mrwest16

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Thor: The Dark AND DULL World

I saw "Thor: The Dark World" on Friday and my brother pretty much hit the nail on the head in terms of how to describe it: "Someone just wrote the script and Marvel said 'let's just shoot it'." And that was it. No second draft. No Revisions. No love. No Care. The Movie was too short, uninspired, and completely Bona fide filler (Of course some could make the arguments that ALL non-Avengers films are filler, but every Marvel story should stand on it's own two feet whether it's an Avengers film or not). I really, really, REALLY liked Iron Man 3, but Thor was a HUGE step down that nobody will remember in the next five years. Hell, maybe even less than that.

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Ben Affleck as Batman?!

  I was on the IMDB board for Ben Affleck, and one of the arguments for his casting as Batman was the inevitable: "Everyone hated the casting of Heath Ledger as The Joker and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, but then they proved us wrong!" and they're right, but here's what I had to say:

(Copied from the IMDB) All right. Let's start from the beginning here. Sure, everyone hated on Heath Ledger, and, admittedly, so did I. BUT... he never truly PROVED himself as an actor prior to being cast as The Joker. Most of his roles were... small at best... or just in films that had pretty terrible scripts that could be construed as rom-coms... or they were just fiercely independently produced films. So yes, everyone was adamantly against Ledger's casting in that film. But again, to continue with my point, he had yet to truly PROVE himself. He proved himself with The Joker and spat in the faces of all who ever doubted him. Now let's talk about Anne Hathaway for a second... Anne Hathaway is a legit actress. She already had major clout in hollywood. She proved herself LONG before being cast as Catwoman, she could act in just about anything without any problems. I had no issue with her in the least bit when she was cast. Hell, she was nominated for acting noms at least two or three times BEFORE her casting in TDKR. So... that brings me to Mr. Affleck. He's been around the block. He's been around for as long as I can remember, just as Anne Hathaway has... and just as Heath Ledger HAD been. But here's the thing: He was given this opportunity already. Does everyone remember Daredevil? A lot of fans of this "NEW DIRECTOR" version of Ben Affleck seem to have forgotten about that. Now, I won't as far as to say that Ben Affleck is a bad actor. He's not. He really IS NOT a bad actor. He's just not that GREAT an actor. Most of his performances surely leave something to be desired. I don't think he's ever been nominated for any acting awards (I could be mistaken) and I would honestly say that even his performances in recent films like Argo and The Town left something to be arguably desired. I mean, he was upstaged by every other actor in BOTH films as far as I'm concerned (Also he was playing a VERY Spanish guy in that movie... and definitely didn't go for the Spanish accent, that's sure... because I've seen the real guy talking before... and Affleck played it NOTHING like that). But again, as I said, he's been cast in what could be described as "Big Budget Blockbusters" before... and yet he has never proven himself in ANY of them. Particularly that of Daredevil... a potential franchise that ended up failing pretty miserably. Can he perform well as Batman? Well... he could surprise us... but again, we've SEEN Affleck, we know what he can and can't do and I don't suddenly see him delivering some extraordinary performance just because he happens to be playing such an iconic character. Honestly, I would have been okay with them casting Casey over Ben. He's the actor of that family as far as I'm concerned. Ben... is the director. He is an ASTOUNDING director. But it seems like everyone has forgiven all of his poor film choices in the past just on the basis that it turned out that he was a genius filmmaker. Does that suddenly make him a better actor? No. It doesn't. Just because he is now in more "Elegant" films does not make him a better actor. I would go as far as to say this is a step backwards in terms of actors who've played Batman. How do you go from Christian Bale... a guy who proved himself... a now academy award winning actor... to Ben Affleck? ...I seriously don't know. I mean, I guess Snyder and Nolan see something there... but I can't see it. I can't see it at all. Not at this point. Obviously I want to be proven wrong. But we're talking about a Zack Snyder film here. This whole franchise was doomed from the get-go with him at the helm. And that's coming from a guy who DOESN'T dislike him. But I can see surely why others don't like him. And, unfortunately, I empathize with that. I mean, Man of Steel was already poorly received critically... adding Ben Affleck just adds even more fuel to that burning fire. Goyer... Snyder... and Affleck the actor? This collaboration just keeps getting worse and worse. (End of long nerd rant) I know everyone here will have EXTREMELY different views on this, but, I just don't see this ending very well. Even if he does give a good performance... will it be anything special? WHY DO I EVEN CARE? I hate Superman. But... being the popcorn movie goer that I am... I HAVE to see it. I am but a slave to it... and Warner Bros. knows it.

#ben affleck #Batman #Superman #hanry cavill #worst casting ever #why is this happening god? WHY?! #am i overreacting? #maybe #but i don't care #fuck this decision

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The WORLD empathizes with that rage. :)

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TJ, I just want to make a correction here, this trial was not about whether or not Zimmerman killed Trayvon. This trial was about whether it was self-defense or not. Killing the kid was an open book fact from the beginning that Zimmerman admitted to right off-hand.

The Prosecution simply had a terrible case, in which even their own material witnesses actually HELPED Zimmerman's Defense. Yes, he did it. But that isn't what this case was about. EVERYONE KNOWS HE DID IT. ...But was he justified? And... so... the evidence showed that he was because the prosecution could not deliver anything to refute that (Other then their idiotic attempts to invoke emotion out of the jury).

And you’re right, this wasn't about racism, although everyone will deem it as such. But simply put, this wasn't a case of proving whether he killed someone. This was all about proving whether he was justified in killing that someone. And the evidence was on his side.

These people whining about the Jury’s decision in the Zimmerman trial need to get a life. Not everything is an episode of American Idol.

I think George Zimmerman killed that kid. I think it was murder. But what I think doesn’t matter. A jury found that the evidence lacking. So I suck it up and...

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Joss Whedon, Robert Kirkman and George R. R. Martin walk into a bar.

Everyone you love dies.

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IT'S COMING....

(This pertains to 'Game of Thrones') Note the extreme subtlety of this post. Most of you probably have no clue what I'm even referring to. Nor will I give you the answer. But to those who know certain things about the book, just think for a second... THINK HARD... why do you think they would hold off for a week to show an episode of Game of Thrones? In terms of PR, they might say because of Memorial Day, or because of 'Behind the Candelabra' but they could have easily shown that on Saturday.  Simply put... they spared themselves a week to prepare themselves more promptly for what is to come their way. I might be completely off about this but... the season is about to come to a close and there are certain clues that make me think that IT is about to happen.  IT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. I wish I could tell you guys what I'm referring to, but this will become so much clearer after the fact. Season Ones perception of this concept was one thing, but season 3's... it's going to be amplified. There will be no recovery. People will hide. Minds will be blown. And people will simply run away. But the fact is... this was inevitable. If IT happens this episode. THEN we can talk about it. But then and only then. ...For now you must wait. "What the FUCK are you taking about you crazed lunatic?" Just wait. WAIT. ...I'm not insane. Trust me. I'm totally not insane. Matter of fact this is the most sane I've ever been. This will all make sense, I promise you.  Just make sure you watch the episode airing tonight... or next week depending on how the story plays it out. There is NO WAY THEY'RE WAITING UNTIL SEASON 4. If they do... FOR SHAME! ...BTW, if you know of what I am VERY, VERY, VERY subtly speaking of, like this status. 

#game of thrones #it's coming #mrwest15 #mrwest16 #a song of ice and fire #blue and red are my favorite colors

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I went into the Darkness...

I went "Into Darkness" this evening. And I expected nothing but a spectacle. I got that. But I got a little more Star Trek out of it this time around. Which is good. Finally something Damon Lindleoff is a part of that I actually liked all through-out. This film is A LOT better than the first one in keeping it consistent with the mythology of Star Trek. It has it's fair share of issues, but I would say the issues are a tad bit smaller than the issues of the first Abrams produced Star Trek film. It seems now that there is more of a respect for the material they are working on and I think fans of the Original incarnations will get the feeling that THIS IS STAR TREK. ...Just be it with a little more exhibition in keeping it in-line with the first Abrams produced Star Trek.

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#star trek #into darkness #movie #film #franchise #jj abrams #zachary quinto #chris pine

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“THE WALKING (AND TALKING) DEAD” — A Bad Lip Reading of The Walking Dead

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Seems legit…

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The Predictability of Television writing... (SPOILERS ABOUND)-The Walking Dead

http://www.wetpaint.com/network/articles/the-walking-dead-season-3-finale-spoilers-what-happens-on-episode-16-a-cliffhanger Just with that article above, I know for a fact who's probably going to live and who's definitely going to die in the finale.  Now I really like this show. Don't get me wrong on that fact. But this is more-so a universal annoyance I have with TV writing in general.  I've noticed on just about every TV show in existence that when a significant character is given a centric-episode they obviously tend to have a lot of extra dialogue with the other characters, story plugs are closed, and they go off on the beaten path alone. And it almost ALWAYS means death. So the VERY moment that Merle ran off with Michonne, I knew he was dead. Part of me thought: "They'd never kill him off, they couldn't" but low and behold, they did. Now, I'm not angry about that, I'm just annoyed because I KNEW he was a dead man. And I get that this was a redemption story for Merle this episode, and people like him tend not to live very long. But come on! Why the hell can't we be surprised every once in a while? Hell, I was surprised when Herschel survived his zombie bite in the first couple episodes of the season. Why can't we have more writing like that?  Basically what I'm saying is that when writers say you're not going to expect what happens, odds are... you actually do expect what's about to happen because certain elements have been put into place that ultimately tell you EXACTLY how a story-line is about to come to a close.  Non-regular characters? Expendable. Herschel, Beth, and Carol (More likely Herschel) will die in the finale. (Because they are the only ones they CAN kill without too much backlash) There is no debating that. Now is it possible for the writers to completely surprise us and let him live? Yes. But that would be too hard so they'll just take the easy way out, his fate was already sealed the very moment he smiled after giving Glenn his blessing. Dead. DEAD. DEAD!  Just based on the things spoken about on that article, I can already venture a guess that, like the comic, Judith will die in the next episode. BUT there's also the possibility that UNLIKE the comic, they might pussy out on that. But if they don't, they can surely do it in a way that isn't graphic in nature. But the fact remains that conventionally, story-wise, it would be too difficult to write around a baby existing in a world filled with zombies and other crap. So again, they will more than likely take the easy out.  Obviously Daryl isn't going to die. Because he's Daryl. Fans would be outraged beyond measure. One of the BIGGEST issues with having a hit TV-Show like this is the blatant fact that once you have a breakout character... everything is screwed. For writers... fans really *beep* suck.  But in terms of the regular characters, obviously they aren't going to kill many of them off. If any. They've already killed off three major regular characters BEFORE the finale so debating this isn't even plausible. The only one who WILL die in the finale, is The Governor. Because again, just based on certain words in that article above, it'd be easy. The bad guy always has to die at the end of a story line in a show like this. So he's dead. Gone. Forgotten. But I would simply ask, why? Just because you're an evil son of a bitch doesn't necessarily mean death should always come for you. Why not keep him around PAST his alleged expiration date and explore the character even more-so next season? Something the comic failed to do. Divert from the source like you've been doing. Perhaps have him lose Wood-bury so we can explore some other dimensions of the character without his power. That'd be an interesting direction. But no, no... no. That would be too hard. Let's keep it easy, right? Right?!  Basically, however an audience feels about certain characters paints the picture of exactly what's going to happen throughout the story of the given piece of entertainment. The Governor isn't above rape. KILL HIM. Merle is a murderer. KILL HIM. Carol and Herschel are expendable. KILL THEM.  Now obviously nothing is an absolute. I firmly acknowledge that fact. But the odds are, everything I've stated above will happen one way or the other in next week's season finale. Could the writers surprise us and throw a curve ball that people TRULY never saw coming? It's certainly possible. But highly unlikely.  I want to see more moments in Television like the moment Herschel survived his leg bite. I want to see that. To me, THAT is more shocking then the obvious death of certain characters.  But ultimately, Television writers are not smart, nor equipped well enough to handle story-lines of that complexity. Which is why more often than not, they take the easy way out. The way that EVERYONE knows it is going to occur before it actually occurs, but refuse to say anything about it because they want to pretend they DON'T know what's going to happen. You can say I'm just making a bunch of baseless guesses here, and I am. But these guesses are routed in practicality. This is the conventional way of story telling in our culture here, at least in the states.  Not even HBO is completely offed to predictable outcomes. But I will give them credit that they do come A LOT closer to what we NEED in television in order to see something truly unique and organic to itself. But until next Sunday, I have no reason to believe that I am wrong with this analysis of TV writing in general. I WANT to be wrong. But I doubt I will be in certain respects.  But as the cliche goes... let's see what happens guys! ...Right? 

#The Walking Dead #They Call Him West #Ryan West #TV #Television #Movies #Writing #I'm a writer #mrwest15 #mrwest16 #Predictable

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Citadel DLC was pretty BAMF.

The Mass Effect 3 Citadel DLC is probably the greatest peice of DLC anyone could ever ask for ever. And I hate DLC. But if you want ANY DLC, any at all. This would be it. Bioware really went out with this one.

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What the fuck does this even mean?

Here is CS Lewis’ very smart take on atheism. A repost from @teddspotting #logic #truth #atheism #belief

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Sorry bout ya, ass-hats.