My Lost series review

My Lost series review 

Intro: Gilligan's island eat your heart out. 

Lost: This series is about a group of people who survived a plane crash, it lands on an island and they have to band together to survive. That becomes difficult when they are attacked by a white bear, a cloud monster, inhabitants on the island and conflict with each other. So, the survivors have to get off the island before the danger escalate. 

This is one of the most intriguing series I've seen! The story is told as a mystery in a way where the viewers are as confused as the characters. That's the best part about this show it tells an ongoing mystery about the island or the characters. We also learn that the survivors are connected to each other in ways that may surprise you. I like that people died because it helps build tension. This show borrows elements from Lord of the flies. Each season takes its time to focus on one thing before moving on to something else. The island is a character itself because of what it does and what it can do for the characters. 

Jack is a doctor who is the reluctant leader of the group. What bugs me about him is that we get one flashback episode that wasn't subtle. 

John Locke is the wildcard in this series. I like his dynamic with jack because it's fact vs faith. 

Kate is a troubled woman with a past. For the most part, she just creates love triangles.

Hurley is the comic relief and the voice of reason on the island. 

Sawyer may be the douchebag of the pack but he does have a heart. You also feel for him in season 5. 

Sayid is the dangerous one of the pack because of his past of strong-arming people. Despite that, he does want stability.      

Ben Linus (Leader of the others.) is a control freak who has parent issues. The reason why he's on the island is to figure out why it's dangerous to women? This mystery is contrived because he has no reason to do this. Also, he doesn't seem to be completely interested in figuring this out. 

Speaking of the Others (The inhabitants of the island.) they are disappointing. They are described as brilliant savages but there not. That's saying a lot considering that they try to enslave them and play mind games with them. The show would have ended differently if both groups work together.            

One of the problems I have with this series is that the writers have us believe that a kid is behind all the weird things that happen on the island, but they forgot about him. What the fudge!?! The mysteries may be the best part of this series but it's also the worst. Instead of solving them the creators adds more and more and more. Don't get me wrong I'm fine with not all of them getting resolved but this is ridiculous. 

It also feels like the writers are making stuff up as they go along. Some of the characters wouldn't have been killed off if it wasn't for some behind-the-scenes drama maybe. Season 4 could have worked as a series finale with rewrites. It's time to address the elephant in the room and that's the ending. Whether or not the ending is a cop-out I'm not that outraged over it. It does explain all the strange things that happened on the island. Plus, the writers could have written themselves in a corner.

Overall, this is a decent series that I would recommend if you like mysteries.      

My rant about Prequels

My rant about Prequels 

 

I can be narrow-minded when it comes to Prequels. I mean, they can be hard to make because you have to tell the story backwards without contradicting yourself. That's the one and only problem I have with prequel stories. How can I be invested in a story if I already know the outcome? That's not always the best excuse to not watch or read them, just because you already know what happened, that doesn't mean you'll know how things will play out. For example, if I told you that Harvey Dent died in the dark knight without the either you died a hero or live long enough to see yourself be the villain line his death adds no weight to the story. 

That's how you make a good prequel it has to reinforce what we already know and adds context to it. Another example in history class I was jaw-dropped to learn that Black people were slaves to the point where I didn't believe it. After I saw Roots, underground and went to the Africa American museum I was still in shock. Hearing about what happened in the past should be as good as seeing it if it's not then something is wrong. Also, having this I already know what happened attitude can make you look arrogant. Let's use History class for example do you think the history teacher will accept I already know what happened as an excuse for not doing your homework? What about wars knowing who won means nothing if you don't know how the war was won and how it started because we will repeat past mistakes. 

Sometimes it's not about the destination is about the journey. Batman fans were annoyed that Batman Begins told Batman’s origin story. They didn’t want to see Batman’s origin being told because less is more. Seeing Batman's origin in that movie didn't ruin the movie for them. The same thing goes for Arrow, with the flashbacks. In fact, that's considered the best part of that series. There are somethings that shouldn't get a prequel because there isn't much to work with.

Another problem I have with prequels is when you bring in a new character or element from the past, it could overshadow the present story. Count Dracula, I mean Dooku, can close to doing that for me In the Star Wars prequels. I'm annoyed with how he was wasted in the third film. Speaking of Star Wars, there are things Star Wars fans didn't like about the Star Wars Prequels like the midichlorians, the prophecy, CGI Yoda, not knowing what role the Clone Wars play in this franchise etc.   

Look at Terminator Salvation, for example. That movie tried to tell us how John Connor became the resistance leader that we hear about in previous films. That was the problem I had with the movie I didn’t want to see that plus we didn’t hear stories about how he became the leader of the resistance he just became the leader. Because we don’t have a lot of knowledge of what the characters or what the universe was like beforehand that creates continuity issues. ( I know that's not the best example but you get the idea.) When you don't have an outline for a prequel you could write yourself into a corner. This is what I'm worried about in the show Gotham, I'm worried that it will make all the villains sympathetic. Do I really have to explain how problematic that is?

To me, a good prequel is a standalone story that flushes out characters and the world that we're familiar with without having prior knowledge of it. So far, we have that with X-Men first class despite the continuity issues. We also have that with the new Plant of the ape's movies; they almost connect with the original movies. Another way you can make prequels work is by telling the story backward I mean have the movie start in the middle of a character doing something wrong. Then have the movie shows the events that led up to that moment showing that he or she is not a bad person. Halo Reach is a good example of doing that and being a prequel. (Despite the hiccups in continuity.) That’s all I have to say about this subject.

My Reboot review

My Reboot review

 

Intro: This cartoon should have quit while it was ahead. 

Reboot: This series is centered on a guardian name Bob from the supercomputer he is sent to mainframe to protect it from viruses. On top of that, he has to get inside games and beat them if he doesn’t it will destroy a section of the city. This is one of those shows that sound simple but it’s not, in season two it starts telling an ongoing story. 

What I like about this series is that it gives us an idea of what it’s like inside of a computer, that’s impressive considering computers are not that advance in the ’90s. This show also made jokes and references to what’s popular during this time period and hardware for computers. I appreciate that this show shies away from its goofy nature and become more serious with every season (kind of.) because it helps this series reach its potential. There are also twists and turns that took me by surprise, plus world-building. For this being the first CGI show it looks good at the time now it doesn’t age well. 

I don't have much to say about Bob he's basically the town hero of Mainframe. 

Dot Matrix is the smart one of the group thanks to her father, we learn that her father was a scientist. That trait helps Bob defend mainframe from the viruses, plus she's a workaholic. What bugs me about her is she starts developing feelings for Bob but she doesn't tell him. I find it funny that the smartest character in this show can't express how she feels. 

Enzo Matrix is Dot's little brother and he's a typical boy as far as he loves to play games, goofs around and looks up to Bob. Despite that he does want to help Bob fight the viruses but can't due to his age, however, he does help him win some of the games. I like what the creators have done with him in season three, but I can't get into details without spoiling it. 

Mike the TV is annoying, part of the reason why is because he loves to say the price tag of 99. 

Mouse is a wild card in this series. She's a hacker with a Southern accent. She also has history with Bob, her hacking ability are useful to both parties. 

Phong is the mayor of mainframe and he's also a mentor to the main characters. However, he doesn't give them advice for free he will give you advice if you beat him in pong, I am not kidding about that. It's a good thing he doesn't do that if someone wants advice on a life-or-death situation. 

Megabyte (the main villain.) is a power hunger and egotistical virus. However, he carries himself like he's a mobster. He's also dangerous with his claws super strength and being able to jump high. I can't get into what bugs me about him without going onto spoiler territory. 

Hexadecimal (another baddie.) is dangerous due to how powerful she is and she's unstable. Despite her and Bob being adversaries they have a good rapport and I'm surprised with what the creators have done with her in season 4. 

Hack and Slash are comic reliefs who work for Megabyte. 

The problem I have with this series is I wish it ended in season 3 because I didn't like how this series ended. To be fair season 4 tried to answer some of the unanswered questions. Bob and Enzo are at odds with each other over how to deal with the viruses but that went nowhere. Overall, this was one of the best cartoons in the 90s, if you love cartoons then I would recommend this.  

My Street Sharks review

My Street Sharks review

 

Intro: I was going to joke about how far Vin Diesel has come as an actor, but he traded doing toy commercials to promote family.

Street Sharks: This cartoon is about four brothers who have transformed into mutant sharks thanks to Dr. Paradigm. He did this to get back at their father for interfering in his plan for world domination. So, the four brothers use their abilities to stop Dr. Paradigm and figure out what happened to their father?

Out of all the TMNT clones, I enjoy this one the most. (Besides Swat Cats) This show even took a jab at TMNT. I can’t tell you if this is a cartoon that has one-off episodes or tells an ongoing story because it manages to do both. The problem I have with TMNT is that I didn't like them fighting the shredder all the time. I don’t have that issue here because Dr. Paradigm is connected to them. Plus, not every episode is about stopping him. This show also has world-building for example showing us other creatures and characters being gene-slammed. Also, this series spin-off another series called Extreme Dinosaurs. Just like Jurassic Park, this show deals with playing with genetic power. This cartoon deals with other serious subjects like dictatorships, drug dealing, gambling addiction and the ugly side of war. This cartoon also has ridiculous episodes like time travel.          

Ripster is the leader of the four and the smart one.

Jab is the lazy and hotheaded one of the group.

Streex is the fun one and a flirt.

Big Slammu does have much personality beyond being the muscle.

Bends is an ally of the street sharks who proves them a base, tech support and comic relief.

Lena is a student of Dr. paradigm who fills the street sharks in on what he’s up to.

Dr. Paradigm is the typical mad scientist who makes things difficult for the street Sharks by having the public think they are dangerous and discredit their father.

I don’t have much to say about his henchmen because they don’t stand out with the exception of Killamari. He’s the competent one and the most dangerous of Dr. Paradigm’s henchmen.     

Guy in the sky may not be a villain but he’s an instigator. I wish I knew what he looked like.

One of the problems I have with this cartoon is the shark puns. This cartoon removed some of the side characters for no reason. To be fair some of them are not that helpful. Setting up Extreme Dinosaurs shouldn’t take eight episodes. Plus, the street sharks get shafted in favor of doing that. There are also head-scratching moments in the cartoon and some loose ends. Overall, this is an underrated cartoon. I would recommend this if you like 90’s cartoons because this is a product of its time.                

My rant about suicide

My rant about suicide

Intro: I wanted to cover this subject and others in my rant about morality, but I feel like this should be a separate post. This is not a suicide note or me encouraging people to commit suicide, I’m just giving my thoughts on the subject.

People have misconceptions about suicide, I mean people see it as cowardly, someone being lazy or ungrateful. Just because someone is thinking about ending his or her life doesn't mean that person is suicidal. I see suicide as a way to defend your life, if life is full of disappointments, then who in their right mind wants to endure that? I'm not fond of the idea of anyone having control over my life, but I don't want complete control of it either because I want to be surprised. Don't get me wrong I know hardship and suffering are a part of life however those things are suppose to help you grow as a person not overwhelm you. It can be overwhelming if you don't have a good support system, your physical and mental needs are not being met. Most people especially men won't get that if you're not desirable to others and by desirable I don't just mean looks. When that happens, it will become a problem for everyone else as I explained in my Father's Day rant. 

I find it both funny and insulting that people have bad things to say about those who want to die because if it was up to us, we would want a life free of misery. I say that because we don't know how to deal with the ugly side of life, we wouldn't have vacation time, the path of less resistance, meditation, medication to keep us sane, addictions, therapists and religion if that wasn't the case. Heck, the stress of staying healthy, keeping a job, a car and a house can get to you. That's another reason why I don't want kids if life becomes too much for them to the point, that they want to be euthanized that's on me. If I can't provide a good life for kids or help them through hardship, then I'm doing them a disservice, but I digress. 

I have a love-hate relationship with money because we need it, we let it run our lives. If that's not true let me ask you this, what would you do with your life if you didn't have to worry about money? Money can also cause us to do horrible things, do you really think people would be OK with killing anyone and sex trafficking if there wasn't a lot of money involved? I'm tired of having to earn my right to live because I didn't ask to be here. The only thing we should earn is the luxuries in life. This might not be an issue if we had UBI. (Universal basic income. That can work if everything is automated or our economy is based on consumerism.) What's the point of living if you can't live life the way you want to live it? I'm tired of hearing people say nothing and no one can stop you from doing what you want because that's a bunch of crap. There are factors like your environment, the laws and people that are keeping me or anyone from living how you want to live within reason.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. Why do I have to wait until I'm fifteen to work, why can't I work when I was five? I mean that when I first start doing choirs if you're old enough to do choirs you should be old enough to work. What's their excuse it's not safe really, it's not safe for almost anyone. Anyone can get mugged, robbed, killed, kidnapped and raped. I'm sorry but that's not good enough. Kids learn how to add and subtract, why can't they work in a grocery store and as a cashier or swipe the floor? If people can use kids as soldiers and sex objects then why can't they work? You can't say you're against child labor and not object to Schools operating like prisons.  

Another example is if someone breaks into my house, I should be allowed to shoot the robber without getting into trouble for not firing a warning shot. The robber didn't warn me that he was going to rob me so why should I fire a warning shot? That's not cold-blooded murder when someone trespass on your property, when that happens you should have the right to deal with that as you see fit. Since we're on the subject of robbing people if someone robs me and the robber threatens to kill me if I tell anyone I was robbed I'll agree to that. 

It's not because he or she threaten to kill me it's because that person didn't kill me. I want to be a man of my word; the robber and I have an agreement. I won't tell on him or her, the robber keeps the money and I live. I can live with that. Really if you tell police that you were robbed, you're making it hard for the next victim. I mean if you tell the police, you were robbed and the robber goes to jail. If that person gets out of jail and robber's people again that person will start killing the victims. It's hard to build a case against someone without victims. 

If I decide to pick up a prostitute, I'm not going to be happy about it, but you can't shame me for it for two reasons. First of all, I respect that they let you know if we're going to do a, b or c you have to pay this amount of money. Second, how is picking up a prostitute any different from dating, who spends the most money on a date? I shouldn't be condemned for wanting to get laid instead of being in a relationship waiting weeks or months hoping to get laid. Like I said before if you have to wait that long she's not into you.   

My point is it's impossible to take responsibility for your life when it's beyond your control. I mean you have no control over anything that happens to you good or bad like being subjected to disease or viruses, someone trying to kill or abducted you, the banks or IRS taking your money, your house getting destroyed by a tornado, etc, etc. We wouldn't comment on those things if that wasn't the case. It's almost difficult to run a business without resorting to micromanaging to avoid scrutiny when something goes wrong under your watch. 

Also, the choices you make in life are a double edge sword for example I can get a job that pays me well enough for me to live in a nice area. If I'm not happy that the job supersedes my life that's on me. If I get a job that doesn't do that but doesn't pay enough for me enough to get the basic things I need, that's on me too. You see I'm screwed if I do, I'm screwed if I don't. If you don't think indirect responsibility should matter just as much as direct responsibility, then the little fish shouldn't face criminal charges. Basically, I don't like being told what to do unless it benefits me. This is why I don't want to be put in a position of authority because A it's a babysitting job and B if I don't like to be told what to do why would I tell other people what to do? 

Also, you either have a huge ego or you're delusional to think you have everyone's best interest in mind. How can you when you don't take the time to get to know your subordinates or if you won't put your interest above there? The Army and sports teams understand this, as far as they know you have a better chance of beating your opponent if you study them. This is why I can't be famous because I'm a private person. I don't mind people taking pictures and interviews but it shouldn't happen every time they see me. If I was a director of a show or movie, I can't create the show or movie I want because studios will try to undermine my ability to do that, there have been so many stories of that happening. 

I'm surprised that men are not committing suicide out of the blue, if they were I would understand. Men are tired of the world treating them like they're disposable. If that's not true then let me ask the men and boys this, has anyone shown interest in your life the way a therapist does? If the answer is no, then I prove my point. Also, have you noticed that people only showed interest in men and boys when they do something wrong? I understand why Black men don't do it it's because we have been mistreated for so long that we've become numb to it and that's a problem. How can we draw the line with how people should treat us when we allow a lot of crap to happen to us? Men are also tired of women making things difficult for them. Let's face it women, in general, don't love men, if that's not true then explain the following. 

Why do women laugh at a man when he cries? 

Why do women make fun of a man if he can't satisfy his wife or girlfriend in bed? Sidenote women look foolish for doing that, like I said before sex has its growing pains. 

Why do women falsely accuse men of rape and abuse? 

Why do women try to keep the kids away from the father? 

If a man has a low opinion of women, the women shame him by saying he can't get laid. Ladies you need to stop saying that because you're making his point valid. 

Men, have you ever seen a group of women break up a fight between two men? 

Why do women laugh when the media portrays men as incompetent and when women are abusive towards men? 

Why do women try to make men broke in a divorce? 

Why do women make it hard for us to get laid? 

Why are women uncomfortable with men being able to defend themselves against women?  

Come on do I need to continue? There are times where I wish I didn't exist, as far as going to sleep and never wake up. I feel this way for two reasons, they are how society treats Black people and not having a father around. Having life, liberty and the purpose of happiness means nothing if your boundaries are not respected. What's the point of having the right to bear arms if we can't exercise that right? I understand what the late Eldridge Cleaver meant when he said I will not be free until I can have a white woman in my bed. I mean he wants the option of getting with other races of women. If we have freedom and racism is dead no one should care about who you date or marry. Plus, White men created this problem, you can't promote the image of White women being the standard of beauty and then complain about other races of men wanting to get with them. 

Also, I'm not a miracles worker but people expect me to work miracles for them. (If you work at a high demanding job, you know what I'm talking about.) If you can perform miracles for others but not for yourself then something is wrong. I don't think people appreciate how hard it is to start from the ground up, they watch and read too many underdog stories. People who are born poor or in the middle class are not going to thrive to do better because they're a custom to the life they have, if someone demands better, he or she will be labeled as spoiled. 

I don't want to die of old age because I'm not looking forward to getting old. No! I don't have Peter Pan syndrome even if I did so what? It's understandable why men have that because we are responsible for building and maintaining society. Due to that, we don't have the luxury of being free or experiencing the luxuries of life until we're 45 or 55. Also, where's the dignity in dying when your body and mind is falling apart? The day I can't go to the bathroom on my own is the day I want to die because I don't want to be a burden on anyone.  

It's hard to have a good attitude about what life throws at me because I don't know if it will make or break me? Spider-Man 2 is a prime example of what I'm talking about. Peter tries to balance being Spider-Man and his life, but he has nothing to show for it. His life was going down the toilet because he tried to do too much. He doesn't have the best support system because he breaks promises to people and his aunt can only do so much. I understand why Peter quit being Spider-Man because he's responsible for his life. I'm not saying putting others before yourself was a mistake however it shouldn't come at the expanse of pushing yourself over the edge. 

There was a time where if I could start my life all over again, I strive to be a well-rounded person as far as being trained and equipped to deal with every situation. That's what you need to survive and be respected. Now it's not worth the effort because that takes too much work to achieve. Also, improving yourself can do more harm than good, that's a topic for another time. If it was up to me, I would live off the grid or on an island. I get annoyed when people tell me to make plans for my life because that's arrogant for reasons I explained earlier. In order for things to work in my favor life has to throw me a bone instead of monkey wrenches. How can anyone expect me to find meaning in my life if society or my so-called family don't value my life? Also doing that goes against people saying life is short and uncertain to have regrets. Were they lying when they said those things?   

Now back to the people that criticize others for committing suicide it's not our place to judge them because we don't know what he or she is going through. If you don’t think being homeless, blind, paralyzed, dying of leukemia, being wrongly convicted of a crime and being born into sex trafficking are not the worse things to happen to anyone then you should have no problem being put in those situations. If you don’t want to know what that’s like then you’re in no position to tell those people that they shouldn’t think about committing suicide. 

Heck dealing with narcissistic people is enough to drive anyone nuts, if it was up to me, I would put them in a Psych Ward, but I digress. Also, if we don't know the person that wants to kill him or herself then that person's actions shouldn't affect us. You know what we shouldn't have a problem with suicide because we allow abortion, women have an abortion because having a baby is inconvenient for them. So why are abortions OK but not suicide? So, we don't need permission to be broth into the world, but we need permission to leave it what's up with that?  

To the people that say that people who commit suicide are selfish stop saying that, stop making it seem like being selfish is bad. At the end of the day, you have to think about yourself because no one else will. Again, why is suicide a selfish act but not abortion? We seem to forget that it's his or her life, if someone doesn't want to live in a world full of war, segregation and hatred that's their choice, he or she shouldn't live just to spare you the pain of losing them. 

Would you rather the person take his or her life than take the lives of others? Just because life is more cruel than it is fair that doesn’t make it easy for us to overcome the cruelty, we wouldn’t try so hard to avoid that if that wasn’t the case. We avoid the hardship of bad health by going to the gym and eating healthy food. We avoid the hardship of being poor by being greedy with our money. We use technology to make things automated, the list goes on. Let me ask you this do you think lazy people should be rewarded? If the answer is no, then that's another reason why you shouldn't frown upon suicide. I mean if you're not willing to stay healthy or work why bother living? What happened to give me liberty or give me death? 

The bottom line is this is your life your choice.   

My thoughts on movie tie in games

My thoughts on movie tie in games 

 

Since I’m starting to see less and less of these games, I think it’s time for me to talk about them.

I don’t know about you, but I’m surprised that movie tie-in games lasted this long because they don’t seem to make as much money as other video game franchises, as far as I know. (Plus, I see those games in bargaining bans in retail stores.) Also, most of them are bad, part of the reason why is the rushed production. The developers didn’t work on the game at the same time as the filmmakers filmed the movie; even if they did, making movie tie-in games is a gamble. If the movie isn’t well-received, what makes you think the games will sell? Plus, you have to ask yourself, can this movie work as a video game, and what elements from the movie can be used as gameplay? 

The only way around this issue is to come up with a story that takes place before, during, or after the movie.

These are some movies that have no business being a video game. Sorry! There are so many of them that I can't think of any examples at the top of my head. Plus, the game follows the same story as the movie for the most part, so there’s no surprise in the game’s story. Then again, the DBZ fighting games have the same story as the anime, and no one seems to mind that, but I digress. Speaking of that, I'm surprised that we have tie-in games of TV shows and cartoons, because they are made before the show ended. Spider-Man 2 is held as the gold standard for how movie tie-in games should be done. It has an open world, has a lot of content for the game to have replay value, and the game gives you the experience of playing as Spider-Man. I think it’s kind of messed up that this game got so much praise. I’m not saying that it doesn’t deserve it; however, we had decent tie-in games before Spider-Man 2, like Golden Eye and The Lion King. 

I’m let down that the tie-in game haven't gotten better after Spider-Man 2. ( To be fair, Star Wars episode 3 Revenge of the Sith tie-in game also gets overlooked.) Well, we have some successes like X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Captain America, and the Lego games that are based on movies, but they don’t rival Spider-Man 2. The Batman Arkham games manage to do what Spider-Man 2 did, but better. X-Men Legends could have worked as a tie-in game for the first X-Men movie. I say that because the story in that game is similar to the movie, but the game has better world-building. There is one tie-in game that I'm disappointed with, and that is the Iron Man game. How can you screw up an Iron Man game? Another reason why I feel this way is because of the story in the first game, you don't just destroy Tony's weapons, you also fight other terrorist groups, and the game answers one of the plot holes in the movie. That's what I like about this game, it builds off of the movie's story. If more of these tie-in games did the same thing, I wouldn't mind them so much. 

Another thing that hurts these games is that there are different versions of them; people assume that just because they played one version of the game, then they're all the same. That's not always the case due to third-party developers, for example, the Wii version of Battleship is different from the XBOX 360 and the PS3. The Wii version of Battleship is a strategy game, and the other two console versions are shooter games. Also, the Wii version of Iron Man is not as bad as the other two consoles, plus the graphics could look better that depends on which version you're playing. Do you see how this is an issue? No one is going to buy a new console just to play a better version of a game unless he or she has money to burn.    

Despite that movie, tie-in games are a cash grab that doesn't mean that they can't reach their full potential. 
    

My Rant about CGI

My Rant about CGI 

Man, O man, you have no idea how much CGI annoys me in movies. CGI has plagued movies over the years; this is something we see all the time. Two movies that made Studios overuse CGI and they are T2 and Jurassic Park. Don’t get me wrong, those films are good; however, what filmmakers fail to realize is that those films use CGI when it’s needed. In T2, that movie uses CGI for the T-1000. The T-1000 is made of liquid metal; it’s not possible to do a practical effect of a liquid metal Terminator. Originally in Jurassic Park, the Dinosaurs were suppose to be stop motion, but Mr. Spielberg changed his mind after seeing CGI footage of the Dinosaurs.

Now movie studios are stuffing their movies with CGI. I’m tired of Hollywood doing this, I mean, when someone does something new, they milk the crap out of it. What’s the point of dumping CGI in movies? All you're doing is making my eyes bloodshot! Heck, CGI is not going to hold up in a few years. Look at CGI Yoda, for example; he looks bad then, and he still looks bad now. I feel bad for saying that because I know how hard they worked to make him look like the puppet it's based on. ( plus, he looks better the second time around.) 

Then again, the CGI in District 9 looks good despite its low budget. So is this a money problem or a talent problem? I was watching Tron with a bunch of kids, and they were complaining that the CGI looks bad; of course, it looks bad; this movie was from the 1980s. You know what, kids, thirty years from now, people are going to think that the CGI in Tron Legacy looks bad. This is an issue I have with CGI; it’s affecting the minds of kids. Kids don’t appreciate a movie without CGI. Heck, they don’t appreciate black-and-white films. 

Also, when using CG1, you have to consider the lighting a color palette of the scene or character. 
That's another thing that bothers me about CGI is the CGI characters don’t look believable. Here’s an example, the 2003 Hulk film, the Hulk moves and jumps around in that movie like he’s weightless. The bottom line is CGI should be used as a last resort, not as a band-aid, just because you don't like how the movie looks in post-production. Yes! Mr. Lucas, I'm talking to you.

Now I understand that directors would rather use green or blue screens instead of filming at a location because of the weather and filming permits. However, when you do that, you take away the authenticity of the film. I’m not saying ban CGI, but use it if it’s necessary; 90% of a movie shouldn’t be CGI. The only movie genre that should be allowed to use CGI is sci-fi films. It's possible to do Avatar without CGI. We need to go back to using Practical effects, Set pieces, animatronics, and stop motion. It would be nice to see Pixar release a 2D animated movie.                   

My rant about movies based on people and true events

My rant about movies based on people and true events.


                         

Besides Horror films, movies that are based on People and true events are the types of films that I’m not crazy about watching. The reason why is because there's no surprise in watching them especially if you're already familiar with the person or the event. Also, this seems like a cheap why for actors and actresses to win an Oscar, no offense OK I’m sure you're wondering how can I like watching movies based on Comic books or novels and not want to watch movies based on people or events? The answer is simple Comic books and Novels are fiction, when I watch those movies, I don’t expect them to be accurate to the source martial most of the time. With that said that doesn't change the fact that writers making changes from the source martial bothers me, well it depends on what changes the creators make. 

That’s what bugs me about the films based on people and events, those films add or change things that didn’t happen in real life. This annoys me because I consider that an insulting thing to do especially if the person is dead or something happen that became part of history. Like I said when you make a movie about someone or a real-life event you have a responsibility to honor the and what happen. If studios don’t think that the real story of someone isn’t good enough on its own, then why bother making movies out of it? I know Hollywood is money hungry but let’s be respectful. I was jaw dropped that Titanic and the Social Network won Oscars and became hit films because those films weren’t accurate. The Titanic movie dishonored the memory of the people on that ship. As for the Social Network really? Mr. Zuckerberg became famous because he badmouths his girlfriend online. Almost anyone can do that watch. 

Venessa, you are the most stupid, brainless, manly, unforgivable, useless, butt infected, spineless, non-seductive, disgusting, fake, careless, obnoxious women I have ever met so far. See where’s my Facebook deal?

I was really surprised that Disney did this with the Disney movie Pocahontas, because Pochaontas is a real person and things happen with her tribe that took place in our history and the history of Native Americans. It's one thing to trash our own history its worst to do it to someone else's history. The bottom line is this if you're making a movie that's retelling someone's history you need to be very careful about doing it.

My I robot review

 My I robot review 

 

Intro: I'm surprised that this movie isn't a sequel to Blade Runner because it could work as one. 

I Robot: This movie takes place in the year 2035 where Humans and Robots co-exist thanks to the three laws robots follow. One day the founder of these robots is murdered and Detective Spooner suspense one of the robots killed him. During the investigation, Detective Spooner learns that there's more to this murder, so he has to figure out what it is before things get out of hand. 

This is one of the worse adaptations I've ever seen so far. I say that because this movie has nothing to do with the book it's based on, so what's the point of calling this movie I robot? What bugs me about this is that there is a screenplay for I robot so why didn't the people who worked on this movie use that? Even if this movie was called something else it won't change how I feel about it because it wasted its premise by making it a standard action movie. The reason I say that this movie could have been a sequel to Blade Runner is that the novel did the same thing that this movie did but differently. The mystery could have been good if it wasn't for the head-scratching moments. That's another thing the movie suffers from plot holes. The movie does nothing new with the dynamic between humans and robots. I would like to know how this world works I mean the robots do public services jobs. So what happens to the people who can do those jobs but not good enough to do anything else? The product placement in this movie annoys me because it's in your face.  

Detective Spooner is a pleasant person to be around for the most part. he also biased towards robots because of an ordeal he when through. That's what bothers me about this character I find it hard to believe that he can be the only one who feel this way about the robots. Also, I wish someone would challenge his viewpoint on them to see if he's a hypocrite. 

Susan Calvin is an employee at USR the place that builds the robots and she sucks at her job. I say that because her job is to make them look human. She's also bland and the reasons why she does things make no sense. 

Sonny (The robot in question.) is also lame he does what the plot needs him to do. That's a shame because the movie could have done more with him. 

I like that the movie introduces ideas if only things were done with them. The film has its moments of humor. Overall, this movie is not underrated to me. It's fine as an action film but not as an adaptation. 

Rating = Rental             

My review of the Transformers cartoons

My review of the Transformers cartoons

 

Prologue: To celebrate the 30th anniversary of this franchise, I decided to review the cartoons that I've seen. I might review the other Transformers cartoons, then again, what can I say about the Unicron Trilogy that's already been said? For those of you who don't know, Transformers is based on three different toy lines from Japan; a company called Hasbro has brought them to the U.S. Due to that, Transformers has become a well-known franchise with cartoons, movies, comic books, and video games. 

Intro: A cartoon about robots transforming into motor vehicles, I can see why this was popular in the '80s, unlike the Ninja Turtles. I'm just kidding. 

Transformers G1: This series is centered on a group of robots called Autobots from the planet Cybertron. They're looking for a power source to keep their plant stable, so they travel in space to find one. Meanwhile, another group of robots called the Decepticons ambushes them, which cause both groups to crash land on Earth four million years in the past. When they are revived in the present day, they see that Earth has plenty of resources to stabilize Cybertron, so both groups fight each other for them.

Despite this cartoon being a toy commercial, it’s not bad. I don’t mind watching this if it were on TV. I appreciate that this series isn’t repetitive, I mean, not every episode is about the two robot groups looking for Energon. This show has episodes that deal with propaganda, religion, foreshadow how bad Mr. Bay’s Transformers movies are going to be, an episode for GI Joe fans, and an episode where the Decepticons got drunk. How the creators got away with that is beyond me. The jokes in this series are not cheesy, unlike Power Rangers; however, they feel dated. I don’t get why fans are annoyed with the human characters. They help the Autobots fight the Decepticons so what’s the problem?  

Let’s talk about the Autobots

Ironhide is a hothead.

Ratchet is the team’s medical officer.

Wheeljack is one of the smartest Autobots. Sometimes his inventions bites him in the rear.

Jazz is the cool one who’s into music.

Bumblebee is the youngest and one of the smallest Autobots. I don't get why he's a fan favorite. 

The Dinobots are the Autobot's muscle.

Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots and not a good one. He plays favorites, makes decisions that endanger the Autobots, and when one of them wants to quit, he doesn’t encourage him to stay. In the tie-in movie, he lost Earth to the Decepticons. Congratulation Optimus! Not only are you a bad leader, but the dumbest character on this show. How can Optimus lose Earth to the Decepticons when he has more manpower? ( I'm not saying it's not possible however, it still makes him look bad.) Would fans please explain to me why they (My editor censors what I'm saying to avoid me spoiling anything.) in the movie? It hurts me to say that because he does have moments where he shines; however, they are overshadowed by the things I mentioned.

Ultra Magnus is second in command of the Autobots. Wait! I thought Ironhide was Optimus's right-hand man, and Ultra Magnus is the voice of reason. I would like to know why he didn't show up sooner? 

Hot Rod is Brash and headstrong. I like this character even though he rubs fans the wrong way. The reason why I'm fond of him is that he's the only character who has a character arc, as far as I know. 

Arcee is kind and caring. 

Spike (one of the human allies) is a typical boy.

I don’t have much to say about Sparkplug (Spike’s father) He helps repair the Autobots.

Chip is the bright human ally. The only complaint I have with him is that we don’t know what happened to him after season two? 

Now let’s talk about the Decepticons, who are the villains.

Shockwave is the guardian of Cybertron. He’s a loyal follower of Megatron.

Speaking of Megatron (leader of the Decepticons), he's a tyrant. My beef with him is that he doesn’t do much about Starscream undermining him, which ends up biting him in the butt in the movie. Also, his plans fail because he tries to multitask, and he's not good at it. Do I really have to explain why I don't like that he can transform into a gun of all things!?!  

I can see why Starscream is a fan favorite because he's the only Decepticon that stood out. (Besides Soundwave.) He may be a backstabber, but he’s ambitious. There's one episode where he came close to defeating Optimus by himself. I wish I knew why he doesn’t trust Megatron. I mean, Megatron’s plans would have worked if it weren’t for him.

Soundwave is Megatron’s adviser, and he’s arguably the most powerful Decepticon.

Galvatron is a raging madman. 

The Quintesson are manipulative; they have a history with the Autobots and Decepticons. 

One of my many problems with this cartoon is that there are too many characters; heck, all of them didn’t show up in the movie. Also, the writer could have done a better job at introducing us to these new characters. Do I really have to comment on the editing and plot holes? This series is inconsistent with the continuity this series establishes. Season 4 only has three episodes, why!?! I’m not crazy about female Autobots. We learn that new robots are created by other means, so what’s the point of having them if they don’t reproduce new life? I’m annoyed that the creators brought back a character that died in the movie, all because kids can’t deal with disappointments. (Thanks a lot, parents! If I’m wrong about why the writers brought this character back, then I stand corrected.)   

Overall, this is a solid cartoon that I think holds up fine. I would recommend this if you like cars and robots.  

  

Intro: So we have a Transformers series where the Transformers use animals to disguise their robot forms. Am I the only one who finds this disturbing?

Beast Wars: This series takes place centuries after the events of G1, the Maximals (descendants of the Autobots) and the Predacons (descendants of the Decepticons) live in peace on Cybertron since then. One day, the Predacons steal a valuable object, and the Maximals have to catch them. During their pursuit, they crash land on an unknown planet that has what the Predacons want, and that’s Energon, so the Maximals have to stop them from getting it and get off the planet. 

The premise may sound similar to Transformers G1, but it’s a step up from that. This show isn’t flooded with too many characters, and they have to deal with aliens. I like how the story progresses, and I’m impressed with how this series connects to G1. The CGI was impressive at the time, but now it’s dated. I’m shocked at how this series got away with innuendos. I appreciate that we have two episodes that show that the Maximals are not so noble. 

Let’s talk about the Maximals

Optimus Primal is a by-the-book leader. What bugs me about him is that he only got one focus episode, and that's not enough to get inside this character's head. 

Rhinox is the brains of the team and second in command. He also keeps the team level-headed.

Rattrap is the comic relief. He does the spy work for the team.

Cheetor is the youngest member of the team. His overconfidence, impulsive, and kiss-up to Optimus, I mean, look up to him. I'm fond of the character development he has in this series.

Dinobot is a Predacon who joins the Maximals because he feels betrayed by Megatron. He's ruthless and honorable. He creates an interesting dynamic for the Maximals, he second-guesses Optimus, and has a love-hate relationship with Rattrap. (To be fair, Rattrap can be annoying.) Also, he’s torn between the Maximals and Predacons as far as loyalty.

Silverbolt cracks me up because of how cheesy he is. I mean, he screams 1950s Superman.

Tigertron is a passive.

Now to the Predacons 

Megatron is hard for me to take seriously because of how goofy he is; he’s not a clown; however, he doesn’t feel threatening. He's fond of Dinobot. You’ll see what I mean when you watch this series.

Waspinator is a walking punching bag because of that. I feel sorry for him. I’m surprised that he didn’t betray Megatron, I mean, he had every reason to. It's hard to find that kind of obedience. 

Tarantulas is the bright one on his team.

Blackarachnia is smart in her own right and manipulative. 

Inferno is loyal. I’m surprised that no one fixed his programming.

Rampage is the muscle.

The biggest problem I have with this show is killing off characters. I don’t have an issue with it; it’s how it was done that is the issue. Considering the type of damage the transformers take in this series, it’s hard to tell what can or can't kill them; also, some of it was played for laughs, which makes it worse. The Predacons are another gripe I have with this series; most of them are like Starscream in their own way. The writers could have handled the plot twist in season two a lot better. The comedy can be a bit much. Season one is the weakest season out of the three because it doesn't have much of a story beyond the aliens subplot. This series did something that undermines one of the best episodes in this series. 

All in all, this is a good follow-up to G1 with better writing, characterization, and animation.  

       

Intro: Fans are right, this is the worst Transformers cartoon! What? I smiled? Darn it! I can’t say that with a straight face.  

Beast Machines: Six of the surviving Maximals return to Cybertron after the Beast Wars. Instead of getting a warm welcome, they're being hunted, they have no memory of what happened when they got there, two of them are missing, and they're dying from a virus. After being cured of the virus, they learn that Cybertron is under Megatron’s control, so the Maximals have to find their missing allies and free Cybertron from Megatron's reign.

Despite this series being underrated, I can see why fans despise it; it’s a far cry from Beast Wars as far as story, characters, and tone. This feels like an original show, but the creators put Transformers in the title so more kids can watch it. That’s understandable, I would have done the same thing. If you can look past that, this is a sequel to Beast Wars; you’ll see that this is a fine show. I like that this series has a dark story and the mysteries in this series, because doing these things gives us something different. I appreciate that Beast Wars has pay-off in this series, and it connects two of the previous series. I’m fond of how these series handle the themes they are collectivism vs free will, technology vs nature.

Optimus Primal is a mass; his ability to lead is compromised by his guilt over losing Cyberton to Megatron. Thankfully, he got over that in time, and he's more of a spiritual leader.

Cheetor is second in command and the voice of reason of the Maximals.

Rattrap is R2-D2, I mean, he fills in Rhinox’s spot on the team as far as being an inventor. My beef with him is that he lost his sense of humor; all he does is complain more than usual. Rattrap losing his ability to fight is not a big issue for me because... 

 look at him, what threat does he pose? 

    

Blackarachnia doesn’t serve much of a purpose in this series; all she does is look for one of her allies. What happened to her intelligence?

Silverbolt is the opposite of what he was in Beast Wars. To the fans who have a problem with this, let me ask you this. Do you like Batman more than Superman? If the answer is yes, then you have nothing to whine about.

Nightscream is a loner who warms up to the Maximals over time. I don’t get why fans don’t like him.    

Botanica is a scientist and passive. What annoys me about her, besides her being a transforming plant ( I wish I was high so that I could make up what I just said), is that she showed up towards the end of the series.  

Now to the villains

Megatron is more menacing than he was in Beast Wars. I don’t buy his disgust for organics.  

Jetstorm (one of Megatron’s generals) is Mr. Personality. However, he wasn't funny enough to balance the dark tone in this series. 

Tankor is like the Hulk as far as all muscles and no brains. I'm not crazy about what was done with him later on.

Thrust is cool.

My grievances with this series are that you really have to suspend your disbelief. Also, the conflict between the Maximals and Megatron is contrived; the reason why the Maximals want to bring organics to Cybertron is because the Oracle told them to. No one is going to second-guess it? Also, I’m not crazy about the designs of the technorganics; they're all over the place. This makes me want to cheer for Megatron. Plus, there's no evidence that Cybertron can support organic life and plot holes with the virus. I wish this series had done more with Cybertron.   

This may not be a good entry to the Transforms franchise, but it's a good series. I would recommend that fans give it a second viewing.  

      

Intro: WOW! Where was this level of writing when the writers were working on the Transformers movies? That’s right, the writers of this show are the same ones who wrote the Transformers movies. Either they were slacking off or they were on meth.

Transformers Prime: This series is about a group of Autobots arriving on Earth because their home planet, Cybertron, is a wasteland due to the war. They manage to keep a low profile until three kids notice them, and the Decepticons leader, Megatron, shows up. So the Autobots and Decepticons continue their war on Earth.

This series blew me away! I’m fond of the mature tone, how this show handles references to past cartoons, the creators humanize the Transformers, and the explanation of why they're on Earth. This series introduces a different kind of energon that can revive the dead. Speaking of deaths, I’m happy that characters stay dead for the most part. I appreciate that one of the Autobots died at the beginning, and the Decepticons outnumbered them 100 to 1, because this helps build suspects. (Plus, they have to deal with human threats.) Do I really have to mention how good the GCI looks? 

Let's talk about the characters

Bulkhead is friendly, lovable, and childish. 

WheelJack is like Jazz from G1 instead of what he was in G1, and he’s Blukhead’s best friend.

Ratchet is a cranky doctor and scientist.

Arcee is a lone wolf to the point where she disobeys Optimus's orders. (I'm surprised that Optimus didn't bench her from the field.) She's like this because of the trauma she when through. 

Bumblebee is the scout of the team, playful and the most developed character in this series. My gripe with him is that I wish I knew what he’s saying.

Smokescreen is arrogant in an ambitious way. He later learns humility and working with others.

Ultra Magnus is the strict second in command. There is one episode that addresses how his strictness affects the team, but nothing much comes from it.   

Optimus Prime may seem like a flat character as far as being righteous, but he isn’t; there are times where his principles are challenged. What this series did with Optimus is what I expect Superman to be in Man of Steel. Am I the only one annoyed with him being a hypocrite? I mean, he tells his team to not engage the enemy alone, but he faces Megatron alone; some explain he's setting.      

Jack (one of the human allies) is the mature one and a reluctant hero. The subplot with the girl he has a crush on went nowhere. 

Miko is a reckless tomboy.

Rafael is a tech genius.  

Agent Fowler helps provide cover and assistance for the Autobots. Despite being frustrated with them doing things to blow their cover, he’s thankful for them. Also, he says some funny things from time to time. 

Now to the Decepticons

Airachnid is sick, I mean, you have to be if you enjoy hurting people in every way, shape, or form. Also, she has a rivalry with Arcee.

Predaking is the muscle with an ego. Also, how he treats Starscream is messed up. 

Dreadwing is the honorable one kind of.

Starscream may come off as the same character as his G1 counterpart, but he isn't. Sorry, I can't get into detail without spoiling anything. Heck, you kind of feel sorry for him because of how Megatron treats him. I wish the writers would come up with a better story for him; however, that would be tricky to do without repeating what Transformers Armada did with this character. 

Knock Out is the Deceptions doctor, and he's very vain. He values his looks above everything else. What bugs me about him is that he could be fruity. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against anyone like that; however, I don't see the point of having someone like that on the show. 

Breakdown is like Bulkhead, but he isn't immature. It's hard for me to consider him a deception because he doesn't do anything wrong besides property damage. I'm having a hard time believing Bulkhead when he said he did terrible things because they have a playful rivalry. My beef with this character is that he's wasted, I mean, the creator could have done more with him.   

   

Soundwave is the communication chief, that's saying a lot because he’s the strong, silent type.

Shockwave is the smart one of the Decepticons, and he’s level-headed.

Megatron is ruthless, cruel, and egotistical. I can see why he tolerates Starscream because Starscream is a toothpick compared to him. What bothers me about him is his revelations, which make him look stupid. Also, the war could have ended sooner if he wasn't obsessed with killing Optimus himself.   

One of the many problems I have with this series is the dynamic between Optimus and Megatron; it’s becoming a cliché now. I also have issues with the plot holes, like how did things from Cybertron end up on Earth? The direct-to-video movie didn't tie up loose ends. I was let down that this show didn't go in the direction I thought it was going to go in season three. It would be interesting to see what kind of story the writers could tell if they did go in that direction. I'm annoyed that we don't have any episodes focused on what Cybertron was like before and during the war, because when we learn about the past, it makes you want to see it. 

Overall, this is one of the best Transformers cartoons that deserves all the Emmy Awards it won. If you want to see a more serious Transformers show, then this is for you.  

My rant about Father's Day

My rant about Father's Day

Three years ago, I saw something disturbing and that is Hallmark made Father’s Day cards for Mother’s. I am not kidding about that, I post one of them on this post. These cards are mainly for Black mothers, they clearly don’t have a problem with it because I haven’t seen any news report where they're outraged with Hallmark for making these cards. Not only that they take Father's day off from work the nerve. So, let me get this straight you want to be honored for not picking the right man to be your kid's father and screwing up your community? That’s what you're doing! 

I don’t get it why do women associate themselves with guy things? If a Caucasian women get tattoos she’s called a biker chick, but when a Black woman gets them, she's still considered a queen no matter what she does. How many times do I have to tell you ladies you can’t be both a Mother and a Father to your kids, it’s not possible because doing that ruins your image as a mother. Mothers are suppose to be loving and Fathers are suppose to be stern. I'm not saying mothers can't be stern, but you don't want to come off as masculine. When you do your son won't see you as a lady. If you don't want to be in a domestic violence situation with your son or want your son to turn his back on you, I would tread lightly when it comes to that. 

Also, mothers can't give their sons confirmation that their becoming men, the only thing they can do (besides giving him responsibilities.) is raise them to be the type of men they and other women would date. Sadly, American women are terrible at that because they don't value character. We all know nine times out of ten women want a man that's in shape and has money. How many of you are getting your sons memberships to the YMCA and books on economics instead of buying him Jordan's? If your son's father is a bum or criminal then you have no business telling him to be nice to women because that didn't turn you on. How do you expect your son to be the kind of man that he doesn't see and you wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole if his father is not like that? Look at the stats 78% of men that are in jail are from a single-parent household. It doesn't matter if these kids are born in poverty or not money doesn't substitute parents. You know what having kids without a man around should be considered child neglect, I mean it’s not fair that kids have to grow up with no father around. 

Who's going to warn your son about the disadvantages he's going to have for being a man, heck being raised in a single-parent household is a disadvantage. I mean how are mothers going to help their sons with guys' stuff if they can't or won't do those things? For example, If I ask boys to build something out of Legos or create a map in Halo, I bet you nine times out of ten they will have a hard time with that. Also, they will pick up on feminine features, for example, how do you expect your son to take out the trash if you think it's disgusting? Also, whenever your son shows signs of masculinity you frown upon it. For example, how many men don't like the idea of having a gun in the house because of their mother? Since we're on the subject of guns how do single mothers expect to protect their kids if they don't want to carry any weapons? 

I have mixed feelings about my father not being in my life, on one hand, I wish he was around and on the other hand, I'm kind of glad he isn't. What's the point of having a father if our competitive nature will come between us? This is why boys and men are more rebellious because we are not followers. For the most part, we follow not because we trust who's in charge, it's because we can't overthrow who's in charge. Fathers are not excluded from this; domestic violence wouldn't exist if that wasn't the case. If you are not OK with your son turning his back on your or leaving you for dead, then we have to do a better job finding a middle ground.       

Also, I'm having a hard time resolving my differences with my mother, I will have a harder time with him because like I said fathers are stern. I understand fathers represent structure and discipline however that shouldn't be the only impression we have of them. Fathers have to reinsure that their sons still matter to them even when they are mad or disappointed with them. How can I show compassion for my fellow man if my father can't do that for me? 

This is a problem I have with my rageaholic uncle he's such a hothead to the point where I don't want to be around him. I don't expect him to put up my father's slack however he has the same responsibility as far as reinforcing the family structure. For example, both the father and uncle greet the mom with hugs and kisses, but they do it for different reasons. The father does it to show you how to treat your wife when you get married, when the uncle does it, he's showing you what loving siblings should look like. I don't recall my uncle being chummy with my mom, if he was, he didn't do it enough.  

How can I see my father as a hero, want to play catch with him, go fishing or to a football game if I don't trust him or am ashamed to be his son? Despite making a big deal about fathers there's no guarantee that things will be better for your kids if he's around. To parents who have more than one child do they all turn out the same? If the answer is no, then that's my point. Another example I've seen and heard stories of Pastor's daughters and church women having eyes for the type of boys or men who are nothing like their father. Don't get me started on girls who grow up catholic. If my father gives me the birds and bees talk, I won't be able to take him seriously because he's getting his needs met so he lost his credibility with me. 

We don't need single mothers to discredit fathers we do a fine job of that ourselves. I mean we don't reinforce or value what fathers represent. Look and Caucasian people for example, they don't take responsibility for all the crap they put Black people through during and after slavery. Does that sound like they had fathers in their lives? Hulk Hogan's son was arrested for reckless driving and Hulk Hogan beg the court to show his son mercy. If I was him, I would tell his son you made your bed you lie in it. What's the point of fathers giving kids structure and discipline if they're not consistent about it or the kids don't internalize it? Whenever a man abuses his power or gets in trouble with the law, how often do you hear them say I was wrong and I accept the consequences for my actions? I'm grateful that we don't live in a time where you have to do dangerous things to prove your manhood, like hunting or fighting a battle. Don't get me wrong I know that's considered a rite of passage however you can't have it both ways. You can't put your son in a dangerous situation and act like you have a bleeding heart when he suffers PTSD from it.        

The relationship between the mother and her son can be sick without the father. Mothers will view their sons in ways she views a husband, as far as expecting their sons to take care and protect their mothers. Doing that will put her son in a position where he oversteps his boundaries as a son and the mother will overstep his boundaries as a mother. I'm not saying sons shouldn't take care of their mothers however there should be a limit. For example, I told my mother if I become famous don't expect me to buy you a new house, car or move you to a nice arena. I might buy her a bag of skittles if I'm generous. This isn't about me not loving my mom I want to move on with my life I can't do that if I'm worried about every little problem she has. It's not my fault my mother doesn't have a retirement plan or a 401k so why should it be my burden? Another thing mothers do that can hurt the relationship between father and son is putting him in his father's shadow. 

As far as stepfathers go, Men need to stop discouraging each other from wanting to be stepfathers. I know being a stepfather comes with a lot of baggage but there is something that no one is considering. Would you rather someone take care of a woman's bastard kids instead of your tax dollars? I don't think single mothers who are widows should deal with the stigma of being single mothers because they didn't ask to be single mothers. Being a stepfather would have been better if the man that the mother is seeing wins the kids over, the mother talks to her kids about the man she's seeing becoming a father figure in his life and reinsure them that he won't come between them. 

My point is kids will have a better chance at reach their full potential if both parents are around. The media knows this without the father boys become a handful and looking for a sense of identity. We see that in Star Wars, Batman Begins, the recent Spider-Man films and T2. Because of that boys and men from single-parent homes won't be respected by those who have both parents because they can't compete with them. Also, why should we feel sorry for single mothers for choosing to be single? I hear single mothers complaining about how hard it is to do everything on their own, again why should we feel sorry for you? Last I checked there are many forms of birth control for women so what's the problem? You made your bed now sleep in it. Another thing if you keep the father away from his kids and your kids are giving you grief don't come crying to me or anyone else for that matter. I see that as karma what made you think you can remove the man from the family and not expect anything in return?  

Sadly, fathers don’t get honored as much as mothers. The only reason women have this I raise my kids by myself mentality is that they got assists. You don't hear single fathers talking about how they have to be a mother to their daughters because we can't and we don't want to be that. I bet they would stop having that mindset if we lived in a primitive society where you have to hunt for food because no woman wants to do that. If you didn't pick the right guy to be a father, then at least get him into sports or sent him to boarding school. A coach can help fill that void to a degree. You know what I’m going to give you one reason why kids must be around their father that reason is the family tree, I mean how can a child know or learn about him or herself if kids don’t know their family history? How can someone know their history if they don’t know their family? Love is another reason, men love differently than women. 

The bottom line is being a single parent doesn't give you an advantage, kids need their fathers just as much as their mothers.