Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

HMDYK About Keira Knightley

Until Rey came along women were really underrepresented in Star Wars. Be that as it may, the female characters it does have are strong, fierce, and amazing characters. I could have picked one of those women like Leia, Amidala, or Jyn Erso but I like focusing on the underdogs. Those actors and actresses who are in smaller roles deserve some attention. This is why we are going to look at an underrated female character. How much do you know about Keira Knightley?

So not only is she the first female but, at 35, she’s also the youngest actor I’ve written about. While she has a minor role in Star Wars, her repertoire is far from obscure. She’s most frequently known as Elizabeth Swann in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. However, before we get too far into her filmography let’s talk about her role in Star Wars; specifically The Phantom Menace.

“This is my decoy, my protection, my loyal bodyguard”

Keira Knightley played Sabé, the handmaiden who was also the Queen’s decoy. I remember feeling confused when I first saw the movie; I went in knowing that Natalie Portman was playing the queen. Then you see Padme for the first time and you know that is Natalie Portman so either she’s playing two characters or the rumors lied and she’s the handmaiden. Coincidentally that is exactly what George Lucas was hoping to accomplish.

Keira Knightley was selected to play the decoy because of her striking resemblance to Natalie Portman. In fact, there were times during filming when even their mothers couldn’t tell them apart. I have watched the movie dozens of times now and sometimes I still play the “Is that Natalie or Is that Keira” game. While the past 20 years have been kind to both of them, I don’t think they look as much alike anymore. Either way, we thank you Sabé for protecting our queen and I’m glad it was Cordé instead of you at the beginning of Attack of the Clones.

More Than Decoys and Pirates

Throughout her career, she has been ranked in at least 14 sexist/hottest/glamourous women lists, and rightfully so as she is very attractive. In 2006 she said she plans to live exclusively in London and won’t move to L.A. to further her career in American films. She is married (in 2013) with two kids.

She has nearly 60 acting credits to her name and has been in some fairly iconic roles (other than Pirates of the Caribbean). She’s been in The Nutcracker and she is an excellent Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice. I also really enjoyed her role as Guinevere in King Arthur; in which she endured a seven-month training session in preparation for the film. She is also brilliant in The Imitation Game.

She’s also done a couple of TV-series you might recognize. She was Lara in Doctor Zhivago, Rose in Oliver Twist and Tinkerbell in a series entitled Neverland. Despite having been in Star Wars and TV-series like Oliver Twist, it wasn’t until 2002 that she made her breakthrough in Bend It Like Beckham.

Is there anything about Keira Knightley that you find interesting that I didn’t mention?

/MTFBWY

Confronting fear is the destiny of the Jedi.

Mount Farming Guide: Raid Mounts (Part 1)

farming raid mountsThere are so many raids that drop mounts and any raid that isn’t current content typically has a 1% chance, or less, of dropping a mount. So you should settle in for many attempts and become accustomed to disappointment. This is my current, weekly farming route for raid mounts. The route is subject to change as I acquire said mounts; thus the potential for multiple parts.

There are a few addons and weakauras you can use for mount farming. Rarity seems to be the most popular mount/pet/toy farming addon. It’s highly recommended by my guild mates. I’ve just started using it myself so I cannot provide too much feedback, or support (at the time of this post).

You will also need your Hearthstone (which you should always have) and I would also keep your Dalaran Hearthstone handy. Also, make sure you have lots of space in your bags and a vendor mount is super handy (such as the Traveler’s Tundra Mammoth). Since some mounts only drop from specific difficulties I suggest to always have your Raid Difficulty set to 25-Man Heroic.

Biggs’ Top 5 Halloween Movies

Since its the October Top 5 it only makes sense that we choose the Top 5 Halloween Movies. I’m not talking about the Michael Myers Halloween franchise films but Halloween themed movies. In fact, there won’t be any horror or slasher movies on this list; I’m not really into the that genre of movies. I’ll be honest, I’m not really into Halloween. I don’t do the Haunted House thing. I barely decorate. We hand out candy and go trick-or-treating and that’s enough for me. Be that as it may, these movies are films I enjoy watching around this time either because they are fun and/or iconic; and here they are (in no particular order).

Honorable Mentions

The honorable mentions are probably two of the most iconic Halloween characters. While there are many variations of these movies, these are my favorite versions. Bram Stroker’s Dracula with Gary Oldman as the iconic vampire is a great movie with a killer cast (no pun intended) and an awesome director. The second honorable mention is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, directed by and starring Kenneth Branagh and Rober De Niro as “The Creature”. In fact this is probably one of my favorite Rober De Niro roles.

One more quick note about another movie that really isn’t even in my top ten but has been getting a lot of social media buzz lately. Hocus Pocus is a quirky fun film. In fact I do have fond Halloween memories of watching this movie on broadcast television as a kid. However its not really a “go to” Halloween film for me.

(See last month’s Top 5)

I Have Spoken!

 

RTotD: This Will Make You Vote Differently

Rest assured this is not a political post. I always say that I will not discuss politics on this blog and I stand by that. This post will, in no way, shape or form, allude to my political leanings or even discuss political hot topics. This topic stems from my recent Facebook post:

In all fairness, I can’t take credit for it. When I was out for a jog I saw a sign in my neighbor’s yard that said “This Sign Will Totally Make You Vote Differently“. I was laughing out loud for the rest of the block. The satirical context of the sign is funny because it perfectly expresses the futility of political signs. The same can be said for Facebook posts. I think it’s absolutely futile to post any kind of meme or article in hopes of convincing someone to vote (or think) differently.

Can you guess how many articles I’ve read that are from something shared on Facebook? Zero! Why? Because my mind is already made up. I hate to break it to you but chances are others have already made up their minds as well and nothing you share can change that. This goes beyond politics too. It can be anything really. Which Star Wars trilogy is better? Which Star Trek movie is better? What is the correct direction for the toilet paper roll?

It’s all moot and irrelevant because, at the end of the day, nothing changes. I know its probably cynical of me to think that but it’s like Dr. Greg House used to say:

/cheers

The things that go through my mind when I’m alone with nothing but my thoughts for entertainment is dangerous. Some might even say eccentric. Consider this your warning about today’s Random Thought of the Day

 

60 Days of The Old Republic

My initial subscribed time in Star Wars The Old Republic is over. First off I want to say that I still really like this game and it was so much fun to play it again. My 60 days of The Old Republic went by so fast however I managed to reach level 75 on my two main characters (one Republic and one Imperial). I probably could have gotten more done but I literally had to learn to play the game again. Plus I have ALT-ADD. I managed to also create a couple more characters because I basically want to try to play all the classes. (In fact there is an achievement for completing all eight class stories). The title isn’t completely accurate, however. I started writing this post before the 60 days had ended but since Blizzard is dragging their feet releasing the Shadowlands pre-patch, I picked up another 30 days. Be that as it may, let’s talk about what I think of the state of the game after my return.

The Art and the Writing

Water falls on Ossus

I feel like the folks that don’t receive enough credit, in any game, are the artists and the writers. This is especially true in The Old Republic. The only other game I can compare to SWTOR is WoW and, in my personal opinion, the artwork and writing is better in SWTOR. I’m not dissing the incredible artwork of World of Warcraft, they also do amazing work. Also, it’s probably a little unfair because the two games obviously use different graphics engines. Be that as it may, the landscape on some of the planets is incredible. See the screenshot on the right of some water falls on Ossus (click on the image to enlarge).

I understand why there are many players that wish Bioware would do more with the companions. The dialog for the companions is where the writers talent shines. For example, I especially love the writing for the Jedi Knight companions; specifically between Doc and Kira Carsen. I do hope Bioware finds a way to add more companion interactions and dialog in future updates.

Expansion and Quality of Life Updates

I don’t really remember the last time I spent a lot of time in the game prior to the start of my WoW break. I do remember logging in to check out Strongholds, when they were introduced. Some of the quality of life changes I’ve noticed may have been around a while, but they may be new to me since its been so long since I’ve played. For example you can now pull up your Galaxy Map and travel to a planet without having to return to your ship. If you are tracking quests you can also do this by clicking on the little planet icon next to the quest name. This is really nice. I also really like that you can now flag a mount as a favorite and, via Legacy, there is an Activate Random Mount button. Similar functionality exists in WoW and I love it.

I’ve also noticed a few subtle updates, which I kind of alluded to in a previous post. They’ve added music, creatures and sound effects from the prequels. It’s fantastic to engage in combat and a portion of Duel of the Fates begins playing! Actually, speaking of combat, I love the fast pace of lightsaber combat. I think WoW combat is going to feel slow now, in comparison.

My final thought is on the expansions. Specifically Knights of the Fallen Empire and Knights of the Eternal Throne. I began these expansions blindly so I had no idea what had changed or how it changed. I knew there were some big changes with the companions.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead.

If you haven’t played past Rise of the Hutt Cartel then stop reading now!

60 Days of The Old RepublicThe expansions (with the exception of Onslaught) progress like a movie. At first I wasn’t sure if I liked it but as I went along it started to grow on me. After playing it through a second time, on another character, I decided that I didn’t mind it at all. In these expansions your decisions actually change the story. If you make “Light Side” choices, all your companions are ready to fight by your side. However, your “Dark Side” choices can lead to some characters betraying you and leaving the Alliance. You’re treated differently, even from the companions you are romancing. It definitely adds more depth and consequence to the story.

Onslaught seems to play more like the old way, except things are vastly different with your companions. In fact, as much as I want to discuss the twist with the companions, I’m going to leave it alone. Play the game to find out (unless you decide to Google it instead, which is cheating, but to each their own).

I still have a little time left on my subscription in SWTOR; which is good since Blizzard still hasn’t given us a pre-patch date. However, I think this time I’m not going to abandon the game when it switches to “preferred status”. Perhaps, if I split some of my time between the two games, I won’t burn out as quickly on WoW.

If you’re an MMO gamer and a Star Wars fan and you haven’t checked out this game, or you want to renew your subscription, click here to begin [or return to] your journey.

/MTFBWY

I’ll do it, on one condition – if I die, you have to build a statue in my honor. An Expensive one.

Race to Wrigley Charity Run 2020

Completing any race has been extremely challenging this year, for obvious reasons. All the usual races I run were postponed and ultimately cancelled (i.e. Red Legs and The Flying Pig). I have always wanted to run the Race to Wrigley Charity Race but I could never arrange to make the drive to Chicago. So I was very excited when I found out I could complete the race, virtually, this year. While I won’t be finishing inside the Friendly Confines, I’m still glad to have the opportunity to participate.

The race is only a 5K and I run farther than that 5 days a week, during my lunch hour, so this is a fairly easy race for me. Since this is for charity I feel that I needed to do something to try to make this a challenge. I decided that I wasn’t going to be lazy and submit one of my normal workouts. Instead I suited up and completed the 5K on a Saturday morning.

My total run time was 35:57, which is just under a 12 minute mile. Considering some of the hills I had to tackle on the route I chose, I’d say that’s pretty good.

Breathe. Just breathe. Now reach out.

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