A Linus Locke Opinion Blocke - Ninja Turtles (2014)

Hello everyone,

Linus here with a quick opinion of the new Ninja Turtles movie (2014). I know, it has been out for a while now, you've read your favorite critic's reviews and seen it yourself, but I feel like I need to take the time to voice my own thoughts. I am a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and I have been my entire life. I have tons of old action figures that I saved as a child. Plus, I have this really awesome wall clock that I've had as long as I can remember, literally, but none of my family can seem to remember getting for me.

With that being said, I held out for awhile when the new Ninja Turtles movie came out. I didn't see it right away because I felt it was going to suck and ruin my childhood. Some of my other friends hated it, and it received tons of mixed reviews. I sat down last night (on Christmas) and watched the movie with my kids. I really wanted to hate it, as I assumed it was going to be terrible.

In reality, I liked it. It wasn't as great as it could have been, but I don't see why I should hate it. It had the Ninja Turtles and some kick ass fights. The action held my interest, and Will Arnett's Vernon was a fun character, and I really didn't expect that. After all of the death threats I'm sure Michael Bay and the writing team received, they did a fine enough job with the back story, and even set up some interesting possibilities for the future.

The only real issues I had were with character design. I think the turtles were far too muscular, especially Raphael.  He is a freaking beast! They didn't need to be that muscular at all. Martial Arts isn't about size, and I think the turtles could have been smaller in that respect. However, I can see Raph being much larger than his brothers, as this Raph strikes me as the kind of guy who feels he needs to be muscular - if that makes sense. I guess what I'm trying to say is he feels that muscle equals power... maybe.

The shredder was kind of lame, too. I really don't like his suit, and it is sad when the original movies that came out in the early 90's, lacking the technology we have today, can make him look more menacing than he looks now. I do understand the creative decision to use CGI, as much as I don't really care for it. I feel that was the best way to pull off the fight scenes without live actors being restricted by heavy costumes and makeup. But on the other hand, I'm sure there are other ways around that. I also think that the movie did a good job nailing down the personalities of the turtles, and I like Donatello's glasses. I don't know why, but I think that was a fun touch.

Overall, the movie isn't bad, and it is worth watching. If you want the best possible Ninja Turtle experience, however, I would recommend just watching the TMNT movies from the 90's - minus TMNT 3...

And don't think that if you hate it it will ruin your childhood. The great memories of our childhoods will always be there, and the movies, shows, toys, and comics from our childhoods will always be the same. If you hate this movie, just put it behind you and remember what you loved when you first saw the turtles as a kid. After all, they are a group of ass kicking giant turtles. Don't take it too seriously and enjoy the experience.

Thanks for reading
Linus

Changes to linuslocke.com

I have recently changed a few things on my website. I came to the conclusion that the reviews I did of IT and Leprechaun Origins weren't really true reviews. I want to share my opinions more than review. So my Reviews page is now my Opinions page.

This will be a place where I can submit my opinions on the books, movies, music, games, and tech I enjoy. My opinions will, of course, house reviews, but I want to focus more on how these products make me feel.

Thanks for listening
Linus

Shop Small.... And don't forget the independent creators.

There is quite of bit going around right now of a campaign called Shop Small. I think this is an amazing thing. Supporting the local economy should be a priority for everyone. For anyone not familiar with Shop Small, it is a campaign that encourages shoppers to shop at the local stores instead of the big box stores just for one day. Shop Small Saturday. I know it is now Cyber Monday, but shoppers can continue to shop small throughout the year.

I would also like to add that you can shop small by supporting indie authors, film makers, musicians and artists. By supporting musicians such as Dallas Hendrix, and authors such as myself, shoppers are helping the small, independent content creators that are producing great work for the world to enjoy.

Thanks for listening
Linus

God and Facebook

It's nothing new... The pics that make their rounds on Facebook that say, "Share this and God will do you a favor!" Really? Fucking really? All we need to do is tell those starving kids in other countries to check their damn Facebook pages once in a while so they can get in on that! Really?

Do people really think that God is so concerned with their Facebook pages that he is going to do them a favor if they share an image some stupid asshole made to get more likes? Why do people do that shit? I hope people don't truly believe that. I really hope people aren't that stupid. If someone makes a pic of something you agree with than share the hell out of it, but don't share something just because you think God will hook you up with free shit.

And I hate when assholes add, "99% of people are too scared to repost this." What the shit? I agreed with the image's message, I would repost it, but now that your stupid ass added that last line I'm not sharing it because I don't want to look like a stupid asshole.

Thanks for listening to another pointless rant
- Linus

P.S
Like my Facebook page and God will probably or probably not continue to do whatever he was going to do today regardless of whether or not you liked my Facebook page. 99% of you are too scared anyway.
Linus Locke on Facebook

Leprechaun Origins Review

Last night I had the opportunity to sit down and watch Leprechaun Origins featuring WWE's Dylan "Hornswoggle" Postl as the Leprechaun. I'm going to be honest, when I first heard that WWE was making a new Leprechaun film and Hornswoggle was going to be playing the title character, I was thrilled. I'm not really a WWE fan. I do enjoy watching it from time to time, but I don't have the time to invest in watching it. I do know that Hornswoggle is a fun character to watch (or at least he was... I'm not sure if he is still doing much with WWE), so it makes sense to me that he would be a blast as the Leprechaun.

Anyway, I am a big fan of the Leprechaun franchise. It is silly, gory, and fun to watch. Plus, it doesn't take itself too seriously.Warwick Davis is amazing. He is such a charming actor in any role he plays. We should all know the story to the Leprechaun movies by now, but allow me to recap briefly. A Leprechaun, played by Warwick Davis, kills anyone who takes his gold, and most of the deaths are fun and creative. And that's about it. No really, that is about it, but trust me, the movies are fun to watch. I would recommend picking up the whole Leprechaun set from Amazon.

To start off my review of Leprechaun Origins I will say that there will be spoilers, so if you don't want to to know the details but you are still interested in my overall opinion than jump to the bottom of the review.

The film starts off with a young couple running away from what we can only assume is the Leprechaun. We don't see him, but he is snarling and growling. It sounds pretty badass, so I'm instantly pumped about the inevitable reveal. The couple is killed off quickly, and the movie starts with us meeting the main characters.

As far as the characters go, I'm glad they went with relatively unknown actors. I strongly believe that there is so much talent out there that we miss out on because Hollywood wants big names in everything. I only recognized one actor (and that doesn't mean much as I may just miss the movies the others are in), and that is Brendan Fletcher from Freddy Vs. Jason.  Leprechaun Origins also features, Stephanie Bennett, Andrew Dunbar, and Melissa Roxburgh. After looking into the other actors, I do recall some of the other films and TV shows they have been in. I will stand by my statement that they are relatively unknown just because they are not A list.

Now really speaking about the characters, I don't know any of their names. I never felt invested enough in the characters to really care what their names were. Honestly I spent the whole time focusing on the Leprechaun (which you will find out is pretty sad). The actors did great, however. I always felt convinced by their performances, but I can't get over not knowing their names. There was Freddy Vs. Jason Guy, Other Guy, Freddy Vs. Jason Guy's Girlfriend, Other Guy's Girlfriend, Big Irish Guy, and Normal Sized Irish Guy.... and Leprechaun was in there somewhere.

That's right. He was in there somewhere. In the original Leprechaun moves, the Leprechaun was center stage. He was constantly talking, making us laugh right before making us cringe. Warwick Davis' Leprechaun was so much fun. Hornswoggle has to be just as fun, right? NO! we hardly ever see him. He is a little monster who never talks. Anytime he is on the screen everything is blurry. The special effects for the Leprechaun are terrible, or maybe they aren't. I don't know because we hardly get a really good look at him. THEY HAD HORNSWOGGLE AND DIDN'T USE HIM!!! I was so disappointed by this.

Anyway, our group is visiting Ireland when they come across a small village. While in the pub, they meet Big Irish Guy. He is a pretty pleasant guy, and I could have been convinced that he was innocent. As a horror movie fan, I trust nobody. He tells our group about some of the village's history, and offers to let them sleep in a cabin he owns so they can set out on a hike in the morning. His son, Normal Sized Irish Guy, shows up to give them a ride. Without the group knowing, the are locked in the cabin by the two Irishmen, and that is when the Leprechaun shows up. The death scenes were primitive. That's not really bad, but I was expecting more creative ways for people to die. There was no pogo stick deaths, no stomachs-full-of-gold deaths. Just people dying. As it turns out, the village knows about the Leprechaun, and they feed people to him to protect their village. It gives the story a lot of potential, but I feel like they didn't use it to their advantage as a Leprechaun film.

In short, the movie, as a Leprechaun movie, gets a 1 out of 5 from me. It was not at all what I was expecting. The acting was good, the writing was good, the directing was good, the atmosphere was good, but it just wasn't a Leprechaun movie like it sold itself to be.

I also looked at this movie as its own movie. I took the Leprechaun name off and just watched it for what it is, and if you can also do that then I give this movie a 2.97 out of 5 (not quite a 3). After all, the acting, writing, directing, and atmosphere were all good. It was a pretty fun movie to watch, and I recommend it as a rental.

An Interesting Observation

I know this doesn't come as a shock to anyone, but I wanted to take a second to talk about cellphones. I am a big fan of technology. I hold a degree in Computer Science, and I love where we are going with smartphones. With that being said, I can leave my phone at home and not think twice about it. Don't take that the wrong way. I use my phone way more than I need to also, but I'm not attached to it so much that I need to have it all the time.

Where am I going with this? Well I went to pick my kids up from school the other day and noticed that all of the other parents had their phones. Mine, of course, was in my pocket. Other parents had their phones in their hands. The phones weren't in use, and these people had pockets or bags that the phones could have been in. Instead, they all held their phones, gripping them tightly in their hands. I realized at this time that we are moving past the point where we need to be connected all the time and moving towards a point where technology is just a security blanket. I can only formulate the theory that these parents were comforted by their phones. Even when they are not in use, they had to hold them. This physical contact made them feel safe or perhaps grounded. I can't be certain, but I'm sure I'm close. I am putting together my first VLOG where I am going to mention this briefly.

I know this isn't a groundbreaking revelation by any means. We have all seen it. And it isn't just young people. Some of these were grandparents who couldn't put their phones down long enough to even take the hands of the children they were there for. I know plenty of older people who complain about the "younger folk" always having their phones, but I do see plenty of "older folk" who can't put their phones down either. As a techie, I really hope to see us break this stigma that we all have to have our phones. I also hope that we can turn away from the theoretical course I've described and break free of tech and connectivity and this security blanket that people are wrapping themselves in.

Technology is awesome! I love tech, but we need to control it without allowing it to control us.

Thanks for listening to another pointless rant.

-Linus

Pumped about the 5th Annual NES Marathon! It starts today at noon PST, so don't miss it!

I am a big fan of retro video games. I collect them, play them, and share my childhood memories with my kids through them. So it should come as no surprise that I am a huge fan of retro game reviewers such as The Angry Video Game Nerd and Pat the NES Punk. Every year, Pat Contri hosts an NES Marathon that benefits a children's charity. The past couple years has been for the Children's Miracle Network. The marathon streams live on twitch.tv. So head on over to NESMarathon.com to learn more about this amazingly fun event.

Mireside Hollow is out now!

Today was the release of Mireside Hollow. I am pretty excited about it. I really enjoyed the story - both writing and reading it. I hope the readers enjoy it as well. If you do read it please review it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble if you could. Of course be honest. It will really help me understand how people feel about it and what I can do to make my future work even better.

If you are an affiliate of Smashwords, I am offering 40% on Mireside Hollow. I have another short story finished, but I'm not sure if I should release it soon or not. I think I'm going to let it sit for a month or two and go back through it. That really helped with Mireside Hollow, as there were a few things I changed that made the story much better.

In my personal life, I am thinking of returning to school for Biology. I know. I have a degree in Computer Networking, but recently (and maybe spurred on by some of my writing) I have found myself very interested in learning more about biology. I would probably focus on molecular biology. So I would be interested to hear any thoughts on that.

I think that is it for now. Remember to check out, Mireside Hollow on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. It should be available in a few other stores soon. Please tell your friends.

Thanks for reading
Linus

Decay: Sequel and new Rot: Short Story!

As I've stated quite a bit, I am working on the sequel to my first zombie novel, Decay: Civilization. I have also done a short story in that universe, Rot: Island. Rot: will be getting a new title before the launch of the Decay: Sequel. I plan on introducing a new character to the series this way, and I am very excited about this character.

My most recent short story, Mireside Hollow, will be available this friday, and is available now for preorder at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. It is a horror story that follows a young man in the Mireside Mental Institute, but the criminally insane patients aren't the most dangerous beings in the asylum. Check it out this Friday!

I am also planning on doing a few reviews, I know I've been saying that, but I'm about ready to start. I just want to make sure the reviews I'm doing are going to be as original as I can make them.

Thanks for reading
Linus

Mireside Hollow

Jeremy finds himself in the Mireside Mental Institution. A hospital for criminally insane teenagers. But the teens are the least harmful beings lurking inside. A demonic entity feasts on the souls of the patients.

Coming November 7th

Available in ebook format

It's Almost Here!

Today I plan on announcing the Title and revealing the cover to my new horror short story. The release date is set for November 7th. I have a few finishing touches to add to the story over the next few days. Stay tuned for the reveal. Follow me on twitter @linuslocke, check out my webpage at www.linuslocke.com and like me on facebook at www.facebook.com/linuslockebooks

Thanks for reading
Linus

Just about ready for a short story title/cover reveal!

Hello everyone,

I am waiting on some news that will allow me to move forward with a short story title and cover reveal. I am pretty excited about it. I was hoping to have it ready by Halloween, but I don't want to throw it all together and rush it out. Depending on what I hear, whether it is today or within the next few days, I am hoping to have the story published and available in the next week or two. So stay tuned for more on that. I hate cutting this short, but I have to get back to writing.

Thanks for listening to my extremely short blog
Linus

On Writing #1

The more I think about my writing the more conflicted I become about it. I love doing it. I love creating worlds and people. I'm just not sure who is really in control. When I first started writing Decay: Civilization I created my characters and made an outline of the whole story. Everything I planned to have happen failed, so I went back and just let it flow naturally. I allowed the characters to drive the story. I gave them total control of what happened, and I think it was amazing.

I'm by no means saying that my method for writing is better than creating a good outline or planning it out any other way. I'm certainly not saying that I am some sort of creative genius (although I'm sure I am), but allowing the creativity to just flow is so much fun. Allowing your stories to shape themselves is a great way to really understand yourself. Everyone has their own method, their own creative style, so finding yours is what is really important in not only writing well, but enjoying the time you spend writing.

Thanks for listening

Linus Locke

Halloween is almost here!

I am, like most people, a huge fine of Halloween. I love helping my kids pick out costumes and taking them around town. I will also admit that I enjoy that they don't like all of the candy they receive :)  This year will be a bit different for us as a trick or treating family. We just moved from Iowa to California. A town of 400 people or so to a city of more than 100,000 people. So it is very exciting to have this new experience, yet it is a bit disappointing that we will miss some of our favorite stops (fresh baked cinnamon rolls!).

I am also excited that my oldest son is reaching that point where he wants to create his own costumes. He picked out a neat mask, and wants to make the rest of it himself. This year we will have a Minecraft Creeper, a Slenderman, and whatever my oldest comes up with.

I also would like to add that I will continue with posts like this one, but I will also be moving towards more interesting content. I'll be talking about books, movies, and products in the near future. This is my first blog, so I am just trying to work up to it.

Thanks for listening

Linus Locke

First Post

This is my first post. I am an author. I write horror stories. My first published novel is Decay: Civilization, a zombie apocalypse novel. I plan on using this blog to talk about my work, as well as to review books I read, movies/shows I watch, and products I purchase. Thanks, and please check out my website at www.linuslocke.com