The Supposed "Fans" are to blame: this summer's X-Men movie.

I said it for Wolverine Origins and I'll say it for this one: FOX is who owns the rights to the X-Men movie franchise. If you want to see Marvel MOVIES Studios actually get the rights to make the X-Men movies then a boycott of the films is ...necessary. All the supposed fans failed to recognize that with the Wolverine film and First Class is what we get. And before somebody comes on and says Marvel Movies Studios is producing it, NO IT'S NOT. FOX has the movie rights there's a contract. I sat in a Comic-Con Panel in 2008 where Joe Quesada and the head of Marvel Movie Studios said that if they want to see Spidey, X-Men movies of Iron Man and Hulk re-boot caliber then they're going to have to get the MOVIE RIGHTS back from Sony and Fox. Realize the fact that FOX does nothing but pimp films and news to make a profit. They don't give two flying ducks about the original comics. BOYCOTT THE MOVIE!

Those who complain about these movies are complaining about the fact that the characters and their backgrounds do not match the comic books. We are not talking about using the exact same story arcs from the comics. We want our characters to be accurately represented and not butchered for just a profit. A film where Cyclops can't fight and is not the leader of the X-Men is an abomination, with an exception of Storm taking his place. Look at the recent Batman series, Iron Man, and the Hulk re-boot, not exactly the same as the original comics, however, the characters were kept the same and weren't slaughtered to make a profit. People can still recognize who they are. They also had much better acting, writing, and continuity, something that these movies have lacked.

All this being said I won't be paying to see this horrendous piece of filth. People can argue all they want that I haven't seen it yet, but I was right about X3 and Wolverine, and from the pictures and trailer that I've seen I am right about this one. If anybody can truly say this is going to be a good movie after seeing the pictures for it, not to mention the cast, then you need to either go have your brain checked, and/or stop hopping on the bandwagon and trying to claim to be a comic book fan.

To those who plan on going to watch the movie in theatres: when you finally see that this film is crap, blame yourselves. It’s your fault for these movies’ production and release because you're the people who keep giving your money to FOX and encouraging them to produce such filth. You’re the reason why a good X-Men movie won’t be made for another 10+ years.

2010's Greatest Hits

Best new punk band(s)listened to: FBS and False Idle, …Whatever That Means, the Non-Believers
Best new punk band: False Idle
Best CD: Flatfoot 56: Black Thorn
Best new TV show watched: Dexter
Best Movie of 2010- Scott Pilgrim, and Deathly Hallows
Best movie watched at home: Big Bang(쏜다)
Best Music Video: the Non-Believers “Rebel Boy”
Best Song: Flatfoot 56 “Born For This” and “Hourglass”
Best joke: Wolf Pack, too many to list.
Best show (concert) of 2010: Flatfoot 56 at the Stronghold and the Slidebar.
Best Subject of 2010: OT Ethics, Philosophy, Church Doctrine, Ancient World
Best Video Game: Super Smash Bros.
Best amount of time put into an object: Studying
Best Ska band of 2010: Rocking Time
Best Punk band of 2010: Flatfoot 56
Best Accomplishment: By the grace of God I was empowered to earn a 4.0 for the first time in my life, and reading through the entire Bible in less than a year.
Best Times: San Fran, Mafia Nights, Super Smash, Homeless Ministry
Best memories: Getting addicted to Super Smash Bros., Mafia nights, Homeless Ministry, intramural soccer and volleyball games, Denny’s trip, Night in Downtown Riverside w/ Santi, Dylan, and his sister and the snowball fight had, Six Flags, Huntington Beach before SF, HP7.1 midnight premiere, meeting up again in May for Korean BBQ, SYC in Long Beach, hanging out with Chris and Thomas at 4am at the McDonalds in Fullerton, hanging out with Jong Hee of RUX and Chris in LA,going to Biola with Santi to hear Tom Green from Sleeping Giant speak.
Best Restaurant: Mr.Lee’s Korean BBQ in Cerritos and Denny’s
Best quotes: Patton Oswalt and the Office.
Best Book(s)read: OT Ethics For the People of God by Chrisopher J.H. Wright, Hell Under Fire by Christopher Morgan & Robert Peterson, The Hollow Needle by Maurice Leblanc.

Looking forward to for 2011:
New RUX and Hellking CDs, the potential RUX tour, Pirates 4, Thor and Green Lantern movies,reading more, and growing more in the Faith, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, getting a job, trip to East Asia, and hanging out and going on trips with friends!

A Whole Year

It's been one year since I have started attending CBU (California Baptist University), and a great deal of things have happened. One of the most important things that has happened within this year has been the growth of my Christian faith and the education I received regarding the Biblical text. Coming into CBU, I thought I knew quite a bit on the Bible and thought I was going to have an easy time taking Old Testament classes. I was sure wrong about that! Although the class was an immense struggle and a test of how committed I had to be in learning and understadning the Biblical text, I can look back and thank God for how he used my OT professor to be as academically challenging as he is, it was worth it! In my Old Testament classes alone I grew more and more in the Faith, recognizing certain aspects of what I thought was biblical was not in fact biblical, and coming to terms and working through very challenging things in the Bible. As well as to be concerned and focused on the persecution of brothers and sisters around the world, and the oppression and persecution of various people around the world. During this past year the LORD also gave me the will to be able to do better academically than I had ever done before. This year I also began to speak out more and engage people more when it came to talking about the Faith.

The people I have had the opportunity to meet and become friends with throughout this year were another aspect that stood out. From beginning at CBU as the only mohican punk kid on campus who knew nobody and was somewhat of a hermit on campus for a good part of the first semester, to constantly hanging out and doing different things around campus. Some of the major highlights were the random middle of the night trips to Denny's which would feature some karaoke on the part of my friends and I, walking down to the Plaza right before Thanksgiving mistaking a strip mall arcade for a video game arcade, haviing a snowball fight at park in downtown Riverside, the Spring Break trip to San Francisco which was just a complete blast in and of itself, to getting addicted to Super Smash Bros. for the Wii in the last month and a half of the semester when I had 3 major papers, 2 final exams, and various projects in between that I had to do. Suprisingly I was able to get all of it done and still earned A's in all but one class. There are various other trips and events that helped shape this year and they are all just as great and memorable.

When I first arrived at CBU in the Fall of 2009, I had great doubt whether I was supposed to go there, for one of the main reasons why I made a decision to go was to cover up that I had been out of work during the summer (I would later man up and tell the truth). Even though for the first month or so I was still struggling with whether or not I was suppose to be at CBU, I would soon begin to see how God had used my lie to lead me to where He originally wanted me to be. This came to fruition in looking back on how much I have grown in the Faith, through how much He has revealed through me at school, and how much He is constantly revealing to me here,that I am to continue on at CBU. So to answer Willie Nelson, yes,I am sure this is where I ought to be.

"What about Punk Rock?": Views on Punk

Last week I watched the documentary "Punk's Not Dead," a 2007 documentary on the past 30 years of Punk. The film did an exellent job with their wide range of interviewees, from Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day to Animal of Anti-Nowhere League. Throughout the film the focus was on what Punk is about, one part of the film brought up a thought whether bands like Sum 41, Blink 182, Good Charlotte, New Found Glory, and the rest are punk bands, based on the fact that they have roots in punk or still hold to the "punk ideals/mentality." Before I go too much into this I would like to state that I'm not trying to put these bands down nor do I have anything against them. I still enjoy Green Day and Sum 41.

The reason why the bands labeled as "pop-punk (popular punk)" were interviewed for the film is because they are often ridiculed and bashed by people who listen to "true" punk, because they are all over the radio and TV and/or "sold out."

The aspect of "selling out" was also covered in the film, and most of the stuff stated I agreed with. Essentially everybody has "sold out" if you buy anything then you have "sold out." The type of "selling out" that I think everyone agrees is idiotic and wrong is changing your image, music, or ideals to sell more, that is in fact selling out.

The main point that these bands utilized is that they hold to the essential ideals/mentality of punk rock: individuality, non-conformity, staying true to yourself, DIY, etc... I agree that those things are the ideals/mentality of punk; however, I would propose that punk has more to it than that. The reason why is that those ideals are shared by artists,bands, and individuals who don't play or know about punk or its derivatives; say hip-hop, rap, country, jazz, or any form of music. If punk is solely based on ideals then almost everybody is a punk. Even lyrical content is insignificant in this matter, for all music genre's lyrics are about the same things: good times, friends and family, touring/road songs, politics, romance, partying, being against something, etc... For instance, take a Gangsta rap song and replace the word "nigga" with "punk/x" or "skins" and you have a street punk song and vice versa.

So what is punk? From what I've come to realized punk is essentially a style of music that has various sub-genres, coalesced with the ideals mentioned above, true raw underground music, a worldwide community of individuals tired of the same old garbage with a common interest in the music style and its derivatives, welcoming ANYONE who steps foot inside (that isn't promoting hatred)with open arms. Almost anybody who has been to a punk (and its derivatives) shows can tell you that the thing that separates punk from any other concerts/shows is the fact that there is no barrier(both physically and mentally) between the band and the crowd--no celebrities, no stars, just people like you and me. And there are many bands that have put a lot into the worldwide scene for so long that they simply cannot play those smaller shows they'd like to play. The fact that a total stranger can go to a show and at least two different people will walk up and befriend you, and you aren't being ripped off by merch and ticket prices; you're getting a whole lot more than what you paid for. These, in my opinion, are what makes it punk, not the clothes, not the lyrics, and not the ideals alone. I'm open for discussion about it.

What If: X-Men reboot

Something that I've been thinking about since I watched the reboot of the Incredible Hulk in 2008, was a reboot of the X-Men movie series. While at Comic-Con '08 somebody asked this very question at a panel with the people in charge in the different Marvel areas, including Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios, the movie studio that put together the Iron Man films and the Hulk reboot. The President of Production Kevin Feige was asked about possible X-Men, Spider Man, FF, and Daredevil reboots and if Marvel Studios had plans to reboot those series. Feige's response was that the Marvel Studios would have to wait until the contract with Fox and Sony were up, and that only then would the Marvel Studios be able to do reboots or have the control with their characters. Now, maybe Feige wasn't implying this, but what I took it to mean was that the fans should do what's in our power to make sure Marvel Studios gets the characters. So should the fans have responded? In late November 2008, Hugh Jackman stated that if the upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie didn't do too well then he'd no longer do Wolverine (article here). That was the answer for so-called loyal comic book purists, who complain when a CB(comicbook) movie is butchered from its source, however, nobody seemed to mind and went and saw the awful film of Wolverine Origins. A movie that was rushed by Fox Movies and played off the same tactic of X-Men 3...jampack the movie with as many characters as possible that don't really fit in with the original storyline. Also the acting (besides Schreiber and Jackman), plot, and storyline were horrible and had continuity problems. So all the fanboys who went and saw the stupid film have no right to complain about Fox having the X-Men movies.

Now in 2010, Fox is at it again trying to rush X-Men: First Class by May of 2011! With James McAvoy (guy from Wanted) as a young Xavier, Michael Fassbender (English guy from Inglorious Basterds) as a Magneto, and the guy who played Kick-Ass as a young Cyke. The movie is supposedly directed by Matthew Vaughn who directed Kick-Ass, and produced by Brian Singer. Source. The deciding factor for this movie is that FOX movies is behind it combine that with a rushing of the film to theatres and you get a movie destined for failure. So we are left to wait possibly another 5+ years before we can see any real portrayal of my favorite CB characters.

So here it is, my own personal choices who I think would portray the world's favorite Mutants on screen. I'd keep Jackman, Patrick Stewart, and Kesley Grammar as their characters because they did the best jobs and fit the roles best in a X-Men film that didn't have FREAKIN' Wolverine as the main character, and we don't have to do any origin BS! Maybe base the film off of the first issues of the 1991 X-Men comics which led to the Fatal Attractions storyline.

Scott Summers a.k.a Cyclops

Aaron Eckhart would make the perfect Cyclops. He has the superhero chin and jaw structure and with darker brown hair, looks like Cyke. After his portrayal of Harvey Dent in TDK, he proves he's able to play the role.


Erik Lennsherr/ Max Eisenhart a.k.a. Magneto

Daniel Craig was my original choice for the Master of Magnetism when I was thinking about a reboot. He has acting capability, and the commanding tone of the Mags. He also has the villainous eyes that resemble those of Magneto's. Cut the whole senior citizen Magneto crap out of the film and have him post Erik the Red encounter being around 30-40 years old.

Ororo Munroe a.k.a Storm

Rosario Dawson. Although she isn't as dark skinned as the actual Storm of the comics (but then again niether was Barry), however, I believe Dawson could make a good Storm, if she can play a more calm character, for most of the movies I've seen her in she's the easily angered character. Also I think it be cool if they did the 80s mohawk Storm look, it would work and be pretty awesome. Also I really can't think of any other black actresses who could even possibly play a decent Storm (suggestions are welcomed though).

Kitty Pryde a.k.a. Shadowcat, Sprite

Portman is my top choice mainly because she matches the Kitty Pryde of the comic, also her being good looking has something to do with it. In the comics Pryde is Jewish American, in real life Portman is Jewish American. Portman went to Harvard in real life, in the comics Pryde was the smartest of the X-Men when it came to schooling. Although that's not much of a criteria it beats freakin' Ellen Page!

Anna Marie a.k.a. Rogue

Although Marvel Studios already used up their casting for Johannsen, I would be alright with the discontinuity of actress playing the Black Widow being Rogue. When going through it Johannsen is really the best choice for Rogue. The Southern accent would be easy for her to pull off and let's face it she fits the shape of Rogue in the comics.

Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler

or

I couldn't decide between Willem Defoe and Christoph Waltz the German officer from Inglorious. They both are really great actors, and both seem like they could pull off Nightcrawler.

Remy Lebeau a.k.a Gambit

In all honesty Gambit would be one of the hardest characters to cast for a great portrayal of the character and that's why I choose Depp. Depp could actually pull off the Cajun accent accurately without drifting in and out. A lot of people had suggested Josh Holloway(Sawyer from LOST) to play Gambit in the Wolverine movie, however, Holloway's Southern accent is completely different from a Cajun one.

Nathaniel Essex a.k.a. Mr.Sinister

If Sinister ever made it into one of the films, Mark Strong would be the best choice. Strong's performance in every film I've seen him in has been the one that steals the movie.

Warren Worthington III a.k.a. Angel/Archangel

Jude Law

Some other major characters I have yet to think of actors for were Colossus and Jean Grey, just couldn't think of anyone. If I think of anybody else I'll add 'em.

If you made it to this sentence, thanks for reading through my endless ramblings.

RUX and Two days in LA

Back in 2004-2005 I started to find out about Korean punk, the first band I ever listened to was the Pogo punk band the Spiky Brats. Soon after I found out about the band RUX(락스)which the drummer from the Spiky Brats, Jong Hee, was the frontman for. Ever since, RUX has become my favorite band, with every album they release being as great as if not better than the first album I ever heard. RUX is also more than likely the number one reason why Punk rock in South Korea is still alive, with the Jong Hee being the general of the "Ruckus Army" filled with the punx and skinheads of their scene. Jong Hee set up the first real punk label in So.Ko known as Skunk Label (no affiliation to the Sublime label) which he was able to sign all his fellow punx and skins bands to. He established Skunk Hell, a club in the Hong-Dae area of Seoul which primarily played punk, Oi!, and various other underground music, around 2003-2004 however, Skunk Hell was laid to rest at the end of 2008 with a blow out show that was packed outside the door. When I asked Jong Hee about Skunk Hell, he said "I had always been telling the punx and skins that Skunk Hell was our bunker, and that we needed leave the bunker and go out and fight." And from the resources I have on the Korean punk scene that's happened. Punk bands playing more than just two venues and "fighting." This photo was not taken by me but was from the old site Dae Han Min Decline

I received word from my buddy Chris that Jong Hee was crashing at his place this week, so I had to go up to LA/ the Valley to hang out with them (Chris is one of the other few punx in So.Cal who listens to a lot of Korean punk. His bands are Hellking, Oi! Driver, and the Maruading Ghouls check them out!!!). Jong Hee has been in the States for about a week or two, trying to get some details and venues for a possible RUX tour out here in September.

It was a fun and exciting two days filled with a lot of laughs and good times. Part of the trip sucked because Chris had to work most of the time, but it was still cool. First, Chris, Jong Hee, and I hit up In-N-Out for some always delicious burgers. Next Jong Hee and I hit the freeway to go to the Shinhan(?) bank in Korea Town. On the way there we somehow got into a big discussion about Samuel L. Jackson. At the Shinhan bank the security guards were staring mad daggers at us, but hey it comes with the territory. Then we hit Venice beach which was completely overcast and deserted, and a boat crashed very close to the sidewalk. At the beach I learned the basic power chords for most punk songs from Jong Hee, although I still need to master that. Then we busted out on the spot all the punk songs we could think of using those chords and trying to sing along to them, very cool.

Eventually we drove over to Hollywood blvd. which was an interesting event in itself, the premiere for the new A-Team movie was about to happen so there was a tank in the closed off section of the street which suddenly dissappeared. It was a typical scene of two punx walking down the illuminated neon streets of Hollywood, not as many people as freaked out, but still fun. Jong Hee kept looking for nightclubs and shows we could get into for free, but most of them weren't that interesting so we started to walk back. When waiting for one of the crosswalks Jong Hee became fixated with this woman sitting outside of this one curry restaurant, so much so that once we crossed the street he had to stop immediately for a cigarette break, and then cross back over and wait outside for a good 15-20 minutes. I told him he should've used the "I'm a lead singer in a band" line to start talking to her, but he said his English wasn't good enough and he was nervous. The I told him he should've broke out into the No Brain song singing "넌 내게 반했어!", which roughly means "you, fall in love with me." It was funny to watch because later on he developed a name for her as well as made up a backstory. He said her name was Edna and she was German. Once back at Chris' place we went to see the midnight showing of "Get Him to the Greek" which Chris' friend hooked us up with for free.

Next day, we hung out in Hollywood again from about 3pm to 12am, walking around (again Jong Hee looking for clubs). Later on Dori would join us as we journeyed on foot all the way down to the end of Hollywood blvd. Then it was a late night drive back home here to SD for me. All in all a great and memorable two days. It never realy sunk in to my mind that I was hanging out with the founder and frontman of my favorite band! Maybe that's the point though, my favorite artists are just as easy going and relaxed.

My next posts shouldn't be this long so until next time...

And here...we.....go.

I'd like to first start by saying that I'm in no way shape or form a great writer, nor is my grammar the greatest. However, this blog is just a place for me to write about anything and everything without having much of a limit on space, or writing an essay sized comment on someone's Facebook and/or Myspace. It's a blog that will contain my own personal beliefs and opinions (WARNING: some statements made are facts) on various subjects: comic books, movies, music, books, video games and other stuff. And as the subheading states it's also for me to write about any adventures I have. Although most people probably don't care about my opinions I still feel like doing this so there you go. The name of the blog is in reference to the Bouncing Souls song "the Freaks, Nerds, and Romantics" I figured I'm considered a freak to some people, and I'm also a nerd so...catch22.

And right now I'm too lazy to change the colors and look of this blog maybe I'll do it later.