Friday, May 30, 2014

Dedicated to my New Born Nephews


Twin Magic
by Anthony Labson

Two miracles for a wonderful woman.
Two carriers of a father’s name.
Two reasons why their lives are rich.
Two laughs to make them smile.
Twice the value of those moments.

They will walk together,
They will speak together,
They will learn together,
and they will be happy.

Every moment will be shared equally.

Playing catch with their father will be a triangle.
They will be wearing matching towels for capes.
One will play the sheriff and the other the astronaut.
They will never be separated in the schools and whatever happens.
They will already have the best advantage in life.

They will always have each other’s backs.
They will know the blessing of brotherhood.
The only bond that will be stronger than them
will be the bond between them and their parents.

Before they were born, the parents were in love.
Now that these miracles have come,
the parents are in paradise.
That’s the miracle of twin magic

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Synopsis for Leo: Government Issued!


After spending months in prison for the killing of Tony Giovanni, Leo Clarkson awaits to be executed. Wanting an end to his misery and overwhelmed by his depression due to losing Sara, Leo couldn't run fast enough to the needle. Death won't be so kind to him when he is denied his much wanted death and is thrown into a scheme involving corrupt agents and a classified briefcase. The only reason Leo gets involved is because of a secret that is being kept from him and it's just too good to pass up. The only catch is, Leo is going to have to go home.

Going back to South Florida, he has to befriend the leader of the most powerful gang and retrieve something that was stolen, the briefcase. While everything seems like random events, Leo soon realizes that it's all connected in some form or another. During Leo's journey he will confront his past both physically and mentally but he won't do it alone. Leo will be relying on an old friend to help him survive while a new friend helps him to bring back his humanity. The corrupt agents and the gang aren't the only problems Leo will be facing this time.

Leo will face the worst enemy he has, his demon. The only thing keeping him from going completely insane is the memory of Sara and his desire to honor her memory. Leo will complete his change that he promised to her but keeping it will be a challenge. There will be death, there will be sorrow and there will be a choice to make after the anarchy. One way or another, the events in this novel will set the course for the last part in Leo's journey. Until the next is written.

Friday, May 23, 2014

X-Men: Setting the Standard and Bryan Singer


    X-Men: Days of Future's Past is hands down the best X-Men movie produced so far in the Marvel Cinema Series. The X-Men made their movie debut back in the year 2000 with director Bryan Singer at the helm and the success of the movie launched the careers of Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, and Anna Paquin. The success of the first movie generated huge revenues and reignited the love people had for comic book adaptions. Sadly though, it would start to die down after director Bryan Singer left the saga after X2: X-Men United to direct Superman Returns which turned out to be a bad move. Not only was it a bad move for Singer but the X-Men suffered with disaster of X-Men: The Last Stand.
    While it may have have been financially successful, the quality of the movie was not the same without Bryan Singer calling the shots. Speaking of taking shots, Bryan Singer's career was in a serious downward spiral after the failure of his adaptation of Superman. He would go on to direct the movie Valkyrie with star Tom Cruise that was not bad but was also not successful. Later he would direct a made for television reboot of the famous Munsters show that went out of control. It got so crazy in the end, by the time it aired it was retitled Mockingbird Lane and it was a disaster.
    When the word came out that he was finally coming home to the world of the X-Men, the fans rejoiced. Coming off the success of X-Men: First Class, this new film connects Bryan Singer's X-Men with the X-Men of the past movies. This film brings everything together for this ultimate confrontation against the most feared enemy of mutants, the Sentinels. Giant robots created by crazed scientist Bolivar Trask, armed with firepower and the ability to determine the difference between human beings and mutants. The only problem the scientist never realized is that mutants are human beings.
    This logic would lead to the Sentinels not only targeting mutants but everyone else and making the earth a virtual wasteland. The ground is littered with bones, the sky is forever black and the remaining people that are still alive are forced to work to create more sentinels. The last of the X-Men stage one last act to save all humanity, using the powers of Kitty Pride played by Ellen Page, she sends Wolverine back in time in order to stop the Sentinels from ever being created. Using the help of a young, troubled Charles Xavier and a war mongering Magneto, Wolverine goes on a journey that will no doubt save the X-Men but also reboot the love people had for the famous mutants in the first place.
    This was an extremely well written movie and there was ensemble of famous mutants that brings out the geek in everyone such as Quicksilver, Iceman, Bishop, Blink, and Colossus. There are surprises along the way and yes there is something special at the end of the credits, nothing during. This movie will no doubt be a success and it's a good thing considering the recent trouble Bryan Singer has found himself in. For those whom may not know, Bryan Singer has recently been accused of sexually assaulting an underage boy. Whether or not it's true I'm not sure, we'll have to wait and see where the evidence leads but you can't deny that he's made a great film.
    This film is filled with action, drama, comedy and most importantly, the actors perform extraordinary. Staying true to the characters and connecting the audience to the film, the moments in this movie make you laugh, cry and even hold your breath. No doubt that people who love the X-Men will enjoy this film and will no doubt bring in high revenues including building anticipation for the next film, X-Men: Apocalypse. This film as of right now in my opinion is the best movie of the summer and the year until something great comes along.  We'll have to wait until we see the releases of anticipated films such as Maleficent, 22 Jump Street, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Dawn of The Planet of the Apes, and Guardians of the Galaxy.  I know those are a lot of films but I tell you right now, they all have a high standard to beat.  

Monday, May 19, 2014

"Peer Pressure is the killer of Individuality"


Loss of Identity
By
Anthony Labson


I don’t need a book to tell me what’s right
because I have a heart and a conscience.
I don’t need to be told whose right and wrong
because I can listen and decide for myself.

When somebody tells me they heard something
then I ask where did they hear it from
and decide whether or not it’s a credible source.

If I speak to someone and they don’t agree
then I listen without interrupting.
If we still disagree then we still shake
and show respect.

I have only hated a few people in my life
but that’s because they offended me
physically, emotionally and psychologically.
Not because someone says it’s wrong.
I am for different laws and new amendments
not because I’m a member of a party
but because I truly believe my country
will benefit from them.
My loyalty will always belong to my country
not to any party or specific group.
I don’t sacrifice personal feelings
just to secure other people’s insecurities.

Peer pressure is the killer of individuality.
Don’t let it control you because if you do
then the world loses something precious.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Godzilla Review

    An American version of Godzilla returned to the silver screen after a terrible attempt back in the 1990s. When I first heard that Warner Bros. was attempting another remake, I was nervous to say the least because I felt the Japanese had closed the doors with their last film Godzilla: Final Wars. Basically, it was just a film with Godzilla giving every monster he's been with a final slap in the face including the American Godzilla whom was his first fight. Ended with the original giving him a bitch slap with his tale and the fight ended in 5 seconds so I'm sure that "wasn't meant" to be insulting. However this was a Godzilla film that everyone can be a fan of.
    I don't want to spoil anything in the movie but I do have to kill some rumors right now for people who have heard several. For people who follow the trailers and believed they saw Rodan, it wasn't Rodan but a different monster and I'm not saying who. There is an Easter egg about a possible monster if there is sequel and it's early in the movie you'll have to look closely. Yes Godzilla is the main attraction but unfortunately he's not in the film for good amount of time, if anything you see him for about 45 minutes total of the actual 2 hours. But don't let that discourage you because when the king of the monsters appears, you can't stay still.
    Finally, the rumor that this is actually a reboot and not a remake. I would have to agree on both counts because there are similarities between the two. On one hand, Godzilla is show traditionally in his origin as a creature of nature to remind mankind that there are some things they can't control and that he is also the king of the monsters because it's his duty to put monsters back in their place. Oh and I will spoil one thing because this really pissed me off about the film from the 90s, this Godzilla does get to use his hyper beam and it's super cool. On the other hand there was a similarity between versions because this film was using the same story being that the monster involved was using America as ground zero to reproduce.
    As far as the story goes, this was the weakest point of the movie. Bryan Cranston, Elizabetn Olson, Ken Wantanbe, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson put on a decent show in each of their characters respective paths but in the end, they stall the audience from seeing what they wanted to see, the fights. The fight scene that everyone was depending on in the end delivered a knockout punch bringing everything you would want in a Godzilla movie. It had monsters going at it, tons of damage and an awesome climax that made the audience I was with cheered.
    Overall, this movie gets a solid 9 out of 10. It was great movie and could have been better if they had just added more Godzilla and less irrelevant story lines and dialogue. Let's be honest, nobody wants to pay $20 bucks to see a guy trying to get back to his family while there are two monsters going at it. They want to see the monsters kick the living s@%t out of each other. The look of the creatures was amazing and it was awesome to see in 3D. If your still worried considering the last time Godzilla was made by an American company then don't. This is a Godzilla that we can all be proud of.

Monday, May 12, 2014

Game of Thrones

Every writer needs to take a step back and be the reader sometimes. So for the summer I picked up some light reading material. Such a huge fan of the show and really looking forward to comparing the books to the television show. Until the next is written.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Happy Mother's Day

    Hope everyone has a wonderful Mother's Day. Gave my mother a wonderful glitter covered card and her favorite dessert, a slice of ultimate red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. My last present is to dedicate this blog entry to her because she's my number one fan since I started writing again and has been my best customer. I love her with all my heart and I thank god everyday that I'm her son. I hope to one day make her proud by becoming a New York Times Best Selling Author.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Wisdom From a Muse


Wisdom from a Muse
By
Anthony Labson

Tell her about her hair.
The way she waves it
As she turns her head
And looks at you with her eyes.

The way she uses them
To burn a hole through your heart
and tell her how there’s only one way
to get it started.

To feel the touch of her lips.
So full and luscious
And the thought of them touching your skin
sends a paralyzing chill up your spine.  

A spine you would use to defend her
even if it cost you your own life.
Never allowing it to break in half
even if it was the weight of the world,
the world that is nothing without her.

The only reason that you live
Is because you know she’ll be there
and seeing her by your side
makes the world a jewel in the universe.

Oh wait a minute,
You’re just in the friend zone?
Move on and find someone else.
These words are too good for her.

Monday, May 5, 2014

Sterling and Punishment

    It's been a week now since Donald Sterling, the "owner" of the L.A. Clippers was exposed by his ex-girlfriend as a racist by making comments that were later leaked to the media. Since the release of the comments made by the infamous owner, the fate of the L.A. Clippers has been left uncertain. Donald Sterling has been ordered to make several apologies, fined millions of dollars and is now banned from the NBA. Now Donald Sterling is fighting to keep control of the team which he has been ordered to sell. So now comes the question, "Why do bother and where's the punishment?"
    Do not misunderstand my statement, I strongly believe his attitude is totally unprofessional, intolerable and shouldn't be allowed within the NBA. But if we can be real for one moment let's really look at this situation and realize something, there is no punishing Donald Sterling. Let's look at everything he's been asked to do and decide whether or not that this is a punishment. The first one is he's been ordered to apologize to the players, everyone who works for him and a public apology to the media. Now this one to me is just a waste of time and air because we can all agree on one simple fact, the apology was most likely bull.
    Donald Sterling is a billionaire that owns property in Los Angeles, arguably one of the most expensive locations in the world and has more money than most Americans will ever see. So do you really think he gives a damn what any of us think? I'll defend him when I say that if I had his money, I sure as hell wouldn't have cared what other people thought of me. I highly doubt his apology was sincere, in fact he was probably only sorry that he got caught. So why bother forcing someone to apologize when everyone knows he doesn't mean it?
    The next punishment he was given is being fined 2.5 million dollars which to him might as well be 2 dollars and 50 cents. It's couch change to that man so really what's the point in making him pay money that he can afford to lose? Now they're trying to make him sell the team as part of banning him from the NBA but Donald Sterling has made it clear that he has no intention to sell the team. So the punishment is to force him to sell a team that is worth over half a billion dollars? Anyone besides me see the problem with this?
    If you really wanted to hurt the man then just take the Clippers from him and make him take a half a billion dollar loss because that's the only way he would be hurting. But it won't happen because banning him is really all the NBA can do and that will have to do but Sterling's resistance is showing signs that this is a punishment to him. Whether it's right or not, I'll leave to the people to decide but this is my opinion. As I look back on this I have to ask the question, "Was the banishment action given to Donald Sterling justified?" It seems that being unprofessional in sports now is very common these days.
    Sport industries are now starting to crackdown on unprofessional conduct from players, coaches and now owners for good reasons. Bill Belichick was revealed as a cheater and fined millions of dollars, the New Orleans Saints were caught with their "Bounty" program which led to coach Sean Payton's suspension for a whole season. Last year, the Miami Dolphins suffered from controversy when player, Richie Incognito made racial slurs against another player and was suspended indefinitely. Back in the day, people of success and sport authorities were seen as role models for people to aspire to. If this is how today's role models conduct themselves, I rather my child not watch sports ever.

Friday, May 2, 2014

The Amazing Spiderman 2


    The Amazing Spiderman series is one of Disney's new reboots for Marvel since purchasing the company a few years ago for over 40 billion dollars. Since then, Disney has helped Marvel virtually winning the war against DC movies by nearly producing a new movie every year about some character. The biggest kick in the ass to DC was the release of The Avengers that made box office records and is what finally caused them to get started on rebooting Superman and starting on the Justice League. DC seems to finally be stepping up but it's clear that Marvel is better organized and taking care of business but that doesn't mean they can't make a bad movie.
    This movie isn't a bomb but it definitely wasn't as good as the first one for several reasons. The movie takes off several months after the events of the last movie where Spiderman is considered a hero, Gwen and Peter are graduating high school and Norman Osborne has taken control of Oscorp after the "death" of his father. But with the ghost of Gwen's father always looming over the web slinger, Peter decides the best way to protect her is to break up with her. It starts this whole cliche transition of an off again and back on relationship that gets annoying during a period of time. The fun really starts however when Jamie Foxx comes in as the transparent nobody, Max Dillion. 
    After being saved by Spiderman, Max develops this creepy obsession with Spiderman believing the two are close friends. However after a terrible accident, Max becomes the villain Electro and when he meets Spiderman who tries to help, he ends up loosing it after feeling betrayed. The two fight in a battle that destroys most of Time Square but in the end, Electro gets captured. Another executive at Oscorp uses the accident to have Harry removed from power, forcing Harry to make a deal with Electro to get even with both the Executive and Spiderman for a reason I won't disclose because I've shared too much as is. 
    In the end of all the chaos going on, Harry stumbles upon the work his father was secretly doing with Peter Parker's father and is corrupted by it. This opens the side story left behind of why Peter's parents left him in the first movie and in a way opens the door to future release of Sinister Six. For those who may not know, the Sinister Six is when Six of Spiderman's foes band together and use their strengths to finally bring down the web head. If you want to know who the six are than pay attention to the beginning of the credits because at the there will be six images that pop up giving you clues. 
    Through all, this was an okay action movie but with the ongoing complicated relationships and the rushed story line, a lot of good stuff I felt was left out for the action. The new characters didn't really have any film time for the audience to connect to before turning evil and the movie was over before anything could really start. Andrew Garfield did a fantastic job as always with keeping to his humor during the battles and staying true to how comic fans picture seeing spiderman fight. The emotional connection the audience feels is strong too as Spiderman fans have always had with the hero especially when he suffers his losses. 
    I give this movie a 7 out of 10 because it is a good action movie and the actors did a good job trying to portray the characters. Jamie Foxx was awesome as Electro and who ever thought of how to portray him should be well recognized because I liked it better than the lightning bolts and green jumpsuit. The problem is because everything was rushed, the quality of the film suffered for it. When it comes to Marvel's movies this year, Captain America to me had the better movie and the next is X-Men: Days of Future's Past. We'll see how that turns out but The Amazing Spiderman 2 is good, not great but good. 

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Amazing Spiderman 2 Game Runs Out of Web

    I was really looking forward to this game being it's the first next-generation Spiderman game and I was a fan of the last game. All that I can say about The Amazing Spiderman 2 was this game was a mistake plain and simple. There are so many issues that I have with it and it's so bad that I am going to return this game when I'm done with it. I really don't know what happened with the development stages but clearly someone should've looked over people's shoulder. For being a next generation game, I think I was playing more of a Playstation 2 game than a Playstaion 4 for several issues.
    This game picks off where the other one left off with the last game. I don't know if it's closely following the  movie because I haven't seen it yet but there are some cool cameos that happen throughout the game like Black Cat, Kraven, Wilson Fisk a.k.a. The Kingpin and the king of cameos, Stan Lee. The game provides a mini-game where the players can decide what kind of Spiderman he wants to be known as. He can save people and stop crimes going on throughout the city, becoming the hero. The other choice is to ignore them and become the menace, being hunted down by a task force.
    There are teases that I won't mention because they might be in the movie and I don't want to spoil anything but it's not enough to save this game. The graphics in the cutscenes weren't impressive and as I've previously stated, they look like the kind of graphics that I would see on the Playstation 2. The web swinging is difficult to get a handle on and there were so many glitches while swinging, I think I swung through at least five buildings. The glitches are another problem and they've happened throughout the game from swinging in the free world to playing missions, the game has frozen a couple of times.
    The next issue I have with the game is the fighting style that was used and it was boring at best. There are no combos to master and no fancy mixture of web and punch attacks, simply attack and avoid. Nothing else except to press R1 to web them closer. The mains story itself is short providing maybe 3 hours of actual gameplay with the rest of the game holding a variety of side missions. The side missions themselves are exciting at first but then become repetitive and boring later.
    This game gets a 5 out of 10. There are just too many problems for me to get over with this game and the only reason I haven't returned it yet is because I haven't beaten it yet. This is one of those games where you beat it once and throw it away, there's no reason I would want to replay it. This was a real disappointment being a fan of the games and I wouldn't recommend anyone wasting $60 to play this. Hopefully the next one will be better which will be easy because the bar is real low with this game.