Happy Birthday Kristen Bell!

Happy Birthday Kristen Bell!  Kristen had the iconic role of Veronica Mars (2004-2007), clever show created by Rob Thomas.  Next, she had the lead role in the comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).  I actually took notice of Kirsten in the show Heroes (2007-2008) playing Elle Bishop with electrical powers.  She played Zoe in the Fanboys (2009) film.  Bell voiced Cora in the animated movie, Astro Boy (2009). She returned as Sarah Marshall in Get Him to the Greek (2010).  Bell joined the musical Burlesque (2010) as Nikki.  Then, she was in the horror film, Scream 4 (2011), as Chloe.  Bell then starred in Colin Trevorrow’s debut film, Safety Not Guaranteed (2012). Then, Kristen Bell had another iconic role voicing Anna in the animated film, Frozen (2013). The klutzy, but spunky princess who could sing a duo with Idina Menzel charmed everyone.  

She also returned as Veronica Mars in the 2014 film that was crowd funded.  Bell returned to voice Anna in the Frozen Fever (2015) short that ran before the Cinderella live action movie.  She followed that short up voicing Priscilla, the sloth workers at the DMV, in Zootopia (2016) animated film. Bell was one of the Bad Moms (2016), Kiki, in the comedy movie.  She returned as Anna in Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017) that ran before the film, Coco.  Then, Bell was back as Kiki in Bad Moms Christmas (2017).  Kirsten Bell starred as Eleanor Shellstrop in the primetime television comedy The Good Place which ended in 2020.  She voiced Jade Wilson in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018).  Later, she also voiced Anna in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018).  Bell has returned as Veronica Mars in the 2019 season.  She also voiced Anna in Frozen II (2019).  Bell voiced Molly Tillerman in the animated series Central Park.  She hosts and executive produces Encore!, a reality show bringing back musical casts, for Disney+.  Happy Birthday Kristen Bell!   

#KristenBell, #VeronicaMars, #TheGoodPlace, #Frozen2

Jurassic World: Alive - Battles!

We covered starting play with the mobile game, Jurassic World: Alive from Ludia, now let’s get a more in-depth look.  The battles of course are at the containers under the orange Supply Boxes.  The trick of course is leveling up.  Your dinos will be a match if they are equal or higher in level.  My Level 1 dinos were no match for a Level 6 T-Rex!  You evolve dinos, level up using coins you win through Supply Boxes, at the lab.  So you create dinos if you have enough DNA, level them up, and of course form your team, about four dinos.  Just in case you missed it you collect dino DNA through darts that you shoot from drones.  You can hit dinos with the target reticle, regular hits will get you 15 points of DNA, a bullseye is 35 to 110 points, so you should get at least one bullseye.  I found an edge in battles with my Level 11 Baronyx, it was just luck that I got it from the daily bonus.  

The other part is the Sanctuaries, I think this trains dinos instead of instantly evolving them, you can select three of your dinos.  You can Interact, play with your dino, kinda rare with the Supply Boxes, give them a Toy, such as a tire for a dino to prod, and give Food, a bail of grass or a giant fish.  Recently, I tried out the Scent capsule, it is located in the backpack icon to the bottom right of your screen.  Once you activate it, all sorts of dinos appear, so remember load up on darts.  I bought 120 of them at the store with dollars that I collected from the Supply Boxes.  This brings several dinos in your area so you can draw a number of DNA samples.  Note that this will take some time, hours, so you may have to pause other activities.  Also keep in mind that you might have dinos that you want to level up so you will want to get their DNAs, but there are so many dinos attracted by the scent that you will want to save up for new ones.  

Next is Tournaments. My dinos are now high leveled, around 11 for the Byronyx so the early tournaments are at around level 6.  What they do teach you is that dinos have certain advantages.  My favorite is now the Nodosaurus, he is heavily armored so can take hits that shred the life of other dinos, and he has a bone-breaking tail club, so basically any button you hit will work!  I usually send in Nodo first to access the strength of opponents.  The prehistoric beasties are fun. I like the Brontotherium, big rhino guy with a clawed horn, he charges and has shields, you have to be careful to send him in to take on groups at the right time.  The other is the Feral Lion, he prowls through the grass, and slashes.  Strangely, there is the Parasaurolophus, a harmless duck-billed dino, but at level 1, he tore apart my powerful dinos! I've entered PvP battles, four wins, one loss, the loss had my team shredded, then the opponent brought in a Level 11 bronto that finished them off!  You can check the Jurassic World Alive Wiki if there is something you might have missed.  Oh, and I did find Blue, but didn’t draw enough DNA!

#JurassicWorldAlive, #LudiaGames, #ScentCapsules, #Sanctuaries

Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart!

Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart!  He began as an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company and started acting on television with a 1967 episode of Coronation Street.  Stewart had the lead in the adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South (1975).  He had a brief part as King Leondegrance, father of Guinevere in John Boorman’s Excalibur (1981).  Then, he was Gurney Halleck, ally to Paul Artredies, in David Lynch’s Dune (1984).  Next, Stewart was Dr. Armstrong in Tobe Hopper’s horror film, Life-force (1985).  Stewart had a long running part as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994).  He had a cameo as King Richard in Mel Brooks’ comedy, Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993).  Stewart starred in Star Trek films teaming up with William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in Star Trek: Generations (1994).  He played Prospero in The Tempest on Broadway in 1995.  Stewart also won a Grammy for narrating Prokofiev: Peter And The Wolf.  Then, he starred in one of the finest of the Next Gen films, Star Trek: First Contact (1996) clashing with the Borg during Earth’s first contact with Zefram Cochrane.   

Next, Stewart was Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He voiced Seti in the Dreamworks’ animated film, The Prince of Egypt (1998).  In 2000, Stewart took the part of Professor Charles Xavier launching another franchise in X-Men.  He was made Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2001.  The last Next Gen film for Patrick was Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).  Then, he returned as Professor X in X-Men 2 (2003). He played Henry in the tv adaptation of the brilliant play The Lion in Winter (2003).  Then, he was directed by Russell Mulcahy in the tv movie of Mysterious Island (2005).  Stewart voiced Mr. Woolensworth in Disney’s animated film, Chicken Little (2005).  He was Professor Ian Hood investigating sci fi mysteries in Eleventh Hour (2006).  Stewart starred in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).  He shared the stage with Ian McKellan in Waiting for Godot in 2009.  He was knighted in 2010 by Queen Elizabeth II.  Stewart also voiced Bill Shakespeare in the animated Gnomeo & Juliet (2011).  Stewart provided many voices on the Family Guy animated series (2005-2014).  He returned as Professor X in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) trying to save the future. Stewart’s final time as Charles Xavier was in Logan (2017).  He has of course returned as another fan favorite role with Star Trek: Picard! mStewart is currently reading Shakespearean sonnets on Twitter, he is on the 80th sonnet for his 80th bday!  Happy Birthday Sir Patrick Stewart!

#PatrickStewart, #StarTrekTheNextGeneration, #Logan, #StarTrekPicard

Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!

Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!  He started out in television and one of his early film roles was in A Time for Killing (1967) playing Lt. Shaffer, a Confederate soldier trying to escape to the Mexican border.  Ford, it is well known, decided to become a carpenter, but took the part of Bob Falfa in George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973).  He had an iconic role of course as Han Solo in Star Wars (1977).  He returned to the role in The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978).  Ford had a cameo role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now (1979) playing a soldier identified as G.Lucas.  Next, he starred alongside Gene Wilder in The Frisco Kid (1979). He returned to Star Wars in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). In 1981, Ford took another iconic role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He starred in a dystopian sci fi film playing Rick Deckard in Blade Runner (1981).    

Then, he completed the Star Wars trilogy with Return of the Jedi (1983).  Ford returned with the bullwhip in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).  Next, he turned to drama with the Peter Weir directed films, Witness (1985), and The Mosquito Coast (1986).  Ford also went into comedy with the Mike Nichols’ Working Girl (1988).  He finished the Indiana Jones trilogy with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).  Then, he starred in the Tom Clancy adaptation, Patriot Games (1992), playing Jack Ryan.  Ford played an older Indiana Jones in the episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, “Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues” (1993).  He played Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive (1993).  Next, Ford was in the Jack Ryan film, Clear and Present Danger (1994).  Ford played President James Marshall in Wolfgang Petersen’s action film, Air Force One (1997).  

He ventured back into sci fi with Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens (2011) which adapted a comic book.  Ford played Colonel Graff in the adaptation of the sci fi novel, Ender’s Game (2013).  He made an incredible return as Han Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015).  Ford also returned in another sci fi film, as Rick Deckard, in the brilliant Blade Runner 2049, directed by Denis Villeneuve.  Ford was at the opening ceremony for Galaxy's Edge and gave a touching tribute to Peter Mayhew for their beloved starship now flown by others!   Ford voiced the Rooster in The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019).  Then, Ford completed the Sequel Trilogy with Rise of Skywalker (2019).  This year, he played John Thornton in Call of the Wild directed by Chris Sanders and based on the Jack London novel.  Harrison Ford has brought us many iconic roles so Happy Birthday Harrison Ford!   

#HarrisonFord, #StarWarsTheForceAwakens, #BladeRunner2049, #CallOfTheWild 

The Old Guard Review!

The Old Guard is an action movie with a mysterious group of warriors!  The film is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood who also wrote and directed the romantic film, Beyond the Lights (2014).  It is based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka, who also worte the screenplay, and featured art by Leandro Fernandez.  There is the falling of bullets on a floor, there are bodies of soldiers, and then we see the body of Andy (Charlize Theron) with her deathly stare. Theron has Andy as a world weary and experienced warrior.  Her name isn’t said at any time until much later in the film.  We hear her voice wondering if she has met her end.  There are boots that walk up to see her body.  Next, there is Andy walking in sunglasses, in sun-bright Morocco.   She makes her way through the streets as a man rides a motorcycle to meet with her.  Andy hands Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts), a book, a first edition of Don Quixote, 1612 in English.  Schoenaerts was in the Terrence Malick drama, A Hidden Life (2019).  Booker is a part of the team and his involvement is important.  He has a mission, a hostage situation in the Sudan, she tries to refuse and Booker notes that Joe and Nicky are at the hotel.  

While Booker checks in, Andy looks at the news reports of conflict deaths, she doesn’t notice of a group of tourists women taking a selfie.  She goes over to take there picture, sees herself caught in the photo, and deletes it.  Booker takes Andy to the room where she is reunited with Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Joe (Marwan Kenzari).  Marinelli was in the drama series Trust.  Kenzari played Jafar in Aladdin (2019).  Nicky and Joe may have an interesting relationship, but it is not shown until later.  The men all speak in Italian, languages is one of the few characteristics they have for their long lives.  Nicky has brought Andy some baklava.  The men bet on Andy and she takes a bite to identify ingredients and also location where Nicky bought the dessert.  Booker and Andy walk through a rainy marketplace to meet with ex-CIA agent, Mr. Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor).  Ejiofor is an Academy Award winning actor who was last in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019).  The character is similar to the Watchers in the Highlander franchise.  Copley debriefs Andy about the mission, they are seen by Nicky using a sniper rifle while Joe adjusts the channel to listen in on the conversation.  He says his wife died two years ago.  Andy says the payment will be charged after the mission.  

A helicopter takes the group, dressed mostly in black with sunglasses and weapons, to the South Sudan.  Night, at a camp, guards are taken down by Nicky’s sniper rifle, and they cut through the wire gate.  The group takes down soldier, one by Booker’s sword, they see the children’s shoes.  The door is breached and and they enter an empty room.  I imagine an explosion would cause the girls to scream.  An ambush, gun men shoot them, and we get a repeat of the opening.  An experienced team wouldn’t stand there when the lights shine on them.  We see the life back in Andy’s eyes, a bullet drops from Booker’s cheek, and they try to quietly get up.  They are immortals in the Wolverine-style.  This group is interesting with the Highlander-type story of the costs of immortality.  The mercenaries are surprised to see them alive and the Old Guard ruthlessly kills them, Andy using her labrys, this is a double bladed axe from ancient Greece.  She realizes there are no hostages.  A camera, with Copley watching, is destroyed by Andy.  He makes his report with a photo of the team and a Civil War photo that has a notation that one of the soldiers may be Booker.  The Old Guard buries the girls’ shoes and Andy says that they know about their existence and they have to find Copley.  

Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers are armed, one them, Corporal Nile Freeman (Kiki Layne) passes out candy to the local kids.  Layne was in the sci fi film Captive State (2019).  Nile is our point of view character, a warrior, but the world of The Old Guard is new to her.  She sent on a mission to escort a local woman and takes with her several women soldiers.  Nile lowers her gun, takes off her helmet, and shows Afghani women a photo of a man.   The other soldiers keep watch as Nile speaks translated by the woman about finding the man.  The lead woman says there is no man around.  She later eyes a door.  The soldiers cover the door as the translator leads the other women away.  Gun fire.  The door is kicked in and Nile shoots the gunman.  He falls and Nile tries to keep him stablized.  The gunman uses a knife to slash her throat and then dies.  Dizzy (Natacha Karam) tries to cover the wound with her hand, the sound starts to fade, and a tear drops from Nile’s eye.  The sun is overheard as a train passed with the Old Guard in one of the cars.  Andy falls asleep and has visions of Nile along with the others.  Nile suddenly wakens from her vision with a patch on her throat.  

The Old Guard tries work out the identity of the woman in their visions.  Visions is new for immortals, my guess is that every period of intense violence results in the appearance of another of The Old Guard, a former warrior.  Andy tells them she is a Marine in Afghanistan.  She says that has been 200 years since they had a new member.  She has others go to Paris to find Copley while she retrieves the new recruit.  Booker has sketched Nile and gives the page to Andy.  She leaps out of the moving train.   At the base, soldiers Jay and Dizzy go to check on Nile, they find her up without the patch.  They are stunned to see that Nile has completely healed which she says is from a skin graft.  The soldiers pass a box of Merrick Pharmacuticals.  At a presentation in London, Copley watches Steven Merrick (Henry Melling), CEO of Merrick Pharmaceuticals.  Melling is known as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter films.  He also appeared in the Coen brothers’ film, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018).  His character is the typical corporate leader who wants to control what is unusual in this case The Old Guard.  Merrick says he needs all of The Old Guard for Dr. Meta Kozak (Anamaria Marinca).  He has Copley work with Keane (Joey Ansah) to capture them.  

At the base, Nile is informed that she is being sent to Germany for tests, her fellow soldiers are silent at her walking in.  I think most soldiers who have a member somehow recover from a mortal wound, wouldn’t shut down, they would love that a KIA is back for any reason.  Nile finds time for herself before two soldiers go to tell her that her transport is ready.  Andy knocks them out and flips the gun that was held by Nile.  She introduces herself as Andromache of Scythia.  This could be the mythological Andromache, wife of Hector of Trojan War fame.  Andy drives the unconscious Nile across the desert in a Humvee.  If it was stolen from the base, the Humvee can easily be tracked by satellite or helicopter.  Nile revives from the jostling in the back of the Humvee.  She has no restraints of any kind, mistake, and kicks open the rear hatch to roll out.  Andy stops the Humvee and shoots Nile in the head.  She gets frustrated at the revival time for Nile.  It is a tense relationship, but they need each other.  Later, Copley calls Andy the “Eternal Warrior”, I think this is a nod to the Valiant Comics character who is also immortal.  The pacing is a bit slow, but the action scenes are strong.  They have to recover lost team members from Merrick Pharmaceuticals to confront this threat to their existence.  The Old Guard features an action spin on immortals, violent, but with some interesting characters.  

Four Labrys out of Five! 

#TheOldGuard, #GinaPrinceBythewood, #CharlizeTheron, #MatthiasSchoenaerts, #LucaMarinelli, #MarwanKenzari

Re:tro Re:view - The Current War!

The Current War (2019) is a powerful drama of incredible historical figures! The film is directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon who also directed Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (20150. It is written by Michael Mitnick, a playwright, who also wrote the brilliant adaptation of The Giver (2014). The title has a double meaning that it is a war that is happening now and it also refers to the famous War of the Currents.  

This was the struggle between two industrial giants, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, with the genius inventor, Nikola Tesla, caught between them. We hear some wind sounds as we get the “Inspired by True Events” line. I have been fascinated with Tesla and have read his works and watched documentaries. This gives some substance to these historical figures working to build the future. It turns into a white screen, the snow is heavy, and we see a figure emerge from the snow. The snow howls as we see a man in a coat.  

This cuts to 1880. We hear the voice of Thomas Alva Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) speaking about a patent for a lightbulb. Cumberbatch was finishing the last season of Sherlock in 2017 (the movie's release was delayed) and then appeared in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) as Doctor Strange. We move to a train in the night, the train hits its brakes, which is the Westinghouse railway air brake. This shifts to Menlo Park, New Jersey, a man is holding up a lamp as he leads a group of other men in the night partially lit by the moon.  

The man blows out the lamp and we only see the top hats of the men. Edison calls out the signal and an impressive circle of light bulbs on posts revealing Thomas Edison, “inventor.” Excellent cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung and also the visuals match with the dialogue and pacing of the film. Edison looms large as an inventor, the power of celebrity vs. business, and also science and how it can help society. Still, Edison is obsessive, to the point where he is driven and doesn’t acknowledge other options. Even to the point where compromises his values.  

After this demonstration, we are back in a train car with Mary Edison (Tuppence Middleton), she was in the tv movie Diana and I (2017) with her family. “Edison’s assistant”, Samuel Insull (Tom Holland) reminds him of a dinner appointment with Westinghouse. Holland was known as Spider-Man and just debuted as Peter Parker that year in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). Insull is interesting as a young assistant to a genius, his input is heard, but of course not considered.  

Still, he is key to keeping Edison in with the machinations of big business. Then, we see the White House in the snowy day, Edison is meeting with J.P. Morgan (Matthew Macfayden), “banker.” The actor starred in the Howard’s End television mini-series adapting the E.M. Forester novel. Morgan is the money man, representing big business, Edison works with him to accomplish his means, but of course big business dominates inventors. They have a meal with Edison showing his invention, the phonograph, invented by Edison in 1877. It impresses Edison’s family.  

Edison tells Morgan he doesn’t want to invent weapons of war. Instead, he shows one square block in New York that he will light up. Edison’s young son taps his spoon in Morse code, a message to his father about Morgan’s “cherry” nose.  Clever and a secret joke between them. A carriage ride takes the group back as Edison has Insull set up his company, Edison Works. Night, Pittsburgh, we get gifts placed by Marguerite Westinghouse (Katherine Waterson). She starred as Daniels in Alien: Covenant (2017) that year. Marguerite reminds her children not to remark about Morgan’s nose.  

She is fascinating, supportive, her husband would find himself hedged in by the cutthroat business without her. George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon), her husband and “industrialist”, walks in.  He played Richard Strickland in The Shape of Water (2017). This is my favorite role for Shannon.  He questions his wife about trivia questions as they ready for the Edison dinner. They take a carriage to meet Edison exciting about the meeting. At the train station, they meet with engineer, Franklin Pope, “chief electrician”, played by Stanley Townsend. He was also the drama series Redwater in 2017. 

Insull tries to remind Edison, but he says he is tired and doesn’t want the train to stop. The stunned Westinghouses and Pope as the train passes by them! This causes a rift between the two men. They return to find silent servants who are told by Marguerite there was an “emergency.”  There is a flashback, Westinghouse as a Union soldier is riding his horse in the rain. He checks his map and then faces a gun. This flashback is explored more fully later in the film, but it seems like a turning point in his life. Then, Pope notes that the Wizard of Menlo Park, Edison’s legendary name, stayed in his basement.  

We get the contrast with Westinghouse, working with a team, to accomplish his goals. They go over Edison’s methods, Pope says he is methodical in pursuing a “needle in a haystack.” There is an interesting dimension to Westinghouse, he knows what is right, but of course unable to work with Edison so finds him as a rival. Mary is upset at her husband ignoring the dinner invitation.  Morning, the Edison house as he is working on his phonograph with his family around him. Mary speaks into the phonograph. This captures a moment that of course is kept forever as a recording also as a memory.  

Then, Edison answers a phone call from Morgan to get the funding. At his workshop, Edison draws a map of the country, all set with wires and lightbulbs. This is what will be the battle map between Edison and Westinghouse. Then, we get a closeup of Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult), “futurist”, in his ship cabin. At the time, Hoult was in the war film, Sand Castle (2017), and he is currently in series The Great. Tesla is emigrating from what is modern Croatia. He is complete genius trying to help build the future, but he is opposed by the American inventors and businessmen who take advantage of him as an immigrant.  

Tesla starts to write in a notebook as the ship makes its way to New York. Edison speaks at the New York Stock Exchange testing his new lighting system. Tesla walks the dark streets and then looks up as the night is lit up. The crowds cheer for Edison. This is the conflict between Edison and Westinghouse. To light up New York and then the rest of the country through Edison’s direct current or Westinghouse trying to push for alternating current which can be transmitted over long distances. This also involves execution by the electric chair, life and death, media manipulation, politics and the competition of Westinghouse and Edison. Tesla’s ambition to build a hydroelectric plant at Niagra Falls that changes the world. The Current War lights the way to our future, the first rate cast playing historical figures, and their story that created our modern world.  

Five Lightbulbs out of Five!  

#TheCurrentWar, #AlfonsoGomezRejon, #BenedictCumberbatch, #MichaelShannon, #Tom Holland, #NicholasHoult, #TuppenceMiddleton, #KatherineWaterson, #StanleyTownsend 

Jurassic World: Alive Review!

Jurassic World: Alive is the latest in cell phone games with of course the feature of taking on dinosaurs!  It was developed by Ludia and released in May 2018.  Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom hit theaters on June 2018.  Jurassic World: Dominion is targeted for a June 2021 release.  So my interest was trying to get the augmented reality taking pictures of a dino with anything in the background.  Honestly, still haven’t worked out how to do this, the instructions was to search a dino on Google, but it just has animation, no background.  This lead me to downloading the game.  I really like the premise that dinosaurs are everywhere taken from Isla Nubar.  You are part of the Dinosaur Protection Group and advised by Claire Dearing and Owen Grady.  

The basic gameplay is drones that are sent to fly over dinosaurs you encounter.  The more you explore, the different the species of dinosaur, also note that there are also prehistoric animals!  I think I ran into a Elasmotherium, a rhino with a shaggy coat.  I did collect a Velociraptor.  You have a number of darts that you can reload from green or orange supply drop boxes.  The drone has a targeting reticle that pans over the dino.  This is not easy since there is a target circle that gives you vulnerable areas for the dino.  You have a limited time to fire the darts which extract the DNA from the dino.  So you are not hurting the beastie.  It is possible to hit a bullsye, but the limited time just has me shooting wildly, some dinos can deflect the darts.  The game play is not easy to master, some of the dinos are fast moving, the target circle allow for hitting anywhere within it.  Still, you have to patiently wait for the reticle to match up with the target circle. 

The aim once you collected enough dino DNA is to build your own dino.  This is for when you get into battles.  You assign three dinos to fight others.  You can find arenas at a local park.  A good mix of opponents is fun.  One battle, I think with a T-Rex?, had the dino swipe and kill with one hit, all three of my dinos!  The herbivores of course are armored, they have attacks like stomps or tail swaps.  There are also shields, but they don’t protect against massive carnivores.  I hope to build a flying I feel really bad when my dinos are defeated.  I’m not certain how to heal my dinos.  I have on my team, a favorite, the Stygimoloch, bonehead!  I'm running into tough dinos that knock down my dinos health three or more times than their strikes.  This makes any win impossible.  I don't know how to heal the dinos, get more than one strike or reduce opponents' strikes, so this will make game play not fun.  There are special events that happen every week or so.  One dino that seems original is the carnivore, Irritator.  You can also build dino hybrids.  There are sanctuaries, possibly they can bring in rival dinos, I just reached Level 3 where you start using the sanctuaries.  The sanctuaries can be used for toys and food that you get from Supply Drop boxes.  I don't know what effect it has on the dinos you place in there.  The game play is very good and fun!  

Four Scent Capsules out of Five! 

#JurassicWorldAlive, #Ludia, #DinosaurProtectionGroup, #JurassicWorldDiminion 

Hamilton Review!

Hamilton is a sensation from its award-winning Broadway performances and opening American history to every American. It of course made its streaming debut on Disney+ on July 3rd in time for the holiday. The film was intended for release in theaters on October 15 next year. It captured performances in 2016 with the original Broadway cast by director, Thomas Kail, who also directed the musical. Hamilton won eleven Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

The musical is based on Alexander Hamilton, the 2004 biography by Ron Chernow, who is very understanding of the potential of the adaptation. It features music, lyrics, and book by Lin-Manuel Miranda. He has previously created the musical In the Heights which has a film directed by Jon M. Chu with a pending release. Miranda is in that movie as well his appearance as Lamplighter Jack in Mary Poppins Returns (2018). The mixture of the hint of history with dialogue and costume and the music of hip hop combine in what Miranda calls “the story of America then told by America now.”  

Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) poster.

The introduction is by King George III, played by Jonathan Groff, he returned to the production for this filming. This was at the Richard Rogers Theatre, New York. The stage is shown with what looks like a wooden upper floor and brick background. Taking the stage is Aaron Burr played by Leslie Odom Jr. who won the Tony for his performance. Odom Jr. was in the bio drama Harriet (2019). He is dressed in brown coat, trousers, and boots which gives a hint of the historical period.  

The opening number, “Alexander Hamilton”, is begun by Burr who wonders how his rival could be successful going over his poor and Caribbean beginnings. The rest of the cast joins him with the men in pale reflections of their Revolutionary coats. Kudos to Paul Tazewell, the costumer designer for the musical. These are his friends, John Laurens (Anthony Ramos) who also plays Hamilton’s son, Phillip in part 2, Marquis de Lafayette (Daveed Diggs), his other part is Thomas Jefferson, and Hercules Mulligan (Okierete Onaodowan, called Oak by the company), his other part is James Madison. Diggs also won the Tony for Featured Actor in a Musical. He is currently in the sci fi series Snowpiercer. 

Aaron Burr (Leslie Odom Jr.) poster.

The ensemble are dressed in stays which looks like white undergarments and dance and play crowds. This brings out Alexander Hamilton played by Miranda in a close-up, the live audience cheered drowning out his first lines. Then, we get Phillipa Soo who plays Hamilton’s wife, Eliza.  Soo is in the drama, The Code. George Washington (Chris Jackson) walks out singing about Hamilton’s difficult years which he turns to focusing on his studies.  Jackson was in the true crime series When They See Us. 

Burr continues with Alexander’s move to New York.  Alexander takes off his coat and is helped on a brown coat by Eliza. The symbolism is nice. The lyrics are sung, “In New York you can be a new man.” In part, the musical is a love letter to New York. The full cast assembles in a line as Alexander walks up to the second floor. He walks down the steps on the other side, his arrival to America, we get spotlights on the important figures in Hamilton’s life which of course points to Burr saying he shot Hamilton. This is the prologue that gives you glimpses into Hamilton’s life which I think is like the prologue in Romeo and Juliet. 

Marquis de Lafayette (Daveed Diggs) poster.

The opening is also impressive because this is the showstopper, usually at the middle or end of a musical, which of course ends in applause. This shifts to 1776, an inconfident Hamilton talks to Burr, he wants to know how Burr graduates so quickly through college. Burr also gives advice to “talk less”, this is central to Burr’s character, to move ahead without standing out. He introduces Hamilton to the three drinking colleagues; Laurens, Lafayette, and Mulligan. Their boistrous introductions set off some fun showing them to be young and ready to be soldiers. 

Diggs is funny in his part. Historically, Hamilton had just met Hercules Mulligan, but if you want dry history watch a documentary. Hamilton interrupts Burr and sings, “My Shot.” The quartet of friends is formed. Laurens has a dream of freeing the slaves. They take their ambitions to the streets. We get the turntable that is in the center of the stage, it creates movement, and is a centerpiece to some artistic numbers. Hamilton has a moment when he thinks about his mortality, but this shifts to his speech before a crowd about fighting to build a nation that is also financially secure.   

Angelica Schulyer (Renee Elise Goldsberry) poster.

At the tavern, the friends sing “The Story of Tonight”, which is classic musical theater, pondering how their children will remember that night.  Burr is walking the New York streets and notices the Schulyer Sisters; Angelica (Renée Elise Goldsberry), Eliza (Soo), and Peggy (Jasmien Cephas Jones). Goldsberry is an incredible singer, she won the Tony for the role, and she plays the Schulyer Sister who is “looking for a mind at work.”  

She was in the drama Waves (2019). Soo is also strong as a vocalist. She was also in the military drama series The Code (2019). Jones has another part playing Maria Reynolds in the second part.  She was in the romantic film The Photograph this year. Burr is interested in Angelica, but she doesn’t share his interest. The three sisters are excited to be in the center of great change with “The Schulyer Sisters” song, a powerful number. Hamilton is watching Samuel Seabury (Thayne Jasperson) try to make a public speech on loyalty to the king. Burr, Hamilton, and the friends make fun of the speaker and Hamilton takes over.  

Eliza Hamilton (Phillipa Soo) poster.

Soldiers in red coats interrupt to introduce the king’s message. This is delivered by King George III (Groff) in full period accurate robes. His “You’ll Be Back” song turns into shouting that has saliva dripping from his lips in a close-up. Groff of course was in Frozen II (2019). He provides a humorous contrast to the rest of the cast. Hamilton and his friends put on the blue coats of soldiers.  

Burr introduces General George Washington (Jackson). I thought Jackson was a standout in the production. He sings that he needs a "right hand man" to somehow turn the soldiers from running.  Aaron Burr reports for duty, but is dismissed by Washington. He has called in Hamilton who does not want to write reports, but take on the British in the field. Washington holds the quill out as we get the ensemble singing "My Shot." Hamilton accepts the position and brings in his friends and spies. Burr again questions Hamilton and his rise with the army. The simmering jealousy just opens the rift between Burr and Hamilton.  

George Washington (Chris Jackson) poster.

We move to 1780 with the winter's ball, Eliza is there, singing "Helpless", innocent. She is taken by the look of Hamilton across the room. Eliza watches Angelica walking over to Hamilton, she brings him over to meet Eliza, this leads to letters and a wedding. It is very sweet and then we get Angelica toasts which pauses and then rewinds! This is a stunning piece of theater. There is Hamilton's conversation with Angelica at the ball that they are both "never satisfied."  

She sees that her sister has fallen in love, but knows that he is flawed. His flaw becomes tragic in the second part. This carries through the Revolutionary War, which is told through dance not violence, and into the Federalist Papers, the formation of the first national bank, and Hamilton's end in 1804. The initial plan was to show Hamilton in theaters, I would really like to see it in the theaters some time, and also on the stage. Hamilton is a bold musical with the journey through friendship, romance, and betrayal, but its brilliance is relevant today!    

Five Federalist Papers out of Five! 

#HamilFilm, #ThomasKail, #LinManuelMiranda, #PhillipaSoo, #ReneeEliseGoldsberry, #JasmienCephas, Jones#DaveedDiggs, #AnthonyRamos, #Okierete Onaodowan, #ChrisJackson 

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!

Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!  Her first film was in the Jerry Lewis French comedy, Par où t'es rentré ? On t'a pas vu sortir (1984) translated as How Did You Get In? We Didn't See You Leave.  Her first US film was The Devil’s Advocate (1997) co-starring with Al Pacino in the horror film.  Then, Nielsenwas in the sci fi action film Soldier (1998) stranded on an alien planet. Nielsen followed it up with Brian De Palma’s brilliant sci fi tale, Mission to Mars (2000) alongside Gary Sinise and Don Cheadle.  I find it more fascinating than The Martian (2015).  Next, Nielsen had her break through role as Lucilla in Gladiator (2000).  

In 2002, she played Nina Yorkin in the thriller, One Hour Photo. Nielsen was in the comedy film, The Ice Harvest (2005).  She had a role as Detective Dani Beck in 2006 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.  Then, Nielsenstarred as Meredith Kane in the television drama Boss (2011-2012). Nielsen had the role of cult leader, Lily Gray, in The Following (2014).  In The Good Wife, she played Ramona Lytton from 2014-2015.  She returned to genre films playing Queen Hippolyta in Wonder Woman (2017) and also Justice League (2017).  Nielsen perfectly embodied the leader of the Amazons. She is in the biography, The Catcher Was a Spy (2018).  This year, she was in the mini-series, I Am the Night, playing Corinna Hodel, who wraps her niece, Fauna, into the dark world of a tense Los Angeles.  Nielsen was in the horror film, Sea Fever (2019).  She returns as Hippolyta in Wonder Woman 1984!  Happy Birthday Connie Nielsen!  

#ConnieNielsen, #Gladiator, #IAmtheNight, #WonderWoman1984

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!

Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  The first film of Margot Robbie was the Australian independent film, Vigilante (2008).  She starred as Donna Brown on the well known soap opera Neighbours (2008-2011).  Robbie started in the U.S. with the drama series, Pan Am (2011-2012), playing Laura Cameron.  She played Charlotte in About Time (2013) before breaking out in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).  Ann Burden, the lead wandering the post-apocalyptic world of Z for Zachariah (2015) was played by Robbie, based on the Robert O’Brien novel set in an apocalyptic world.  

Margot Robbie had a lead role in Focus (2015) with co-star Will Smith.  Next, she was Jane Clayton in The Legend of Tarzan (2016) directed by David Yates.  Another break out role was as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad (2016).  She had award attention with her lead in the biopic, I, Tonya. (2017).  Robbie played the mother, Daphne Milne, in the drama, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017).  Next, she played Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots (2018).  Robbie  plays actress Sharon Tate in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019). This year, Robbie returned as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)!  Happy Birthday Margot Robbie!  

#MargotRobbie, #TheWolfofWallStreet, #OnceUponaTimeinHollywood, #BirdsofPrey

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!

Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!  She started out as a model and on her father, Steven Tyler’s Aerosmith, music videos, before getting the lead role of Corey Mason in Empire Records (1995). Lucy Harmon, the young American woman in Italy, was played by Liv Tyler in  Bernardo Bertolucci’s Stealing Beauty (1996).  Then, she played Faye Dolan in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! (1996).  She had a genre role in the sci fi action film Armageddon (1998) playing the love interest of Ben Affleck.  In 2001, Tyler had the part of Arwen in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).  She finished the trilogy with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). 

Liv Tyler was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the United Nations in 2003.  Tyler co-starred with Ben Affleck in Jersey Girl (2004) directed by Kevin Smith.  She played Betty Ross in The Incredible Hulk (2008).  Then, was in the comedy Super (2010).  Tyler was then in the comedy Robot & Frank (2012).  She was in the 70’s style sci fi comedy, Space Station 76 (2014).  Tyler played Meg Abbott in the tv series The Leftovers (2014-2017) dealing with the mysterious disappearance of some of the global population.  Tyler starred in the horror film Wilding (2016) which she also produced.  She was in the Gunpowder (2017) mini-series about Guy Fawkes.  Tyler was in the sci fi movie, Ad Astra (2019).  Recently, she stars as Michelle Blake, a paramedic in the series, 9-1-1: Lone Star.  Happy Birthday Liv Tyler!    

#LivTyler, #EmpireRecords, #FellowshipoftheRing, #AdAstra