Review: ‘Passengers’- Take a Trip into the Unknown with Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence

A science fiction love story, set on a starship starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt should be as bulletproof as Superman, but as we’ve learned in the past, looks can be deceiving. Passengers, directed by Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game), is one of the most anticipated films of the holiday season, built up by a cleverly suspenseful trailer campaign and starring the two most beloved stars in Hollywood. As with their journey in the film, the movie starts off with a lot of promise, but quickly finds itself relying on the strengths of its cast to drive it home. Is the film worth your trip to the theater?

Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) are two of 5,000 passengers traveling in hibernation aboard the starship Avalon to the new colony of Homestead II. A 120 year journey that neither of them would know anything about, until an  unexpected event causes a malfunction in Jim’s pod, waking him 90 years too soon. Aurora would soon follow, leaving the two travelers alone together, trying to find a way to put themselves back into hibernation. The mystery surrounding Aurora’s pod is a major plot point in the film and one I will gloss over to save you a spoiler, but it works well, I assure you. Left only with the company of themselves and an android bartender named Arthur (Michael Sheen), Jim and Aurora find themselves accepting the hard truth that they may live out their lives together, alone on this starship, and never reach their intended destination. The two find themselves quickly falling for one another. When the continued malfunctions of the ship become apparently more frequent, Jim and Aurora must use their strengths to follow the clues and locate the problems before the ship is destroyed, but will the mystery surrounding their awakening become the thing that destroys them?

Over everything else, Passengers is a character driven film set in a science fiction universe; this helps makes the chemistry between Pratt and Lawrence work so well. Each actor encounters the agony of being alone and the inherent understanding that human beings need companionship to survive and to what ends you will go to achieve that need. Both Pratt and Lawrence are on top of their game and deliver performances that will ultimately save the film; I say save because the second half of the film is where the story begins to lose you. Plot holes lead to sloppy build up which leads to a conclusion that should feel satisfying, but falls just short of the mark.

Overall, Passengers is a long winded journey into space that stumbles over its missed opportunities but gets you there in the end. Worth the wait? Hardly, but still worth the trip to the theater.

Stars:

2 1/2 out of 5

After Credit Scene?

None

Trailer:

Keanu Reeves is back in the first trailer for ‘John Wick Chapter 2’

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Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for John Wick Chapter 2 and we have it for you below!

In this next chapter following the 2014 hit, legendary hitman John Wick (Keanu Reeves) is forced back out of retirement by a former associate plotting to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to help him, John travels to Rome where he squares off against some of the world’s deadliest killers.

The movie also stars Common, Laurence Fishburne, Ruby Rose, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane and directed by Chad Stahelski.

John Wick Chapter 2 in theaters February 10, 2017

Review: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

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To say Warner Bros. has had a hard time getting their DC Movie Universe off the ground would be an understatement. Failed projects like Green Lantern and underwhelming resurrections like Man of Steel have put the movie studio behind the eight ball as they continue to watch their rivals over at Marvel succeed, but things are about to change, or so they hope, as director Zack Snyder brings two of the biggest comic book heroes to the screen in a head to head battle in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Can bringing these two iconic heroes (well, three actually when you add Wonder Woman) put Warner and DC back on the right track and truly bring the dawn of a new cinematic universe to fruition?

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We begin where Man of Steel ends, at the battle of Metropolis. Superman (Henry Cavill) is in the midst of a furious battle with General Zod (Michael Shannon) and the chaos that ensues from the two combatants leads to much loss of life and the wrath of one billionaire vigilante, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). The world begins to question the existence of Superman and his unchecked powers; the government demands there be regulations regarding Superman’s unchecked heroics and the general public is has a mixed view on his actions. As Superman continues his crusade, his actions bring consequences that lead men like Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) to look for a solution to stop the man of steel, but Luthor’s plans are much more sinister than just doing the right thing for mankind.

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Luthor is not the only one looking for a solution to stop Superman. Bruce Wayne’s mixed emotions regarding Superman bring him to the realization that he must prepare himself for battle if that moment arises. The Batman must stand against the coming storm with everything at his disposal and he will let no one stand in his way of accomplishing his goal. Wayne, convinced that Luthor may have vital information that he needs, decides to infiltrate the tech genius’ files to find a suitable answer, but Diana Prince (Gal Gadot), a mysterious woman who is also looking for answers of her own, crosses path with Wayne and leads the billionaire to a much larger discovery. As the time line accelerates, Batman and Superman must come face to face, but will their battle lead to an understanding as a larger threat rears its ugly head?

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, on the surface, seems like a can’t lose film, but looks can be deceiving. Director Zack Snyder learns very little from his short comings with Man of Steel and continues to wrap chaotic action sequences around poorly written dialogue and tries to sell it to audiences as a complete film. The first half of the movie is a jumbled mess with too many side stories jam packed into an hour and a half. The premise is there and you can see that there is a really good story there somewhere, but Snyder proves that he is not the director to bring it out.The second half picks up and brings some amazing action sequences, but the damage is already done and you’re left trying to piece the film together on your own.

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Each of the stars battled fan boy anger over their casting and knocked their roles out of the park. Ben Affleck is fantastic as Batman and brings the darkest version of the character to the screen to date. Gal Gadot is breathtaking as Wonder Woman. She is elegant and powerful and a perfect casting for the Amazon princess. Henry Cavill‘s performance is a bit hollow, but I believe that has more to do with his character arc and less to do with the actor himself. Jesse Eisenberg was fantastic as the menacing Lex Luthor. His portrayal is very different from previous incarnations of the character and he creates a perfect version for this new dark cinematic universe. The one low point in the cast is Amy Adams as Lois Lane. Her sole purpose in the film was to show up and be rescued and denied this wonderful actress a chance to help move the story forward. This is a far cry from the character we were give in Man of Steel.

Overall, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a good film, but not a great film. There are elements of an epic movie underneath the chaos and that’s unfortunate because the actors were giving it their all. Should you see the film? Absolutely. Draw your own conclusions as we will all experience the film differently, but for this comic book lover, I was left wanting more.

Stars:

3 out of 5

After credit scene?

None

Trailer:

New Trailer for ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Features a Familiar Foe

Batman-v-Superman-Dawn-of-Justice-LogoWarner Bros and DC Entertainment released the new trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice during Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night and we have it for you below!

From director Zack Snyder (Man of Steel) comes Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, starring Oscar winner Ben Affleck (Argo) as Batman/Bruce Wayne and

Henry Cavill (Man of Steel, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) as Superman/Clark Kent in the characters’ first big screen pairing.
Fearing the actions of a god-like Superhero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war
with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
The film also stars Oscar nominees Amy Adams (American Hustle, Man of Steel) as Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) as Lex Luthor, Diane Lane (Unfaithful, Man of Steel) as Martha Kent, and Laurence Fishburne
(What’s Love Got to Do with It, Man of Steel) as Perry White; Oscar winners
Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune) as Alfred, and Holly Hunter (The Piano) as Senator Finch; and Gal Gadot (Fast Five) as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.
Snyder directed from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, based on
characters from DC Comics, including Batman, created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, and
Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The film is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder, with Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer serving as executive producers.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens worldwide on March 25, 2016.

NBC Releases Summer Premiere Dates Including Hannibal!

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NBC has announced premiere dates for its summer programming and we have your scoop! Check out the list below:

American Ninja Warrior–  Monday, May 25, 8-10 pm with Matt Iseman serving as host, along with former NFL player Akbar Gbaja Biamila. The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacle courses in both qualifying and finals rounds across the country. Those that successfully complete a course in their designated region move on to the national finals round in Las Vegas, where they face a stunning four-stage course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama in Japan.

America’s Got Talent returns Tuesday, May 26th from 8 to 10 pm as NBC’s top-rated summer series celebrates its landmark 10th season. Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Mel B and Howie Mandel return as judges and Nick Cannon returns as host.

Charles Manson drama Aquarius, starring David Duchovny makes its debut on Thursday, May 28, at 9 pm for a two hour series premiere. The following week, the series will move to its regular 9-10 pm slot. The show will explore the cat-and-mouse game between Manson and the police in those turbulent years leading up to the Infamous Tate-LaBianca murders.

which leads us to the show everyone has been waiting for to return…

Hannibal returns Thursday, June 4th at 10 pm following Aquarius to create a fun filled back to back psycho-thriller Thursday! After the shocking events of the season finale, Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) is on the run in Europe, accompanied by his psychiatrist Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson). As the lives of Will (Hugh Dancy), Jack (Laurence Fishburne) and Alana (Caroline Dhavernas) close in on Hannibal again, their continuing psychological cat-and-mouse game continues to evolve and nothing will ever be the same.

 

 

Airsoft

Airsoft is a skirmish sport that originated in Japan. It is a combat style game in which individuals or teams compete to eliminate their opponent with non-metallic pellets loaded in guns. Standard Airsoft guns are typically replica firearms having a mechanism for shooting projectiles 6-8 mm in diameter. As per operating principles, airsoft guns are classified as spring loaded guns, battery powered electric guns and gas-powered guns.

In the late 1980s, this sport spread to the UK and until the mid-1980s when more and more upper parts for AR-15 rifles started to emerge. The sport has been adapted as a purely recreational activity in many countries.

This skirmish sport is also used in the United States by numerous law enforcement agencies for force-on-force training drills in varying organized scenarios.

golfer driving the ball off a teeAirsoft with a replica weapon

Guns tend to run at 350fps-500fps or higher depending on the gun and the manufacturer. All guns are legally liable to comply with the “orange tip” muzzle requirement in order to distinguish them from real live fire ammunition fire arms. Check TheEliteDrone’s airsoft sniper guide

Because our field is close quarter urban combat, we require that all guns playing in our arena are shooting at or below 330fps for safety and have technicians on site to do any alterations necessary to allow players to use their personal weapons in our arena.

All in all, remember that Airsoft is played to have fun. This seems like a no-brainer but I’ve seen many players get caught up in the moment as well as fights breaking out. Try to avoid anything that might spark a conflict because no one wants to be banned from their local field.

Airsoft Laws

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Due to the nature of the sport, Airsoft has specific laws made for it so it can help prevent any sort of confusion. Airsoft contains many realistic themes of the military which can cause problems if you don’t know what your country allows. In this section, we’ll cover the basic Airsoft laws that exist in the USA together with our brothers in Canada.

Airsoft Equipment

Airsoft equipment can be a very broad topic. In our case, I am referring to the gear you are bringing into the field. First and foremost, you’ll need a tactical military vest to hold your magazines and grenades. Depending on your field, you should find the appropriate camouflage and the number of pockets. Make sure you have enough pockets to store your magazines as well as quick and easy access to whatever equipped. After the vest, I wouldn’t worry too much about your pants unless you’d want to match the camouflage of your torso. Later on in this mega-article, we cover game-changing attachments that can give you pinpoint accuracy. But for now, explore and see what type of clothing you’d like to wear. Check out Eagle Six Gear for the best military apparel.

The BBs used are primarily 6mm size ball made of plastic. They come in different weights and brands as well as BioDegradable or Tracer style. Here at VIP Airsoft, we have our BBs custom created for used specifically within our arena. They are made of high quality plastic and are a custom color to help identify ours from others. This difference allows our players the opportunity to bring any unused BBs to later sessions. A HUGE advantage for our players!

Many players have compared getting hit by a BB as being snapped by a rubberband. This sensation can be lessened by the amount of layers being worn, safety protection and the fabrics. So dress accordingly and be prepared to get hit. While the FPS we run in our arena will not cause blood draw, it may leave marks that last about an hour. Again, the better prepared you come with what you’re wearing, the better off you’ll be and the better the experience you’ll have.

Other Skirmish Sports

  • Laser Tag — a skirmish sport in which players attempt to score points by tagging targets, typically with a hand-held infrared-emitting targeting device.
  • Paintball — a skirmish sport in which players compete to eliminate opponents by tagging them with capsules containing water soluble dye propelled from paintball guns.