Fanboys Anonymous

On episode 15 of the 4 Reel Movie Club podcast, Fanboys Anonymous members give their thoughts on the four films that have so far made up the Terminator franchise in preparation for the release of the latest film, Terminator Genisys.

On episode 20 of the Fanboys Anonymous Group Meeting podcast, the panel has a roundtable discussion about things in the geek culture spectrum that are labeled "not safe for work".

Hosted by Tony Mango, the panel includes Calen Bruce, Caroline Oliveira, Shaun Walker, Angela Williams.

Some topics we address:

• MPAA ratings for film
• Censorship on television
• Janet Jackson's Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction
• ESRB ratings for video games
• Do violent video games create killers?
• Grand Theft Auto Hot Coffee Mod
• Game of War Kate Upton sexploitation
• Parental advisory warnings for music
• Songs that promote substance abuse or racism
• Is nudity in cosplay art or just to seek attention?
• Rule 34 on the internet
• and more!

You can watch the podcast below. Make sure to subscribe!

The 17th season of Big Brother is about to begin on June 24, 2015 (my birthday, wooooo) and the cast has finally been announced. There are 14 houseguests all from different backgrounds with different personalities that are set to clash this summer for a chance to win $500,000. As I've been doing for the past few years, this post is going to give you some information on each one of those cast members and my thoughts as well as predictions for what's to come.

Meet the cast of Big Brother 17 - #BB17 2015

Let's take a look at the people who will be competing for the money this year. Keep in mind that my first impressions are based on nothing but the basic information and their interview bio videos. Normally, my opinions change throughout the season, as people can come off one way and then switch gears even as quickly as the first episode. Thus, don't hold me to these generalizations, as I could be entirely wrong! For all I know, the people I'm a fan of below could end up being the biggest jerks and the ones that I hate could be the ones I root for.



INFORMATION: 25 / Digital Media Consultant / Villa Rice, Georgia

MY THOUGHTS: First and foremost, Audrey is the first transgender cast member that Big Brother has ever had. I'd hate to be cynical and say that's the only reason she was able to get on the show, and it might not be, but it's definitely the selling point. The show has always done that with people in the past. If you have an interesting hook that a reality show can exploit, it will happen. Just look at the Donato family. This also means that Audrey will be one of the biggest points of contention for the fan base. There will be people out there that absolutely hate her for no reason other than bigotry, which is sad. There will also be people that absolutely love her for no reason other than political correctness, which is also sad. Both are frustrating and both are probably going to be reasons I hate Audrey's participation in the show. If she doesn't just get blind support from the audience for what she is rather than who she is, and if I don't have to listen to ultra-conservative lunatics bitch and moan about how she's corrupting their children somehow, then I think I'll be on board. Nothing about her is offensive to me yet as far as her personality goes, so I like her more than I dislike her. Unfortunately, she classifies herself as a superfan who is super-adaptable and can be cutthroat like Dexter Morgan. Those people always make me think that they don't have it in them and they're trying to convince themselves that they're better players than they are. Be scared of the silent ones, not the ones that have a louder bark. Also, her job is not a particularly social one, despite how it revolves around social media. Speaking from experience, you spend more time alone than you do interacting with other people, so while she might have an advantage if she really knows the psychology of how people work, she'll be at a disadvantage when it comes to up close confrontation. I'm curious about her physical game as well, as she looks fit, so she could be an overlooked force who is very good in some endurance competitions.



INFORMATION: 30 / Professional Wrestler / Woodland Hills, California

MY THOUGHTS: For those who are unaware, Smark Out Moment is my website dedicated to professional wrestling, so I know people like Austin. In fact, I know who Austin is. He was formerly Judas Devlin in NXT. That is very interesting to me. You might think that I'd have a biased opinion and be rooting for him, but not necessarily. Actually, I don't think he will end up lasting all that long. He will be viewed as a threat very early on due to his athleticism, but he might not actually be as dangerous as he'll be perceived to be. Austin left WWE due to injuries, which could plague him in this environment. Granted, WWE superstars have to be in great physical shape, meaning he's gone through intense training and can tough it out. That, too, could be a downfall, as he might be overconfident. What could save him is that he says he likes to be made fun of and he comes off in his bio interview as pretty low key, so he might be able to get on the good side of enough people to keep himself in the house long enough to play the game for real instead of being booted out within the first three weeks. I'm not loving his strategy of helping people with workouts, though...just saying.



INFORMATION: 26 / Retail Manager / Denver, Colorado

MY THOUGHTS: Becky...I hope, for your sake, you don't end up the way I think you will. I think this woman is beautiful and sweet but utterly screwed for the show. She seemed starstruck and nervous and admits that she likes to talk. I can see that potentially getting under someone's skin if they are jealous of her looks or she says the wrong thing and doesn't know when silence can be the best ally. She also mentioned that she doesn't like personal attacks and that is a killer for many people. Normally, that leads to feelings being hurt and when emotions come into it, people stop playing the game and start trying to be peacemakers, which rubs people the wrong way. Becky is going to be someone who breaks down and cries and her best chances of going far in the game is to be a floater.



INFORMATION: 23 / Graduate Student at Texas A&M / College Station, Texas

MY THOUGHTS: Does this guy's name sound fake or what? He might as well be Cowboy McSoutherncharm. He's going to be every 40-year-old woman's crush this season, so he'll get tons of fan votes on things. He wasn't a fan of the show before and binge-watched it instead, so he probably won't know much of the ins and outs of how to manipulate people and mistakes not to make and such. This guy was cast for his looks and where he comes from. His appeal is totally sexual and he's kind of a dud as far as personality goes. He also keeps talking a lot about how he doesn't want to compromise who he is and where he comes from (I hate that phrase so much). That attitude doesn't go far. People repeat that phrase time and time again in diary room sessions and then they also tend to repeat it when talking to Julie Chen after they've been eliminated and they say they wouldn't change anything because they stayed true to themselves. He even admitted that he'd rather be loved by America and lose than win and be hated. You're going to get your wish, Clay.



INFORMATION: 27 / Poker Dealer / Los Angeles, California

MY THOUGHTS: What worries me about Da'Vonne's chances to win the game are twofold. First, she has already said that she doesn't plan on telling people what she does for a living. The amount of times where that hinders people far outweighs the number of times where it helps. Last year's winner, Derrick, was one of the few to actually pull it off. Da'Vonne will end up telling people at some point and it will make her look like a liar. Another thing that will bite her in the ass is that she's playing for her young daughter. While she has the right attitude in saying that that will motivate her to gut it out and fight harder, the optimism of that statement doesn't override the realism of what will inevitably happen. She is going to miss her daughter—as would anybody in her position—and this will be a big stressor. Lots of people crack under the pressure when they're not able to win Head of Household multiple weeks in a row to see pictures of their children. Can Da'Vonne handle that? I'm not so sure. I also can't imagine her being great at physical competitions, but she is probably amazing at the mental ones, since she should do well with puzzles. That will be a big key to success for her in this game.



INFORMATION: 23 / Personal Trainer / Venice Beach, California

MY THOUGHTS: So this guy's the "free spirit" dude of the season who will be totally chill and boring as fuck even though he probably thinks he's the total opposite. However, he's very personable and a good talker. Jace might have the best social game out of everyone this season and since he has an athletic build that isn't overly muscular, he could be the biggest threat for physical competitions as well. One of the many alerts that came up with him, though, was that he said it's not about the money, but the game itself. I don't recall a ton of those people winning in the past. Jace could be an exception to that, for sure, so I'd watch out for him. If he makes it past two big hurdles (the first couple of weeks before alliances are forged and the middle point when alliances break down), he'll be gold.



INFORMATION: 31 / Retail Associate / Wichita Falls, Texas

MY THOUGHTS: I don't have all that much to say about James. He's pretty bland, unoffensive, and that's about it. James will be the ultimate floater in this season, I think. He will connect with Da'Vonne since he has a daughter as well. I can't imagine people disliking James, but I also can't imagine him being anybody's favorite or someone who will be memorable.



INFORMATION: 25 / Supermarket Cashier / Swansea, Massachusetts

MY THOUGHTS: Jason admits that he's annoying. Yes, he is. He's kind of loud, very lively, and a bit of an attention seeker it seems. I can tell you right now that I'm not going to be upset if he's the first person to go. As far as strategy goes, he says he's going to try to be "the gay glue" with an alliance of women. It will be interesting to see who he aligns himself with the most and whether or not Audrey will be that person or if he'll gravitate toward someone more like Becky. Jason will be a casualty at some point because he plans on backstabbing the women he's tied to, so he'll piss them off and be viewed as untrustworthy. The biggest mistake he could end up making would be to find himself in the position of the gossiper, as that always creates seeds of mistrust.



INFORMATION: 27 / Dentist / Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania

MY THOUGHTS: Remember how Clay had a fake name? So does this guy. Remember when I said Jason was loud? Holy shit, John beats him in that regard. Johnny Mac here shouted the entire interview. Let me be frank by saying that I hate this guy's laugh and his voice, but I like him overall as far as his chances. The main reason why is because he knows that his best bet is to play dumb and also not look like a physical threat, but he says that he does obstacle courses and mud runs and such all the time. He could be able to fly under the radar if his voice doesn't get in the way with people finding him annoying. This guy could end up being one of the most fun to watch and make jokes about throughout the season. His biggest downfall could be the mental challenges, as he doesn't appear to be quick on his feet.



INFORMATION: 23 / Marketing Coordinator / Miami, Florida

MY THOUGHTS: Liz reminds me so much of this one girl that I know. They have similar voices, a similar appearance, and it's really rather interesting. What is a shame is that a lot of people don't like that girl that I know, so I fully see that happening here just by the way she's speaking and her mannerisms. For the record, I like that girl I know, but I also can't be around her too often, and since I don't have a personal connection to Liz, I already dislike her. On top of this, Liz categorized herself as being like Rachel Reilly, who I absolutely could not stand, so I really hope that's not the case. She said one of her strategies will be to wear skimpy bikinis and flirt with people. She's going to piss off a lot of the women and be viewed as the slutty flirt and the stupid ditz. Also, she has an annoying laugh on par with John, so let's hope they don't tell a bunch of jokes to each other. Liz says she's a baby and cries, which hurts her chances as well. I wouldn't be surprised if she was one of the first to go.



INFORMATION: 25 / Server / New York City, New York

MY THOUGHTS: Fun fact is that Meg is originally from my neck of the woods, hailing from Collingswood, New Jersey, which is a few towns over from me. Does that make me want to root for her with the "hometown team" concept? Nope, because I don't do that, as I care about the people and not where they're from. Overall, Meg is pretty bland, even though she comes off as someone that could have a big personality and be tiresome to be around for a while. She calls herself a goose and says a lot of people won't be fond of her being in the house. I can see that. Meg could last a long while in this game if that doesn't get in her way. She doesn't strike me as a physical competitor, nor a mental one, but I could be judging her wrong. Meg's alliance is going to do more for her game than she is. If she's on the wrong side that keeps losing, she'll be a sacrificial lamb, but if she's on the side that keeps winning, Meg will go far because nobody will consider her a threat at the end.



INFORMATION: 33 / Interior Designer / Atlanta, Georgia

MY THOUGHTS: I wish I had more to say about Shelli, but I really don't see anything particularly interesting. She's a pretty face with a stereotypical personality in a lot of ways. For instance, her go-to answer for guilty pleasures was shopping and chocolate and she's an interior designer with what looks like an expensive style and a fake tan. I don't know what else to point out. She wants to lay low, which is smart, so that's good. Will she be good at physical competitions? I doubt it. Will she be good at mental ones? I'd assume somewhere in the middle of the road. Her social game could be middle of the road, too. Blah. Next.



INFORMATION: 22 / College Student / Gouverneur, New York

MY THOUGHTS: Definitely watch out for Steve. He's a superfan who knows that he will probably be able to play off the innocent role and have people pity him, bring him into alliances with the impression that they can bully him around and such. That is going to be an incredibly effective strategy in the long run. If he can play a little dumb at first for the mental challenges, too, this guy could win the entire thing. Steve seems like a good guy. I'll be rooting for him until he does something to change my mind.



INFORMATION: 32 / Professional Poker Player / Las Vegas, Nevada

MY THOUGHTS: So we have a poker dealer and a poker player? Come on, CBS, way to be obvious. Like Da'Vonne, I'm assuming Vanessa will be good at the puzzle aspect of the competitions. Also like Da'Vonne, she doesn't want to tell people that she's a poker player. However, unlike Da'Vonne, Vanessa has a backup profession that she will be able to sell as an alternative take. She is also a DJ and her clothing style fits that persona, so people will look at her and believe it. For those keeping count, Vanessa is also a lesbian, so you can check that off the list for CBS trying to market every facet out there (even though they skipped out on some simple ones, including "the old person"). I'm not too sure about Vanessa's chances to win, but she's a middle of the road type in my mind. More than likely, I'd picture her being a random elimination in week six or something of the sort that just sort of happens without any fanfare, but who knows?
 

I like this cast so far because there really isn't anyone who annoys the living hell out of me. Some people will end up being favorites of mine while I'm sure I'll be hoping some others will leave as soon as possible, but that happens every year. My "fav five" right now are probably Steve Moses, Audrey Middleton, John McGuire, Austin Matelson and either Da'Vonne Rogers or Becky Burgess. My least favorites are Liz Nolan and Jason Roy. As far as winners go, I'm predicting the final three coming down to Steve Moses, Shelli Poole and James Huling with Steve getting the win.

Throughout the season, you can hit me up on Twitter @ToeKneeManGo to get my thoughts on Big Brother as it is happening and as I'm watching the live feeds.

What is up Dacetacular Nation? Now, I know it's been a long time since you've heard from the Dacetacular one, but how can he stay quiet with so much news flowing out of the E3 convention this week? I'll be breaking down each panel for you, continuing with another one of the heavyweights of the convention: Ubisoft.

The French publisher brought to the stage the usual schtick it brings each year to E3, announcing a continuation of their dominant franchises such as Assassin's Creed and Just Dance. The special reveal that will have gamers walking away with excitement is South Park: The Fractured But Whole. After the success of the South Park: The Stick of Truth video game, I know I am excited to see what the next installment has to offer to the video game world. Production supposedly started right after the previous game, so while this doesn't have a set release date, it might be as early as fall 2016!

Check out all the highlights from the Ubisoft panel below.


As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case the Stick of Truth—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

What is up Dacetacular Nation? Now, I know it's been a long time since you've heard from the Dacetacular one, but how can he stay quiet with so much news flowing out of the E3 convention this week? I'll be breaking down each panel for you, continuing on with Electronic Arts.

EA has a lot on their plate for the near future. One of those games is Star Wars: Battlefront, which I am unbelievably stoked for. However, most of the news EA had to deliver had already been announced. Because of that, the panel left much to be desired with a heavy heap of things that a guy like myself does not care about. The majority of the coverage focused on their sports, family, and mobile divisions.

You can check out the Electronic Arts panel at E3 below!


As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a good blaster by your side—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

What is up Dacetacular Nation? Now, I know it's been a long time since you've heard from the Dacetacular one, but how can he stay quiet with so much news flowing out of the E3 convention this week? I'll be breaking down each panel for you, continuing with one of the heavyweights of the convention: Microsoft.

If you recall the last few appearances Xbox and Microsoft have made at the convention, you know this year had to be a big one. Falling second in the console race to Sony, Microsoft had to bring it hard this time around, and they did. They announced that the Xbox One will be backward compatible to the Xbox 360—something gamers have desired for years. Lastly, exclusive games were announced including the continuation of both the Halo and Gears of War franchises.

Check out all the highlights from the Microsoft Xbox One panel below:


As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case your old Xbox 360 games—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

What is up Dacetacular Nation? Now, I know it's been a long time since you've heard from the Dacetacular one, but how can he stay quiet with so much news flowing out of the E3 convention this week? I'm going to break down each panel for you starting with a newcomer to the conference: Bethesda Softworks.

This was the first time the company had presented at the E3 convention, and they did it in a ballsy fashion. The company rented out the Hollywood's Dolby Theater (you know, the one where the Oscars take place) and presented on Sunday night—the night before the traditional press conference day.

They hit the ground running and announced to the world that they were going to be big players in the near future, getting the video gamer nation into an uproar by announcing sequels to Doom, Dishonored, and Fallout. Below, you can see the videos where they made the game-changing announcements.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a Fallout shelter—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 104 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Chris "The Dace Man" Dace (Live From Seattle) Gibby, Franklin Ward and Patty McTitties! They actually left us on for two years!!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

•  Gibby brings the class to the show with weird things going on in the world!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• The Dace Man is back and he's bringing you the latest gossip of the glits and glamor of Hollywood.

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Earlier this week at Sony's E3 live press conference, fans got a sneak peek at the next Destiny expansion, The Taken King, along with new Guardian subclasses and more storyline of the game. Judging by Bungie's official trailer, The Taken King has everything to be excited about and plenty to complain about.

Unlike The Dark below and House of Wolves DLCs, The Taken King is double the size and double the price, introducing new content that isn't quite large enough for be a full sequel but still packed with plenty of hours of gameplay.

New zones and patrols that joins the existing four planets will give us an actual expansion other than small areas within the zones we've already explored countless times. The first mission called "The Coming War" takes places on Phobos, which is the Mars' moon. New subclasses are also included, finally filling that empty box in the character menu, and they look badass with the Warlock's Electrical Storm, Hunter's Void Bow (I'm excited), and the Titan's Solar Hammer that basically turns him into Thor (ok, maybe now I'll play a Titan).

The largest complaint against Destiny since its launch has been the lack of in-game story. With the use of Grimoire cards that forces players to go onto bungie.net or to use the Destiny mobile app, players will have to unravel the information, which is structured by category, to get any sense of story behind the game. A fan-made theory on Reddit predicted that the nemesis to the Traveller, Oryx, is actually a Brown Dwarf star—a hypothetical star also called a Nemesis, for those that love science!—which is a "rotting star" actively trying to destroy humanity through the Hive. The theory is backed by the Shrine of Oryx that looks similar to the Brown Dwarf, and the exotic Warlock Helmet, Light Beyond Nemesis, that links the Traveller's light.

However, official Destiny lore now tells us that the Fallen Hive King Oryx is the father of Crota—who we kill in the first DLC, The Dark Below, with his own sword. Oryx has everything a terrifying villain needs with wings and horns, and he's out for revenge with a dark army to hunt Guardians down.


In The Coming War gameplay from E3, we see that the "Taken" consists of the four enemy races already in the game that have been taken under mind-control by Oryx. Guardians will face new Taken units in a six-person strike, including the Taken Psion that has the ability to split into multiple copies of itself, making fighting them harder than before. The Taken Knight has the ability to teleport with a wall of flame, while the Taken Phalanx has a radiating force shield that can push the player.

The expansion itself comes with four package options that ranges from $40 to $80, each including their own tier of rewards. Each package will come with special VIP rewards that include a new sparrow, shader, and the Hunger emblem. While the majority of loyal Destiny players have already played both The Dark Below and House of Wolves DLCs, to be eligible for these rewards you must have at least one level 30 character or own expansion I and II before August 31.

Digital Download ($40)

For those who already own Destiny and both The Dark Below and House of Wolves expansions, the digital-only download will include just The Taken King expansion along with a commemorative Founder's Fortune Year 1 Emblem, Sparrow, Armor Shader, and more at launch for loyal players.

Legendary Edition ($60)

Full collection of Destiny, including the original game and all three expansions. Pre-order The Taken King and be able to play Destiny and the first two expansions now.

Digital Collectors Edition ($80)

Includes the original game and all three expansions with the edition of:

• Exotic Guardian Class items with XP bonuses
• Three class-specific emotes
• Three armor shaders
• Early access to three Vanguard weapons *Will be available to everyone else on January 1, 2016.

Collectors Edition ($80)

For the same price, you get everything from the Digital Collectors edition with the addition of physical rewards:

• Collector's Edition SteelBook Case
• Modified Treasure Island Book with Intro Letter from Cayde-6
• Cayde-6's Personal Notes and Illustrations
• Collection of Relics and Artifacts
• Strange Coin replica
• Weapon Schematic

The biggest gripe with these packages is that for the most loyal fans, and really the ones who would be most excited about this, there is no package that includes all the exotic rewards without having to purchase the first two DLCs. Dedicated fans would have to purchase content they already own to get the in-game rewards. Additionally, for those that bought Destiny on its release spent roughly up to $95 for the game and the two expansions. Those new to the game will get all that, plus The Taken King, for $30 less. This has become standard in DLC-games. The rewards given to the fans that made Destiny successful is far lacking and a slap to the face. It seems Bungie needs to find a way to reward its valuable fans while giving incentives for those to begin playing.

The Taken King will be available September 15 on disc and digital download. Pre-order it now.

Episode 14 of the Fanboys Anonymous Reviewpoint podcast reviews the latest installment in the Jurassic Park series, where the amusements are not only fun, they're also deadlier than ever: Jurassic World.

You can check out the podcast below on YouTube, iTunes, and Stitcher. Make sure to subscribe!

Welcome to the latest edition of Making the Grade—a review format segment here on Fanboys Anonymous where we break down the five major components of something and give it a score based on the standard report card lineup: A, B, C, D, and F for a total failure.

The next report card is for the latest installment in the Jurassic Park series, where the park is finally open for business, entitled Jurassic World.

Jurassic World—directed by Colin Trevorrow; written by Rick Jaffa (screenplay and story), Amanda Silver (screenplay and story), Colin Trevorrow (screenplay), Derek Connolly (screenplay) and Michael Crichton (characters); starring Chris Pratt (Owen Grady), Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing), Irrfan Khan (Simon Masrani), Ty Simpkins (Gray Mitchell), Nick Robinson (Zach Mitchell), BD Wong (Dr. Henry Wu), Judy Greer (Karen Mitchell) and Vincent D'Onofrio (Vic Hoskins).

CHARACTERS: B

There's a wide variety of characters, but pretty much every one of them has their own idiosyncrasies so they can stand out. Our male protagonist, Owen Grady is the quintessential action hero—or, as the kids refer to him in the film, "a bad ass"—which starkly contrasts with our female protagonist, Claire Dearing. While he is gruff, hands-on and down in the dirt, she's the number-cruncher who is literally wearing white. Thankfully, she is neither shoehorned into a stereotypical damsel in distress role, nor is she forcefully given the "I'm not a damsel in distress, so I'm going to prove it" treatment that many women are given by bad writers. Both of them just are what they are, and that's what makes them fun to watch.

Gray and Zach Mitchell, the two children, don't fall victim to the bothersome attributes that kids often bring to films, either. Both are true to their ages and not annoying whatsoever, which is refreshing. There are comic relief characters like Lowery and villains such as Hoskins, so you get what you're expecting.

As far as the principal and extended cast goes, there are only a few downsides. Barry, one of the fellow raptor trainers, is basically just "the other raptor trainer" and not much more. Simon Masrani is "the guy in charge who can somewhat fly a helicopter, maybe....I wonder when he's going to die" and not much more. I would have liked more character development for Dr. Henry Wu, but there are hints that future sequels may expand on it.

None of the characters are memorable in the sense that people will talk about Owen Grady in the same vein as Vito Corleone, Claire Dearing as the next Scarlet O'Hara and Vic Hoskins as an equivalent villain to the diabolical Joker, but they service the film admirably and are deserving of a positive score.

ACTING: B–

The best actor of the bunch is likely Ty Simpkins or if not him, Jake Johnson, even though Chris Pratt will get the bulk of the recognition. He has a relatively easy job, though, just being cool and not very nuanced. Bryce Dallas Howard deserves credit, too, for taking a character that could have been so uptight and bitchy that she became unlikable and detouring her in just the right ways to avoid that. Overall, the cast is fine with no real standout performances and nothing that will get any notice for awards season. We'll skip over Katie McGrath's character Zara when praising this section of the film.

VISUALS (FX, MAKEUP, COSTUMES, SETS): A

There's one shot in the movie that looked incredibly fake, which is when the beak of a pterodactyl (I'm assuming that's what it is, and if it isn't, please tell me in the comments below what species it is) almost pierces the children. That stood out to me as laughably bad, as if someone were pushing a sculpture around like an airplane. Other than that, though, the rest of the effects are fantastic. The dinosaurs had to look realistic, seeing as how the first film pulled it off, so if there was a downgrade, it would be noticeable. Makeup was a little heavy on the oil sheen for Bryce Dallas Howard toward the end there, where she just so happens to be posing in a sexy position and glistening for the camera with ripped clothing, but I'll allow it. The sets were great, the costumes were very basic, and there's really nothing for me to point out for anything else.

MUSIC & SOUND: C–

I don't dislike the audio of the film, but at the same time, it just doesn't have the heart and soul that the first film did. There are times where the Jurassic Park theme shows up and it feels a bit forced and reminds me that this movie lacks the same magic, which in turn soured my mood a bit. Of course, I would be extremely upset if that theme wasn't in the film at all, but I was hoping to hear a great score to accompany it and was disappointed.

I've stated in the past that I'm in no way a scholar when it comes to sound design, so I'm usually very lenient when it comes to that. If there's nothing offensive and I don't think about the sound during the film, I take that as a sign that it's a home run.

TONE (ACTION, ROMANCE, COMEDY): B

ACTION: The intense looming threat of danger isn't as strong as the first film, but this is easily the best of the series when it comes to pure action. The final fight alone surpasses what we've seen in other movies. Very cool.

COMEDY: There was a nice balance of comedy and seriousness, which is good considering how so many films lately have been a little too heavy on the laughs. Although it isn't inherently in the film itself, it's somewhat written in by design for the audience participation at certain scenes. This made me chuckle every time the person in front of me would say things like "aw hell, she's DONE" and giggle at the right moment.

ROMANCE: Things were a bit simple, which takes away from the overall score. I felt less for Owen and Claire than I did for Owen and the raptors or just general sadness when it comes to the dying dinosaurs and Owen feeling sympathy for them. Romance is a bit of a dud, but let's be honest, who really came to this film to see a love story, right?

FINAL GRADE: B–

With things like Kingsman and Avengers: Age of Ultron having already pleased me greatly and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens coming up in December, this movie is going to be lost in the shuffle and somewhat forgotten about when I'm thinking back on what I loved about the 2015 movie calendar. However, it was definitely a fun movie experience that I'm very glad to have seen. I liked this movie far, far better than the second and third installments in the series and I would recommend it to everyone who is a fan of the first film despite those two blunders. I'm not too sure if I want to see the franchise end on a high note like this or attempt to make a new trilogy out of things, but if they announce another film, I'll be sure to pick up a ticket.

Fanboys Anonymous will once again be coming to the Too Many Games convention, but this time around, instead of just having a table, we will be presenting a special panel!

Join us on June 26, 2015 from 6:50 pm–7:40 pm at Panel 3 for Fanboys Anonymous: Addicted to Geek Culture where we will be discussing everything from the stigma of the word "fanboy" to the things that we're personally obsessed with, how addictive fandom in general can be, and the positives and negatives of having such a devoted fan base behind the things we love.

There will be time for a Q&A session where you can speak your mind as well as pick our brains about anything you want!

Where: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center — 100 Station Ave, Oaks, PA 19456

When: June 26–28, 2015 | Friday (2 pm–10 pm), Saturday (10 am–7 pm), Sunday (10 am–5 pm)

Website: Visit http://toomanygames.com/ for information on purchasing tickets and more

Description: TooManyGames is the longest running gaming convention in the Philadelphia area and is held every June at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. The 2015 TooManyGames convention will be held June 26 through 28. In 2014 attendance numbered over 5,000 attendees. Due to a strong guest list, increased sponsorships, ticket sales trends, and vendor response we are projecting 7,000 to 10,000 attendees in 2015.

History: TooManyGames (then known as the East Coast Gaming Expo) was formed in 2004 as an event focused on bringing classic gamers together to have a special occasion dedicated to classic game playing and collecting. TooManyGames' debut convention was held in September 2004 at the Inn at Reading in Reading, Pennsylvania with over 700 people attending to play, purchase, and enjoy classic video games.

In 2005, TooManyGames began expanding the show by including a large selection of classic and modern arcade games, incorporating more tournaments as well as hosting one of our region's first video game concerts. As TooManyGames has continued to grow and incorporate new features it has expanded from its original 5,000 square feet to now encompass over 100,000 square feet of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center's convention space.

TooManyGames will continue to drive innovation and expansion with their convention through continuously making new partnerships with people and companies whose focus is on making gamers happy.

Some come out, see what the convention has to offer, pick up some games or artwork or whatever you're into and make sure not to miss our panel!

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out episode 103 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Franklin Ward and Patty McTitties!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• The NHL, MLB, NFL, and our favorite: curling!

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank-tastic facts for your everyday life

::CELEB NEWS::

• Patty  McTitties brings you the hottest stories coming out of L.A.since Dace is M.I.A. again.

Plus the occasional game of Who Said It, the crowning of The Doucebag of The Week, and much, much more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


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Following a decision by Lucasfilm to move forward with Star Wars storytelling without the baggage of the existing Expanded Universe came an announcement of four books to begin a new era of storytelling. Starting with A New Dawn by author John Jackson Miller (Kenobi, Knight Errant, The Lost Tribe of the Sith), all of the novels will follow the canon of the six movies of the saga so far. They are now immutable objects in the Star Wars history books.

What this does for fans is multilayered. First, it made a number of fans sad, because the Expanded Universe has now not happened in the Star Wars galaxy. Lucasfilm's hope is that this will be mitigated by the new opportunities it affords. Second, it allows for a blank slate, which was necessary for the new films and to establish an improved eye on continuity. Third, it opens the door for new fans who want to know where to start and might be overwhelmed by glancing at a collector's bookshelf.

Of course, with such an approach, it was important for the new Star Wars canon novels to begin with a strong performance. What follows will be first a spoiler-free review of A New Dawn, complete with a grading and my reasoning behind it. I have read the vast majority of the previous Expanded Universe and have bought into Star Wars storytelling since childhood, so I hope that you will find my reasons to be well informed and considered. I will follow that with a warning for spoilers and then get into a more detailed discussion. I will try to keep this format for future Star Wars reviews as well.

A New Dawn focuses on two of the stars of the Disney XD show Star Wars Rebels. This is the story of how Kanan, an ex-Jedi who has been hiding his Force abilities since Order 66, met Hera, a Twi'lek woman fully invested in a yet-developing rebellion against the Empire. Hera is searching for information from a secret informant. Kanan is jumping from one odd-job employment to the next, currently flying a loadlifter for a mining company. Additional characters include Count Vidian, an efficiency expert for the Empire; Rae Sloane, an Imperial captain serving her first interim command under Vidian; Skelly, a miner who has perhaps worked in the heat more than was good for him; and Zaluna, a Sullustan woman in charge of spying on everyone and everything via HoloNet in order to gather information for the Empire.

This novel takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, about 10 years before the Battle of Yavin and 5 years before Rebels begins. John Jackson Miller is a student of history, especially Russian history, and he weaves storylines of both the current political climate and his Russian history into this novel. Certainly the climate of a paranoid Empire operating on a backworld, unimportant planet that exports a mineral used only for turbolaser batteries is compelling when paired with the range of characters caught in the mix.

The book has a slow build that reminds me of Kenobi, Miller's previous novel. That was western in feel, and this is structured similarly. If the first half of the book feels dry, do not put this book down. The climax is at the finale here, and everything points to that final destination. With that said, there was plenty to hold my interest throughout this novel. As I read I was constantly worrying that they would do too much; neither the Rebellion nor the Empire should be quite as powerful as we see them 10 years later in A New Hope. Those worries were unnecessary, however, as the story works within its setting, allowing its scope of danger without escaping its context.

The characters are good as well. The original characters for this book are well thought through and behave reasonably. Hera and Kanan provide depth to their television characters, especially Kanan, although Hera's backstory is still shadowy here. We do not learn much about her other than how she behaves in certain situations and some of her motivation.

Overall, I would give this book a B+. This is a solid start to the brand-new canon. My complaints are that the climax is a little cartoonish and that we don't learn enough about Hera (although I believe this is because they are saving her backstory for suspense in Rebels). Also, I can understand complaints about the slow build or that none of the movie characters appear in this book, but I don't personally buy into those. I think the plot and characters were well written and sensical. The finale is suitably epic despite my complaint, and this book has substance. I enjoyed myself reading this quite a bit.

Now, a couple of notes for those who have read the book or do not care about spoilers.


1) Zaluna's end is possibly my favorite single idea within this book. She has turned so much from her life, where she used to watch people, that she is literally blind. In real life this would be terrible, and I would never root for someone to suffer an impairment, but in Star Wars, they can give you optical implants so you can see again. Zaluna chooses not to have this done because she's seen enough. It's poetic and absolutely perfect.

2) Skelly's end, on the other hand, was over the top. How he survived that fall is more remarkable than anything else. This guy should have died long before he blew up Vidian.

3) Speaking of Vidian, I did not see the twist with his backstory coming. It was so different from other twists I've seen in this type of work. There were some really political things, reminiscent of the prequel trilogy, happening here, and it was so clever that it added greatly to the character motivations.

4) Not a spoiler, but Vanessa Marshall, the voice actor for Hera, read this book to understand more of Hera and has publicly praised John Jackson Miller for his work. She's a fan, and that's awesome to see.

5) I have seen some complaints that Kanan has a lit lightsaber on the cover but does not actually use the weapon during the book. Personally, covers do not factor into my enjoyment of the book because I basically ignore them. That said, I thought it was wise to have Kanan not use the lightsaber. It was an active disuse, because he thought about it. Even his use of the Force, which was more subtle, was only when he was in dire straits. He's not the character he will be when Rebels starts, and I think this adds greatly to my appreciation for the character. For more on him, Marvel is publishing a Kanan comic series that has been excellent so far.

Of course, my opinion does not matter nearly as much as everyone else's. If you've read the book, want to comment on the points I've raised or should have raised, or if you'd like to discuss anything else about it, please leave a comment below.

Ooooooooh man, things are about to heat up. Marvel has announced that The Punisher himself, Frank Castle, is going to be featured in Season 2 of Daredevil, which is set to come out in 2016.

While we sit here and wait for news about who the next Spider-Man is, Marvel has given us a break and announced who is going to be playing Frank Castle, and it's actor Jon Bernthal (Wolf of Wall Street, The Walking Dead, Fury).

Personally, I'm rather unfamiliar with Bernthal's work. I've seen him in one episode of How I Met Your Mother as Carlos (for fans of the show, "Who is Carlos?"), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, and The Wolf of Wall Street, but he wasn't exactly the most memorable character in any of them to stand out to me, so I can't really judge his abilities. However, he looks gruff and tough, which is what Castle needs to be.

The head of Marvel's television division and much beloved Daredevil comic book scribe, Jeph Loeb, spoke of the casting in a press release today:

"Jon Bernthal brings an unmatched intensity to every role he takes on, with a potent blend of power, motivation, and vulnerability that will connect with audiences. Castle's appearance will bring dramatic changes to the world of Matt Murdock and nothing will be the same."

I am a huge fan of Punisher showing up in this series. The character has yet to truly be done justice with the three previous films—although I would argue that Punisher: War Zone is the best representation, even if the movie itself is flawed—and there's really no better medium to tell his story than the current Netflix model. Daredevil was brought to life in a dark, gritty, violent way and that's exactly the environment that Frank Castle lives in.

Plus, the addition of Punisher to the mix brings a new dynamic to the show. Beforehand, Daredevil was the most hard-hitting vigilante that seemed as brutal as they could come. Punisher fans know full well that when you compare the two, Daredevil starts looking more like a campy member of The Fantastic Four due to just how vicious Frank Castle can be. Perhaps part of the season will deal with Matt Murdock learning what the extreme limits are when he sees how Punisher operates and deciding to reel things back and not be as violent anymore.

The first season was amazing, so I have no reason to doubt that whatever Marvel has in store will be just as good, so count me in!