The Professional Gamer - February 22, 2016

Hi everyone! I've just got a short post this week.  I've got a major post on Colorado Anime Fest in the works, look for it on Wednesday.  In other news, I borrowed Heir to the Empire from the library.  After trying to read Shadows of the Empire, this was such a breath of fresh air.  I mean, maybe its not classical literature, but the caliber of writing is phenomenally higher.  I've also watched several more episodes of Snow White with the Red Hair and am rapidly approaching the first season finale.

I hope everyone had a great week, and I'll see you here again next time!

Colorado Anime Fest 2016 Floor Photos

Any geek convention in Colorado always includes a good amount of cosplay. And with it there come plenty of photography opportunities.  Here are the ones that I took from the floor. Expect photos from the costume contest soon.

You can also see the photos here.

The Professional Gamer – February 15, 2016

Hello, readers!  I’ve been at the inaugural Colorado Anime Fest.  I’ll have a full article about my experience here a little later this week.  Other than that, I’ve spent my time this week watching Snow White with the Red Hair, and flying around some more with my space truck.  Also, since we are starting to get close to spring, I’ve started reading more gardening books, and have started some herbs to keep in pots in my house. 

Snow White with the Red Hair is very enjoyable.  I like seeing that the two lead characters, who maybe have some romantic interest in each other, also have plans and goals that do not simply revolve around the relationship.  Without relying on the typical "love conquers all" trope, the creators are much more free to develop the characters as individuals.

My adventures in space trucking in Elite: Dangerous continue apace.  I've been a bit more busy this week, especially with helping Crystal get ready for Colorado Anime Fest this weekend.  So, I haven't moved much further towards my goals of a new ship, but my rare trading scheme still seems to be working well as a means of earning the needed capital.

Look for a full article from me about Colorado Anime Fest to come out later this week.  I took a few pictures and had a lot of fun at the cultural track programs.  I hope to see you all here again later this week.  Game on!

Deadpool Movie Review

Deadpool, the first R-rated Marvel movie since 2004, has finally hit theatres. But is this movie as good as all the hype has made it out to be? Or is it going to have been all marketing magic? Well good news to all of you, the movie is good. They took the recent Deadpool comics and translated them into a movie that we can proudly admit to having been seen. Although, and this is pointed to you parents, I would HIGHLY advise you holding out on taking the kids to this movie. Yes, it is a Marvel movie, but no one will question why Deadpool earned an R-rating and without it this is not the same movie. There will not be a TV friendly version of this movie.

Now lets flashback a number of years to San Diego Comic Con. A trailer of some Deadpool test footage gets leaked. Fast forward to another SDCC and this footage returns later a little cleaned up with the announcement that there will be a Deadpool movie. Fast forward again to this weekend and this same freeway gun fight opens the movie. It even included Deadpool coloring on an overpass listening to some tunes. Immediately during the opening you know this movie will be different. Trust me when I tell you to read the opening credits, it really sets the tone of the movie.

Since this is the first Deadpool movie it requires a long and boring origin story about who Wade Wilson is and how he got that fancy red suit. Well this is done between action scenes with 4th wall breaking flash-backs until we reach the present day. It is a unique method that I am not sure would work with the other Marvel properties since they don't acknowledge they are in a fictional world the way Deadpool does. Now if it annoys you when characters break the 4th wall, you probably are not reading this as you don't like Deadpool anyway, so you will like that portion of the movie. Breaking the 4th wall is used to do more then tell the story. Deadpool also uses this to make a few well timed wise cracks about Fox's X-men movie universe. 

 Now the big question is, should you see this movie? Well if you only like superhero movies that feature a hero who works for the greater good and is a good person without question; then just stay home and watch Ant-Man or Avengers again. But if you are looking for something different, if you are looking to have a laugh then this movie will scratch that itch.

Fingers crossed this scene is in the sequel.

And on a few different notes. Thanks to X-Men: Days of Future Past this is technically the same Deadpool that almost destroyed this movie's chance. Now instead of a mute teleporting sword implanted monster we have the Deadpool we always wanted. A Deadpool that broke records for opening weekend sales for both R-rated movies and for movies opening in February making $135 million domestically and $125 million internationally. Not bad for an idiot in a red suit.