Lenni Reviews: "Behave" by Andromeda Romano-Lax

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"Behave" is a fictional biography of Rosalie Rayner Watson; the wife and assistant of John B. Watson. Together they carried out The Little Albert Experiment; which studied classical conditioning in human beings. The novel starts with her time at Vassar and goes through Rosalie meeting John, becoming involved with him, and the experiment itself.

Though lovingly written, it was difficult to get fully into this book. The feel of it is poetic and lush but the main character seems so distant and cold it's hard to relate to her. It is not the writing at all because some of the descriptions are very detailed; even beautiful at times. But yikes, it was hard to pick this book back up if I put it down. And if Rosalie was distant, John was flat out unpleasant. You don't have to love babies but his flippant attitude towards his test subjects was grating. Despite being a pair of smart, capable characters; reading about them experimenting on these kids was distressing. Or maybe that's just me, I'm not a fan of making babies cry.

Overall, if reading about what Rosalie may have been like interests you and you are a fan of good writing, this book will please you. It's a solid 4 out of 5 since I just couldn't get over my dislike of the two main characters. 

For more reviews and various hi-jinks, check out Lenni's blog at Haunting Hypatia.

5 Supervillian Teams That Could Start The Next Phases Of The MCU

Hey O&G fans, Capt. America: Civil War will premiere in a couple weeks which means two years from now, we will be preparing for the Infinity Wars part 1. This will start the end of the first three phases of the MCU. That being said, what will be the next storyline? What will be the next big threat?

The Russo brothers have been quoited to have access to atleast sixty MCU characters, heroes and villains. With that many characters at their disposal, Marvel Studios could plan out some interesting stories after the Infinity Wars. Here are some suggestions of Super Villain teams that would make great stories for the next phases of the MCU.

5. Black Order

The Black Order (also known as the Cull Obsidian) are a group of alien villains that work for Thanos. They help Thanos conquer worlds where they demand tribute. Their first comic book appearance was in New Avengers Vol. 3. If Thonas is defeated at the end of the Infinity Wars, Marvel doesn't have to end his reign of terror there.  They could use this team of villains to exact a more sinister plot for revenge. The members of the Black Order are:  Black Dwarf, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, and Supergiant.

4. Skrulls

Millions of years ago, the Celestials performed genetic experiments on the reptilian ancestors of the Skrulls, resulting in three branches of Skrulls that eventually warred with one another. The Deviant branch—possessing the innate ability to shapeshift. The Skrulls would be a great for the MCU........ if Marvel Studio owned the rights (Hint,Hint, make the deal Fox) Having the Skrulls in the MCU, we could see the Secret Invasion story come to the big screen. This could also give Marvel the ability to change the Avengers line-up and add new characters.

3. Masters of Evil

The original Masters of Evil (consisting of existing Marvel Comics supervillains Black Knight, Melter, and Radioactive Man) was gathered by former Nazi scientist Baron Heinrich Zemo. The team has had different members and leaders: Egghead's Masters of Evil, Doctor Octopus' Masters of Evil, and Pre-Thunderbolts Masters of Evil. This would give Marvel the ability to mix and match Villiains for the MCU. Let's consider that they start with (Characters that might be introduced in Capt. America civil War) Baron Zemo, Crossbones, and Klaw. Leading up to Infinity Wars, Marvel could plant the seeds of these guys being the next big threat.

2. Dark Avengers

In the aftermath of the Skrull Invasion, Norman Osborn became head of the Fifty-State Initiative, the Thunderbolts Initiative and S.H.I.E.L.D.. He disbanded all three with different results. S.H.I.E.L.D reformed into H.A.M.M.E.R. with Osborn as its Director, the Thunderbolts became a secret black-ops team for him and his Cabal and the Fifty State Initiative came under his control after its founder, Tony Stark,  was blamed for the Secret Invasion  and became a hunted fugitive. This would be one the best storylines and Super Villain team for the MCU because with Sony and Marvel working on Spiderman reboot and now that the characters can interact, it could open up a huge story. Since some of the actor like Robert Downey Jr might end their run, this would be a good way to have him still in the MCU, but only with cameo's and introduce new characters. This also leads into my Number 1 Super Villain Team. 

1. The Cabal

The Cabal (a.k.a. The Dark Illuminati) was formed by Norman Osborn, a covert group set against the aims of the scattered Illuminati, made up of Namor of Atlantis, Emma Frost of the X-Men, Doctor Victor Von Doom of Latveria, Loki of Asgard, and the criminal known as the Hood. With all the movies leading up to the Infinity Wars, the theme has been some shadowy figure with a sinister plot..... why not continue! After all is said and done, the storyline about the Dark Avengers and Norman Osborn would be perfect. Every Tv, Streaming, and Movie could be affected by the backlash and start a new Story with new characters.

What do you think of our List? Did we miss any groups that would fit better? Let us know in the comments.

by Sean Tucker

Tribeca Filim Festival 2016: Virtual Arcade

Written By Justin D Williams

Tribeca Film Festival 2016 had one very interesting showcase that caught my eye this year. This showcase was Tribeca Film Festival: Virtual Arcade. While the showcase did have one or two VR games to experience. The showcase main focus was to show what can possibly the future of movie interaction. The Virtual Arcade showcase 13 VR shorts/films and all. I must say that I was really immerse on how close to the action I was. I saw two films. One film focus on an actual carnival experience which had some horror elements. I was right in the middle as the performances were going on. This was something to see and for someone who isn't too fond of clowns, this was kind of a nerving experience when I turn around and saw a clown behind me. The way VR uses the cinematography to have to whole film play all around you is definitely going to be the future. I will go on record to say that the best thing that will happen to VR will be the horror genre. The way horror is going to be able to grab us by our emotions, the way we have to use our body to see what is behind us is going to be a huge hit. Other films were also great to see. Animation was also used very well in VR. I think kids are going to really gravitate to what will be happening in 2017. Overall I had a great time interacting with some new films and getting to see some cool stuff like the Shadow technology which operates on motions and touch. If this comes back in 2017 I'm surely going to go back and check more stuff out. 

The Maiden Premieres on April 19th

THE MAIDEN, a short thriller/horror film, made its online premiere exclusively on bloody-disgusting.com on April 18. Following the 24-hour exclusive, the film will live on the-maiden.com.

 THE MAIDEN is the story of a real estate agent (Alia Raelynn) who is pushed to the edge as she struggles to close on a mysterious estate. As she goes about her business, she begins to discover that this house is not as deserted as it seems - and a very powerful and evil presence is working against her. The closer she gets to the sale, the more dangerous things get. Can she close on the house before its too late?

 Michael Chaves wrote and directed the original short. The story was inspired by the real estate crash a few years ago. “I was fascinated by how corrupt it was,” said Chaves. “I’ve always loved haunted house stories, but I wanted some kind of a twist. I started wondering ‘what happens before the young family moves in? How was someone able sell something so evil?’

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles at the famous Beckett Mansion. Chaves produced the short with his family and close friends. He enlisted his high school best friend Tristan Nyby to shoot it. Michael’s wife, Dina Buglione, did the casting. His next door neighbor David Moore and Lynda Pribyl produced it with Chaves.

“We wanted to anchor it in reality, so we shot primarily with natural light,” said Tristan Nyby, Director of Photography. “Especially for a thriller/horror, the power is in believing this is real. The house had such an amazing structure that it shaped the light really beautifully.”

For more information please visit http://www.the-maiden.com.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheMaidenFilm/

Twitter, https://twitter.com/michaelchaves

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30 for 30: This Magic Moment Red Carpet Pictures

Written By Justin D Williams

I attend the 30 for 30 Red Carpet premiere and the big man himself Shaq was in attendence. Check out the pictures below. 

Giveaway: Silicon Valley Season 2 DVD

Otakus and Geeks is giving away a copy of Silicon Valley Season 2. The rules is simple just answer these 5 multiple choice questions correctly and you will be enter in our random drawing. To enter send your answers using the contact us form  http://www.otakusandgeeks.com/contact/ only one entry person contest ends 16th. 

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Actor T.J. Miller co-star in this 2016 blockbuster?

A. Deadpool.

B. Batman v Superman

C. The Boss

2. Amanda Crews previous co-star in which Steve Jobs movie?

A. Steve Jobs

B. Jobs

3. The shows intro song is called?

A. Silicon Valley

B. The Valley

C. Stretch Your Face

4. In season one the show presents an equation in?

A. Jerking Off

B. Physics 

C. Pie

5. Luis left his job to create?

A. Spaceballs

B. Hooli

C.Hiooli

DVD Details: After taking the tech world by storm last season at TechCrunch Disrupt, Richard and rest of the Pied Piper team – Erlich, Jared, Dinesh and Gilfoyle – look ahead to a bright and profitable future. But their success may be in jeopardy, thanks to big changes at Raviga, the company created by Peter Gregory, and Nucleus, the competing compression platform launched by Hooli CEO Gavin Belson. Starring a talented ensemble of series regulars, including Thomas Middleditch as Richard Hendricks; T.J. Miller as Erlich; Josh Brener as Big Head; Martin Starr as Gilfoyle; Kumail Nanjiani as Dinesh; Zach Woods as Jared; Amanda Crew as Monica; Matt Ross as Gavin Belson; Suzanne Cryer, who joins the cast as Raviga managing partner Laurie Bream; and Jimmy O. Yang as Jian-Yang. Guest star Ben Feldman returns as Ron LaFlamme; new guest stars include Chris Diamantopoulos as Russ Hanneman and Alice Wetterlund as Carla.

Bonus content for Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season includes: 

• Reality Bytes: The Art & Science Behind Silicon Valley

• Deleted Scenes 

• Six Audio Commentaries with Mike Judge, Alec Berg, T.J. Miller and many more…

Silicon Valley: The Complete First Season - Blu-ray with Digital HD, DVD

Street Date: April 19, 2016

Order Date:  March 15, 2016

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: Approx. 320 minutes (including bonus materials)

Price: $34.98 Blu-ray with Digital HD (2 BD discs)

Price: $26.95 DVD (2 SD discs)

30 for 30: This Magic Moment (Review)

Reviewed By Justin D Williams

In the mid-1990s, Orlando was the epicenter of excitement in the NBA. The young franchise, led by mega-stars Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, beat the mighty Bulls en route to the 1995 NBA Finals. They lost that year but it was clear this team from Orlando was a dynasty in the making. But the Magic’s moment on top was never fully realize.

30 for 30: This Magic Moment was a story I was personally waiting for. It's the story of the most popular teams of 90's basketball the Orlando Magics. Just like previous 30 for 30 entries this gives full light on the true story of the team. The team focuses on two main figures Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway. One thing I really enjoy about the documentary is how they showed the origins of each player. We follow the rise of Shaq from his college days to when he was picked by the Magics. On the parallel side we see the rise of Penny and how was also chosen by the Magics. Each man had their own path and journey to get to the NBA. However both men had the same goal in mine and that was winning the NBA Championship. While the film first half is heavily focus on Shaq and his influence on Orlando and his career as a hall. It was great to see that Shaq himself didn't shy away from his faults. Shaq admitted that his ego and wanting to be in the spotlight played a hand in the fall of the Magics. His insecurity of when he was injured and how Penny's rise was making him envious. Don't get me wrong the film is not all about Shaq and Penny but it shows how much of an impact these two had on the team. The film also focuses on the franchise as a whole. It tells the story of the birth of the Orlando Magics and the fear and struggles of starting a brand new franchise. Interviews with past GM''s, players and coaches are all feature in this documentary. Key moments such as Shaq breaking the rim with a slam dunk to Nick Anderson missing foul shots are all touch and explored. 

The film is one of the best I've seen from the series. It paints a great story of triumph, heartbreak and ends with a bittersweet what if question with Shaq and Penny. What if Penny didn't get hurt? What if Shaq put his ego and pride to side and didn't leave? What if Nick Anderson made that shot? 30 for 30: This Magic Moment is a story of friends, brothers and team that shocked the world but ultimately fell short due to pressure and egos. This is a must see film for any 90s basketball fan and something that will be talked about for a while.

Final Grade 4.5/5 Stars

First look at Scarlett Johansson in Live Action Ghost in The Shell

Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures have formally announced filming has begun on the live-action Ghost In The Shell movie with a still featuring Scarlett Johansson in the lead role of Major, a human/cyborg hybrid.

Johannson leads a cast comprised of Beat Takeshi Kitano, Juliette Binoche, Michael Pitt, and others. The film is directed by Snow White & the Huntsman's Rupert Sanders.

Here is a look at her as Major:

We are so pleased to be in Wellington to shoot Ghost In The Shell,” said producers Avi Arad, Ari Arad, Michael Costigan and Jeffrey Silver. “The city boasts state-of-the-art production facilities and a rich urban landscape that make it an ideal setting for a sci-fi action film. The crew-base in New Zealand working on the film is first class, and working with Sir Richard Taylor and the team at Weta Workshop is inspirational on every level. The people of New Zealand have been terrific partners in helping us bring this story and its beloved characters to audiences around the world and we are thankful for their continued hospitality.”

Ghost In The Shell is scheduled for nationwide release on March 31, 2017

Syfy Hunters Series Premiere (Review)

Decorated FBI agent Flynn Carroll's world is turned upside down when his wife, Abby, goes missing. When it becomes clear her abduction is tied to a group of ruthless - and extraterrestrial - terrorists called Hunters, Flynn is recruited by a secret government organization to bring the aliens down.

Hunters has a lot going for it and a lot going against it. The first thing Hunters has going for it that will have you tune in is the concept. The concept of aliens being terrorist is fresh and sold me on the goal of the antagonist. The aliens have been monitor by a special task force of our government hell bent on stopping them. I like the setup of this threat and this episode we get from the first scene that the alien is indeed a threat. Another thing I enjoyed about episode one is our main character Flynn. He is reaction to this new world filled with aliens is great. One minute you, your wife and the teenager staying with you are dealing with the normal teenage problems. The next minute your wife Abby is kidnapped by the aliens known as Hunters.  The show setups a lot of questions in the first episode. Why do the Hunters want Abby? Why are the Hunters targeting this planet? What is their motive? Finally Regan is clearly the best part of this show. There is much mystery around her character. Regan is a Hunter and she sides with the humans. Her back story is not shown but their is a hint during a fight scene that give clues. She also seems to like humans in an intimate matter as well which raises more questions. Regan has a no nonsene attitude and her link to the Hunters will have you watching if you can get pass certain things holding the show back.

With an interesting concept, two characters to get invested in especially Regan. The show has a few problems. One of the main problems is a show like this needs a bigger budget. I think with a bigger budget the full vision of the show can be realized. The effects are not the best and you can see it in the action. Also what takes me out of the alien element is that they look like humans with a few effects to make them different. Maybe in later episodes the true form of the aliens will show so I wouldn't write it off yet. Finally some of the acting is way over the top. The dramatic scenes that I was supposed to feel something I felt nothing because of the overselling. As stated it's just the first episode and I still think you should judge for yourself. I will stay for Regan backstory and why she's sided witg the humans. However so far the show has a nice concept but it needs a bigger budget, a shift more on Regan and improvement with some acting.

Final Score 3 out of 5: Not bad but needs improvements.