Book Look: Rivals! Frenemies Who Changed the World Written By: Scott McCormick

Here

While this is in the middle grade section of Audible Stories, there are a few serious topics briefly touched upon.

Narration is listed as "Narrated by: Prentice Onayemi, Samantha Turret, Khristine Hvam, Gabriel Vaughan, Josh Hurley"

I'm not sure who does the main narration, but he does a great job. The delivery is wry and straightforward, something I've always enjoyed in my media (See, "Frasier"), with the addition of a childish slant that makes me laugh ("Your face looks like a booger!").

It even taught me things I didn't know, such as RUN DMC had a song called "My Adidas", and that Adidas and Puma were created within the same family as rival sports brands.

While listed as a 'series', there are only 2 chapters, with 4 stories spread between them. I just learned this morning that there is, indeed, a Rivals 2!

Book Look: Interview With the Robot by Lee Bacon

Because of a little worldwide pandemic kicking off the decade, many businesses have put up free wares for people to enjoy.

They've also quickly added things once thought to be impossible, like 'child care for retail and hospital workers' and 'paying them more than 8$ an hour'.

Today's book is actually an audiobook! Interview With the Robot.

It's a 12 year old (In practice) robot girl named Eve, who was created and raised by David and Emory, a scientist and his son.

It's told in flashbacks, as Eve is separated from the two...of her own making. She escaped.

I enjoy everyone's vocal performances, especially Emory's. I can't review it a bunch because it would be spoiling a lot of interesting things. It's basically "What happens when a tech bro hits middle age?"

The bits of humor are rare, but they are funny.

#8: Onward

Truth be told, I wasn't horrendously interested in this movie to begin with, but it's on digital extremely early, so here we are.

The main score motif is something I like. Actually, a lot of the music is really good and used effectively.  Some of the aspects of magic are clever, such as the imitation spells.

It feels both too contemporary and somehow very 90s.

I think Tom Holland's voice is the only one that truly seems different than his normal voice. Perhaps I'm too used to Pratt as Emmett in The Lego Movie.

Props to Tom Holland for sounding somewhat different than "Spies in Disguise".

This entire time, I just kept thinking of Disney movies I liked more than the one I was watching. Characters stuck in water in a cave? That's Tangled. Fire in a cave? That's Frozen II (Though I probably like this more than Frozen II).

I don't think Pixar can do medieval magical movies very well between this and Brave.

#7: Bloodshot

"Bold of you to assume I'm watching this for Vin Diesel." 

- Me when people assume I'm watching this movie for Vin Diesel.

"Oh, I didn't know you were a comic book fan! Valiant Comics, the 90s!"

Spoiler Alert: I don't know about the source material either. Cyborg Deadpool? Nice tagline though - "You don't need a past to have a future."

It's really difficult to find any kind of suspense in this because the first trailer already told you everything. Frankly, there isn't even a real point in you watching this unless you are totally a sucker for this genre.

This is the very rare comic book movies that hints at something different and actually does more than briefly touch upon the concept.

Trailer Tuesday: For Better or Worse

Well, about time, am I right? 461 days later, Disney gives us a second Artemis Fowl trailer.

It it what we wished for, or is it at odds with the actual character in the story books - Yeah, what do you think? They even changed the tagline to "Remember the name". What year is this?

Apparent butchering of, you know, the main character, aside, I think it looks fun enough, and that Disney squandered a great opportunity to do something different. That just isn't 2020 Disney.


I'm still calling this The Mitchells Vs the Machines, because Connected is a boring, too on the nose title.

The Death of Disney Daring

I hugely respect the hardworking cast members, and every individual who works to bring a product to market. It is not easy, and a company is not a singular entity. That being said, there are people at the top who make decisions that seem good for making money...not for keeping the integrity of the property.


I'm usually a big advocate of proper representation and changing questionable things.  I don't get my panties in a twist when a movie stars all men, or when women are villains. I don't say that to be a 'cool movie girl' or anything. If you've seen me around the interwebs, I'm fiercely defending 'Birds of Prey' from those who think women existing, being friendly toward each other, and fighting an opponent who happens to be a man is blasphemy of the highest order.


But conflict isn't a questionable thing, no matter what a certain job networking site will tell you.  Why won't you let protagonist men disagree with the female leads? Hell, the first Frozen was pretty good at that, and I am no fan of it.

 Disney doesn't have the balls to have new or remade stories where men are multifaceted or in roles that hint at a conflict with the main female character unless they are truly the villain.  I'm surprised the remake of "Beauty and the Beast" kept the clashing nature.

Today's movie topics of discussion:

i. Mulan (2020)
ii. Frozen II
iii. Artemis Fowl