Thursday, January 31, 2013

9 New Shows to Watch for in 2013





I won't lie, even though there are a ton of new television shows due to come out this year, it's looking pretty bleak as far as creativity.  I looked long and hard to compose this list of nine shows that might actually be worth watching, hope you enjoy.

 
Arrested Development


I know what you’re thinking, Arrested Development isn’t a new show, it was cancelled about seven years ago.  Well, that may be true, but that hasn’t stopped it from finally returning, from what I’ve read it seems like each episode will follow one character at a time to show what they’ve been up to since we last saw them, this is supposedly all supposed to lead to an Arrested Development movie.

Teen Titans Go!

All of the Teen Titans crew will be back, and everything I’ve read about it is making it seem like it’s more about their lives between all the super hero adventures, focusing on what it’s like for a group of super powered teens living together with no supervision.  Also it’s supposed to have a more comical feel, with episodes that only last eleven minutes.  It sounds like a good mix to me.

Beware The Batman

What!?  A new Batman series?  That’s all you have to say if you want me to give it a chance.  I can’t dislike anything that involves Batman, and even though this series will be computer animated (which reminds me of the short lived “Spider-Man:  The New Animated Series”) I still can’t see this series being anything but great.  Instead of Robin, he has a new sidekick named Katana, and this rendition of Alfred is a former secret agent, I think this will give the franchise a fresher feel.

Da Vinci’s Demons

Speaking of Batman, this series is written by David S. Goyer, the man that wrote Batman Begins, and The Dark Knight, as well as the Blade Trilogy.  Both imdb.com and Wikipedia have rather short entries about this, but just based on what I expect for the writing, and that it’s going to be about a young Da Vinci that can see the future, I’ll give it a chance at the very least.  It also mentions that Leonardo was a swordfighter, I won’t miss an episode on the off chance that he gets transported into the future and transformed into a mutant turtle.

The Last Ship

Okay, so before I did a little research about this one it sounded like a great idea for a series.  Long story short, the crew of a naval destroyer realizes that the majority of the human population has fallen victim to a pandemic, leaving them unsure of how many survivors are out there.  This sounds like a pretty awesome premise in itself, add to the fact that Michael Bay is directing and it sounds like a solid series.  Then I dug a little deeper and realized that it’s not much like the book it’s based on, which might not necessarily be a bad thing, except the book sounds utterly badass, so the show has potential, and if nothing else, I will definitely be reading the novel.

Under The Dome

It was originally a book written by Stephen King, with Steven Spielberg involved in production, that alone should have you listening.  On a day just like any other, a small town in Maine is incased in an enormous is sealed off from the world in an invisible bubble.  Families are separated, and everyone is left wondering where this enormous dome came from, while the community is broken and basically in a state of chaos, there is only limited time to find a way out.  (Check out slash film.com for more details. http://www.slashfilm.com/stephen-kings-under-the-dome-to-air-on-cbs-in-2013-from-producer-steven-spielberg/)

In The Flesh

We can probably all agree that as far as zombie series’ go, there is no topping Walking Dead, but this series, which is only three parts, looks at the whole idea from a new perspective.  In this scenario, after a zombie attack, somehow the government finds a way to reintroduce them into society.  It is said to be more about the nature of humanity as well what exactly death means.  It sounds like a very original idea, let’s see what comes of it.  (Want more? http://www.starburstmagazine.com/tv-news/3842-tv-news-bbc-3-announce-new-zombie-series-in-the-flesh)

The Hundred

I couldn’t find much information about this one, but from what I could hunt down, it’s set in a post apocalyptic world, where 100 delinquents return to a very different Earth, they are the only hope of repopulating the human race.  It may not be the most revolutionary idea, but it is definitely noteworthy among the lists of terribly cliché ideas.

The Sixth Gun

Again it was hard to find information on the show idea, but then again it’s just being picked up for a pilot, just like “The Hundred” above, so we can only hope that they turn into a series.  The Sixth Gun is based on the comic of the same name, which focuses on six guns that grant different magical powers to whoever is in possession of them, each gun connects to an individual for life.  However the cast, script and directing work out, it’s got to be better than that celebrity diving show.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

10 Cartoons That Should Be Made Into Live Action Movies

In the last decade nearly every cartoon you can remember has had a live action movie made in it's honor.  From the likes of Transformers and G.I. Joe, all the way to Garfield and Alvin and the Chipmunks.  Well I have composed a list of ten that deserve the same treatment, mainly for visual purposes, I'm not saying the storyline would hold up for a two hour film, but think of how cool it would look if it was done the right way.  Just to clarify, I don't mean people walking around in goofy costumes, I mean the full on CGI special effects of modern day movies applied to these favorites.



10. Biker Mice From Mars


The Reason:  Hello?  Human sized alien mice riding motorcycles and fighting monsters and robots.  'Nuff said.



9. TaleSpin


The Reason:  Who wouldn't want to see a talking bear maneuver a cargo plane through countless air chases, and remember it's not just any bear, it's Baloo from The Jungle Book, seems like a good mix of action and comedy.



8. Darkwing Duck


The Reason:  He is the terror that flaps in the night.  Don't act like you don't remember the catchphrase "Let's get dangerous."  He's something like a duck version of Batman, and while that's reason enough, add to that the fact that he wasn't nearly as bright and had a habit of clumsily falling or making big mistakes but in the end always lucked out and prevailed against evil.



7. Animaniacs


The Reason:  Heeelllooo Nurse!  It'd be way more entertaining than another Alvin and the Chipmunks movie, plus it was originally brought to us by Steven Spielberg, put him back in the mix, then release these characters in the real world, and expect up to date pop culture references, celebrity cameos, and cartoon physics.  You know you'd see it in theatres.



6. The Tick


The Reason:  (And I don't mean like the live action show, I'd rather see him in CGI looking all Hulk-esque.)  Pretty much the same reasons I listed for Darkwing Duck, except this guy's only real power is being nigh invulnerable, which basically means he can get his ass kicked and then jump right back up and shout "Spoon!" before pummeling evil into the ground.  Not enough?  He's surrounded by countless super hero parodies, many of whom have the least useful superpowers imaginable, oh and his worst enemy is Chairface, a super villain with a chair for a head.



5. Captain Planet


The Reason:  Let's set it in the near future, the ozone layer is nearly depleted, the ocean is infested with oil, and the polar caps are melting rapidly, doom is eminent.  It's up to the Planeteers, and a more modernized/kickass version of Captain Planet to do something about it.  There are plenty of super villains to choose from for this movie, but I'd like to see British Petroleum involved somehow.



4. Gargoyles


The Reason:  With nearly every comic book character and super hero having a movie nowadays, I'm really surprised this one hasn't been made yet.  It's the only one with a serious feel on the list so far, it would be great if done like the last few Batman movies.  They're gargoyles, they turn into stone during the day, they have super strength and can fly.  I don't even think I need to list anymore reasons, but there are plenty.



3. Pinky And The Brain


The Reason:  Everyone loves them.  One is a genius...the other is insane.  Two mice attempting to take over the world, there it is short and sweet.  Be sure to imagine two actual mice playing the part.  The Brain, I'm thinking, should be voiced by Liam Neeson.



2. AAAHH!!! Real Monsters


The Reason:  Think back to everything you remember about this show, and tell me it wouldn't be an insanely awesome live action movie.  It's nothing like Monster's Inc, these guys are disgusting and can actually be scary.  Remember Ickis, Oblina, and Crumm, oh and of course their teacher The Gromble?



1. Street Sharks


The Reason:  I'll tell you what, you try to come up with one reason why it wouldn't be a kick ass live action movie.  Can't do it?  That's what I thought.  Imagine giant walking sharks with the Hulk's arms, diving under the asphalt and swimming through the streets with their dorsal fins sticking out.  If directed the right way, the visuals would be insane.



Expect a sequel to this post, there are plenty more cartoons that deserve the live action movie treatment, but this is just ten of them for the time being.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

5 Underrated TV Shows

I just decided to do this post since I've realized that a lot of better television shows are flying under the radar while other, entirely awful shows seem to soar.  That is not to say that many of the shows that get very high rating don't truly deserve them, because there are plenty I find worth watching that have a good bit of popularity.  Some of my favorites being Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, The Big Bang Theory, and Once Upon a Time.  With that said, some of the ones on this list I would rank above some of those just mentioned.  Here goes my list:


5.  The Riches

With a superb cast, better than average writing and a suspenseful plot, this show should have been a shoe in for gaining major popularity.  With Minnie Driver and Eddie Izzard as the lead roles, the premise involves a family of wandering con artists that hit it big in stealing the identities of a wealthy family.  There is plenty of drama to go around as their former gang of gypsies find out what their doing and want in on it.  Sadly this show was cancelled, but it just goes to show how some gems can slip through the cracks and disappear forever.


4.  The Big C

I overlooked this show for a while because the title had me assuming it was one of those melodramatic 90210 type of programs.  I came to find out that the title "The Big C" refers to cancer, which the main character (played by Laura Linny) is diagnosed with in the first episode.  Stage 4 melanoma to be more specific, so with little time left to live, it shows how her life is turned upside down and changes many of her relationships with family members and friends.  Laura Linny does a great job holding together a very diverse cast of unique characters, from her homeless brother to her childish husband, and even though this show has such a dark premise, it manages to stay upbeat and humorous, in between all of the suspense they manage to build about what is going to happen next.  This show is still going, and has decent reviews depending on where you look to find a review, I just don't feel like there is much buzz going around, since until I decided to start watching it, I'd never heard anyone talking about it.


3. Shameless

If the mere mention of sex, alcohol or drugs makes you cringe then this is probably not the show for you, on the other hand, even though this show pushes every limit it can think to, and portrays every taboo imaginable, it does it in a very inventive way.  You'll forget that William H. Macy is playing the father "Frank" because he does a damn good job of getting into character.  He is a drunk that is either always at the bar, or passed out on the floor, leaving his huge house full of kids to basically raise themselves.  I've got to tip my hat to these writers because not only is every episode original without feeling repetitive in the slightest, they find a way to build these completely unique three dimensional characters and involve each and every one into a cohesive storyline which is not an easy task when you're dealing with such an immense cast.  Many shows take several seasons to reveal the unique traits that make each character an individual, but this is not one of them.  I don't mean to say that this show is unpopular or even has low ratings, I just believe it deserves to be talked about more and more.


2.  New Girl

If you didn't already know Zooey Deschanel was hilarious then there's probably something wrong with you, but if you did and haven't checked this show out yet, then shame on you.  This show gets decent ratings and is pretty popular to my knowledge, but I think it deserves to be one of the main comedies that people talk about, it should be right up there with Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, and How I Met Your Mother.   If you haven't watched it and decide to start from the beginning, don't get too attached to the character named "Coach" as he is only in the pilot episode.  Zooey plays the eccentric and nerdy "Jess" a school teacher that decides to turn her life around when she catches her boyfriend cheating, and ends up moving in with three guys.  The cast is hilarious, the writing is phenomenal because it is definitely fresh comedy, but if you were addicted to the show "Friends" there are actually a good bit of subliminal references to different episodes, just like with How I Met Your Mother.  Each character stands out, and like I said about Shameless, after a few episodes you'll feel like you know them all individually.  I haven't watched a single episode that hasn't left me literally laughing hysterically.


1. The River

Yes, this Stephen Spielberg produced show was cancelled after one season because of ratings, but my question is why?  While shows like Dancing With The Stars and American Idol thrive, masterpieces like this aren't even given a chance, I just don't understand.  The story begins when a famous television personality known for exploring the wilderness goes missing in the Amazon, and a reality show/rescue mission is sent looking for him.  To me this paranormal program feels like Lost meets The Walking Dead, and deserves to be ranked right up there with both of them.  Every episode will give you goosebumps and leave you in suspense, a talented cast, and excellent writing all gone to waste.  If you missed this then do yourself a favor and go watch it now.

Friday, January 18, 2013

Learn to Code the Fun Way

Codecadamy.com

Learn to Code the Fun Way


This websites let's you take short lessons about all sorts of coding, I've only done the HTML lessons, but it's really quick, actually pretty fun because it sets it up to be like a game, where you get rewarded for completing sections.  It shows you your work as you go, and checks it for accuracy, so far I've never seen a more helpful site on coding, it's helpful for both beginners and pros.  So if you've ever thought about getting into coding, give this website a try.

Just a Quickie

Guess who's back back from the dead.  I've been really busy with super important meetings and errands lately so it's been hard for me to find time to post more content on here, and by super important meetings and errands I mean video games and hardcore chilling.  So you want more stuff for your brainhole?  I actually don't know what I'm referring to there, but anyway here goes.

Search Expired Domain Names
If you are starting a website and need a domain name, sometimes it's easier to just search through the ones that are expired, it saves you all the time of having to be creative and original.  It is also fun to check these lists because you won't believe some of the domain names that people actually paid for, one of the more noticeable ones was "Striplet.com"

Review Your Website
Woorank reviews your website for you and brings to your attention anything that can be fixed or tweaked, I am just using the free trial, and that alone is very in depth, and helpful.

Mind Map Online
Use bubbl.us to mind map online.  Don't know what mind mapping is?  Well it's the easiest and most effective way to brainstorm, I have been using a program for years called Freeplane, which is a freeware, but this link makes it even more convenient with no download.  I still recommend checking out Freeplane because of the additional features.

Reddit.com
I know I know, you've definitely already been using this site for a long time.  But for those who haven't heard of it, good lord, do yourself a favor and go here.  This site is an enormous community that posts links to interesting stuff, or memes, or just about anything else.  It's a congregation of every social type imaginable, from atheists to devout believers, liberals to conservatives and everything in between, you'll find a subreddit for any interest you can imagine, go there.

Fark.com
A daily list of crazy news stories and random articles from around the net.  I recommend that you check it out to get your weird news fix.  I could scan this website all day, you know what?  That sounds like a pretty good plan, I'll see you guys later.  Don't worry, I'll be back with more links soon.