Author thegeekregistry

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

guardian-of-the-galaxy-poster

Now THAT was a summer blockbuster!

Guardians of the Galaxy was simply fantastic. Well written, perfectly acted, publicized perfectly, and just a grade A example of how to create a new movie franchise that people will love.

This is a movie that must be seen to be believed. Directed by James Gunn it had the feeling of a big Marvel film, but laced with Gunn’s sensibilities. He is a very unique, exciting, and intelligent film maker (Slither and Super being two of his most notable) and it seemed like this may be a monumental task for someone used to working with small budgets. Given a significant amount of money for Guardians he showed he was ready to be a big time, mainstream director and not lose any of his appeal as a singular, creative force.

The story was pretty darn faithful to the comic books and changes were made where appropriate. The casting was spot on as well. Chris Pratt as Star-Lord was a genius casting choice. Zoe Saldana as Gamora and Dave Buatista as Drax were inspired casting choices and they embodied the characters better than anyone else could have. Lee Pace and Karen Gillan as Ronan and Nebula respectively were perfect villains for this film. Even Vin Diesel as Groot was a great choice despite the severely limited verbiage.

The standout though (which is hard to achieve with such a terrific cast) is Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket. Wow! He could have come off goofy but wth the great CGI and the top notch voice work he is becoming a beloved character of many a non comic book fan.

I even loved the post credits scene which was so off the wall which was a great choice for this film.

This is a must see movie. You need no knowledge of the characters to fall in love with it. It is very similar to the first Star Wars movie in that respect.

What are you waiting for? Go see it now!

Rocket-Raccoon-Groot-Guardians-of-the-Galaxy-Character-Poster-Revealed

Thor

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

Hey guys! This week, I’ll be reviewing Thor!

I think Thor is a great movie. Aliens are an important part of the Avengers, seeing as they fight Skrulls, Chitauri, Thanos, and Galactus. Overall, aliens are a big part of the Marvel Universe, but the list is too long to talk about now. This was a great way to not just introduce Thor, but also introduce the extraterrestrial part of the Marvel universe.

In the original comic books, Odin decides Thor needs to be taught humility, and thus places Thor (without any memories of his godhood) into the body and memories of an existing, partially disabled, human medical student, Dr. Donald Blake. On a vacation, he witnesses the arrival of an alien scouting party. He then flees from them, and into a cave. He discovers Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, which is disguised as a walking stick. He strikes it against a rock, and transforms into the god of thunder. Blake is later revealed, in Thor #158, that he has always been Thor. After defeating the aliens, he shares a double life with his alter ego, treating the ill in a private practice with nurse – and eventual love – Jane Foster, and defending humanity from evil.

Thor was also made so that someone could be as strong/stronger than the Hulk, which I personally think is interesting.

Chris Hemsworth’s portrayal as Thor was fantastic. He looks so much like his comic book counterpart, and he really nails the accent, Hemsworth being from Australia. I enjoyed how they didn’t stray too far off from the comic book’s original telling of Thor, but that they didn’t follow it completely. His design was perfect, too. It had the cape, the helmet with wings, it was just more realistic, and I appreciate that.

I love Darcy and Eric, I think they’re fantastic supporting characters, and I would love Darcy to be a permanent fixture in the Avengers. She’s so funny, but smart, and I think she can be a legitimate character and not just comic relief. Odin is a horrible father. Frigga, even though we do not see her much, is really interesting, and I think her parts in the sequel are incredibly important.

Loki is a really interesting villain. I feel as though, at first, he was a victim, like Bucky/The Winter Soldier, but then he made himself into the villain. That was not completely Odin’s doing, but Odin did have a part in that. He could have told him he was a Frost Giant before it was too late. Don’t get me wrong, I love Loki, but I certainly do not look at him and pity him after the whole ‘I got Frost Giants to kill my fake dad but then I killed them so I could get my mother’s pity and be a hero’ incident. And, as always, love his design. It’s fitted perfectly to Tom Hiddleston, (who’s performance as Loki, in my opinion, was fantastic) all while keeping the essence of the original design.

Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were amazing supporting characters, too. The Warriors Three includes Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg. I think they did a great job with them, and I could see there being a movie on just them. It’s not likely, but I would enjoy it.

Everything was designed so perfectly, and I just love that. Asgard was stunning, the Rainbow Bridge was gorgeous, and Jotunheim was hauntingly beautiful. The fight scenes were fantastic, and fit in well.

I don’t feel like Natalie Portman was the best choice. I do like Natalie Portman, but I just feel like Jane Foster doesn’t come off like she should. I really can’t pinpoint what I don’t like about her performance, and it’s not like I hate her, or anything like that, I just think it might have been better with someone else.

The Donald Blake reference was great, but also I really adore how they didn’t make it that Thor was possessing Donald Blake. It honestly would have made Thor weirder than it was suppose to be. I think that would have really made a plot hole too big and would have forced an unnecessary love triangle (Thor falls in love with Lady Sif because Jane didn’t pass a trial given by Odin so Thor could wed her).

It was awesome to see a glimpse of Clint Barton, or better known as Hawkeye! I think it was a great, but small, intro to a character we see in the Avengers.

Loki’s ‘death’ scene was heartbreaking. I found sympathy for everyone in that scene. Loki letting go, realizing he has dishonored his family too much. Thor, having to watch his brother die, and Odin, realizing he truly did make a mistake.

Next week, another change of pace, but I’ll be giving four short reviews on the four short Beatles movies, from the swinging ‘60s! Have a Marvelous weekend!

 

Thor

Saturday Night’s Main Event

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

SNME-logo

 

Hot damn the WWE Network has started showing the original Saturday Night’s Main Event!

In the late ’80s this was the show to watch for all young wrestling fans. It aired on NBC a handful of times a year in place of Saturday Night Live when it was showing repeats.

They always featured the top wrestlers in the company. Regularly, you got to see the likes of Hogan, Savage, Steamboat, JYD, etc…in some memorable matches and story lines. It was typical ’80s cartoonish wrestling and it was perfect for that time. I still love revisiting these shows and having nothing but good memories.

When the network debuted SNME was possibly the most requested show by fans and now the WWE has delivered.

There are several episodes already on the network with the rest to follow soon.

This is reason number 101 to subscribe to the WWE Network!

Fozzy

thegeekregistry 1 Comment

UntitledFOZ

Last Tuesday the much anticipated new Fozzy release, Do You Wanna Start a War, came out and did not disappoint. This is definitely one of the best metal/rock albums to come out in quite some time. I have been listening to Fozzy since their first release of cover songs and love that they have evolved so masterfully from a gimmick band to a legitimate heavy metal act that you must listen to and see live in concert whenever you have the chance. They are simply one of the best rock bands today, period.

Their previous release, Sin and Bones, received rave reviews and the standard concern is that the next release will not live up to the hype. Do You Wanna Start a War not only lives up to the hype, but surpasses it. This is now a seasoned band who have found their identity and strive to only give their fans the very best possible.

From the first track (where the title comes from) to the final, Witchery, Fozzy never lets up for even a minute. Most albums feature maybe a couple of damn good songs, but this one is chock full of them.

Lights Go Out is one of those songs that has instant hit written all over it and even after listening to the song over and over again I cannot seem to get sick of it.

If you ever have the pleasure of listening to lead singer Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk is Jericho, you have heard the title song, Lights Go Out, and the hard hitting One Crazed Anarchist regularly for the past few weeks and for any other band those probably would have been the only great tracks, but not in this case.

Tonight is one of those songs that reminds me of 1990’s Kiss (which I love) and you cannot help but smile and find yourself in a good mood after listening to it.

SOS has quickly become one of my favorite songs of all time. It has that 1980’s rock ballad feel, yet still comes off modern, and you immediately find yourself singing to the chorus.

All 12 tracks are top notch songs and you can tell that the whole band busted their asses to put out the best rock album in years.

I remember when Jericho started Fozzy and some people treated them like they were jokes and I would say from the beginning that they were wrong and over time this was going to be one of those bands that everyone would change their minds about and lo and behold I was correct.

If you still have not jumped on the Fozzy bandwagon now is the time to do so before you are left in the dust.

FozzyBandPhotoHiRes11

Captain America: The First Avenger

thegeekregistry 1 Comment

Hey guys! This week, I’ll be reviewing Captain America: The First Avenger.

I love Captain America: The First Avenger. While my favorite comic book character is Spider-Man/Peter Parker, this is my favorite film adaption of any character.

I like Johann Schmidt, I appreciate the motive without pity. The ruthlessness of his character is intriguing, and how Hugo Weaving played the Red Skull was fantastic, although I think it would have been much more interesting to make the Red Skull look more burned and scarred, but I understand that there is a fine line between intimidating and frightening.

I don’t just love Captain America, I love Steve Rogers.

In the comic books, his mother and father, Sarah and Joseph, are two poor Irish immigrants, moved to New York, in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Joseph died when Steve was only a child, and Sarah died of pneumonia while Steve was a teenager. Before America’s entry into World War II, Rogers is a small scrawny fine arts student, specializing in illustration, and is also a comic book artist and writer.

I love that they did acknowledge his art career in the movie, if briefly. I also enjoy the brief mention of his parents, it’s enough to give him back story without delving into it. When he transforms into Captain America, I enjoy that he’s still intelligent. He doesn’t just become a big hunk of muscle.

My opinion on the man in the movie theater, the one that beat Steve up, was actually pretty interesting. How he was used in places throughout the entire film was pretty cool. I also find the woman crying in the theater to be much more meaningful than it was meant to be.

I just love James Buchanan ‘Bucky’ Barnes. In the original comics, he’s only just a little kid, but then he was revived as The Winter Soldier and was obviously much older. I like how in the movies he’s an adult, because a kid fighting in the war is pretty obscure. How he’s cocky but has a heart of gold is what me makes love him so much. How Bucky is there for Steve when he’s getting beaten up, and how he looks over to him to see if he’s still there during the Stark Expo, you can really see that Bucky, at times, was Steve’s caretaker. Steve Rogers had asthma, heart troubles, palpitations (an abnormality of heartbeat characterized by simultaneous awareness of one’s pulse and discomfort), sinusitis, and at one time Scarlet Fever and Rheumatic Fever. With both his parents gone, it would only make sense for Bucky, Steve’s best friend, to have taken care of Steve in the past. You can tell that they love each other too. And take it however you want, but they do love each other.

My feelings on Doctor Arnim Zola is that he’s even more interesting than the Red Skull. While they merely sort of allude to him having a more detailed back story, I appreciate that.

Margaret “Peggy” Carter was fantastic. She was a strong woman, who didn’t need anyone to support her. She wasn’t just a love interest for Steve, she was her own character, and I adore that.

As always with Marvel films, the CGI was outstanding. The Costume Department and Prop Department outdid themselves, too. It seemed like they time traveled back to the 40’s, it looks so amazing. And I really respect Marvel for not making their movies so extremely dark. Just because adults are watching the movie, it doesn’t mean it has to have death around every corner.

Captain America, in my opinion, means  that even though you can always change and grow, you’re always gonna be who you truly are.

Next week, I’ll be reviewing Thor. Have a Marvelous weekend.


WWE Battleground 2014

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

WWE Battleground has come and gone and as usual it is sort of a throwaway PPV. This year the thought was that may change leading in to a big Summerslam show next month, but it was more of the same.

A few matches of note:

Bray Wyatt vs. Chris Jericho – Jericho is simply one of the best wrestlers of all time, but this match just seemed a bit off. I am really feeling that Bray Wyatt is a bit overrated. He has an interesting character that is very over with the crowd, he is not too bad of an in ring performer, but of all of his big PPV matches this year the only one that was truly great was his third and final match against John Cena at Payback in a last man standing match. He has not had enough good matches to be as over as he is right now. Hopefully, the two of them wil have a much better rematch at Summerslam and Jericho can make him look good.

Paige vs. AJ Lee – Eh…this was another match that just seemed off. They need to get someone to really work with their women wrestlers on their in-ring work. They also need to book these matches much better. Both women are good performers, but they really seemed lost in the ring on this night.

Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose – No actual match, but some fun backstage, and in the parking lot, brawling. Hopefully, we will actually get a match next month.

The highlight of the night was the first match pitting The Usos against The Wyatt Family. Hot damn these four have nothing but great matches against each other. 2 out of three falls with The Usos coming out on top was surprising. I am a big fan of them, but thought they would have the Wyatts come out on top. The match was great from start to finish and it will be interesting to see what’s next from both teams.

Overall, the show was okay, but this is not a must watch show. Watch that tag match at the beginning and you will be good to go.

Next month is Summerslam and I have high hopes it will be a great show!

download

Guardians of the Galaxy

thegeekregistry 1 Comment

On August 01 Guardians of the Galaxy hits the big screen and could be one of the biggest movies of the year if not the biggest.

Marvel is taking a calculated risk that could turn out to be it’s biggest reward with a property that us long time comic book readers are familiar with, but the main stream crowd has never heard of.

This is an eclectic group of characters led by Star-Lord/Peter Quill who is being played by Chris Pratt. Anyone familiar with Parks and Recreation knows he is quite funny and it will be interesting to see him bring some of that humor to a more lighthearted character, but still show us the action packed superhero style we have all come to love from Marvel movies.

Zoe Saldana as Gamora and Dave Bautista as Drax look perfectly cast in their roles and it will be fun to see what they bring to these characters.

The biggest test will be to see how Groot and Rocket Racoon come off in the film. On the surface they could be the two most ridiculous characters we will ever see in film, but they could turn out to be the most popular in the movie. What little I have seen is very promising and I cannot wait until opening night.

I am a fan of director James Gunn. I thoroughly enjoyed Slither and Super and really enjoy his unique style of movie making. He is the perfect person to bring these crazy characters to the movies.

If this movie turns out to be as good as it looks I sincerely hope people flock to the theaters to see it so we can continue to see more of the obscure comic book characters hit the big screen.

I will see it opening weekend and hope everyone else does too.

-23f53878-221c-4d24-b442-bc34a7352b9b

The Fault in Our Stars‏

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

Hey guys! Today, the review of the Fault in our Stars is rather short, but it’s all I honestly have to say about it. I think it was a good movie, I don’t have much to say about it though.

I think the book was better than the movie. I find that the book worked more on the actual experience they went through, both together and not together. I think the movie was much more a teen romance movie than the drama-romance it was. I feel like the book was much more realistic. But, since this is a movie review and not a book review, I will try my hardest not to give a lot of the book away and not just jump into a review of it.

My biggest thing, in the entire movie, is the fact that they did not look like they were actually sick. They looked like healthy teenagers with baggy jeans. I understand that there’s not a lot you can do about how the actors actually look. This wasn’t the highest budget film, so they obviously couldn’t use CGI, especially not throughout the entire movie. I just think that maybe they could have at least tried something with Augustus near the end of the film. They missed out on a lot of important parts in the book, too.

Something big they missed was the funeral with Hazel and Augustus. I think they could have just used some special camerawork and not shown Augustus in the casket, but instead shown Hazel. It was a heartbreaking moment, Hazel leaving her oxygen tank with her parents and then proceeding to cry over Augustus and put the cigarette case in with him. While sounding odd so condensed, I feel like that was an important and emotional part that should have gone in the movie, including some more parts with Augustus dying.

I think the meaning of the movie is sweet. I enjoy the sudden ending. It lets us all think different endings for Hazel’s story. Some of us think she might have died there, on the grass, some of us think she lived on for however long, and some of us think nothing. Some of us leave the story there.

I’m mostly just proud of John Green, the author of the book and writer of the movie. This book is one of his most popular books, and was the first to become a movie. I feel glad for him and proud of him for being able to do something all writers want to do. I hope that Paper Towns, another one of his novels that was just announced to become a movie, comes out great. I can only hope they cast like they did in the Fault in our Stars.

Next week, I’ll be going back to Marvel movies and reviewing Captain America! Have a Marvelous weekend!

Sting (not the singer)

thegeekregistry 1 Comment

wwe-2k15

Sting is officially a part of the upcoming WWE 2K15 game which launches October 28 of this year.

This also means he is officially part of the WWE, but in what capacity remains to be seen.

He is the last of the big name WCW wrestlers to make an appearance in the WWE and it has been a long time coming. When Vince McMahon bought WCW Sting made the decision not to join the WWE and once his final WCW contract was up he started a fairly long run with TNA.

There have been rumors year after year of him joining the WWE, but it never came to be until now.

I have always been a fan of Sting from his bleach blonde surfer days to ‘The Crow’ gimmick and always felt he should have joined WWE where he could have had a legendary run. He purportedly stayed away due to his disliking of the WWE’s adult approach, but it seems ever since they went to a more PG product he has decided to end his career with the one organization he had never been a part of.

It is still a mystery as to what else his role will be with the company besides being in a video game, but I sincerely hope we get at least one more match from him at next year’s Wrestlemania so he can say he wrestled in all the major promotions and us long time fans can give him one last goodbye and thank him for an amazing run.

Night of the Living Podcast

thegeekregistry Leave a comment

Out of the 10 podcasts I listen to regularly the one that I have enjoyed the longest is NOTLP aka Night of the Living Podcast. Hosted by Andy, Kelley, Freddy, Amy, Chiz, and Erica, they cover everything horror related and have been around since 2006. I have been listening to them for the past 5 years and have not missed an episode since. They are simply hilarious and all 6 hosts are immensely entertaining.

They post a new show most Sundays and I always eagerly look to download it so I have something to start my week off right. They are currently on regular episode 374 but have several special episodes they have done from Horror Hound weekends, with special guests, etc…

They are definitely more adult oriented with their bawdy sense of humor and the fact that they review/discuss horror movies, books, etc… Their humor is not for everyone, but that is what makes them great. They are true to who they are and are not afraid to share their twisted brand of humor with their appreciative listeners.

If you are a fan of the horror genre and love large amounts of humor thrown in for good measure then you must give this podcast a try.

download (1)