80's Cartoons-to-Film Wishlist

Hollywood seems to be running out of original scripts for summer blockbuster films these days. So if they don't turn to the colorful pages of comic books for ideas then they turn to the cartoons of yesteryear. That's why we get cool looking movies with bad storylines like Transformers 2. We're also gonna get another of the same sort with G.I. Joe next month and also Grayskull, in 2010, a revision of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe -which I hope will be less cheesier than Dolph Lundgren's version.

But, anyways, if Hollywood decides to continue this trend, I wish they'll adapt 5 of these cartoon titles I've posted below.

5. M.A.S.K.

Although short-lived, this was a pretty popular cartoon show amongst my peers. I remember telling my mom that we should go to church on Saturday afternoon instead of Sunday morning just so I can watch M.A.S.K. This was pretty much like Transformers, in which the focus was also on the cool vehicles. All the vehicles in M.A.S.K. can also transform but only into another sort of souped up assault vehicle (motorcyle to helicopter, helicopter to jet fighter). If made into a movie, its atmosphere will definitely be like a watered down Transformers.

4. Visionaries: Knights of the Magical Light

Visionaries was also a short-lived cartoon show, even shorter than M.A.S.K. (13 episodes only), which was sad because I couldn't get enough of it when I was a kid. That's why I wanted to see this in film. It was an awesome cartoon, and the toy line was cool too. Set in world of Prysmos, the Visionaries' story involves two faction of magical knights (Spectral Knights and Darkling Lords) who can magically morph into animals. I'm not sure, however, of what the outcome will be if this cartoon was made into a movie. I think it might come out as Power Ranger-y. But at least the armor and light effects will rock.

3. Dino-Riders

This cartoon is the main reason that I got hooked with dinosaurs. Dino-Riders is about Valorioans (Telephatic Humans) and Rulons (Alien Conquerors) who traveled back in time and got stuck in prehistoric Earth. Out of power and resources, both faction captured dinosaurs and strapped them with weapons to aid them in their fight. Because of its setting, I think this might work if adapted into a movie. How awesome it would be to see a Tyrannosaurus Rex, souped up with laser cannons, tear through the silver screen?

2. Centurions

This is one of my favorite cartoons when I was a kid, and my second favorite toy line as well. I think the Centurions can be easily adapted into film because it doesn't have a lot of campy elements to it -maybe except for the villains. The show's about three guys with exoskeleton armor that can be fitted and modified with various weapons and even vehicles. Its setting has a potential of a good plot and its visuals might just rival Transformers.

1. ThunderCats

This show follows the story of cat-like humanoids who survived the destruction of their planet, Thundera, and have moved to Third Earth. Like Centurions, ThunderCats also have a great potential to do well in the silverscreen. Because, unlike other 80's cartoons, this show wasn't created to promote a toy line, and it actually have a good setting -combining elements of science fiction and fantasy- and story (that's why it lasted 4 seasons long). I know an animated film of ThunderCats is already scheduled for next year. But I think a live-action one will be much better.

This are the list of cartoons that I want to see on film. They might be campy but at least they'll make me feel safe and comfy in childhood nostalgia.

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Phat Loot!

As a melee DPS class in Warhammer Online, I die a lot in Tier 4. So I decided to stop playing my White Lion and started a tank archetype, Knights of the Blazing Sun. I really love my knight right now. He's been dominating scenarios in Tier 1 ever since he hit level 6. Plus, he doesn't die a lot. Although he'll probably give me some sort of wrist injury because I've been tap dancing on my keyboard, twisting three of his auras most of the time.

But, a couple days ago, some of my guildmates started a warband in Tier 4. I have no other character on that tier except for my White Lion. So I had no choice but to unleash my war lion, unsheath my woodman's axe, and jump into the fray with my guildmates. I was expecting to die a lot that night, and I did. But -and there is a but- I killed a lot of Destro as well. I also got some phat loot too. I won both Conqueror and Warlord wristguards (which I can't wear yet) that night, and received two gold bags from keeps which gave me an Annihlator mane and helm, completing my Annihilator set.

Now I feel a little better about my White Lion. But I still want to get my knight to get into tier 4 as soon as I can. Because I think my guild needs more tanks, not only in realm vs. realm but also in dungeons.

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Martians and Chicken

It's been a while since I double featured new music in this blog. Blame it on Isis' Wavering Radiant (see review here). The album was just so good I couldn't remove it from my playlist. Plus, I've been busy playing Warhammer Online. So, I guess, part of the blame goes to me as well. Now all of the CDs I got last month, both the good and bad, have piled up again. But I've managed to pull myself away from other activities to listen to all my neglected CDs, even for a bit, and made time to write this post.

Choosing two new music from my pile proved to be an ordeal, however. There were too many good options -like the new albums of Dirty Projectors and Grizzly Bear- and the conundrum was tearing my head apart. In the end, I decided to feature the new music of already familiar bands, The Mars Volta and Chickenfoot.

The Mars Volta

The Mars Volta is pretty much on the roll this year. They won a Grammy -Best Hard Rock Performance for their song "Wax Simulacra" - and just released their 5th studio album, Octahedron. This is probably their most restrained album as of yet. It's mellow, it's not chaotic. There's none of that over indulgent experimentations they had in their previous albums. It's the exact opposite of their 2006 album, Amputechture. It's more mainstream, however, more pop. So I can see why a lot of their old fans are now whining. But if you can't get into The Mars Volta's music before then now's your chance.

Chickenfoot

What happens if you throw ex-Van Halen's vocalist and bassist, Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer, and guitar legend Joe Satriani into one band? Do you get a rock supergroup that can rival Led Zepellin? That's what the vocalist, Sammy Hagar, thinks. But no. In fact, this is the worst supergroup ever formed. You just don't group technical musicians with happy-go-lucky members of a lamed out 80's band. They won't mesh well together. I haven't heard Satch and Chad Smith at their worst. Because both their styles are being suppressed by Hagar's singing in this album. In my opinion, they should rename their band from Chickenfoot to Chickenshoot. It's aptly named that way.

From the two new albums I posted above, I highly suggest getting The Mars Volta's Octahedron. Especially to those who haven't heard of the band's music or who couldn't get into them before. They've mellowed down and made their music small enough to fit local radios. Older fans, however, might not like it. As for Chickenfoot, they're fun to listen to. But I suggest you skip their album if you didn't grow up listening to 80's glam rock.

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Beating the Heat

It's finally summer. Not my favorite season of the year. True, it's not as bad as winter or spring. But I like fall -with its cool temps and colorful trees- better than summer. Summer is just hot and sticky. It has its benefits though, like girls in tank tops and short shorts. But the summer's heat is a big nuisance to me and lessens my quality of life -which, as of now, is limited to gaming and reading.

One might wonder how summer heat can affect gaming and reading. They're done indoors, away from the heat and humidity, unlike outdoor activities like fishing or golf. Well, that's true. But my room turns into a scalding cauldron every time direct sunlight (from 3 to 8 p.m.) seeps through my windows. So I have to abandon my gaming and retreat into the cooler parts of the house. As for reading, it's not affected as much because I can read anywhere. But my books and comics -which are vulnerable to heat, humidity and light damage- are all stored in my room.

Windows with (right glass) and without (left glass) film installed.

So, earlier today, after being sick of stopping mid-game just to avoid the heat and worrying about my books, I went to a couple of hardware and home improvement stores to find a solar curtain. That way, if I have them on, it'll reflect the heat and light outside my room. I didn't find any though. So I bought a roll of window film instead. The store associate told me it works and looks much better than a solar curtain. Applying them, however, since I'm no handyman, was a bit troublesome. I wasted about half of the film roll before I decided to search for an instructional video at YouTube (hooray for the internet!).

But, by the end of the day, I managed to install the films on both my windows. I noticed its effects right away and it's amazing. It's still hot in my room but not as much as before. Plus, my AC unit can also manage the heat now without it huffing and puffing, saving me from big electrical bills. Now I can play games all day long in my room and I have also protected my books. Take that summer heat!

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