Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Your guide to Pumpkin Spice

We're halfway through Pumpkin Spice season here, so I figured I'd review a few of the items I've tried since I'm (slightly) Pumpkin Spice-obsessed.

Pumpin Spice Twinkies

I didn't see this last year, so, whether or not it was actually new, this amazing item was new to me. Ever since they went defunct and then came back a few years ago, Twinkies has been experimenting with different flavors (chocolate covered, banana flavored, etc.). Their experimentation paid off.

Twinkies usually gets the flavoring right and, in this case, it was no exception. It's got the soft outer layer of a Twinkie, but has a very nice (and not overwhelming) pumpkin spice flavored-filling inside.

Sometimes companies that go the pumpkin spice route end up missing the flavor.  The pumpkin spice M&M's, for example?  Way too much spice there.  Final rating on this one: 4 and a half stars out of 5.

Pumpkin Spice Extra

From a new item to an old one.

 I'm not sure if Extra is even putting this flavor out this year. I haven't actually seen it anywhere.

Boy, was it good though. It sounds crazy, right? Of all the foods in the world to try to pumpkin spice it up with, who would've thought of gum? Extra did.

No mint or bubble gum flavored gum here.

I was actually really amazed at how much of a natural flavor it was.

 It tasted like pumpkin spice (not too strong), but it was juicy and what you'd expect a stick of gum to be. So, although a little strange, it was a home run.

Final rating: 5 out of 5.

Fiber One Pumpin Bar

This isn't exactly a pumpkin spice flavor. It's not really pumpkin pie either. I'm a fan of most of the Fiber One bar flavors that are out there. The chocolate bars (even though the cheapskates are making them smaller now!) are amazing. The lemon? Eh. They're OK.

Anyway, the pumpkin bar isn't as good as the caramel cheesecake bar that Fiber One puts out, but it's good. This one doesn't have too much of a spice flavor to it, but it does have some bits of cream cheese inside.

You'd think that'd be a slam dunk, right? But I think it's actually the bits of cream cheese that prevent this pumpkin bar from being as good as it could be. The bar is soft and the bits are hard. I don't know. Something about that just doesn't work for me.

Final rating: 4 and a half out of 5.

Eggo Pumpkin Spice Waffles

Oh my goodness! Wow! These are limited edition, as are most of the other pumpkin spice Fall offerings, so get them quick!

I tried the Pumpkin Spice Eggos last year, but they weren't of the thick and fluffy variety. The thick and fluffy is always the way to go. A lot of companies just throw the 'pumpkin spice' word out there, but don't do the best job on the actual flavoring.

That's not the case with these waffles. There's the perfect blend of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. It's the variety that's included really makes this work so well.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 (of course!)

Pumpkin Spice Oreos

The cookie isn't actually flavored (though Oreo should try that!), but the creme filling (pumpkin spice-flavored) makes this treat amazing.

It's got a powerful little bit of spice in there, but it's not overdone. It doesn't actually seem too artificial even though it's obviously artificially flavored (it's written on the bag).

I mentioned Twinkies putting out the themed flavorings, but Oreo has got to be the King in that category. All of their special flavors and limited edition offers have me buying a new pack every month, it seems.

Not surprisingly, Oreo got it right again. Delicious!

Final rating: 5 out of 5.

Kristpy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Cake Doughnuts

Is there anything better than a pumpkin spice waffle? Or a pumpkin spice Oreo? A glaze-covered, pumpkin spice-flavored, set of cake doughnuts might just be it.

Personally, warming them up is the way to go. I microwave these babies for about 20 seconds (two on a plate), which melts the glaze a bit and warms the doughnut up.

 A warm baked good with some delicious glaze. Mmmm!

I've purchased two of these this fall so far. One in September and one in October. It's a good thing Fall doesn't last longer than a few months because I'd have to spend a lot of time in the gym to counteract my Krispy Kreme pumpkin spice addiction.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 (or maybe a 6 out of 5, if it were mathematically possible)

Pumpkin Noosa

My cousins were torn on this. One of them loved it (said to buy lots of them). The other said it was OK, but that it wasn't worth trying.

I split the difference of their opinions and bought one.

I mixed it up a little (at my cousin's recommendation). At first I wasn't the biggest fan, though. I mixed it a little more and then, with each bite, the yogurt got better. There was a strong pumpkin flavoring, but it wasn't just pumpkin.

The gluten free yogurt (that you should be able to find at Target) is really good because of the mix of flavors. You just have to physically mix the yogurt to get the best blend of it all.

Final rating: 4 out of 5.

Milano Pumpkin Spice cookies

You know earlier I'd mentioned how sometimes these companies don't get the recipe right? How the spices are too strong (like with the M&M's)? That's the situation with the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies.

The spice flavor is way too strong -- overpowering, in fact -- to make for a good cookie.

It's unfortunate since Milano cookies are usually in high demand. They should've just left it alone, though. These cookies aren't worth experimenting on.

Final rating: 2 and a half out of 5.

Pumpkin Spice Mini-Wheats

I expected these to be better. I liked the blueberry Mini-Wheats and I love the Maple and Brown Sugar Mini-Wheats. I figured it'd be hard to mess up pumpkin spice Mini-Wheats, but they managed to do it.

Again, the spice is off. That's a reoccurring theme for some of these foods, but it's also a huge factor in whether or not they are successful. It's probably the most important factor as to whether or not a pumpkin spice product is successful.

I couldn't even pinpoint what the problem was, but they need to take a second look at their flavoring recipe because it doesn't work.

Final rating: 3 out of 5.

Lance Pumpin Cheesecake Cookie Sandwiches

Pumpkin cheesecake? Even better than pumpkin spice! That was my thought process as I bought these at Walmart. I was wrong, though.

The crackers just ... weren't good. They didn't taste like pumpkin cheesecake. They didn't taste like pumpkin spice.

 I ended up throwing the box away (or taking it to work and leaving it in the break room ... I can't remember which).

 I didn't finish eating them -- that's how much I didn't enjoy them.

Final rating: Two and a half out of 5.

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Monday, October 3, 2016

Can superheroes do it solo anymore?

In the day and age of epic Avengers movies and Batman vs. Superman, it seems that ensemble superhero movies are the new norm.

You have Hulk apparently appearing in the next Thor movie.

 The Flash appeared in an episode of last season's Supergirl. Superman (not Henry Cavill) is going to be making appearances in this season of Supergirl.

Then you have Ghost Rider appearing in this season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In Season 2 of Daredevil, you had Elektra and The Punisher making appearances.

Even Deadpool had a little crossover assistance from Colossus (because Fox couldn't afford to get any big names, as Deadpool stated in the movie).

That's a lot of crossover situations there.

I'm thrilled, as a fan. It's fun to see different superheroes interact with each other and it really stirs up the storylines.

It got me thinking though: are there any superheroes left who could carry a television show or box office on their own?

The X-Men, the Avengers and the Justice League have always been about the group rather than one character, but now it seems even shows that characters or shows that once relied on themselves are now recruiting help.

Oliver Queen has a team of pals on Arrow. Supergirl evidently needs Superman after CBS cancelled the show and CW picked it up. S.H.I.E.L.D. needs Ghost Rider to spice things up.

Are fans interested in solo superheroes anymore?

I think that the movie producers have just upped the ante so much that now, if you're doing a superhero project, you've got to be prepared to have additional names in mind.

There are a few examples of solo superhero projects coming up.

Wonder Woman doesn't appear to be utilizing any hero pals for that movie.

Granted, it is a biopic, so it takes place before Superman got to Earth, before Bruce Wayne was even born, and before Flash was the Flash.

There's not really any way for someone to make a cameo in that movie.  Still, Wonder Woman is probably one of the only big names left that is an automatic box office draw.

Batman, Superman, Spider-Man --- they've all been recast and rebooted repeatedly.

Robert Downey Jr. doesn't seem interested in doing any additional Iron Man movies -- though they'd do well, I'm sure.

Captain America never really was a solo hero. Captain America: The First Avenger didn't feature any additional comic book names. Black Widow was a main character in the sequel though. The third installment was Civil War --- pretty much an Avengers, Part 3.

The first two Thor movies have been successes at the box office, but I'm not sure what Hulk being added to the third movie says about Marvel's confidence in the God of Thunder.

I'm assuming the Black Panther movie will feature The Winter Soldier since he was taken to the Panther's compound for safekeeping at the end of Civil War. So that means a possible Captain America appearance too?

Dr. Strange probably won't have too many cameos or appearances from other heroes, but it is a starter picture.

 It's to set up for Strange's involvement in the Avengers Infinity War movies.

It seems like the new norm on superhero projects is to include as many people as possible into each movie or TV show. Maybe that will change with future projects though. Maybe these newer, underutilized superheroes will indeed reverse the trend and focus specifically on those characters.

There are lots of seemingly solo projects coming up, like: Spider-man: Homecoming, The Flash, Ant-Man and The Wasp, Aquaman, Captain Marvel, Shazam, etc., etc.

Then again, unless those are introductory movies, I wouldn't be surprised to see some big names added to those movies to help out with box office draw.

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Captain America: Civil War – reviewed.
Daredevil, Season 1 – reviewed.
Arrow, Season 1 - reviewed.
Thor 2: The Dark World - reviewed.

Sunday, October 2, 2016

Casting the He-Man movie: King Randor and Queen Marlena

Two characters in the 1980's Filmation Masters of the Universe series who were somewhat underused were King Randor and Queen Marlena --- the parents of Prince Adam/He-Man.

Of course, due to them being the King and Queen of Eternia, they were fairly prominent in terms of their status.

 They certainly had more appearances than someone like Ram Man or Buzz-Off, but what they contributed to those episodes was usually fairly minimal.

The 2002 Mike Young Productions writing team seemed to focus a little more on Randor and Marlena --- treating them more as a king and queen, showcasing how they made decisions on Eternia and had parts in peace treaties. It was definitely a little more realistic than the more kid-friendly Filmation version.

As far as costuming goes, I think Randor's depiction in MYP is the way to go over the very jester-looking depiction in Filmation.

Marlena is a different story. She looks extremely bland, to me, in the MYP version. She stands out a bit more in the Filmation version with the long green gown and the orange hair.

In terms of casting, there are actually several options. Let's explore the possibilities for Marlena first:

Tilda Swinton

If Tilda Swinton isn't cast as The Sorceress, as I suggested previously, then she'd be a decent choice for Queen Marlena.

 I don't know for certain that Swinton can portray the serene, compassionate presence that Marlena usually had, but she likely could pull it off.

It might be a good change of pace to have Swinton, known for her avant-garde style, to play Queen Marlena.

Swinton's style might make Marlena stand out a little more in what is sure to be a bit player in the movie.

Sandra Bullock

This might seem like an odd choice, as Bullock is usually in a starring role than a supporting one. She still looks pretty young, but she is 52.

Just like Marisa Tomei (age 51) is portraying a younger version than the usual depiction of Aunt May in the new Spider-Man movie, Bullock would give more of a youthful look to the role than one might expect.

Bullock obviously has the acting ability. People know who she is, too. Granted, I don't know that He-Man fans will rush to the movie theaters to see Sandra Bullock as Marlena, but she'd bring some credibility to the movie with her acting ability and her name alone. It would help set it up as a legitimate movie (like Iron Man or The Avengers) rather than a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-type of movie.

Bullock is also in great shape, so she could handle some physicality if they wanted to make Marlena have a more active role in this movie. Bullock's widespread appeal is the biggest benefit to her being in this role.

Geena Davis

At age 60, Geena Davis is the oldest possibility on this list, but she's got a great resume behind her. That compassion I was talking about earlier? Davis can definitely portray that. There's just something in her nature that seems to project that.

I don't know that her name would appeal to anyone in a younger generation, but Davis in the role of Queen Marlena would ensure that the role is in good hands and that the acting would be believable.

Anette Bening

Speaking of a good actress, there's always Anette Bening. She was very good in Being Julia, American Beauty and, of course, The American President.

She's pretty much in the same league as Davis in terms of acting ability and career longevity. She does well in her co-starring roles as well.

She can stand out without taking attention away from the rest of the cast.

That being said, she wouldn't be my first pick. I think she could However, she certainly wouldn't be a bad choice.

Julianne Moore

Truth be told , Julianne Moore has always been a little bit annoying to me. Maybe it's because one of my first introductions to her was in 2001's Hannibal, where she took on the role that Jodie Foster did so well in the previous versions. Moore was stepping into an impossible role of replacing Foster and it did not work.

 I remember thinking, 'Who the hell is this lady supposed to be?' Then I saw Laws of Attraction, which wasn't a good movie -- at all. Then it was The Forgotten (meh). She was OK in Don Jon and did very well in The Hunger games movies, though.

I also watched the Jurassic Park movies recently (yep, for the first time). Moore did a decent job portraying the eager scientist in the sequel.

I don't know that she has the acting ability or the appeal to be a key player. Moore does best, actually, when she's in an ensemble cast and not the main focus. She could handle the role as Marlena. She may not be my first choice, but she'd make it work.

Marcia Cross

It's been a while since I've seen Marcia Cross do anything. Since Desperate Housewives ended, Cross seems to have been keeping a relatively low profile.

 On the show she displayed her range of ability, going from comedy to drama in the same episode at times.

She's got the poise and regal look to her that would be required to portray the Queen of Eternia. She also has the experience working in an ensemble cast.

Of all the choices on this list, I think Cross would be my first. Cross has the look and the acting ability to be Queen Marlena.

Now, let's turn to King Randor. There are also several possibilities to play that role. He's got to be someone with a strong on-camera presence who can be bold and maintain a level of authority. Here are some of the choices I came up with:

Pierce Brosnan

Just like with Julianne Moore, I've been hot and cold on Brosnan over the years. His Bond movie with Halle Berry was awful.

 He did a great job playing the new boyfriend in Mrs. Doubtfire, though. He wasn't really a jerk in that movie, but he was the new, unwanted boyfriend, so, as a viewer of the movie, you had to be against him.

How could you not root for Robin Williams' character in that movie?

As good as he was in Mrs. Doubtfire, he was also in Laws of Attraction (again, not good) with Moore. Maybe it's just that movie that put me off to both of them?

Much like his co-star in Moore, Brosnan was always better off in an ensemble cast. He was never the steak dinner. Just the potatoes and gravy. He's British, isn't he? So I guess he'd be the bangers and mash then?

George Clooney

Eh. I'm torn on this one. George Clooney is a huge name, but he's had his fair share of duds. Then again, those movies are usually ones he's directed or assisted creatively.

He was in 2015's Tomorrowland and did a very good job -- in a movie that had a somewhat lackluster script. Gravity was different.

Not really stellar, but good. I gave the movie a 4 out of 5 stars in my review a few years ago.

Other actors on this list have acting ability that's up there with Clooney, but Clooney may be the most bankable name. He may also come with the highest price tag. For someone who will be a co-star, I don't know if Clooney is the best option when, especially when there are cheaper and better alternatives.

Russell Crowe

He'd do a really good job as King Randor! His work in Man of Steel proves that. I don't know that I want him to be King Randor because of that though. I hate when actors are in repeated roles that are so similar to each other.

 Being the father of Superman and then being the father of He-Man? Very similar.

I'd overlook that though because he did do a very good job as Superman's dad.

 He was also great in a string of other movies, of course. A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, Les Miserables, and 3:10 to Yuma all come to mind. Whether he's a villain or a hero, he can put on a heck of a performance.

Crowe would make an awesome Randor. I just worry that it'd be too similar a role to Jor-El in Man of Steel.

Viggo Mortensen

Mortensen isn't someone that came to mind immediately, but, after looking at a few of the options, Mortensen seems like a decent candidate. I'm probably the most familiar with Mortensen due to his role in Lord of the Rings.

I've seen bits and pieces of other movies, but the Lord of the Rings movies are probably the only movies of his I've seen all the way through.

I don't know that you need to see much more though.

 The Lord of the Rings trilogy (the extended versions) pretty much equal out to 9 or 10 hours. That's like seeing 5 normal movies.

I wasn't blown away by Mortensen in any of his work, but he's solid. He's convincing. Mortensen could successfully play King Randor.

Hugh Jackman

He's giving up the role of Wolverine because he is, after all, mortal. He's getting older. He's not a real-life mutant. Maybe he could move onto more of a supporting role as King Randor?

Jackman has shown that he has no issues being involved in a major motion picture, big budget franchise.

He's got the acting skills. More importantly, he can make what would be considered, by some, a goofy comic book role into a legitimate, action-packed, drama-filled movie character. Not all actors can do that. Have you watched a few of the superhero television shows on the CW Network? If so, you know that's a true statement.

Jackman wouldn't be a throne-sitting Randor. I think Jackman would be a mace-wielding King who would be smashing Skeletor's robots, just like he did in the Filmation series.

Jackman would be my ideal King Randor. He's the best overall package and he's easily the best choice for the job. It's probably a long shot, but I'm hoping it happens!

So that's it. Hugh Jackman as King Randor and Marcia Cross as Queen Marlena. Make it happen, producers! Make it happen.

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Pumpkin Spice isn't the only good flavor out this fall

I'm a huge fan of Pumpkin Spice (pretty much anything that comes in that flavor).

There are dozens of products of the Pumpkin Spice variety that are available right now. However, Pumpkin Spice isn't the only delicious flavor available this Fall.

Deep Fried Twinkies

These are amazing. If you haven't tried them yet -- they're everything you'd imagine they'd be. They taste like Twinkies that were deep fried.

The same delicious, golden outer covering. The same delicious creamy inside. This time, they're warm though. I microwaved them rather than using the oven because -- well -- who has time for the oven, right?

I did run into the issue of the inside warming up much quicker than the outside. However, I ended up liking it that way. I wasn't sure if the deep fried tag was just a gimmick or if it would actually taste different. It's not just a regular Twinkie. It's a deep fried Twinkie. The taste is definitely there.

I would suggest partnering this hot, little treat with a big glass of cold milk. Because it's deep fried, you need a little something to wash this version of the Twinkie down with.

Vanilla Chai Tea

I was bummed for a couple of weeks because Target seemed to have been out of stock of the Bolthouse Farms Salted Caramel Latte flavor as well as the Mocha Cappuccino flavor.

I'm not sure if those flavors are discontinued or if there was just a backup on the ordering. I didn't find a Mocha Cappuccino this week, so maybe it's the later.

Either way, I had to test out a new flavor in the absence of my two reliables.

That new flavor was this Vanilla Chai Tea. I'm not a fan of tea. I haven't ever had a cup of tea that I enjoyed. In fact, I don't think I've ever finished a full cup of tea. Because of that, I was a little skeptical as to how my new taste adventure was going to turn out.

Well, it just so happened that this was more like a big slice of pumpkin pie with some whipped cream on top than any cup of tea I'd ever had. Maybe a watery piece of pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream. That makes it sound nasty, huh?

It's really quite good. The spices in the drink are sweet, but tasty. It's not quite a milkshake, but darn close!

Yogurt Covered Pretzel Bites

I just found these last weekend. I'm not sure if they're new or not, but they're new to me. I haven't run across them at the grocery stores yet, but they are available at Staples. I was there to get paper and ended up finding a bag of these. Now, I'll have to be on the hunt for them at the grocery stores.

As you can see by the label, these are Richland Orchards pretzel bites, covered in greek yogurt. I wasn't sure if these would be more salty than sweet, but, just like the package says, they are 'crunchy, sweet, delicious.'

They're almost a little too sweet, especially if you grab a handful of them and throw them in your mouth. These are best consumed one at a time. Just like the Sweet and Salty Bugles (also really good, if you've never tried those!), there is a great combination of flavors here. I'd been eating some Dove chocolate covered berries lately, but these are a new favorite.

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