Blog where we review MOVIES, VIDEO GAMES, and AWESOME things like that. In our realm, it's all a PIECE OF CAKE.
"For me, the cinema is not a slice of life, but a piece of cake." -Alfred Hitchcock.
My name is Emmaus Nakagawa. Nice to meet you.
Hey there folks, it's been a long while since I posted stuffs. And I want you to know it's all been for a good reason. I've been thinking of how I can better the blog, and I realized that most of you don't want to read an entire summary of a movie, that's what the movie's for.
So I've decided to go back to the beginning of when I started to blog. That's right, WAYYY back in the day we're going. I'm going to restart, writing like an actual film critic. But don't worry, I'll try to not be pesky about it.
The idea is that for every post I re-write, I will delete the old one. And I also realize I've given a false sense that I will be able to review every single new movie that comes out... which you all know by now to not be true.
So starting from the beginning of the blog gives me a lot of content. And if I do review a more recent film, you'll know. I'll still review video games and trailers and whatnot, but now I'm going to get into a weekly rhythm of blogging. I want to blog 4 to 6 times a month, so you'll never be bored! And once I start feeling the groove, we'll make that number bigger.
That's about it, but stay tuned to my YouTube Channel too because I'm gonna be doing 2 videos a month as well. I'll be a busy bee pumping stuff out for y'all, so watch out!
Yoo, there's so many good video games coming out this year. I really wanna pre-order this one, "Middle-Earth: Shadow of War", and "Call of Duty: World War II". Just shut up and take my money.
S T A R W A R S
B A T T L E F R O N T I I
I really enjoyed the first game, I'm not sure about you guys. The only thing I didn't really like was the overheating system with all of the weapons, and how I couldn't go prone. Maybe that's just the Battlefieldplayer in me. But seeing this new trailer just had me like "whoa." I didn't even freak or anything, I just sat on my bed in absolute awe because... it was like a remastered version of the Playstation 2 or Xbox 360 Battlefront II, and man. The only thing I could think was, "I need this." You best believe I'm about to be pre-ordering this game as soon as I pre-order Middle-Earth: Shadow of War. Alright, first thing's first. The engine footage was phenomenal. And gee, it really hit me that you can literally play across all eras with the most iconic characters of the entire freaking Star Wars universe! And I also like that they're taking the perspective of the Empire's soldiers after the Death Star is destroyed. It doesn't exactly follow the original Battlefront II story, which was also cool, but it's still the view from those who are loyal to the bad guys and just want to follow their orders. I think you're really going to be able to feel the impact of the Death Star's destruction and the devastation that everyone under the Empire felt. It'll be a really interesting take, and I'm sure gonna be routing for the bad guys this time around. I mean, who won't be? Then... THE MILLENNIUM FALCON!!! Then space! Then Luke! Don't tell me you're not hyped because if you say so you are lying. Just stop lying to yourself, because this is going to be one sick game. But please developers, let us have actual rounds and let us go prone! I'm so excited to play across all the eras. I really want to play in The Force Awakens era as like Rey or Finn or something. It's gonna be sick. Bibliography: "Star Wars: Battlefront II Trailer" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDzmjP6-1Zo> "Star Wars: Battlefront II Millennium Falcon" <http://assets1.ignimgs.com/2017/04/15/swbfii-reveal-screenshot-2-1492279586547_1280w.png> "Star Wars: Battlefront II Wallpaper" <https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/23/SWBF2_box.jpeg/250px-SWBF2_box.jpeg>
Alright, I've gotta finish up this Double Feature before I see "Eddie the Eagle" and "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice." So without further a-do... BIG!
B I G
Josh Baskin is your typical 12 year old kid. He loves playing video games and he checks out the hot girls at his school. There is a carnival that comes into town and Josh and his family go check it out. The popular girl is there and he wants to impress her by going on the biggest ride at the carnival. Unfortunately, he's too short (we all know how that feels). So, bummed out, he separates from his family and takes a little stroll around.
He finds an old Zoltar Speaks machine and puts in a quarter. Zoltar asks him to make his
wish, and Josh says, "I wish I was big."
The next morning, he finds himself as a thirty year old man, much too big for his 12 year old underwear and pajamas. He scrambles around and gets some of his father's clothing for the time being, and his mother drives him out of the house thinking that her Josh has been kidnapped.
Josh goes to school and convinces Billy that he is indeed Josh, and they go into the city where Josh stays at a hotel. He then starts looking for a job, and gets one at a toy company. His first paycheck, he goes nuts with Billy and they have a blast.
Josh continues working hard and one day runs into the company owner's daughter, Susan. They immediately have chemistry, but no words are exchanged. One day as Josh is at the store, he runs into the company owner, and he starts talking with him about the toys that they sell and manufacture, giving very good feedback. As they're talking, they stumble upon a floor keyboard and well... I'll let you watch it. It's quite a scene, and it always makes me smile.
This is possibly one of the greatest scenes in a film I have ever seen. It really shows that you can still be a kid at heart even though you're in an adult body. I'm gonna keep this in mind when I'm big myself!
Anyway, Josh gets promoted and he is testing all the toys at the company, and he is getting a significant pay raise. So he buys a huge condo to live in and sends his parents letters saying that he is okay and that they shouldn't worry too much.
Josh has a lot of really fun adventures in his adult body, and even dates Susan for awhile! I want you to see the film because it's truly a great film. I say that about virtually any movie, but you're going to love this so much that you'll wanna watch it all weekend. I mean, unless you've got Daredevil to watch, then watch that. THEN watch this. You won't regret it.
Ratings:
Family Friendliness- 8 out of 10 pianos:I have to warn you parents though. At one point in the film (and you'll know it) Josh and Susan are alone and Susan takes off her shirt and bra. It's suggested that they have a romantic moment, but really Josh just caresses Susan's breasts, then it's over. Make sure you cover your youngins' eyes when this comes round. Other than that, a lotta fun humor, although not always appropriate.
Story-line- 9/10 Zoltar Machines: Great story. It's a classic. Watch it.
Rewatch Probability- Very High (9/10): You will absolutely love this movie, hands-down, no joke no thought no-how.
Well, it has been quite a bit since I posted anything, and I appreciate all of the patience you guys have. But you're not hear to read my apologies, so here we go with Piece of Cake's FIRST video game review of 2016!
T O M B R A I D E R
D E F I N I T I V E E D I T I O N
Video game reviews are blue, so don't worry about the sudden color change.
Lara Croft is a 21 year old archaeologist who is looking for the lost island of Yamatai, an ancient kingdom off the coast of Japan in an ocean liner, the Endurance. The crew includes:
Captain of the ship: Conrad Roth
His first mate:Angus Grimaldi, aka called Grim
Head Archaeologist: Dr. James Whitman
Lara's Best Friend: Samantha Nishimura
Joslin Reyes
Jonah Maiava
Everything's going dandy until the crew gets into a dispute about which way to go to get to Yamatai. Whitman wants to go in the typical way that past archaeologists have gone, but Lara begs
to differ. She has studied ancient texts and is suggesting a different route, the way into the Dragon's Triangle, more dangerous than the Bermuda Triangle.
She wants to go that way because no ship has ever returned, and there's legends of Himiko being able to control the storms of Yamatai. Roth agrees. He was a good friend of Lara's father, and loves Lara like a daughter. Plus, Lara has a point, even though it is a far stretch.
They head into the storm and are shipwrecked. Here, Lara is separated from the rest of the crew. And this is where the adventure begins. I'll get straight to it, you have to destroy the body that is holding the soul of Himiko in order to stop the storms so you can escape the island.
Play through a hostile environment filled with wolves, the Solarii (Himiko's bodygaurds), and the other survivors on the island trying to revive Himiko. Upgrade your weapons! Your bow and arrows, pistol, World War 2 Assault Rifle with a Grenade Launcher attached, and Pump Action Shotgun are all ideal tools for your survival, and you'll need every last one of them. Make sure you wisely upgrade your Brawler Skills, Hunting Skills, and your Survival Skills, as they will come in handy when coming into contact with the other survivors of the island. I'd
say that you HEAVILY upgrade your Brawler and Survival Skills. The Hunting Skills will come in handy when you need a better stability when aiming your bow and other weapons. But definitely make sure that you are strong Melee wise, as you'll get into a lot of Melee brawls, and if you're underprepared, you're going to have a lot of frustrating episodes where you can't get past those one or two levels that shouldn't be that difficult. This is truly a great game, and I'd recommend it for anyone who's looking for a good adventure that nicely balances puzzles, battles, and discovery to make a vast open world that is worth exploring after the primary story is done. Ratings: Story-line: 9/10 Arrows- The story is engaging and interesting. I definitely had a blast walking through it with Lara. And the fact that Himiko and Yamatai are real places is really satisfying, because it feels like you're actually solving an archaeological mystery! The only thing is that you try to get rescued twice, and both attempts fail. It's really aggravating especially when you had to climb up so many hillsides and rocks to get to that one blasted tower just to have it destroyed, and then you get ambushed by a bunch of bozos with arrows and rifles! But other than that, it's an awesome story. It has a real satisfying ending, too, which is always a plus. Graphics: 8.5/10 Shotgun Casings- I know there's a lotta folks out there that are in for the graphics. Personally, I just want a quality game. But for you graphics fanatics, this game has stunning visuals. The people look almost real, and the different environments can be haunting if you stay in them too long without a torch. When you come out looking out across the island at the different mountains and valleys, it truly is breathtaking. Soak it all in, because in a few moments, you'll be getting shot at again. Overall: 9/10- Do the average of the previous two ratings and round up because 5 and up, bump it up! I keep saying this, but I really enjoyed this game. Everything about it was so satisfying and welcoming. I can't wait to play RISE OF THE TOMB RAIDER. Apparently, it was better than this one. So definitely looking forward to another adventure with our beloved and beautiful Lara Croft.
Get ready for the biggest finale of one of the most successful movie series of all time. This film is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. Even if you have read the book, you will be wondering what is going to happen next. But there is satisfaction in having read the book! Whatever is to happen, you know exactly how it should happen, and it happens almost the exact same way you envisioned it. So get ready for a pleaser, readers!
T H E H U N G E R G A M E S:
M O C K I N G J A Y P A R T 2
The film begins almost immediately. Katniss is with a doctor in District 13 and is getting her neck brace from the first movie removed. It is obvious that quite some time has passed
since the incident with Peeta.
"Alright. Now I want you to say, 'My name is Katniss Everdeen,'" commands the doctor.
Plutarch is there, witnessing Katniss speak for the first time in a while. He tells Katniss that they are going to try something different today with Peeta. They are going to send in somebody he trusts from District 12, but probably someone he won't hurt. But they're getting closer to letting Peeta see Katniss.
Guess who goes in? If you guessed Prim, kudos to you. Prim goes in and begins talking to Peeta, but that doesn't end so well. Peeta snaps again and starts yelling at Prim about how Katniss is dangerous. "SHE'LL KILL US ALL! YOU HAVE TO KILL HER PRIM! SHE'S DANGEROUS!"
Don't worry, Prim gets out okay, but she's a little shaken.
Katniss then goes to see Coin, and says that Snow has to pay for what he did to Peeta
and to the districts. She wants to go to District 2, where Coin is thinking of shooting "propos" showing that the Mockingjay is alive and well. Coin agrees and Katniss is on her way. However, Katniss is not to be going into direct battle. The brilliant minds of District 13 including Beetee and Gale suggest that they smoke out the people in the factory at 2 that is being held by the Capitol. But, they leave an opening that can be used to escape by train. Here, the District 13 officers and Katniss will try to convince them to turn over to the Rebellion. Katniss goes to the train tracks and awaits the train. When it arrives, most of the men who come off surrender immediately, and one of the men is beat down. Katniss feels bad for the guy and rushes to him. But of course it's a gimmick, and he holds a pistol to Katniss's throat, asking, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot." "I can't." Katniss goes on to explain that she is tired of being a pawn in Snow's game, and that if the man kills her, she is doing both Snow and her a favor. The man stops to think and lowers the gun. Katniss then turns to the rest of the Loyalists and begins to beg them to turn the Rebellion. But one Loyalist gets kinda ticked and pulls a gun, shooting Katniss in the chest. I'm not gonna go on, but obviously Katniss lives. (Sorry for the spoiler alert guys! :P)
T H E H U N G E R G A M E S:
M O C K I N G J A Y
P A R T 2
Ratings:
Family Friendliness- 7.8/10 Arrows: The film is not the most family friendly, but for what blood there is, there's not much. Just don't go taking your 6 year old to see this; that's probably not the best idea, y'know what I mean? Like, there's not any language, and if there is, it's very minimal. The violence is definitely up there, so just make wise decisions.
Story-line- 9.5/10 Mockingjays: Oh my goodness, if you read the book, you will be geeking out in your seat. What you imagined the scenes would look like when reading the book, they most likely appear that way in the movie. It's beyond amazing. For example, the way Finnick dies... oh gosh, it's so sad, yet it happens so quickly, just like in the book. Katniss says "Nightlock. Nightlock. Nightlock," and Finnick is gone with a big bang, quickly forgotten a couple moments later. It really isn't until the end of the movie when you actually have time to think about everything that has happened that you realize how tragic the deaths were.
Re-watch Probability- Very High (aka 12/13 Districts): You'll be wanting to watch this again as soon as you're out of the theater. So you might as well plan on buying it for unlimited playbacks. Trust me... it's that good.
Are you looking for a Redbox film? A movie that isn't too action packed, not too story driven, and with Adam Sandler? Well, you came to the right place, because Pixels is the movie for you! And seriously, don't see this movie until the Redbox. It's not worth the $5 at the cheap theatre. Unless you really want to, then go for it.
P I X E L S
Pixels is the story of Brenner, a video game prodigy in the world of the Arcade Video Games. He realized at the age of 11 or 12 that all of the games in the arcade have a pattern, and he
was able to see it and go off of it.
He puts his skills to the test at the Video Game World Championship convention of 1982, and loses at the game of Donkey Kong to a kid who calls himself "The Fireblaster." Brenner goes to the convention with his friends Ludlow and Cooper, and they cheer him on.
Brenner, 30 years later, is a tech installer. Cooper is the President of the United States of America, and Ludlow is a nerd living with his mom. Cooper isn't taken very seriously as the President, and Brenner is trying to figure out what to do with his life.
He gets his chance when a U.S. Military Base is attacked and pixelated. The game that destroys the base is Galaga. Cooper brings Brenner in to see if he can identify the game, and Brenner can't believe his eyes.
He is headed home when Ludlow surprises him in the back of his car, and Ludlow takes
him to Ludlow's mom's house. Ludlow proposes that the space capsule that was sent out in 1982 containing footage of video games reached aliens, and that the aliens are using the video games to try and take over the world.
I dunno if I should keep going, but just know that this movie is pretty funny. I mean, c'mon, it's Adam Sandler! So if you want a good laugh, this is a good Redbox for all of you. Just don't see it in theatres, save that money for a film like Pan.
Ratings:
Family Friendliness: 8 out of 10 Pixels- Suprisingly, this movie is pretty appropriate. Given that it's rated PG-13, there isn't a lot of cursing, but there is a lot of movie and game references that you will definitely laugh at... that is, if you get them.
Rewatch Probability: Mild- (5 out of 10 Arcades) This isn't the best film you'll see, but it isn't the worst. It's just not one of those movies that you're gonna want to watch a whole ton. It may be a good Friday night film like every year, but a good Friday movie is something like Star Trek: Into Darkness.
Story-line: 7 out of 10 Centipedes- The story is one that is easy to follow, but also one that is pretty ridiculous. The fact that the aliens took the footage of video games as an act of war is pretty lame. Oh well.
Overall: 7 out of 10 Stars- (8+5+7=20, 20/30= .6777, so I rounded up) Again, not the best of films, but one that is for a night where you just wanna laugh.
