My 3 Favorite Christmas Movies

My 3 Favorite Christmas Movies

    

   1). Elf (2003)   

        Dir: Jon Favreau

       This family comedy stars Will Ferrell as Buddy, a gigantic elf, who travels to New 

    York in search of his real father (James Caan). 

   2). National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

        

        This holiday comedy features the lovable Griswold family planning their perfect

    Christmas as unexpected disaster strikes. From the over the top 250 strings of fancy

    lights on his house to his absolute obsession with finding the perfect tree, Clark 

    tries to keep himself sane during the holidays in this raucous comedy.

  3). Die Hard (1988)

       Dir: John McTiernan

       This action packed movie that made Bruce Willis a household name. He stars 
    as former cop John McClane, who gets called into duty after a terrorist group
    holds hostage a bunch of office workers including his wife.

Celebrities We've Lost (2017)

Celebrity We've Lost (2017)

  

  1). Bill Paxton (actor)- Aliens, Titanic, Twister, Weird Science

  2). Erin Moran (actress)- Happy Days

  3). Hugh Hefner- Playboy magazine publisher

  4). Gregg Allman- musician of The Allman Brothers

  5). Roger Moore (actor)- James Bond movies

  6). Chris Cornell (musician/singer)- Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog

  7). Chester Bennington (rock singer)- Linkin Park

  8). Sam Sheppard (author/actor/playwright)- Black Hawk Down

  9). Mary Tyler Moore (actress)- The Mary Tyler Moore Show

  10). Adam West (actor)- 1960's TV Batman 

  11). Don Rickles (actor/comedian)- Toy Story, Casino

  12). Chuck Berry- legendary rock guitarist/pioneer

  13). Glenn Campbell- legendary Country & Western singer

  14). George A. Romero (movie director)- Night of the Living Dead

  

  15). Miguel Ferrer (actor)- Robocop, Mulan

  16). Charlie Murphy (actor)- The Chappelle Show, The Boondocks

  17). Jerry Lewis (actor/comedian)- The Nutty Professor

  18). Tom Petty (musician/singer)- Free Fallin' , Mary Jane's Last Dance

  19). Malcolm Young- AC/DC guitarist 

  20). Della Reese (actress)- Touched By An Angel

  21). David Cassidy (actor/ 70's teen idol)- The Partridge Family 

  22). Jim Nabors (actor)- Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C 

  23). Fats Domino- pianist, rock n roll pioneer

  24). Roy Halladay- perennial All Star and Cy Young Award winning pitcher

  25). Ralphie May- comedian 

10 Anticipated Movies in 2018

         10 Anticipated Movies in 2018

      

       Since my last list of upcoming movies was so popular, I thought I'd share the ones

  I'm looking forward to seeing next year.

  1). Black Panther (February)

  2). A Wrinkle in Time (February)

  3). Tomb Raider (March)

  4). Ready: Player One (March)

  5). Avengers: Infinity War (May)

  6). Deadpool 2 (June)

  7). Mission Impossible 6 (July)

  8). Venom (October)

  9). Wreck it Ralph 2 (November)

  10). Mortal Engines (December)

2017 Best & Worst Movies

       The  5 Best & Worst Movies of the Year*

*(of what I've seen so far)

The Best

1. Wonder Woman

2. Kong: Skull Island

3. Baby Driver

4. It 

5. Justice League

(Could've been better but enjoyed it anyways)

The Worst

1. Transformers: The Last Knight

2. Valerian : City of a Thousand Planets

(I really wanted to like this one but couldn't)

3.War of the Planet of the Apes

4. The Mummy

(Even Tom Cruise's hammy acting can't save this stinker!)

5. The Emoji Movie

(Didn't see it and never want to)

6. The Kingsman: The Golden Gircle
(came across as really preachy about drugs)

Justice League

Justice League 

Dir: Zack Snyder (Revisions by Joss Whedon)

Cast: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill, Ezra Miller, Ray Fisher,

Jason Momoa, Jeremy Irons, Amy Adams, Ciaran Hinds

       Immediately following the death of Superman, the world seems to be a place without

  hope. When an alien being arrives on Earth, Bruce Wayne/ Batman (Affleck) along with

  his friend Diana/Wonder Woman (Gadot) help track down other super powered individuals

  to stop this other worldly foe. 

       It's not until they get their butts kicked that they need a certain Kryptonian to help 

  even the odds and defeat the ginormous alien known as Steppenwolfe. He is in search

  of three special boxes that were hidden, if found, could put an end to the world. 

      The fifth movie in the DC movie franchise was directed by Zack Snyder who also

   oversaw last years dreadful Batman V. Superman. When Snyder's daughter passed

   away, he left the movie soon after completing it. The Avengers director Joss Whedon

   stepped in and finished the movie for him.

      The general consensus for this film seems to be pretty negative hovering at around

  40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Like the old saying goes film is a visual medium. It's not an

  exact science. Film is also subjective to every person that views it. 

     My opinion is this: It was alot better than I had feared 

   based on initial movie reviews.

     The Good: The casting was quite good and played off of each other well. Ezra

   Miller's take on the speedster The Flash was quite hilarious, quipping every time he

   was on screen, just happy to be on the team. Fisher, who plays the robot Cyborg, 

   felt less developed as the others. Momoa's take on the oceanic superhero, Aquaman,

   is an imposing presence. There was so much action taking place that the film didn't

   seem to drag to the point of boredom.

   The Bad: I felt that this movie could've benefited from a longer run time given the 

   amount of characters that were on screen. While Gadot shined as Wonder Woman

   earlier this year, she isn't given much to do here. Tonally, it's a bit of a mess. Snyder

   & Whedon's directorial styles clash as you can tell what was reshot (hint: funny

   quips).  The bloated, overuse of slow motion shots became redundant. The main

   villain, Steppenwolfe, is quite forgettable and was made just to set up the big 

   baddie in the next team up film, Darkseid.  

   Overall: With WB mandating that the film be cut from almost 3 hours to just under 2

   hours for more showtimes, DC/ Justice League fans deserve a better film to be 

   released when it hits the video market. Despite the cuts, I was quite pleased with 

   how it turned out. It was a whole lot more fun than the dreary Batman Vs Superman.

         Grade: B (7.5/10)

Thanksgiving Post w/ Playlist

    I'd just like to wish everyone out there a happy and safe Thanksgiving. Here are some
  of the things I'm thankful for:

   My family, my friends, a roof over my head & receiving nice gifts during the holidays

   To celebrate this, I present to you my Thanksgiving music playlist:

  1). The Cranberries- Ode to My Family
   (not exactly about the holiday just merely reminiscing about one's childhood.)

  2). Green Day- Macy's Day Parade
   (a somber song from the pop/punk band)

  3). Ray Charles- Sweet Potato Pie
   (the famous singer sings about a side dish)

  4). Adam Sandler- The Thanksgiving Song
  (a favorite of mine and the funniest of the list)

Cinematic Universe Craze

Cinematic Universe Craze

Cinematic Universes are the rage right now but some studios aren't learning the right

   lessons in establishing one.

         When Marvel Studios released The Avengers five years ago, many studios have 
  been looking to Marvel as a model in which to create one. Everywhere you look now,
  there seems to be one popping up into existence.

         The idea of a cinematic universe first started over 20 years ago with Kevin Smith's

  View Askew movies that included Clerks, Mallrats, and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.
  Movies that were made by Kevin Smith himself and featured characters he created. 

          Fast forward to today where that model has been commercialized to the point of

  making a quick buck. Many studios haven't gotten the idea that in order for a universe

  to work, it has to slowly build, focusing on an individual character first then much later

  for a team up.

       Here are a few studios who tried to make their own Cinematic Universe :

        Sony Pictures (Failed miserably when they released their an all female Ghosbusters

  movie amid critical and fan backlash.)

       Universal (Also failed horribly when they tried to start their Dark Universe featuring

  their dormant horror movie monsters and had the writer of Transformers directing it.)

      Legendary Pictures (Doing fairly well with their own featuring kaiju monsters such as

  Godzilla and King Kong). 

      Warner Bros. (Doing decently after the financial success of Wonder Woman and

  their DC Universe). 

    Coming soon are the Nintendo Universe, Valiant Comics Universe and X-Men 

  Universe. 

     

      As you can see with shared universes, it can be hit or miss. Many studios are looking

 to replicate the lightning in the bottle that Marvel had and just failing at it. Maybe it's 

 time they stop putting all their eggs in their basket and focus on making good films first

 that people want to see. If there is no genuine desire to build a working shared universe

 with their properties then why bother?  Like all crazes, people will tire of these shared
 universes and studios will look for the next movie genre trend that will make them money.

Thor: Ragnarok

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Tessa Thompson,

Mark Ruffalo, Jeff Goldblum, Karl Urban

         The third movie in a series tend to be the worst but this one bucks the trend and

   is easily one of the funniest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Chris Hemsworth

   returns as our favorite demigod who swears to protect his home world of Asgard

   from the evil goddess Hela (Cate Blanchett). 

           Critically acclaimed director Taika Waititi (What we do in the Shadows) takes a

   stab at a blockbuster that draws inspiration from Norse mythology and combines

   the Thor character with the Planet Hulk comic. 

 Spoilers ahead, use caution

          After escaping the pits of Hell, Thor returns to find his father Odin missing 
    from Asgard. He contacts Dr. Strange (Benedicts Cumberbatch cameo) and tells
    him that he's alive in Norway. There Odin gives him some fatherly advice only to
    pass away. When all of a sudden, a black cloud opens up in the sky only to have 
    the evil Hela show up. Together, Thor and adopted brother Loki (Hiddleston)
    fight her only to get separated in the Bifrost.

     

        Thor lands on a trash infested planet called Sakaar where he meets a young

   female warrior, Valkyrie (Thompson) and unknowingly has to fight the big green 

   monster The Hulk (Ruffalo). Meanwhile Hela rules over Asgard with an iron 

   fist. The only way to stop Hela is to fulfill the prophecy and create Ragnarok.

   In Thor's vision, Odin tells him the Asgard isn't just a place but people as long

   as they are protected. 

   The Good: The action scenes along with humor was spot on. Jeff Goldblum's

   Grandmaster was hilarious every time he was on screen. The inclusion of Led 

   Zeppelin Immigrant Song during the fight was the icing on the cake. This film

   was a lot lighter in tone than the depressing Thor: Dark World. This movie 

   featured  alot of colorful backgrounds which is bereft in most blockbusters today.

  The Bad: I thought Hela was too overpowered, killing off characters senselessly

  just for the sake of the plot. The last half of the movie felt rushed and didn't 

  connect well with me. The overuse of horrendous CGI that look like low budgeted

  action TV show. 

  Overall: I went into this movie expecting your typical superhero movie but I was

  blown away about how good it is. On a whole, this is an entire different outing 

  for the MCU. We see a side of the cosmic universe we've never seen before. It's

  what GOTG Vol. 2 should've been,a lighthearted movie that perfectly balances 

  the humor with action.

Grade: B+ (8/10)

Happy Veterans Day

      Today we celebrate Veterans Day to honor those who have fought for our freedom 

  and way of life. Take time to remember and honor those people.

IT (2017)

IT (2017)

Dir: Andy Muschietti

Cast: Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Bill Skarsgard, etc.

     Clowns have never really scared me but for some they can be total nightmare fuel.

   The movie IT reinforces that idea. Based on the best selling novel by Stephen King, 

    IT is a re-imagining of the 1990 TV miniseries that starred John Ritter.

       

       It's summer 1989 in the fictional town of Derry, a little boy named Georgie goes

    missing. A group of bullied kids band together to track down something more 

    sinister. They find a shape shifting, demonic clown named Pennywise, who feeds

    on the fears and flesh of young kids every 30 years. 

       The Good: The acting was fantastic and as was Bill Skarsgard's take on the 

   character originated by Tim Curry and made it his own. His performance was

   downright scary. There was some CGI but that was to be expected featuring

   a clown that takes the form of the kids fears. I could really relate to some of

   the problems kids faced as well as 80's references. I liked the fact that every

   time a red balloon showed up, Pennywise was nearby. It made all the more

   creepy.

      The Bad: As with every movie, there were a few plotholes that could be 

  explained but could easily be resolved with the upcoming sequel. The swearing 

  was a little too excessive for their ages but since this movie followed the book
  pretty closely, I'll let it pass.

     Overall: IT  lived up to my expectations. It was funny, creepy and nostalgic

  to the core. Muschietti tried to not make it a carbon copy of the original. There

  had to be lines added in just for the sake of nostalgia. It's hard to remake a 

  movie that's as good as the original and it left me wanting more. It's one of the
  best horror movies this year. Believe me, you'll float too.

Grade: B (8/10)

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

The Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Dir: Matthew Vaughn

Cast: Taron Edgerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Julianne Moore, Halle Berry

 Channing Tatum, Elton John, Jeff Bridges

         This is a bit of a late review since it's been awhile since I've gone out to the theater.

   The Kingsman: Golden Circle is the sequel to the surprise hit that was also directed

   by Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class).

         In the sequel, young actor Taron Edgerton is back as Eggsy. the former street

  hoodlum turned secret agent. After his companys headquarters is blown to bits by

  an atomic missile, the world becomes held hostage by an evil woman (Moore) who

  poisons the world's drug supply in exchange for legalizing it. Now it's up to Eggsy

  and his Kingsman pals Gallahad (Firth) and Merlin (Strong) to stop her before it's

  too late. 

   The Good: It like most of the action scenes in the movie as well as the comedy.

   Julianne Moore was devilishly as a nostalgia obsessed sociopath who wanted

  a monopoly on the world's drug cartel. This movie dealt with ethical issues today

  concerning those that use drugs and whether or not it's right to do so. The legend

  Elton John was pretty funny here. 

  The Bad: The overuse of slow motion fight scenes which is prevalent in todays 

  action movies. The use of a small cute dog used as a cheap plot device didn't 

  sit right with me. This movie was quite graphic but that's typical of a Matthew

  Vaughn movie. The talents of Bridges, Berry and Tatum are wasted here and

  contributed nothing to the overall plot. 

  Overall: Although inferior to its predecessor, it's quite an enjoyable sequel. The

  only problems were that it didn't have heart and the creative spirit that the first

  film had. It suffers from the usual uninspired cash grab of a sequel. For a spy

  film franchise, I had expected better than this. 

     Grade: C- (6/10)

6 Favorite Scary Movies

    6 Favorite Scary Movies

       

    Since today is Friday the 13th, I just thought I'd share some of my favorite scary movies.

  

    1). Pet Sematary (1990)- Stephen King's bestselling novel about a sacred Indian 

    burial ground that brings things back to life with evil consequences.

    2). Evil Dead (2013 remake)- Sam Raimi's horror classic gets an updated remake

    featuring a young woman who becomes stranded in a remote cabin with four

    of her friends.

    3). Beetlejuice (1988)- a horror/comedy from the mind of Tim Burton about a 
    wisecracking ghost (Michael Keaton) trying to evict a family from it's former
    home.

    4). Zombieland (2013)- Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenburg fight zombies 
    along with an adorable Emma Stone in this horror/action/comedy. 

    5). Dawn of the Dead (2004 remake)- Zack Snyder makes his directorial debut 
    as a group of survivors from the zombie apocalypse seek refuge in an abandoned
    mall. 

    6). Monster Squad (1987)- a group of kids take on the likes of Dracula, The 
    Wolfman & the Mummy in this childhood favorite. 

Halloween Music Playlist

        With Halloween right around the corner, you need the right kind of music to get 
   you to have a spooky good time. As I did with my 4th of July and Summer Playlists,
   I present to you my top Halloween themed tracks.

     1). Dead Man's Party- Oingo Boingo
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iypUpv9xelg

     2). Thriller- Michael Jackson
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEHsIcsjtdI

     3). Don't Fear the Reaper- Blue Oyster Cult
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy4HA3vUv2c

     4). Bark at the Moon- Ozzy Osbourne
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F89-MOy7Xfg

     5). Warren Zevon- Werewolves of London
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhSc8qVMjKM

     6). Ghostbusters Theme- Ray Parker Jr. 
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKbg7CfG7i4

     7). I'm in Love with a Monster- Fifth Harmony 
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAsKIvRH2ds

    8). Nightmare on My Street- DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J-e2bS0PCw

    9). The Season of the Witch- Donovan
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OUpuMIVu3c

   10). Somebody's Watchin Me- Rockwell
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKcIOszATn8

   11). Monster Mash- Bobby Pickett
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNuVifA7DSU

   12). Pet Semetary- The Ramones 
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP4uTN6CXo8

Tom Petty RIP (1950-2017)

Tom Petty

    The world of rock n'roll lost another legend when musician Tom Petty passed away at

  the ripe age of 66. He was found unconscious at his home where he was immediately 

  rushed to the hospital. Tom had suffered cardiac arrest before put on life support.

      His laid back demeanor and hippie like image made him one of the most likeable

  rockers this generation. He formed The Heartbreakers in the late 70's but rose to

  prominence during the 80's when his videos were in heavy rotation on the fledgling

  MTV network.

      He had a string of hits that included Free Falling, Runnin' Down a Dream &

  Mary Jane's Last Dance. While making hit songs, he helped form the supergroup

  The Travelling Wilburys with George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne (ELO).

      Tom Petty may be gone but his songs should inspire future musicians to come.

    Top Tom Petty songs :

  1). Running Down a Dream                 6). Into the Great Wide Open

  2). Free Fallin'                                      7). Don't Do Me Like That

  3). Learning to Fly                                8). You Got Lucky 

  4). I Won't Back Down                         9). You Don't Know How it Feels

  5). Mary Jane's Last Dance                 10). You Wreck Me Baby
      

Baby Driver

Baby Driver

Dir: Edgar Wright

Cast: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Lily James

Jon Bernthal, Eiza Gonzalez, Flea

       When I first heard about this movie, I thought it was a sequel to Baby Boss but I was 

  half wrong. Baby Driver is the latest from acclaimed director Edgar Wright whose hits

  include Shaun of the Dead & Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

        It stars teen idol Ansel Elgort, as Baby, a young getaway driver who has hearing

   problems. To help him cope, he blares music on his Ipod while outrunning the police.
   When he's not driving around criminals, he meets Debora (James), a pretty, young
   waitress stuck in a dead end job whom he falls for. Together they dream of skipping
   town and ride off into the sunset.

       But before he can do that, he's coerced into pulling one last job for his boss 
   played by the devilishly Kevin Spacey. When things don't go as planned, the 
   doomed heist falls apart and must survive with the girl of his dreams.

   The Good: The music along with cinematography was stellar. The editing and pacing

   are buttery smooth for its runtime. Some of the scenes reminded me of the video game

   GTA where Baby constantly changes in and out of cars. 

   The Bad: The acting isn't all that great and became a little tedious to watch towards 

   the end. To keep the story moving, it leaned too heavily on its retro soundtrack.
   I had expected more out of it but was satisfied with how it turned out. There was
   one particular character that was introduced but never seen or heard from again. 

   Overall: Edgar Wright hits another home run in this heist movie that disguises itself

   as a coming of age story. If I want to sit and watch a movie with lots of car chases 

   this is the top of my list. The opening chase alone is worth the price of admission.

   Grade: C (7/10)

Annabelle: Creation

Annabelle: Creation

Dir: David F. Sandberg

Cast: Talitha Bateman, Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto, Stephanie Sigman

      If you haven't been keeping track, Annabelle Creation is the prequel of the prequel 

  of The Conjuring 2 with a third Conjuring movie in development. 

      

      This is the latest from Swedish director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out). It tells
  the story of a grieving dollmaker (LaPaglia) and his wife (Otto) who open their
  doors to a small group of orphaned girls and their caretaker (Sigman). Creepy
  things start happening centering around a doll. They soon realize the house is
  haunted by the dollmaker's dead daughter.

      Talitha Bateman plays Janice, a polio stricken girl who investigates the house
 and finds that the spirit is after her. The girls team up to fight the demon that
 resides in the house.

  The Good : This film had a lot of effective jump scares that gave me a jolt out of
  my comfy chair. The sound effects that accompanied those creaking house parts
  made it all the more scarier.

  The Bad : Some of the scare scenes seemed predictable and the plot felt non-
  existent that caused it to drag on. It relied too heavily on some of the horror 
  movie tropes such as flickering lights, closing doors and creaky floorboards.
  It tried too hard to emulate the same religious theme that made The Exorcist
  so scary. 

  Overall : Annabelle: Creation is a step up from the first one and a decent horror
  flick to end the summer. It's an unnecessary entry to an unnecessary franchise.
  This film nods itself to The Conjuring Universe that has been established and 
  hints at another time jump to a new place: Romania. Until then, A:C will do 
  just fine for the time being. 

 Grade: B-

Top 15 Funniest Comedies Ever

Top 15 Funniest Comedies Ever

(In no particular order)

    I just thought I'd do something fun and make a list of the funniest movies I've ever seen

   1). Step Brothers (2008)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nEl04eG8Eg

   2). Ted (2012)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWT2hvcsWHQ

   3). Deadpool (2016)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E04mRYAe3T8

   4). Liar Liar (1999)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWF4FhdmjUg

   5). Christmas Vacation (1989)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzTA36-aw3I

   6). Bruce Almighty (2003)(gibberish clip)

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5uEM7XDADU

  7). Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1985)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2ttCXTD0Z8

  

  8). Zoolander (2001)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oG0VyjZyO7Y

  9). UHF (1989)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wBFoJ6Fi8c

 10). Tropic Thunder (2008)(war movie spoof)

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rQHHgHf5s4

 11). 21/22 Jump Street- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gD-dHlw-Ayg

 12). The Other Guys- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZj9sGxpUm0

 13). Ace Ventura- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLi9Xa9EK-c

 14). Kung Pow- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRWxJiMM3Jg

 15). MacGruber- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrS3O02rnuE

Eatery 8 Pizza My Heart

Pizza My Heart

1590 Bothelo Drive

Walnut Creek

     Pizza My Heart is the latest pizza joint to open in downtown Walnut Creek, joining

   Extreme Pizza, Slice House, Skipolini's & California Pizza Kitchen. Located a block

   away from the theater, this pizza parlor offers many delicious toppings and flavors.

   Like Slice House, you can either buy it whole or just by each individual slice.

  Pro: The surf themed decor is nice to look at while waiting for ones pizza to

  be cooked. The surfer sculpture hanging from the ceiling resembles the Marvel
  hero Silver Surfer. Their prices on the menu are very affordable and won't put
  a dent in your wallet. Their employees were very courteous to us and very 
  helpful in serving me and my significant other. The seating area seemed clean
  and wasn't too crowded for a dinner time option.

  

  Con : Oh where do I begin?  The thin amount of cheese made each slice 

  taste bland. The grease and oil put on their slices dripped onto my hands and
  is not suitable for those with weak stomachs. Their cheese slices took over 
  10 minutes to be served as they didn't have anymore left & another pizza
  was being cooked in the oven. 

  Overall: PMH is not the worst place you can eat pizza but sadly it just did
  not live up to my expectations. For better tasting pizza, there are other
  places available mentioned above. I will be giving them the benefit of the
  doubt since they just opened hopefully improving on their food quality. 
  If not, I can't see them lasting very long in the saturation of Walnut Creek's
  pizza landscape.

  

  Rating: 3 / 5  stars

Solar Eclipse 2017

Solar Eclipse 2017

    The solar eclipse will be happening tomorrow around 9 AM. A solar eclipse is a 

  rare phenomenon in which the moon passes in a direct line between the Sun and

  the Earth. There have been eclipses in the last few years but not a total eclipse.

  The last time a solar eclipse happened was back in 1979.

      Take very special caution while viewing a eclipse. Do Not look up at the sky

  as it will permanently blind you. Either wear specially designed glasses or 

  welders goggles while viewing.

       If you want to view the eclipse without looking up, either watch it online 

   at Nasa.gov or cut a tiny hole in a cardboard box. Always have your back

   turned to the sun, do not look through the hole.

      For more information, watch this video from NASA

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21zamcOLwDM

      It is also important to remember to cut back on electricity while the eclipse 

  is going on. Be safe and have fun watching the eclipse tomorrow.

  Edit: The solar eclipse was not view-able that day as it was overcast and could only

  be seen if you lived in Lafayette or farther elsewhere. 

Life Hack Tips 2

Life Hack Tips 2

     1). Keep a dry erasable marker in your bathroom to write down any reminders 
           or jokes on a mirror.

       2). Turn on airplane mode on your phone for a slightly faster charge

       3). Boil fruit peels (lemon, oranges) to make your house smell nice & fresh

       4). Bring a small plastic bag to pick up any garbage while on any trails

       5). Use hand sanitizer to get rid of stickiness on hands

       6). To prevent sweating when coming out of the shower, turn down the water 

        temperature before getting out

  

       7). When refilling your water bottle at a gym, use the lower one so it won't spill 

       from being titled 

       8). If someone invites you to a party, be gracious and accept their invitation

       9). To keep your laundry smelling fresh, put some tennis balls in the dryer

     10). Get rid of blackheads by cutting a lemon in half and add 4 drops of honey before

      rubbing on your face, wait 5 minutes then wash with cold water

     11). Fill plastic water bottles a quarter of the way full before placing in freezer.

      This way when frozen, you can have ice cold water on the go.

What Grinds My Gears 2: Vertical Videos

 WGMG 2: Vertical Videos

     Ever since the invention of the Iphone, many people have been filming videos 

  of their pets, friends, random fights, etc. While it may look nice viewing it

  on the phone itself, when uploaded to Youtube or elsewhere, the large black

  boxes on the sides make it look terrible. 

  Here are a few examples of Vertical Videos-

  Popular movies shot vertically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRqs8jP1lXY

  Vertical Videos PSA : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2picMQC-9E

  Vertical Videos PSA 2 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVabYHvD3vc

  Now here is a rock concert shot horizontally-

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFVPU2BGC38 

 See how better it looks in full screen rather than half screen. The human eye is

 not trained to see vertically, so please turn your camera phone sideways. 

Eatery 7: Miramar Beach Restaurant

Miramar Beach Restaurant

131 Mirada Rd.

Half Moon Bay, CA

      Located across the street from a popular beach, Miramar Restaurant is the kind of

  eatery that you'd expect to have seafood on the menu and that's exactly what they 

  serve. Started as a brothel and speakeasy during the Prohibition Era, Miramar is

  now a full scale restaurant serving some of the best seafood around.

      

      The offerings served on their menu will savor your taste buds as you gaze out

  of their large windows and look at the beautiful views of the bay. This restaurant

  offers outdoor seating in case if you want to bring your four legged friend along.

  Miramar has an extensive wine menu and full working bar so you can catch the

  game on their big screen TV.

  Pro : Their atmosphere had an old fashioned hotel vibe to it with vintage

  pictures placed on the walls. Noise level was moderately loud but not too loud.

  The service was wonderful as we were seated right away. The waiters were 

  attentive and friendly. 

  Con : Although my fish and chips were filling, the food was just warm 

  and could've been cooked better. This place is quite pricey but that's to be

  expected at a place like this. 

  Overall : This is a good place to have a bite to eat after spending a day on the

  beach. Half Moon Bay may have other seafood places in the area but you 
  won't find the food as half as good as Miramar Beach Restaurant.

  Rating: 4/5 Stars 

New Flash Movie Plot Details

Flash Movie Plot Details

       It was announced at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con that the plot for the new 

  Flash movie is going to be an adaptation of the Flashpoint Paradox story arc. 

       Published in 2011, the 5 issue arc involves the scarlet speedster traveling back

  to the past only to find out he inadvertently changed the future. He finds out that

  Bruce Wayne's father is the new Batman and his arch nemesis,Captain Cold, is the

  new hero. Superman doesn't even exist. Without Supes and Batman then the Justice
  League doesn't get formed. Now it's up to Barry Allen to fix the past before it's 
  too late. 

      

      My Take : 

      While I'm happy a Flash movie is being made, I think it's too early to do the 

  Flashpoint story considering it's already been before on the TV show The Flash.

  It would feel totally redundant and customary. 

       If the right producer/director were to adapt it, then it might actually be pretty 
  good. If the cast of the Justice League were to appear then it'd be even better.
  But knowing how Warner Bros likes to play catch up with Marvel and rush out
  their DC films (I'm looking at you Zack Snyder), it probably won't be any good.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

Dir: Luc Besson

        Cast: Dane Dehaan, Cara Delevingne, Clive Owen, Rihanna, Ethan Hawke

             

          Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is the latest from acclaimed 

    French director Luc Besson ( The Fifth Element, Lucy ) and is based on the 

    comic of the same name. In this adaptation, Luc transports us to a futuristic world

    wild beyond our imagination. After a montage of explorers and aliens being 

    welcomed set to David Bowie's Space Oddity, we witness a Utopian like planet

    and their pale skinned inhabitants get wiped out. The magic pearls that they

    harvest help the remaining species survive.

     

     First off, the visuals are outstanding flooding the screen with eye popping CGI &

   nifty scifi gizmos. Some of the aliens depicted are very reminiscent of other alien 

   creatures such as the ones in Avatar and Star Wars. Unfortunately, the aliens here

   become a background noise to the thin and tiresome plot. 

      British actress/model Cara Delevingne is Agt Laureline alongside Dane

   Dehaan's Valerian as the pair play two young intergalactic agents who must 

   protect an alien species before it faces extinction. They go to identify the cause
   of a fatal radiation leak in a gigantic space station called Alpha before it's too
   late. 

     Pop star Rihanna shows up as a shapeshifting jelly like alien stripper named
   Bubbles whom Valerian befriends. Dane sounds weirdly like Keanu Reeves.

   Good: The visuals are stunning and rich if not completely mind warping. 
   The action scenes are energetic and fun and comes across as if watching 
   a video game but with more color. 

   Bad: Cara and Dane's characters are about as bland as a bowl of oatmeal. The
   two young actors shared absolute zero chemistry that made their romantic 
   subplot feel just forced. The fact that they looked more like teenagers suited
   for an MTV reality show made their roles hard to believe. The pacing teetered
   on the brink of boredom with its slow, drawn out exposition. The trio of alien
   platypuses were Jar Jar levels of annoying.
  
  Overall : The passion project for Besson was just average in its storytelling and
  lacked the kind of humor that made the Guardians of the Galaxy so good. Had this
  movie have more brevity it would've been a better film. Adapting a French comic
  to the big screen was a no easy task for Besson. Valerian is a crazy mess but a 
  fun mess in it's pure artistic vision.

Grade: C- (6/10)