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Ready Player One Review

Ready Player One earns the title of “Holy Grail of pop culture references” many times over. But is it better than the book it's based on?

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Ready Player One Review
Ready Player One earns the title of “Holy Grail of pop culture references” many times over. The film, released back in March in theaters, and on Tuesday, July 24th, on blu-ray, DVD, and digital download, goes above and beyond with the references. There’s the Iron Giant, Ninja Turtles, Monty Python, Gundam, King Kong, Blade Runner, and oh-so many more. With one-liners, and some of its own sly dialogue, the film does a good job of entertaining. It is, however, not as good as the book.

The Movie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSp1dM2Vj48 When I first heard that Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One was going to be turned into a movie, it seemed a natural progression for property. It was an homage to pop culture as well as cult-favorites. The irony is those very cult classics are now getting elevated to legendary status and pulled into pop culture itself. Another irony is Steven Spielberg got himself into the director’s chair for the film.

Spielberg

Spielberg’s heyday was in the eighties and he directed a lot of the films that ended up becoming pop cultures references. As his career progressed and he became a big-name director, he’s always been linked to the classics. And then he ended up directing the movie with a lot of references to his own previous works. I find that interesting. The effects were on point. And how could they not? If Spielberg was going to be involved, then good effects were a given. Without a multi-million-dollar budget behind something like this, then there would have been no way to capture the scale. At best, it would have become another niche movie to garner a cult following. That didn’t happen, as Ernest Cline found the right connections for his book and got the story turned into a screenplay and the screenplay turned into a movie.

The Writing

Turning a book into a film requires—shall we say—delicate reimagining. In my younger days I was a die-hard purist. This is one of the reasons I have a hard time watching any new X-Men movie that comes out. But more on that later. Old age has softened me to the point that my blood doesn’t boil when the movie diverges significantly from the book. Part of this is the realization that writing a book and movie are two different things. There is writing involved in both. The mindset for each is entirely different. Ernest Cline, the author of the book, had a hand in the screen writing, which is always a good thing. Author’s are protective of their work and I’m sure Cline was no exception to the rule. His involvement is probably why the spirit of the film is close to the spirit of the book. That may sound like semantics, but to writers, it’s important. Therefore, key plot points were lifted from the book and put into the movie. I’m okay with this as some books have been butchered beyond recognition in the past. Cline and his fellow screenwriter Zak Penn, should be commended for taking such a massive story and condensing it into a movie. They kept the feel of it while getting to the heart of the story.

The Book

While the movie was great, I’m still a fan of the book. I always will be. Within the pages of Ready Player One, the reader can truly get to know Wade Watts. This is a benefit of reading internal monologues. The movie was filled with references, both verbal and visual, to pop culture things. The book, on the other hand, goes beyond. Ready Player One not only drenches itself in pop culture and geekiness, it also serves a primer to those who are unfamiliar with it. A movie can only do so much. That’s why the book is going to remain timeless. The movie, sadly, will soon be dated. Luckily for me, I got to see a lot of the films referenced in the book. For those who saw the movie first, they’ll have to go back and watch them. Then they’ll be able to understand the reference and see why it’s funny. For someone like me, who knew the reference already, it’s even more enjoyable to see it cleverly inserted into a book. Though the movies climax was good, I enjoyed the book’s climax much better. And I can’t wait for when “flick-syncs” become a real thing.

Books First, Movies Second

While Ready Player One makes good use of previous films and games, it’s still a book. Most of the movies and games referenced within the book came from other books. And if that wasn’t the case, then the creators of said movies and games go their ideas from reading books. As movies get bigger and bigger in their scale and budgets, they’ll need to find new material. It’s an unavoidable fact of the industry. The first place for creators to look for new ideas is in books. And that’s also an unavoidable fact. Books will continue to provoke ideas and imagination. What makes books so unique is they give you the ability to create a film in your own mind. You pick the actors, the score, the effects, and the pacing of the film. Movies, while awe-inspiring, have a limiting quality to them- their run time. Books don’t have that problem. Do this; after watching Ready Player One, get on Amazon and buy the book. Make sure you have the best Spectrum internet before you do. Better yet, get out of the house, go to a Barnes & Noble, and buy the book there. If there’s no Barnes & Noble, go to your library. You’d be surprised what you learn.   “...and that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana-shaped.” “This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes.” —Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Get Ready for the Holodeck

Looking Glass Factory may have put themselves into the history of the holodeck. This idea has already been around for awhile...thanks to sci-fi.

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Get Ready for the Holodeck
Looking Glass Factory may have put themselves into the history of the holodeck. The technology startup has introduced hologram displays available for purchase through a Kickstarter campaign. These displays project virtual images through a lenticular lens, from 45 distinct views to give the illusion of three dimensions. You can pick up the display and turn it to see different parts of the image on display. We’re now one step closer to a fully integrated and immersive holographic experience. This idea has been floating around our collective consciousness...thanks to science-fiction.

To Boldly Go…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZwtVz7z0wM Star Trek made popular the concept of the interactive holographic display. Though not really utilized until The Next Generation spin-off, The USS Enterprise-D had an entire level of the vessel committed to this unique entertainment experience.

The Holodeck

Data gave the hard science explanation. And now for plain-English: light is projected to create three-dimensional environments that are fully interactive. Different environments could be loaded in seconds and based entirely on the whim of the person using it. The writers even went as far as to say that holograms could be solid. A solid hologram opened the door for the element of danger as blades and bullets would be lethal. Having solid holograms may have been less about science and more about practicality, as the budget for the show couldn’t produce the necessary effects to truly give the illusion of a holographic environment. With the science explained, the writers for The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, and Enterprise, all used holographic technology liberally in their stories. Again, it had practical uses to explain away why the crew kept showing up in places that looked a lot like southern California. “This is a hologram!” Someone would explain, and the show would continue. The writers also used holograms to hand-wave away deceptions. If the villain, or the good guys, needed to create a convincing forgery to trick someone, they’d lure their mark into the holodeck. This technique is in use so much it now has its own trope. Deep Space 9, is set somewhere other than a Federation vessel, had the holosuites. The same concept, just a different name. Voyager went as far as to create a character, The Doctor, using it. An intriguing idea until the discovery that the charact couldn't leave the ship. To solve this problem, the writers gave The Doctor a piece of future technology that allowed him to walk anywhere. But the writers for Voyager ran the character into the ground as it seemed they didn’t know how to develop flesh and blood characters. That’s enough on that topic…for now.

Practical Uses

While we work in the three-dimensional world, a lot of our planning is done on a two-dimensional surface. This can cause problems for artists, engineers, and designers who create three-dimensional objects. The Looking Glass is a tool they can use to avoid such issues. Up until now, three-dimensional displays were expensive and cumbersome. This has forced three-dimensional designers to wear bulky goggles. Not the worst part of the job, but I can imagine it can get old very fast. With a Looking Glass display, they can see and modify their designs in real time without having to take off and put back on a set of goggles. The Looking Glass requires a computer to run. Check out their site to see what equipment you need to utilize it. Unfortunately, for writers, like me, such a device wouldn’t be very helpful.

Creating New Environments

The Looking Glass also works with various haptic devices. Motion controllers, like Nintendo’s Joy-Con, the Leap Motion controller and others, can connect to The Looking Glass to allow users to interact directly with the designs. This type of virtual reality interaction, seen in the book Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, as well as the movie, are just a step on the journey towards a fully interactive environment. With Ready Player One, interacting with the Oasis requires the use of goggles, haptic gloves, and omnidirectional treadmills (a much better explanation is in the book). Given the book is set twenty minutes into the future, this isn’t too much of a stretch. I shudder to think of the cost and labor required to install all that equipment in my house. I think I’ll just wait until a fully-immersive environment is rolled out and ready to go. But not The Matrix. While interesting and certainly a possibility, I’m not keen on jamming a needle into my brain to travel to a digital environment.

Through The Looking Glass

With The Looking Glass Factory launching this new product, the holodeck is closer to becoming a reality. How soon that reality comes to fruition is still an unknown. Creating a three-dimensional image on a lenticular lens is one thing. Creating a fully-immersive three-dimensional environment that could possibly kill you– is something entirely different. Despite the gap between today’s technology and Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future, we’re slowly closing that gap. All it takes is for someone to say “I think this would be a cool idea.” After that, someone inevitably says “yeah, let’s make it a reality.” Until Edgar Rice Burrows and Jules Verne wrote about adventures in space, no one had really thought about leaving the boundaries of the earth. Then more and more people started writing about it and theorizing how it would work. Soon John F. Kennedy is standing in front of the nation and calling for a program to send a man to the moon and back before the end of the decade. It’s often the dreamers who dream that lay the groundwork for what’s to come. It’s said Roddenberry’s fascination with science-fiction began when someone handed him a copy of Astounding Stories. Had that not happened, there would be no Star Trek, no holodeck, and no Looking Glass Factory trying to make holographic displays. Find out for yourself by visiting The Looking Glass Factory and Start Trek: Memory Alpha. Before you do, save yourself some headache with the internet bill by finding the best Spectrum internet bundles. You get to cut down on bills and streamline your services. After that, you can boldly go…wherever your imagination takes you.

6 Parts of Comic Book Prestige

If you’ve heard of comic books,then you were meant to buy one. Finding a legitimate print comic book is hard... and carries so much prestige.

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6 Parts of Comic Book Prestige
If you’ve heard of comic books, then you were meant to buy one. Long before Paul Rudd donned the Ant-Man suit, Robert Downy Jr. the Iron Man armor, Brie Larson the Captain Marvel suit, and Chadwick Boseman the Vibranium suit of Black Panther, there were comic books. These simple collections of panels and word bubbles were the precursors to some of the greatest movies ever made. More importantly, they would have never existed had it not been for some of the greatest storytellers to ever live. Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, and many more got their start in comic books. Their imagination and ideas gave voice and body to what we consider “heroes.” Thanks to the rise of digital readers, movies, and video games, it’s hard to find a legitimate print comic book. Which is why owning a print comic book carries with it a certain amount of prestige. You don’t get this type of prestige from playing a game or watching a movie and television. It comes from the experience of reading a comic book itself.

Legacy

A comic book is more than a comic book the same way a car is more than just a means of getting from point A to point B. Cars say something about the person who drives them. Comic books say something about the person reading them. Unlike video games and movies, which you play and can only talk about or watch clips of, comic books can be shared with others. The stories on the page can speak to people in different ways and this can open the door for a much wider range of conversation. And you’ll still have time to catch the latest movie or game.

The Look

You’ve heard of a pair of shoes that make an outfit? The same is true of a comic book. They set the newbies apart from the true enthusiasts. Be careful here. Don’t go out and buy one comic book and carry it around thinking this will set you apart. It may work for a little while, but soon everyone will catch on. Not to mention other true enthusiasts will figure it out and you’ll be called out as a fake. So fair warning.

Lifestyle

The average price of a comic book ranges between $4-$6, and graphic novels running about $20 per collection. Thanks to their cost-effective nature they provide more entertainment than movies and video games.

Label

There are Marvel and DC, the two biggest names in comic books right now. It’s easy to attach yourself to one over the other, as there are those who read only one comic publisher and nothing else. But don’t limit yourself too early. There are other titles out there that are just as entertaining as the latest Captain America. Try out Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Antarctic Press, Top Cow Productions, and Aspen Comics, to name a few. These provide rich stories and high-quality art that too many in the mainstream ignore.

Livelihood

Just like your smartphone, you need to take care of your comic books. Unlike your smartphone, they’re easier to take care of. Just don’t get them wet and store them on a shelf when you’re not using them. No Charge cords needed.

Luxury

Of the many status symbols out there, few match comic books. By purchasing the latest issue of The X-Men, Superman, even Fathom, you’re signaling to the wider world, without shouting, that you’re part of an elite club. The club that reads the newest stories before they become movies.

How Do You Join this Elite Club?

The good news is that joining this club is easy. There may not be a comic book store conveniently located nearby, but you can go online to find honest and friendly comic book resellers. Mycomicshop.com, Mile High Comics, Midtown Comics, and Things From Another World are online comic shops that will take care of you. Simply visit their home pages to check out the newest issues and any deals they have going on. Every comic shop will have the newest issues available, but the good ones will have a wide selection of back issues, issues that were published already. Any extra issues that don’t sell end up here and a large amount of them will sell for decent prices. If you’re looking for that specific issue you missed, then you’re in luck with an online comic shop. You’ll have to do a little research to find which issue you’re looking for, but you’ll most likely find it. If it’s a rare issue, be prepared to pay extra. Thanks to back issues, if you miss the latest issue, you’ll be able to catch up or get up to speed on the backstory of what’s happening with your favorite titles.

Prestige Awaits You

It takes time to build up knowledge, and by extension, prestige. Therefore, the sooner you start, the better. You can even stream newest issues of titles from the major comic book publishers. Before you do, make sure you have the best connections at the best prices by checking out the best Spectrum internet packages. In no time at all, you’ll be reading up on the newest and greatest superheroes from the comfort of your own smartphone. Better yet, have them delivered to your door! Those around you will be envious of your prestige!

Finding a Better Way with Apple Maps

Tired of the pizza guy delivering cold pizza? The good news is Apple Maps is about to launch a new version and your pizza guy will have one less excuse!

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Finding a Better Way with Apple Maps
There is nothing—nothing— more frustrating than ordering a pizza and having it arrive late. And cold. The pizza delivery guy most likely has an iPhone. As of 2012, Apple dropped Google Maps as its default map app provider. iPhone users can still download a version of Google Maps. If your pizza arrived late, the Pizza Delivery Expert was most likely using Apple Maps and couldn’t find your home. There’s another possibility- he wasn’t rushing to get you your pizza and was using Apple Maps as an excuse for not getting there on time. The good news is Apple Maps is about to launch a new version. Very soon Pizza Delivery Experts will have one less excuse for being late with your pizza.

Help On The Ground

As of this writing, Google Maps is still the clear leader when it comes to accurate maps. Google has earned this distinction because they’ve sent around cars, analyzed satellite imagery, and compiled the necessary data themselves. It takes time to do this and it shows in Google’s functionality. Due to this hard work, Google Maps enjoys top billing when it comes to navigation apps; 500 Smartphone users were surveyed by The Manifest and asked which navigation app they preferred. 67% named Google Maps. To match, and surpass, Google’s position as top dog in the navigation business, Apple has gone out and started to collect their own raw data. To get the actual, on-the-ground-data, they’ve sent out a fleet of vans with sophisticated cameras and sensors strapped to the top. These work with a MacBook inside the van connected to solid state drives and an iPad. An operator monitors the image capture and ensures the assigned area has been completely driven. The images will be overlapped for 3D recreations. Routes and directions will be improved as well thanks to on-the-ground driving.

Help From iPhones

As the vans travel through neighborhoods, shooting images, the images are scrubbed of faces and any personal information. The pictures are uploaded to Apple’s databases afterward. This keeps the data “sanitized,” free from personal information. Apple Maps will also tap its users in updating real-time data collection. Apple does this by lifting only vectors and speed from iPhone Users who have their Apple Maps App open and operating during a commute. It’s small snippets of data they use to calculate traffic and route options. When users ask Siri a question regarding navigation, the query is handled by the iPhone itself and not through Apple’s database systems. Only the snippets, free of personal identifiers, will be lifted and sent through Apple Maps. These are also randomized and pulled from all iPhone users to sanitize the data for navigation purposes. Apple Maps also remembers common routes you take, helping you plan your trips better throughout the day. Again, this information is compiled and stored on the iPhone itself and not through iCloud. The benefit of this is that the more you use your iPhone, the more accurate these routes will become. On the flip side, the less you use it, the less accurate it will be when it comes to the routes you normally take. One more interesting item; thanks to this collection of snippets, Apple Maps will also be able to help map out indoor areas as well. Trying to catch a connecting flight in a new airport? Apple Maps will be able to help with that!

Help From Above

The last piece of Apple Maps new update will come from the satellites above. Data culled from the vans and the users will be incorporated into satellite imagery. Shapes of buildings will be clearer. Walkways established. Bike paths updated. Even recreating the leaves on the trees. From here, 3D representations are created to help you find your way better. This may not seem important in the city that you live in, but it will be a huge help when it comes to traveling to new places. Apple Maps will even match the typeface, font, and number order on street signs!

Help From You

The developers at Apple are creating a toolkit to let you edit Apple Maps yourself. This will be helpful when it comes to finding what door is the right entry for a building. You’ll be able to mark where parking is. Even place a pin on which driveway is the correct driveway for your friend’s house. The toolkit will allow you to edit this in Apple Maps yourself.

How Soon?

As of this writing, the newest version of Apple Maps will be available only in the San Francisco Bay Area. Northern California will follow in a couple of months. The goal is to have Apple Maps available to all iPhone users by the end of the year. With any luck, pizza delivery drivers will be arriving quicker to your house with your hot and fresh pizza. Remember to tip them well.
Find the best Spectrum internet deals today to improve your navigation.

Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects

Watching Sharp Objects on HBO is sure to be a treat. The only thing better is to read the book Sharp Objects by the amazing Gillian Flynn.

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Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects
Watching Sharp Objects on HBO is sure to be a treat. The only thing better is to read the source material. The book Sharp Objects by the amazing Gillian Flynn. If you’re not convinced, keep in mind Flynn wrote Gone Girl and Dark Places. These two books were turned into stellar movies. Gone Girl was directed by Academy Award-Nominee David Fincher, starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. Dark Places starred Academy Award-winner Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult. Drawing in that kind of star power speaks to the caliber of the book. There’s a saying- The book’s better than the movie. If this is true, then these books will be well worth the time to read.

Getting Drawn In

Let’s keep our focus on Sharp Objects. Flynn, a Missouri-native, is masterful at weaving intrigue and suspense without going overboard with her words. This is a rare skill. As many first-time authors can attest, being able to paint a picture with words is difficult. Authors will go on and on about mundane details, only to find they’ve lost the narrative, and worse, their readers. Flynn, on the other hand, has been able to keep the details to a minimum and keep a rich narrative. This leads to the Tetris Diametric: You want more lines in Tetris than you do on a page. When you stack up lines and clear them in Tetris you get more points. On a page the opposite is true; the more lines you have, the more your story disappears. The solution to this is finding the right amount of lines to tell the story with and still allow gaps. These gaps will allow the reader to bring in their own experiences, images, feelings, and make the story their own. It involves a delicate balance. From the first page, Flynn strives to find this balance and to make it work. It’s not always easy. Reread this book to help you nail this with your own writing.

Finding the Edge

Camille, though she’s hesitant, returns to her hometown of Wind Gap, MO. As a reporter, she’s there to follow the story of a little girl’s disappearance. There was another about six months previous. Camille isn’t hesitant because of the nature of the story, but because her mother is still living in Wind Gap. Having become estranged from her mother doesn't help matters either. The relationship never really did seem to be a good one, and with the death of her sister, Marian, it got worse. Showing up to this, Camille decides she’ll simply put her head down and get her job done. The sooner the better. The story doesn’t play out this way.

Secrets

Sharp Objects and other books in this genre depend on the secrets characters keep from each other. If no one had secrets, it would be a very dull book. They also can’t give them away too easily. This brings up another important writing adage- Law Conservation of Detail. Details are important but there should only be as much as is necessary. By giving out a few details, it’s easy to hide secrets. This isn’t a guaranteed way to avoid getting in trouble with the law, but it works well in literature. Again, Flynn pulls this off by dropping details here and there, but not giving away the secrets. When done right, there's a surprise waiting at the end of the book. You can even go back, read, and find that indeed the information was there all along. Camille has her secrets and in keeping them they end up creating problems. These problems are made worse by other people’s secrets. When you build secrets on top of secrets and balance it with the right amount of detail, you can have a whirlwind story.

Camille

The best part of Sharp Objects is not the mystery, though that is what draws you in. The best part is Camille. Camille isn’t a perfect person. She’s flawed, wounded, and scarred. These traits would be nothing without her redeeming features. Camille has a hidden strength that many people have, only to think it’s not a strength, but another flaw. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Camille is what we can call a Determinator: She wants to solve the mystery or find the answer to a question, and nothing will stop her until she gets the solution. Camille’s not smooth, charismatic, or even awkward. She’s silent and still. This leads many of the other characters in the book to misjudge her and assume she’s scared. On the contrary, she’s figuring things out. It’s her personal demons that get in the way.

Worth the Read

It doesn’t matter how you read Sharp Objects, be on an eReader, an audiobook, or a real book, it’ll be worth the time. The best way, though usually overlooked, is to read it in plain ol’ paperback. The tactile sensation of a paper under your fingers, flipping the page, and getting to make notes in the margins are what set regular books apart from other mediums. This style of reading has been around for millennia and there’s not a compelling reason to get rid of it.
Enjoy Sharp Objects on both HBO and an eReader with the best Spectrum internet deals!