Raymond Padilla

Thor: The Dark World Trailer

As RPadholic tokz mentioned in the RPad.TV Google+ Messenger group yesterday, the new trailer for Thor: The Dark World is pretty badass. It’s full of mystical action, otherworldly creatures, and beautiful people. The trailer lays the groundwork for the inevitable Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) vs. Sif (Jaimie Alexander) cat-fight fan-fiction that will flood the Internet later this year. Throw in the buxom Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) and I’m totally down.

Seriously though, the trailer looks great. The tone of the movie seems more appropriate than the original. A few of you had problems with Thor’s ever-present smile and happy-go-lucky attitude while he was exiled in New Mexico during the first film. This film seems darker and less goofy.

Check out the trailer below and let me know you think (please!).

Random Thoughts on Pain & Gain

The maestro extraordinaire of big, dumb movies, Michael Bay, is with Pain & Gain. While it’s certainly not his biggest movie (hard to top space rocks and transforming robots), it’s definitely his dumbest…but in a good way. For a large portion of the flick, Bay’s manic directing style, hilarious performances, and sharp writing come together marvelously. The only problem is if you know about the real-life story Pain & Gain it based on. If you do, then having a blast with Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson can be uncomfortable and morally questionable. Here are some spoiler-free thoughts on the movie.

Celebrating Villains: For those of you not familiar with Pain & Gain’s plot, it’s based on a true story about a group of criminal bodybuilders in Florida. From what I’ve read about the “Sun Gym Gang,” some of the facts in the movie are accurate, many situations are embellished, and most of the characterizations are way off. In the movie, they’re portrayed as bumbling idiots. While they were somewhat inept in real life, a lot of what they did was cleverly sinister.

The problem some people have with this movie is that the Sun Gym Gang murdered, tortured, extorted, and more. The movie can be lots of fun when you forget that it’s based on actual people and events, but when you remember, it’s hard not to feel guilty and/or uncomfortable. An action-comedy based on people that killed and performed grisly acts can be tough to enjoy.

A Perfect Blend…For a While: The first half of Pain & Gain works so well. Bay’s style is what it is — a frenetic pace that can be exasperating. This time around, it’s complemented (covered up?) by witty writing by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. I loved the job those guys did with Captain America: The First Avenger and I’m looking forward to their work in the upcoming Cap/Thor movies. The three leads — Wahlberg, The Rock, and Anthony Mackie (Papa Doc from 8 Mile!) — handle the dialogue and Bay’s breakneck pace skillfully (more on them later).

After the villains’ first successful caper, the movie stalls out. When the tone gets more serious, the movie becomes less fun and somewhat tedious. It’s a strange case of the writing changing the feel of the movie. Throughout it all, the visual style is the same — lots of motion, dramatic cuts, fast pace, etc. When the writing focuses on comedy, like much of the first half, the flow is wonderful. When the second act develops and serious events happen later in the film, the blend isn’t as smooth.

Charming Idiots: The lead actors are so charming in their stupidity, but they’re also diverse in their idiocy. The Rock is particularly excellent as the moron that’s sensitive and religious…and also fond of snow (the snorting kind). The role was perfect form him; he got to show off his athletic and comedic chops, while showing a somewhat effeminate soft side. The character was in his wheelhouse and he knocked it out of the park.

I’ve been a fan of Mackie’s ever since 8 Mile and it was fun to watch him excel in this movie. The smartest idiot of the group, this character is loyal to his friends, has a predilection for plus-size women, and is suffering from…performance issues.

On paper, Wahlberg’s character is supposed to be the least likable, but Marky Mark’s boyish charm is tough to resist. His character is the idiot that doesn’t realize the full extent of his stupidity. There are times when Wahlberg is so charming that you find yourself rooting for him…and then you remember that he’s a murderous conman…and you feel guilty for rooting for him.

The Rock, Wahlberg, and Mackie were wonderfully entertaining idiots in this movie. It would have been easy to have them simply be a gang of fools, but thanks to good writing and great performances, each character displays a distinct form of idiocy.

Hey, Remember the ’90s?: I loved all the ’90s music and clothing used in the movie. It was a marvelously ridiculous decade and it’s no wonder that these marvelously ridiculous events happened back then. The Zubaz pants, Stryper references, and “Blaze of Glory” soundtrack brought me back that glorious time. Hmmmm, I wonder if Zubaz are ready an ironic comeback. That would be cool.

Bottom Line: I absolutely loved the first half of Pain & Gain. It was funny and thrilling. All three leads rocked, while Ken Jeong, Rebel Wilson, and Ed Harris were great in their smaller roles. Tony Shalhoub was fantastic as the unlikable victim. Bar Paly, I could stare at for hours (bonus photo below!). It all comes together so well…

…until the writing starts to flatten out and the tone becomes more serious. What starts out as a super-entertaining action-comedy becomes a mediocre and macabre movie in the second half. I definitely enjoyed Pain & Gain and it’s something I will definitely watch on cable. I’m certain that I’ll see it dozens of times on TV and I’m also certain that I’ll fall asleep or change the channel during the second half of the movie for the majority of those viewings.

Vaping Diaries #56: Janty President on Ego, RY4, and More

Last month, I caught up with Janty president and founder Ludo Timmermans during my trip to the Philippines. Recently, the company has been making waves with the MiD One — a potentially gaming-changing vaping device with the most advanced features I’ve seen. While Janty’s future is definitely exciting, I was more interested in helping vapers learn about its past. Janty is one of the most influential and copied e-cig companies in the world, but I don’t think it gets enough credit for its contributions.

When most vapers hear “eGo,” they think Joyetech. When they hear “RY4,” they think of Dekang as the originator. The original eGo e-cigarette and RY4 e-liquid are Janty creations (though some longtime vapers dispute the latter claim). These are huge contributions to vaping. The eGo is the most-copied e-cig in the world; it was one of the first devices to offer a significantly better experience than cig-alike products. RY4 juice is one of the most popular flavors ever made; the vast majority of e-liquid vendors have their own version and many offer multiple takes of this juice.

If you’ve been reading my videogame and comic-book articles then you know that I favor creators. In gaming, I care far more about developers than publishers. In comics, I care much more about writers and artists than DC or Marvel. With that in mind, it bugs me that many vapers don’t know that Janty created the eGo and RY4. These are extremely significant inventions that have improved and influenced the vaping industry. I hate to sound like a kiss-ass, but Janty should be recognized and lauded for these two notable contributions.

It was fun spending time with Ludo, learning about Janty’s history, and hearing tales of the early day’s of the vaping business. In the interview above, he talks about the origins of Janty, the creation of the eGo, and the creation of Ry4. He’s an interesting guy with a different approach to vaping. I admire and appreciate that he has an artistic view to vaping. It’s one of the reasons his company has become an innovator, but it’s also one of the reasons why the Janty brand isn’t as recognized as it should be. He’s always looking forward, looking for the next exciting thing. Unfortunately, that approach also caused the company to neglect things like copyrights and trademarks. That said, he has acknowledged his early mistakes and isn’t fretting about the past.

Spending time with Ludo off-camera was fantastic as well. He shared a lot of off-the-record story’s about the early days of the vaping industry (totally Wild West) and his career before Janty. I was surprised to learn that we had several things in common — playing music, working in video, and being in IMDB (his page and my page). His artistic background (and slight craziness) is one of the reasons Janty is bold enough to offer a product like the MiD One and the even bolder products the company has planned for the future. It wasn’t a surprise to learn that Ludo is an Apple fan — the products and the company. I believe that the vaping business needs more people like Ludo and more company’s like Janty. As the legendary Steve Jobs once said in a famous Apple commercial:

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo.

Janty has a long, long way to go (especially on the business side) before people view it as the Apple of vaping, but I believe that it’s in a good position to do so. Unlike many of its competitors, I believe it has the attitude, inventiveness, and craziness to do something “insanely great.” I have no idea if Janty will get there, but I’ll be rooting for it on the sidelines.

This Week’s Videogame Release

There are a couple of interesting games hitting store shelves this week. As a sci-fi nerd, I’m excited to see what Digital Extremes delivers with the new Star Trek game, which is based on JJ Abrams’ Star Trek universe. I loved the first movie and I’m a fan of the developer, so I have high hopes for the game. Survival-horror fans will want to check out Dead Island: Riptide for another dose of tropical frights. If you missed out on Dragon’s Dogma then you ought to consider Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, which is a re-release of the original with loads of new content.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #579: AT&T U-Verse vs. Time Warner Cable

So it looks like I’m going to be switching apartments in the near future. As a nerd, Internet and TV services are a prime concern. Unlike my current domicile, one of the buildings I’m looking at has AT&T U-Verse and Time Warner Cable options. As several of you know, I loathe Time Warner Cable — easily the worst cable company I’ve ever had. However, AT&T isn’t a telecom white knight in shining armor either. That’s where you come in! I would sincerely appreciate your help in thinking this important decision through. Here’s what I have so far…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, round one of the NBA playoffs, Caffe Vita’s Sulawesi Toraja Peaberry, or apartment hunting, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

AT&T U-Verse
+ Not Time Warner Cable
+ Modern DVR with more capacity
+ FTTN means constant Internet speeds
+ Cheaper
– 250GB monthly Internet cap (doubt I’d hit it, but the principle….)
– $10 up-charge for HD channels
– Can’t buy your own modem, $6/month rental fee required
– Tech visits are potentially expensive

Time Warner Cable
+ No Internet cap
+ Potentially faster download speeds and better ping rates depending on how many users are on the node
+ Can buy your own (better) modem
+ Tech visits are free
– Wretched DVR with low capacity
– Download and ping can dip depending on how many users are on the node
– More expensive

Right now, I’m leaning towards U-Verse. On the work side, one of the biggest time-sucks in my current workflow is uploading video. Depending on how many people are on the node, my upload speeds range from decent to abysmal. One of the attractive things about U-Verse is having constant Internet speeds.

On the entertainment side, it’s U-Verse all the way. TWC’s DVR has an archaic UI and limited capacity. It’s just awful.

The big question is service. When something goes wrong with TWC, it’s generally resolved quickly and tech support has been friendly in my experience. I’ve read nightmares about AT&T tech support. Since this is something I’ll be relying on for work, service is important.

Anyway, those are my scattered, initial thoughts on AT&T U-Verse vs. Time Warner Cable. I’d love to hear your opinions on the matter, since this is a hugely important choice. Thanks in advance!

Today’s Poll: Darth Vader vs. Lord Voldemort

Today’s poll comes from a debate RPadholic smartguy had with his wife, which was then carried over to the RPad.TV Live Chat. Who would win in a fight between Darth Vader from Star Wars and Lord Voldemort from Harry Potter? In one corner, you have the second-most powerful practitioner of the dark side of the force. In the other, you have the undisputed master of the dark arts (in wizardry terms…though Voldemort is pretty good with charcoal pencils). While the man formerly known as Tom Riddle is a bit more spry, the man formerly known as Anakin Skywalker has cybernetic appendages that help compensate for his mobility (seriously, have you ever seen Darth Vader run?).

This is a great nerd debate that I’d love to argue about over several alcoholic beverage. For now, let’s discuss things in a sober and civil fashion. Kindly vote in today’s poll and explain your answer in the comments section (please!). Avada kedavra vs. force choke — fight!!!

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Vaping Diaries #55: Vapor Zeus Review

For the last few months, I’ve been using Vapor4Life’s latest e-cig, the Vapor Zeus. This is an easy-to-use vaping device that delivers a surprising amount of power. Like most products in the V4L arsenal, the Vapor Zeus is an 808D-threaded product. Unlike most fixed-voltage vaping-devices that put out 3.7 volts of power, the Vapor Zeus delivers 5.0 volts. If you’re looking for a simple e-cig and want strong performance without having to worry about different voltage or wattage settings then this product is definitely worth a look.

What’s in the Kit: The Vapor Zeus is available in a kit that comes with one battery, two Smileomizer cartomizers, a wall charger, a MiniUSB cable, and a 30ml bottle of e-liquid. The automatic kit currently lists for $89.95, while the dual-mode kit runs $99.95. Vapers that are just interested in the battery, which uses an 808D connection, can pick one up for $54.95 (automatic) and $64.95 (dual-mode).

The V4L Smileomizers are pretty unique. The vast majority of cartomizers on the market hold 1.0 to 1.5ml of e-liquid. The Smileomizers hold 3.5ml, which is as much or more than what many clearomizers and tanks hold. Next to dripping, standalone cartomizers offer the simplest vaping experience. A lot of people don’t mind the extra work that comes with carto/tanks or the inconsistency of many clearomizers, but those looking for absolute ease-of-use will appreciate what the Vapor Zeus and Smilomizers offer.

Construction and Build Quality: The construction of the Vapor Zeus is totally straightforward. It’s a simple battery that resembles a long and thin cigar. The coating has a slightly rubberized feel that adds some grip. The device is available in black and brown. I liked both colors, but preferred the black version.

Ergonomics and Design: The Vapor Zeus is thin enough to be pocketable, but its length — particularly with the included Smileomizer cartomizer — might be a bit much for some vapers. Personally, I was happy with its dimensions, but understand that some people might think that it’s a tad too long.

Performance and Battery Life: For a simple vaping device, the Vapor Zeus delivers a lot of power. The five-volt performance gives it a kick that most devices of this style lack. I was initially surprised and quickly delighted by the big-time flavor and vapor production this baby put out. As for battery life, the 900 mAh got me through roughly half a day of heavy vaping. While passthrough charging will enable some people to use this as a sole vaping device, heavy vapers — especially those that aren’t always near a PC or wall outlet — should consider picking up two batteries.

As for the difference between the automatic and dual-mode models, I greatly preferred the dual-model version. The automatic mode has an expectedly tighter draw and I prefer an airier one. While I generally used the dual-mode model in manual mode, I really appreciated the option of having the automatic mode available. This e-cig is too heavy for most people to use hands-free all the time, but it’s totally doable for short sessions. I enjoyed being able to type while enjoying a satisfying vape.

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Verdict: As far as performance goes, the Vapor Zeus is a winner. I haven’t used a fixed-voltage device of this style that offers this much performance. The kit is complete and comes with everything a vaper needs to get started. It’s a fantastic choice for those just starting out with vaping and good choice for advanced vapers that want a simple backup. Like most V4L products, it’s back by great service that includes a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 90-day warranty.

All that said, I think that the kit is a bit overpriced. The good news is that Vapor4Life often sends out newsletter coupons. So while I think that the Vapor Zeus is definitely a great product, my personal recommendation is to wait for a good newsletter coupon before picking one up.

Coffee Talk #578: Google Fiber Rage

I love Google Fiber…but it’s pissing me off. Last year, I wrote about Google Fiber and the dream of gigabit Internet. Seeing the service spread from Kansas City to Austin to Provo makes my heart soar and crushes it at the same time. While idiot executives at Time Warner Cable (the crap-bag company that currently provides my Internet service) claim that nobody wants gigabit Internet, anyone with common sense can see that these speeds would drastically change the types of Internet services offered and what people can do online. Those kinds of speeds are transformative and…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Derek Jeter’s broken (again) ankle, the start of the NBA playoffs, or Jennifer Love Hewitt’s surprising second act, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

It’s not even a chicken-and-egg proposition in my mind. There are hundreds of companies in America that would enable consumers to do all kinds of interesting things online in a way that they can’t today. American ISPs are a barrier — one that will remain for the foreseeable future unless drastic changes are made. For the most part, there’s no incentive for ISPs to advance because most people are covered by monopolies or duopolies. Cable companies and telephone companies are mostly content with being nearly as fast or just a bit faster than the other guy.

Imagine how much better online video, video communications, and online gaming would be if the majority of American Internet services and consumers had access to gigabit Internet? You’d be able to stream 1080p video without buffering. You’d be able to enjoy crystal-clear full-screen video chat with friends and family on the other side of the country. Online games could include more players in a lag-free environment. Perhaps RPadholic smartguy would be able to update his PlayStation 3 in a timely fashion. Those are just some of the improvements gigabit Internet would allow for existing services. There are loads of new services that won’t work (well) with current Internet speeds, but would soar with widely available gigabit Internet.

So yeah, I’m thrilled that Google Fiber is doing well in Kansas City and will be rolled out in two additional cities in the future…but it’s also making me hate Time Warner Cable even more.

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Man, I’m having so much fun in Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition (Mac OSX) playing as a Shadowdancer. This thief kit isn’t working properly at the moment; it’s supposed to have a lower backstab multiplier than a standard thief, but right now it doesn’t. So that means that I can (mostly) hide in the shadows, backstab for 4x damage, immediately hide again, backstab again, lather, and repeat as needed. With a poisoned weapon, my Shadowdancer is nearly unstoppable. I actually have the other five cats in my party using projectile weapons, while my Shadowdancer plays around in the shadows, inflicting massive damage and magically disappearing from site. My main character is all, “I got this. You idiots just hang out here and hurl your arrows/bullets while I do the heavy lifting.” It’s a fun bit of overpowered gaming and I’m going to spend a good chunk of the weekend backstabbing evil.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Los Angeles Girl Scouts Get Videogame Patch

Women in Games International (WIGI) is working with the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA) on a videogame patch. The longterm goal is to get a nationally recognized Girls Scouts badge for videogames, under the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) umbrella. Here’s a clip from the press release:

WIGI’s patch will use Gamestar Mechanic, E-line’s development tool used for the National STEM Video Game Challenge. Their platform and curriculum for game design has already helped more than 350,000 youth. E-line will help WIGI provide a tailored STEM-aligned program to meet all of the Girl Scout patch requirements.

WIGI and GSGLA are working together to accommodate patch workshop requests and to train interactive entertainment industry professionals in the Los Angeles area to guide girls through the patch program.

Similar to the numerous videogame summer camps posted by The ESA, I love this initiative by WIGI and GSGLA. It’s a fantastic way to get young people thinking and dreaming about careers in gaming. In an industry dominated by white males, it’s especially important to get young women interested in careers in gaming. Hopefully a full-on badge will come about in the near future.