Three Episodes Into Drag Race And We May Have A Frontrunner!
The gayest (greatest) show on television is having quite the ninth season. ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race‘ started the season off with a Lady Gaga themed premiere before bringing back a former contestant and really starting the race. These last two episodes have struggled to keep up the magnitude of the premiere but one thing is really shining through…
The Season 9 Queens!
This season of ‘Rupaul’s Drag Race‘ has one of the most diverse & intriguing set of competitors in years. Every corner of the mainstream drag community is featured with a few stars representing the underbelly as well. After episode 3, it became even more apparent that this season has superstars. But which of these queens will make it to the finale in hopes of snatching the crown?
Top 3 Predictions:
More so than past seasons, trying to pick a clear winner or even the top 3 is hard. There’s so many factors that go into the decision and still so many episodes ahead but some queens are starting to jump ahead.
Honorable Mentions:
-Aja
-Peppermint
Valentina: – As of now, Valentina has not slipped up once. And by the looks of things, it doesn’t seem like it will happen anytime soon. Something about that charming smile and killer fashion makes Valentina an easy fit for the top 3.
Cynthia Lee Fontaine: – The comeback queen! Cynthia Lee Fontaine A.K.A. Miss Cucu came back to Drag Race with a fiery passion. After a rather weak outing in Season 8, Cynthia is over her battle with cancer and is ready to be “American’s Next Drag Superstar”.
Nina Bo’Nina Brown: – One of the true drag artist to ever grace the runway. Nina Bo’Nina Brown is outspoken and brash but still so very humble. Nina uses makeup like no one on the show has done before but still remains an accessible choice.
Winning Prediction:
Valentina
-She’s the full package…no pun intended. Everything you want in a queen is what Valentina possesses. There’s charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent but it’s also notable that Valentina is the sweetest competitor ever! Almost every aspect of a top drag queen (comedy, glamour, edginess) is here. Now, all she must do is keep it up till the finale.
Everyone’s favorite potato loving member of the team finally gets her own episode. It’s Sasha’s time to shine and the fans are going to love it.
The episode showcases a flashback into Sasha’s past and explores how she was always obsessed with food. It’s shown she was willing to wrestle her father if it meant getting more to eat. The more you dig into it, her cut personality tick of always wanting food might actually be more of a mental or physical disorder than a simple personality trait. Unfortunately, psychologists are not available in this world to determine this.
There is a nice reverse of tropes showcased as well. Before she joined the survey corps, Sasha was reluctant to change her way of life, insisting it was the fault of others for their not being enough game to kill. Her father insisted they had to change if they have any hope of surviving. It’s interesting to see the counterpoint where a parent is embracing change and the child wishes things to remain the same. Luckily by the end of the episode the two are allowed to have a moment where they see eye to eye.
This episode also features a great display of how CGI and character animation can be blended together and it not be distracting. In one shot several characters are on CGI horses but they don’t distract from the overall presentation. In fact it is presented so smoothly you actually have to look close at the screen to realize they employed the CGI at all. This is a great contrast compared to a recent series like Hand Shakers where the CGI was so distracting it made the show look atrocious.
This new season is on a roll and hopefully will keep this level of quality throughout. Don’t get too comfortable just yet though. There are still ten episodes to go and still plenty of room for error.
Attack on Titan: Season Two is streaming on Crunchyroll.
In the rising tide of Virtual Reality buzz nothing is moving faster than the equipment. In particular with the gaming console giants and their takes on evolving into virtual reality. The aspects of virtual reality that are difficult to manage remain usability, content and player experience. Like anything else these issues will take time and innovation to resolve. So you’re thinking this is about virtual reality tech. Yes and no. This is also about strategy. Something game console creators have been playing with for years.
I’m going to go ahead and call the eventual winner of the coming console virtual reality war. Nintendo. You say what?!? PlayStation has put its best try out there and Microsoft has just let it slip that they are releasing the Kraken soon in Project Scorpio. Yes and then Nintendo mentions as a by your leave ‘oh the Switch’ could have virtual reality capabilities. Well that’s rather convenient.
Historically Speaking
Take a jaded look at the history of these companies when it comes to producing gaming consoles we want. Nintendo is the old dog for a good reason. Mostly patience and the ability to rope and dope the other two into putting out first so they can learn from their mistakes. It happened years ago when PS3 and XBox 360 were duking it out for console supremacy. Nintendo let them go with graphics as a main definer for enhanced user experience. Then they went with quality of game play to quietly release the Wii. Which much like the Switch, sold out immediately and then indefinitely for about a year. Remember this example as you read. It’s called a pattern.
Game Usability
Now back to those factors from before. Let’s look at usability. By the way in case you haven’t thought about it. The Wii was the first foray into Virtual or Augmented Reality gaming. Nintendo already has the controllers. Consider Wii the dry run. With the Wii, Nintendo explored placing real action into a game space. All of those kinks have been being puzzled over and worked on for years now. It seems to me Xbox was still solving red ring of death issues. While PlayStation never really got their Move adjustment off the ground.
Game Content
When it comes to content PlayStation usually wins the war for modern adaptations. This is done so well that they never introduce a new advance without a lusted after Triple A title to sell it. Most recently this was done with the Batman VR launch. The tried and true method for PlayStation to go to market with. Microsoft has never been a really heavy content hitter beyond the Halo franchise. So they have less to build on there. Consequently this is why they usually lean to power. Nintendo has the most famous video game characters of all time. (slight audio feedback, plunk) Yes you did hear an audible mic drop with that statement.
More Power
An amazing player experience is the light at the end of the game design tunnel. The aspects of an enjoyable player experience is interpreted by each company differently and given different weight. Microsoft is the king of creating a beast which cannot be fed. The consumer says I want a console that may drop my city’s electric grid, Microsoft calmly answers with hold my beer. No one does that better. The leaked specs for Project Scorpio is just confirmation of the Microsoft plan. It reminds me of Dodge selling Hemis. Yes it’s a magnificent engine, however is the average consumer going to need all that bang for their buck?
PlayStation Life
PlayStation is usually a bit more subtle, low-key and incorporates lived life with their console use. A lesson well learned when they became the most affordable Blu-ray player on the market just in time to capitalize on HD DVD losing the war with Blu-ray. PlayStation expects the players to live outside of the game experience. Mostly because Sony is a multimedia company. They have DVDs to sell. In that same vein Microsoft is a computer company. Guess what they have to sell.
The Game Company
So let’s be clear, there is only one game company in this comparison. That company is Nintendo. They aren’t a branch, they are not a subsidiary or investment. They live and breathe games. The advantage of that is that while Sony and Microsoft are viewing this situation as an innovation for multiple tiers of their technology, Nintendo is viewing this as another way to make games. Games that will focus specifically on game play to define the quality of the player experience.
The Wii was successful because Nintendo built a console that enhanced game play. PlayStation and Microsoft were selling hi resolution interactive movies. Don’t get me wrong those are great, but not a game does it make. It just so happens that a decent amount of those turned out to be really good games. When making games is the focus, graphics should not be the catalyst for innovation. It seems simplistic to state it but game play should be.
Virtual Reality Games
Enter Virtual Reality which is a method to incorporate created worlds into real life. This is a medium to enhance whatever experiences the user would like to enhance. The natural assumption would be that virtual reality would be benefitted by the most powerful graphics engine on the planet. Yes if you’re inserting someone into a movie or a documentary. The Scorpio specs are perfect for that. However we are talking about games which are another beast.
Virtual reality game creation is a process of simplicity not necessarily of power. A well constructed game takes advantage of the tools used to play it. Nintendo is the company that has been planning in some form or fashion for this innovation without anyone being none the wiser. Reps from the company have gone on record in declaring that when virtual reality can be used to meet their needs it will be used. Tell me about those Nintendo Switch Virtual Reality capabilities again.
The pattern plays out the same over and over again. PlayStation sells a title with a console. Microsoft sells an engine. Then Nintendo sells a better way to play games and kamehameha wave’s the market. HaMeHAA!
Comment below and let me know your thoughts on the most important things to have in a good VR game.
Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You hits Japan in three months, and the marketing is starting to kick in. A new trailer has been released, as well as a shorter commercial that features footage.
Trailer:
Commercial:
As a lifelong Pokemon fan, I can’t wait for this film. It looks like an incredible throwback to the Kanto region, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
Are you excited for this movie? Comment below, let us know!
Pokemon The Movie: I Choose You hits is released in Japan on July 15.
The cover maintains the vibe and aesthetic that Guardians of the Galaxy always brings, yet it feels modern by its use of text, quotes, and other visuals.
How do you feel about the cover? More importantly, are you excited for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2? Comment below and let us know!
“Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.”
Guardians Vol. 2 stars Chris Pratt as Star-Lord/Peter Quill, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Michael Rooker as Yondu, Kurt Russel as Ego The Living Planet, Karen Gillian as Nebula, Dave Bautista as Drax, Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Sean Gunn as Kraglin, and Sylvester Stallone in a currently unknown role. The film is directed by James Gunn.
In 2010, Canadian Lily Singh started a YouTube channel under the name of IISuperwomanII. Lily’s channel featured skits, cooking, live chats, and encounters with celebrities. The young talent writes, dances, and even plays her parents in sketches. As of today, Lily has 11,342,835 subscribers and in 2016 ranked #3 highest paid YouTube stars by Forbes. It seems there’s nothing Superwoman can’t do. Like Bieber before her, Lily’s rise and support demanded a world tour. And any respectable world tour requires a behind the scenes movie. A Trip To Unicorn Island is just that behind the scenes look promoting Lily’s undeniable message of positivity.
WARNING: The levels of positivity in this film
may enrage folks steeped in cynicism.
Like any good documentary, A Trip To Unicorn Islandtakes viewers on a journey through the life of its subject. Lily rises to stardom, faces the pressures of success and the mental and physical toll it takes on the body.
Lily’s message focuses on inspiring people, in part, because depression haunts her. As anyone familiar with depression knows, even having 11 million adoring fans feels lonely. The brain is wired in such a way that it makes dark thoughts resurface time and time again. It happens to Lily, she fights through it to realize a dream. Instead of using her success to indulge in things to help her forget about her problems, Lily shares them, making them positive.
For the cynical-minded, it’s very easy to watch A Trip To Unicorn Island and think of the 2006 best-selling book The Secret. At the end of the day, both Lily and Rhonda Byrne’s book are selling positive thinking. There are two degrees of cynicism. One holds that positive thinking is good but so is realistic, often cynical rationality. The other argues that positive thinking is fruitless, we’re all going to die. The former will likely find every moment of this doc irritating while the latter, however, will appreciate Lily’s steadfast dedication and work-ethic.
Dissecting A Trip To Unicorn Island as a documentary is difficult. It’s not designed to compete with the likes of things like Ava Duvernay’s 13th or Blackfish. UnicornIsland. The film, and it’s seemingly non-stop background music, is aimed at Lily’s fans and like-minded pre-teens and teens. It’s a family-friendly affair with lots of girl power.
“Pressure builds diamonds.” – A Trip To Unicorn Island
A Trip To Unicorn Island will entertain Lily’s legion of fans. It hits all the right notes of her message and what makes Lily accessible. It’s hard to criticize someone who just wants people to find their “unicorn” which Lily describes as a happy place. At the same time, the world needs to stand firmly in a balanced position between the fantasy that makes us happy and the reality that makes our world function. Lily does this, perhaps subconsciously, but that message is lost in what amounts to a long commercial for the Lily brand of positive thinking.
After the tragic passing of legendary actor Carrie Fisher last year, Star Wars fans began to wonder what the future of her character held.
Now, in an interview, Fisher’s brother seemed to suggest that she’ll be in Episode IX.
“Both of us were like, ‘Yes, how do you take her out of it?’ And the answer is you don’t. She’s as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi-Wan — when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that’s what’s happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue. She’s owned by them. You don’t mess with this legacy. It would be like rewriting the Bible. To me, Star Wars is the holy grail of storytelling and lore and you can’t mess with it.”
Although he doesn’t straight up say, “she’s in Episode IX,” I think it’s safe to assume that her family wants Leia’s story to continue.
Do you think Disney should find a way to put Fisher in Episode IX, or would it be disrespectful to her career? Comment below, let us know.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi hits theaters on December 15, 2017.
“He’ll be acquiring a certain vehicle and meeting a certain Wookie,” Iger says. “You’ll also discover how he got his name.”
Perhaps the film will also show Han making his famous Kessel run. After all, he did this in less than twelve parsecs.
While Iger confirms he’s retiring in 2019, he did hint at more Star Wars movies in the future. “The team is thinking about “what could be another decade and a half of ‘Star Wars’ stories,” he says.
Iger also talks about where things stand with Carrie Fisher in Episodes VIII and IX. As it stands, Leia’s role in The Last Jedi will left as is. All of Fisher’s scenes were complete prior to her death last year.
“Carrie appears throughout VIII. We are not changing VIII to deal with her passing,” he says. “Her performance remains as it is in VIII. In Rogue One, we had some digital character. We are not doing that with Carrie.”
The last Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphansepisode went live almost a week ago, and my heart still hurts remembering it. It took some time to process everything that happened but I’m finally ready to type it down on paper. After almost 2 years of playtime, we finally got closure to the story of Tekkadan and their fight against Gjallarhorn. There are going to be spoilers. Stop now before you get one of the most enjoyable Gundam storylines spoiled.
What could possibly stand up to two functioning Gundams?
The first half
Fun times
Going into the episode, everyone expected a very intense battle between the Gundam team and the scrubs from Gjallarhorn. We got some cool action shots that ended once Rustal Elion, master strategist, again relied on the banned Dainsleif spears. From a fan’s perspective, it was a cowardly tactic from an old man too afraid to take on his enemies one on one. We have to keep in mind however that this wasn’t a game, it was a war. Rustal knew that if he fought them fairly, the casualties would be second highest since the calamity war. In terms of strategy and his character, it was very on point.
This guy, along with his team of Dainsleif wielders, took out two Gundams.
Heartbreaks
Gundam: IBO is very good at subverting expectations put forward. A lot of fans expected a one way curb stomping of epic proportions from the Gundam boys, and instead we received a desperate last stand from being punctured by the Dainsleif spears. Iok and Julieta joining the fight made things a bit more interesting. I must say that nothing has ever felt as good as seeing a character get killed off the way Iok was. It was as if the writers took pity on us for killing off so many great characters that they decided to give us (and Akihiro) one last hurrah before the big send off.
At least one thing went right for everyone.
Akihiro’s death was sad, but not as much as Mika’s. Gundam Barbatos Lupus Rex was the first time (in my memory) that a Gundam wasn’t just destroyed but completely desecrated in its last moments. And who else but Julieta to do the dastardly deed? A lot of fans liked her character but I found her to be nothing more than a plot device to help us get insight into Gaelio’s mind and its inner workings. In fewer words: I don’t like her character, and I probably never will. I did however like the symbolism of cutting the Gundam‘s head off marking the end of the McGillis Fareed incident.
This is such a profound and haunting shot. Looking at it still makes me uneasy.
The second half
Timeskip?!
You’re probably thinking “So that’s it huh? Tekkadan fought a losing war and all of the core members died?”
That’s the plot until we hit the second part, a time skip that would’ve been better as an individual episode.
A few years later, we see where all of the characters are at in their lives. It certainly wasn’t as interesting as the first part, but it did provide closure.
The motivation for season 2 was Tekkadan becoming the King of Mars; instead we got a symbolic Queen in the form of Kudelia. She made many organizations to help the surviving members of Tekkadan integrate into society. Takaki, Chad and the rest are shown either working directly with her or her other venues.
Unexpected redemption
All but Ride and a couple of other unnamed characters are shown living new lives. Throughout the series Ride was demonized as a character that caused the death of at least 2 lovable characters (Shino and Orga). In a moment of redemption, he tracks Nobliss and assassinates him. It was interesting that Nobliss’ last words were about not knowing who Orga was, showing us that to him, all of this was just business and nothing personal. However as Gyp Rosetti (from Boardwalk Empire) said “what is life, if it’s not personal?”
This shot was unexpected but welcome. Seeing him wearing Orga’s scarf and shooting Mika’s gun was really cool.
Not so bleak future
Another important event from the second part was Rustal’s elimination of the seven stars council and transformation of the governing body into a democratic system led by himself. He also co-signed a treaty that would abolish Human Debris. He finally also removed a good portion of Earth’s forces from Mars which allows Mars to have more political and economic freedom. Everything McGillis fought for was ironically accomplished after his death by the man he fought his hardest against.
Now, a lot of people see Rustal’s actions as conflicting. I believe that is only because as viewers he was presented to us as Tekkadan’s ultimate enemy and, therefore, was automatically “bad”. We need to keep in mind however that nothing in life is black and white, and instead differing shades of gray. The man wasn’t evil; he just knew how to manipulate politics in his favor to accomplish his goals. In my opinion he was one of the most interesting characters of this season who most of us passed over in favor of flashier and cooler characters.
First time for everything
An interesting fact about this show is that the Gundam pilots were the first to have had death flags on them from day one. If we take a look back through the episodes, not a single one of them got out with their lives (except for Gaelio, but he lost something important too). They all needed to die in order for the world to advance towards an age of peace, as they represented the old. I also liked that the Gundam pilots essentially made deals demons from the Ars Goetia, and we all know that never really pays off. That was pretty cool.
In conclusion, if you haven’t already, you should watch Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans. It is a mafia story with giant robots, while also sprinkling in political matters and strategy. The characters all have attractive personality traits to them, so you’ll at least have one character you’ll love until they inevitably get killed off. It will definitely tear up your insides by how brusque it executes some of its kills, and leave you a shadow of your former self. The music and animation are top notch and you’ll sometimes find yourself humming tunes as you go about your day. This last episode was a good finale that wraps everything up nicely while leaving you wanting more.
The Secret Empire is coming and you best be ready. Writer, Nick Spencer, has built up an immense story in his Captain America books for months now. It’s all coming together in this mega event that will take over Marvel this summer. Check out the official preview below.
This is it, the moment you’ve been waiting for! It has been building for months, but now the time has come. The most trustworthy, stalwart hero the Marvel Universe has ever known will step into the light and reveal himself! How will the heroes of the Marvel Universe cope with such a shattering betrayal? It’s all happening on May 3rd, as the highly anticipated SECRET EMPIRE #1 makes it’s thunderous debut at your local comic shops and on digital devices everywhere! Today, Marvel is pleased to present your first eye-popping look inside issue #1!
From blockbuster creators Nick Spencer & Steve McNiven comes a first issue that must be seen to be believed! The Marvel Universe is under siege from within. Due to the manipulations of the Red Skull, Captain America, secretly a true believer in the cause of Hydra, uses the trust and respect he has gained over the years to ascend to a position where he can enact Hydra’s ideals. But now, the dominos of his master plan will begin to fall! Ask yourself, what if your greatest ally was secretly your greatest enemy?
Now, the rise of Hydra stands as a rallying cry for the heroes across the Marvel Universe. Avengers, Champions, Guardians, Defenders, X-Men, Spider-Man, Deadpool and more must unite. Put aside their differences and come together as one. The first and last line of defense against Hydra!
The sensational, can’t-miss SECRET EMPIRE #1 hits comic stores and digital devices May 3rd. Get in on the ground floor of the comic event of the year that’s sure to have the world talking! As Hydra’s grip tightens around the Marvel Universe, can the heroes stand triumphant? Find out this May!
On top of that, we also got preview images! Hail Hydra!
– As of now, Valentina has not slipped up once. And by the looks of things, it doesn’t seem like it will happen anytime soon. Something about that charming smile and killer fashion makes Valentina an easy fit for the top 3.
– The comeback queen! Cynthia Lee Fontaine A.K.A. Miss Cucu came back to Drag Race with a fiery passion. After a rather weak outing in Season 8, Cynthia is over her battle with cancer and is ready to be “American’s Next Drag Superstar”.
– One of the true drag artist to ever grace the runway. Nina Bo’Nina Brown is outspoken and brash but still so very humble. Nina uses makeup like no one on the show has done before but still remains an accessible choice.
-She’s the full package…no pun intended. Everything you want in a queen is what Valentina possesses. There’s charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent but it’s also notable that Valentina is the sweetest competitor ever! Almost every aspect of a top drag queen (comedy, glamour, edginess) is here. Now, all she must do is keep it up till the finale.
