We're heading over to Universal Studios tomorrow for Halloween Horror Nights. It's been the first time we've gone over to Universal for their Halloween event since 2000. After Sept. 11th, we'd that there wasn't going to be one in 2001, and since then we haven't heard of there being one. But this year we hear rumors, which turned out to be fact. We would forgo our usual trip to Knott's Scary Farm, and relive the fun we used to have at Universal. We've even heard that you can walk on the Universal Backlot as part of the experience. We're all set, we got our tickets, and we can't wait. I'll be back with an update soon...if we can make it out alive, that is! MMUUUAAAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!! *COUGH*
UPDATE- So, our night at Universal came and went, and it can be described in one word: LAME! Don't get me wrong, we had a blast at the event, but it was despite of it, not because of it. It's always a great time when my friends and I get together, no matter where we go, we always manage to have a great time. We had all gone together to Universal the last time they held the event (back in 2000), and we all agreed that it had lost a little something. Perhaps a lot something! It had us wishing we had gone to Knott's yet again. What happened Universal?? You used to be so good at scaring us! Where there used to be 5 or 6 wickedly cool mazes going through the sound stages, now only 2 were found, and on the upper levels, not in the sound stages. And the "Terror Tram" which is the tram tour through the backlot, that actually let you get off and walk past the Psycho house, the War of the Worlds set, and the Bates Motel, was nothing more than a lot of hype. There was so much potential for good scares, but they were totally wasted. Instead of a Fear Factor Live: Dead Celebrities Edition (MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID!!!), how about another dark gorey maze?? Universal is not as large as Knott's, in sheer walking area, so there weren't as many scarezones as there could be. But instead of QUANTITY, how about QUALITY?? I was so hoping that this would scare our pants off (Although you don't need to scare me to get my pants off.. WINK WINK!), and ultimately we felt shortchanged. We'll have to see what we decide to do next year. Give Universal one more chance, return to Knott's, or try someplace entirely new, like The Queen Mary! Only time will tell. For now, I can only say that I am damned glad that we only paid $25 per ticket instead of the full $49 price.
Oh, boy! What a rough couple of weeks it has been. I've been having computer problems for the last couple of weeks. It would just spontaneously shut down on me, no matter what I was doing or what I was in the middle of. Finally, I had had enough when my brothers were unable to do their homework and print it out. It took an 11pm trip over to my girlfriend's house to print out some homework to make me realize that I shouldn't wait any longer to get it checked out. Now, let me say this first. I got my computer at Fry's Electronics (Yeah, I can see most of you rolling your eyes already!). I've always heard about their bad reputation with customer service, and the such, but there are not many stores like that around our area. 
So, yes I went into business with Fry's. I had taken it in before for virus removal, and never had a problem. I take it in on Saturday, explain my situation, and the guy behind the counter says tells me to leave it, pay $99, and they'll check it, clean it, remove any virus' that it may have, and the such. I reluctantly agree, I mean I couldn't do anything myself, since it wouldn't stay on long enough to get anything done. He says I can come in on Sunday to pick it up. So I go home and sleep on it. Sunday I'm anticipating his call, letting me know the computer is ready. Well, he calls, but tells me that he's going to have to install an OEM version of Windows, which meant I would not have everything that was on my computer when I first bought it. I told him that I had the recovery discs at home, and he said if I would take them to him, they might work. Well, long story short, I take him the discs, they don't work. Turns out that the motherboard had blown a few capacitors, making it not able to distribute power properly. So, I ended up having to buy a new motherboard, new CPU, a new fan, and, oh, by the way, I may need a new power supply. YAY!! All in all, the damage ended up being around $240 aside from the $99 already paid. The guy says it'll be ready by Tuesday. Great! I'll pick it up on my way home from work.
So, I go to pick it up. The guy isn't done with it yet. He still needed to screw stuff back in, and register Windows. Once that was done (2 Hours Later!), I was on my merry way home with, what I thought, was a fully functioning computer. Boy, was I gullible. Oh, don't get me wrong. I came home, plugged it in, turned it on, and all was sunshine and rainbows. Cut to an hour and a half later, in the midst of reinstalling much of what I had lost. The computer restarts, and that's it! It keeps restarting. I mean, WHAT THE HELL!!!
So, the next day I take it back to the Fry's, and the guy who originally fixed it wasn't there. A couple of new guys took a gander at its' innards, and told me that the problem was that I didn't have Windows installed. Wait, what?? I thought that fool had not only installed, but registered Windows for me! Guess not. Turns out I'd have to buy a copy of Windows XP for my very own!! But, at least that was it. It's been smooth sailing since, and now here I am, back among you. Hopefully I won't have to go through any of that again any time soon.
Coming from the Nintendo HQ, the Wii now has a price and a release date. It will be released her in the states on November 19th (Just in time for the holiday season!) and will set you back about $250. Which, compared to the other consoles, is not bad. (Can anybody say $600 for a PS3??) Of the 3, the Wii seems mostly likely to have greater entertainment value, what with the motion-sensored wireless remote control and nunchuk attachment. The system will be bundled with a Wii Sports game which includes Golf, Baseball, Tennis, Bowling, and Boxing, and has a ton of features, such as Wii Channels that allow you to upload pictures, check your local weather, and even create your own digital character to represent you in games! And with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess promised at launch, I better start saying goodbye to the ol' Cube. Wii, here I come! Weeeeeeeeee!!!
Paid a visit to our local Game Stop recently, video games to be traded in hand. There are just some games that you buy in the spur of the moment, and at the time they give you pleasure, but you soon come to find that their replay value is low or non-existent. So, with our handful of lost causes, we looked into trading for something new and exciting. We got quite a bit for our haul, so we had enough for a few games. I picked up a couple for the Nintendo DS, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, and Magnetica. But the real gem of the lot was Okami for the PS2. OH MY GOD! Am I in love with this game! The story is great, the artwork is awe-inspiring, and the play is exhilirating. If I were to compare it to anything, it would have to be The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker for the Game Cube.
The artwork and the animation are completely new and original. They are based on traditional Japanese water brush art, and even implement the artform into the actual game play. The game allows you to turn the screen into a canvas, and with your mystical brush, allows you to manipulate the environment for your benifit. The story is that of a mythical Shinto Sun, Amaterasu, goddess that is revived in the form of a white wolf. Legend tells of a white wolf that helped to vanquish the 8-headed serpent demon known as Orochi, who would plague the local townspeople by demanding a sacrifice each year. A local swordsman known as Nagi, decided to put a stop to the ritual once and for all, and with the help of his sword, Sake, and the white wolf, was able to defeat and imprison Orochi for almost 100yrs. On the verge of the 100th year celebration of Orochi's defeat, the great demon was unleashed yet again, and evil roams the landscapes of Nippon.
In honor of the great white wolf's courageous feat, a statue was erected. This same statue was awaken, and thus, Amaterasu was reincarnated. You take the reins as the wolf with your trusty companion, a diminutive artist that provides guidance and comic relief. At first, I was skeptical about doing battle as a dog, but after the first fight, you learn that there is much more to it than that. You gain devine weapons along the way that you carry on your back, and your brush can also prove quit lethal, as you can convert the battle scene into a canvas, and quickly take out your enemies with a single brushstroke.
The landscapes are beautiful. Every single detail looks like a work of art, literally. All the lines are brushstrokes, and the characters you encounter are done in the traditional Japanese style. This game is immersed in the Nippon culture and mythology, and it makes you truly appreciate it that much more. The music is great, the open-ended environment is great, the entire game is great. It has consumed 16 hours of my life since Saturday, and I can't wait to get back to playing it. I highly recommend this little gem, well worth the $50 price tag. (Which was paid in video games!) I give it a 10.
I'd like to take this opportunity to remember those loved ones that we have lost this past TV season. Most notably, from news released this morning from one of the show's co-stars, is Blade the TV Series. Why, SpikeTV, Why??? I undestand that the numbers were not there, I know that you were probably losing money as the season progressed, and I know that the acting and dialogue was cheesy at best. But, dammit, it was a fun hour for all of us Blade movie fans and comic book geeks. Leather, blood, bare asses! What more could a Fanboy ask for?? But, alas,it was all for naught, as the proverbial plug has been pulled on our beloved guilty pleasure. We can only hope that this does not mean death, but rather a transition into the undead. (Read: Season 2 on CMT???) Well, at least we have the DVDs to look forward to, and hopefully that will be enough to soak up all the blood. (Or, if they're sharp enough, to create new wounds!) R.I.P. Blade the TV Series...We hardly knew ye!
Slowly, other Transformers begin to reveal themselves. (And not in that sick pervy way!) We've gotten fleeting glimpses of what Jazz is supposed to look like in the movie. We know that his alternate form is that of a Pontiac Solstice this time around, instead of the classic Porsche we're all used to. We had a long distance full body shot from a shot set-up. But now, comes the exclusive conceptual design of what the newly overhauled Jazz is gonna be sporting this 2007 Summer season. You can check it out here. After Optimus, this is my 2nd favorite design so far. You can still see a little of the old Jazz in there. (Especially with the visor over the face!) Principle photography has wrapped, and the movie moves into post-production. It's only a matter of time before we see some fully animated Transformer effects, and perhaps a theatrical preview before Christmas. We can only hope!
From the Jon Favreau camp comes word that the casting has been made for the big screen adaptation of the Iron Man comic book. For a long time Tom Cruise's name had been batted about as the frontrunner for doning the crimson and gold armor. But due to recent personal and public developments, he has fallen out of the graces of many studios and fans alike. So, with Favreau on board, (he played Foggy Nelson in the big screen version of Daredevil), the pieces are slowly falling into place for the latest Marvel license to come to the silver screen. 
This morning it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. would play billionaire industrialist (alcoholic!) Anthony Stark. Granted, Robert Downey Jr. is a very good actor, he's come a long way since the Brat Pack, I just don't see him as the Iron Man type. He's in the same camp as Matthew Brodrick and Michael J. Fox, in that they never seem to age as they get older, so he still looks like he's 18. But, I had my doubts with Tobey Maguire at first, so it'll come down to the performance and the realism of the film. This, my friends, is a wait and see situation. I'll keep you posted.
I won't drag this out. I'll make it as short and as painless as I can. We went to watch the Galaxy take on the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 16th at the good ol' HDC. It was a fun evening with family, loved ones, the works. The game was evenly matched, unfortunately it was matched for the worst. Only a handful of exciting moments made the 0-0 tie a little bearable. But still, it wasn't a loss, so that was good. 
The Galaxy were at a point where they needed to win the next 4 games in order to maintain any hopes of advancing to the playoffs. Their first obsticle was the Chicago Fire, as the Galaxy flew to Illinois only to be handed a 2-1. Our lone goal coming from Captain Landon Donovan. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Now, we are forced to win all 3 of our remaining games, but even that does not make advancement certain. 
But before those 3 games, we had the U.S. Open Cup final, once again in Chicago against the Fire. From what was quickly becoming an abyssmal season finale, the Open Cup was our only glimmer of hope. If we couldn't repeat the league championship, we could at least have the Open Cup. Not so, my friends. The Fire were, well, on fire, and the Galaxy defense was no match for their attacks. The final score was 3-1, with a lone goal made by Alan Gordon. (Who had been inconsistent, as of late.) Well, on the verge of a very bad season finale, the Galaxy face their hometown rivals for the last time this season, as they welcome the Chivas on Saturday night. In this case, a victory would be doubly sweet. Good Luck, Guys! Let's Not Give Up!
Recently, I've taken it upon myself to try and relieve the tension of the work week by implementing Flashback Fridays. What that entails is me loading my iPod with nothing but flashbacks and '80s tunes. Everything from Big Hair to Power Ballads inhabits the airwave of my FM transmitter, affectionately named KOMR! There are mixed reviews on the content, not everyone agrees on Paula Abdul or The Go-Go's, but everyone seems to look forward to Fridays now, besides for the obvious reasons. They make requests, they sing along, and they laugh (a lot!). But love it or hate it, they all appreciate the effort to make their Friday's a little less dull. KOMR, 89.1fm: Playing the S*it others won't!
I promised you Eight-Legged Freaks, and I am here to deliver! Today's Collection Spotlight focuses on one particulary impressive looking action figure set from the Marvel Select line of figures. This set of figures distinguishes itself from the rest by delivering greater detail, posability, and accessories than the rest of the figures based on Marvel's Pantheon of Super Heroes. This is actually the 15th figure released, in what has now grown to a 25 figure set. Also, this is my first Marvel Select figure. There was just something about this set that called out to me more than its predecessors, or even any of those that have been released since. It is based on artwork created by Humberto Ramos during his run on The Spectacular Spider-Man. 
Although most of the Marvel Select figures usually feature a single main character with an intricate base or elaborate accessories, this one actually includes 2 fully posable, highly detailed figures, Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus. I guess what makes this such as great and appealing figure is THAT, right there. Just take a look at that image, and tell me it's not cool to see Doc Ock looming over Spidey. I think the best thing about this figure is how well Humberto Ramos' artwork translates into physical form. 
I first became familiar with Humberto when I began picking up a comic book titled Out There (Highly Recommend It! Great Artwork, Interesting Story). After that, he began working on Peter Parker: Spider-Man where he created a whole new look for the Green Goblin. Where this new version of the Goblin was more, well, goblin or elf-like, Doc Ock appears more menacing and ominous than previous incarnations. And this figure does a great job in conveying that feeling. Doc Ock has always been this pudgy, Roy Orbison-esque looking character, but with Ramos' overhaul, we see him as the fiendish criminal genius he was always intended to be. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Humberto Ramos, this figure set, and Alfred Molina's interpretation of the good Doc on the Silver Screen, have served to reinvigorate a character that has long been on the cusp of infamy, and who has now attained it.
I picked this figure up at the California Science Center when we attended their Marvel Science of Super Heroes exhibit. They had set up a gift shop filled with comic book memorabilia right at the end of the exhibit. I saw it, the last one they had, and just had to have it. For $18 it was well worth it. For a collector, and a comic book fan, such as myself, it is always great to see the artwork that you love and appreciate take on a life of its own. And with such great quality work that is put into figures such as these, it makes it that much more gratifying. I give this set a 8 out of 10, it's just awesome. Next Up: Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! Stay Tuned!
The Galaxy have really been stepping up, now that the pressure to do well is upon them. From here on out, winning is essential to clinch a spot in the playoffs. And, being second to last in the Western Conference, it's even that more important. The only team as of now who has clinched a spot is the D.C. United, after that, it's anyone's game. This past Saturday, the Galaxy welcomed the Kansas City Wizards to the good ol' HDC. After an uneventful first half, Donovan was back in action as he set up Alan Gordon not once, but twice as Gordon scores 2 goals for the Galaxy in a 10 minute stretch. The Wizards managed to get one past Hartman in between Gordon's 2, making the final result 2-1. The Galaxy earn 3 desperately needed points, which ties them with the Real Salt Lake, and places them squarely within 3 points from a playoff spot. They would need to defeat the Houston Dynamo Sunday night in order to move ahead of the Chivas USA (provided that Chivas lose) and tied with the Rapids (provided Rapids lose as well). AND...
...Speaking of the Dynamo, they faced of against the Galaxy in what was one of 2 semi-final games in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tournament. The Galaxy have just been steamrolling through the competition during their quest for a second straight Open Cup Championship. Galaxy had home field advantage, as the good ol' HDC played host to this crucial game. The first half was full of close calls and near misses. Both goalies were kept on their toes, and after the first 45 minutes, the Galaxy had met with the Dynamo net twice (goals by Alan Gordon and Donovan) to Houston's 1. It looked like it would end at 2-1 when 3 minutes into stoppage time, Gordon-Vagenas-Quaranta triple touch play resulted in the Galaxy's 3, and game clenching goal. Final score, 3-1. The Galaxy advance to the Open Cup Final, and will face off against the Chicago Fire (who defeated D.C. United 3-0) on Sept. 27th, at Toyota Park in Chicago. The Open Cup is just one win away, but how far is the MLS cup? Hopefully not too far out of reach! Come On Fellas! Let's Make It Another Double Championship Year!
It's been a very exciting couple of days for those of us who are anxiously awaiting the Transformers movie next year. After the somewhat fuzzy image of Optimus Prime with his blaster that was revealed a few days ago, here come a few that are slightly better. Just like the conceptual artwork that leaked out for Megatron, here are better views of what Big Bot is gonna be sporting next Summer Season (including our very first clear shot of what his face COULD possibly look like!) You can check front, back, and face by clicking on the links. The face looks slightly different than it did here, or maybe it's just the angle, so it could either look like this or may end up being completely different by release time. I'm just anxious to hear THE voice coming from this massive looking mech. And just this morning, there were a couple of images posted of what appears to be a film shoot setup depicting Transformers mayhem in the city streets. We get our first glimpses of other Transformers' robot forms, although it is a bit blurred, such as Jazz (Pontiac Solstice), Ratchet (Hummer), Starscream (F-22 Raptor Jet), and Bonecrusher (Mine Clearing Vehicle). You can check out the picture here. I'm not totally excited by the Starscream design, although I'm sure it makes sense in the real world, but that Bonecrusher looks like one massively badass motherf@%ker! And Jazz looks pretty cool too! Can't wait to see these things in action, and also the tie-in toys!
And the hits just keep on coming! This past weekend, the streets of Downtown Los Angeles were laid to waste by, what was clearly, a Decepticon attack. Transformers filming was brought to the heart of L.A., and shortly thereafter, this video surfaced. It shows Autobots Ratchet (Hummer) and Jazz (Now confirmed to be a Pontiac Solstice), driving through the rubble and waste that once were the streets of Los Angeles. And today, we receive a few more images regarding design. The first is an image of Optimus Prime snapped at a recent trade show, and it gives us our first glimpse at the silver screen version of his infamous blaster. You can find that picture here. And, on top of that, we get our very first close-up view of what a Transformers face looks like. And who's the lucky model? Well, none other than Bumblebee! You can see what he looks like here. Hey, people! How about some Decepticons now? I'd like to see what Starscream looks like. July 4th, 2007 is still a ways off, but at this pace, we'll have seen the full cast of bots by next month.
It's been a very exciting and emotional week for Los Angeles Galaxy fans, but it can all be summed up in 2 words: Landon Donovan. What a week this man has had, and our favorite team only benefits from his efforts. Last Wednesday, the Galxians took on the Colorado Rapids in yet another match in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tournament as they sought to advance into the finals and defend their championship. The game was quite evenly matched, with both teams scoring in the 1st half (Quavas Kirk for the Galaxy). The remainder of the match was strictly denfensive, as both teams failed to secure a victory in the regulatory 90 minutes. Being a tournament match, overtime periods soon followed. And with that, Donovan emerged the hero as he scores, not once, but twice, in the additional 30 minutes of overtime. That secured the Galaxy's victory and eliminated the Rapids from the rest of the tourney. The Galaxy's march to the finals continues as they host the Houston Dynamos on September 6th. They are just 2 games (wins) away from reclaiming the cup. 
In regular season action, the Galaxy traveled to RFK Stadium as they visited the D.C. United on their home turf. After a very familiar 1st half, tied 1-1 (Goals by Alan Gordon and an autogoal by Chris Albright that benefited D.C.), the 2nd half belonged to Donovan. If he wasn't scoring, he was instigating the plays that lead to the score. The play for the Galaxy's second goal was launched by a free kick by Donovan. Ultimately it met up with team Captain Pete Vagenas, who passed to Chris Albright, who made up for his earlier mistake by giving L.A. a 2-1 lead. The third goal was a penalty kicked awarded to the Galaxy, and marvelously excecuted by Donovan. After a second score by the D.C. United, the Galaxy receive an autogoal of their very own at the hands of D.C. defenseman Bryan Namoff (Off of a kick from Donovan) bringing things up to 4-2. But, not satisfied for the night, Donovan manages to find the net once more 2 minutes into stoppage, for the impressive final score of 5-2. Donovan was playing the crowd that evening, as their loathing for his showmanship was clearly unappreciated.
On a sadder note, the Galaxy traveled to Salt Lake City to take on Real Salt Lake, on what should have been a no contest match. Unfortunately due to a VERY rookie mistake by Galaxy starting goalie, Kevin Hartman, the Real Salt Lake were able to steal victory away from the Galaxy. (BOO-URNS!!) But let's not dwell on the past, let's insted look to the future as the Galaxy return home this Saturday to the good ol' HDC as they welcome the Kansas City Wizards. Let's not let this loss bring us down, we're on a good pace. Keep it up guys, we're all rooting for ya!
Like I've stated earlier, this month has been THE month for leaked Transformers Movie pictures and news. First we had those leaked shots of Bumblebee in his all new 2007 Camaro form. (Pretty cool!). Then we had those leaked conceptual designs and photos of a flamed out semi that we later learned was Optimus Prime (Growing on me, but loose the flames and we've got a deal!). We saw those images of the prototype toys that will be released in conjunction with the movie. (Again, very nice, especially that Blackout helicopter!). But just a few days ago, there were some images popping up on the Internets that stated to be the first leaked pictures of the movie version of Megatron. At first glance, I thought to myself "WTF?". Don't get me wrong, it is a pretty cool design, but none of it screams Megatron or Transformers. At least with the Optimus or Bumblebee designs, you can see a progression from the cartoon to the movie, but not here. The production team states that there is a reason for the way he looks that will make sense when the movie is released, but for now, I'll stick to my "WTF?" To check out the pictures, click here.
The Transformer movie news just keeps coming fast and furious. Hot off the heels of last weeks leaked photos of Optimus Prime and some other Transformers, comes word from Dreamworks that the photos are legit, and that those are more or less the designs we will be seeing in theatres next year. Well, today come some more leaked images, included better looks at Optimus Prime, some preliminary toy designs, and a first look at one scary looking Decepticon. You can check them all here. I gotta say, that seeing Optimus in action is going to be so badass! This design is starting to grow on me, even the flames. But, again, the final product will be the true test.
The Galaxy were in action this past Sunday, finally back at home at the good ol' HDC after a a short roadtrip. And what's more, they found themselves welcoming 1st place FC Dallas. Needless to say, it was looking a little daunting going in. Hot off the heels of last weeks 1-0 loss against Colorado, I was being cautiously optimistic about this match. Due to financial restraints, we weren't able to attend the match in person, and boy did we miss one hell of a game. The majority of the action took place within the first half, with the Galaxy firing on all cylinders. They had a couple of threatening plays come their way at the hands (or feet as the case may be), of former Galaxian Carlos Ruiz, but Hartman was in fine form within the poles. But the true highlights of this confrontation were definitely the goals. The first came from Landon Donovan who, off a long pass from Troy Roberts, managed to narrowly beat out Greg Vanney, and just lightly lop the ball over the head of the WAY out of net Dallas goalkeeper. Next, Washington import Santino Quaranta sought to prove that he is more than just a one-goal pony, as he nailed a 35-yarder straight into the heart of both the Dallas fans and the net. After the first half, the Galaxy were up 2-0, and that would be all the rest of the match would ever see. The Galaxy win on their first match home, and all the attending fans got were 2 goals and a Landon Donovan action (or should I say IN-action figure, according to my friend who was in attendance) figure. Next up, the Galaxy welcome the Colorado Rapids tomorrow to the good ol' HDC as they continue their pursuit of a second Open Cup championship. Can we repeat? We're sure as hell going to try!! Good Luck Guys!
Okay, time to confess! Guilty pleasure of the summer? Blade: The Series on SpikeTV. There has been constant discussion amongst my buddies and I regarding this show. Either it started off bad, and has steadily become better, or it is SO bad that is comes all the way around to being good. At times, it seems that both are right. Don't get me wrong, the blood, gore, cursing, and gratuitous butt shot from random girls here and there make for some very entertaining television. Balance that with bad acting, cheesy delivery, confusing plotlines, and cliche characters and you got yourself one hella-fun hour! Though it never reaches the depths of the movie series, particularly the 1st and 2nd, and despite the fact that Mr. "Sticky" Jones is definitely no Wesley Snipes, I still find myself week after week engulfed into the vampiric mayhem. It's a man's show made for men by men, who just happen to be comic book geeks at heart! (Sound familiar?) I recommend it, if not highly, then at least wholeheartedly!
There are two things that I am looking forward to next year. Spider-Man 3, and Transformers the movies. Seeing how Spider-Man 3 has released pretty much all the publicity material that it will, at least for the time being, it's time to turn the focus to the Transformers movie. And what better way to do that than with the first released images of what are said to be Optimus Prime's silver screen version. For those of you who aren't into being spoiled, don't worry I won't say much other than it is different than what we are used to when we think of Optimus Prime. And for those of you who can't wait, well just click here. And this is a shot of what he transforms into. Again, a little bit of a departure from what we grew up with, but it has to make sense in terms of the real world and physics. When all is said and done, it is about how it looks up on screen that matters. And with Peter Cullen doing the voice (Original voice actor for Optimus Prime in the 80's television series), it'll probably come down to the essence of what Prime is, than what he looks like. Can't wait to see more!
We're heading over to Universal Studios tomorrow for Halloween Horror Nights. It's been the first time we've gone over to Universal for their Halloween event since 2000. After Sept. 11th, we'd that there wasn't going to be one in 2001, and since then we haven't heard of there being one. But this year we hear rumors, which turned out to be fact. We would forgo our usual trip to Knott's Scary Farm, and relive the fun we used to have at Universal. We've even heard that you can walk on the Universal Backlot as part of the experience. We're all set, we got our tickets, and we can't wait. I'll be back with an update soon...if we can make it out alive, that is! MMUUUAAAAHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!! *COUGH*
UPDATE- So, our night at Universal came and went, and it can be described in one word: LAME! Don't get me wrong, we had a blast at the event, but it was despite of it, not because of it. It's always a great time when my friends and I get together, no matter where we go, we always manage to have a great time. We had all gone together to Universal the last time they held the event (back in 2000), and we all agreed that it had lost a little something. Perhaps a lot something! It had us wishing we had gone to Knott's yet again. What happened Universal?? You used to be so good at scaring us! Where there used to be 5 or 6 wickedly cool mazes going through the sound stages, now only 2 were found, and on the upper levels, not in the sound stages. And the "Terror Tram" which is the tram tour through the backlot, that actually let you get off and walk past the Psycho house, the War of the Worlds set, and the Bates Motel, was nothing more than a lot of hype. There was so much potential for good scares, but they were totally wasted. Instead of a Fear Factor Live: Dead Celebrities Edition (MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID!!!), how about another dark gorey maze?? Universal is not as large as Knott's, in sheer walking area, so there weren't as many scarezones as there could be. But instead of QUANTITY, how about QUALITY?? I was so hoping that this would scare our pants off (Although you don't need to scare me to get my pants off.. WINK WINK!), and ultimately we felt shortchanged. We'll have to see what we decide to do next year. Give Universal one more chance, return to Knott's, or try someplace entirely new, like The Queen Mary! Only time will tell. For now, I can only say that I am damned glad that we only paid $25 per ticket instead of the full $49 price.
