A strong running game takes pressure off the QB and balances the offense.
8. He has a good relationship with the players and coaches.
His fellow players seem to think Wentz is a nice guy. He doesn't hesitate to congratulate his teammates after a big play or score. He has also earned respect from the coaching staff. Doug Pederson seems like a laid-back "players' coach" and he has even managed to get some of his schemes from North Dakota State into the playbook. One of them was even used on a scoring play.
Now that I wrote this, I have probably jinxed him. Watch him start to suck or get hurt next week. Just don't hold me responsible.
1. He is an accurate passer.
Most of his passes are thrown with pinpoint accuracy. He knows how to put balls in the receivers' hands, and doesn't throw too many interceptions. The only times he seems to be off the mark is when there is a miscommunication between the QB and receiver in the huddle.
2. He is mobile.
For a lanky 6'5" guy, he really can move. He seems to know when he is out of options and has to keep the ball. The play where there was a pile of players almost certainly looked like a sack, but Wentz managed to wriggle out of the pile of large humans and rush for 17 yards. That was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. (link courtesy of NFL)
3. He has field awareness.
I think the most important skill for a QB to have at any level is being able to see the big picture. Wentz does this very well. He knows when his receivers are open, when they aren't, and how the defense is lined up. He isn't afraid to call an audible if he doesn't like what he sees.
4. He is tough and hardworking.
The most important skill for an athlete to have in Philadelphia is to be tough and play your heart out. More than 20 years on, people still hate on Ricky Watters after the "For Who, For What" game, and rightfully so. This town has no place for prima donnas who care more about their own stats than their team. Wentz will usually slide on a run like a QB is supposed to do, but he isn't afraid to take a hit to get a first down or extra yard. Also, he can take a hit and get back up. In Sunday's game, he was slammed to the turf. The very next play, he threw a bomb down the field, setting up a touchdown. (sorry, no clip yet).The commentators said he was "North Dakota Tough," but I am going to call him "Philly Tough." Philadelphia is a proud, working-class town, and they want athletes that don't quit and give their all on every play. That is why some of the names mentioned most in Eagles lore are Reggie White, "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik, and the incomparable Brian Dawkins.
5. His O-line protects him.
Even the best quarterbacks struggle if the offensive line can't block and the QB has no time to throw the ball. After some struggles in the first couple of games, the line has jelled as a unit and are doing a good job protecting their quarterback. Jason Peters' injury will hurt the line, but I am sure Vaitai (I'm not even going to attempt to spell the man's first name) will become accustomed to his new role after a week of practice.
6. He has some good receivers who know how to make plays.
One of the reasons the Eagles haven't been able to win a big game is the lack of playmaking receivers. Todd Pinkston? James Thrash? This season has seen a lot of production from free agency acquisition Alshon Jeffery, and some catches from Torrey Smith. Third-year man Nelson Agholor seems to have found his place as a great slot receiver.
7. Wow! A running game!
Last season, the Eagles were very pass-heavy. This is one of the reasons Wentz struggled a bit. It looked like more of the same early this season, as the offense remained out of balance. However, during the win over the Giants in Week 3, the running game came to life, led by LeGarrette Blount, with lots of help from Wendell Smallwood. Blount is a classic (I hate this cliche) downhill runner who can burst through the line. A strong running game takes pressure off the QB and balances the offense.
8. He has a good relationship with the players and coaches.
His fellow players seem to think Wentz is a nice guy. He doesn't hesitate to congratulate his teammates after a big play or score. He has also earned respect from the coaching staff. Doug Pederson seems like a laid-back "players' coach" and he has even managed to get some of his schemes from North Dakota State into the playbook. One of them was even used on a scoring play.
Now that I wrote this, I have probably jinxed him. Watch him start to suck or get hurt next week. Just don't hold me responsible.
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