fun – Page 11 – Author Carlo Carrasco

A Look Back at Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire #2 (1996)

May 12, 2025May 7, 2025carlocarrasco

Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back science fiction enthusiasts, 20^th century pop culture enthusiasts, Star Wars fans and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1996 to examine the 2^nd tale of a notable Star Wars storyline that took place between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi…Shadows of the Empire!

For the newcomers reading this, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire was a huge multimedia Star Wars event launched in the mid-1990s without a movie. Apart from exploring what happened in between the 1980 and 1983 classic Star Wars movies, Shadows of the Empire expands the lore by introducing new characters, Luke Skywalker’s gradual recovery from what he suffered from in The Empire Strikes Back, and the Galactic Empire’s ties with criminals who turned out to be resourceful. Back then, Star Wars was still fully under the control of George Lucas and his businesses. I already reviewed the first issue and enjoyed it.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire #2, published in 1996 by Dark Horse Comics with a story written by John Wagner and drawn by Kilian Plunkett. This is the 2^nd chapter of a 6-issue mini-series.

Early story

The story begins with Darth Vader in the middle of a lightsaber sparring session with a droid. As he makes his fighting moves, he issues instructions to a thug named Jix who was standing and watching. Vader tells him that the bounty hunter Boba Fett still has not yet delivered the captured Han Solo (in carbonite) to Jabba the Hutt in Tatooine, and he anticipates that Luke Skywalker will make an attempt to rescue him. Vader wants Jix to insinuate himself into Jabba’s swoop gang.

On another part of the galaxy, several Rebel X-Wing fighters (led by Luke Skywalker), the Millennium Falcon (with Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C3PO and Lando Calrissian) and the Outrider (Dash Rendar) travel together approaching the planet Gall with different objectives: the Rogue Squadrom will go draw out the imperial fighters while both the Falcon and the Outrider will sneak in to find the damaged Slave-1 (Boba Fett) and rescue Han Solo…

Quality

*The Millennium Falcon and Slave-1 in the same encounter.*

When compared to its predecessor, this comic book has a lot of plot developments moving forward. It is in this story where you will see Leia, Lando and Chewbacca really pull off their first-ever attempt to rescue Han Solo and the way it was presented by the creative duo Wagner-Plunkett was worth the anticipation. Even though the odds are against them, Prince Leia is clearly determined to get Han back not for her love for him but for the Rebel Alliance’s need.

With Darth Vader having lesser spotlight and none of Emperor Palpatine, the creative team was able to shift more of the spotlight on the galactic criminals. The introduction of Jabba’s Swoop Gang was nicely done and the portrayal of them as a rowdy and very sinister bunch is very notable.

Anyone who enjoyed playing the Shadows of the Empire video game on Nintendo 64 (N64) will be pleased to see Dash Rendar and his Outrider space ship here even though the spotlight lasted only briefly. As expected, Dash is creatively a smuggler-type substitute for Han Solo and I have the feeling that he will re-appear in the remaining issues of this mini-series.

As for the famous hero Luke Skywalker, you won’t see him wielding his lightsaber nor see him using his Jedi powers. Instead, you will see him taking action as an X-Wing Fighter pilot and you will see even more of his ability to lead his Rogue Squadron teammates. The way Luke was portrayed here was pretty accurate compared to his cinematic portrayal which proves the writing done was really solid.

In fact, the writing by Wagner remained consistently high in quality particularly with dramatizing Princess Leia, Lando, C3PO, R2D2 and Darth Vader. It is through Dash Rendar, Jix and the Swoop Gang where you will see Wagner push his creativity as he expands the lore of Star Wars to emphasize the galactic crime world and smugglers.

Lastly, Wagner really went all-in in developing the iconic bad guy Boba Fett in this comic book. You will really see how Boba Fett uses violence not just to overwhelm any opposition but also to protect the high bounty with the frozen Han Solo who is easily wanted by other bounty hunters and scum. When it comes to the visuals, expect to see similar quality Plunkett delivered in the first issue right here. Plunkett is very good with visualizing space ship battles, space travel, machines and locations, but showed weakness on drawing the humans. In fairness, Plunkett came up with very original styles and designs for the Swoop Gang and Jix, making them look really distinct.

Conclusion

Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire #2 (1996) is a solid follow-up to issue #1 and it managed to have the main plot and sub-plots move forward significantly. The storytelling is consistently good and the engagement was pretty strong. I can say I am convinced to look forward to finding out more in the next issue.

Overall, Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire #2 (1996) is recommended.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Better than Streaming: Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBook coming this June

May 9, 2025May 4, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back fellow geeks, Blu-ray collectors and movie buffs!

If you love Steven Spielberg’s classic film Jaws and if you are determined to collect the latest thing about it, be aware that the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBook will be released commercially on June 17, 2025. In relation to that, customers are welcome to order it in advance by clicking here.

*This is the 4K Blu-ray SteelBook set of Jaws. (photo source – Amazon)*

Posted below are the technical details of the Jaws 50th Anniversary 4K Blu-ray SteelBook sourced from its Blu-ray.com page,

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265 (70.80 Mbps)

Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)

HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10+

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

English: DTS 2.0 Mono

French: DTS-HD HR 7.1

Spanish: DTS 5.1

Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs – 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray Disc, Three-disc set (1 BD-100, 2 BD-50), Bonus View (PiP), BD-Live

D-Box, Social network features

Digital – Digital copy included

Packaging – SteelBook, inner print

Playback – 4K Blu-ray: Region free, 2K Blu-ray: Region A

Although I never saw Jaws inside the movie theater, I saw it multiple times from local TV to cable TV, and DVD. It truly still is one of Steven Spielberg’s best works to this day and it should be stated that filmmakers encountered a lot of problems during production at the time. To animate the killer shark, they used physical stuff while shooting on the ocean extensively. Computer-generated graphics and digital editing were not the standard back then. I have yet to view the classic film on high-definition and it should be stated that the Jaws 4K Blu-ray has been available for years now.

*Mark your calendars for June 17, 2025. (photo source – Amazon)*

If you have decided already to order the more affordable and simpler 4K Blu-ray copy of Jaws, click here. If you really want the upcoming 4K Blu-ray SteelBook edition, click here.

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 75

May 7, 2025May 2, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith makes big comeback – This year marks the 20^th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith and its impact was felt when it finished 2^nd in the American box office with its anniversary theatrical release. The George Lucas-directed movie grossed $25.5 million on April 25-27, 2025. For the newcomers reading this, Revenge of the Sith’s successful return to cinemas was celebrated by long-time fans as it was George Lucas’ Star Wars, and not the woke garbage from Kathleen Kennedy and the woke Disney company. To learn about the significance of Revenge of the Sith’s return, watch the videos below.

#2 Ashleigh Burton, Popcorn in Bed, VKunia and Decker Shado react to Revenge of the Sith – Revenge of the Sith is the real Star Wars as it was made and released many years before woke Disney made the unfortunate deal with George Lucas. I myself was fortunate enough to have seen the movie inside the cinema during its opening week here in the Philippines way back in 2005. To see how Revenge of the Sith impacts viewers, watch the respective video reactions by Ashleigh Burton, Popcorn in Bed, VKunia and Decker Shado (review) below.

#3 PatmanQC examines the history of Centipede – Centipede was an Atari game that I played a lot on the Atari 2600 a long time ago. It was simple with its game design and yet it was a lot of fun to play with. I never got to play the arcade version of Centipede in the old days but thanks to the Atari 50 collection I own, I finally played the arcade Centipede on my Xbox Series X. The development Centipede is interesting and you can learn more about it and the games by watching PatmanQC’s in-depth video below.

#4 Lunar games retrospective – If you are feeling nostalgic or interested in the Lunar franchise of video games, then Gaming Broductions’ retrospective video should interest you. For the newcomers reading this, the Lunar franchise started on the Sega CD (Mega CD in other markets) with Lunar: The Silver Star which was a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) developed by Game Arts. Sequels and spin-offs were released in the years that followed and the Lunar franchise was revived for modern consoles with the Lunar Remastered Collection. Watch the video to discover more about Lunar games.

#5 Popcorn in Bed reacts to Cape Fear (1991) – Remember when Robert De Niro played a very bad guy in 1991’s Cape Fear? Believe it or not, that particular movie was actually a remake of the original 1960s version and it even got nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. There were moviegoers who got terrified by Cape Fear in 1991 and you can see for yourselves how it impacted YouTuber Popcorn in Bed in the reaction video below. By the way, Nick Nolte was really good in his role in the film.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 74

May 2, 2025May 2, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Top Secret! and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear – Being a jolly person, YouTuber Ashleigh Burton can be entertaining to watch during her movie reaction videos. This is more evident when she reacts to a comedy film and she has made reaction videos of comedies that involved Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker (ZAZ) in varying ways. I enjoyed watching her reaction videos of Top Secret! (directed by ZAZ) and The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (directed by David Zucker of ZAZ). Before watching those videos, I encourage you to watch first the two mentioned movies if you still have not seen them. If you have seen them and want to revisit them through Ashleigh Burton, watch the videos below.

#2 You, Me and the Movies reacts to David Lynch’s Dune – Way back in 1984, the sci-fi movie Dune was released but it never became the big hit the producers hoped it would be. Even though it had a mostly lavish production, director David Lynch’s creative approach on telling the story was found by many as weird or hard to understand. That being said, take a close look at the video below and see how David Lynch’s Dune draws reactions from You, Me and the Movies.

#3 Ranting for Vengeance explains Alan Moore’s Marxism and why the author is not a genius at all – Have you ever read Watchmen, V for Vendetta or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? All those were authored by Alan Moore and months ago he was interviewed and he revealed his political thoughts. The interview gave YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance an opportunity to analyze what Moore said, explain the Communism and Marxism of the author, and why he perceives Moore as a writer who sucks. Find out now by watching the video below.

#4 Slope’s Game Room examines BurgerTime games – Recently Slope’s Game Room posted its in-depth video examining the history of the classic game BurgerTime and the many it games it spawned through the decades. Produced by Data East, BurgerTime was first released in arcades in 1982 and it became a big hit with players eventually getting ported to multiple platforms to keep up with demand. I should also state that BurgerTime is one of those games that constantly reminded players about food. Watch the video below.

#5 Minty Comedic Arts presents trivia about Die Hard with a Vengeance – Almost thirty years ago, Die Hard with a Vengeance was released in cinemas around the world and it was even titled as “Die Hard 3” here in the Philippines. The film had Bruce Willis as John McClane and John McTiernan returned as director. This time around, the setting was much more open and massive with New York City and surrounding areas as locations. If you love the movie and you want to know a lot more details about its production, watch the trivia video by Minty Comedic Arts below.

#6 Represent This’ in-depth examination of The Empire Strikes Back – Having seen all the Star Wars movies – including the trash from woke Disney – I can say that the best of them all is still The Empire Strikes Back which itself was not even directed by creator George Lucas. The Star Wars sequel from 1980 stood the test of time and when it came to creative or technical revisions through the decades, it is the one that had the least number of revisions. That being said, if you want to know lots of intricate details about The Empire Strikes Back, I recommend watching the two analytical and explanatory videos by Represent This.

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A Look Back at Action Comics #689 (1993)

April 30, 2025April 27, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 20^th century pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1993 to take a close look at one of the tales of the Reign of the Supermen storyline told through an issue of Action Comics.

When Adventures of Superman #500 (1993) was released, it launched the Reign of the Supermen storyline (which focused on the tales of the Eradicator, Steel, Superboy and Cyborg Superman) and the comic book creators working on Superman comic books came up with lots of new concepts and storytelling ideas to sell to fans of the Man of Steel. Along the way, there was some suspense regarding the state of the supposedly dead Superman.

With those details laid down, here is a look back at Action Comics #689, published in 1993 by DC Comics with a story written by Roger Stern and drawn by Jackson Guice.

Early story

The story begins in Metropolis when a major infrastructure of the city got heavily damaged leaving both Supergirl and Superboy (the lone teenager among the Supermen who emerged mysteriously after the death and funeral of Superman) no choice but to prevent the loss of human lives.

As the struggle in Metropolis continues, the Regeneration Matrix inside the Fortress of Solitude suddenly overloads with energy and breaks open. A man in Kryptonian garb wakes up feeling disoriented in the presence of several robots of the fortress. The man commands the robots to tell them what has been going on.

A short time later, the man uses the Kryptonian technologies of the fortress to examine simultaneous videos while receiving verbal updates from one of the robots. He gets informed that all individuals operating under the name of Superman have been monitored before he woke up. Carefully the man the captured footage of Superboy, the Eradicator, Steel and Cyborg Superman.

He is convinced that things have gotten completely out of hand and the name of Superman will not be turned into a franchise. He decides that something must be done and he has to get to Metropolis…

Quality

*Steel and the Eradicator fought each other.*

This chapter of the Reign of the Supermen storyline has a lot of developments moving simultaneously with the spotlight being shared among Superboy, Supergirl, Lex Luthor, Jonathan Kent, Martha Kent, Steel and the Eradicator plus the traditional supporting characters of Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen. To say the least, it will take an effort for any reader to grasp the many plot developments and all the details crammed into this single comic book.

By looking at the plot developments, Superboy’s plot does not have much depth. Apart from seeing him and Supergirl helping the people affected by the disaster, you will see his interactions with (and his perception of) her and Lex Luthor getting frustrated because Superboy rejected his offer to work for Lexcorp. Superboy is not so interesting here.

The other plots such as Jonathan Kent expressing his strong belief that Clark Kent is the true and the definitive Superman, the conflict between Steel and the Eradicator, and the mysterious man (Superman actually) inside Fortress of Solitude are the more engaging ones to follow. It was only right that the cover of this comic book focused on the newly returned Superman monitoring the other Supermen while inside the fortress.

What made this comic book interesting was the creative team’s exploration of the actual meaning of heroism, people’s fear and confusion while dealing with the existence of four Supermen, and humanity’s exploitation of the presence of powerful beings for financial gain or greater influence over the people.

Conclusion

*The mysterious man inside the Fortress of Solitude monitors recent events and who the Supermen are.*

Action Comics #689 (1993) is crammed and had a lot of plots dramatized. This was intentionally done because DC Comics at the time had momentum with the Reign of the Supermen storyline and it was inevitable that they started building up for the next stage that eventually became the return of the iconic Superman and re-establishing his prominence within the shared post-Crisis universe.

Overall, Action Comics #689 (1993) is satisfactory.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 69

April 11, 2025April 8, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Val Kilmer remembered – In case you missed the news, actor Val Kilmer passed away at age 65. He contributed a lot to the art of cinema for decades and had many memorable performances in films like Top Gun, Heat, Top Secret!, and Tombstone to name a few. He appeared in a very touching scene in Top Gun: Maverick. In memory of him, posted below are assorted videos of his past works.

#2 PatmanQC examines Galaga – Originally released in arcades in 1981, Galaga is a classic 2D shooter game that consistently provided gamers bouts of fun, unique challenges and an immersive science fiction feel. Through the decades, I played it in the arcade and on game consoles, and the fun was always there. The production history of Galaga is pretty interesting and it includes developmental challenges connected with hardware limitations, revision of creative ideas and the like. PatmanQC’s examination of the history of Galaga is a must-watch!

#3 The entire Terminator film franchise examined – From 1984 to 2019, a total of six movies of the Terminator film franchise got released. If you ask me, only The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgment Day are the ones worth replaying and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) made them even more socially relevant. Then there are those who really liked Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines as it was a very expensive follow-up to its predecessor. Terminator Salvation attracted moviegoers with its portrayal of the future war between man and machines. In recent times, YouTuber Outside Intel posted its in-depth retrospective of all the six Terminator movies, and it lasts over an hour. If you are feeling nostalgic about Terminator films, this is a must-see.

#4 Fictional TV news reports and commercials from RoboCop (1987) – Remember the first time you ever saw RoboCop inside the cinema way back in 1987? If you did, do you still remember how you first reacted when you saw the fictional TV news reports and commercials that were played within the context of the film’s story? In case you have forgotten, posted below is a YouTube that conveniently collects them all for you to see.

#5 James Gunn’s Superman looking super bad right now – There is a brand new Superman movie directed by James Gunn coming out months from now. While the first teaser of the film looked interesting, the newest teaser made the upcoming movie look bad. Among all the reactions towards the latest Superman 2025 sneak peak, Ranting for Vengeance and Ben Shapiro have the most opinionated and most analytical reactions of them all. Watch the videos below and ask yourselves this – do you really want to see James Gunn’s very own take on Superman and the DC Comics characters?

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Retro Gaming Ads Blast – Part 29

April 9, 2025April 3, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back readers, fellow geeks and electronic gaming fans!

In this edition of the Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) series, we will take a look at another batch of retro gaming print ads – including arcade flyers – from the 1980s and 1990s.

For the newcomers reading this, Retro Gaming Ads Blast (RGAB) looks back at the many print ads of games (console, arcade, computer and handheld) that were published in comic books, magazines, flyers, posters and newspapers long before smartphones, social media, the worldwide web and streaming became popular. To put things in perspective, people back in the 1980s and 1990s were more trusting of print media for information and images about electronic games and related products.

With those details laid down, here is the newest batch of retro gaming print ads for you to see and enjoy…

1. G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyers

*G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero arcade flyer for the Japanese market.*

*The North American arcade flyer of G.I. Joe.*

Back in the 1980s, my friends and I saw lots of episodes of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero on TV and there were lets of toys of it available. I also read some comic books of G.I. Joe. While there were G.I. Joe video games, I never got to play its early 1990s arcade game from Konami. By comparing the two arcade flyers of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, the American flyer excels visually showing the characters with a powerful war-themed background. The Japanese flyer had smaller space for the same artwork and displayed the arcade cabinet (take note of the controls laid out to accommodate up to four players). Between the two, I prefer the American arcade flyer.

2. Alien 3 Japanese arcade flyer

*With this arcade flyer, Sega clearly showed arcade operators what to expect when ordering machines of Alien 3: The Gun.*

Watching Alien 3 inside the cinema in 1992 was one of the worst moviegoing experiences I ever had. By the time video games based on the movie were released, I was surprised to see how action-packed and entertaining they looked. The one Alien 3 game that captivated me was Sega’s Alien 3: The Gun in the arcades as its design and concept contradicted the essence of the film. The Japanese arcade flyer has this aggressive approach on laying down the details, displaying the arcade machine and displaying carefully selected screenshots to excite both gamers and arcade operators. This arcade flyer still looks good today.

3. Super Cobra arcade flyer

*A great artwork emphasizing the concept of Super Cobra.*

First released in Japanese and America arcades in 1981, Super Cobra is a 2D side-scrolling shooter in which players pilot an armed helicopter through tight caverns while facing enemies capable of firing. The American arcade flyer has great artwork that almost perfectly captures the essence of the game. This is another old arcade flyer that has aged well.

4. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin print ad

*Back in 1993, animated sequences included in video games were still new and even exciting.*

Moving forward to the year 1993, gamers in America who owned a Sega Genesis console were being motivated by Sega to upgrade their gaming experience with the Sega CD add-on. Along the way, Sega really ramped up efforts to have more games supporting the Sega CD and one of them was The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin. The Amazing Spider-Man vs. The Kingpin on Sega CD was actually an updated version of the original 1991 game and Sega’s team included several improvements to take advantage of the CD-ROM technology of the add-on. This print ad showed Sega’s hard work on selling the game.

5. Soulstar print ad

*The artwork of this print ad has very strong sci-fi vibes.*

Released in 1994 for the Sega CD (Mega CD in other markets), Soulstar was sci-fi 3^rd-person shooter that delivered amazing visuals, fun gameplay and an immersive experience of space travel to gamers. This European market print ad is a very effective way to promote the game using carefully selected screenshots, amazing artwork and a cleverly written text description. Still a fine print ad to look at.

6. Batman Returns print ad

This print ad effectively promoted both the game and the movie. In retrospect, the line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” turned out to be true as lot of parents who brought their kids to the cinemas for Batman Returns were turned off by the adulterated elements.

In 1992, Batman Returns played in a lot of cinemas but its very dark tone and adulterated elements prevented it from matching the huge box office success of its 1989 predecessor. Regardless, a lot of licensed video games based on the movie were released and in early 1993, Konami released a Batman Returns video game on the aging Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). This print ad used a photograph from the filming of an scene that actually had Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman, dominating over the iconic Batman. Also displayed were screenshots, the game’s box cover (showing Pfeiffer, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito as their respective characters) and the text description. Even if you did not like the movie, this old print ad is a solid way of promoting both the game and the movie. The line “Our new Batman game is anything but tame” strangely turned out very true.

7. The Terminator games print ads

Released in cinemas in 1984, The Terminator was a surprise hit as well as a career-booster for Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron. What is very notable is the fact that several video game adaptations of The Terminator were released on consoles in the early 1990s. I can only guess this was done to capitalize on the resurgence of the Terminator franchise in connection with Terminator 2: Judgement Day’s much-anticipated release in cinemas. The Sega Genesis version print ad features a digitized close-up of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator while the 2-page Sega CD version print ad used a lot of the space for large text (with an incomplete shot of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator on the edge of the 2^nd page) emphasizing “He’s Back” and “The Terminator” while leaving little space for text descriptions and screenshots. Between the two, I find the Sega Genesis ad more effective with its promotion of the game.

8. Defender arcade flyer

*More choices of a very successful game for arcade operators also means more ways for players to play it.*

Even though it had a soft start in the early 1980s, the classic game Defender went on to become a massive commercial success in the arcades. Being a major attraction in America’s video game industry, Williams unsurprisingly went on to release this particular arcade flyer to sell to operators different types of Defender arcade machines that could fit into their respective joints while providing gamers choices on how to play the game. Some players preferred to stand in-front of a tall arcade cabinet while others prefer to play the game looking down on the screen. This flyer is an example as to how a company can keep their biggest success moving on while offering business clients more choices.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 68

April 7, 2025April 7, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 Ashleigh Burton reacts to Mr. Holland’s Opus – If there is anything that comes to my mind about the actor Richard Dreyfuss, it is his involvement in Steven Spielberg’s classic films Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He is truly is a great actor and appeared in many films through the decades. Then in 1995, his name become prominent again in Mr. Holland’s Opus and his performance in that film earned him the nomination for the Academy Award of Best Actor. Recently I saw Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video of the said movie and it is a must-see.

#2 Radiant Silvergun revisited – In 1998, the sci-fi shooter Radiant Silvergun was released in arcades and on the Sega Saturn console, and it turned to be a very cleverly designed game which resulted in a positive reception with both players and game critics. The game made its debut in the West through Xbox Live Arcade in the form of an Xbox 360 port. Recently The SEGAGuys posted an in-depth, retrospective video about Radiant Silvergun which retro gaming enthusiasts should watch.

#3 Popcorn in Bed reacts to 1991’s JFK – With the recent release of previously confidential documents related to the 1963 assassination of US President John F. Kennedy, it is not surprising that a resurgence of public interest in the 1991 movie JFK happened. I saw that film on DVD a number of times and by today’s standards, it has not aged well and it is historically flawed. The movie’s biggest selling point is not the star Kevin Costner but its concept that Kennedy was the target of a conspiracy by certain forces within the US government at the time. Recently, YouTuber Popcorn in Bed posted a reaction video and the movie has its moments of engaging her.

#4 You, Me and the Movies react to The Andromeda Strain – Do you enjoy watching science fiction thrillers from the 1970s? The Andromeda Strain was one of those films from the said decade that was designed to intrigue viewers with its concept and style of presentation. It is also one of the early cinematic works written by the late Michael Crichton. It was directed by the late Robert Wise who would later direct Star Trek: The Motion Picture. You, Me and the Movies recently posted their reaction video of it and it is entertaining to see.

#5 A warning about the next Spider-Man movie becoming woke – YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance recently posted a video warning us that there are signs that the next Spider-Man live-action movie starring Tom Holland will turn out woke. If that happens, I definitely will stay away from it and I certainly will not spend time and money on any woke crap produced by Communist Hollywood (Commiewood). Ranting for Vengeance hit all the points precisely and he has in-depth explanations for each. Watch the video and share it to others. Thanks.

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What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 67

April 2, 2025March 27, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 The next Xbox will include Steam and PlayStation? – The vibe of the next-generation of console gaming is only intensifying by the day. When it comes to Xbox itself, there is speculation that the next-generation Xbox will not only be a hybrid PC console but also include access to Steam games and even those of PlayStation. I know it sound crazy but if it is clear that Microsoft is doing its own approach on the next-generation Xbox in radically different way compared with PlayStation and Nintendo. If you want to know more details, watch Colteastwood’s video below.

#2 PatmanQC examines NBA Jam – Were you able to play basketball videos in the arcades way back in the 1990s? Back then, NBA Jam was a massive excess attracting so many players and generating lots of income for arcade operators. The game also sold a lot on many game consoles as well. NBA Jam is a 2-on-2 arcade-style basketball game with emphasis on fast-paced scoring without the hindrance of normal basketball rules. To discover more about the history of NBA Jam and who were the people behind its production, watch the video of PatmanQC.

#3 Slope’s Game Room examines the Strike games franchise – Remember back long ago when Electronic Arts (EA) released a series of military themed shooter games on game consoles? I’m referring to the Strike series of games that include Desert Strike, Jungle Strike, Urban Strike, Soviet Strike and Nuclear Strike. Those games were released across two console generations in the 1990s and the series has not been revived until now. To look back at EA’s Strike games, watch the video by Slope’s Game Room.

#4 VKunia reacts to Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice – I recently browsed through the many videos of YouTuber VKunia and took time to watch her reaction video of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The film directed by Zack Snyder is significant not in a positive way but because of its very dark approach on storytelling and spectacle involving DC Comics’ icons Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. The way it was presented, not even the combined talents of Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Ben Affleck and others could spare the film from negative reception. I think by today’s standards, this is a superhero film that can only entertain a limited type of people. Still, I find VKunia’s reactions to it a must-watch.

#5 Woke garbage in comic books exposed and explained – As a geek, I really hate it when these modern day Leftists – Communists, socialists, Marxists, liberals, diversity zealots, inclusion zealots, LGBTQ activists and Islamo-Leftists – ruin movies and video games by emphasizing their radical agenda through them. The same has happened in comic books and it is clear that the Leftists working for the publishers made established superhero icons look terrible. These unfortunate developments will remind you that comic books are meant for escapism and not political agenda which comic book legends Jim Shooter and Stan Lee confirmed long ago. Watch and learn from the video of YouTuber Ranting for Vengeance right now.

#6 The free speech solution against DEI poison – In this John Stossel video I recently saw, the topic of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) was discussed and it turns out there is a free speech solution against the woke virus. This is about the ongoing information war between the Satanic Left and the ones who believe in common sense and reality.

#7 Ashleigh Burton reacts to The Breakfast Club – Were you able to watch any movies written or directed by the late John Hughes? A lot of people considered Hughes’ works collectively defined the cinematic American teenagers of the 1980s. One of the more popular works of Hughes was The Breakfast Club and Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is a must-see.

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Do you miss watching movies at Commercenter?

March 28, 2025March 25, 2025carlocarrasco

For those of you who have been missing out on developments here in Alabang, Commercenter officially closed down their cinemas (4 screens) on March 15, 2025 fulfilling their announcement (click here and here) They did, however, announce that something new will materialize but there are no details as to what that might be.

During one of my recent visits at the high-end shopping mall in Filinvest City, I noticed that the 2^nd floor path leading to what used to be the cinemas was sealed shut which you can see in the video below.

For the newcomers reading this, Commercenter’s cinemas operated for a little over ten years starting in the 2^nd half of 2014. The cinemas had 4 screens and each screen had a sitting capacity of over 100 seats. Outside of the screens, the ticket desk and the concessionaire were right beside each other. Having seen a lot of movies at Commercenter, I can say that watching films inside the cinemas was often comfortable, convenient and pleasant.

As many of us know, the COVID-19 pandemic really hit the cinemas industry of the nation very hard as other types of businesses also went down. The nationwide shutdown of movie theaters caused by government pandemic restrictions really hurt not only the cinema operators but also their employees. When the restrictions were eased, cinemas around the country gradually reopened and for a time moviegoers had to wear face masks when watching movies. When I saw The Batman in Commercenter in March 2022, me and others had to wear face masks because they were required.

A post-pandemic economic recovery happened here in the Philippines but it looks like the cinemas industry has yet to achieve the pre-pandemic numbers of moviegoers. That being said, I can only speculate that the rise of ticket prices, the preference of locals to watch new movies by streaming, and the rise of varied operating expenses probably contributed to the closure of cinemas not only in Commercenter but also those in Festival Mall.

With regards to inflation, the rise of ticket prices at Commercenter during the post-pandemic persion were noticeable. I paid P320 for The Batman in March 2022 and P380 for Sound of Freedom in September 2023 at Commercenter. Before the mall closed down its cinemas, foreign movie tickets were being sold at P400 each. Clearly, there were unfavorable economic forces that happened.

Without the cinemas, Commercenter lost entertainment value. I remember back in 2015 when a lot of people formed long lines to watch Jurassic World which also explained why the mall’s basement parking almost reached full capacity. There were also busy weekends for blockbusters films like Wonder Woman, Avengers: Endgame, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Mad Max: Fury Road and others right there.

Before the closure of the cinemas happened, this movie poster of the 2025 Superman movie (directed by James Gunn) was displayed inside Commercenter. The film is set to open in cinemas worldwide this July and Commercenter’s cinemas have been closed since March 15. The display of this movie poster is pointless now.

Before the pandemic struck, Commercenter was a fun place for moviegoers and I personally know friends based outside of Muntinlupa City who came to the said mall for movies. That means Commercenter really had a unique attraction that made it competitive with Alabang Town Center and Festival Mall when it comes to attracting people who love movies. At the same time, the mall has nice places where visitors can have meals or coffee after watching a film.

Of course, the cinemas of Commercenter are no more and we can only remember the old days of fun-filled moviegoing at its cinemas through pictures, social media posts and collected movie tickets.

In my honest opinion, watching movies in Alabang will never be the same.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

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