The Swanton825

Rian Johnson definitely didn't do himself any favors with his response to criticism, I just think people need to look at the people who gave an auteur filmmaker who is used to full control over his films virtually free reign over the middle part of a trilogy - the most critical part of trilogies IMO - while also expecting it to be marketable and the guy who left only plot strands rather than a framework to keep his riskier decisions in check. Like maybe a giant, neon <strong><em>*Don't kill Luke! Mark Hamill is the only original trilogy actor who actually wants to be here!*</em></strong> sign.

I think Rian Johnson was put into a no-win situation with TLJ, he had to work with essentially a blank canvas (Abrams left all those story threads hanging without even an inkling of where he thought they should go) and find a way to please Disney execs as well as the notoriously fickle Star Wars fanbase all while being expected to reinvent the wheel after TFA tread the same old A New Hope ground. That's not to say I'm not cautious to see what he does with The Mandalorian, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. No kidding. It's really hard to praise one of the most endearing parts of a show when it's a massive episode one spoiler.

Agree x1,000,000. I haven't been huge on a lot of what Disney's put out since they bought Star Wars, but The Mandalorian is unbelievably great. Pedro Pascal deserves all the awards for being able to convey his character and emotion without showing his face. He was highlight on GoT as Oberyn Martell, but this is on a whole different level of acting talent. Something I never thought I'd say about a live action Star Wars character. Also, The Child is sickeningly cute and everything he does melts my cold dead heart.

<p><strong>Hoss Lucha:</strong> A variant of traditional lucha where the speedy chain wrestling and high flying is replaced with beefy men beating each other senseless.</p><p> </p><p> </p><blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Poputt" data-cite="Poputt" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="47105" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>"Gory Hardcore" sounds worse than "Deathmatch." I think this will needlessly confuse players. It also feels overly redundant with the Hardcore and Deathmatch styles that already exist.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I feel like Gory Hardcore would be better titled as American Deathmatch. Even places like CZW put more of an emphasis on story (as poorly told as it often is) than their Japanese and Puerto Rican inspiration.</p>

I was not impressed at all by Jedi Fallen Order at E3 and ranted to everyone who would listen that it was going to bomb and we still wouldn't have a good Star Wars game since the Disney buyout...now it's my Game of the Year. How the heck did Respawn get this past EA execs without them mutilating it?

Both those movies crushed me as a kid. 90s Disney did not pull punches. I can't imagine what it feels like watching with the context you did. My condolences for your loss.

Well I was confused why you were watching an adaptation of an arguably far-left book if you dislike shows having political message. Alan Moore's political messages have all the subtlety of a brick to the face so I imagine the show is even less subtle as every adaptation of his work takes out a lot of the substance for the message the director or screenwriter wants instead. I'm sorry if I came off confrontational about it. In addition to my IRL resting b face, I seem to have resting smug post. And living in the American South, I can sadly confirm there are more than few people here who genuinely view said group of monsters as their own personal superheroes.

Is there a good spot to start with Gundam? I used to watch G all the time as a kid, but I could never get into the original series or Wing.

You do know that Watchman itself was a leftist book, right? Alan Moore is an anarcho-communist who wrote Watchman to critique the Reagan administration the same way V for Vendetta was written to critique the Thatcher administration.

I must watch too many stupid people getting into fights videos, because I wasn't shocked by this fight. I think people are more focused on what could have happened over what actually did happen. Garrett swinging the helmet was absolutely uncalled for he was rightfully suspended for it, but Rudolph clearly wasn't hurt at all because he barely registered the hit before posturing to the ref like Ronaldo looking for a red card. Football is a violent sport where many of the participants look forward to harming their opponents and their fans look forward to seeing them harmed, yet we all still have to pretend to be outraged when a bar brawl happens on the field. Bill Romanowski ripped a teammate's helmet off and broke his orbital bone, ending his career, Ray Lewis killed a man, Michael Irvin attempted to kill a teammate, Brandon Marshall (the WR) got a teammate murdered by gang bangers, Darren Sharper is a convicted serial rapist, Adrian Peterson continues to beat his children until they bleed and the same fans acting outraged will likely either trample a store employee to death or beat another person to death over Black Friday sales. I'm sorry, but I can't manage to view Myles Garrett as anything worse than a man who needs anger management classes.

Wrestling is a bunch of drugged up carnies dressed in colorful fetish gear pretend fighting. What is there to take seriously?

I can't give a story reason, but the two teamed as the Super Smash Bros for a while so I imagine it'd be better to keep them as a team until they find their groove again rather than split them up and pray for chemistry with people with more compatible gimmicks.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="guyver3" data-cite="guyver3" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I’ll raise my hand as someone who has internet and plays video games but has not one idea what undertale is or homestruck. I watched last weeks show with a friend who also had no idea what that video or Brandi’s was about. I also would like to ask for those more well versed in the Lucha brothers do they ever do more than big move after big move? I understand that with them getting TV they’re trying to expose everyone to a wider audience and most Lucha has no psychology but after seeing them in this tournament I feel like that’s all they are.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I'm genuinely impressed you avoided both of those. Teach me your secrets to avoiding annoying internet trends, oh master. My sanity is at its limit thanks to reddit.</p><p> </p><p> And I can't speak for Fenix, but Pentagon Jr is good at storytelling when he's asked to. Lucha Underground made a great angle out of him breaking every opponent's arm and all of his matches were built around him trying to get them in position to snap their arm.</p>

Is there anyone who has an internet connection who doesn't recognize the reference? Undertale is as inescapable as Homestuck used to be. And I can't speak for moot, but I never watched enough of his New Japan stuff to feel like I knew enough to comment. Living near Chase Owens' home base will make death preferable to seeing one more Bullet Club anything.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Mootinie" data-cite="Mootinie" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>He can't have been that bothered or phased by the whole thing because he still put on his costume and had some silly video play before his match.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> My eyes nearly rolled out of my head when I saw the dumb Undertale costume. And "as he calls on the power of Sans from Undertale!" has to be one of the most embarrassing lines I've heard said on commentary. I hope it's just a dumb Halloween thing, but the fact that you and I seem to be in the minority worries me he's going to keep doing "how do you do, fellow kids?" stuff.</p>

<p>Homemade cookies for Christmas. Specifically chocolate crinkles and candy cane cookies.</p><p> </p><p> I've also tried to make watching a bunch of classic horror movies in October a tradition, but I forget half the time and wind up playing video games instead.</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TheGhost" data-cite="TheGhost" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="28397" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>I find the Originals or whatever the hell the fantasy aspect of the game is to be stupid and hokey. For a game that's suppose to be a "simulation" based game that mode isn't needed.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I find that part to be the most interesting and hope they keep that in when they overhaul this mess for 2K21 or 22. I miss wrestling games having goofy elements like being able to win the WCW title as AKI's mascot. Then again, I also miss things like big head mode and silly unlockable teams in other sports games. And if it's an entirely separate mode that doesn't affect the rest of the game, what does it matter if it's in a sim? I hesitate to call Madden an accurate football sim, but the new superstar knockout mode with its cheesy uniforms and celebrity coaches hasn't done anything to hurt the game for serious players. The dated gameplay is a more pressing matter for them.</p><p> </p><p> Now the fact that it's a day 1 (or was supposed to be day 1) DLC is a different story. Sure, they'll trot out the "games are too expensive to develop" line, but I can't help but feel like Take Two could eat the slight extra cost with all the cash they rake in from GTA and NBA 2K.</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Greylocke" data-cite="Greylocke" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>(and why did it have to happen when the ref was distracted? Wasn't the match No-DQ?) </div></blockquote><p> </p><p> This is going to sound stupid, but this is something veterans tell you to do during training. The belief is that there are more fans caught up in the moment and forgot it's no-DQ that you can get heat from for doing that than fans who will remember the rules and ask why you did that.</p>

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Greylocke" data-cite="Greylocke" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>There's still no justification of why a 'tune up match' should require the champion to put his title on the line. Realistically we understand that there's virtually no risk of Jericho losing the title before Full Gear, but in kayfabe there's still no good reason why Darby or Havoc deserves an opportunity to win the title before Cody. There's no good reason to book that title match before Full Gear other than the very non-kayfabe reason of looking to boost ratings.</div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I mean, Buster Douglas' upset of Mike Tyson was supposed to be a tune-up match for Tyson's "real" defense against Evander Holyfield. Douglas wasn't even ranked in the top 5, but he still got the shot. So it does happen in combat sports.</p>

Okay I kind of shot myself in the foot comparing them to the Pats. So fair point there. The Miami Heat in the first year of their Big 3 would've been a better example. Though since we're talking the casual audience's reaction to the Bucks losing, they're not going to give a damn about AAA or what happens there. To the casual fan, AAA is just a random foreign company that could be easily swapped out with a fictional company for all it matters to them. And I'm pretty sure I count as said audience since I had been utterly checked out on wrestling for two years, I didn't buy AEW's PPVs, I didn't watch the teaser they did in September, I only even watched the first week of Dynamite because a friend convinced me to. For me the Bucks are 0-2 at worst and 3-3 at best if I bother to look back on their AEW PPV record. Frankly, I can't stand the Bucks and love to rag on them whenever I get the chance, but I can't find any issue with them giving a new team a spotlight during their new promotion's honeymoon phase. Again, if they go the TNA booking route and immediately ignore records and put the Bucks in a title match right after Full Gear, I'll be complaining about then, but just going by the two episodes I've watched, I'm willing to give AEW the benefit of the doubt. And if they actually do dig the Bucks out of this before giving them a title shot, it'd be a fantastic way to demonstrate how seriously they're taking records.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="Makhai" data-cite="Makhai" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="46243" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>This is the first time about 800k viewers have ever seen them. What have they seen? They're bellow Jack Swagger and Sammy Guevara on the totem pole and then they get beat in the first round by a pair of jaborini joes? What do those 800k viewers say? "Oh, I thought these guys were good, guess not can't even win in their own company." *Channel Flip* This is compounded by the fact that this company values wins and losses. <p> </p><p> There's not wanting to pull a Hogan, and then theres jobbing Hogan to Billy Kidman to set up the Horace feud, brother.</p></div></blockquote><p> I don't get this logic. Who watches a wrestling show and goes "Oh, the guys I expected to win didn't win, guess I'll change the channel regardless of the quality of the match."? It feels to me like they're trying to reinvigorate the feeling of wrestling being a simulated sport rather than just another bad soap opera. And in sports good teams go on losing streaks and unexpected teams pull off upsets. The 2007 Patriots objectively were leagues better than the Giants, yet the Giants won the Super Bowl thanks to good strategy and luck. Kind of like Private Party did. </p><p> </p><p> It's only going to be a bad thing if they suddenly ignore the Bucks' losses and give them first crack at the titles after the tournament. But seeing as how they don't seem to be booked by idiots, I feel like that's an unlikely direction for AEW.</p>

So I think we can all agree at this point that there is something medically wrong with Antonio Brown's mind and I suspect it has something to do with that hit from Vontaze Burfict in the playoffs where he tried to take Brown's head off.

Didn't they go rogue in that match? If so it wouldn't have been a booking note anyways.

<blockquote data-ipsquote="" class="ipsQuote" data-ipsquote-username="TLCJR4LIFE" data-cite="TLCJR4LIFE" data-ipsquote-contentapp="forums" data-ipsquote-contenttype="forums" data-ipsquote-contentid="25169" data-ipsquote-contentclass="forums_Topic"><div>You basically just listed 4 of WWE's best acts by far and of those 4, only Gable isn't actually significant monetary draw.<p> The issue is that 4 workers aren't really enough when you are running like 4 shows a week mega company.</p><p> </p><p> The one good thing is unlike AEW, the NXT teaches the indy guys how to actually work(especially the tag teams). </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> My issue Is if you are gonna get some fat guy like Kassius Ohno and develop him via NXT why not just get some green guy who looks the part and see how far you can train him?</p><p> </p><p> Its not like, compared to these indy guys the green guys are THAT far behind the curve with a year or two of development. Pretty much all of WWE's megastars are from an era they actually did this (Batista, Cena, Orton, Lesnar, guys who are still drawing even in 2019)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> Could even get some guy like Cody Hall or Haku's kid(who is completely and utterly horrible but really really big)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> The standard of signing is so low these days whenever someone comes along that actually looks like they work out a bit or better yet, they actually look touh and that they could beat a local tough guy, or that they have the ability to actually cut a promo, people lose their minds.</p><p> </p><p> Like this was commonplace for decades. Just because the WWE goes around signing a bunch of indie hacks now like Sean Strickland, Ricochet, Apollo Crews, that dude that walked around as Lashley's manager for a bit, Ali...</p><p> </p><p> The list goes on and on. A bunch of generic, bland athletes with neither size, credibility or charisma.</p></div></blockquote><p> </p><p> I swear I've heard these exact same arguments from the never-was "veterans" who hang out at Southern indie shows and do nothing but moan about how wrestling was so much better back in the day and "I'll have you know I was in the PWI 500 in 1993, but they got my name wrong" but when you ask for meaningful advice to change your own wrestling to better fit what they want to see, they stammer and just mumble about knowing the numbers of title reigns guys like Harley Race had.</p>

The continuing drama around Antonio Brown is my favorite soap opera. Watching the Raiders implode will be a nice consolation as my Vikings rip my heart out again.