Shmee.Me

February 12, 2016

People Are Upset By Quantum Break Giving Away Free Stuff?

I was going to write a little post about how awesome Quantum Break’s Xbox One pre-order bonus of a free download for the PC version was, but instead I am going to write a little post about how crazy people are.

First a little background info: Yesterday Microsoft announced that anyone who pre-orders Quantum Break for the Xbox One would also get the Windows 10 version for free. Not to mention backwards compatible versions of the Alan Wake games. This pre-order bonus is a great idea. It shows off the power of Microsoft’s new unified Windows 10 store and Xbox Cloud saves since you can sync your game saves between the two platforms. Microsoft I am sure thought this would be a great announcement and that everyone would be happy. They were wrong.

Xbox One loyalists got all upset that an exclusive game would ship for the PC on the same day and date as the Xbox One version, and that it would include Xbox features (the aforementioned could saves). Somehow Microsoft releasing a game for both of its platforms made the Xbox One less valuable. The Xbox One zealots felt like Microsoft was stabbing the Xbox One platform in the back.

This if course is crazy. Microsoft should have been doing this from the start. As soon as Windows 10 and the unified store launched cross-buy between the Xbox One and the PC should have been possible. You know how great it would be to be able to play your games in more places, and keep your same friends lists and saves?! And it is very close to being a reality. Sure for Quantum Break this is only a pre-order deal, but it should be an all the time deal. That way you can sell it to publishers like this, “You sell you game on the Windows 10 store you not only gain access to the millions of Windows 10 PC users, but to millions of Xbox One users as well and vice versa!” It doesn’t weaken the Xbox One platform, it strengthens it.

Quantum Break was going to be on my birthday list this year, but now it looks like I may have to pre-order it so I can get both copies of the game. For all of you that are somehow hurt by this great deal, look at the big picture. This is a great thing for PC gamers and Xbox One gamers, and something that can bring more games to the platform and not less. I hope cross buy is a trend that continues!

January 22, 2016January 22, 2016

Why Even Make An Avatar 2?

Now don’t get me wrong Fox has 2.8 Billion reasons to make Avatar 2, but it seems like James Cameron can’t find one. Sure he keeps talking about the Avatar sequels, but he hasn’t really moved on them. Now we are learning that Avatar 2 will not make it in time for its Christmas 2017 projected release date. Some are saying this is because Disney has scared him off by moving Star Wars VIII to Christmas, but we all know this is just because James Cameron has decided he needs a little more time.

James Cameron is free to do what he likes, but I think he should just let Avatar go. It was a landmark film when it came out, and it showed us what 3D digital filmography could do, but it hasn’t aged well. Unlike most films I am not talking about the special effects, I am talking about the story. Fern Gully/Dances with Wolves in space was thrilling and a great way to show off the technology, but the universe around it was ho-hum, and since it has been so long between sequels any great love people had for it is decaying. If he could have gotten this movie out three or four years ago, maybe, but it has already been seven years since Avatar came out, and every year that passes it moves further out of the public consciousness.

I think he should just let Avatar be the great film that it was and move on. He clearly has other things that he feels more passionate about, and that is what he should do. If we do get an Avatar 2 at some point it will not be a labor of love, but an obligation that was fulfilled several years too late, and that would do a great disservice to a wonderful film and its fans.

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015

The One Thing Star Wars: The Force Awakens Didn’t Give Me!

Star Wars: The Force Awakens was pretty much pure wish fulfilment for me, but there was one thing that it didn’t do for me, and I both hate and love the movie for it. Everything from here on out is a spoiler, so turn back if you haven’t seen the movie yet!

Spoilers in:

The one thing I didn’t get to see was the original three main characters back together again. I thought for sure I would see Luke, Leia and Han hanging out, but it didn’t happen. What we got instead was the sendoff of one of the most beloved Star Wars characters of all time played perfectly by Harrison Ford. Han trying to turn his son back to the Light at the end of the film was brilliant and heartbreaking. It took a few days after watching the film to realize that I wouldn’t be able to see Han and Luke on the Falcon one last time.

I am very happy with the way the movie turned out, so I don’t wish to change anything, but not getting to see Solo rib on Skywalker again is a sobering thought. I can only hope that Luke will at least get to see Leia, but it doesn’t look like we have any guaranties of that.

December 22, 2015December 22, 2015

(sobbing)…The Soup Is Over!..(wailing)

After 11 and 1/2 years The Soup has been canceled. I know this to be true, I have watched the final episode. It wasn’t the best episode they have ever produced, but it was a good send off. It featured a cavalcade of Joel McHale’s favorite celebrity guests, and his 11 favorite clips. Not to mention several snippets of famous bits they have done over the years. We have seen those clips and bits several times before, but it was nice to see them one more time.

I found it humorous E! took The Soup’s departure as an opportunity to start the advertising campaign for their new reality show featuring fitness guru Jillian Michaels. It was the least self-aware act of promotion I have ever seen.

In the end The Soup was canceled because some suits thought they could do better (or maybe cheaper?) at 10PM on Friday nights. I hope they are wrong, and that the time slot is cursed as a viewer void and a money pit for decades to come. I know for me, they have gotten rid of the last good thing on their channel, and there is nothing for me to go back for.

TV is now worse because they have gotten rid of the mirror that showed us the ridiculous stuff that we were watching, and laughed at it with us. To Joel and Co., thanks for memories and the great TV. Twelve seasons of any show is a major accomplishment, and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. That includes you Mankini <sobbing><whispers>..that includes you Mankini.

December 16, 2015December 16, 2015

The Potterverse Is Showing The Hungerverse How To Do Prequels!

With the success of the Hunger Games movies it is no wonder that Lionsgate would want to do more films, but the problem is that according to Variety they are going to make movies that no one wants to see. They want to make prequels featuring arenas, so they can have more of the titular ‘Hunger Games’. The issue is that for 73 years those games just featured kids killing each other, and then if they did win they were used and tormented by the capital. Not great. I mean they would be making the American version of Battle Royal, which could be interesting, but that is not a wide audience pleaser. The only way around that would be to make movies featuring victors we have met like Finnick or Haymitch, so that way we would know that they eventually end up leading the resistance, but that movie is even worse because we know that they will win their contest, and we already know how their lives turn out.

Meanwhile the people behind Harry Potter have released this:

A prequel that I am excited about. Why? It has almost nothing to do with Harry Potter. They only thing we know for sure is that Newt Scamander is good at finding Fantastic Beasts and writing about them. All he has to do for continuity sake is write a book, and if they don’t want to be shackled down by that, they can say that he already wrote it. It is prefect: we get to go back to the Harry Potter universe we know and love, and we get to see something totally new. No Dark Lord and no Boy Who Lived. They haven’t even been born yet! Well maybe Voldemort is around, but he would still be going by Tom Riddle, and he would be an ocean away.

What I am saying is, if you are going to do a prequel, you have to still give the audience a new story, and one they can feel good about. Not random kids murdering each other. I hope for fans of the Hunger Games series that Lionsgate figures that out before making their new movie. Until then I will be eagerly awaiting Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!