Geeky NEW ERA Fitted Hats
/During my VERY recent tattoo tour, I had a great stay in good ol' Atlanta. Though there's lots of work to be done, there's always time for some play play. Usually, I stop by NEW ERA in Atlanta on the request of one of my good friends, but this time, I went to see what one of my art peers/ co-worker, Paper Frank. After a round in Mortal Kombat, he was kind enough to take us in a tour of the store.
Here are some that caught my eye ...
Fitted's are the way of the world and perfect for ANY style ... even a suit! So be sure to check 'em out!
Atlanta Flagship
117 Luckie Street
404.584.0151
Til Next Time Y'all!
~Je T'adore!
>^.*<
L.A. Noire Achievement/Trophy Tips
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*No spoilers*
Need help finding cars,landmarks or even film canisters?
Don't fret help has arrived!
Achievement/Trophy:
Hollywoodland-Find and inspect all gold film reels
Need help finding cars,landmarks or even film canisters?
Don't fret help has arrived!
Achievement/Trophy:
Hollywoodland-Find and inspect all gold film reels
These videos below will guide you.
The Long Arm Of The Law-Complete all street crime cases.
Pull up the map and find the street crimes before they call(Free Roam mode). The unsolved cases will show a red icon. Remember each "Desk" has a limited number of street crimes. It will tell you when you've completed all the street crimes at that desk. If the street crimes aren't showing up on the map just restart Free Roam mode.
Pull up the map and find the street crimes before they call(Free Roam mode). The unsolved cases will show a red icon. Remember each "Desk" has a limited number of street crimes. It will tell you when you've completed all the street crimes at that desk. If the street crimes aren't showing up on the map just restart Free Roam mode.
Auto Fanatic-Drive every vehicle in the city.
One of the most annoying achievements/trophies in the game. The trick to this is,while playing through the story mode switch cars as much as you can. If you see a parking lot go into every car before you continue with your mission. In free roam the cars are placed randomly so all online faqs telling you this car is here that car is there will only leave you frustrated.
Best advice I can give you is to play the game normally and it will come.
Public Menace-Rack up $47,000 in penalties during a single story case.
Simple...act like your playing GTA.
Roscoe And Friends-Kill at least one bad guy with every gun.
Pick up every gun you see while progressing through the game. The only trick is during Cole's 1st shootout drop your shotgun and use Cole default gun as a "beat cop" because that will be your only access to that gun since its so weak. If you need helping using the last weapon on the last mission "PM" me because I don't want to spoil anything here.
Shamus To The Stars- Complete all story cases with a five star rating.
Three things determine your rating.
1.Clues- Do a thorough search of every scene
2.Questions- If you get a question wrong, you can always reset and start from the last auto save.
3.Damage-To avoid City/Car damage let your partner drive.
Star Map-Discover all landmark locations around the city.
Zoom in on your computer if needed

Is Boba Fett Overrated?
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Boba Fett is one of Star Wars most popular characters. Fans first saw the bounty hunter in "Empire Strikes Back." After watching the entire Star Wars series again. A question popped in my head. That question was, why is Boba Fett so popular? There is always been a division between Fett heads and non Fett heads. Let's take a look at Boba Fett strictly from his two appearances from the Original Star Wars movies, from both fan perspectives.
Non Boba Fett Fans Perspective: To non Boba fans they really don't see a big deal about him. He only appeared in two movies and really didn't do much. His appearance in "Empire Strikes Back" is more like a cameo than a supporting role. He doesn't have that much lines and he just escorts Han Solo to Jabba The Hut. In Return Of The Jedi, Fett finally does get a little action, but he is taken down in a way that takes any creditability he might have had. To the non Fett fan they really don't see a big deal about him. He really didn't make an impact or effect the course of the series in anyway. The non Fett fans do have a point. Fett appearance in "Empire Strikes Back" was short. His death in "Return Of The Jedi" could've been more epic like his father Jango. Non Fett fans do have some valid points. If you watch the two films that Fett appeared in, you might start to question what was the big deal about him.
Fett Fans Perspective: For the Fett fans Boba is one of the best villains in the Star Wars universe. Not only is he a Bounty Hunter, but he is mysterious. We really don't know nothing about Boba Fett background (until Episode 2). Nothing screams excitement than a villain that is surrounded in mystery. Fans fell in love with Fett presence and appearance. Out of all the new characters in "Empire Strikes Back" Boba stood out the most. Maybe it was due to his bad ass attire, the jet-pack or the fact that this guy was driven to finish his job. You can't say anything bad about the Fett. To the Fett fan he plays a huge role in the Star Wars Universe. Fett is the one who capture Han Solo in Cloud City. He's the one that track him down. The line Vader says to him "No disintegration" makes you want to know more about his ruthless tactics. Boba is a smart villain in the eyes of the Fett fans. In Return Of The Jedi, you finally see Boba in action with his gun and jet-pack. Fans rejoiced and cried when he met his end. One thing fans love about him is the mystery behind the helmet. Who is he? What emotions does he feel? Fans love that feeling and his awesome weapons, profession and mannerism is the icing on the cake.
What do you think? Is Boba Fett overrated? Or his cult status well deserved? Let us know in the comment section.
Non Boba Fett Fans Perspective: To non Boba fans they really don't see a big deal about him. He only appeared in two movies and really didn't do much. His appearance in "Empire Strikes Back" is more like a cameo than a supporting role. He doesn't have that much lines and he just escorts Han Solo to Jabba The Hut. In Return Of The Jedi, Fett finally does get a little action, but he is taken down in a way that takes any creditability he might have had. To the non Fett fan they really don't see a big deal about him. He really didn't make an impact or effect the course of the series in anyway. The non Fett fans do have a point. Fett appearance in "Empire Strikes Back" was short. His death in "Return Of The Jedi" could've been more epic like his father Jango. Non Fett fans do have some valid points. If you watch the two films that Fett appeared in, you might start to question what was the big deal about him.
Fett Fans Perspective: For the Fett fans Boba is one of the best villains in the Star Wars universe. Not only is he a Bounty Hunter, but he is mysterious. We really don't know nothing about Boba Fett background (until Episode 2). Nothing screams excitement than a villain that is surrounded in mystery. Fans fell in love with Fett presence and appearance. Out of all the new characters in "Empire Strikes Back" Boba stood out the most. Maybe it was due to his bad ass attire, the jet-pack or the fact that this guy was driven to finish his job. You can't say anything bad about the Fett. To the Fett fan he plays a huge role in the Star Wars Universe. Fett is the one who capture Han Solo in Cloud City. He's the one that track him down. The line Vader says to him "No disintegration" makes you want to know more about his ruthless tactics. Boba is a smart villain in the eyes of the Fett fans. In Return Of The Jedi, you finally see Boba in action with his gun and jet-pack. Fans rejoiced and cried when he met his end. One thing fans love about him is the mystery behind the helmet. Who is he? What emotions does he feel? Fans love that feeling and his awesome weapons, profession and mannerism is the icing on the cake.
What do you think? Is Boba Fett overrated? Or his cult status well deserved? Let us know in the comment section.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Review
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Drink up me hearties. Pirates Of The Caribbean is back with another installment. This time Jack Sparrow and the gang are out to find the fountain of youth. Does this Pirates installment a treasure, or should this be sent to Davy Jones locker.
Story - Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past. That's the synopsis of the film.
The story is very disappointing. Pirates Of The Caribbean On Stranger Tides suffers from many things. The story suffers from lack of characterization, tons of plot holes and a bunch of scenes that should have been cut. The main problem with the story is nothing is really explained. Who is Blackbeard? Why is he the most feared pirate in the land? We know why he is after the Fountain Of Youth? Besides his ruthless tactics, what makes Blackbeard the most feared pirate? Give us a little backstory on who he is. Blackbeard was ruthless, but there is no explanation or even a glimpse to his rise to power. The story started off strong, with Jack Sparrow in London. However after the hunt for the Fountain Of Youth begins, the story goes all over the place. Nothing really ties in together. For example Blackbeard does something with ships that he has destroyed, but how does he have the power to do that? Where is the explanation for that? There is one huge plot hole that involves Jack's doll. However I will leave you to come up with that conclusion. Another big problem I had with the story is that it's predictable. No element of surprise in this one. Once you find out that Blackbeard is afraid of this particular thing, you will know how the film will end. It's revealed too early what the outcome of the film will be.
The theme of the movie is fate. People who are after the Fountain Of Youth are either trying to delay their fate, or stop it all together. The movie adds a religious character name Philip. He is the moral compass of the film as he and Blackbeard clash on whether one soul can truly be saved. This debate I did find enjoyable to watch, but the theme and views from both sides seem forced. The story did do well by keeping Jack Sparrow an interesting character. The introduction of love interest Angelina (Penelope Cruz) keeps Jack enjoyable to watch. Some of the best moments of the film are with Jack and Angelina on screen together.
Acting - The acting is great. Johnny Depp is still wonderful as Jack. However the character might be getting a little stale. Jack wacky ways are tone down compare to "At World's End." He is more of the Jack we remember from the first Pirate movie. Geoffrey Rush is wonderful as Barbossa, however he is underused until the big moment. However the ending gives me hope that he might return to the Barbossa we know from the first one. Penelope Cruz is a breath of fresh air in the series. Her character is a true female pirate, with skills of the sword and just as cunning as Sparrow. Finally Ian McShane as Blackbeard stills the show. His delivery was spot on. Even without a backstory on his character, you can tell this guy has no heart, no soul and no emotion. I loved his performance.
Music & Filmmaking - Hans Zimmer returns for another round. For the most part the music is taken from the other films. However some of the new stuff are great. I really enjoy the Mermaid theme and Blackbeard's theme. The locations are great as well, most of the film was filmed in Hawaii and you really see the beauty of it. The action scenes are fun, but the highlight of the film is the Mermaids. If they made a movie based on a Mermaid war we would be in for a wild ride.
Final Grade C-/7.0: Pirates does have it's moment. However the movie runs too long and the lack of explanation on key items, characters and locations really hurt the film. The ending will have you wondering if the plot will get more crazy. Fans of Jack Sparrow will be happy to see he is still progressing as a man. Other than that this film needs the Fountain Of Youth, because the franchise is getting stale.
Story - Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past (Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past. That's the synopsis of the film.
The story is very disappointing. Pirates Of The Caribbean On Stranger Tides suffers from many things. The story suffers from lack of characterization, tons of plot holes and a bunch of scenes that should have been cut. The main problem with the story is nothing is really explained. Who is Blackbeard? Why is he the most feared pirate in the land? We know why he is after the Fountain Of Youth? Besides his ruthless tactics, what makes Blackbeard the most feared pirate? Give us a little backstory on who he is. Blackbeard was ruthless, but there is no explanation or even a glimpse to his rise to power. The story started off strong, with Jack Sparrow in London. However after the hunt for the Fountain Of Youth begins, the story goes all over the place. Nothing really ties in together. For example Blackbeard does something with ships that he has destroyed, but how does he have the power to do that? Where is the explanation for that? There is one huge plot hole that involves Jack's doll. However I will leave you to come up with that conclusion. Another big problem I had with the story is that it's predictable. No element of surprise in this one. Once you find out that Blackbeard is afraid of this particular thing, you will know how the film will end. It's revealed too early what the outcome of the film will be.
The theme of the movie is fate. People who are after the Fountain Of Youth are either trying to delay their fate, or stop it all together. The movie adds a religious character name Philip. He is the moral compass of the film as he and Blackbeard clash on whether one soul can truly be saved. This debate I did find enjoyable to watch, but the theme and views from both sides seem forced. The story did do well by keeping Jack Sparrow an interesting character. The introduction of love interest Angelina (Penelope Cruz) keeps Jack enjoyable to watch. Some of the best moments of the film are with Jack and Angelina on screen together.
Acting - The acting is great. Johnny Depp is still wonderful as Jack. However the character might be getting a little stale. Jack wacky ways are tone down compare to "At World's End." He is more of the Jack we remember from the first Pirate movie. Geoffrey Rush is wonderful as Barbossa, however he is underused until the big moment. However the ending gives me hope that he might return to the Barbossa we know from the first one. Penelope Cruz is a breath of fresh air in the series. Her character is a true female pirate, with skills of the sword and just as cunning as Sparrow. Finally Ian McShane as Blackbeard stills the show. His delivery was spot on. Even without a backstory on his character, you can tell this guy has no heart, no soul and no emotion. I loved his performance.
Music & Filmmaking - Hans Zimmer returns for another round. For the most part the music is taken from the other films. However some of the new stuff are great. I really enjoy the Mermaid theme and Blackbeard's theme. The locations are great as well, most of the film was filmed in Hawaii and you really see the beauty of it. The action scenes are fun, but the highlight of the film is the Mermaids. If they made a movie based on a Mermaid war we would be in for a wild ride.
Final Grade C-/7.0: Pirates does have it's moment. However the movie runs too long and the lack of explanation on key items, characters and locations really hurt the film. The ending will have you wondering if the plot will get more crazy. Fans of Jack Sparrow will be happy to see he is still progressing as a man. Other than that this film needs the Fountain Of Youth, because the franchise is getting stale.
Videogame Addiction! How Serious Is It?
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Videogames is one of the greatest form of entertainment ever created. It allows the user to experience a world unlike their own. Its a great way to pass the time and get lost into a new world, new characters and new experiences. However for some users they never want to leave the world. For some users, they make that world their reality. How serious is videogame addiction? Is it becoming a huge problem? Not yet, but with technology rising it could be a major problem.
"If You Play Videogames Everyday You're An Addict": This is one of my favorite stereotypes that gamers hear from people. Let me clarify this right now. Just because you play videogames everyday doesn't make you an addict. If that is the case than a person who watches T.V. everyday is an addict. That means a person who reads a book daily has a problem. Constantly gamers who play videogames everyday hear something like this. "You're back on that thing again. My goodness do you have a life outside games?" "Halo again dude you have issues." If the roles were reverse how would this sound to you? "Oh my goodness another book?" "You're watching that television again?" "My God get a life." Let's not confuse an individual's passion for an addiction. Now that the stereotype is cleared let us get examine videogame addiction.
How To Classify Addiction: How would you define an addiction? The dictionary defines addiction as,"A compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful." The videogame addict might have something psychological bothering them. It can be anything and nothing major. Stress from work, school, home life or just plain bored creatively and they need an outlet to channel that energy. Videogame addiction is on the rise. The question is how is it becoming a problem for most gamers? What does this mean for parents? How can we help combat this small problem, before it turns into the major one? Here are some reasons one might be addicted to videogames.
1. Lack Of Creativity (I'm Bored Syndrome): If a person doesn't have any type of mental stimulation, for some videogames will offer that mental stimulation or missing creative link. Boredom is usually a fast way to addiction. When you have nothing to do, your mind will wander to find something or anything to pass the time. Other outlets will get ignored because this outlet is giving that person the best stimulation.
2. Only Form Of Socialization: I will elaborate on this on another article. However I just want to touch on some key points. As much as some people will hate to admit it, videogames sometimes is the only form of socialization a person might have. Not everyone is social outside the realm of social networks, gaming etc. This can be the only form of communication that a person might have to someone outside they home. I know that might be hard to believe but in some cases it's a reality. We all heard the stories of the Warcraft addiction. Players not being able to socialize or do anything but Warcraft. However that is not Warcraft's fault. A game does not make you addicted. You make yourself addicted to a game, your psyche makes you addicted to a game. People who become addicted to Warcraft, Online Gaming, Facebook Games etc... something rooted inside them is causing them to play so much. It's an escape or a release from something. It could be no social life outside the network, could be home life, whatever factor it may be it will have to be address eventually.
3. A World That's Not My Own: This is similar to the second one. Videogames offer worlds that we never seen before. It's an escape from reality. Everyone likes to leave their reality once in a while, for some they would love to just live in another world, videogames could be that offer to them.
There are tons of factors or reasons why someone might get addicted to videogames. Is it becoming a serious problem? Right now I don't think so, but the recent PSN outage are showing signs that it might. I was shocked when I talk with gamers who brought an XBOX 360 just so they can play online, while the PSN is out. Is that going extreme? I would say yes. The only way to combat addiction is to find out why the person got addicted in the first place. Only the person knows that and it will be up to them to face it. Parents I encourage you to make sure your child spend more time outside, doing recreational stuff, put them in after school programs. Get more involved and monitor your child's playing hours. Maybe 1 to 2 hours a day. Or do like my mother use to do, no videogames until the weekends. You'll be surprise how much that help me when I was hooked back in the 16 bit era. It's our responsibility as technology grows, to learn how to use it. Videogame addiction is not a serious problem just yet. In fact only a small handful of gamers are addicted to it. However you can see the numbers rising as the parks become empty, and the online rate rises. Finally I just want to say this one more time. Just because someone plays games everyday doesn't mean they're an addict. Don't confuse passion and addiction.
"If You Play Videogames Everyday You're An Addict": This is one of my favorite stereotypes that gamers hear from people. Let me clarify this right now. Just because you play videogames everyday doesn't make you an addict. If that is the case than a person who watches T.V. everyday is an addict. That means a person who reads a book daily has a problem. Constantly gamers who play videogames everyday hear something like this. "You're back on that thing again. My goodness do you have a life outside games?" "Halo again dude you have issues." If the roles were reverse how would this sound to you? "Oh my goodness another book?" "You're watching that television again?" "My God get a life." Let's not confuse an individual's passion for an addiction. Now that the stereotype is cleared let us get examine videogame addiction.
How To Classify Addiction: How would you define an addiction? The dictionary defines addiction as,"A compulsive need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be harmful." The videogame addict might have something psychological bothering them. It can be anything and nothing major. Stress from work, school, home life or just plain bored creatively and they need an outlet to channel that energy. Videogame addiction is on the rise. The question is how is it becoming a problem for most gamers? What does this mean for parents? How can we help combat this small problem, before it turns into the major one? Here are some reasons one might be addicted to videogames.
1. Lack Of Creativity (I'm Bored Syndrome): If a person doesn't have any type of mental stimulation, for some videogames will offer that mental stimulation or missing creative link. Boredom is usually a fast way to addiction. When you have nothing to do, your mind will wander to find something or anything to pass the time. Other outlets will get ignored because this outlet is giving that person the best stimulation.
2. Only Form Of Socialization: I will elaborate on this on another article. However I just want to touch on some key points. As much as some people will hate to admit it, videogames sometimes is the only form of socialization a person might have. Not everyone is social outside the realm of social networks, gaming etc. This can be the only form of communication that a person might have to someone outside they home. I know that might be hard to believe but in some cases it's a reality. We all heard the stories of the Warcraft addiction. Players not being able to socialize or do anything but Warcraft. However that is not Warcraft's fault. A game does not make you addicted. You make yourself addicted to a game, your psyche makes you addicted to a game. People who become addicted to Warcraft, Online Gaming, Facebook Games etc... something rooted inside them is causing them to play so much. It's an escape or a release from something. It could be no social life outside the network, could be home life, whatever factor it may be it will have to be address eventually.
3. A World That's Not My Own: This is similar to the second one. Videogames offer worlds that we never seen before. It's an escape from reality. Everyone likes to leave their reality once in a while, for some they would love to just live in another world, videogames could be that offer to them.
There are tons of factors or reasons why someone might get addicted to videogames. Is it becoming a serious problem? Right now I don't think so, but the recent PSN outage are showing signs that it might. I was shocked when I talk with gamers who brought an XBOX 360 just so they can play online, while the PSN is out. Is that going extreme? I would say yes. The only way to combat addiction is to find out why the person got addicted in the first place. Only the person knows that and it will be up to them to face it. Parents I encourage you to make sure your child spend more time outside, doing recreational stuff, put them in after school programs. Get more involved and monitor your child's playing hours. Maybe 1 to 2 hours a day. Or do like my mother use to do, no videogames until the weekends. You'll be surprise how much that help me when I was hooked back in the 16 bit era. It's our responsibility as technology grows, to learn how to use it. Videogame addiction is not a serious problem just yet. In fact only a small handful of gamers are addicted to it. However you can see the numbers rising as the parks become empty, and the online rate rises. Finally I just want to say this one more time. Just because someone plays games everyday doesn't mean they're an addict. Don't confuse passion and addiction.
X-Japan's Yoshiki Hayashi Launches Sirius XM Radio Show
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Tonight I had the pleasure of attending X-Japan's very own Yoshiki Hayashi. Yoshiki is launching and host his very first radio show. It's entitled "Yoshiki Radio." The radio show will be on Sirius XM "The Boneyard" Channel 38. On the radio show Yoshiki will play some of his favorite artist, bands from Japan and talk about gaming and Anime. Check out some of the pics of the event. Make sure to tune in on Friday, May 27 at 8:00PM ET for the first show.
The Sign

Justin (Me) & Yoshiki (Not my best pose or pic) Still it was amazing.

Yoshiki Chatting With Fans & The Press

The Bar

Just Footage Of Yoshiki Talking To The Press. (I couldn't get for some reason lol)
The Sign
Justin (Me) & Yoshiki (Not my best pose or pic) Still it was amazing.
Yoshiki Chatting With Fans & The Press
The Bar
Just Footage Of Yoshiki Talking To The Press. (I couldn't get for some reason lol)
Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean Review
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Lego's is back with another fun installment of another movie franchise. This time Lego takes to seven seas with Pirates Of The Caribbean. Does this adventure capture the spirit of Pirates Of The Caribbean? Or does these blocks need to be rebuilt?
Story - The stories follow the key events from all three movies and the upcoming sequel. In "The Curse Of The Black Pearl" William Turner and Jack Sparrow must rescue Elizabeth Swan and get back Jack's beloved ship. In "Dead Man's Chest" Jack Sparrow must find a way to settle his debt with Davy Jones. In "At World's End" Will Turner and the crew must rescue Jack Sparrow from the locker and put an end to Davy Jones. Finally in the upcoming sequel "On Stranger Tides" Jack Sparrow is on the hunt for the fountain of youth. The key elements are told very well, with cute comedy that players are use to seeing. I suggest you don't play "On Stranger Tides" since it does spoil things a little.
Gameplay - Each movie is divided into five levels, in total the game has 20 levels. Veterans of the Lego games will feel right at home. You can choose up to six characters to play with, depending on the level or storyline. Each character has a specific skill, that you will need in order to complete the level or find treasure. For example Jack Sparrow can use his compass to find items. Will Turner can throw his ax. Women can double jump and so forth. The gameplay is simple. You figure out easy puzzles and hack an slash your way through the levels. Each movie has different puzzles and enemies. The game does well of recapturing key scenes from all the movies. Highlight of the game will be Dead Man's Chest and the final battle with Davy Jones At World's End. Unfortunately the game does suffer some issues. For one you'll need to remember which skill each character has. This might be tough because there are a lot of characters and some people you will only use once. The camera can also be an issue as well. There were times I couldn't even see myself fighting, because I was boxed into a corner. The game is at best with a friend. The A.I. is really stupid when it comes to puzzles. It will take the A.I. a while to realize that it's needed for a puzzle. The controls are not to friendly either. It's very difficult for certain characters to pick up objects. Will Turner will throw his ax, instead of picking up the object you want him too. This can get very frustrating at times. Other than those minor complaints, the game is enjoyable and fans of the Lego series will fill right at home.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics are pretty decent. Some of the characters don't look close to their human counterparts. However the environments are pure Lego fashion. Some areas look bland, but the graphics stay true to the Lego universe. Some might experience lagging issues when multiple characters and enemies are on the screen.
Sound - Hans Zimmer music works well with the game. All the right themes are in the game such as, "The Medallion Calls," "He's A Pirate" and many more bring authenticity to the game. There is no voice work, but Jack's scream and mumbles are included. The music, effects work well and will bring you into the world much better.
Replay Value - The game has tons of things to unlock and characters to find. If you have a friend along it makes the game that much more enjoyable.
Final Grade C+/7.5 - Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean is a fun. However you can't help but to think the Lego series is getting stale. The graphics hold up and the music is fantastic. The gameplay is basic and could've use some tweaking. If you're a die hard pirate fan, give this game a try.
Story - The stories follow the key events from all three movies and the upcoming sequel. In "The Curse Of The Black Pearl" William Turner and Jack Sparrow must rescue Elizabeth Swan and get back Jack's beloved ship. In "Dead Man's Chest" Jack Sparrow must find a way to settle his debt with Davy Jones. In "At World's End" Will Turner and the crew must rescue Jack Sparrow from the locker and put an end to Davy Jones. Finally in the upcoming sequel "On Stranger Tides" Jack Sparrow is on the hunt for the fountain of youth. The key elements are told very well, with cute comedy that players are use to seeing. I suggest you don't play "On Stranger Tides" since it does spoil things a little.
Gameplay - Each movie is divided into five levels, in total the game has 20 levels. Veterans of the Lego games will feel right at home. You can choose up to six characters to play with, depending on the level or storyline. Each character has a specific skill, that you will need in order to complete the level or find treasure. For example Jack Sparrow can use his compass to find items. Will Turner can throw his ax. Women can double jump and so forth. The gameplay is simple. You figure out easy puzzles and hack an slash your way through the levels. Each movie has different puzzles and enemies. The game does well of recapturing key scenes from all the movies. Highlight of the game will be Dead Man's Chest and the final battle with Davy Jones At World's End. Unfortunately the game does suffer some issues. For one you'll need to remember which skill each character has. This might be tough because there are a lot of characters and some people you will only use once. The camera can also be an issue as well. There were times I couldn't even see myself fighting, because I was boxed into a corner. The game is at best with a friend. The A.I. is really stupid when it comes to puzzles. It will take the A.I. a while to realize that it's needed for a puzzle. The controls are not to friendly either. It's very difficult for certain characters to pick up objects. Will Turner will throw his ax, instead of picking up the object you want him too. This can get very frustrating at times. Other than those minor complaints, the game is enjoyable and fans of the Lego series will fill right at home.
Gameplay Video
Graphics - The graphics are pretty decent. Some of the characters don't look close to their human counterparts. However the environments are pure Lego fashion. Some areas look bland, but the graphics stay true to the Lego universe. Some might experience lagging issues when multiple characters and enemies are on the screen.
Sound - Hans Zimmer music works well with the game. All the right themes are in the game such as, "The Medallion Calls," "He's A Pirate" and many more bring authenticity to the game. There is no voice work, but Jack's scream and mumbles are included. The music, effects work well and will bring you into the world much better.
Replay Value - The game has tons of things to unlock and characters to find. If you have a friend along it makes the game that much more enjoyable.
Final Grade C+/7.5 - Lego Pirates Of The Caribbean is a fun. However you can't help but to think the Lego series is getting stale. The graphics hold up and the music is fantastic. The gameplay is basic and could've use some tweaking. If you're a die hard pirate fan, give this game a try.
5 Reasons Why Today's American Horror Films Suck!
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Disclaimer: The following article is clearly the views of Justin. These views expressed in this article, do not reflect the views of the other writers at OtakusandGeeks.com.
When I was younger horror films used to be something that terrified me. I used to be scared of films like "IT," "A Nightmare On Elm Street," "Halloween," "Friday The 13th," I love movies like "The Howling," "Night Of The Living Dead," "Children Of The Corn" and many more. Are these horror movies the best of the best? Of course not! Everyone has they own perspective of classic horror. I was watching the original "Nightmare On Elm Street" the other night. As I was watching the film a question entered my head. What happen to American horror films? When and how did we drop the ball? I decided to list five main reasons why American horror films are not where it needs to be.
1. Shock Value Over Scare Value: If you look at today's generation of horror. The main focus is shock value. Today's audience seems to like the philosophy of the more gore the better. Take a look at films like Hostel, the Saw Series, the remakes of Hills Have Eyes, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and many more. I'm not saying that gore scenes with torture is not scary. I'm saying that this type of technique is being overused these days. Most of the horror movies today are going for shock value. They're going for that I can't believe they put that on film feel, instead of a proper build up and intensity for the scare. Call me old fashion but I believe a horror movie is suppose to scare you more than shock you. Back in the days horror films had a technique called suspense. Movies from the 30's to late 90's had build up to the scares. The scares not only shocked you, but kept you thinking about it months after watching the film. Teenagers were afraid to go to sleep after watching Freddy. Police had extra patrol men on Halloween nights. The suspense kept you at the edge of your seat. Your heart will be pumping and you were invested in the story. I can still watch "The Exorcist" today and still feel intense build up. That's because in the old days they took time and effort to bring an experience that attack those emotions. Today horror is more focus on grossing you out than scaring you.
2. Cliche, Cliche, Cliche: I' am pretty sure we all heard the saying "Monkey see monkey do." This saying can't be far from the truth these days. It seems that every horror film has the same formula. Teenagers stuck in a middle of nowhere and a killer is after them, a family trapped in a haunted house, crazy killers torturing people or some poor soul gets possessed by a demon. Don't believe me? Do these titles sound familiar with these storylines? "Paranormal Activity," "SAW," "The Exorcism Of Emily Rose." Whether these movies are great or not isn't up for question. The point is these movies and many like them, suffer from the same overused set up, plots and even environments. I know no idea is original, but an idea can be original as possible. The same set up scares and predictable endings are hurting horror films.
3. Remakes & Sequels: "If it's not broke don't fix it." Hollywood seems not to understand this saying when it comes to movies. Horror movies have seen so many horrible remakes, that I don't have enough patience to name them all. Remakes and unnecessary sequels are killing horror films. Back in the days sequels were made if it was relevant and necessary for the story to end. Today sequels are used to put asses in seats and make the companies money. Did we really needed that much "SAW" movies? Did we really need a "Paranormal Activity 2"? To be fair did we need all those "Halloween," "Friday The 13th" and "Nightmare Elm Street" sequels? Sequels are suppose to be used to continue or end a story. It's not meant to be a cash cow like it is today. As for remakes go, why did we feel the need to remake "Halloween," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and so many others? I know remakes are design to bring a classic to a new generation. If that is truly the case then how about you just remastered the classic and re-released them to theaters. Why do they constantly get a director who claims to love the film, then they totally messed up the origins (Halloween Rob Zombie)? I'm sick of the sequels and remakes. I want more original work in American horror films. Why do I have to go to Japan, Korea, Spain, Italy to get my horror fix?
4. No Substance: I do give "SAW"credit. The "SAW" movies have something that most horror of today do not. The "SAW" movies had a lesson to be learned, also known as the theme. In "SAW 1" the theme Jigsaw was trying to teach you was to appreciate your life, be grateful of the time you have. It made sense why he was doing it. However besides "SAW" the theme is either non existent or hidden. Horror movies usually make a statement on social commentary, political views or relationship differences. You really don't get that today. Where is the substance in these films?
5. Kills Are Too Predictable: Nothing takes an audience out of a horror movie then knowing who is next to go. I blame this on the writing, the setup and of course the film trailers. The trailers give away most of the scary scenes. The writing uses the same stereotype characters, that way you can guess who is next. The setup is usually when the person decides to split up and the environments are the same. The characters usually die in a bathroom, parking lot, alleyway, bedroom, etc. The music now indicates the characters demise, instead of making us feel tense about the upcoming death. Scream 4 is perfect example of this. Watching this you knew who was going to die thanks to the trailer. The build up to the kills was poorly done and you saw it more like a comedy.
Can American horror films go back to it's former glory? The answer is yes, but we have to give originality a chance. That is why Asian horror is so successful, they take time with story, scare and twist to incorporate an experience. However even Asian horror is starting to suffer from it's own formula. How do we bring horror back? It's simple folks we need to get back to basics. We need to be more creative, give those with original ideas a chance. We already took chances, made mistakes, but let's not get messy with this great genre.
Robotech Fanfiction: Entry #3 Spacefold
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Justin Notes - The following Fanfiction is based on the events of Robotech: The Macross Saga. The story of the Macross Saga will be seen through the eyes of a Macross Island civilian. I wanted to tell a story of the Robotech War from a civilian’s point of view. The Fanfiction is told through journal entries from the civilian. In entry 3 Kenji tells us about his experience in the shelter, and dealing with the lost of his beloved Rika.
Entry 3 – Spacefold
Entry Date – February 5 2014
Entry Name – Kenji Takeda
“Sakura, Rika is…. Rika and I got separated on our way here. She is probably on her way to another shelter.”
I couldn’t think of the words to tell Sakura, so I did what anybody would do in a situation like this. I decided to bend the truth a little in order to spare Sakura the heartbreak of Rika’s death. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. In fact I felt horrible about that decision. How can I tell Sakura that she lost her only daughter? Rika was the only person Sakura had left in this world. Sakura had seen a lot of hardships in her lifetime. She was a survivor of a great war a long time ago, her entire family was killed when a bomb drop in the area. She grew up homeless and was force to sell her body in order to survive. At age 21 she was pregnant with Rika and they live poor for a while until she finally married. Life for her got a little better; she raised Rika with her husband. However adversity would sneak its little head into their lives again. Sakura husband Yin died in a car crash shortly after the marriage. Sakura was devastated for a long time. She would face countless depression, over and over again. According to Rika she still suffers from it till this day. Now you know why I couldn't tell her. Judge me if you wish, but I couldn’t be responsible for Sakura’s tears.
After reassuring Sakura that Rika is at another shelter, I decided to walk around to try to find my own family. I don’t know if it was me or was it the shelter but I was hot. I could feel my temperature rising, as I walked around searching for my family. The scenery of doctors, nurses and civilians performing first aid wasn’t helping my body. Anxiety was kicking in and I could feel my vision getting blurry. My breathing became heavy and I started to sweat. My body was getting weaker with each walk. My eyes were getting watery and all I can remember was a sound of a large boom.
It was hours later and I woke up in a bed. I looked around and saw I was still in the shelter. Sakura was right by my side with a motherly smile on her face. She held my hand, and gave a huge *sigh* of despair. Her face look like she knew a secret and that it was about to be revealed to me. She gave me a quick hug.
“Kenji I’m so sorry. Yoko and Osamu have passed on.” Sakura said.
“My parents are gone?” I asked her.
“They were brought in as you passed out. They were wounded and lost too much blood. “Sakura explained.
My heart drop and I couldn’t say anything. All I could put together in my head was Rika and now my parents are dead. I still haven’t told Sakura the truth and there was no way I would now.
“There has been a lot of explosions and gunfire happening while you were outside. Nobody knows what’s going on. I just hope Rika’s okay. Kenji you can stay with us, when things calm down. You’re like a son to me and I would it if you stayed with me. We should wait here until they give news on the other shelters.” Sakura said.
I couldn’t talk all I did was nod yes to Sakura. Little did Sakura know that she would be waiting, for someone that will never come. It was my entire fault that Rika’s dead. If I left when she was pleading me too, she would have survived. I had to tell Sakura the truth, but how would I break the news to her. I guess I would wait for an answer to come to me. This was going to be a long wait.
Entry 3 Over
Kenji Takeda
Entry 3 – Spacefold
Entry Date – February 5 2014
Entry Name – Kenji Takeda
“Sakura, Rika is…. Rika and I got separated on our way here. She is probably on her way to another shelter.”
I couldn’t think of the words to tell Sakura, so I did what anybody would do in a situation like this. I decided to bend the truth a little in order to spare Sakura the heartbreak of Rika’s death. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. In fact I felt horrible about that decision. How can I tell Sakura that she lost her only daughter? Rika was the only person Sakura had left in this world. Sakura had seen a lot of hardships in her lifetime. She was a survivor of a great war a long time ago, her entire family was killed when a bomb drop in the area. She grew up homeless and was force to sell her body in order to survive. At age 21 she was pregnant with Rika and they live poor for a while until she finally married. Life for her got a little better; she raised Rika with her husband. However adversity would sneak its little head into their lives again. Sakura husband Yin died in a car crash shortly after the marriage. Sakura was devastated for a long time. She would face countless depression, over and over again. According to Rika she still suffers from it till this day. Now you know why I couldn't tell her. Judge me if you wish, but I couldn’t be responsible for Sakura’s tears.
After reassuring Sakura that Rika is at another shelter, I decided to walk around to try to find my own family. I don’t know if it was me or was it the shelter but I was hot. I could feel my temperature rising, as I walked around searching for my family. The scenery of doctors, nurses and civilians performing first aid wasn’t helping my body. Anxiety was kicking in and I could feel my vision getting blurry. My breathing became heavy and I started to sweat. My body was getting weaker with each walk. My eyes were getting watery and all I can remember was a sound of a large boom.
It was hours later and I woke up in a bed. I looked around and saw I was still in the shelter. Sakura was right by my side with a motherly smile on her face. She held my hand, and gave a huge *sigh* of despair. Her face look like she knew a secret and that it was about to be revealed to me. She gave me a quick hug.
“Kenji I’m so sorry. Yoko and Osamu have passed on.” Sakura said.
“My parents are gone?” I asked her.
“They were brought in as you passed out. They were wounded and lost too much blood. “Sakura explained.
My heart drop and I couldn’t say anything. All I could put together in my head was Rika and now my parents are dead. I still haven’t told Sakura the truth and there was no way I would now.
“There has been a lot of explosions and gunfire happening while you were outside. Nobody knows what’s going on. I just hope Rika’s okay. Kenji you can stay with us, when things calm down. You’re like a son to me and I would it if you stayed with me. We should wait here until they give news on the other shelters.” Sakura said.
I couldn’t talk all I did was nod yes to Sakura. Little did Sakura know that she would be waiting, for someone that will never come. It was my entire fault that Rika’s dead. If I left when she was pleading me too, she would have survived. I had to tell Sakura the truth, but how would I break the news to her. I guess I would wait for an answer to come to me. This was going to be a long wait.
Entry 3 Over
Kenji Takeda
Dunny Inspired Bubblehead Dresses
/What Otaku doesn't collect vinyl toys or something kawaii ... boy or girl you HAVE something of an artist toy floating around. I PROMISE!
Well here's some cool fun fashion by artist/ designer, Faye de-Boorder. She's taken her four main passions; toys, bright colors, designing, & making people smile; to inspire these fun-filled creations. She's used the inspiration of Kid Robot's Dunny ('A curved bunny with a smooth face, DUNNY is a blank canvas designed to be repainted and reinterpreted by artists from many different backgrounds')
My personal fav is this little biddy above inspired by one of my favorite artists & a heavy part of my collection, Koralie. See any resemblence!?
For more pics & detailed info on the inspiring artists' original Dunny art & other individuals noted in bringing this roject together, visit Kid Robot Kronikle.
Until Next Time kittens!
~je t'adore!
>^.*<
Stussy x Marvel
/Again, I've had to leave for just a little while to let some art take hold for my latest art show installation.
Now that you know what I've been into ... Let's get caught up on some fashion shall we!
This post is something special for the geek guys that we all know & love! As a sneaker head & patron of Stussy's urban lifestyle movement, I was elated to find that this yummy urban brand has teamed up with Marvel for a TWO part artist tee series. We see these mashups happen often and a lot of times we assume it's the 'same ol thang!' but this has high hopes. Take a peek & judge for yourselves!
Find the COMPLETE skinny on this awesome collabo at Marvel
For a complete listing of tees, products, release dates other related features and to find a Stussy retailer near you or to order online visit our STUSSY fam online!
Hopefully there'll be more summer posts of geek wear & do-dads so stay tuned!
Until next time!
~je t'adore!
>^.*<
Cosplay Boy Of The Week #48 (Honey Senpai)
/Kiss, kiss fall in love with this Cosplayer who plays Honey Senpai from Ouran High School.
Read MoreCosplay Girl Of The Week #56 (Lightning)
/This week's Cosplay Girl Of The Week is the tough chick from Final Fantasy XIII. The main character herself Lightning.
Read MoreJensen Ackles in Game "3rd Birthday"
/Just saw this on youtube and I thought you guys should know. This is what happens when you become a fangirl of "Supernatural." You try to find every youtube vid u can and watch it all. Someone quick give me a new obsession! lol
Great actor and voice actor.
Love you Jensen and Jared! Sorry guuys I'm in Supernatural fever. Oh FYI, the season finale is next Friday at 9pm on the CW. (Just putting that out there. Supernatural Rules!!!
Supernatural Bloppers & Parodies
/I am now becoming a fangirl of the popular show "Supernatural". Even though I only watched snipits of seasons and not from the beginning, the recaps really help. I love Sam and Dean and Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are awesome actors. So to commorate Friday the 13th, I'll show you some bloopers and footage of my fav scenes. I hope no "bad luck" gets in your way today. Supernatural Rules!!!!!!!!!! P.S Some vids you have to click on the link below. Note: None of these videos are mine and the bloopers and episodes are copyrighted by Supernatural. (Also some spoilers)
Supernatural Teddy Bear/a>
Sam is hungry for demon blood/a>
A Couple of parodies vids for good measure
Explains everything in a catchy tune... ^_^
Cool Geeky Sneakers
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I've been browsing the net looking for new geeky gear. I realized that I don't own any geeky sneakers. I wanted to show you guys some real cool geeky sneakers I've found. If you're a fan of Nike, you're about to be in heaven.
Green Lantern

I'm actually considering buying this before Lantern movie is release on June 17. I love the look of the sneaker. I would love to see people's reaction when I wear this at cons.
Green Lantern 2

Brightest Day, Blackest Night. I love this Green Lantern sneaker, it has all the colors of the Green Lantern's. Plus the logo is there too.
Nintendo Wii

I like the look of the Wii sneakers. I love how the Wii circle is on the top of the sneaker, plus I love Air Maxes.
XBOX 360

This has to be one of the best videogame adaption sneakers I've seen. I said this because this sneaker has the blasted controller on the bottom. That is awesome.
XBOX

Represent your love for the original XBOX with these sneakers. Personally I don't these sneakers, but somebody will.
Pokemon

Gotta catch them all. I really love these sneakers. I'm not a fan of yellow, but these I would put on my feet. I love the Pikachu picture as well.
Bioshock

This Bioshock Nike Sneakers look great for any fan of Big Daddy and the Little Sister.
Megaman

I really like these Megaman sneakers, however I feel the addition of Megaman takes a little away from the sneaker. It's still looks good though.
Kick Ass

These are some really Kick Ass sneakers literally. I love how these sneakers have the blood splatter all over the sneaker.
The Legend Of Zelda

The Legend Of Zelda sneakers look good. I just wish they had a little bit of yellow or gold for the Triforce. Other than that this is one cool sneaker.
Twitter

Twitter sneakers looks really cool. I'am a fan of baby blue and I love how it even has the Twitter logo there.
Sonic The Hedgehog

He's the fastest thing alive. You can be if you put these babies on. I love Sonic Colors.
Green Lantern
I'm actually considering buying this before Lantern movie is release on June 17. I love the look of the sneaker. I would love to see people's reaction when I wear this at cons.
Green Lantern 2
Brightest Day, Blackest Night. I love this Green Lantern sneaker, it has all the colors of the Green Lantern's. Plus the logo is there too.
Nintendo Wii
I like the look of the Wii sneakers. I love how the Wii circle is on the top of the sneaker, plus I love Air Maxes.
XBOX 360
This has to be one of the best videogame adaption sneakers I've seen. I said this because this sneaker has the blasted controller on the bottom. That is awesome.
XBOX
Represent your love for the original XBOX with these sneakers. Personally I don't these sneakers, but somebody will.
Pokemon
Gotta catch them all. I really love these sneakers. I'm not a fan of yellow, but these I would put on my feet. I love the Pikachu picture as well.
Bioshock
This Bioshock Nike Sneakers look great for any fan of Big Daddy and the Little Sister.
Megaman
I really like these Megaman sneakers, however I feel the addition of Megaman takes a little away from the sneaker. It's still looks good though.
Kick Ass
These are some really Kick Ass sneakers literally. I love how these sneakers have the blood splatter all over the sneaker.
The Legend Of Zelda
The Legend Of Zelda sneakers look good. I just wish they had a little bit of yellow or gold for the Triforce. Other than that this is one cool sneaker.
Twitter sneakers looks really cool. I'am a fan of baby blue and I love how it even has the Twitter logo there.
Sonic The Hedgehog
He's the fastest thing alive. You can be if you put these babies on. I love Sonic Colors.