Sunday, June 16, 2013

Top 11 States showing Equestria Girls

Equestria Girls is out today... but look at this! If you look up theater listings for the movie (heading over to Equestria Daily is a good idea) you will see it is playing in short bursts of weekend showings across the country from June to July... what a rip.

Anyway Top 11 States showing the movie by total theaters showing it in June/July.

1st : California - 34
2nd : Georgia - 17
3rd : Florida, North Carolina - 16

4th : New Jersey, Wisconsin - 14
5th : New York, Pennsylvania - 13

Don't be impressed Hawaii is in the top ten, a majority of the screens save one is Oahu only... damned Oahu!
6th : Alabama, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee - 12
7th : Massachusetts, Texas - 8
8th : Arizona, Hawaii, Minnesota - 7

9th : Ohio - 6
10th : Iowa - 5
11th : Arkansas, Indiana - 4

Remember when I said the theaters should split at 4 per state? Here's 17 States that got shortchanged... btw the list may be incomplete as some states seem to be missing.
12 : Connecticut, Montana, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virgina - 3
13 : Kansas, Maryland, Nebraska - 2
14 : Delaware, Idaho, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, West Virginia - 1

Grand total - 259
12th to 14th - 34 theaters (14%)
9th to 11th - 19 theaters (8%)
6th to 8th - 85 theaters (33%)
4th to 5th - 54 theaters (20%)
1st to 3rd - 67 theaters (25%)

There seems to be about a dozen states plus the District of Columbia missing from this list... if anyone has info on those states please post below in the comments.

Waiting for first reviews. Updates to come, stay tuned.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Summer 2013 Day 22 : Equestria Girls - Movie tomorrow, awful Bratz knockoff toys today

Why Equestria Girls simply had to release this week, and promptly run over by Man of Steel, I have no idea... but here it is, opening in ultra limited release tomorrow (June 16th). But it's not coming out alone.

- Late yesterday night the GameLoft My Little Pony game reduced Rarity' s gem cost by half, meaning I finally added her to my Ponyville at long last. Storywise it means nothing since I have been stuck on Scootaloo' s mission forever but... maybe I will make progress soon. Anyway hopefully late tonight the Equestria Girls update finally happens... maybe.

- Today online stores began selling Equestria Girls dolls. Inconsistent articulation (Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy having articulation that Rarity and Pinkie Pie don't), horrifically thin body molds, unappealing designs and unimaginative clothes... instant fail.

Mind you I an not totally down on Equestria Girls stuff. Show me Equestria Girls comics and well made blind bags and you got my attention. Otherwise... not so much.

Updates to come once the big update is done on the My Little Pony game, and the first reviews of Equestria Girls begin rolling in, stay tuned.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Summer 2013 Day 20 : T-Minus 3 Days to Equestria Girls... where is my GameLoft game update.

Don't get me started on the whole Sunday ultra limited release of the first Friendship is Magic movie... which actually isn't a Friendship is Magic movie as much as its the pilot episode of Equestria Girls. It's coming, we'll know more next week once spoilers come out, it will be the only pony until November that isn't IDW comics or audio dramas. Ok. Whatever. Now gimme the newest update to GameLoft's village SIM game.

This game hads been going for about 7 months and counting, yet this is the second big update in seven months not counting updates to patch bugs or lower outrageous Premium currency (gems) prices, which apparently is supposed to happen again with this update.

Three big updates past that is a few new ponies, most of which can be bought with easily grindable coins including Equestria Girls New new villain pony Sunset Shimmer.

Octavia relocates to Canterlot, adding another pony to the rather low yet growing pony count of Canterlot. Finally pony adds the newest gimmick of movie slash tv village SIM tie in games by adding a theater to Canterlot, a theater that plays ads. However unlike those other theaters, this one is supposed to pay you in premium currency gems, a rarity since past ad modes paid unsurprisingly paltry payouts for watching ads... if this turns out to be true it may make the game easier to play and enjoy, especially if it makes acquiring Rarity and Rainbow Dash easier. All we need now is a way to earn heart credits not dependent on the woefully broken social online community, or heart credits removed outright if Gameloft cant fix its broken social network.

All we need is for it to update, and according to Equestria Daily it's supposed to be out today, only it has been hours and still waiting on the update. I heard the theater update is having problems so they may be holding this update back until that is fixed. Also the game server seems to have been going down infrequently during the last few days, another sign no doubt of the upcoming update.

Stay tuned for an update once it happens and I had a chance to try out the new update.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Comixology App Review

This should be straightforward. It's the Comixology App, what you use to buy, download and read your digital comics you acquire from Comixology, my new source for all things digital comic.

Plus side? Buying (once you get the hang of navigating the online store through the app), downloading and reading is easy to do. Even easier than working the old comic store on the PlayStation Network.

Downside? For some unfathomable reason the app absolutely refuses to utilize the full capacity of your tablet' s memory! This tablet has more than enough memory but the app will only let you hold 24 comics at a time... I really need to figure out how to expand storage memory so I can hold more comics, and comic collections.

Other than that one flaw? Great app from a great place to buy digital comics. A 4 out of 5.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Milestone Anniversaries... are we disappointed yet?

This year three series reach milestones in their existences. My Little Pony turns 30, Doctor Who turns 50, and Superman turns 75... are you satisfied yet with what your getting?

My Little Pony
Admit it, the Entertainment Weekly 2nd trailer for Equestria Girls changed your opinion on it didn't it. First off the movie has a purpose now, retrieving the big crown thingy Element of Magic from new antagonist Sunset Shimmer, lest the Elements of Harmony become useless without Twilight' s element. Second it's a Twilight and Spike team up as Spike dog turns out to actually be Spike (Cathy Wesluck), talking and everything. Third it looks like we may get homages to Star Trek IV The Voyage Home with Twilight struggling in a whole new world, in a whole new form... did I mention we get a break from Alicorn Princess Twilight Sparkle? All we need is Vice Principal Luna, David Tennant cameo as the Doctor (he appears at the Fall formal, behind the CMCs), Princess Celestia confronting her former pupil Sunset Shimmer, and Derpy/Ditzy and were all set.

Oh, and the year ends with Season 4 sporting a full season continuing where last season left off. Very nice.

Doctor Who
While the BBC is being slammed with a triple whammy (no Christopher E 9th Doctor or classic Doctors in the 50th Anniversary, then Matt Smith leaving the role at the end of 2013) you can still get some proper 50th Anniversary goodness on both sides of the Atlantic with a big Big Finish event with both classic Doctors and new recasts of the first three Doctors, as well as IDWs Doctor Who Prisoners of Time maxi series.

Could we stand for more, especially from IDW? Sure. Will we get more? Probably not... but you never know. Stay tuned.

Superman
Movie? Check. New batch of Superman titles? Check. Toys and statues and stuff? Check. If anything at least Superman feels fulfilling for its 75th Anniversary. At least there is that.

This won't be the last of this, especially in regards to Equestria Girls which is the first topic coming up... stay tuned.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Summer 2013 Day 16 : T-Minus 7 Days to Equestria Girls

I would like to say that I am considering being rather open minded towards headed to the theaters to see Equestria Girls. I am a solid Bring through and through, and giving this movie a chance is a Brony's duty and all... except for the fact only a small percentage if the United States can see this in theaters thanks to a horribly small theatrical release.

Despite the fact HASBRO has a full on set of merchandise ready to roll, including toys and maybe blind bags, lit including maybe a comic adapt eventually, and more... they're only releasing the movie in 200 theaters. 200. That is Spirited Away level poor theatrical release poor. And at 200 theaters? That is like 4 theaters per state... less for certain states if the biggest states get more than 4 theaters to screen it. What a disappointing turn of events. Yes the Brony community has not been the most enthusiastic about this, but with only 200 screens showing the movie odds are slim that you will be able to see this in theaters even if you wanted to be open minded about it. How disappointing.

Is the movie an ideal movie, given this is the 30th Anniversary of My Little Pony and the first Friendship is Magic movie? No. I think we could have had something better. A generational crossover, for instance. But this is the movie we were dealt, and sometimes we have to go to theater with the movie we are dealt like it or not.

Of late a bit more info has come to light, so as the days tick down I will go over the New stuff as we count down to the premiere of Equestria Girls... stay tuned.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Summer 2013 Day 12 : Some Multimedia This Summer

Well summer is here so what are some of the things we might be checking out? Here is a few, but I want to hear your recommendations for stuff happening this summer worth checking out! Post in the comments!

DC vs MARVEL on TV and Film
Well OK, movie wise it's just Man of Steel now, but animation on TV we have Avengers Assemble this month and The Real Gamma Powered Rage Beasts of Gammatown... I mean Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H... as interpreted by Reality TV. On the DC side it is Beware the Batman... whenever it premieres, with its new take on animated Batman with no popular Batman villains, Alfred as a part of the action, Batman teamed up with Katana from the Outsiders, and ongoing villain Drab Spectre... I mean Anarky. When this show premieres... hopefully that is announced at San Diego Comic Con.

Equestria Girls expands
The limited release theatrical movie is about to release, and the first multimedia tie in I'd about to release... apparently in the form of a GameLoft My Little Pony add on to the game. Still waiting to see what it is, but so far it seems to be a story arc involving Sunset Shimmer as the antagonist... what that involves, how much New stuff is added let alone the percentage between regular versus premium currency purchases (Canterlot Wedding story arc is disappointingly overstocked with Premium currency ponies and shops) remains to be seen... stay tuned for a first look at the expansion when it comes out shortly, stay tuned.

HALO The TV Series
No, losing all your rights as a gamer with XBox One didn't make a HALO TV Series worth it. So far Microsoft botched the introduction and pre E3 press release regarding the XBox One, and while I hope their E3 appearance turns it about... cancelling their post E3 round table where they could have sat down and talked in detail about the XBox One with concerned gamers doesn't bode well... in fact I am already dreading the next wave of ill news once the event happens... ugh.

On a personal note still waiting on the laptop, but once I got it and start working on podcasts updates to come. Stay tuned.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

A Whole New Doctor...

Apparently tinkering on a off season Doctor Who cast this month wasn't such a bad idea after all. On June 1st out of nowhere the BBC suddenly announced that Matt Smith is suddenly up and leaving Doctor Who, his last episode in this year's Christmas Special... what a way to celebrate Christmas. At least with David Tennant they celebrated with the new Doctor but this... and, mind you, when word came of Season 8 in 2014 it was implied that Matt Smith was returning as the Doctor in 2014. He even said that in an interview he gave to an American American newspaper between the announcement of Season 8 and June 1st. Why he suddenly is up and going boggles the mind... and lands new topics in our laps starting with the identity of the 12th Doctor.

The BBC announced right now, according to the latest hot rumor (God I hate rumor) that Season 8 kicks off August 2014 with 12 New episodes of content (no doubt in another split season format). That means unless the present likely suspect, John Hurt aka the alleged 9th Doctor mach one, becomes the 12th then we are presently on Doctor Watch, waiting for clues to the identity of the 12th Doctor.

Possible checkpoints?
The 50th Anniversary Special - November 2013
Think it airs around the Thanksgiving holiday if I remember right, first chance to see if the 12th is mentioned.

Doctor Who : Prisoners of Time #12 - December 2013
I already said on another blog how I am waiting on Issue #9 to see if the whole John Hurt as the true 9th Doctor rumors pan out as the 9th Doctor issue rolls out. Now, as the maxi ends, will it end premiering the 12th Doctor?

Conventional wisdom says no. Yes these days the USE comic is branded with the BBC logo, but considering Series III still has the Ponds as the companions I can't imagine that USE is very up to date on things. I could be wrong but we'll see. At least we now know Series IV will have Clara as the companion, and feature the 12th Doctor as of Series V.

So stay tuned, updates as I pick up new news on this... and how stubborn ponies like the Jamjar take to being proven wrong, and that they are not voicing the 12th Doctor.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

My Opinion on Equestria Girls

With my shoddy internet it is going to take awhile to get all my thoughts down on this.

It is the only official MLP release this summer, with nothing new until Holiday 2013 and the release of Season 4 of Friendship is Magic (not counting the official IDW comic series of course). Equestrian Girls couldn't disappoint the fandom more even if they tried, but to me it's not just the fact it's humanized ponies that riled so many tempers... though sadly no doubt that is just it, at the most shallow end of the reasoning pool.

It would have been just fine any other year, a Friendship is Magic spinoff to promote a new Bratz style storyline, but not this year... didn't you know? It's the 30th Anniversary of My Little Pony this year!

As Anniversaries go? If nothing else you do have to admit Equestria Girls is at least original... not that we wanted original, including Hasbro since Equestria Girls one point is marketing to the Bratz canvases, and here I thought the Bratz fanbase died off after the attempt at a live action movie. No, we probably would have been happier with a cross generational movie combining past generations and Friendship is Magic, much like how Doctor Who fans wanted classic Doctors in their 50th Anniversary Special... yeah, too bad. We ain't getting a generational crossover and they ain't getting classic Doctors. Get over it.

But if that was all it might, heaven forbid, be forgivable. But it's an Anniversary year and the first ever Friendship is Magic movie. A movie with a poor Spirited Away in Disney`s hands limited theatrical release, basically born and raised to promote a spinoff storyline marketed to the worst storyline ever, with a seemingly mindless plot that makes Twilight Sparkle a human...  and a horribly colored weird human at that... oh, and they turned Spike into  a dog.

I don't know, but if this was different maybe everypony wouldn't have had a full on meltdown over it. If it featured a crossover with humans from past generation pony series it might be forgiven. If the story involves reforming the movie`s villain Sunset Shimmer, Princess Celestia`s former student, it might be forgiven. If the sum of the movie was more anniversary celebration and less marketing gimmick it might be forgiven. Thing is what Hasbro wanted out of this, and ultimately what everypony wanted was two entirely different beasts. Fans wanted an excellent first movie, celebrating Friendship is Magic and My Little Pony at 30 years old.... Hasbro wanted a 80 minute commercial promoting pony Hunan toys and sets and blind bags and comics and whatever. Clear opposites.

But still maybe we might get a few surprises.
Maybe we will get a 15 or so minute short before the movie in the spirit of Pikachu shorts before Pokemon movies full of pony as we want it to be.
Maybe we will yet get human cameos from past generations to oooh over... or at the very least Vice Principal Luna, human Big Mac, and special appearances by John de Lancie aka Discord.
Thing is it will end eventually, and you just have to watch it once. Just once. Watch it, shoe your support get it over with, go back to pony. That is what I am going to do. Plunk down my money, watch the movie, show my support and review it. No more, no less. Sure, sure, maybe I will change my mind after I see it, kinda doubt it but... stay tuned.