Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

The Clone Wars Series Finale

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On May 11, 2020

In Geek Culture, Star Wars

We finally got to see the end of Dave Filoni’s Star Wars masterpiece. We’ve been waiting since April of last year. Of course if you’ve seen Solo, read E.K. Johnston’s book or you’ve seen past the first season of Rebels, you know a little bit about how it ends. There are 12 episodes in the Clone Wars series finale (i.e. Season 7), broken up into three 4 episode story arcs.

In the first story arc we meet “The Bad Batch” which is a group of genetically mutated clones. A spin-off series of these guys would be fun to watch. Then we meet a pair of sisters that befriend Ahsoka as she helps them out of a nasty situation with the Pykes. Of course Ahsoka’s return is the most anticipated story arc.

Ahsoka Returns!

The ninth episode is when Ahsoka is reunited with the 332nd, her battalion of clone troopers. My favorite part of the final four episodes is that they coincide with the events of Revenge of the Sith (up to and including Order 66). I love how well Filoni merged the the episodes into the movie’s story, including voice reprisals by Samuel L. Jackson and Silas Carson. The final moments of episode twelve were amazing and heart wrenching.

You know the saying “Go Big or Go Home”, well Filoni definitely “went big” to cap off this amazing series. I love that he invited Ray Park back so they can use motion capture for the fight sequence between Maul and Ahsoka. This really adds an awesome level of commitment to properly finishing the series. In fact these last four episodes were among the best in the series, second only to the Mortis story arc.

Thank you to Dave Filoni and all the amazing voice actors that make this series so amazing.

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

Biggs’ Top 5 Star Wars Villains

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On May 5, 2020

In Biggs Top 5, Star Wars

Top 5 Star Wars Villains

In the spirit of Star Wars month, the May Top 5 is Star Wars themed. I could have taken this many different routes. I actually thought about ranking the top five of the 11 films. While Empire Strikes Back is my favorite, I enjoy the rest of them so equally that it just wouldn’t work. I chose the top 5 Star Wars villains because everyone always picks their favorite Jedi or droid. The villains I selected go beyond the films. There are far more villains than you think when you include the animated and Disney+ series and all the books. So here we go.

  • Darth Vader – because he was the first. When he emerges on the Tantive IV, you just knew he was evil.
  • Darth Maul – Ray Park makes this character amazing. Spoiler alert: Maul’s story goes beyond The Phantom Menace.
  • Grand Admiral Thrawn – any Star Wars fan worth their salt knows this Chiss Imperial military genius.
  • Palpatine – I almost didn’t include the Emperor; until Rise of Skywalker. He deserves to be here.
  • Asajj Ventress – Dooku’s apprentice. Ventress is the best Sith apprentice. She is the Ahsoka of the Sith.

Honorable Mentions

There are so many villains to choose from. So much so there are enough for honorable mentions. The first of which is Moff Gideon (from The Mandalorian). He almost made it into the top 5, despite his debut status. The casting of Giancarlo Esposito to portray Moff Gideon is so perfect. The next honorable mention comes from The Clone Wars animated series; Cad Bane. Let’s be honest, bounty hunters are the best part of Star Wars and Cad Bane is among the coolest. I have been a Cad Bane fan since his first appearance in The Clone Wars.

Who are some of your favorite villains from the franchise?

(See last month’s Top 5)

I Have Spoken!

Happy Star Wars Day 2020

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On May 4, 2020

In Geek Culture, Star Wars

Star Wars Day 2020Today is the biggest holiday of the month. I always wondered why the 25th wasn’t “Star Wars Day” since that is the anniversary of the release of A New Hope. However the clever and aptly named “May the 4th” is sufficient credence. I will begin my Star Wars re-watch of the 11 movies today (in chronological order). Also happening today is the epic conclusion of Dave Filoni’s Clone Wars series and the release of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, an eight episode documentary about the making of The Mandalorian (only available on Disney+). The year is off to a horrible start so Star Wars Day 2020 is the perfect opportunity to forget about it for a while.

Of Course There’s Merchandise

To be fair, the deals on all things Star Wars is what I look forward to the most on Star Wars Day. The Star Wars website already has a post of the available deals. Here are a few of the notable deals (some of which started a few days ago):

  • Best Buy – a percent is not mentioned, just a general sale on entertainment, toys and collectibles
  • Target – the new go-to spot for Star Wars merchandise. 20% off (except LEGO)
  • Her Universe – Ashley Eckstein’s (aka Ahsoka Tano) fashion line for girls. 30% off
  • GameStop – Up to 50% off merchandise including The Mandalorian Funko Pops!

The most disappointing “deal” this year is LEGO. They are not offering any sale on Star Wars LEGO items, instead they are giving away a Death Star II kit but you have to spend $75 in order to receive it. I’m also mildly disappointed, though not terribly surprised, that the Disney Store doesn’t have any specials.

If anyone spots other deals for Star Wars Day 2020 that are not listed in the StarWars.com post please feel free to leave a comment with a link to said deal. I’m especially interested in apparel and books.

/MT4thBWY

Breathe. Just breathe. Now reach out.

Star Wars Month and the 501st

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On May 1, 2020

In Geek Canon, Star Wars

I’ve made the argument before that May should be Star Wars month. There are numerous days in May that have some kind of Star Wars relevance. Therefore most of the posts this month, if not all of them, will be Star Wars themed. There is one day this month that is a bit of an exception. May 25th is Geek Pride Day because its the anniversary of the first Star Wars movie and Towel Day.

Despite the negativity from the “so-called” fans about the sequel trilogy, I’m excited for Star Wars month. This year is particularly special because it is the 40th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back (most common fan favorite). Today, as it turns out, is the first of the Star Wars themed days in May, the 501st day.

What Is The 501st?

Click to Enlarge ImageThe 501st Legion is a stormtrooper squad, often seen in The Clone Wars, but canonically known as “Vader’s Fist”. Outside the Star Wars Universe, the 501st is a real life organization. Fans all over the globe are apart of this group of people with a passion for Star Wars. Their mission is to help facilitate the love for the franchise through elaborate and, often times, extremely accurate and life-like costumes. In fact the stormtrooper costumes were so accurate several members of the 501st were brought in to be extras in the final two episodes of season one of The Mandalorian. The actors in the show were also impressed with the quality of craftsmanship.

I wish I had the fabrication talent these folks have for making Star Wars costumes.

In addition to all the other celebratory days, the 21st marks the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back. As is my usual plan, I will be doing the first ever 11 movie re-watch during the month of May. I may also try to finish watching Rebels and Star Wars Resistance. If I finish all of that in a timely manner, I will be re-watching the first season of The Mandalorian.

It has been a challenging and tumultuous start to this year, so I’m looking forward to making this May fun and exciting. I’m going to try hard to show my Star Wars pride!

How will you spend your Star Wars month?

/MTFBWY

The Force. It calls to you. Just let it in.

 

Trolls World Tour Review

Movie Review: Trolls World Tour

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On April 30, 2020

In Movies, Reviews

Trolls World Tour ReviewTrolls World Tour

Directed By: Walt Dohrn
Starring:  Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake

My Rating: [rating=3]

This is one of the first films to go straight to a streaming release instead of theaters due to the coronavirus pandemic. Coincidentally the movie studio made quite a bit of money. The films digital success was even discussed on the morning news. The numbers indicate that the movie studio probably made more money because of the digital release than they might have from a theatrical release. I doubt that dooms theaters … at least I hope not.

Be that as it may, the film itself was just OK. Most of the original cast reprise their roles, except Jeffrey Tambor as King Peppy. We rented it for my daughter’s birthday because she really likes Trolls. There are points in the film where you wonder if it was made while under the influence of illicit substances. Perhaps the same kind used when making the “Charlie, the Unicorn” videos. (At least the Charlie videos were funny).

It ends in the same old “love conquers all” sappy crap however I feel like the movie uses music as a metaphor. Everyone likes different kinds of music and no one particular genre of music should be eliminated. The movie makes the point that we should all respect each other no matter which music we listen to. Granted I don’t know if the metaphor is intentional but considering all the divisiveness in the world today, I think the same rule applies.

I watched it for my daughter, but I’m not in a hurry to see it again.

film_reel“The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can retain interest as it conveys emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle.”
– Stanley Kubrick

 

Bad Idea Birthday Run Amid Covid

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On April 25, 2020

In Fitness

I’m a month overdue talking about my annual “Bad Idea Birthday Challenge”. Granted March and April have been a bit complicated and unorthodox. This year is a birthday milestone too. The big 4-0. Last year the challenge was to convert my age to kilometers, divide by 10 and complete that distance in miles. If I were to repeat that challenge, that means running 6.4 miles and that is not very challenging this year. So I need to come up with something new. The unprecedented living conditions of our current situation also creates complication. So what can I do for my bad idea birthday run amid covid?

40 Miles?? I Don’t Think So!

I’m not crazy enough (yet) to stop dividing by 10. Running 40 miles seems frightening, even if I divide the distance up over a couple of days. The pandemic has postponed (for now) the Flying Pig events until mid-October. The plan for the pig, this year, was to complete a 15k (i.e. run the 10k followed by the 5k). I thought about making the 15k my birthday challenge; however by October I will be half way to 41.

Each week I’m beginning to push myself a little bit more. I’m inching (literally and figuratively) toward 5 miles a day, and 8 miles on my “push day”. Therefore I’m leaning toward completing a half marathon, over the course of two days, as my 40th birthday challenge.

If I’m successful it might be the mental leverage I need to convince myself that in 2021 I will reach the apex of my running workouts. It might mean that the Bad Idea Birthday Challenge for 2021 will be the Flying Pig Half Marathon.

minions_icon

I could accomplish so much more if I only had minions!

 

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