Ben Dares All

    This is a special screening of the first four episodes of the 2023 Rurouni Kenshin anime.  I didn't follow the first anime adaptation, titled Samurai X, from start to end but I did see a handful of episodes.  I can't really compare the quality but I remember some changes, like how Yahiko left the mob.     The voice actors of Yahiko and Sanno were present during the special screening but we weren't allowed to take pictures.  I do hope they felt welcomed and appreciated since they did come all this way to promote the new show. 

   The Flash was absolutely crazy. His behind the scenes crimes notwithstanding, Ezra's pulling double duty is doubly brilliant and bonkers.     The plot might be old hat for comic and sci-fi fans but the humor, nostalgia punches and overall ostentatiousness makes this a total crowd pleaser. There's callbacks to comic book media fans in terms of cameos and guest stars, though there might be controversy with the use of oddly made CGI.     Kudos for the director, writer and even Ezra for embracing the wackiness but still keeping the drama ok check. This Flash flick should be a runaway hit

   I'm a huge Beast Wars fan so I was looking forward to the Rise of the Beasts Transformers movie.  The Bumblebee movie was pretty decent since it was a reboot so this should harken back to simpler times.    Oh man, I was disappointed in their lack of presence.  Primal was a walking exposition machine.  Airrazor had the most screentime, probably as she was female representation but she didn't even get to transform.  The other Maximals Cheetor and Rhinox and even Optimus Primal only shifted to robot mode for probably less than a minute.  What was the point of having transforming figures if they don't transform?     Mirage took center stage since Bumblebee was shoved to the background.  Mirage is a little too hip but, hey, they were appealing to the Hispanic representation with the human lead.  The ending would be interesting if they make a sequel and hopefully they do.     While I'm still greatly disapp...

   I was at the Renaissance art exhibit last June 3, 2023.   The event celebrated 20 years of Renaissance art by local artists, most of which were present during the opening.      I'm not much of a critic but this illusion of geometry mesmerized me as I tried to figure out if they were skeletons on buildings or not.     There really was a set of more ordered types of art.     The colorful ones are more soothing to admire, honestly.     I figured the metal pieces were dancers.     Here's to another twenty years of art!