Happy Halloween!

Remember, if the kid doesn't dress up, NO CANDY!

Lazy friggin kids, I hate those types.

Funded!

We just funded 2 billboards in less than half the time it took us to found ONE the last time we did this.

Amazing.

I have a great feeling about this...

November Movie Preview

Ok let's go!

 A Beautiful Day

I'll be honest, I'm interested in this one. I like Tom Hanks, I'm interested in Mr Rogers and I'll be honest, the movie looks good! Just may have to watch this one!

 Terminator: Dark Fate

Look! Linda Hamilton's Back!! LOOK! Arnold's back!! LOOOOOOK!!! I don't care. PASS

 Dr Sleep

I shouldn't care about this movie. But a sequel to the shining has me intrigued. I also love Ewan McGregor....hmmm.... Megan won't have to push very hard to get me to see this  with her.

 Frozen 2

Yeah I'll watch this...when it comes out to rent! I don't see how this will be better than the first and I certainly don't need to see it any time soon. I enjoyed the first one, sure but a sequel for these characters doesn't move me into the theater anytime soon.

Lady and the Tramp

Vomit in a bag. Megan will want to see this and I will avoid it like the plague!!!

Did I miss a movie? Let me know in the comments below!

El Camino Review

I liked Breaking Bad and I love Better Call Saul, so when I heard they were making this movie I was all about it!

The story follows Jesse Pinkman and takes place right after the events of the final episode of Breaking Bad. Though riddled with flashbacks that have a lot of old cast members returning to reprise their role, the story completes the tale of what became of Jesse Pinkman afterwards. 

But I have to agree with the critics on this one when I say the whole thing fell flat.

I think it was several reasons. One, fans have moved on and are now invested in Better Call Saul. Pinkman and White's character arcs were essentially done in our opinion and no one was really bothered with how Jesse Pinkman was sent off in the finale of the show. 

So the question's asked "Did they have to tell this story?" No. It feels like the party's over and we went over to a friends house, played some music while we sat on the couch and thought about an awesome party we just went to.

That about sums this movie up. Not bad, but kind of pointless in the long run.

Fall of Gondolin Review

I know I said I wasn't going to buy this book and I didn't! Dad bought it for himself, so I decided to borrow it and read it right after I finished Lord of the Rings to try and keep that love of Middle-Earth moving along!

Though a decent book, it's very apparent that Christopher Tolkien has nothing more from his Dad's writings to give us. He tries really hard to convince the reader that he's showing more in this novel than he did in his previous "Book of Lost Tales 1 & 2" but it's evident he's not.

Though I love the story the book isn't worth getting if you already have the History of the Middle-Earth series.

If you don't want to get the 12 volume series and would rather this 3 part series instead? Sure, go for it. Children of Hurin stands up pretty much on its own anyway, so I enjoy that one, it's staying in my collection. This one is going back to Dad, who doesn't have the history of Middle-Earth so I think this will suit him nicely in his collection.

Lord of the Rings (re-read)

Last week I finally finished re-reading the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. My goodness! It gets better every time! Such a wonderful story its no wonder it inspired so many fantasy novels going forward. Every time I take a stroll through Middle-Earth I fall in love with the richness of history built around this world.

I've lost count of how many times I've read it but I know I'll do it again in a few more years and enjoy it all the same. It's a wonderful journey that never gets old.

Have a good weekend folks!

EU Billboard STILL funding!!

We're moving right along in our funding goals to send a message to Lucasfilm! If you're interested in being a part be sure to check out www.twin-suns.net and donate today!

World Series thoughts

So far, I think it's going pretty good. I'm cheering for the Astros but if the Nationals win it all (which seems more likely at this point) it gives me a little satisfaction knowing that Bryce Harper has to sit on his sofa at home and watch his former team win without him.

I also love how Nationals fans have been trolling Harper during the playoffs. Fun stuff!

So far, it's a pretty good series. Even if you don't like baseball in general, there's something about the World Series that really makes the game shine! Whoever's in it, I always enjoy watching!

Noir Suspicions!

Hey Everyone! Tickets are still available for the dinner theater Noir Suspicions! Go online and reserve your tickets today!!

Cinnamon Coke

So I always have to try a new soda flavor whenever one comes out. Welcome to Cinnamon Coke. How's it taste? Well....like someone sprinkled cinnamon into your bottle of Coke. I mean, you could make this at home and no one would be the wiser when tasting the two.

So overall, it was underwhelming, but I'll give them an "A" for effort all the same. Megan's just happy to see Cranberry Sprite coming back, which I have to admit is a much better flavor to get than this.

The Hobbit (animated Movie)

So after watching the animated Lord of the Rings movie I decided to take a step back and see the first one that started it all back in 1977, The Hobbit.

This one I do remember watching as a kid. I loved the music and the story. Watching it again, it gave me good memories and wasn't as bad as I was afraid it might be!

The movie has to speed through the story but even though it was fast, I didn't mind too much. An enjoyable watch that didn't over stay its welcome. Worth watching again if you're interested.

Now I just have to track down a copy of Return of the King. That animation is NO WHERE online!

In the Tall Grass (movie review)

It's Halloween time and what better way to celebrate it than with a Stephen King movie! I've never heard of the book but then again, Mr King wrote a hundred so I know there's a ton of them I don't know but this story was about a group of people who get lost in a field of tall grass.

That's really all I can say without spoiling anything, except that there surroundings are supernatural and they don't know what's going on. It's a pretty good story. Interesting plot and characters yet a little confusing at times.

Not really a horror but more of a suspense than anything else. It's on Netflix now if you care to give it a try.

Lord of the Rings Animated Movie review

I can't remember the last time I saw this or in that case if I ever did in the first place! But this movie is covers all of the first book and half of Two Towers before ending on a cliffhanger.

I remember we had a children's novel based off the movie but I think that may be all. I don't recall seeing it really. It took place in 1978 and wasn't bad animation for it's time. Sure most of the time they filmed real people and just drew over them but I bet that kind of stuff was considered "cutting edge" back then.

The movie follows most of the beats from the books and is somewhat interesting at points. I wouldn't call it a work of art but I did enjoy it, if not for just seeing the story done right.

I plan on going back and watching "The Hobbit" animated movie next and then (if I can find it) Return of the King.

Hobbit (re-read)

As I finish up Lord of the Rings I realized I never did a book review on the Hobbit, of which I read earlier. So as to not get ahead of myself, here's what I thought during my re-read of this novel.

Great. Great stuff. I think it's the perfect way for someone to begin their journey through Middle Earth. The characters are strong, the dialogue is fantastic, the world building is historic and the story arc is iconic.

There is NOTHING wrong with this book. Such a wonderful trip to visit Middle Earth again. (I'll review the trilogy later)

My opinion, if you want to go back and read these books, they are WELL worth your time!

Have a great weekend folks!

Crawl (review)

I was excited when I saw the trailer for this one. I remember thinking it looked like Jaws but with Gators. I was so onboard!

Then I watched it.

Horribly disappointed. A lot of "that wouldn't happen" moments, where I heroes are bit constantly, yet seconds later walk it off like it was just a scratch.

Sucks, because this one had tons of potential but was wasted by an unbelievable story....even for hollywood.

Worst Board game Expansions

Sometimes expansions are a good thing, in this case, they aren't. Here's my Top 5 worst expansions.

 5) Cities of Splendor

I love the base game and though I play with the expansion from time to time, most times I don't. This expansion brings zero appeal to an already great game and that's the problem with it. I guess due to its popularity they figured they had to make something but this was a really bad move on their part. They should have just left well enough alone.

 4) Orleans Invasion

Another game of which I LOVE but this expansion got played once and has never seen the light of ay again. It's not that its bad, it's that its not very exciting. Unlike the other expansions, Invasion holds the least appeal to me when deciding to play this game.

 3) Zombies!!! 14

I've spoken about this one before. My gateway game came with a lot of expansions but this one is so bad it's almost pointless to get. It's painfully obvious that it wasn't even play tested because the game is so broken, everyone knows how to beat it after the first turn. Instead of moving around the station trying to catch the shuttle just sit right where you are. It'll come to your port eventually and then you just hop on board to win. Games always end in the 2nd round whenever we play it. Awful expansion with lazy effort put into it.

 2) Rokoko Jewelry Box

I was hoping this would bring more appeal to the base game but it goes the opposite direction and is the most forgettable expansion out there. NO ONE cares about the extra player board. The effort you have to make don't justify the small amount of points it brings in. Every time we've played with it only 1 person has ever used it. Shame.

1) Bootleggers: The Boardwalk

Not only is this the worst expansion in existence but it actually makes the game WORSE when played with. Some one would have to be nuts to utilize building a casino because doing so takes you completely out of the game and your fate in the hands of your opponents. What were they thinking?! Awful concept to what's a pretty decent game!

Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw

It's always been a tradition for me to watch each movie when it hits Redbox. I guess that goes for even the spinoffs.

This movie is vastly different from the rest of the films but then again, it's a spinoff and doesn't have to fall in line with the others. The only real connection is their names, that's about it.

This movie could've been another B-Rated action film. Fun fight scenes, witty lines and humor. If it didn't share a connection to F&F this movie would clear a fraction of it's original box office intake.

No car chases, just fight scenes. But if that's your thing and you feel connected to this series, then you've probably already checked it out for yourself.

Midsommer Review

It's Halloween season so I thought I'd check out a "scary" movie from the creator of Hereditary, a movie which I loved, I thought this one would be good as well.

It's a bunch of college kids going somewhere in Sweden to a Amish like community of people who have strange traditions.

The movie takes place mainly in the day and has weird turns in it every once in a while.

However....it sucks. It's slow, loses direction constantly and with the exception a one or two scenes doesn't really deliver on anything unsettling. A said swing and a miss for me. The ending was just strange and I'm sure it was to get people talking about what it meant but for me I was only thinking about why I wasted my time watching it.

Dang.

Toy Story 4 Review

I love these movies and this was one movie I couldn't wait to see what they had in store. I have to admit, it wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. It's a step back for a few reasons. It's focus on the characters is off. Buzz is treated more of a side character than a main one and the story arc is kinda...there.

It's funny because I truly believe the direct to DVD sequel "Toys that time Forgot" was much better!

I'll still add it to my collection but to be honest, I hope they don't make any more.

Have a good weekend folks!

Van Wezer

Last month Weezer announced their newest album (due May 2020) and released a single from it. It sounds AMAZING and I'm so looking forward to this one. I also love how Weezer can crank out these albums in back to back years!

Something to look forward to next year!

Dark Phoenix Review

I've had this one on my "to watch" list for quite some time and finally took the time a few weeks ago to give it a shot.

Awful. It's amazing to me the X-Men 3 will be considered for superior than most of these newer X-men movies. (with the exception being Days of Future Past of course)

The story feels underwhelming and rushed at the same time. You don't care about ANYBODY in this movie and no one shines in it.

Terrible waste of time. Glad they lost the rights and will be rebooting once again in the not too distant future.

Dark Crystal Age of Resistance (Review)

I saw the movie last year and had heard they were making a prequel to it. I had no idea it was going to be 10 hours spread over 10 episodes though!

Now I'm not the biggest Dark Crystal fan. I never thought much of the movie even when I first saw it as a kid. So for the longest, I wasn't even sure if I should see it or not. But hours alone babysitting the Twins what else do I have to do right?

The first episode was LONG and had me worried but eventually, I started connecting with the character and enjoying the story in the end.

Yet the only was I can suggest this show is if you really loved the movie. (or just liked) Other than that, you may want to pass.

Top 10 Vintage Board games I wish I had in my collection

I don't get many vintage board games anymore but there's a few that if ever the price was right, I'd pick them up. Here they are:

 10) FUN CITY

Wild looking game where you're moving across town trying to get to one place to another. The Slog stops your movement (I have no idea what a Slog is but it looks like an old lady standing in the road)

The cool thing about this game is the bank which randomly shows the time, it will go as fast or as slow as it wants but you have no idea how much time you have until it's finally up.

Very interesting game I'd like to check out.

 9) THIS GAME IS BONKERS!

In this game you play card on spaces which tell you to do certain things. The cards are shuffled after each game so no two games are the same. Pretty neat concept. I saw this one at a flea market years ago before I knew anything about it and I failed to pick it up. Bummer because I haven't come across another one since. (except online)

 8) Park and Shop

This is a game I tried hard to get a few years ago but eventually gave up on it since the price was too high. It's based off a real live shopping center which created the game to hype up the excitement of shopping with them. Pretty smart idea if you ask me!

 7) Hawaiian Punch

Using play dough you try to make it around the board without getting smashed! I've always wanted a play dough game, this one looks to be the most fun out of the bunch!

6) Treasures and Trapdoors

Another game I came close to buying several times but backed out due to cost. The board game looks beautiful! With the bottom layer being where players fall into a snake pit and lose all their treasure. Looks like a clever game from Waddington!

 5) Dash n Dine

You're a waiter trying to get as many tables service until the sand time (which is a salt shaker) runs out. Pretty neat theme and the board looks beautiful! Only came out in the UK which is why the price is a little high.

 4) Lost Valley of the Dinosaurs

The pieces alone make this game highly desirable! I hear the game play isn't that bad either. There's also lava pieces for the exploding volcano which acts as a timer in the game. Incredibly good looking game!

3) Ice Cube

Hard not putting this at #1 but it's a fun little game where everyone has a real ice cube and they're trying to melt there opponent thru various ways on the board. "Boardgames with Scott" actually features a play thru of this once and it looks so much fun! But cost over a $100 on Ebay so no thanks!

2) Legend of Camelot

Almost forgot about this game when I was making this list but this battle game set in mid-eval times looks incredible. I heard strategy was a little lacking in the game which withheld me from buying it but looking at it now.....ooooh, so pretty!

1) Mystic Skull

After much deliberation I decided to make this my #1 because it's about sticking the most pins into your opponents voodoo dolls. This game is from the 60's and is really weird if you ask me. What parent back then would want their kid to have this!? I'm guessing it was targeting an older audience but it looks really cool on the table. Maybe one day a copy will be mine!