Book 2 – The Citadel of Chaos
Book 6 – Deathtrap Dungeon
Book 10 – House of Hades (House of Hell)
Book 20 – Sword of the Samurai
Book 21 – Trial of Champions
Book 24 – Creature of Havoc
Above all else, Steve Jackson’s entire “Sorcery!” series (except the spell book), which contains superior writing, superior artwork, and a thoroughly linked story.
Book 1 – The Shamutanti Hills
Book 2 – Khare – Cityport of Traps
Book 3 – The Seven Serpents
Book 4 – The Crown of Kings
You see kids, in the old days people played RPGs on tables with dice, or on a large cleared-off section of floor with dice and lots of snacks that seem good at the time but are regrettable on the drive home.
Failing this, we had to resort to drastic measures. One of these was supplied by Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, which were simplistic enough for children, yet complex enough for young adults who needed a RPG fix.
The advantage of the FFG was that you could “roleplay” BY YOURSELF (Which is a bit of a contradiction…if someone roleplays and noone sees it, do they really say “Huzzah!”???). But the limited dice-rolling and keeping of statistics, inventory, etc. provided for some aspect of the role-playing tabletop experience.
At a time when your computing options regarding games were EXTREMELY limited, these books served a useful purpose. At least, when they were fairly well-written. They could be read multiple times because you “chose” the path that the story took as you read. To a very limited extent, you were “playing” your character, deciding his (or her) fate.
Some of the books were very clever indeed, while others (especially after the first 21) were very, very bad. And no need to worry…unlike the traditional “Choose Your Own Adventure” books, there was plenty of combat and chances to come to an untimely end in FFG’s. In fact, it was extremely difficult to “win” any of them on the first try, and some were pretty d@mn near impossible.
Useful today mainly as pieces of nostalgia given the state of interactive computer gaming, but not without their charms and still potentially interesting to anyone that doesn’t WANT to be part of a multi-million person online “community”.
-Puppy >.< Yip!
“Lone Star” Donald Sutherland adds another film to his over-possessive aliens resume, but his performance is the only highlight in an otherwise unintentionally cheezy B-list tour-de-weakness.
Try Sutherland in the far more interesting ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’.
Inspirational Quote: “One”
Grade: D
6/24/12: Sutherland gives it some undeserved class. Grade: D+
3/25/14: Initial review was overly harsh. If you buy into it, it’s not bad. Grade: C-
7/14/18: The Great Grade Update. Cheezy and enjoyable, like ‘Star Wars’, except not as good. Grade: C
“An edge-of-your-seat thrill ride”, or some variation thereof, has been used so often that it’s now more useful as a laughable cliche than a true description, much like the 1987 movie ‘The Running Man’.
In this case, it’s completely true. You don’t read this book chapter by chapter, a few nights a week. You start reading and you turn the pages at much the same feverish pace as it was written. That’s how it’s meant to be read, and that’s how it works. And it works brilliantly. It’s a bit rough around the edges, sure…but it will leave you either blown away or empty. If you’re willing to take the chance, go for it…it’s only a book, after all, right?
Inspirational Quote: “The explosion was tremendous, lighting up the night like the wrath of God, and it rained fire twenty blocks away.”
Grade: A
Indescribably wretched Schwarzenegger vehicle that has absolutely nothing at all to do with the brilliant Stephen King novel. Useful only as a media for circulating the tapes.
Grade: F
5/25/16: Compared to the book, this is sh1t. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily TOTAL sh1t. So I watched it again…
Cheezy writing, HORRIBLE acting by Schwarzenegger (his “emotional” refusal in the beginning is PAINFUL to watch), some really bad custumes, etc, etc, etc…but it’s got enough of a cool idea (via the book) to give it SOME objects d’ interest. Grade: D-
Joe Mantegna’s performance as Richie “The Hammer” Ginelli is the lone bright spot in yet another bad movie based on a Stephen King (Errr Richard Bachman) book, unless you count Kari Wuhrer’s panties.
Inspirational Quote: “Like it? Are you kidding? I *bleepin* LOVE it!”
Grade: D
6/3/12: They are VERY nice panties. Grade: D+
6/24/12: Really. Take a good long look. Also, Mantegna’s brilliant if extremely underused.
Grade: C-
8/24/12: Mantegna, by himself, is as good as ‘Fight Club’. And it’s a d@mn good thing for the rest of the movie, too. Grade: C
“Do or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda
Yoda, you ignorant slut. Oops…wrong bit.
“Try. There is no do or do not.” – Puppy
And for those who see a flaw in that, screw semantics. I use words, they don’t use me.
-Puppy >.< Yip!
“. . . things do not gain meaning by going on for a very long time, or
even forever. Indeed, they lose it. A piece of music, a conversation,
even a glance of adoration or a moment of unity have their alloted time.
Too much and they become boring. An infinity and they would be
intolerable.”
– Simon Blackburn, “Religion and Respect”
“If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but
timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the
present.” – Ludwig Wittgenstein
Because he’s one of a very small number of people that realizes how LUCKY he is to get PAID lots of money for playing a GAME.
I don’t understand people wanting him to fail.
Is he a good quarterback? No, he’s a horrible quarterback. I knew that when Denver was winning despite him (because of their defense) and I know that now.
But it doesn’t matter. He’s sincere in his belief, he’s a genuinely nice person, he doesn’t treat the game as his life, he takes all the insults and jokes aimed at him (some good-natured, some vicious) and shrugs them off because he’s a TRUE believer.
He doesn’t thank God when he wins and curse when he loses.
He thanks God because he BELIEVES. He believes in hope, he believes in people, and he believes that how you conduct your life is more important than how well you throw a football.
Only fervent Atheists, complete scumbags, and the pitifully Envious have reason to hate him.
Peace.
– Puppy >.< Yip!
“When we’re kids, before we’re taught how to think, or what to believe, our hearts tell us there is something else out there.”
“When you get sad, it rains.”
“Lots of people get sad when it rains.”
“It rains, because you’re sad.”
Men In Black II
As gorgeous and beautifully moving at its heights as the best Disney fantasies to anyone with any semblance of child-like wonder left in their hearts, or any hope for the possible Goodness of humanity buried beneath layers of legitimate cynicism.
There are certainly relatively “dark” scenes, but these move the film away from pure escapist fantasy and closer to a realistic but positive view on (possible) reality.
The optimist’s response, perhaps, to George Orwell’s relentlessly cynical (and brilliant) ‘Animal Farm’. Which vision is more accurate? Probably Orwell’s. But I like this view infinitely better and maybe (MAYBE) if more people felt the same and worked towards THIS view instead of resigning themselves to Orwell’s, it could eventually become less of a fantasy and more of a reality.
James Cromwell is excellent in an understated role, but, of course, the pig is the star.
Costumes and countryside (and music) are lush and beautiful.
The mice are annoying to me but probably hilarious to little kids. But this isn’t a “little kids” movie, it’s far too advanced intellectually and thematically. So I’d like to remove them, but hey, what can you do…it’s only a minor complaint.
I can’t resist a wry smile when two groups are presented, both of whose opinions are narrated with complete neutrality, both of whom prove to be wrong. It’s an obvious reference to “ism”‘s of any kind (Sex, Race, Etc…) as being, above all else, stupid. It’s quite clever and, to quote a wise (fictional) being – “I do, in fact, agree with it.”
Humility and dedication triumphing over arrogance, ignorance, and closed-mindedness. 10.
Ending – Cue the Sun. That’ll do.
Inspirational Quote: “If I had words to make a day for you, I’d sing you a morning golden and true”
Grade: A
6/24/12: Just don’t listen to the mice. Grade: A+
Highs:
Curly’s early arrival
long hallway
echo
Curly getting it
tearing off an arm and beating someone to death with it
scary face
Curly’s self-assessment
double lock
trombone talent
Lows:
knife-throwing
Wolfman escape
Hazel’s “friend rating”
Larry hesitation gag
ending
Grade: B-
Highs:
scaredy cuffs
the band
greetings
Curly’s swift recovery
half-stewed
Can o’ peas
animal crackers
candid picture
Puppo box
lemonade stand
turkey struggle
shhhhhh
ending
Lows:
running cigar gag
Prince Sham
Moe’s trapped nose
random gum
turkey conversation
bird gag
fight
Grade: B-
For those of you who missed out on a New Year’s Eve kiss, consider that at least you weren’t as unfortunate as Moe Howard…
*Moe* (Talking to a woman who then walks away, his eyes closed) “Kiss me…oh, kiss me!”
*Curly* (Shrugging and leaning in to smooch Moe) “Anything else, Sir?”
*Moe* (Opening his eyes) “I’m poisoned!”
Happy New Year 
-Puppy >.< Slurp!
