Charity Con Update...

I'm about a week late on this post, but I spent the past four days in the DC area which included an extra night that wasn't planned due to a flight cancellation. Oh do I 'love' to business travel!

The Charity Con events I ran went very well. MonPoc had 10 players, which isn't too bad. We played three rounds and had a good set up games with new players adding into the mix which is also nice.

The WARMACHINE/Hordes event also was fun. I set up an odd ball format. 750 points, but with two casters and at least 15 VP in 'Jacks/'Beasts. These were quick and ultra brutal games with the fifteen minute timed rounds. We also had a few new players in the mix. Tried to express that these were on the 'odd' side and not the usual forces you would see in a game.

Overall the event raised over 2600 cans of food stuffs for the Bellevue Food Pantry. Not too shabby for a bunch of gamers. Not sure what our part was, but it was fun!

Last night the Eldest and I played a few hands of RftG and we broke Thurn and Taxis and introduced the best game of 16th Century German Postal System ever created. The Eldest won both of the RftG games and I took the Thurn and Taxis by one VP on the first game. I figure I won't be so lucky next time.

This evening, I'll be meeting the gang for another installment of the D&D adventure. Looking forward to getting in sometime for the game. I'll post that update soon.

On the entertainment front, the Netflix adventure continues.

The Other Half and I have started to watch Deadwood Series. That is pretty good so far. I like the feel and it has been entertaining. I'm also getting the Dexter Series off and on. As disturbing as the concept is of a mass murder protagonist, it has been a real interesting ride so far. I just finished Gotham Knight, the animated bridge between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. It was OK. I just not a huge fan of the different animated styles. Any hoo... The Other Half and I should be watching the next set of Deadwood this weekend.

jp
I've got games to play!

Dark Knight and X-Files

This weekend I got a chance to see two movies. That is more then I get in three or four months. Thought I would throw down my little mini review on each, not that anyone is reading, but what the hey.

On Saturday Phyllis and I went to see the X-Files:I Want to Believe at the 1030 am show. Including us, their was 6 people in the theater. Overall, the movie wasn't horrible, but it was far from a great motion picture. I think Chris Carter's approach to do the 'creature feature' approach vice expanding the mythos of the X-Files was the single largest factor on whether this was going to be a good movie. The use of the overlying conspiracy theory that the X-Files is known for would have been a better story to grab the fans and non-fans. Without that this could have been an episode of X-Files or Kolchak: The Night Stalker or Night Gallery. The acting was good as was the general feel of the movie. I would have also like to see more of Skinner as he was one of my favorites on the show. Overall? Wait for the DVD release and rent it. If your a hard core fan, you will go see it anyways, the best part is that it should be quiet in the theater.

On Sunday we went to go see The Dark Knight. This was a very good movie and I did enjoy the experience. Was it perfect? No. Was it "Best... Movie... Ever!"? No. What did I like. Heath Ledger was the show. Plain and simple his performance of the Joker shined and made the movie what it is. The general story and plot I also liked. What did I not like? I thought that Bruce Wayne's angst was way underplayed. This is, after all, a Batman movie, not a Joker movie. Where was Bruce Wayne's pain and suffering over his inability to save Rachel? I think the 2:45 running time could have been cut down. Perhaps drop the 'Sons of the Batman' & Scarecrow stuff in the beginning and use that saved time to develop more depth of character for Bruce. Brooding will only take you so far. Where was the pain?

So anyways... That's my two cents...

jp
Movie Critic At Large