Peace out, 2015!

I wouldn't say 2015 was terrible but it wasn't awesome either.
I was locked in a battle with my doctors as I watched my health deteriorate only to be told that it was "anxiety" and "all in my head".  False!  After arguing and demanding a second opinion, I saw a rheumatologist who diagnosed me with rheumatoid arthritis.  Basically my immune system is attacking my joints.  Thanks immune system!
In July I said goodbye to my bestest furry friend of 11 years.  I still don't have words for the pain it put on my heart.
2015 decided to go out with a bang and gave us a blizzard of biblical proportions:  cars trapped under snow drifts,  people snowed into their houses, roofs collapsing under the weight of our belated white Christmas.
Oy...
But it wasn't all bad.  I like my rheumatologist.  She actually took the time to listen to my concerns and wanted to help me start to feel better.
I saw a lot of good movies, watched some good shows, listened to good music, and played some rad games.
And, finally, in November I found this little noodle head on the side of the highway.

What I'd like for Damn Fine Coffee in 2016:
I really hope to write more posts, especially more personal posts. I feel that personal blogging has really sort of died out as more and more bloggers hope to monetize their "lifestyles". I don't think I can single-handedly revive personal blogging. I'm just doing it for me and that's what matters.
I'd also like to talk about RA and treatments and supplements and what is working for me in case there are people out there, like me, newly diagnosed and searching for answers.

So, that's it.  I hope everyone has a fun and safe NYE celebration. 

See ya next year!

Damn fine holiday movies

Just a few of my personal holiday recommendations:


Home Alone is, of course, the quintessential holiday movie for those of us who were lucky enough to have been born in the 80s.  I remember seeing it in the theatre and begging my parents to put up the tree as soon as we got home.  I also wanted some bad guys to break into my house because I was pretty sure I could take them Macauley Culkin-style.


How the Grinch Stole Christmas  The animated version.  Don't even try to pull that live action Jim Carrey crap with me.


Batman Returns  Not only is it the best Batman movie ever, but it takes place during Christmas.  And it has tons of adorable penguins.

Deleted scene:  Batman scolds Catwoman for knocking the ornaments off and hiding them under the couch.

A Christmas Story because, well, duh.


Gremlins was not only a touching Christmas tale but it also taught the value of good pet ownership.  Just because your adult child is old enough to drink and holds down a full time job at the bank does not mean he's ready for a mogwai.

Dad, if this is one of your awful inventions, I'm going to scream.

Scrooged  Any re-telling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol is alright with me but add Bill Murray into the mix and that's just the icing on the cake.


Edward Scissorhands The unsung Tim Burton Christmas movie.

May I see the receipt for those ornaments, Winnie?

It's beginning to look a lot like Twin Peaks

Want to make your holidays damn fine this year?
Start off by sending these rad cards to your friends and family.  Or keep them for yourself.  I won't judge.

Get yours here

 My log has something to tell you:  It looks delicious.

Get the recipe here

Oh Diane, almost forgot.  Got to find out what kind of trees these are.
Get in the holiday "spirit" with this Douglas Fir-inspired cocktail.

Recipe here

If BOB isn't leering at you from the branches of your Christmas tree, it might be time to re-think your decor choices.

See the whole scene here

Start planning for the new year with this adorable calendar.

Buy yours here

Adorable isn't really your style? How about a full year of the ladies of Twin Peaks?

Buy yours here

The mysticism of Twin Peaks

My favorite TV show meets my favorite divination method.

I've been a tarot enthusiast ever since I found a battered deck that belonged to my dad in my grandma's attic.  (What 70s-era teenager didn't mess around with a little occult lite?)

Artist Benjamin Mackey has been busy creating a Twin Peaks themed tarot deck.  View the entire deck here.
The Major Arcana is complete and Mackey is hard at work on the Minor Arcana cards. 
Naturally, the suit of cups is represented by none other than a damn fine cup of coffee.

Here's to hoping it becomes an actual deck or, at the very least, some kick ass prints. 

Happy Home Designer: Add it to your Christmas list

If you know only one thing about me, know this:
I love Animal Crossing.  If Animal Crossing was a religion, I would never leave the church. 
Animal Crossing: Wild World for the Nintendo DS was the game that really ushered me into the world of gaming.  I've sung its praises before so I won't wax poetic in this post.  I'll just say this "I love Animal Crossing 5 eva!" (Cuz that's more than 4 eva.)
You can imagine my complete and absolute delight when I heard the news that an Animal Crossing spin-off game was making its way to American soil and it was called Happy Home Designer and it was the most adorable thing I'd ever laid eyes on.

Let's get to the nuts and bolts of the game:

• It wouldn't be an Animal Crossing game if you didn't work for that miserly trash panda Tom Nook.   Specifically, you are a designer at Nook's Homes which is a delightful little home renovation business introduced in AC: New Leaf.  Your first client comes in willingly but, after that, you're sent out to the street to drum up business.  The more houses you design, the more furniture, wallpaper, flooring, etc. becomes available to you.  Unlike the previous AC games, you design the inside and outside of your clients' homes based on the theme they request.  

• First things first, I'm the realest you choose the location from a map of the town.  (Incidentally, you can build multiple houses on the same site.  So the perfect site for one house will still be there when another client comes along.)  There are desert plots, beachfront property, mountain top vistas.  You can then tap the site to change the season.  You choose from several styles and sizes of houses, you can change the roofing, the siding, the style of door and fence.  You can add trees, shrubbery, and outdoor furniture like picnic tables, birdbaths, various pieces of sports equipment.  So much stuff.  (The ability to customize your yard is something that is sorely lacking in the AC games.)  You can get creative by using typical indoor decor such as lamps and rugs to customize your clients' outdoor living space.  

• And decorating inside the house?  That's even more awesome.  My one criticism, though?  Even if you give your client a mansion, you are still only going to decorate one room.  You can get creative and divide it with panels and screens and large pieces of furniture.  But the absolute best part?  You can hang light fixtures, ceiling fans, hanging plants, bunting...  It's like decorating a real life house except better because there is no pesky wiring to worry with.  Did you unlock an item that you know would be perfect in a previous client's house?  Don't worry.  You can visit them and add to the decor whenever you want.  Although, sometimes you'll catch them chilling in bed.  That can get awkward.
  
  

  

  Pekoe feeling zen.

•  You can use your Play Coins to unlock "design lessons" which allow you to refurbish furniture and other things...  (To be honest, I haven't unlocked many things yet.)  

Typical me.  Sitting down on the job.

• Isabelle, your loyal assistant from New Leaf, will show up and allow you to start designing projects in the downtown area such as a school, a hospital, and a cafe.  These projects are a bit more demanding because you will be provided with a list of items that must be included to pass muster.  However, working on these projects unlocks lots of other decor items that aren't strictly household items.  Think copy machines and soda fountains.  As the game progresses, the town expands and you may be asked to expand on previously completed projects as well as have the opportunity to start new ones. 

• Last, but most definitely not least, amiiboooooos!  **read in your best Oprah voice**  (I ordered the game with an amiibo reader because I'm still using an older 3DS.)  You can add your favorite AC neighbors to the game using the amiibo cards.  There are even special characters like Resetti and KK Slider.  For the most part, these special characters give you carte blanche when it comes to decorating but special items will pop up in your inventory  that you know is meant for them.  I mean... how are you going to personalize Harriet's house without a vanity or basket of beauty products?

• The game play, overall, is entirely relaxing.  A great game to zone out with at the end of the work day or before bed.  Sure you have clients to please but they're pretty laid back when it comes to their homes.  (They are animals, after all.)   

Lopez can't wait for me to leave so he can chew on the furniture.

Freaky Friday: Hemlock Grove

It's October which means everyone is sipping pumpkin spice lattes and watching dudes named Freddy and Michael terrorize teenagers out at old Camp Creepypasta.
The promise of Halloween sends my imagination into overdrive as I spend my nights reading /nosleep and then making my dog (Please don't call the ASPCA!) go down the hall first so I can use the bathroom without being murdered by someone with a hook for a hand or the demon that lives in the linen closet.
While I love scary movies, I also hate scary movies because, well, they scare me.  The kind of scary that sticks with you.  The kind of scary that causes you to swan dive across your bedroom at night after turning off the light because you know something is going to grab you in those five dark steps from the light switch to your bed.
So what do you do when you have Halloween spirit but you're a giant sissy?  Well, you can watch Hemlock Grove.  Especially if you like a healthy dose of "what the fuck" in your horror entertainment.
I was on the fence for months about Hemlock Grove.
What's it about?
Werewolves.
No... it's about vampires!
No... it's about both.
Both?  Like Twilight both?
It is definitely not like Twilight. 

Do you understand the script at all, bro?

Hemlock Grove is something of a murder mystery involving werewolves and day-walking (but not sparkly) vampires.  The characters are well-developed but there are times when the plot carves out enormous holes that it can't be bothered to fill in again.  Don't let that deter you, though, gentle viewers.  Just embrace your confusion.  Let it flow through you.  Or, you can be like me, and buy the book hoping for answers and end up even more confused.  (But it's a captivating read!)  The overall mood is that of secrecy and gloom.  A perfect complement to a gloomy October night?  I think so!
Both seasons are full of gore and sex.  Highlights include clandestine medical experiments, demonic babies, clairvoyants, a crash course in werewolf-ery, and a drop dead gorgeous 1957 Jaguar.  In the second season, there's even a nod to David Lynch and Twin Peaks.  Are you still reading?  Why aren't you watching Netflix???  
The third and final season debuts 23 October and the few articles I've read promise that this season will scramble to reassemble the craziness unleashed by the second season.  That means you have plenty of time to watch the first two seasons and get caught up.
To the couch with ye!

What I did on my blogging vacation

Don't let the title mislead you.  I didn't actually go on vacation.  I just took a mostly involuntary vacation from blogging.
So what have I been up to?  How about a bullet list?

• Personal life stuff:  I said goodbye to my bestest furry friend of 11 years in July.  Unfortunately, he was suffering from some degenerative mental issues which were making him aggressive towards our other dog and people.  Also, I've been ill with a mystery disease that the doctors here aren't that eager to find the cause of/treatment for.  *sigh*  I see a specialist in December because he's booked until then.  Small town life.  Gotta love it!  Anyway, I've been tired, achy, and just generally feeling like I'm coming down with the flu.  I have had the downtime to read and watch TV, though, so it's not all bad.
• Reading:  I've been reading lots of books on Buddhism lately.  My two favorites so far:  Transform Your Life:  A Blissful Journey by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and Buddhism:  Plain and Simple by Steve Hagen. I also read a couple Ann Rule books and I'm working through a book of Anne Sexton poetry.
• Playing:  I've been farming it up on Story of Seasons but then Happy Home Designer (an Animal Crossing spinoff game) came out and I've been spending my gaming time designing houses for adorable critters.  (Expect a full report at a later date.)

• Watching:  Season 6 of The League, season 4 of Once Upon a Time, season 1 of The Following, and season 1 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  I've also been re-watching all the Star Wars movies which has incited a household feud of which movie was better:  Return of the Jedi or The Empire Strikes Back.  Obviously Return of the Jedi was better because Ewoks.  Duh!

I hope to get back to blogging, even if it means I only crank out one post a week.  But I'm going to shoot for two because dream big, right?

Freaky Friday: Odd Thomas

Odd Thomas starts out as a seemingly quirky action comedy movie with a supernatural bent.  Odd Thomas (played by the adorable Anton Yelchin) lives in a small town and just so happens to have the ability to see ghosts.  He uses his gift to help solve murders which, in turn, helps put the spirit to rest.  Unfortunately it's not a paying gig so Odd is also a showboating short-order cook at a local cafe.

If you like my psychic abilities, you should try my pancakes.

Odd begins to see some ghostly baddies that are out of the ordinary and, apparently, signal big trouble for the little town of Pico Mundo.  Odd has to save the town and himself while keeping his skills under wraps from friends and coworkers.  Does it lead to hilarious misunderstandings and people assuming that Odd has lost his marbles?  You betcha.
For a movie that deals with dead stuff and ghosts, it's actually quite tame.  So tame, in fact, I debated whether or not this should be a Freaky Friday-worthy movie.  But one girl's tame is another girl's freaky so I went with it.
The ending is predictable in an "ending with a twist" sort of way.  
Throughout the movie I was racking my brain trying to think of where I had heard the name Odd Thomas before.  It wasn't until the credits that I realized Odd Thomas is a series of books by Dean Koontz.  (Dean and I shared a brief but intense literary fling during my first year of junior high but I soon left him for VC Andrews and her love of incestuous siblings.)  I'm tempted to read the books because the movie glosses over the most interesting part of Odd's life which is communicating with the regular everyday dead folk.  I feel that could have been developed more instead of the emphasis on Odd's relationship with his girlfriend Stormy.
Romance in movies bores me.  Yeah, I said it.
Conclusion:
I give it a 3 out of 5 star rating.  It's definitely one of the more original movies I've watched in a while.  And it made me want to pick up where I left off with Dean Koontz.  Any good movie should make you revert back to your junior high self. 

Freaky Friday: The Houses October Built

The Houses October Built is about the least favorite part of one of my favorite holidays: the "haunted" houses that pop up around Halloween.  At the tender age of seven, I was invited to a fall carnival with a schoolmate.  I would have been perfectly happy to stick to the kiddie rides but my friend suggested we walk through the haunted house.  There wasn't anything too terrifying until my friend pushed on a trap door in a wall and disappeared.  I was trapped in a tiny room, unable to go backward.  I pushed the same trap door and it wouldn't budge.  I pushed and kicked every inch of wall I could reach until, eventually, I resorted to a tactic any scared shitless seven-year-old would do:  I cried.  Bawled my eyes out would be more appropriate.  Eventually a carnival worker took pity on me and rescued me.  (The door that lead outside was indeed stuck.)  And for some reason, that friend never invited me anywhere else.
**I still remember her.  Her name was Bonnie.  She could speak Chinese and English and had the cutest bobbed hair.  If you see this Bonnie, I'm sorry and I promised I've stopped crying in public... mostly.**
Oh right... the movie.  The Houses October Built is a mockumentary about a group of people who set out the week before Halloween to find the creepiest seasonal haunted houses, referred to as "haunts", "in the country" (according to Netflix) but, in reality, in Louisiana and south Texas.  The documentary footage is interspersed with interviews from haunt workers talking about people who have died attempting to scare people and why they choose to work at the haunts come Halloween time.

Perhaps the most horrifying part of the movie is being the only chick in an RV full of dudes.

The documentary crew's ultimate goal is finding a sort of "secret society" haunt where the scare actors have carte blanche.  And then they get the bright idea to sort of shakedown the haunt workers to see where the top grade haunts are hidden.  Why they think that's a good idea is beyond me.  Have these people not seen Freaks?  You just don't fuck with carnival worker-type folks and expect to walk away unscathed.  (Except for my haunted house savior.  Please don't come kill me in my sleep, good sir!)
One of the creepiest houses they walked through reminded me of a mashup between Silent Hill and Resident Evil:  Code Veronica X (with the Ashford dude that dressed up like his dead sister).  There were lots of creepy clowns and creepy children.  *shudder*
 I give the movie an "A" for effort in originality.  HOB seemed to lose its documentary feel towards the end which is a bit tragic.  Overall, though, the movie managed to be creepy without being gory.  We were even spared the ubiquitous "topless horror actress" scene.   Perhaps, though, that's the real tragedy.
If you can find it in yourself to look past the lack of nudity, I would definitely recommend giving HOB a watch.  
 

Damn Fine Vidya Games: Kirby's Adventure

**Damn Fine Vidya Games is written by my other half, Mr. Coffee, about his love for retro video games.**
 
Hello nerd boys and girls,

A close friend (who I used to respect) told me he had never played a Kirby game.  In fact he admitted that he only knew Kirby from the ever popular Smash Bros’ series to which I replied "BALLS" and stormed off to play one of my favorite games of all time: Kirby’s Adventure for the NES.
Of course I returned to lend my friend every Kirby game I owned so that he might educate himself.

Kirby made his debut in 1992 on the Game Boy.  My parents denied me one of those fancy portable gaming devices so I didn’t formally meet Kirby until 1993 on the NES.  Being the cute little pink ball of joy that Kirby is, the game may have been originally bought for my sister.  I’m pretty sure I stepped in when she couldn’t get past the first boss and just never gave the controller back. 

In case you don't know Kirby, he is rotund floating pink warrior of Dream Land who inhales his enemies and then uses their powers against them.  In Kirby's Adventure, Kirby awakens to find that King Dedede has stolen the Star Rod and all of the dreams of the people of Dream Land!  Our cotton candy-colored hero takes it upon himself to risk life and limb to retrieve the Star Rod and return all of those purloined dreams. 
   
The game play is a masterpiece of the time.  The visual side-scroller easily has the best graphics of any NES game and the music suits the dreamlike state of the game perfectly.  Kirby can do it all: run, jump, attack, and, of course, consume his enemies and, in turn, their powers.  The first time I made Kirby eat the little fire enemies and then spit fire I almost cried with joy.  Compared to Mario’s limited jumping action, Kirby was light years ahead of other games.
Side note:  This was the first game to have one of the best villains in the Nintendo universe, Meta Knight! He’s the most adorable flame sword wielding badass ever.

Kirby’s Adventure can be found on the Game Boy Advance, the Wii's virtual console, Nintendo DS, the Wii U virtual console, and, if you want to splurge, you can find a copy of the 20th anniversary Kirby’s Dream Collection for the Wii. 

If you have never played a Kirby game, this is the one for you.  Go play it right meow!

Hits: A quick and dirty movie rec

I didn't quite know what I would be getting into when I added Hits to my queue but sometimes I like to wander outside my comfort zone of mindless comedies and B-grade horror.
Hits centers around a man named Dave Stuben who lives in a small economically-depressed town in upstate New York named Liberty.  Dave's hobbies include bringing home trash from his place of employment and voicing his various complaints at the town council meetings.  Dave's daughter is an aspiring, yet horribly untalented, singer who is obsessed with fame, no matter the costs.  After a video of Dave getting arrested at a particularly heated town meeting goes viral on Youtube, all hell breaks loose.

Written and directed by my favorite anus tart, David Cross.

Hits is a combination of small town living meets Internet bandwagon-ing.  There is a yearning in almost every character that is almost palpable.  The yearning for something more.  Then there is the desperation that sinks in as the townsfolk watch their dreams begin to visibly crumble.  The struggle is interwoven with the reality that almost every moment of our lives are now subject to being recorded and posted to the Internet.  Viral videos and "vaguebooking" and sex tapes and jumping on causes because everyone else is doing it are the undoing of Liberty, NY and a great commentary on our society's online behavior as a whole.
Man, I'm deep.

The devil of Hell's Kitchen

For the past couple of months, everywhere I'd go, people would ask me the same question:
"Would you like fries with that and, OMG, have you seen Daredevil?!?!"
"Your total comes to 32.50 and you should really watch Daredevil."
"You haven't seen Daredevil?  I don't think we can be friends anymore."
I was beginning to think Netflix had implemented some sort of word-of-mouth affiliate program or maybe, just maybe, Daredevil was just that good.
I really wanted to watch Daredevil but I was still a little gun shy after Ben Affleck's embarrassing  portrayal of Matt Murdock in 2003.  Damn you, Ben Affleck!  (And don't even get me started about his upcoming Batman role.)
For those who are new to the whole Daredevil franchise, Daredevil is the vigilante alter ego of Matt Murdock.  As a child, Murdock was involved in a toxic waste spill that robbed him of his sight but left his remaining senses in a super heightened state.  Little Matt's dad is killed by gangsters and, as an adult, he vows revenge.  He also becomes a lawyer.  When you're a masked vigilante, it's good to work both sides of the law that way.
Matt's back story is very well developed.  The show's writers also took the time to develop the back story of his nemesis Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin (although he is never referenced as such in the show).  A gritty, dark New York City (chiefly, the neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen) is the perfect backdrop for each episode's round of underdog versus heavyweight champion.  I'm awarding bonus points for the use of my favorite dramatic device:  the Batman voice.  Almost every character, big and small, uses the husky whisper at some point in the show and it is nothing short of hilarious every. single. time.

I'm Batman.

I hesitate to call Daredevil a super hero (And feel free to disagree with me here.) because I hesitate to call Daredevil a super hero show.  Matt's acts of rogue justice seem more like stepping stones on his path to what is ultimately self-serving revenge rather than serving the "greater good".  In this way, Daredevil gets a lot more Batman-like.  What starts out as a personal vendetta ends up as a full-fledged "saving my city" (read in a husky whisper) crusade.  Luckily for our Daredevil, he only has to deal with one cray-cray at a time in the first season unlike poor Batman's nemeses who always seem to escape Arkham in freaking droves.   (Side note:  If ever I should snap, please put me in Arkham.  My early release is almost guaranteed.)
I'd give Daredevil a seven out of ten.  The episodes' 55 minute run times can actually get a bit tedious.  However, the longer run time allows Daredevil to pack in plenty of (sometimes unnecessary) action (Seriously, who needs to back flip from rooftop to rooftop?) and bad guy ass-kicking but there is also drama and raw emotion and a pinch of romance.  Something for everyone!  Or maybe just you.  I won't tell anyone about your sensitive side.  

Freaky Friday: The Baba Ganoush

This Freaky Friday is brought to you by Mr. Coffee, the letter "B", and the number 5.37.


Hello nerd boys and girls,


I’m taking a break from video games to bring you a review of the latest horror movie being crammed down your throat by Netflix and your Facebook friends: The Babadook.  Just so you’re aware of my tastes, I have a long lasting love of horror movies, but especially terrible ones.  I subscribe to the church of Troll 2 and From Dusk Till Dawn sequels.  If a movie contains Bruce Campbell, Tom Savini, or was endorsed in some way by George Romero, then I am watching it.  Warning!  From this point forward this blog entry may contain spoilers (in white), though I will do my best to not ruin the ending. 


The Babadook is a movie you would label a "creature feature" or boogeyman style horror story where a child is afraid of something that the adults insist just does not exist.  In this movie that child is six-year-old Sam.  Sam’s father died in a car accident on the way to Sam's own birth and is being raised alone by his mother Amelia.  Like many six year olds, Sam is afraid of the monster in his closet, under his bed, in the attic, in the basement...  He rarely sleeps due to his fear and is an all around brat, in general.  Unlike most six year olds though, Sam builds Dennis the Menace-style weapons to defend himself.


Our other main character Amelia, Sam’s mother, is working as a hospice nurse and seems run down from working, raising Sam herself, and struggling through what appears to be a lonely, hard life for the past six years.  To add to Amelia’s stress, Sam gets removed from school for bringing one of his many handcrafted weapons with him.  Amelia’s only outlet is her sister Claire who has a daughter, Ruby.  Ruby’s birthday is close to Sam’s so they share a party every year.  (Every year except this one, of course.)  This is partially due to Amelia’s painful experience of losing her husband on her son’s actual birthday but mostly because a joint party is cheaper and less stressful, obviously.


So what the hell is a babadook?  Well, one night Amelia allows Sam to choose a bedtime story.  He pulls down a book that Amelia has never seen before titled Mister Babadook.  This book tells the story of a being that haunts and tortures those aware of his existence.  His presence is preceded by the sound of a knocking “babadook dook dook” noise.

Grandma Ethel is not allowed to buy you books ever again.

  The book itself is modeled after a child’s pop-up book and, if I'm being honest, is probably one of the more creative horror devices I’ve seen.  Sam, who is already terrified of his own make-believe monsters, now has a name to put to his ever-increasing fears.  Sam’s brat-tastic behavior gets worse, and the house suddenly seems haunted, which Amelia, being the great mom she is, blames on Sam and he in turn blames on Mister Babadook.  Already frustrated by Sam’s behavior and suffering from a severe lack of sleep, Amelia tears the offending book apart and throws it in the trash. 


Is this the end of Babadook problem?  Um... no.  Sam suffers a seizure on the way home from his cousin's drama filled birthday party and Amelia brings him to the hospital get checked out.  The doctors find nothing wrong with Sam, but prescribe him sleeping pills which is something every six-year-old needs.  Relieved that her son is ok, and that she is finally going to get some sleep, things are looking up for Amelia.  Her peace doesn’t last long.  She awakes to find the Mister Babadook book not only intact but with new illustrations, specifically pictures of Amelia killing Sam.  She does what any sane person would do and destroys the book again along with reporting the incident to the police thinking she may have a stalker.  The police don’t believe her based on the lack of creepy book evidence and the vague implication that she may have some incriminating evidence on her person.  Namely, chalk on her hands.  The same chalk used in the Mister Babadook book?  *dun dun dun*


Up to this point in the film I was enjoying the story, the characters, and the tension.  I was asking myself: “Is the house haunted or is the kid just out of his mind?” and “Are they being stalked?” or “Did Amelia snap and is doing all this herself?”  A perfect mix of good writing and a true psychological horror where there are a number of possible paths and each could lead to an exciting and fulfilling climax.
And then it took a nosedive.
The latter half of the movie that attempts to answer these questions felt as if  a completely different writer and director had suddenly taken over a completely different movie.  What starts off as a creative and well thought out plot, turns into a heaping pile of horror movie garbage.  It sort of feels like the scene in Independence Day  where the White House gets blown up and you’re all excited about the awesome explosion but then remember that the White House being blown up is actually a bad thing.  Then Jeff Goldblum suggests that the highly advanced alien species can be brought down by a lowly human-engineered computer virus.  Balderdash! 
The Babadook is the horror movie equivalent of Independence Day: a great idea ruined by a seemingly rushed train wreck of an ending. 

**For those of you reading from 'Murica, enjoy your Independence Day weekend!**

The best mashup in the history of mashups

I love The Golden Girls.  I got the entire series for my birthday this year and it was everything I'd ever dreamed it could be.  But, to be honest, I set the bar pretty low when it comes to my hopes and dreams.

When I'm not binge watching TV shows, I am summoning the dead.  No big deal.

Of course, Twin Peaks is another favorite so I was stoked to see this post from Welcome to Twin Peaks show up on my Facebook feed.  The intro mashup is, of course, hilarious but the David Lynch-directed Golden Girls  may have caused my TP/GG lovin' heart to have a minor infarction.
By the time you read this, my house will have been invaded by four extra people but I will have a Freaky Friday post up for you written by the oh-so-charming Mr. Coffee.

Freaky Friday: Field Trippin'

I'd like to go on record that the only redeeming quality of this town is its proximity to Roswell, New Mexico. If you don't geek out about aliens on the reg, then you might not know that Roswell was the site of an alleged UFO crash in 1947.  Of course, the military thought people were getting a little cray and said it was just a weather balloon.  The Roswell incident has been referred to as "the world's most famous, most exhaustively investigated, and most thoroughly debunked UFO claim".
Debunked...  That's what they want you to think.
The city of Roswell knows what its tourists want and what they want are little green men.  Roswell does not disappoint.  There are aliens on the street signs, aliens on the light posts, UFOs parked atop fast food restaurants... 

At this point feel free to roll your eyes or hit that little "x" in the corner of your screen. 

Do I believe in aliens?  Yes.  This universe is too big for humans to be its only inhabitants.
Do I believe in a government conspiracy to cover up the existence of extraterrestrial beings?
Yes.  Not to an X-Files alien colonization degree, but I do think we are being kept in the dark by the powers-that-be to either ward off mass hysteria or cover up something darker like possible vivisection and the subsequent murder of UFO crash survivors.

Dammit, Bob, is that really what you wear to an alien autopsy?

The International UFO Museum and Research Center in Roswell is definitely a must-see for the hardcore UFO fan.  In addition to loads of information about the crash and cover-up, it also has information about other UFO sightings (both inside the USA and abroad), abductions, and crash sites.

Just some lights reflecting off swamp gas

It also has recreations and photographs of ancient artifacts that may or may not be renderings of outer space, UFOs, or aliens.

Ancient breath-powered rocket or ancient breathalyzer?

And if you get tired of reading, there are plenty of  photo opportunities to be had.

I regret leaving my ChapStick back on the ship.

The one disappointing part of Roswell is that the actual crash site is on private property and therefore off limits to curiosity-seekers.  However, you can look at pictures here.

Our race has advanced beyond the trappings you Earthlings call "clothes".

The truth is out there.

The Fangirl's Guide to... something

Back story:  Amazon had been hounding me to buy The Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy.  I guess that's what happens when your shopping history consists mainly of Harry Potter movies and Pop! Vinyl figures.
I was about to cave when I visited my local library and I spotted the book sitting on a center table display like a beacon shining directly into my nerdy heart.

One of us!  One of us!

After reading it, I realized this same beacon was only masking the song of bad book sirens that were waiting on the rocks to crush my geek girl heart into dust.
Ok... no more seafaring references.
Sam Maggs, if that's your real name, I really wanted to like your book.  I really did.  The title grabbed my attention and the book's petite size made me feel like I was reading the personal journal of a fellow fangirl.  And then I read it...
If I was 12 or 13 and looking for a ready-made identity to morph into, I'd probably think Fangirl's Guide was an awesome book.  The first chapter explains what exactly a fangirl is.  Um... it's in the word.  A girl who is a fan of... something.  Then Maggs goes on to detail various fandoms such as Potterheads and Trekkies. 
Personally, I believe you can be a fangirl for chemistry or General Hospital or craft beers.  Someone can "geek out" about something that isn't a stereotypical "geeky" subject.  Fangirl's Guide just seemed so... basic.  If Tumblr had published a book about its biggest fandoms, it would be Fangirl's Guide to the Galaxy.

Other low points:
The little interviews with geek girls who made it big scattered throughout each chapter were not insightful at all.  They were asked to define what a "fangirl" was and they all basically stated a person who is passionate about something.  Thanks for that brand new information!
At one point, she described "levels" of fandom and how a fangirl might acquire a tattoo to represent her queen bee fan status among her peers.
Her tips for con going were nothing earth-shattering that you couldn't find with a quick Google search.
She gave the impression that geek girls will always run up against some form of discrimination from geek boys at conventions, comic book shops, gaming tournaments, etc. based solely on the fact that they are female.  Throughout my years of being a fangirl, I've only run across one rude person, who happened to be male, and who chose to act from the safety of his keyboard via Facebook.  (A simple unfriending solved that problem.)  Maggs gives the impression that cons and comic book shops are full of meanies just waiting for the chance to quiz some poor unsuspecting geek girl on her knowledge of Starfleet ships.
At the end of the book, she touches on feminism and the roles of women in fiction.  Because the subject of over-sexualization of women in comic books and video games has never been broached before this revolutionary book was published.

In the end, this book was a huge disappointment (that I'm glad I didn't actually pay for).  I was hoping for a book of personal anecdotes about forays into cosplaying or the first time someone got schooled at a Pokemon tournament.  What I got was a "how to" guide and no one can tell you how to be a fan of something.  You don't need a book or a website or a blog to tell you how to love something.  You only need passion.
That'll be $19.95 please.

Tales of a Netflix glutton

Greetings from my humble, yet air conditioned abode.  The weekend was a whirlwind of celebrating birthdays (When you're turning seven,  the whole week is spent in you honor, apparently.) and dads.
So I thought I would share a few mini reviews of the shows I've been binge watching.  (Mostly while lying flat on the floor in my skivvies enjoying the cool breeze of a box fan.)

Final 24:  I am guilty of being a tad morbid and Final 24 is definitely on the darker side of shows I've watched.  The show chronicles the last 24 hours in the lives of celebrities that have died.  Tupac Shakur, River Phoenix, and Hunter S. Thompson are among the people profiled.  The shows flips back and forth between reenactments of the deceased's actions in the final hours and interviews with friends and family.  Sadly, there only seem to be two seasons, 14 episodes in total.
My only complaint is that some things presented as fact were actually found to be false.  Of course, when any celebrity is cut down in their prime, rumors will abound but if I can do a five second Google to get to the truth of something, why can't Final 24's writers?

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt:  In case you've been hiding under a rock somewhere and missed everyone and their mom talking about UKS, take my advice and go watch it.  There are only 13 episodes and each episode is about 22 minutes long so I think you could knock it out on a Saturday afternoon.  It is heartwarming and hilarious and chock full of 90s references.  I was only disappointed when it ended because I never learned to pace myself.

Grace and Frankie:  I didn't expect to like this show as much as I did.  I may be able to watch shows about the last 24 hours of a person's life, but the sudden collapse of a long relationship is just too much trauma for me.  I don't know why I'm always drawn to shows about women in their golden years, but I am.  No shame in my game.  There were lots of funny moments but also lots of heartbreaking ones.  I felt all the feels and may have cried a little. 

I can't wait for the second season.

Daredevil:  Admittedly, I had some misgivings about Netflix's Daredevil, having been subjected to Ben Affleck's performance in the 2003 movie, but I am loving this show.  I am nearing the end of the season (Each episode is almost a full hour long, which makes it harder to binge watch on a school night.)  and it is so good.  The show's Frank Miller-esque darkness and the character development of both Daredevil and his nemesis Kingpin are used in just the right amounts.

Now go forth to your couches, my people.

Don't forget to stretch before your marathon.

Bad blogging

Loyal reader(s):

Please excuse P from blogging this week. The creative part of her brain has melted thanks to a faulty air conditioner that still has yet to be repaired.

Seriously, though. Luckily our air conditioner was under warranty which means instead of the 1 million dollars it costs to fix it, we will only pay half that amount.  Lots of people live with only one kidney nowadays, right?
I'm also going out of town and I had scheduled some posts but somehow I ended up deleting the edited drafts and I don't have the time or patience to re-edit them.  Yes, I'm a bad/lazy blogger but I swear I will make it up to you! 
I have posts written (that need polishing) and posts in my brain queue waiting to be written. 
Hopefully you'll have a great week without my witty insight but, just in case you need a little to get by, go watch Daredevil on Netflix. 

Damn Fine Vidya Games: Halo: Combat Evolved

Hello nerd boys and girls,

I'm willing to bet that everyone who has played video games in the last 15 years has heard of the Halo series.  I’m also willing to bet that a significant portion of gamers haven’t played the original Halo game: Combat Evolved.  Halo is the defining game of the Xbox generation of games and deserves a large place in video game history.

First and foremost: I do not play many first person shooter (FPS) games.  I do not play Call of Duty, or Half-Life, or Battlefield.  I’m sure those are probably good games (they are certainly popular), but I don't generally like that style of gaming with the one large exception being Halo.
“But why?”
“Isn’t Halo just another FPS?”
No way!

Halo was, in my opinion, a revolutionary game and it all started with Combat Evolved.  Initially, the multiplayer is what drew me in.  A friend called “Come over and play Halo.  We’ll link up systems”.  I was skeptical and declined but, after weeks of pestering, I gave into my friends and joined them for a Halo LAN party.  Halo: CE was released before Xbox Live existed, so if you wanted more than four players, LAN parties became life.  Nothing quite like the thrill of yelling “go fuck yourself” across a room as you stuck a grenade to someone’s face. 

Halo: Combat Evolved was released for the original Xbox in 2001 as a launch title which meant everyone owned it.  The story revolves around Master Chief (you) and your artificial intelligence guide (Cortana) responding to an attack by the Covenant who are a species of alien bound together by their religion.  During a battle with the Covenant your ship is damaged and you crash land on Halo.  The rest of the game is spent learning what exactly Halo is while trying to survive an onslaught of aliens.  Halo is so well written and so compelling that the player ends up feeling like a large part of the game and story.  In fact, Halo players have felt such a deep connection to Master Chief and Cortana that the series has spawned multiple games, a book series, a comic series, a web series, and a full length movie. 

Since it’s inception Halo: CE has been repackaged twice, once as a high-def anniversary remake for the Xbox 360 and as part of the Master Chief Collection for the Xbox One.  I recommend picking up the anniversary edition (still easy to find) and playing through the game twice.  This edition allows the player to seamlessly change between the HD and original versions.  My suggestion is to first play through the original on "easy" and then play the HD version on whatever difficulty you like.  If you like FPS games, you'll be a natural.  If you’re like me, and FPS games aren't your favorite,  I implore you to try Halo: Combat Evolved on for size.  It’s a great game and should be played at least once by casual and pro gamers alike.

Fangirling: Anaïs Nin

I thought instead of reviewing a book or movie or game, I could talk about one of my favorite authors.
**Full disclosure:  I wrote this post forever ago for my old blog but my AC has been out since Thursday, and I think the part of my brain that is capable of stringing together coherent sentences melted and ran out of my ears at some point yesterday afternoon.**
Is there a book you could read over and over again?  One of those books, for me, is White Oleander by Janet Fitch.  One of the main characters, Ingrid, is a poet and often "prescribes" books to her daughter Astrid to help her cope with her life as a teenager.  One of the authors she brought up was Anaïs Nin, and was immediately curious.  The only thing I'd ever heard about her was that she wrote dirty books.  Why would a mother tell her teenage daughter to read smut?  I had to know!

While Ms.  Nin did write a few volumes of erotica, her published diaries are where the really juicy stuff is hidden.  (I swear I'm not a perv!  Maybe a little bit of a perv.  But a harmless perv.)
A few years ago, I picked up a copy of Anaïs Nin's journal Henry and June and fell instantly in love.   The writing is both poetic and raw and her journaling draws you not only into her life but into her brilliant mind.
I'm going to assume 
Anaïs never fell victim to a boring day in her life.  Not only was she a writer, but also a dancer, an analyst, a mistress, and a muse.  A combination of lover and muse for the author Henry Miller.  She was married to a somewhat reserved banker, but desired her independence during a time when women's desires and dreams were often put on the back burner for household duties and child rearing.  She wanted to venture out to the dive bars, the whorehouses.  To experience life on the fringes while knowing she always had a comfortable house with servants and hot food and clean sheets to scurry back to when shit got real.  She was the queen of slumming it.
I am into my fourth diary now, and I've found them all hard to put down.  While I don't agree with her extramarital activities, her story-telling and poetic language captivate me.  She lived life fully, but she also observed and recorded every tiny detail.  I think writers, with their observation skills and seemingly photographic memories, really know how to exist in the present moment.  
I only wish I could write/blog/journal half as beautifully as Anaïs did.  Or travel the world.  Or be able to pick the brains of sculptors, poets, musicians, actors...
But a little vicarious living  never hurt anyone.



Freaky Friday: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon

Ah, slasher films.
My first experience with horror films was a slasher film. I'm pretty sure it was Jason Takes Manhattan edited to death on USA.  I remember being only slightly scared and laughing as Jason met another demise in the NYC sewer system.  I told my mother, who never gave a toss to emotional scarring, and she said that was nothing and I had to watch the original.  From there I graduated to Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Sleepaway Camp... 
I didn't sleep much but damn were my friends jealous of my viewing habits.
Where was I?
Oh, right.  Slasher films.  Imagine filming a documentary in a world where slasher greats like Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger actually exist and you get Behind the Mask:  The Rise of Leslie Vernon.  The documentary crew follows up-and-coming psycho killer Leslie Vernon as he prepares for the odious task of killing off a houseful of teenagers.
Leslie works under the "rules" set forth by his killer role models, sort of Scream-esque where sexual freedom is a one way ticket to an axe to the head and you should never tell anyone that you will "be right back". 

BRB!  LOL!  JK!

As the movie progresses, the documentary crew realizes that Leslie actually plans to go through with his plans and they try to talk him out of it which is when the movie hooks a one-eighty from darkly humorous "mockumentary" to "shit just got real" slasher film.
On a one to five star rating system, I'd give Behind the Mask a solid three.  The idea was a refreshing change of pace from the tired new horror that Hollywood has been ramming down our throats since the first Paranormal Activity.  The humor was definitely suffering from a lack of timing.  Parts that should have been funny weren't and parts that seemed to be serious were delivered in an almost slapstick manner.  But maybe I just don't get the nuances of black comedy horror genre.
Have you seen it?
How did it make you feel?
Do you hate horror movies and wish I would talk more freely about my secret love of rom-coms?

My log has something to tell you

I get that blind box toys are supposed to be bought unopened to achieve the maximum surprise factor, I had to make an exception for the Twin Peaks Bearbrick figures.

They only made two:  Laura Palmer and Special Agent Dale Cooper.  They each come with a little "Welcome to Twin Peaks" population card and they belong to the 21st series of Bearbrick toys in the "horror" genre.

Obviously, Coop seems tame in his suit and striped tie.

The owls are not what they seem.  Unless this one seems like a ceramic figurine to you.

And then we have Laura...

The award for most morbid toy goes to...

I can't decide whether or not I want to take her out of the plastic.  She seems more accurate this way.

My only regret is that there is no beach here to take these pictures.

And what better soundtrack for playing with your Twin Peaks toys than Julee Cruise on vinyl? This is a promotional copy featuring music from Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet.

Just try to remember you aren't actually in Blue Velvet and go wandering naked through your front yard.

It's the time of the season

For a new Harvest Moon game:

Always pre-order the games that come with adorable bunnies

I haven't always been a fan of the Harvest Moon franchise.  Simulated farming?  Who wants to do that?  I attempted to play a version for the PlayStation but the hours in the day went by too quickly and I'd find my little farmer fainting before he could even plant one lousy field.  Years later I decided to give it another shot on my DS with Harvest Moon:  Grand Bazaar.  I sunk hours and hours into the game.  I dreamed about it.  I named my children after its characters.  Then I got to a stopping point and I ended up trading it in.
Then came The Tale of Two Towns which just never quite filled the hole in my heart left by Grand Bazaar.  So I was skeptical  when my local Game Stop advisers tried to talk up Story of Seasons.

GSA:  "But, you love Harvest Moon-type games.  We know you'll like it."

Me:  "I can't just be giving my heart to random games that don't make me feel like I'm the only player for them.   I want a love like I had with Grand Bazaar."

GSA:  "If you pre-order, you get this adorable stuffed rabbit!"

Me:  "Shut up and take my money!"

Story of Seasons (SoS for brevity's sake) has a lot of features customary to most of the Harvest Moon games:
You find yourself the owner of a rundown farm
You buy animals and raise crops
You can hunt around town for herbs, flowers, building materials, etc.
You can build relationships with your fellow townsfolk and, eventually, get hitched
The Nature Sprites make an appearance in this game (What can you do with them?  Um, let me get back to you on that.)

SoS features a Trade Depot where people from neighboring towns come to hawk their wares.  This is where you can buy animals and tools, materials, and seeds that aren't found in your town.  You can also swim in the surrounding rivers to find fish and materials like gem stones and iron.  Blueprints are needed to build animal houses, a refrigerator, fences for your farm, and for upgrading your farm tools.
As you progress in the game, it is possible to rent other fields that have special purposes like mushroom farming and beekeeping.  The only problem is you have to compete with the other farmers in town for the rights to use the fields.  One of the farmers lives in a damn mansion!  Seriously?  I can't compete with that.   Must be nice when all your farming is handled by the hired help.
I spend the majority of my farming day working on my fields and taking care of my animals.  One of my cows had a baby.  So freaking exciting.  I can't wait to be able to raise angora rabbits and llamas and whatever other critters SoS throws my way.
The relationship aspect bores me.  I talk to everyone in town, but I find the intricacies of finding a man to settle down with to be too tedious.  I have to cook his favorite meal so he'll like me?  How fucking cliche!  I just want to harvest my turnips and play with my cows and chickens.
I'm a loner, Dottie.  A rebel.

Freaky Friday: The Dead Files

I never really thought of myself as a "medium" person.  I never watched Medium or the Ghost Whisperer or, um, other shows about psychic mediums.  I did, however, watch Crossing Over with John Edward.  Ok, it was the episode of South Park spoofing Crossing Over with John Edward.  It's basically the same thing, right?

Your dad died?  Your grandpa?  Your fifth grade class hamster?

Netflix suggested the show The Dead Files to me and I thought "What the hell?"
The show is formulaic:  the psychic (Amy Allan) "reads" the location while the burly former detective investigates the history of the location and the two compare notes at the end.  They have no contact before this point (so they say) and they sometimes employ sketch artists to show "who" Amy has been interacting with.  No spoilers here but, if you choose to watch, brace yourself for a lot of widened eyes and hand-to-chest gasping during the reveal.
The Dead Files mixes ghost whispering, good old fashioned detective work, and cheesy "dramatic" effects to create the television equivalent of a Kahlua mudslide.  Goes down smooth and, if you're not careful, you can consume half a dozen in one sitting.

I get the feeling someone has definitely lived in this 100 year old house before.

I consider myself to be pretty open to the idea of ghosts and other paranormal phenomena.  With that being said, I'm not entirely convinced the show is not as fake as a Rotex watch,  but I can usually keep the skeptical part of my brain quiet enough to watch an episode or five.

Life is just a fantasy

Can you live this Fantasy Life?

I had played Animal Crossing:  New Leaf for a solid year when I decided it was time for a change.  Luckily, I have a friend (that isn't just a website) in the know and she started sending me trailers for a game called Fantasy Life.

Her:  It's an RPG...  But I think you'll like it.
Me:  RPG?  Like do I have to battle stuff?
Her:  Yes.  But I still think you'll really like it.

I'm more of a lover than a fighter, but I decided to pre-order anyway because I  like to try new things.  And by "new things" I mean games that require nothing more than me sitting on my couch and pushing buttons.  I'm adventurous like that.
So Fantasy Life starts out with you picking a "life" which is your job.  I picked wizard because I like to get my Harry Potter on and, frankly, jobs like angler sound boring as hell.  Each life gets its own mentor that you have to check in with as your skills progress.  My mentor was... a cat.  Holy cliche, Batman!
The main storyline is the same no matter what life you pick:  The land you inhabit, Reveria,  is beginning to fall apart and you are the only one to save it!  Are you intrigued by the oh-so-original plot yet?  Also totally original elements of gameplay:  battling wild critters to level up, meeting people that you can later invite to your party, and finding special items in treasure chests throughout the game.  Groundbreaking!
Your mentor will give you quests that you complete for "bliss" points which allow you to level up but also move forward with the story line.  Bliss also helps you earn things like pets which you can take with you on your adventures.  (This was probably my favorite part of the game.)
Bliss is also earned by doing favors for the people you run into on your travels through Reveria.   At some point it becomes a necessity to visit the guild and change lives to do these favors for people.  And then, when you think you're off the hook, they turn around and ask you for yet another favor.  Talk about a pain in the ass.
I can say that based on time-sinkability (It's a word!) and its cuteness alone, I would definitely recommend Fantasy Life for beginners and seasoned gamers alike.  I found the game to be pretty challenging as it progressed.  If we're being completely honest here, I'm stuck in the last part of the game and I'm not actually sure if I need to change lives to progress or not.  Being the easily distracted and stubborn gamer I am, I have swapped out Fantasy Life for Story of Seasons (review to come) until I break down and get some walkthrough help.

Freaky Friday: The Loved Ones

Tale as old as time...
The setting?  Rural Australia.
Girl asks boy to prom.  Boy rejects girl.  Girl has dad kidnap boy so she can torture him.

She's not using that drill to assemble Ikea furniture, I can assure you.

In the various sub-genres of horror, torture films are my least favorite.  Why?  Because that shit can actually happen.  My chances of being revenge murdered by a resurrected camper are slim to none compared to being the victim of a real live psycho killer.  Qu'est-ce que c'est?   Also torture is usually long and drawn out and I watch way too many Forensic File type shows to know that the use of kitchen utensils and power tools by actual serial killers is not as farfetched as the movies would have you believe.
Jason Voorhees might chase your ass until you get a wicked charley horse, but at least he'll kill you quick.  Mentally unstable lovesick teenage girls?  Oh hell no!  You have to pay in blood for breaking those hearts.
No wonder Mr. Bowie stopped believing in modern love.

A good, solid horror film has to give me a nice unsettling feeling throughout and The Loved Ones definitely did that.  Bonus points for a plot twist that made sense of the seemingly disjointed opening scene and the subplot from the point of view of the victim's friends and family, and the stylish use of paper crowns.  I'd deduct points for animal cruelty (which, luckily, doesn't happen on-screen), the incest-y vibes between ol' crazy eyes and her dad, and the somewhat predictable ending. 

Damn Fine Vidya Games: Conker's Bad Fur Day

**Damn Fine Vidya Games is written by my other half, Mr. Coffee, about his love for retro video games.**

Hello nerd boys and girls,

This week I’m reviewing Conker’s Bad Fur Day.

Some history:  Conker made his debut in the 2001 N64 game: Conker’s Bad Fur Day.  I first experienced Conker that same year for approximately ten minutes.  I was at a friend’s house when he stuck a copy of his dad’s game into the console.  After a couple of long cut scenes and a little gameplay, his dad came in, saw what we were playing,  and took the game away. The few minutes of play left some indelible images (Berri the bunny doing some suggestive aerobics.  The tiny Grim Reaper.) on my teenaged brain.   Conker was originally developed as a kids game called Conker’s Quest.  Due to criticism of the game's "cutesy" theme, the team at Rare decided to take the game in a more mature sex, drugs, and booze direction.  I got to play the full game a few years later on an emulator and loved every second. 

The game centers itself around Conker, a drunken squirrel who just wants to get home to Berri (his hot bunny girlfriend) after a long night of drinking.  Too bad for Conker that the ruler of the land, King Panther, has decided he wants a red squirrel to replace one of the legs on his table.  Hilarity ensues as Conker evades King Panther’s minions, faces a pile of opera-singing poop, and tries to find his way to Berri.  Conker's journey is a miraculous piece of video gaming history that deserves to be replayed over and over.

This is not an easy game, and I don’t recommend it for beginners.  The control scheme mirrors Mario 64.  If you've practiced with the N64’s control stick in open world games, it should be fairly easy.  I invited a friend over to play and he spent a lot of time getting used to the controls and complained that they were too blocky compared to current consoles.  Rare planned a sequel to Bad Fur Day called Conker’s Other Bad Day, but, due to the commercial failure of the original game, it never happened.  Microsoft did pump out a quick remake called Conker: Live and Reloaded, but it didn’t play well because it failed to recreate the amount of exact detail Rare originally spent creating the original N64 game.

My old friend Conker was recently in the news because Microsoft decided to announce the cocktease that was a Conker reboot.  Unfortunately for those that love our little drunken squirrel friend, the company Microsoft approached with the idea turned it down.  Will Conker ever get to put his squirrel nuts in Berri’s carrot hole?  We may never know.  (Hopefully we’ll still get to see the Perfect Dark and Banjo reboot games we’ve been promised.)  In the meantime go find a way to play Conker’s Bad Fur Day!