[TV] Blackadder II Review

As a long time Monty Python fan, one of the shows that is frequently recommended as related is Blackadder, a quirky multi-generation comedy series set throughout British history. It wasn't until I noticed that some of the series were available on iflix that I finally made some time to start watching.

It's a little tricky trying to explain what the show is about given the different series are set across various time periods. Blackadder II is set during the Elizabethan era but still follows the same family as the first series, The Black Adder.

The show features quite the notable cast of comedic talents that are really big names now but may not have been quite as big then, as in during the time of the original airing of the series. The show has a pretty loose plot and feels more like a weird period sitcom more than anything else. Things aren't exactly accurate down to the last historical detail, but you don't need that level of precision for good comedy.

[Games] Legendary: Secret Wars - Volume 2 Review

Building on the fun craziness provided by Legendary: Secret Wars - Volume 1 of course a Volume 2 big box expansion was in order. And thus we get Legendary: Secret Wars - Volume 2 which at times feels like a "lighter" expansion as it explores more of the parallel realms that got incorporated into Battleworld but also adds some tricky keywords that nicely shake up your deck building gameplay.

The game also introduces some relatively niche factions that have not gotten new members in some time but they're still pretty strong and it's hard to not have them in the set for all the fun they bring. In other words - it's another solid addition to the game featuring a lot of fan favorites.

[Movies] Incredibles 2 (2018) Review

When The Incredibles first came out in 2004, it was a revelation. It was a celebration of the classic superhero story genre with a retro aesthetic but very modern storytelling. It had a strong character-driven narrative that was strongly tied to the Parr family and it was just a LOT of fun.

There has always been a fan demand for a sequel and initially it felt like the only Pixar property that was getting any sequel love remained to be Toy Story. Brad Bird had made repeated statements that he wasn't sure what story to tell and thus wasn't rushing into the project.

Fast-forward to 2018 and here we are with a brand new movie in Incredibles 2 that is everything that we needed. Some speculated that it was going to become a commentary on more recent superheroes and related movie franchises but I'm glad that they didn't go in that direction and kept things well-focused on the family. That's the heart of this franchise and celebrating that family is way drives things forward.

[Videos] 107 Facts About the Incredibles

With The Incredibles 2 rocking theaters and proving just how much love there is for this franchise, it felt like a timely idea to re-share this Channel Frederator 107 Facts video about the original 2004 The Incredibles movie. And given how much effort went into this project, you can imagine that there are a heck of a lot of different aspects to this movie (now a franchise) that are totally worth digging into.


107 Incredibles Facts YOU Should Know - (ToonedUp #137) | ChannelFrederator
And if you're feeling brave enough to risk potential spoilers, they've already created a new 107 Facts video for The Incredibles 2 because we just can't get enough of the super-powered Parr family.


107 Incredibles 2 Facts You Should Know! | Channel Frederator

[Movies] Mercury 13 (2018) Review

History is filled with unusual twists and turns. The mix of high points and low points is what makes the human experience so memorable. But it's a bit of a struggle to do the right thing every time and it takes time for people to change no matter how right the cause can be.

Mercury 13 is one of those documentaries that tries to shine a light on one of those less than ideal moments right in the middle of one of humanity's greatest periods for scientific development - the big space race. And the struggle that women astronauts went through before they could take a more active role in exploring the cosmos.

It is disappointing that gender politics remains to be a terribly part of our society that still comes up again and again. And documentaries like this try to do their best to capture those past struggles so that we can learn from them and find a way to do better moving forward.