Movie Review: Avatar: Way of Water

After 13 years of anticipation the Avatar sequel, Way of Water was finally was released this past December. Director James Cameron broke all the records with his groundbreaking release in 2009 for the most expensive movie and the highest grossing film of all time. The movie was much acclaimed for it's sci-fi story and more-so it's incredible special effects. Despite some comparisons to Fergunlly, it became a very successful blockbuster. I think I must have seen it at least twice in theaters and have always enjoyed the movie, especially for it's feel-good quality. 

It was well known for some time that there would be a sequel and that Cameron himself wanted to take his time on it. Not only for the visual effects but also for a story that could continue to grow on his Pandora Universe. Of course there was likely some delays due to the Covid pandemic. It's fair to say now after watching this sequel, Cameron has delivered on the long-awaited anticipation and has created another awe-inspiring film. 

I was excited to see the previews last fall and knew I wanted to catch this one in theatres. It's been several years since I've seen a movie in the theaters, since before the pandemic (maybe Avengers: End Game in 2019). I was able to get Benjamin and William to watch it with me and we were treated to the 3D experience. We went to the AMC in Castleton and caught the noon showing. I treated us to some popcorn. I really wasn't sure what to expect from the story, only that it would be another visual extravaganza. 

I can say upfront that the movie was well worth the money and anticipation. Cameron has once again delivered a groundbreaking film of action, fantasy, special effects, and intrigue. He has expanded on his Pandora Universe with this newest chapter pertaining to the Na'vi species. The story skims forward a bit in time as Jake Sully and his wife Neytiri now have a family in the forests of Pandora. Ever since the great battle in the first movie the humans "sky-people" have left the planet and the Na'vi have experienced some time of peace. They raise five children, 2 sons, a daughter, an adopted daughter from the scientist Grace's avatar, and an adopted human son (who happens to be the son of the villain Colonel Miles). 

However the peace-times is short-lived as the human "skypeople" are forced to return to Pandora since the planet Earth is dying. They arrive with heavy machinery and weapons prepared to colonize the planet. They also enlist a group of avatar marines to hunt down the Na'vi hostiles led by Jake Sully. Although the evil Col Miles was killed in the first movie, his DNA has been placed in an avatar for a more potent warrior. So Col Miles has most of his memories from the first movie, including his knowledge of Pandora and his hate for Jake Sully and the Na'vi people. He is just as bad and wicked as before and leads a group of deadly marines who are even more deadly in their Na'vi avatar bodies.

Jake Sully is able to lead several successful raids against the skypeople however he later discovers that Col Miles is hunting him and his family. In a confrontation with Miles, Sully is able to save his children however the young human Spider is kidnapped by Miles(who would technically be like a father to him). Sully decides it is in the best interest of his family and his forest tribe that they go far away into hiding. So he and Neytiri travel to a far off island where the Na'vi are more intune with the water. Jake Sully and his family quickly adapt to the ways of the water tribe and find peace for a little while. 

However Col Miles is able to eventually track the Sully's down and enlists the help of some whale hunters to attack the water tribes. Col Miles kidnaps the kids once again which leads to an epic confrontation between the human skypeople and the water Na'vi. The battle sequences in this movie were very exciting edge-of-your-seat stuff. While the Na'vi hold the superior natural warriors ability, the skypeople have the superior weaponry. The eldest Sully son tragically dies in the battle, however the Sully family does not have time to mourn for him. They have to save their daughters from the wicked Col Miles.

The final confrontation on the sinking ship is an exciting one and requires the entire family to work together to defeat the evil Col Miles (including Spider). Jake is able to finally defeat Col Miles in the water however is very weakened by the fight. He is later saved by his son who are transported to safety by one of the outcast whales. The victory is somewhat short-lived however when Spider decides to rescue his dying father from the bottom of the water. He then parts ways with Col Miles and returns to the Sully family. Col Miles is able to return to the skypeople base which of course keeps the story open for another sequel. The Sully family are happy to be rid of Col Miles for a while and mourn their son with the water tribe. Jake then decides he will continue the fight against the skypeople and is no longer going to hide. 

The story wasn't quite as magical and awe-inspiring as the first one, but it still has some great suspence. The spiritual connection of life and nature was once again a driving theme, where the Na'vi really understood this deep balance. Also the special effects were obviously even more impressive then before especially watching the movie in 3D. To experience this fantasy world of Pandora really stirs the imagination ,on par with that of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, or Harry Potter. This movie delivers once again on that adventurous thrill and beauty that makes fantasy genres so great. I look forward to watching more Avatar movies and really hope they continue to expand on this Pandora universe. 

Qatar World Cup 2022

This past Sunday the 2022 Qatar World Cup finished with one of the most exciting finals I have ever seen. I was very happy to see Argentina win by defeating France, thus ending a 20 year title drought for South America (last won by Brazil in 2002). I was even more happy to see the great Lionel Messi finally lift the most cherished of trophies, and the only one that remained for him to win. At the age of 35 he has now done it all in world soccer and can be regarded as one of the greatest of all times (alongside Pele and Maradona). There's no question that he wanted this trophy more than anything, and he had his entire team, nation, and most of the world supporting this epic quest. 

This tournament was unlike previous World Cups in that it was the first ever hosted by a middle Eastern country in Qatar. Also that it was held during wintertime as opposed to the traditional summer window. Of course there was much controversary regarding how a small country without any soccer culture such as Qatar was able to win the bid. Many allegations of corruption and bribery were raised. Nonetheless FIFA president Gianni Infantino carried on with Qatar's bid and supported them throughout preparation. 8 modern venues were built in the cities of Doha, Al Rayyan, and Lusail (with the largest being Lusail Stadium that seated 88,966 and hosted the final match).

Unfortunately there was continued controversary throughout the tournament pertaining to Qatar's strict politics. This included human rights issues, reneging on promises (such as not serving alcohol in their stadiums), and prejudice against homosexuals. Quite shockingly the renown American soccer journalist Grant Wahl died during his coverage of the tournament (just several days after he protested Qatar's ban of the gay pride). It was later discovered that Wahl had a preexisting condition, and there was no evidence of foul play but still very shocking. Aside from these issues however Qatar still succeeded in hosting a very exciting and memorable soccer tournament. 

So as I have done in the past I'm going to highlight some of my favorite teams and players of the tournament. I did my best to catch almost every game starting back in late November. The games usually aired at 5am, 8am, 10am, and 2pm. I watched many at work, but also got to enjoy several at my parents house and my new house in Zionsville. This past Sunday I hosted a big house warming party for the final match (almost 30 family members attended) and we were all so happy to see Argentina win. I couldn't have asked for a better party and even a birthday present. I have always loved the World Cup tournament more than any other sporting event and once again it delivered on so many levels. 

Argentina Wins it's 3rd Title

Having won the Copa America in 2021, Argentina was considered one of the favorites coming into this tournament alongside Brazil and France. However one of the early shocks of the tournament came when Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina 2-1 on the opening match of the group stage. This was one of the biggest upsets in world cup history, and many began to doubt whether Argentina was up to the task. However it likely served as a wake up call for Messi and the team as they went on to convincingly defeat Mexico and Poland in the next group stage matches. Argentina won the group with 6 points and went on to the knockout round to face Australia. 

Messi performed brilliantly against Australia dribbling around defenders and creating many opportunities. Ever since he left Barcelona and signed for PSG a couple years ago, his career has taken a sharp downturn. However after this match he had shown to the world that he was once again playing at the most elite of levels. The next quarterfinal match against Netherlands was very intense (as this rivalry often is) and I watched this one with my mom. Argentina was up 2-0, but lost the lead in the final few seconds of the game to send it into extra time. There was much hostility and scuffles between the Dutch and Argentinian players that led to 18 yellow cards. Argentina was just barely able to pull it off in a very stressful PK shootout. Messi displayed rare emotion against the Dutch team led by Louis Van Gaal and Virgil van Dyke. This victory demonstrated how badly he wanted to win this tournament. 

After that very tight match against Netherlands, the next semi-final match against Croatia was a fairly easy one for Argentina. They won 3-0 with another masterful performance by Messi. The third goal was a thing of beauty where he dribbled right by Croatian defender Gvardiol to lay up an easy assist for Alvarez.  With this victory Argentina was once again in the finals and Messi was eager not to come 2nd as they did in the 2014 Cup. However France was their nemesis and as the defending champion would be no easy match. 

The quarterfinal match against Netherlands was exciting, however the final match against France was even more so. Argentina began the game with fiery intensity and pressure and scored two early goals before halftime. However in the 2nd half the French superstar Kylian Mbappe got going and scored two back-to-back goals in the 80th minute. From this point on France took the initiative and looked like they were going to steal this one from Argentina. The game however went to extra time and France continued to control the momentum of the game. However out of nowhere in the 108th minute Messi scored again to give Argentina the 3-2 lead. This was however once again balanced by Kylian Mbappe who put away his PK shot, to get a hat trick and tie the game. So a 3-3 the game went into the dreaded PK shootout. However Argentina no doubt had the better goalkeeper in Emiliano Martinez, well known for his mental tactics. Argentina scored all their PK shootouts, while Martinez was able to stop 2 of the French shots. And so Montiel had the glorious winning shot to secure Argentina's world cup victory.

The celebrations were a thing of beauty and one of those very rare sports moments where a champion can walk off into the sunset. Messi has been one of the greatest in the games for nearly 20 years now, however he has fallen short in his past 4 World Cups for Argentina. Always living under the shadow of the great Diego Maradona (the Argentinian hero who led the nation to it's 2nd cup in 1986). This championship was the final cherry on the cake necessary to cement Messi's legacy in world football, but more so his legacy in his own nation. He has once again brought a championship to Argentina where millions are now celebrating in the streets of Buenos Aires.

France comes up Short

As the defending champions at the 2018 Cup and also with the current best player in the world in Kylian Mbappe, France was once again looking like the favorites in this tournament. However they were missing some of their key stars from their previous title such as Paul Pogba, Ngolo Kante, Lucas Hernandez, and the great Karim Benzema due to injuries. However France still had great depth on their squad with the support of other superstar power such as Mbappe, Griezman, Giroud, and their captain goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. They got off to a good start in the group stage easily defeating Australia then a tight win against Denmark. They lost their 3rd match against Tunisia, however they had already qualified to the knockout round by this point. 

France easily defeated Poland in the Round of 16, with another great performance by Mbappe scoring two more goals. His speed and explosiveness is truly such a thrill to watch. In their quarter final match is what not so easy however as they faced their European rivals of England. I watched this game with my dad at my house and quite frankly England were the better team. However poor Harry Kane missed the 2nd PK that could have tied the match. France went on to win 2-1 and move on to the semi-finals. Their semi-final match against the Cinderella of the tournament, Morocco was also no push-over but they were still able to secure the victory 2-0 and thus move on to the finals once again. 

While Messi was able to win the day against France and receive the championship and golden ball award, one could make the case that Mbappe was also deserving of that MVP award. To get a hat-trick in a world cup final is a very rare achievement and was his crowning performance in an already masterful tournament. He did however win the Golden Boot award with his 7 goals (Messi had 6). At the age of 23 (and already a world cup in his collection) Mbappe is already on a path of greatest to rival Pele, Maradonna, and Messi. Despite this loss for France, I believe there future is still quite bright and can see them returning to the next cup as favorites once again. 

The Fighting Croatians

Croatia is one of those surprisingly small nations that are very good at soccer. They finished 3rd place at the 1998 cup, and at the last World Cup, they shocked the world by making it to the finals led by their brilliant playmaker Luka Modric. They came up short 4-2 however still put on a good fight. At this tournament I don't think anyone really expected them to go too far. However they quietly did not lose a game in the group stage, having tied Morocco, defeated Canada, and tied Belgium. In the Round-of-16 they just barely survived against Japan by scoring a late goal to send the game into extra time then winning in PK shootouts. 

However their biggest surprise victory came in the quarterfinal match against Brazil. This was a very gridlocked match, where Brazil had many opportunities but could not score and the game went into extra time. Then Neymar scored an incredible go-ahead goal in the 105th minute that seemed to seal the deal. Until out of nowhere Croatia scored on the counter attack with just a couple minutes left to send the game into a penalty shootout. Brazil performed poorly in the PK shootout and the fighting Croatians once again were in the semi-finals. Despite losing badly to Argentina, Croatia could hold it's head up high after defeating Morocco in the third place match. 

The Moroccan Cinderellas

It seems every tournament has a good Cinderella story and this time that title belonged to Morocco. They became the first African team to ever make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup. But this was no fluke whatsoever and this is actually a very good team with a squad that mostly plays in Europe. They are led by their star defender Achraf Hakimi who plays for PSG and their winger Hakim Ziyech who plays for Chelsea. They surprisingly won their group with 7 points by defeating Belgium and Canada and drawing to Croatia. They then carried on with even more shocking upsets of Spain in the Round-of-16 and Portugal in the quarterfinals. 

Although this team never really displayed attacking prowess or superstar playmaking they worked very well as a unit. They played defense very well, had a solid goalkeeper in Bounou, and simply capitalized on their opportunities. They came up short against France in the semi-final match, but still fought hard and nearly scored several times. They were then defeated by Croatia in the 3rd place match. However Morocco can truly be proud finishing 4th place and leading African soccer to new heights. I think this team can continue to cause a stir in world soccer, and it's so refreshing to see a nation outside Europe or South America succeed on the world stage.   

Other Teams I enjoyed watching

Brazil: I really wanted to see a South American team lift the trophy again, and I felt Brazil was the favorite to do it. Led by so many superstars such as Neymar, Casemiro, Vinicius Jr, Allison, Marquinhos, Richarlsson, and so forth. They cruised out of the group stage with some very impressive goals, that demonstrated the iconic Brazilian Joga Bonito style. I think it's been a while since Brazil has looked so threatening, in control, and creative in their play. It reminded me of the Ronaldo/Ronaldinho/Roberto Carlos era, when this team could not be stopped. They had a very convincing round of 16 win against Korea scoring 4 goals. 

They received some criticism for their dancing celebrations but I thought this was very cool to see and just demonstrates Latin passion for the game. However in the quarterfinals they were locked down by Croatia who meant business from the get-go. While Brazil had far more chances, Croatia controlled the game with possession and solid defense. Neymar finally broke through in extra time, with a brilliant individual goal where he dribbled by three defenders to blast it home. However ten minutes later Croatia scored on a counter-attack to send the game into a PK shootout. Having just defeated Japan in PKs, I think Croatia was the clear favorite at this point. Brazil simply succumbed to the pressure and lost it in the shootout. This was a very disappointing loss for Brazil, who I thought looked like the best team in the tournament. 

England: Having finished 4th in the last World Cup, and 2nd in the 2020 Euros England was considered a favorite of this tournament. However England seems to have bad luck in these tournaments and despite their arsenal of talent they just can't get over that hump. They had a very convincing opening win against Iran 6-2, but then failed to show up against the fierce Americans that resulted in a 0-0 draw. They later defeated Wales in the group stage and had a solid performance against Senegal in the Round of 16. However it was their quarterfinal match against France that was most disheartening. For once England was the better team and put everything on the line, but just came up short time after time. Their captain Harry Kane was able to convert on one PK, but then sailed the 2nd one far over the crossbar. England was the better team against France but it was just not their day. The team still has a great roster of youthful players and should continue to compete for their long overdue 2nd title since 1966.

Netherlands: I always enjoy to watch the Dutch team, maybe it's because of their iconic orange jerseys. They're one of those countries that has had much success in the world cup but have still yet to win the big one. They did not qualify for the 2018 cup, but made a good appearance at this one. Led by their captain defender from Liverpool, Virgil van Dyke and experienced head coach of Louis van Gaal this got off to a great start. They defeated Senegal and Qatar and drew to Ecuador. In the Round of 16 they played the villain against the surging American team. Gapko scored threw goals in the group stage, while Memphis scored the opening goal against USA. After their 3-1 defeat of America, Netherlands got off to a slow start against Argentina. However they turned up the pressure later in the game and were able to equalize late on to send it to overtime. Argentina-Netherlands always seem to have a fierce rivalry and this was probably the most hostile of all games. Had it not been for the World Cup final it probably would have been the most exciting game. Nonetheless the Dutch came up short once again. 

Portugal: I've loved the Portuguese team since about 2004 and the arrival of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. They always play quite well at these tournaments however this time around the top story was the benching of Ronaldo. He got his opening PK goal against Ghana to lead the team to a 3-2 victory, but then was overshadowed by other players such as Bruno Fernandes. Head coach Fernando Santos made the tough decision to bench Ronaldo in the Round of 16 match where Portugal destroyed Switzerland 6-1 (of which Ronaldo's replacement Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick). It appeared Portugal was cruising without their iconic talisman leader. However in the quarterfinal match they were shockingly defeated by Morocco. Ronaldo came on in the 2nd half with a chance to have a heroic moment but it did not happen for him or his country. Portugal were eliminated and this brought an end to the great Ronaldo's World Cup dreams. Furthermore with Messi winning the title, the GOAT debate can probably come to an end, now favoring Messi over Ronaldo. 

USA: I really think it's fair to say that after this tournament USA has arrived as a force to be reckoned with in international soccer. Despite failing to qualify for the 2018 cup the USA continuously seems to make it out of the group stage (recently in 2002, 2010, and 2014). They were able to make it to the quarterfinals in 2002, but haven't won a Round of 16 match since then. I think this team was the best American team I have ever witnessed with long periods of possession. Led by their captain Christian Pulisic who had his heroic moment by scoring the winning goal against Iran. In the Round of 16 match the USA had many chances, that they just weren't able to convert on. I think this team is still quite young and shows so much potential for the future.   

Biggest Disappointments

Germany: Having won the World Cup 4 times, most recently in 2014 Germany always comes into this tournament as a favorite. However for the 2nd World Cup in a row this team has failed to make it out of the group stage. It certainly cannot be a question of talent as this team is still loaded with superstar quality many of which play together for Bayern Munich (Manuel Neuer, Muller, Gnabry, Kimmich, and Leroy Sane. And yet again however this team has failed to execute on the big stage, once again being defeated by Japan in the group stage. Their draw to Spain, and victory over Costa Rica was not enough to have them advance to the knockout round. Questions will surely be asked about why this European giant is not making it at least to the semi-finals.

Mexico: For the past seven cups now, Mexico has advanced to the knockout round (since 1994) yet failed to win the Round of 16 match. What has been known as the long desired "Quinto Partido" could not even be possible without advancing to a fourth match in the Round of 16. Mexico's iconic goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa kept them alive against Poland by saving a PK shot against Lewandowski to tie Poland. However this was a game they needed to win, having to later face the mighty Argentina. Their only victory came against Saudi Arabia in the 3rd game but this was too little too late and they lost the 4 point tiebreaker to Poland. They will surely hope to do better when they help host the tournament in 2026.

Uruguay: This is a another example of a small country with a great football history, having won the Cup twice now and almost always making it out of the group stage. This will most likely be the last cup for superstar strikers Luis Suarez and Edison Cavani. However they are led now by a rising young superstar who plays for Liverpool, Darwin Nunez. However just like Mexico, Uruguay tied it's opening match to Korea, when they needed the win. They then lost to Portugal, and a win against Ghana was not enough to advance them to the next round. 

Belgium: It appears this so-called "Golden Generation" of Belgian football has come to a harsh close with their performance at this Cup. Having finished 3rd at the 2018 Cup and led by their superstar midfielder Kevin de Bruyne their were high expectations for Belgium. But despite an early victory against Canada, things just did not swing their way against Morocco or Croatia causing them to be eliminated from the group stage. With many of their star players over 30 now, it seems unlikely that this small nation will make a mark at the next tournament.   

Top Five Goals

5. Richarlison's scissor kick goal against Serbia in the 73rd minute

4. Kylian Mbappe's world cup final volley goal in the 81st minute

3. Richarlson's juggling goal against Korea in the 29th minute

2. Neymar's breakthrough goal against Croatia in the 105th minute

1. Alvarez's goal against Croatia with incredible Messi assist in the 69th minute

Best 11 players

Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)

Defender: Nicolas Otamendi (Argentina)

Defender; Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)

Defender: Theo Hernandez (France)

Midfielder: Luka Modric (Croatia)

Midfielder: Antonie Griezman (France)

Midfielder: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)

Forward: Juan Alvarez (Argentina)

Forward: Richarlsson (Brazil)

Forward: Messi (Argentina)

Forward: Mbappe (France)

Video Game Review: Shadow of War

I started this game a couple weeks after finishing Shadow of Mordor, it's prequel. The game was quite similar to it's previous format and I quickly found myself enjoying the Lord of the Rings setting and the improved graphics. However I had to take a month's hiatus from the game due to a recent house move. While after several weeks of packing, moving, unpacking, and setting up I finally got my Xbox back on line. Last night I finally picked up where I left off a month ago and little did I know I was so close to the end. Luckily everything came back to me fairly easily and I spent a few hours defeating the final quests. 

This game was released in 2017 and carries on with the story of Talion and the elven spirit Celebrimbor. As I mentioned the graphics are obviously greatly improved with a much larger map. This really takes us deeper into the map of Mordor where Sauron continues to regain his strength. The setting is once again between the Hobbit and the Fellowship of the Rings. It however greatly elaborates on the fall of Minas Ithil as well as the backstory of the Nazgul. I completed over 80% of the game and really got into the side quests and backstory elements. 

The Story

The Gondorian ranger Talion is still infused with the elf spirit Celebrimbor. Together they agree to continue fighting Sauron thru the spirit world. Celebrimbor is able to construct a new ring of power, however he and Talion are captured by Shelob (the infamous spider that has taken the form of a powerful witch). Talion offers Shelob the ring in exchange for their freedom and in turn Shelob foretells of the fall of Minas Ithil. Talion decides to help defend this Gondorian stronghold while Celebrimbor seeks the Palantir within the city. 

Talion arrives to Minas Ithil just in time, where the city is under siege by Suaron's orc armies led by the Witchking of Angmar. Talion meets with the city's protectors, General Castamir, his daughter Idril, and the leiutenant Baranor. After numerous quests and battles the witch king is finally able to break Castamir by trading his life for the freedom of his daughter Idril. Talion barely escapes the fall of the city thanks to the help of an elven assassin named Eltariel (a disciple of Galadriel). The city of Minas Ithil is captured and renamed Minas Morgul. It becomes a new stronghold for Sauron's army. 

The witch king uses the captured Palantir to discover that Shelob possesses the Ring of Power that Celebrimbor had recently constructed. Sauron sends the Nazgul to attack her of which Talion comes to her defense and saves her. For this Shelob gives the ring of power back to Talion and insists she is their ally in defeating Sauron. From this point on Talion and Celebrimbor once again must build up an army in Mordor to face Sauron. This portion of the game consists of capturing fortresses, orc domination, and hunting Nazgul leaders. Talion is reunited with Idril and Baranor who were able to escape from Minas Ithil. There is also a side story concerning the forest spirit Carnan as she faces the Balrog and Zog the necromancer. 

Once all fortresses in Mordor are captured (as well as some other story arcs), Talion can begin his final assault on Sauron. He comes face to face with the infamous Nazgul, Isildur (who once cut the ring from Sauron but has since become corrupted by it's power). Talion defeats Isildur but decides to kill him instead of subduing him. This infuriates Celebrimbor who breaks his bond with Talion and starts a new bond with Eltariel. This causes talion to to return to his physical form (that was fatally wounded at the start of Shadow of Mordor). Talion nearly succumbs to death, until Shelob urges him to continue the fight with Isildur's ring. Talion returns to his spiritual form to once again fight against Sauron's armies.

This time he leads an assault on Minas Morgul where he confronts and defeats the Witch King of Angmar. Talion is able to regain possession of the Palantir and he witnesses Celebrimbor and Eltariel fighting against Sauron. It appears the two have the upper hand against Sauron until Sauron cuts the ring off of Eltariel's finger. At this point Sauron merges himself with Celebrimbor, in the shape of a flaming eye that is vying for dominance. Talion uses Minas Morgul as a stronghold to continue his fight against the Orc Armies. However he is eventually corrupted by it's power and he too becomes a Nazgul. (one of the 9 that later hunts Frodo). After the Ring of Power is defeated Talion is released from his corruption and finally joins his wife and child in the afterlife of Valinor. 

     

The Gameplay

Similar to it's predecessor there is a very unique nemesis structure in this game, that gives each of the orc enemies a profile. Just like Talion they too have levels, weaknesses, and strengths. Talion is once again able to dominate these orcs into fighting for him, which is quite essential when taking on a fortress. He can also send them on missions to fight one another or to gather intel. The army system is just as impressive as it was before, and it's truly amazing how many orc characters and unique verbiage the game has created. Each of these orcs has their own personalities with several monologues revealed at initial confrontation and sometimes their defeat.

I greatly enjoyed the improved graphics, especially in the city of Minas Ithil. I also enjoyed the details and collectables which provided audio backstory and history of Middle Earth. Just like it's predecessor the game is somewhat lacking in civilized society yet rather nonstop high octane war-against-monsters. Whether it's facing a barrage of orcs, explosions, caragors, graugs, dragons, and so forth there is hardly a moment of peace in this game. There is however a good array of weapon upgrades, inventory, collectables, and puzzles to solve when you want to get away from the gore for a little bit. 

I am glad I played both of these games back-to-back since they are both quite similar. It truly creates a unique battle mode structure with it's constant flowing enemy characters. The game is ideal for non-stop action and truly feels like you are engaged in a war. I would ultimately say it would fall short of a top 25 ranking, certainly no where near the marks left by other open world games such as Assassin's Creed, Red Dead Redemption, or Zelda. However the fact that it pertained to Lord of the Rings made me enjoy it so much more. I think the story of Talion was very well done and the game did a great job of providing further detail leading up to the Fellowship of the Ring.  

Video Game Review: The Shadow of Mordor

My brother Gabriel bought me this video game, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, several Christmases ago. It was however in the midst of my Assassin's Creed phase and simply got set surpassed by many other games of interest. I of course always intended to play it, having heard good things about it but especially being a huge fan of Lord of the Rings. Well after a good hiatus from video games, the time to play it had finally come. What especially motivated me to take on this game, is the new TV series on Amazon, The Rings of Power. So thus with this game and the new TV show I have entered yet another Lord of the Rings phase.

The game was released in 2014 and critically acclaimed as one of the best games yet in the JR Tolkein franchise. It pertains to a Gondor ranger named Talion who must hunt and liberate the dark land of Mordor. The setting takes place between the 60 year gap of The Hobbit and the Fellowship of the Rings. At this point Sauron's power is on the rise and the land of Mordor has become overrun by orcs and uruk-hai. Talion is a captain of Gondor's Black Gate and is attacked and killed by a squad of Uruks. Talion's wife and son are killed by the Uruk's leader, the Black Hand of Sauron. Talion is also killed however he does not passover to death, yet rather becomes a spirit, also known as wraith. He is recruited by the elven spirit, Celebrimbor to seeks revenge on Sauron's forces. 

The game story is rather simple, an undead spirit who is out for vengeance. Talion's physical body is merged with the spirit of Celebrimbor which grants him inhuman powers and immortality. He comes across Gollum at one point, who guides him to relics of the past. Here we discover that Celebrimbor was the great elven blacksmith who helped create the rings of power. He was however later deceived by Sauron and killed along with his family. Upon discovering this Celebrimbor hopes to further eliminate Sauron's power and shares a common goal of vengeance with Talion. Throughout the story Talion targets various war-chiefs that finally lead him to their commander the Black Hand of Sauron. After defeating the Black Hand both Talion/Celebrimbor agree to continue fighting against Sauron's forces.

What makes this game so unique and enjoyable is the game structure. I enjoyed that it was an open-world map of Mordor, but I especially liked it's original gameplay. It had a vast database of enemies each with their own unique profiles. Every orc and uruk in the game had it's own name with various weaknesses and strengths. Each of these enemies could also get stronger depending if they killed you or you killed one of their rivals. This system of an everchanging enemy hierarchy was the driving force of this game. The main story was quickly replaced by this desire to target and eliminate the captains and chiefs that got in your way. 

For me the game was very reminiscent of Assassin's Creed with the option to use stealth or force. Talion had many skills he could improve with experience which included weapon upgrades yet also combat abilities. He could perform stealth kills from behind, from the ledges, or from the sky. He could also acquire intel from orcs and even manipulate them to fight for him. Yet still it was very easy to become overwhelmed by enemies in this game and other tactics were often needed. Such as exploding fire barrels, releasing caragor monsters, or shooting down fly nests. With carefully planned attacks it was much easier to take on swarms at a time to achieve your goal. 

Many of the goals in the game required freeing somebody or killing or dominating an enemy. The game was heavy on combat, which I enjoyed, but it also could be quite challenging. There was one task I remember took me several hours, which was to kill 20 orcs in 5 minutes in order to lure the war chief. I also later discovered in the game that war chiefs were much easier to fight if you hunted and killed their captains first. It was probably one of the most combat friendly games I have ever played. I enjoyed it's game structure and the Lord of the Rings content, but still would say it's story was rather weak. All-in-all I'd probably give it a 6 out of 10. I intend to next play it's sequel the
Shadow of War. 

Musical Study: The Life of Elvis Presley

After our recent family trip to Memphis, Tennessee I walked away quite inspired by the history of Blues and Rock and Roll. The city was arguably the birthplace of rock-and-roll in the 1950s, where country music, blues, and jazz all merged together. This was also a coming together of white musicians and black musicians. I learned much of this at the Museum of Rock and Soul in Memphis. While New Orleans could be considered the birth of jazz music, Memphis was the birth of blues and rock-and-roll. Much of this music was put on display on the entertaining Beale Street, which played a crucial role in inspiring many great musicians such as BB King and Elvis Presley. 

Two of the most iconic sites in Memphis, both have to do with music. First there is Beale Street, the iconic neon-light bar strip of Memphis similar to Bourbon Street, Broadway Street (Nashville), or the Vegas Blvd. We went here each night on our visit to enjoy some live blues music and great BBQ ribs. The 2nd most famous spot in Memphis, is the home of Elvis Presley known as Graceland. This is essentially a grand museum estate that demonstrates his house, his cars, planes, costumes, studio albums, and many other items pertaining to his life. Perhaps the third most iconic spot in Memphis, is the site where MLK was assassinated at the Lorraine Hotel which was also a very surreal experience. But for now I'm not going to focus so much on Memphis, or MLK, or even the history of Rock and Roll. Instead I want to give a proper biographical study of the legendary king of rock, Elvis Presley. 

Quite surprisingly I really didn't know too much about Elvis' story and before this trip was hardly much a fan of his music. However I did appreciate his cultural significance as arguably one of the most iconic American celebrities of all time. If there was a Mount Rushmore of American Pop Icons his face would surely be up there with perhaps Marylyn Monroe. Elvis is the essence of Americana and lived a life that truly embraced American culture. Despite his short life he produced so much music, film, and a character that still thrives to this day. He had such a groundbreaking style with his rich voice, energetic charm, seductive dance moves, and his flamboyant costumes. 

I've recently been watching some documentaries and movies about Elvis and find his story to be very fascinating. He was born into an impoverished family yet he was clearly gifted early on as a charming musician. He remained very close with his parents all through his rise to fame. He was by no means a womanizer or substance abuser (as most musicians are) and only married once. He honorably served his country in the military for two years at the prime of his career. He went thru many various phases in his career and died at the young age of 42. There is no doubt that he stole much of his style from the black blues music, however Elvis still created a very unique personae. He ushered in a new era of dance and music that in my opinion helped bridge the gap between white and black. So without further ado here is my biographical study of the great Elvis. 

Early Years and Rise to Fame

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935 to a low class family in a small cottage. He was an identical twin, however his brother died at birth. His dad moved from one odd job to another, never able to sustain a good fortune. In first grade Elvis demonstrated some interest in music and later received his first guitar for his ten year birthday. By fifth and sixth grade the young Elvis was described as obsessed with music very much influenced by the African American blues and gospel of the area. As a young teenager he would travel everywhere with his guitar and had a naturally good voice, however was very shy to perform in public. 

In 1948 Elvis' parents decided to relocate to Memphis, Tennessee to found better sustainability. He continue his interest in music and also held various side jobs to support the family. On his free time he would visit Beale Street where he was greatly inspired by the country and gospel music. He was most influenced by the country music of Hank Snow and Jimmie Rodgers and the blues music of BB King and Little Richard. By the time he had graduated high school he had established a fairly confident style and was prepared to infuse country music with the blues. He had several auditions and recordings at Sun Studio from 1953-1954. The producer Sam Philips was looking for a white person who could perform black style music. Elvis finally won him over with his upbeat rendition of "That's All Right" by Arthur Crudup. The cover song was recorded and quickly became a popular song that brought Elvis to attention. 

Upon first hearing his music on the radio many listeners were surprised to discover that Elvis was not black. He began attracting large audiences at his live performances not only for his voice but his energetic and sexual dancing. He created an original style of leg movement, dubbed as "The rubber legs" which demonstrated a very unique and often seductive movement of the lower body. This sexual movement was quite groundbreaking for it's time and simply drove the women wild. It also however was the subject to much controversy who felt this type of movement to be a bad influence on white Christians. By 1956 however Elvis had made his first few television appearances (including the popular Milton Berle Show) and instantly became a national star. His first debut album released in 1956 with the popular songs of "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Hound Dog". 

Musical Stardom

By 1956 Elvis Presley signed with a new musical agent, Colonel Tom Parker and switched from Sun Records to RCA Records. He quickly became the new face of the emerging genre of Rock and Roll alongside other great stars such as Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, and Johnny Cash. He created a rather new sound that essentially merged rhythm and blues with western country music, a new genre later referred to as rockabilly. His unique style of music and dance inspired a whole new rebellious youth culture which was quickly attacked by conservative leadership. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover warned against his bad influence on the youth. While appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show Elvis was shot from the waist up. The 1950s after all was known as the Age of Innocence where sexual notions were kept in total privacy. And yet despite all this Elvis continued to lead a musical revolution that would forever change society.

Elvis released his first musical motion picture in November of 1956, a western called Love Me Tender. By 1957 Elvis had become an international star with 3 more radio hits at number 1 including "Too Much", "All Shook Up", and "Let me Be Your Teddy Bear". He purchased his famous mansion of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee and had his parents move in with him. He continued recording music and produced two more musical films that year including Loving You and the famous Jailhouse Rock. The film is often regarded as Elvis's most famous moments on the big screen and the song was yet another number one hit for Elvis. His Christmas Album, with the popular "Blue Christmas" became the highest selling Christmas Album of all time. 

Military Service

In the winter of 1957-1958 Elvis was drafted by the US Army and rather then buy his way out he honorably chose to do his service. At the prime of his career and fame, Elvis publicly stated that he did not want any special treatment. He did his basic training that summer in Fort Hood, Texas and still continued recording songs during his free time. In October 1958 he was sent to Germany as an armor specialist. While there he discovered "upper" pills as well as the art of karate. He also met and fell for the 14 year old daughter of an officer named Priscilla whom he would later marry (Elvis was 23 at the time). Although he never engaged in heavy fighting, Elvis did two full years of service in the military (17 months spent overseas in Germany). During his two year military stint RCA Records continued distributing his radio hits which kept him relevant. On March of 1960 he returned to the United States and was honorably discharged from the army.          

Hollywood Career

In the 1960s under the management of Colonel Parker, Elvis turned his career to primarily focus on movies. Elvis enjoyed Hollywood and acting, and although he wanted to pursue more dramatic films he stuck to the usual genre of musical comedy.  He produced a total of 33 films throughout his acting career, including popular ones such as Love Me Tender (1956), Jailhouse Rock (1957), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). None of Elvis' films garnashed any critical acclaim however they were all very profitable successes.  He also made several live television appearances such as on the Ed Sullivan Show or the Frank Sinatra Show. During the 1960s, Elvis did not tour as much, however many of the songs from his films were released as studio hits. 

Return to Music

In 1967 Elvis married his sweetheart from Germany, Priscilla and a year later they had their only child Lisa Marie. This marked a career shift for Elvis who felt his popularity begin to decline perhaps in the midst of a new British rock counterculture invasion. He grew tired of making musical movies and decided to return to live performance. He ushered in this new era with a live television broadcast known as the 1968 Comeback Special. From this point on Elvis was reinvigorated with a whole new energy and style. He began wearing lavish costumes of jumpsuits, rhinestones, capes, boots, big buckled belts, and leather outfits. He continued to demonstrate the all-American western cowboy and released several more hits including; Suspicious Minds, Don't Cry Daddy, and Kentucky Rain. 

In 1969 he landed a contract to perform live performances at the newly opened International in Las Vegas. The show was a sweeping success and led to further live shows/contracts for years to come. Elvis became the top attraction in Las Vegas, selling out all of his shows. At this time he also became more outspoken against the hippie drug culture and even partnered with President Richard Nixon to serve as an ambassador. Elvis' fight against the hippie movement, may have been patriotic, but was probably more so bitterness against the genre that had replaced him. Nonetheless he continued to remain popular among the contemporary adult crowd and won his 2nd Grammy for the gospel album, He Touched Me. 

Final Years

Due to Elvis' busy tour schedule he was hardly at home in Graceland with his wife and child which of course caused distance and a breakdown in his marriage. This was further complicated by news of an affair he had with a woman. Elvis and Priscilla settled for divorce in August of 1972. From this point on Elvis went into a downward spiral, perhaps affected by his image of the righteous American man. While he continued to perform his health began to fail him and he grew overweight, no thanks to the many depressants he took. He overdosed a few times on these pills which put him in a coma. However he continued to draw a loyal crowd in Vegas during this time and also continued to produce country and gospel hits. He also spent more time dedicated to karate as a means to stay healthy and positive. 

On June 26th 1977 Elvis performed his last live concert at Market Square in Indianapolis. He appeared very nervous, sad, and sweaty however with the aid of his father he made it thru and still sang quite well. Elvis spent the final few weeks of his life near his home of Graceland in Memphis, TN close to his family and staff. He intended to continue touring however at this point his condition was worsened by glaucoma (blurred vision), hypertension (high blood pressure), liver failure, and constipation. On the morning of August 16th, he was found dead in the bathroom floor due to cardiac arrest at the age of 42. The shocking news quickly spread across the world and everyone mourned the death of this musical legend. 

Although Elvis lived such a short life, it was filled with so much activity. It was as if he was living two or three lives in the span of his 40 years. It's no doubt this is perhaps what lead to sheer exhaustion and reliance on stimulant drugs. To be fair Elvis never had an illegal drug or alcohol problem like most famous musicians do. However he did abuse these prescribed depressants and that is what ultimately destroyed his health. It was no doubt a very tragic death for such an American icon but in retrospect it has only added to his legacy, such as other early deaths (Marylyn Monroe, James Dean, Jim Morrison, Buddy Holly, John Lennon). In his 24 year career Elvis produced so much content, from albums, songs, and movies. But even more so he created such an original character with his song, dance, and costumes. He was truly a trend-setter and without question one of the most influential musicians of all time. There can be no debate as to why he is considered the king of Rock and Roll.