Drabble Geeks

Geeks…Being Total Geeks.

Tag: adventure

Jolly Good Show

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Since I’ve been on my PhD journey, I’ve gotten really into random shows that I thought I was too “old” to watch when I was younger. When your brain needs to decompress it will decompress. Now adays, I’ve gotten into some older kids cartoons that I didn’t give myself permission to watch. Well, now that I don’t care, I’ve just finished watching Regular Show. I wanted a cute little show that I didn’t necessarily have to keep track of each and every little thing and just enjoy.

Overall, I thought it was a really cute show. It wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny to me, but it kept my attention the entire time and was very amusing. My favorite story line, because it makes absolutely no sense without the context, was about the format wars. I did in fact find this absolutely hilarious, but that is a conversation for people who have watched it. Another thing that amused me is that I think you’re supposed to believe that every one is technically a person. Our main protagonists include a blue jay, racoon, a gumball machine, and a lollypop, I think, just to name a few.

Either way, the show is very episodic and there is no really through line, until the last season, which I thought that was very well done. I highly enjoyed the series, and would definitely watch again at some point.

Come On, Grab Your Friends

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Recently, I’ve been having a blast watching cartoons from a couple of years ago that I didn’t get to watch. I was probably too busy watching something else, but I have finally gotten back to them. They are a great way to decompress after spending hours in the lab running experiments. This week’s addition to that list is Adventure Time.

I remember not really watching this show because it was advertised as very much episodic with no throughline. I don’t know who told me this, but if I find out, I’m going to tell them they’re a big fat liar. Moving on, this was a very enjoyable show. It was nice to wrap myself in a blanket with a cup of tea and binge-watch a season… or two. My favorite duo is definitely Princess Bubblegum and Marceline, the Vampire Queen. Their ever-evolving friendship was just enjoyable to watch. There were also some very deep episodes and plot lines, which are always surprising to watch in a children’s show. If you look past the surface for this supposedly silly show, there is a lot going on, and I think anyone would enjoy this. I just enjoyed every minute of watching it.

How Does It Hold Up: The Lost World: Jurassic Park II

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I’m back after watching another part of a series movie that was a core memory of some people’s childhood. I did watch movies with dinosaurs in them, they just never included humans. I may have just been busy watching cop shows. (Let’s be honest, it was definitely the cop shows.) Either way, I have made my way through the second Jurassic Park movie soon after watching the first, and I have some notes. While I did somewhat enjoy this movie, I didn’t love it as much as I enjoyed the first; it did have a low-key feel to it. Before going into the specifics of the movie, I do love when sequels are able to get the kid actors again, even if it’s just for a short cameo.

Firstly, there was a logical reason for having another movie, which I immediately questioned at the end of the first. With science fiction movies, for me at least, there needs to be a very good reason for having a sequel. There was probably some help since this movie was based on a book to help with the grounding, but I won’t know that until I read it. (Hint, hint.) I also enjoyed that there was some growth within the characters. One, not willingly letting children around dinosaurs? Check. Two, not necessarily profiting off of animals for the sole purpose of entertainment? Check. It was good. I’m now scared about how and why there are more movies. Why? It was a perfect ending. It is very much a “what now, humanity” as it included the very real conversation of how can we preserve animals and leave them in a somewhat natural habitat. Perfect ending in my opinion. The only thing that would have made it better is a way to actually see most of the movie. One or two more flashlights here and there would have helped.

Now, there is one more movie to finish the series. I did watch Jurassic World, and I was meh before, but I’m definitely not a fan of the new movies. I now get some of the easter eggs, but I really don’t care. I’m really hoping the third movie doesn’t disappoint me. I’m crossing my fingers.

How Does It Hold Up: Jurassic Park

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I almost feel ashamed to say this, but I think this is the best platform to say this. This is the first time I’ve ever seen Jurassic Park. I know, “how did I go twenty-six years before seeing this movie? Surely, you’ve seen some clips, right?” I went into this movie being told that it has some of the best CGI of an older movie, it was way better than the trash that was Jurassic World, and there is a book series. So now, this being the first time I’ve seen this movie, I’m here to say that this movie holds up very well.

Being a scientist, I’ll admit that I went into the movie trying to find problems with the science. I can’t help it; it’s what I do. Other than the one time they mentioned DNA and showed a picture of RNA, pretending someone can handle liquid nitrogen with their bare hands, and the slightly weird conversation about default sex, the science was pretty solid and believable. Yes, I did suspend my disbelief knowing that the science of bringing extinct species back to life had come this far in the 1990s, but it is still fascinating to look at the past understanding with where science currently is. Also, some of the ethical questions brought up in the movie are some of the same ethical questions we are looking at now with genetically engineering extinct species. Current conversations include bringing back the dodo, Woolly Mammoths, and some ancient type of tiger. I will admit that I am of two minds on this conundrum, in case anyone was wondering. I think if we can, we should bring back species that are extinct due to human influence, but those from natural selection, I don’t really see going too well. I have no justification or reasoning really, but that is currently where I stand.

Now, let’s talk about my main problem with the movie: Why did Dr. Sattler not get a gun? There was an entire locker full of guns as she was running around outside where we knew the dinosaurs had started escaping, yet they were thinking that only the men should have guns. There was a point where they bring up the sexism of the situation as the only physically-abled person available, but they still decided to run with this. Yes, it’s super minor in the scheme of everything, but that really pushed my buttons. You can give Dr. Sattler a gun and have Goldblum have his “French Girl” moment and have nothing about the movie change.

After seeing this movie, I am finally giving in to my exclamations that I will eventually see the eventual series and then eventually read the books. So, be on the lookout for my reviews of those. I’m actually really excited to see this series. Let’s see where this goes. I am skeptical about the number of sequels considering there are only two books, and there was a pretty solid out for any other movies. We’ll just have to see.

Along that Yellow Brick Road Pt 7.5

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I’m back in the land of Oz, and this time, we are back with short stories. Unlike another one with a certain bug at the forefront, this one wasn’t complete nonsense. This one was in-universe for the entire series and actually felt like a children’s book.

Little Wizard Stories of Oz is exactly as the title says. They are short stories, bedtime stories if you will. There is no timeline that you have to keep up with, no characterizations that you need to remember, nor any thought to be had. It was cute, simple, and straight to the point. I could definitely see this short book being included in a stack you put on your child’s bedside table to read them asleep. It was cute. What more could I say?

An Entirely New World Pt 4

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I finished reading the forth book within the Chronicles of Narnia series, and now I’m wondering if there is a point in finishing the series. If not for the fact that I’ve pretty much promised myself and the fact that my friends are adamant that the later books are better. I’ve just feel like I myself am getting more annoyed at the books than I spend time caring about what’s going on.

For example, at this point, as we found out in t he previous books, the characters that we gained a connection to, will no longer be showing up. Instead, we get random boy and girl who we could care less about and have no development other than being stupid, because pushing someone off a cliff is the logical response to having a conversation. Also, evil chair… I whish I was joking, but there was an evil chair. I don’t think I need to say more. Avoid this book at all costs, mainly for your sanity.

Along that Yellow Brink Road Pt 2.5

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As I was making my way through what is left of the Oz series, I realized that I missed an installment. Being the completionist that I am, I of course had to go back and read The Woggle-Bug Book. It takes places, directly after the second book, The Marvelous Land of Oz, I think. To be honest, I don’t know why this book exists, and book is being very generous.

This fanfiction of a short story is about how Mr. Insect-with-too-many-names-to-be-taken-seriously somehow ends up in America, I think, and tries to by a wife because he like a dress. And then some other things happened. I’m also pretty surer there was a random section with a dash a racism but I was just trying to get through to the end. It sounded stupid, and I’m pretty sure that if I put any actually though into it I would cry because of it. Just take my advice. This “book” isn’t worth your sanity. Literally do anything else.

Escaping the Underworld

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Imagine this: you are trapped in the underworld with your father, but what to do anything to escape, including taking down hordes of enemies in the way and getting help from your estranged family members. That is Hades in a nutshell. This is an action-packed room-based procedurally generated game taking place in the Underworld of Greek Mythology as you follow Zagreus, son of Hades, in trying to reach the surface.

Not only is the game gorgeous and amazingly voice-acted, but the action is also very seamless and responsive. It could be because I’m used to crappy computers, but I am used to playing action games that do nothing but stutter and take seconds before a response from the on-screen character. I recently got this game on the switch, and now I am saving up all my money possible to buy a better computer so I can feel this fantastic playing an action game in the future. I just don’t want to stop playing because of the fantastic gameplay and heart-touching story I wasn’t expecting. I would highly recommend anyone picking up this beautifully made game.

An Entirely New World Pt 3

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I finally got around to reading the third book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, and I gotta say, I was not worth it. More characters that you won’t carry about show up nor get even a page of description. All of our “favorite” character’s weren’t even then because Peter was off at school and Susan was busy finding a husband. The common things we’re looking forward to in a fantasy series.

In time, instead of sitting around listening to a story, we’re sitting around on a boat. Why? Because Aslan told us to. With nonsense side plots that make no sense? Absolutely. At times, the story felts like an Oz book with the random tangents of fantasy Dorothy had to go on. It wasn’t worth the time it took to read. Am I happy our “favorite” family won’t be going back to Narnia, and we’ll hear someone else’s story? Yes, yes, and more yes. The four we’ve learned to “love” should have stopped after their first adventure.

Studio Ghibli Made a Video Game

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Like the title says, the Studio Ghibli’s beautiful style haws been added to a video game, or something that you could call a video game. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but I would definitely say that it is not for everyone. Ni no Kuni: Cross Worlds boasts itself as a MMORPG featuring some classic classes such as witches, rangers, and swordsmen. I, of course, chose a witch to “play” as.

To be honest, this is more a beautiful cinematic that you enjoy to watch with a side of research management. I large part of the game is managing your inventory and leveling up your weapons and pets. I really am enjoying the story beats, but if you are looking for a hardcore MMORPG in which every single button press effects the action, this is not the game for you. If you want something mindless to do and just want the pretty colors go by like I do, you might really enjoy it. There are some customizations options, but all the classes are gender- and race-locked, so be prepared for everyone looking more or less the same.

The game is available in the Apple and Google Play store. There also seems to be a pretty active PC port if that is your cup of tea. I am currently a level sixty witch, and even though at times it’s a grind, I haven’t felt the need to buy experience boosts are anything, so I do think it is pretty balanced in a way. Of course that fact that you can buy stuff is thrown in your face every couple of levels, it’s not necessary to continue.