World of Warcraft: Summer #3

I'm doing something a little different this summer: I'm still playing World of Warcraft but now I'm playing Horde! Yes, after leveling exclusively Alliance characters since the introduction of WoW in late 2004, I have FINALLY warmed to the Horde. I chose to make a male Orc Hunter and called him Lorcalon. Lorc currently has a a pet Boar (I tamed Bellygrub in the Redridge Mountains...that was a fun road trip from The Barrens!). This pig's name is, of course, Arnold (never let it be said that I will miss an opportunity to throw in a pop culture reference whenever possible). Lorcalon is the creator and leader of the guild The Misfits on the Trollbane server. Currently at level 30, Lorcalon will probably be my first level 60 Horde character. Who knows? I may even level up an Undead Warlock next. Or maybe a Tauren Shaman. Click on the picture for a closer look at Lorcalon and Arnold!

1408

1408 wasn't all that bad, but it wasn't all that good either. I expected more from the movie, I guess. I really like John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson and was excited that they were in this movie. Cusack did a good job and practically the entire movie revolves around him. If you blink, you'll miss Jackson, who's role amounts to a cameo. 1408 did nothing original for me as a horror film. It drudged out the same old cliched horror visuals and pretend shocks. This is not nearly one of my favorite Stephen King adaptations. Carrie and Creepshow still rule.

On a related note, you can tell it's summertime as the dregs of humanity have hit the theaters once again. People of all ages with nothing better to do than ruin other moviegoers' enjoyment with their cell phones and constant, rude undercurrent of chatter throughout the films. Sheesh, is nothing sacred anymore? And the local theater that I went to was not paying attention to the levels in the surround speakers. The volume coming out of the speakers at the rear of the theater were practically equal to the front. And so, the decline of the American movie theater continues...

The Sopranos: Final Episode

Well, The Sopranos is history, after last night. Talk about fading to black! I loved it. David Chase wrote and directed this episode, so it can't get closer to the creator's vision than this. If this is how he wanted to end it, then this is how it ends. The abrupt episode ending gave me a chance to reflect on past episodes and think a little about what must have happened after things went dark. It made the episode last longer, in a way. I was miffed at first about the ending, but after reflection, I'm convinced the final episode of The Sopranos couldn't have ended any other way.