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This movie made me think about the future of humanity...

Cillian Murphy | Oppenheimer 2023 | Christopher Nolan

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GG Spotify... very cool! spotify.com/top5

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Bigger Than The Whole Sky ...

As not an adequate writer myself, I rarely feel like I should write about something I genuinely endured. However, while listening to the "Midnights" album by Taylor Swift, the song, "Bigger Than The Whole Sky" hit me emotionally so much, I felt like maybe I should write about it.... and here I am.

I genuinely think that there is no one true meaning for any song ever. Yes... the artist might try to deliver a specific message to the audience through their song, but that doesn't have to be the one true meaning of a song. It should be up to the listener to interpret the song's meaning based on their perception, experiences, emotional status and many other factors. So I would say the meaning of a particular song is entirely subjective. Here, I will write what I felt about the song "Bigger Than The Whole Sky" and what that meant to me...

(And yes, you'll see a lot of sky photographs captured by me)

~ this sky marks the end of the midnight for me ~

One of the most commonly felt meanings of this song is that this is about the loss of someone so close to you. That emotional "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye" part of the chorus backs this up. And because of the phrase "You were more than just a short time...", there is a widespread interpretation online that this song is about a miscarriage situation. This can be further supported by the following verse of the chorus, which I think is the most important part of the entire song.

"I'm never gonna meet What could've been, would've been What should've been you"

I will revisit this verse again since I think this part can be interpreted differently based on our perceptions and personal experiences.

~ maybe you could find the ones who are missed, somewhere over the rainbow ~

Before we move on to my own interpretation, I would like to explore a bit more on artist's point of view on this song. We all know Taylor writes her songs based on her personal experiences and emotions. And as hardcore fans, sometimes we love to cross-match her song with her life events. But for this song, I don't think we could find any life event of hers which gives rise to the aforesaid meanings of this song. As a truly talented artist, it is totally possible that Taylor imagined herself in a somewhat similar scenario and wrote this song as well. But these are all our assumptions... let's discuss what she actually said about the "Midnights" album and try to build an argument from there.

“This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors & sweet dreams. For all of us who have tossed & turned & decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching - hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves.” ~ Taylor on Midnights ~

One of the main themes of this album is self-loathing. This can be clearly seen in songs like "Anti-Hero", and it runs through a lot of other songs in the album as well. This is nicely explained in the article below if you are interested.

Well, coming back to the topic... from Taylor's quote on the album, we can realize that at midnight we will meet non-other than ourselves. And from my personal experience, I know this is to be true. After a whole day of busy life, midnight is probably the only time we can reflect on ourselves. By combining this point and the self-loathing theme throughout the album, I personally think this song is not about missing someone. This song is about missing you... the perfect version of you.

~ you can see the perfect sky when you are over the clouds ~

I will begin my explanation by revisiting the most important verse of the song.

"I'm never gonna meet What could've been, would've been What should've been you"

As human beings, we are not capable of fulfilling our full potential and becoming perfect versions of ourselves. You might think this is quite a negative statement, but if you just think about it, you will realize it is true. It doesn't matter how fulfilled we are; we can still imagine a better version of ourselves. Just think about Taylor herself. Even though we see her as a fulfilled, world-class artist, even she feels these self-loathing emotions as she creatively expresses them throughout the album. So what about us? It is the nature of humans to imagine us to be the perfect versions of ourselves with a potential "bigger than the whole sky", and loathe our current selves. I think it is described wonderfully in verse above. The perfect version of ourselves is implied in the phrase "could've been, would've been, should've been you", which we never meet but always try to chase.

At some point in our lives, when you are in a sad, sorrowful, and depressive situation where everything goes wrong.

"Salt streams out my eyes and into my ears Every single thing I touch becomes sick with sadness"

We will realize that we have to say goodbye to the perfect version of ourselves, which we thought we had achieved before the sorrowful situation occurred.

"Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye You were bigger than the whole sky You were more than just a short time" And we blame ourselves for this loss. We might blame ourselves for the decisions we took, the actions we did, or the words we said. And sometimes, it may not even be under our control, yet we blame ourselves for it. "Did some force take you bеcause I didn't pray? Every single thing to come has turned into ashes 'Cause it's all over, it's not meant to be" When the sadness passes away, we will deceive ourselves into believing everything is perfect, including ourselves, until another despair happens. So we experience what is described in this song over and over again throughout our lives. That is why I think this song is hauntingly relatable for every one of us.

~ does this sky look haunting and beautiful at the same time? maybe only me ~

So this is my view on "Bigger Than The Whole Sky". I think this is a songwriting masterpiece by @taylorswift due to the interpretability and the hauntingly beautiful reliability of the lyrical meaning. @taylornation

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Age of Empires 4 - A Missed Opportunity

This is my first impression review on Age of Empires 4. I have mostly played the single-player campaign (about 30 hours) and several custom games against AI. (since I am poor in competitive multiplayer online gameplay :p) So this review does not entirely cover the aspects of multiplayer gameplay.

First of all, as someone who played all the Age of Empires (AOE) games extensively throughout my childhood, I cannot say that I really enjoyed AOE 4 gameplay in general. This does not come down to the basic gameplay mechanics of the game. Still, it is about certain design implementations and design decisions.

Positives

The very first thing AOE 4 got right was it did not deviate from the basic gameplay mechanics of AOE. Starting from AOE 1, the primary underlying gameplay loop in AOE is using villagers to collect resources and using those resources to build up an army to defeat the enemy. The exact gameplay loop is still there in AOE4 too. So it does not look ambitious since the developers clearly understood that is what AOE players expect from an AOE game. Even though this seems to be an undeniable fact, we have seen some games sequels fail to deliver as their predecessors due to bold and ambitious gameplay design decisions.

And the game also identified the target audience excellently. The historical documentary type videos can be seen that you can unlock by completing single-player campaign missions. A typical AOE player like me obviously expects some kind of real-life history lessons during the gameplay.

But in AOE 4, you could not ask for more. The game developers have created a full-fledged historical documentary by putting so much effort into it. This kind of documentary video introduces you to the mission and its importance, which makes my historical nerd senses tingling. You can also unlock bonus documentary content by winning campaign missions as well. Following is a preview of such a documentary type video.

However, sadly these are the only clear cut positives I can point out about the game. The rest of the aspects of the game are not downright bad; it just could have been so much better. That is why this review is titled “A Missed Opportunity.”

Missed Opportunities

The Single Player Campaigns:

There are 4 primary campaigns in AOE 4. They are The Normans, The Hundred Years War, The Mongol Empire and The Rise of Moscow. I haven’t yet completed all 4 campaigns, but I have completed the Normans campaign. So this review is based on my experience completing that campaign. 

Before we dive into the AOE 4 campaigns, let’s take a look at the evolution of AOE campaigns throughout the years. The AOE 1 had several different campaigns based on civilizations such as Voices of Babylon, Glory of Greece and Yamato Empire of the Rising Sun. Each campaign follows the main historical battles of each civilization in each mission. Then we got the AOE - Rise of Rome Expansion, which slightly changed the campaign design. There, we had different campaigns following significant events in Roman history and some campaigns following historical figures such as Julius Caesar and Hannibal. And this was the formula that we can see in the next AOE games. In AOE 2, we follow the campaigns of William Wallace, Genghis Khan, Saladin and Joan of Arc etc. And in Age of Mythology we follow the fictional story of Arkantos in the entirety of its campaign. And in Age of Empires 3, we follow the fictional story of the Black family. 

With the evolution of AOE, you can see that it tends towards more personal and character-based stories that I really enjoyed playing. It gives you a more relatable and emotional feeling that anyone can be a significant historical figure, given that one moment of spark in your life. Further, you are more invested in the campaign missions because it tells you a character-based story full of unexpected enemies, allies and betrayals. Unfortunately, we did not find that in AOE 4. AOE 4 campaign strictly follows real history and allows you to play an actual historical event or a battle. This is more like the AOE 1 approach for the campaign design. It does not have the same character-based feeling as other AOE games. In the Norman campaign, which I just completed, the length spans about 200 years, and you play like 10 missions altogether. Even though the campaign follows a cohesive history-based story, it just jumps between characters and every mission. So you do not get the same level of investment in the characters and the campaign in general as in previous AOE games.

However, this can be easily addressed by providing an expansion pack with a better campaign design similar to the latter AOE games. Hope they will address this in the next expansion since all the building blocks are already there to create a better character-based, story-driven single-player campaign.

The Gameplay:

As I previously said, the gameplay basics remain the same as previous AOE games. However, it tries to change one significant aspect of AOE; the scale of the battles. With a population capacity of 200, in most AOE games, you cannot create an army of more than 150. However, AOE 4 tries to change it. The troops in the campaign missions are vast in scale. For reference, you can see the following images. In terms of number of units, the first image (not even the complete picture of the army) of AOE 4 outnumbers the second image which is a largest battle scenario in AOE 2 definitive edition.

With this increment of the scale of the armies, AOE 4 gameplay tends to differ from previous games. These large armies do not work pretty well with typical AOE mechanics. But unfortunately, the newly introduced mechanics in AOE 4 does not feel suitable for these large scale battles.

For instance, AOE never had a cavalry charge option in previous games. However, the newly introduced cavalry charge in AOE 4 is quite underwhelming compared to the Total War franchise, which excelled in those mechanics. I can get the idea behind introducing cavalry charge and not overpowering it since it can break down the game balance between infantry, archers and cavalry units. However, with an underwhelming cavalry charge, AOE 4 seems like it tries to be something it is not supposed to be.

Another new mechanic which feels very underwhelming is the wall mounting option of the archers. We have seen this from franchises like Stronghold, which nailed those mechanics. In the Stronghold franchise, archers are totally useless when caught up in the open but so effective when mounted on the walls. But in AOE 4, I did not notice any difference between standard and wall-mounted archers other than wall-mounted archers cannot be attacked in close combat, which is quite apparent. Further, in Stronghold, you have pitch burning and fire arrow mechanics, which enhance the usage of wall-mounted archers immensely, whereas, in AOE 4, we do not have that. So, once again, they introduced a new mechanic to AOE, but it is quite underwhelming. 

The Graphics and Animations:

Let’s start with the positives, shall we? The building graphics and details are pretty good. In my opinion, it actually captures the medieval-style architecture and environment better than AOE 2. However, it should be expected from a game that came after almost 20 years. I would still argue it did not capture the medieval style as the Stronghold franchise did. But that is a topic for some other time. Overall, the building and terrain graphics are quite pleasing. 

But there is a glaring problem in the unit animations. You can decide which one is better after comparing the following two animations of archers.

And the bottom one is from the AOE 2 - Definitive Edition, which basically reuses animations from the original AOE 2, which came out almost 20 years ago. And yet it looks better and more realistic. [ if not, you be the judge ;) ]

Another complaint about visual aspects of AOE 4 is the max zoom level is too low. I personally enjoy zooming in and watching villagers work on a farm or how infantry fight in combat in detail. But the zoom level is way too low to look at a unit closer. Even AOE 3 and Age of Mythology had better zoom-in levels than AOE 4.

Verdict

AOE 4 is a missed opportunity for Microsoft to rejuvenate the AOE series. Even after 20 years, AOE 2 multiplayer is still going strong since the game mechanics are perfect and have massive replayability. This was the ideal opportunity to introduce AOE to the next generation with AOE 4. However, I highly doubt whether it could capture the same magic as previous AOE games. These statistics speak for themselves.

In an era where we need next-gen RTS games, AOE 4 was a massive letdown. Even though there is a hope of making things right in an upcoming expansion pack, this version of the game stands out as just an average entry for the franchise. Rating - 5/10

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I love you! I am so proud of you!

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (2018) dir. Rodney Rothman, Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti.

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In my culture, death is not the end. It’s more of a stepping off point. You reach out with both hands to Bast and Sekhmet, they lead you into the green veld where you can run forever.

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Nazgûl 7 ( lotr )

Another Tolkien piece 

Print available here : https://www.redbubble.com/fr/people/anatofinnstark/works/43937687-dark-rider-8?asc=u&ref=recent-owner

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THE MANDALORIAN APPRECIATION WEEK →  Day 2: Favorite Episode

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Visit to Hong Kong Disneyland

Tickets and Booking

You can book the tickets from the Hong Kong Disneyland official website. Believe me.. it is not user-friendly at all, and it asks for the same information repeatedly. So good luck with that tedious process.

Getting There

The easiest and recommended way is, of course getting there by using an MTR. A separate line and trains are specially allocated for Disneyland after leaving the stop in the Lantau line. That train is also a different experience with Disney character decorations and comfy cushioned seats. So I always recommend getting there by MTR, which is quite economical as well ;)

Disneyland

The Hong Kong Disneyland consists of 7 areas with loads of different experiences and fun events unique to each area. Suppose you are only visiting there for one day. In that case, planning is the key since there are many places to cover, and I think it is almost impossible to cover them all within one day. In this blog, I will be telling you my personal favorites that you should not miss during your visit. However, since this is my personal opinion, it may not apply to you. So, I would recommend checking out their website, downloading the app, checking out the events and places that would interest you, and planning accordingly.

Adventureland - If you are a Moana fan, there will be a Moana-based musical kind of show in Adventureland. The other event you should not miss is the Lion King show which simply amazing with all of your favorite songs and characters.

Jungle River Cruise - Unfortunately, this was closed during our visit. Still, I think this would be lots of fun since the surrounding is of the Adventureland quite beautiful.

Fantasyland - There is a lot of stuff to explore here, and you can easily waste your time. I recommend not to go to Mickey’s Philhar Magic show since there’s nothing special unless you are a huge Mickey fan, of course :) I would not recommend The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh ride since it is not very thrilling.

It’s Small World - A fun ride in a boat with muppets and unique toys to each continent are in the background. It’s the actually perfect way to say goodbye to Disneyland, so I recommend you visit there last but do not miss it :)

Castle of Magical Dreams - It is the iconic Castle of Disneyland, of course. So make sure you visit there. Nothing much to see in terms of exhibits.. but do not miss it.

Fairy Tale Forest - A beautiful garden with interactive castles of different Disney princesses, including Rapunzel, Cinderella, Bella, and Ariel.

Grizzly Gulch - The part of Disneyland which has a western cowboy kind of vibe.

Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars - One of the most thrilling rides of the whole Disneyland. It’s a fast-moving rollercoaster ride with steep slopes, curvy bends, and bear caves ;) Do not use phones to record the ride since you might lose the grip of your phone.

Main Street, U.S.A - Basically consists of shops and restaurants with a beautiful view of the castle. You may be tempted to buy merchandise from these shops since it is the first place you visit. So, I would recommend you not to visit these shops initially. After every event or ride you take, you will be going through a shop at the exit, and you can buy stuff from there. Do not waste time in the shops initially since time management is essential :)

Tommorowland - Consists of Marvel and Star Wars stuff. Well, I am a huge Marvel and Star Wars fan, as you can see on my Tumblr ;) So I spent too much time here basically with choosing merchandise and etc. Thinking back, I would recommend not to go to Ant-Man and The Wasp: Nano Battle! and Orbitron since they are less exciting.

Hyperspace Mountain  - OMG... this is not for the faint of heart. Actually, this is the very first ride I took in Disneyland, and then I was too scared to go through all the other rides since this was the most thrilling and scary at the same time. What makes it really dangerous is the fact that you cannot see where you are going. You basically traveling through a fast roller coaster in a dark tunnel. But there are digital screens in the tunnel showing enemy Star Destroyers and X-Wings, etc., and you are in a battle. Please do not lose grip on yourself during this ride, and do not use phones. However, it is too thrilling to miss out even though you are not a Star Wars fan.

Iron Man Experience - Initially, you’ll be going through some exhibits of Iron Man here, including suites and vehicles. I recommend you to go through it fast since the excitement is at the end of that. Finally, you will be going to a VR experience where you’ll fighting alongside Iron Man against an Alien Invasion in the city of Hong Kong, of course ;) It has vibrations and floor moving experience, which enhances the immersiveness of the experience. You should not miss this out even though you are not a Marvel Fan since it is a unique and exciting experience.

Iron Man Tech Showcase - I would recommend this only for the Iron Man fans. Here you will meet the actual Iron Man with his suit and most impressively with the real voice. You can pose for photos and talk with him here. Do not miss this out, Marvel fans ;)

Toy Story Land - I am a huge toy story fan, yet I was somewhat disappointed with this park area. The rides and events here are not very exciting, in my opinion. Honestly, it’s more to do with getting that Toy Story experience or feelings when you go through the rides... It feels kind of unrelated. If you are not afraid of high places, you can go to RC Racer and Toy Soldier Parachute Drop in Toy Story Land.

Mystic Point - This is the most exciting surprise in Hong Kong Disneyland. Going into Mystic Point, I am not quite sure which Disney characters are related to this. I thought Aladdin may, but I was wrong. It is based on the Society of Explorers and Adventurers, which I never heard of before that. 

Mystic Manor - However, I have to say this was the best ride in the entire park. You will be traveling through various eras of history with mythical beasts, artifacts, and historical figures with an immersive experience that you should definitely take part in. The queue for this would be very long, but I recommend you not miss out on this one.

Not to do’s

Randomly walking into places without planning - unless you plan to visit here for a couple of days.

Take a lot of time to eat and go shopping - you might think the merchandise is unique to Disneyland. Well, some of them are actually. But most of the similar products are available outside, such as action figures for a much lower price. And I would recommend you visit shopping in the last hour so in your visit without wasting more time. And I would also recommend not to eat large meals during your visit since it can take time. There are plenty of good restaurants which order food of your choice. But I would recommend you rather visit a snack shop and have a quick bite instead of wasting an hour or so to have a proper meal :)

Paying for photographs - During most of the rides, your photographs will be automatically taken. Privacy Alert! :D However, you have to pay a ridiculous amount of money either to print them or get a digital version. So it’s always better to take your own camera or phone, of course, to take a selfie or two during your visit :)

Hope this blog is helpful to manage your visit to Hong Kong Disneyland. I will be soon writing more travel blogs about my visits. Stay tuned! :)

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an illustration for my mom!  I burned out on hour 12 so I’m not 100% happy with it but it’s also the most detailed environment I’ve ever attempted!

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THE MANDALORIAN - CHAPTER 9: THE MARSHAL

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Cuz it’s August

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Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in THE SUICIDE SQUAD (2021)

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The suicide squad (2021)

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PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL 2003 | Director: Gore Verbinski

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“I’m still that skinny kid from Brooklyn…”

STEVE ROGERS

- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) - What If…? (2021)

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Check out my blog on Marvel Multiverse Explanation ;)

LOKI: THE NEXUS EVENT

So I’m just supposed to take the word of two Lokis?                How about the word of a friend?