Jump to content
Banner by ~ Ice Princess Silky

Planty

User
 View Profile  See their content

  • Posts

    1,856

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Planty

  1. Planty
    Wow.
     
    I changed my name!
     
    I used to be called Happy Plant. I have changed to Planty, but will be keeping the same signature for now as I don't really have enough time to be able to create anything that is actually good.
     
    The reason for this is because I got fed up of people thinking that Happy Plant is a reference for weed use. It never was it was just supposed to be the fact that I like plants and I am happy. In any case Planty is good and it also is a reference to another TV show (Planty the potted plant).
     
     
    My life over the last 6 months:
     
    Over the last 6 months I have barely been on the forum. It's been busy, life as a 3rd year uni student has been hard, with to many commitments to really be able to read and then make informed posts on things, particularly commitments outside of Uni such as societies and church have really taken up extra time!
     
    I've recently really been struggling with loneliness, feeling un-loved and its caused me to be quite down and depressed. This has caused me to become re-addicted to certain things I thought I have defeated a long time ago, and as such recent life has been really hard. However, I hope am turning the corner now ! This is part of the reason decided to watch season 4 again; 1. to cheer me up and 2. because season 5 isn't far away now!
     
     
    OK - Thoughts on first 3 episodes of Season 4
     
    I will admit it right now, I forgot how good it was!
     
    The first 2 episodes (Princess Twilight Sparkle), where both very good. They made me remembered how much I loved the show and how well they have developed the characters by this point and really found each their own niche/quirks.
     
    While the story was good overall, I am not a great fan of the 2 episode format (I think the best episodes are the well written 22min shorts), but it did re-ignite my excitement for the show, and to be honest, the theme they decided to go with right from the first episode fits the show much better then seasons 3 and is very well done over the whole season! I do love the full season "arcs/themes", I feel like they give the show the direction it needs.
     
    Castlemania
     
    First of all, the name. Its great. Castlevania reference? Definatly.
     
    This episode is so good, I was smiling all the way through it (just like I remember watching the first 2 seasons and most of season 3). They managed to nail every character's feelings and reasonings for even being in the castle perfectly and it all felt "real" rather than giving them contrived nonsensical reasons.
     
    The part where all the ponies are going crazy (when Twilight finds them all) is done so perfectly, I was laughing all the way through it. The same for Pinkiepie, whenever she is in this episode the randomness she brings is just perfect, not to much like it sometimes can be.
     
    I could go on about how good each individual pony was in this episode, but I would rather you guys just re watch it! I can guarantee you won't be disappointed (even if its your 10th time).
     
    They fit the perfect amount of stuff into the perfect length of episode to the point that the episode always has something going on but never to much unexplained and is never boring.
    The new animations in this season are brilliant as well. I can see why so many of them became instant hits with the fandom and became meme's in there own right!
     
    Final thoughts:
     
    Life has been hard but is getting better again, and I am excited now to watch the rest of season 4 again and look forward to season 5! Hopefully I will get to spend more time on the forum now! It's so much fun and I thank you guys for making it what it is!
     
    Thanks for reading !
     
    ~ Planty
  2. Planty
    THIS IS NOT MY WORK, THAT COMES AT THE BOTTOM:


     


    http://thoughtcatalog.com/laitin-amanda/2014/02/10-confessions-from-an-introvert/

     

    Fellow introverts: It’s ok to be reserved, but don’t use that as an excuse for becoming a hermit. Extroverts: Let us be. Not everyone can be a social butterfly like you.


     
    1. I hate the stigma attached to the word “introvert.”
    That means a weird, socially awkward person we all want to avoid. To me, an “introvert” is someone who is selective about who they surround themselves with. It’s someone who is comfortable with being by themselves without feeling insecure. We value quality over quantity.
     
    2. I love meeting new people, but only if you approach me first.
    If I have to make the first move, it’ll most likely never happen. I’m silently imagining every possible thing that could go wrong and by the time I work up enough courage to do it, I’ve thoroughly freaked you out by constantly glancing your way and you’ve already sprinted for the door.
     
    3. Small Talk for me is not Small Talk to a normal person.
    I get deep real fast. I genuinely want to know your life story, what makes you happy, and what makes you angry. Don’t be surprised if I ask you how you really feel about your parents’ divorce within the first 5 minutes of meeting you. I’m not a gossip; I just genuinely want to connect with you.
     
    4. We have a heightened sense for a fake or insincere personality.
    Our quiet and reserved nature allows us so much time to observe. I see your fake smile and can tell you just lied to that person. I hear you repeat the same exact joke to every single person you run into. I’m onto you, extrovert.
     
    5. If you point out my introverted-ness, I will silently hold it against you forever and also I probably hate you.
    As much as we try to embrace our introverted-ness, many of us are still very insecure about it. You asking an introvert why they’re so quiet only makes things worse. Please stop making us all feel so awkward with this obvious observation.
     
    6. Dear Hair Dresser: Please don’t make me talk the entire time I’m in your chair.
    I’m sure you’re a very nice and interesting person, but after a certain point, I simply run out of things to talk to you about. I’m out of witty comments. I can’t think of any more normal questions to ask you. And my stupid comments will begin to emerge (see #9).
     
    7. My ideal Friday night is Netflix binging with ONE or TWO friends.
    I don’t want to be alone, but I also don’t want to exhaust myself by socializing with dozens of other people. Can’t we just throw on some sweatpants, make an ice cream run, and sit on the couch?
     
    8. Please never make me to go a club.
    What is clubbing even? Why would we go somewhere where it’s so loud I can’t even hear you? I’ll be in the quiet corner trying to engage in meaningful conversation with the other introverts if you need me.
     
    9. Networking events = death.
    There is literally nothing I hate more than having to meet new people in an environment specifically created for that purpose. I realize that’s entirely the point of networking events, but I feel so much pressure to make myself sound and look like the most interesting person you’ve ever met. I can only be charming for so long! Pass me a glass of wine and let me mentally prepare myself for this first.
     
    10. If I say something stupid, kindly pretend I said nothing at all.
    Rest assured knowing that my dumb comment/question will haunt me for the rest of my life. I’ll lie awake at night replaying the entire conversation in my head. I’ll think of a million other things I could have said instead. I’ll vow never to speak again! This is where my quietness comes from. It’s a vicious cycle.
     
    My Thoughts:
    So I posted the whole thing into my blog. Yes that may have been overkill, but I really wanted you guys to read the 10 points (I find them so interesting).
    About myself: I consider myself to be maybe 80% introvert. I am not quite as introverted as a lot of people but defiantly tend towards it.
    I just wanted to highlight a few things; (I'm basically going to comment on a few that really struck me)
    Comments on their Points:
    Point 2 - I find this one to be very true for me. In fact, I think it's one of the reasons why I don't have a girlfriend. It's sometimes just so hard to go and talk to someone, and normally by the time that's happened I feel to awkward to say anything as I have been stood there for so long!
    Point 3 - Small talk is a massive pain. I often find people VERY boring to talk to, and much prefer talking to older people as they are more likely to talk about something good and heart felt. I think this leads onto point 4 well. I hate being fake with people and talking to people being fake.
    I also make a lot of stupid comments or dive in to quick. If I can see someone is worried or stressed, I ask them why! This has caused a lot of problems, it's not really social eticet to ask people "why" but more to ask them how they are (and when they reply with "ok" I hate that, I can see your not...)
    I find Point 6 funny. I often run out of things to say to the hairdresser (or situations like this in general) and while I am comfortable just being quiet, it makes me feel so awkward. I hate quiet when I feel like the other person is expecting me to talk. I would rather be talked at so I can listen and learn or zone out then have to try and make conversation about boring stuff.
    Oh man, small gatherings all the way. I mean I don't mind a good group of friends (like 6) but once you get lots I find it's hard to really connect with someone, and then it can be odd if you don't talk to them all as some might feel like your ignoring them ><!
    Point 10 - the one that rings most with me. With new people I constantly muck up and say silly things. I don't know why! Once people know me I relax more and it's all better.
    Any-ways, I thought I would share this with you guys! Give me your opinions and views on the list (and experiences to!)
     
    Thanks for reading!
  3. Planty
    So yesterday I had the fortune to see The Wolf of Wall Street. So here is a shorter the my usual reviews, review of it!
     
    Here is the trailer:
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
     
    So, the story is basically this guy "Jonny" starts from nothing and working his way through the perils of being a broker, eventually makes it big. The film explores his life and tells his story.
     
    My Impressions:
     
    Before I start i want to remind you that it is an age rated 18 film, and believe me it warrants every moment of it. (Ill get onto it more later).
     
    Firstly, do not be put off by the films 3 hour length. I doesn't feel that long while watching it, it's so well written on the most part that the time just flies by! It is well paced and lingers on the correct moments through the film.
     
    The acting by Leonardo De Caprio, is amazing and the same as the supporting cast, but he really makes it. The story is good, but the really could not pick anyone better to act it out. The film addresses some hard truths that the success he gets brings, and because of this it uses sex, drugs and small amounts of violence to make it seem very real (and it really really does feel real). Despite the crazy amount of things they do at time, it never feels like it's not plausible and it is very hard hitting at times. If you don't have a stomach for reality then don't see this film. Once of twice there is full frontal nudity, and there is ALOT of sex and drugs.
     
    Overall, the films is very good. The story and the acting make it, and I feel that on the most part the adult themes are well handled and add to the story, rather than being there as an attraction.
     
    I give it a 8/10!!
     
    Thanks for reading this short review, hopefully I will get a chance to do more better ones in the future! Don't forget to comment with your opinions and questions!
  4. Planty
    Finally the moment has arrived!
     
    It's the 1st of December here in the UK and I can finally start listening to christmas songs and dec the halls!
     
    It is my favourite time of the year, I love everything about Christmas! Snow, tree, decorations, presents, spending time with family, celebrating Jesus birth, the meal, christmas morning, mulled wine, carroll singing, its just all awesome!
     
    It is also 2 years (not to the day but ish) that I first found MLP as well, what a great 2 years it has been and I love you all to bits at how kind, friendly you all are and just how fun it has been on the forums over the past year and a 1/2!
     
    I put together some of my favourite traditional carrols (most with lyrics) so you can join in the build up !
     

     
    Thanks for reading, hope you have a great build up to christmas, I'm sure I will post a LOT about it !
  5. Planty
    So, I have not done a good blog post in a while (and seen as I am going to see Thor 2 tonight I imagine I will post a few over the next few days) CW bla bla bla.
     
    But seen as it's almost here, I decided that I would like to do a little piece on Halloween!
     

     
    Introduction:
     
    So, these are my views on Halloween (from a Christian perspective) and I know that these will differ from your many of the people who read this. Rather then dismissing it, I would love for you to read it and then write a reply as to your views or ask me a question and I will go deeper (I would love to write for hours but sadly I have work and can't cover everything in this blog post).
     
    Over the last 10 years, Halloween has become the 3rd highest grossing celebration (after Christmas and Easter) each year. For many people, they have not even though about what they are doing/why or what Halloween even stands for. Is it really harmless? Just a bit of fun? Lets take a look:
     

     
     
    1 Halloween Celebrates Evil
     
    People celebrate Halloween in different ways, however at the core it is an event that celebrates the dark, creepy and scary. Each year children and adults dress up as "evil" witches, demons, ghosts and vampires. You can even get a costume as a psychopathic murderer, with a bloody chain saw and butchers knifes. This is hardly harmless! Whatever view we about life, we all take it for granted that our society should spend time and energy encouraging children to are for others and to know the difference between right and wrong. Yet on this one day, we throw all those values away and glorify everything that is evil and unpleasant. Talk about mixed messages!
     
    2 Halloween Is Unhelpful
     
    We live in a world where every parent and teacher takes care to warn children about strangers and that they can pose a threat and that you should take precautions. Yet at Halloween we disregard all of this and encourage children to knock on random doors and accept sweets from strangers, yet another mixed message!
     
    3 Halloween Trivialises Bad Things
     
    No one is in doubt that evil is serious and that muggings, stabbings and serious accidents are horrendous. Yet, again, Halloween breaks the rules! On this day we pretend death, deformity and injury are no more then kids play!
     

     
    4 Halloween Is Offensive
     
    You could simply say that scaring kids is unhelpful, but there is a more subtle and troubling issue. Halloween costumes are frequently centred on deformities, gory wounds and disfigurement. There are a number of websites and places that will even tell you how to make authentic looking burns and injuries and even how to make yourself hideously ugly. Consider how you would feel, if you where a burn victim or where severely disabled, or even had gone through a traumatic event such as a mugging, or a rape or a person close to you had been killed and you had suffered not just horrific physical but also emotional hurt.
     
    Besides that, do you really want to spread the message, to children, that being ugly or a victim equates to evil?
     
    5 Halloween Is Getting Worse
     
    Concerns about Halloween do not just come from those of us with a "religious agenda". Increasingly other people are expressing their concern, particularly about the was that Halloween seems to be getting darker and nastier each year.
     
    Carved pumpkins were, I suppose, pretty harmless; the new blood stained axe murders are not. If we don't like the direction it's going then maybe it's time to stop celebrating it.
     
    6 Halloween Allows Evil A Victory
     
    In some older Halloween traditions people dressed up in clothes that made them look evil and then burned their outfits at the end of the evening. The message was clear; in the end good triumphs over evil. Yet there is no hint of that in modern Halloween. Now, evil is unchallenged and just slips away into the darkness, to return at some other time. That's not the message that our world needs today.
     
    So Is Halloween HARMLESS?
     
    The evidence is suggesting that it isn't, it encourages a lot of bad things and offers nothing good in return. Halloween is harmful, there is no wise reason to keep it.
     
    I want to suggest that far from being harmless nonsense, that in fact there are also spiritual risks associated with Halloween. Although Halloween is a complex mess of many things these days, at it's core remains one truth, a preoccupation with supernatural evil. The heart of Halloween is the occult: witches, ghosts and spirits.If you are inclined to dismiss this argument you might want to do some thinking first:
     
    Perhaps you are someone who say that they do not really know if God exists. If this is you, why take the risk with Halloween? People talk about "precautionary principle", which basically means; "when in doubt don't do it". It's really not a bad rule to follow when it comes to Halloween.
     
    However, even if you don't, most of the world recognises that there are good and bad spiritual powers. This is very popular in fiction, especially in films which are often refer to supernatural evil and uses them as protagonists in most spectacular forms: poltergeists, ghosts, demonic possession. That sort of thing does occur but evil is far more widespread and subtle, a corrupting force that can influence and effect us.
     

     
    The bible warns us that the world is a battleground between good and evil. Within it, the apostle Paul summed up his attitude in one of his letters: "stay away from every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22). The bibles warns of supernatural evil, but it also teachers us about the only power that can conquer evil - Jesus Christ.
     
    The Christian faith affirms and history testifies to the fact that God sent his one and only son Jesus, who was God in human flesh, to conquer evil and death once and for all. Jesus went to the cross to defeat the power of evil and the grip of sin on the world. Proof of his victory was given in his resurrection from the grave on Easter Sunday.
     
    For two thousand years Christians have known deliverance from evil through the name of Jesus Christ and the power of God's holy spirit.
     
    If you have been involved in the occult, if things that have happened to you at Halloween or at other times heave left you with unease or bound by evil powers, then I urge you to turn to Jesus.
     
    In the service of baptism in the church of England the following words are included, I encourage you to read them first and then pray them and being to experience the light and not the darkness!
     
     
     
     
    Thanks for reading .
     
    And as always, feel free to comment/inbox me any question.
  6. Planty
    So this was always a topic I was going to talk about at some point, but seen as there was a topic about strong Christian parents stopping people playing games I decided I would write this post:
     
    So I will answer 2 questions:
     
    Are Video games demonic?
     
    Are videos games a waste of time? (mainly from a Christian perspective).
     
    Making stuff:
     
    So lets look at Genesis:
    Genesis 1&2 – The Creative God
    •V1 – God creates ex nihilo
    •V3-25 – Filling and Forming creation
     
    Ultimately, everything that God creates is said to be "Good" and we are "Very Good". This is important as the next paragraph will show.
     
    And then, God creates man ! and we are:
    •We are co-creators with God – Filling and forming

    •Eg naming the animals
    •Continuing the creation God started  
    So overall, everything that humans create in essence is an imitation of what God created. I mean just look at computers! Some works of art are amazing, we also listen to and enjoy music, films, TV-shows (MLP woop woop) so why should video games be any different? Further evidence of us enjoying creation from the bible bellow.
     
    Then after this there are examples of us enjoying Gods creation:
     
    1 Timothy 4:4-5
    •Enjoying God’s good creation
    •Giving thanks and glorifying God in enjoying things
     
    Now then, here comes the ugly part. Christians believe that Sin entered the world through "The Fall" (link to Genesis 3: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+3&version=NIV). Without recanting it, Sin enters the "good" world that God created. Practices such as magic and demons came into the world along with sin (such as death, pain, anguish, shame, greed, and all the things that comes with that). So where do video games fit in with all of this? Are they full of things making us susceptible to demons and things hurtful to God?
     
    Playing games as a Christian - Engaging with Video Games
     

     
    Now I'm going to come at this from a very Christian centred way, but this will explain my beliefs well and hopefully challenge Christians who think its all bad, if it has not already.
     
    Video games send out an array of mixed messages to us, just in the same way as films and books which are a mix of truth and lies, beauty of the Gospel and ugliness of sin. The two worst things that Christians can do when it comes to movies, books or video games is:
     
    1.Ignore it and blindly take it in. Passively take in the content and not really think about what you are watching or reading.
     
    2.Dismiss all media and culture. Brand it as a waste of time or evil. Encourage Christians to stay away from all of that.
     
    So as a Christian I tend to ask myself these 8 questions (I don't do it formally most of the time, but I still think about it and have these questions in mind as I'm playing):
     
     
    1.What’s the story?
    2.Where am I? (what world you are in?)
    3.What is good and true and beautiful about it?
    4.What’s false and ugly and perverse about it?
    5.When I play this game, do I notice any change of attitude of behaviour?
    6.Is this a game I could easily walk away from or is it addictive?
    7.How are men and women portrayed in the game?
    8.How does the Gospel apply here?
     
    Now, using these questions I can asses the game thoughtfully and expose it for what it is trying to show. Most of these questions I feel everyone should ask themselves just to game in a healthy manner. From this I look to learn from the game, games often show aspects of real life and I believe that you should be able to learn something from anything. By looking at and Identifying what is Ugly/perverse IE killing/rape/demons/magic I am not just letting myself be influenced by them. I may choose not to play a game because it changes me as a person (long stints on WoW used to make me angry with the world and I also become addicted to it, thus I ended up not playing it for a while).
     
     
    Other thoughts games:
     
     
    •Anti-Christian content

    •Violence
    •Sex & Gender issues
    •Immoral actions
    •Alternative worldviews
    •Are these things a corrupting influence?  
     
    For a Christian, living Godly is our aim. If a game (such as wow I mentioned above) stops me from doing that because it effects me in some way, then I won't play it. I'm not saying the game is wrong for a Christian to play, but for me it is not indicative of a Godly way of life because it effects me.
     
    Non - Christians Dealing with controlling Christian Parents:
     

     
    Now as a non Christian, very strong Christian parents can feel very controlling with these things. My advice would be:
     
    After reading this, try and understand why they are doing it (usually, they want to protect you from what they see is harmful to you). Discuss with them the game/s in question and get them to explain to you why?
     
    Games may be seen as demonic, and talk about demonic influences. I believe demons are very real and it is important to guard yourself from them. Your parents don't want them to influence your life at all. Yes there are demonic/sinful practices in games (that should be obvious) but once again it is important to perceive this and not let it effect you (talked about more in the next paragraph). If your parents are not letting you play games, then go through the risks with them, show them that you know what the risks are and that you won't let them effect you (I know this can be really hard for a non Christian, as often Christians see things very differently). If you show understanding, and explain why in ways games are good (point out things from points 3. and maybe point 8. lots of games have redemption stories and reflect the bible in this way, or may even contain Christian themes within them such as MLP).
     
    Ultimately, (and I urge you all to follow Jesus), for a non-Christian, your aims are not to be Godly in everything you do, and I'n the end that is your choice which is a choice everyone has. I would still say to you, think about the video games you are playing and how they might be effecting you (using the criteria) and don't let them adversely effect your life (particularly with addiction, everything in moderation ).
     
    (I also talk about how video games can be great for Christians/Christianity but this doesn't fit here).
     
    If you have any questions ask me, Ill try my best! If your a non-Christian I will thank you for reading ! Your welcome to read the rest but it is basically only aimed at Christians .
     

     
     
    Extra Advice for Christian - Playing games as a Christian Part 2 – Dealing with dangers
     
    Three Important things regarding this:
     
    Apply the Gospel.
     
    Know your own limits in these things.
     
    Treasure Jesus.
     
    Gaming is also an amazing way to build relationships!
     
    1.Gaming can be part of a community whether an online community or having your mates around to play a game together.
     
    2.Set up a gaming society at Uni or join one? Make friends, chat about games, play games together and build relationships that are authentic.
     
    3.Gamechurch – gaming convention – give out free beer and tracts. Could you do that at your uni? Could you do that at a UK gaming convention?
     
    4.Set up a CU event for those who enjoy video games. Play games together. Eat food. Share your testimony?
     
    Remember as a Christians we are called to be the "salt and the light" in everything we do .
     
    A quick thought from one/the most up to data Christian literature:
     
     
    “It’s high time for the church as a whole to realize that this is not a passing fad, something to be ignored until it fades… The church has seen fit to engage other media (books, TV and films) and there is no reason to ignore games. God’s people build communion and community in all kinds of situations. The fantastic worlds of video games certainly have room for us.” – Of Games and God, pg169
     
     
    Overall, gaming is not bad for Christians, and if you apply the above you can't really go wrong! One thing I live by is:
     
    "Doing what you love, and taking Jesus with you!"
     
    Thanks for reading and feel free to ask questions ! Ill do my best to answer!
  7. Planty
    Welcome to another film review!
     
    So Today I was fortunate enough to see the a film that is about a week old in cinemas (only gone through one orange Wednesday ) so lets take a quick look at the trailer before my thoughts:
     

     
    As you can see from the trailer, its set in 2154, earth has become polluted and the wealthy have build a massive space station to live on while the rest of earths population resides on ruined earth. The rich have the capability to heal ANYTHING completely and they don't want to let anyone on earth into "elysium". This is where the main character "Max" launches a daring mission to try and save his life after being given a death sentence by a lethal douse of radiation.
     
    Impressions:
     
    The whole dystopia aspect is laid out nicely in the first 30 mins. They don't go over the top with the dystopia aspect. In fact throughout the entire film they stick well within what you would expect a future earth to look like. There is no over the top technology, and they use the use of special effects throughout is done in a manner that makes it feel real and doesn't go over the top and break immersion like in some films.
     
    I would like to add hear that it is a 15, and the language is not great throughout but the main factor is that some of the injuries in the film are pretty horrific (and well deserved of a 15 title). If you don't like violence I would probably steer clear of this particular title.
     
    Overall the plot is good, maybe a little predictable overall but defiantly could and should be considered as a well constructed narrative. The main characters are introduced quickly,however there persona's are not really built on that much at the start and it takes a long time for the film to really give them any depth.
     
    The main issues I have with the film is that I didn't feel like I cared for the characters at all right up until the last 20~30 minuets. This me made the first 45min feel a little bit out of pace and disjointed at times and it just didn't feel right. It was almost felt a little bit jumpy for the first 20 mins until the film really go going and it started to explain some things better.
     
    The ending is defiantly the strong point. I really started to care for certain characters towards the end of the film and it really started to draw me in. The film is much better paced at this part, taking it much slower and everything just flows much more nicely. I thoroughly enjoyed the ending (so I'm not going to spoil it) and overall it made the film more then worth while going to see and better then alot of film's I've seen !
     
    Overall, this was a slow starter, not getting into it until the last 20~ mins of the film, but wow are they full of feeling !
     
    6/10
     
    Thanks for reading ! comment on what you think/ what your opinions of the film are if you go to see it!
     
     
     

  8. Planty
    The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in cinemas November 2013!
     
    And welcome to the annual 75 (all most) Blog post! Since multiple trailers have been released for the upcoming sequel to The Hunger Games, I have been watching the trailers over and over again. I just can't contain my excitement for the upcoming film, which is the main reason for this blog post :
     
    The Trailer:
     

     
     
    Firstly I would like to mention that if you have not read the books, DO NOT WATCH ANY OF THE OTHER TRAILERS!!! (I'll add info about this later)!
     
    Now (and I have read all the books) this trailer for me puts some great footage from the film with one or two important moments from the book to get you excited and enticed (if the name wasn't enough for you).
     
    It's great to see some of the cast members, which might I add, fit the character descriptions so well it's unbelievable, president snow is given the perfect amount of time to really give you the impression they want of him. The music fit's (I personally think it could be better, especially towards the end but I've watched it at least 20 times now) and it wraps it up nicely leaving you begging for more .
     
    Rant on other trailers (SPOILERS) people who have read books:
     
     
     
    Why I'm Excited:
     
    After reading the books, I'm just so excited. They have picked the cast perfectly for the film and it's all exactly as I imagined It would be. From the first film (which was excellent but not perfect) I just get a good feeling that they can continue and maybe even improve on what they have done. The second book hit me a lot more then the first, and I'm really hoping they can carry this onto the screen so that it really impacts the audience emotionally, as well as the book did. You can definitely see from the trailer that the set looks impeccable and some of the designs going on for the capitol clothes look exquisite, something even Rarity would be proud of!
     
    But the film's about killing children !?!:
     
    I know some people will not like it for this reason. It is gruesome. Initially I hated the first book/film when I first saw it, but I really feel like it holds a valuable lesson for us today. In many ways, the rich in the west do hold to ransom the rest of the world so we can get all our resources and have what ever we want at the cost of everyone else. It's a great film to watch just because it will make you think.
     
    TLDR:
     
    I hope I have managed to make you as excited as I am ! No doubt I will be reviewing it ASAP (providing that UNI life isn't putting me under much stress) when it comes out! I'm already planning the night I'm going to see it .
     
    Thanks for reading ! Feel free to leave discussion and improvements in the comments !
  9. Planty
    For the last 7 -10 days over in the UK the weather has been abnormally summer like for the UK.
     
    Normally the it is cold or rainy or both! It is unreal how hot it has been, we have had consecutive days of well above 20 degrees C and maybe have been the high 20's to the low 30's.
     
    It's amazing but our temperatures have been matching Florida's!:
    http://www.worldweathercompare.co.uk/?city1=215&city2=3187
     
    and are forecast to continue to do this for the new week, with the the hottest day of the year having already been broken multiple times in the last week, we are forecast to break it twice more over the next week! Currently not being able to go away for a family holiday this year is not looking so bad when it is this barmy hot, and although it may not feel the same with the lack of humidity and thunderstorms in the UK as in Florida, it defiantly feels like I am some place else then in the UK at the moment.
     
    As we all know, I love a good thunderstorm and there was forecast a change in the weather possible in a weeks time. Personally I'm hoping it lasts as long as possible!
     
    Stay safe UK brony's! : http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/weather/heat-health/
  10. Planty
    Wow what an interesting week it has been!
     
    Firstly I would like to announce that coming really soon will be a fan club for those that love nature, the environment and the entire would around us, and you know that pony that likes nature, whatever her name is . Thats right;
     
    Fluttershy's Nature Fan Club!
     
    I'm actually really excited about this even thought it probably won't amount to to much what can I say I just really love nature and everything within it (which is why my degree, environmental science, is devoted to it and preserving it).
     
    If you also love nature and Fluttershy feel free to come hang out with us once the thread is up !
     
    I will soon be making an OC called "Happy Plant" soon (I've never made any OC's before and I'm trying to come up with some really good back story ATM however I can't draw so might need some help with the drawing of my OC).
     
    I might be biting off more then I can chew having never made an OC before, but I like projects and I have a pretty decent imagination so it should turn out ok .
     
    Thanks for reading!
  11. Planty
    So recently I have been thinking about what my cutie mark would be and that got me thinking what gifts I posses and how it would be best to use them.
     
    I always thought finding your gift would just happened and that I would just "Know" but it took a few days thought and practice before I discovered my greatest talent, encouraging people.But that got me thinking about how I would use it and how the ponies in the show use there gifts.
     
    From this I think that the show gets over really nicely that you can use your gifts from both good and evil the prime example being;
     
    Twilight and Trixie. Although you could say Twilight was more magically gifted, both of them have a special talent in magic, however they both use there talents in vastly different ways. Twilight helps and protects other and all of here friends, where Trixie only seeks to humiliate others and use her gifts for her own selfish ends (and we all see how that turns out ). We also see this with Discord (but he gets reformed woop!).
     
    And from this I realized that although I could build people up with my own gift, in the same way I could also use it to be hurtful to other people. This can be shown best when critiquing people work, I can give complements and nice helpful improvements or I could completely destroy the artist and tear there work to bits.
     
    Overall I will strive to encourage and help people the best I can (just like how the ponies all strive to use there gifts for the good of others), I also love the depth of the show and how I had never even seen this before this week !
     
    Also tell me about your own cutie marks and how you use your gifts and abilities here:
    http://mlpforums.com/topic/56311-whats-your-cutie-mark-and-talent-and-how-do-you-use-it/
     
    Thanks for reading !
  12. Planty

    TOOTHACHE ARGH!

    By Planty,

    I finally understand why people in TV shows seem to be in so much pain when they have toothache that it makes them go loopy.
     
    BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE WORST THINGS EVER!!!!
     
    I always thought toothache was just something you got for a brief time or was only when you touched our tooth's never when eating, but I've just had constant pain all day :C!
     
    Whats worse is that it makes it so horrible to eat that I just don't want to tuck into any of the lovely chocolate eggs that I got for Easter, and being a bank holiday I can't even book a dentist appointment till tomorrow.
     
    It doesn't help that being a holiday, often my dentist will go on holiday fora week, so finger's crossed he has not or I might have to find a new one, or even worse wait for a week ><!
     
    After this I will defiantly make sure I NEVER skip brushing my teeth, and use floss, and mouthwash!! (well for the next month till I forget the pain).
  13. Planty
    WOOOO!
     
    Finally my parents have battled through the harsh mid winter "spring weather" and I will be going home tomorrow from university!
     
    I actually can't wait I'm so excited it's amazing what 3 days away from your family (despite being away from them for 10 weeks already) will do to you when you expected to be able to see them so much sooner!
     
    For the first time in my life I actually think that I dislike snow, I always used to pray for more and more hoping for snow days off school and sledging. But this year it's been a hindrance to my plans! (evil cackle).
     
    In other news, I've also started looking to upgrade my computer !
     
    I'm as bad as Rarity at the moment, fussing over every little detail and trying to squeeze as much as I can out of my budget. It doesn't help that I'm easily distracted by flashing lights and suddenly thought it a necessity to have a window and LED's, despite most likely having my computer under my desk.
     
    But yeah, after waiting for 4 year+ to finally be able to get a new one, I can't wait !
     
    + whats with the predictions of a white Easter?
     
    I honestly can't believe we might have a white Easter and not a white Christmas ><!
  14. Planty

    Winter wrap up? Nope.

    By Planty,

    So it's meant to be the first day of spring, winter is meant to have been wrapped up right?
     
    Well apparently no one told the weather that!
     
    20cm - 40cm of snow forecast and consistent snow fall over 2 days (I live in Liverpool in the UK) I've never seen anything like it before! Doesn't look like winter will be wrapped up anytime soon at least.
     
    This comes at the end of a very stressful last week of university, leaving me stranded at my university for 3 days while I wait for brighter weather so that my parents can come and pick me up
     
    but now that I have all my uni work handed in I don't really care much Just looking forward to a few weeks relaxing before the hard revising kicks in!
  15. Planty
    What a day it's been,
     
    So my exam table came out for the summer exams today, and i casually flicked over it taking note of how far away they where and how I wouldn't need to start revising for a while (being an ace student ofc ;P) and then I realized my student disability stuff was not on there.
     
    Now I am dyslexic. I get 25% extra time and a computer to help me type and spell check my work (and for a very slow reading speed) when in exams so that i can actually complete them on time. I really really freaked out when I found it was not on there, so much so that I've almost been in a mad panic all morning!
     
    Luckily I sent a few emails around (very poor emails might I add seen as my mental state was pretty bad at the time) and I got a lovely response from the student disability team saying they just had not added them yet. I was so relived but also very embarrassed for panicking so much over nothing, when i really didn't need to.
     
    So yeah I really want to thank those guys for not ignoring my awful emails that where very panic filled this morning and getting back to me so fast and carming me down, I know they probably had better thing to do with there time. They have also given me the aspiration to try and be more helpful to people even when I'm busy, something that seems small and dumb to me might be really important to someone else .
     
    In other news I'm probably going to start playing wow again after getting it to work at uni!
  16. Planty
    Greetings,
     
    Once again I am doing another amazing procrastination from work, for some reason I can only seem to work for between 10-20 mins before my mind wonders.
     
    Possession of twilight's ability to work for hours on end all day and all night would defiantly be a massive help to the completion of the many essays which need to be handed in before the end of this and next week.
     
    In fact I've just realized how well developed each character is, not only do they each have varying abilities but they also have an amazing range of talents, such as willingness to never give up or innate perfectionism ect.
     
    Anyways I guess I should go back to writing essays, and I would love to herewhich "ability" would you want and why?
  17. Planty

    TIL: Scootaloo is awesome!

    By Planty,

    Today I discovered that (on this thread http://mlpforums.com...on/#entry723616) Scootaloo is awesome!
     
    I think she is one of the most underrated and un-loved character's in the whole of MLP currently. No other pony in the whole of Ponyville has the same talent she does at riding her Scooter and yet people often miss her out.
     
    She also need's to have twice the love as the rest of them because of the lack of her parents and a good singing voice (so I've been told, I personally loved her performance in the talent show ).
    Scootaloo defiantly deserves to get more action in S3 and maybe even her own episode
     
    I'm also personally hoping that she get's one where she learns to fly:) It must really suck to be one of the only Pegasus that can't fly, especially seen as we don't have much background on why she can't fly and her family as a whole .
     
    She might even be related to Derpy !
  18. Planty
    So, I have not done a film review in a while (in fact I have not even made a blog post in a while), mainly due to not having as much free time and getting caught up in games! In any case, I'm here to re-boot my reviews with the brand new film that came out today:
    How to Train your dragon 2!
     
    So firstly, here is the trailer:
     

     
    Brief overview of the film:
     
    The thrilling second chapter of the epic HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON trilogy brings us back to the fantastical world of Hiccup and Toothless five years after the two have successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk. While Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races (the island's new favourite contact sport), the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds. When one of their adventures leads to the discovery of a secret ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the centre of a battle to protect the peace. Now, Hiccup and Toothless must unite to stand up for what they believe while recognizing that only together do they have the power to change the future of both men and dragons.
     
    (credits to the youtube video for the synopsis).
     
    My Thoughts?:
     
    The plot was great, while I thought parts of the film where slow to progress (particularly in the middle), overall the plot was great! I can't tell you much more or it will spoil large parts of the film .
     
    The pacing of the film was, once again, was pretty spot on. Apart from maybe 20 mins in the middle of the film, the film was well paced with plot developments not feeling forced, and overall the story just flowed well.
     
    It was a serious film with funny moments. I feel like it didn't quite do the funny moments as well as it did in the first film, but it still nailed it most of the time. The serious parts of the film are what made it. They address many adult themes well, without making it horrible to watch from a child's point of view, and actually making me really care for all the characters and what happened to them.
     
    The way the film was filmed was exquisite. In fact, I don't think it could have been done any better! They manage to do flying shots in such a way that not only do you want to be in the film, but it actually make you feel like you are. This film absorbed me so much that it made it one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in a long time in a cinema despite being surrounded by children. Rarely can you just go and enjoy a film and feel like your there without it being to over the top and breaking the immersion.
     
    Verdict?:
     
    ​Defiantly see this film if you can. It's funny at times, while being charming and absorbing. It addresses adult films in a way suitable to children, while still being enjoyable for both children and adults!
     
    8/10
  19. Planty
    The is my first blog in a while, but after seeing this film I really felt the need to share with you my thoughts !
     
    So firstly, here is the trailer so you can all get excited!:
     
     

     
     
     
     
    Plot:
     
    I really liked the plot, I can't say that much about it to avoid spoilers but its fairly typical spider man! If you have seen any of the other films or read the comics then you know how it goes. There are a few nice touches, which I will let you find out for yourself!
     
    Acting:
     
    Almost flawless, I personally love the nerdy style of the new spider man and the little jokes that he makes all through the film! To me that's what spiderman is supposed to be like! It's much more true to him within the comics and within the original tv series. Not only that, but all the actors pull off a great performance especially Emma Stone who does such a good job in this film.
     
    The only thing I didn't really like was that the villain just felt stupid. I loved the way it was done, but initially I didn't like the way he became the villain, it just felt stupid to me.
     
    Camera Play:
     
    This was amazing at the right times. Some of the fights in this film (especially the music and backing sounds) where so on point. The way that they gave the villain thoughts through the music and sounds playing in the background was amazing!
     
     
    TLDR:
     
    8/10 - very enjoyable watch, not a perfect film but as farm as superhero films go it has to be one of the best!
  20. Planty
    So I have come back to UNI and I have 5 exams in 7 days. I love my course and all the modules I'm doing, but simply am finding it so difficult to cram as much knowledge into my brain as much as I would like to!
     
    I have also been getting stressed really easily (and feel that my heart sometimes races for a few minuets) and have started to get panic attacks when I think about how much I need to do!
     
    But over the last few days, I've realised, no matter what happens in UNI over the next year, my life will not be over and I will always be able to make a way for myself somewhere. Sadly I stopped enjoying life (yes THE Happy Plant was unhappy ), and almost forgot how amazing it really is. Even when times are hard and the going is rough, I never want to come to the point where I forget how amazing life is, even the little things, and how wonderful the people are who are around me!
     
    It reminds me of the last scene in monster university. (I won't spoil it but it's my fav 30 seconds of cinema ever )!
     
    I'm finding little time to post on the forum, and sadly not been able to keep reviewing films I've seen! Hopefully I will be able to get back into that.
     
    I also want to do a S4 mini review, my thoughts so far, but I know there are so many of those I don't want to saturate the blog's section!
     
    I'll leave you with this amazing cadence :
     

     
     
    Remember guy's, live life to the full!
     
    Thanks for reading,
     
    Happy Plant
  21. Planty

    Crazy month!

    By Planty,

    I feel like it's been ages since I have posted, in fact I don't think I have been on the forum in over 2-3 weeks (which is awful I know).
     
    Lately life has just been so busy and I have had little time to even think about browsing forums, but sadly I was also put off by a fellow brony.
     
    I met a brony and at first I was excited, but then I realised we are just not the same people. I didn't care at all about anything he was talking about! I have never read a fan fic in my life and this guy was practically reciting them to me. I started to think that I has out grown being a brony.
     
    But over the last few days, something has brought me back. Reddit is just not as good as you guys! I also realised that many of you here don't care about fan fics and just enjoy the show for what it is without reading to much into it!
     
    I just enjoy the show, I really don't look into it to much, and thats the way I want it to stay.
     
    we are all different after all
     
    We will see how it goes! I miss being part of a forum so much it's un-real!
     
    ty for reading, Sundew
  22. Planty
    So after deciding not to pick up Pokemon X/Y on firday, I ended up buying it first thing satarday morning. I have just finished my first play through of pokemon X (took me 16h33m) and have decided to do a quick review with minimal spoilers for those of you who don't know if to buy it or not .
     
    The Looks:
     
    Firstly, let me just say the game looks great most of the time. The new 3d esc view rather then the top down view of the world really works, and also lets them pull some flashy tricks at times. Initially I really hated the Idea of changing the way the world was viewed, but after playing through, I wouldn't change it at all.
     
    It maybe needs refining in one or 2 areas, and the camera can be a little bit disorientating at times, but overall its a 100% improvement on previous games. (for the record I played the whole game in 2d).
     
    Battle animations have also been redone and look very cool for the most part, though I turned them off after about an hour and only say them in on-line battles).
     
    Game play:
     
    So here we are, overall its the same however they added a few things:
     
    XP share is gotten very early on, and honestly I don't really have a complaint for it. I have never had such a well rounded group of pokemon level wise in a game before and I love the fact they give it you, as I used all my pokemon over and over because they where all around the same level allowing me to type match better and have more fun in battles rather then spamming the same attack over and over.
     
    The problem is, SPOILER they give you full 6 pokemon set for free. So yeah, you never need to catch a pokemon, and the game almost punishes you if you do, as you have to choose between them later down the line.
     
    Mega evolutions where the big thing in this game. SPOILER: You get them fairly early on around the time when your pokem0n are level 30. The way they are designed are nice, only one pokemon can use it in one battle and you need that pokemon to be holding a stone, which are hard to find (endgame much). However, the pokemon you initially get is OP, and then I used charazard the entire way, without him getting beat by anything until past gym 7 and 1 shotting most things completely.
     
    Don't let this take anything away, there awesome and I will have a lot of fun trying to find them all !
    SPOILER: I also want to say, i got pokemon X and the legendary fair type feels soooo OP.
    The Story:
     
    Without giving, it's amazing!!! Best I have seen in a pokemon game and at one point it was all about then feels.
     
    Mega evolution fits in great as well.
     
    Not telling any more, if you like me and play a games for the story then BUY IT AND PLAY IT!!!!!!!
     
    Overall:
     
    Very fun game, most fun I have had in ages and first time in years I have played a game for more then 10 hours straight, if you like pokemon at all (even when you where younger) pick it up.
     
    While its not to challenging, the story is great and the overall game is really enjoyable!
     
    9/10!!! - A DS game I recommend (only game I have completed on DS )
     
    PS. Gym design ROCKS, loving Gym 7 SOOOOOOO much !
  23. Planty
    It must be clear from people who say me post often a month ago, that I have so much less time at the moment then what I used to have to browse the forums. At one point I was posting many times a day effortlessly and spending many hours enjoying reading all of your topics, but nowadays I seem to have barely any time at all!
     
    Lets face it; I'm struggling with both time management and just a massive lack of time for everything. Currently I am trying to juggle:
     
    1. My course
    2. My church/reading my bible
    3. Societies
    4. Catching up with friends
    5. Playing games like Pokemon and Dota
    6. House Work/cooking
     
    and I just don't currently have the time management skills to be able to do it. But there is a pony I know that does, Twilight Sparkle. So how would she do it?
     
    Make Lists!
     

     
    The thing that Twilight does more, and quite possibly better then everyone, is make lists! It's defiantly something that I have started to try out more and more, in fact I even have 3 notebooks purely for different types of lists!
     
    Without lists I have a feeling Twilight would struggle .
    Time Table!
     
    Second to her list making is here ability to make time tables. Multiple times we see her with her diary, time tabling in everything about her life! I mean, she never ever doesn't have time to do anything and manages to fit everything in. We see this especially in lesson Zero where she even seems to be able to make other people around her conform to her time table.
     
    Having a detailed diary is defiantly a good way to achieve this and I will defiantly be taking a leaf out of Twilight book and buying a diary and finning it in!
     
    She maybe over does time tabling to an extent, but can you blame her?
    Go to the Library!
     
    (so I wrote it out and them my pc crashed and deleted this paragraph, writing it again sucks)
     
    Twilight sparkle lives in a library. So surely there must be a reason for this?
     
    So 2 days ago, I actually decided to takes a leaf out of Twilight Sparkles book, and went to a library. Now I have not been to a library ever in my life, and I really had to force myself to go. Once I was in there though, I was amazed at how the atmosphere allowed me to work for almost 3 hours straight (sadly my laptop died as I forgot the cable), and I got so much done I couldn't believe it! The fact that I was surrounded by books also made me feel funny... like I wanted to read them.....
     
    Read Books!
     

     
    This seem's to be the one thing that Twilight loves doing the most, and I can see why. She know's so much about everything that she knows what's going to happen in a situation before she has even experienced it.
     
    I have to admit, if I read more then many aspects of my course would be a lot easier (maybe if I read a book on time management I would even be able to manage my time better to read more ! If Twilight found a book on making schedules then I'm sure there is one for this). I always want to do more reading, I mean even Rainbow Dash does reading!
     
    So Thank you for reading, I hope you have learned a little bit, or at least thought about time management.
     
    But overall, if all you took out of it was Twilight Sparkle is awesome, then that's OK to !
  24. Planty
    So (and I have typed this once but internet on my PC broke), Today I moved into my new house for the second year of Uni. Now this would be uneventful normally, and I was really excited to move in, but when I got to my new house something was up....
     
    The house was unfinished! Now as a bit of back story, I am living with a friend who's dad owned the house and is refurbishing it, however, I did not expect to be moving into a house so unfinished!
     
    So when first entered the house, I was greeted with a bed room with no door, and only a desk in the room. Rather then my mum/dad helping me make my bad, they literally had to make my bed, from scratch out of a box!
     
    Now overall the situation was not all bad, my room has new furniture and is lovely and bigger then most student rooms on this rent. It also distracted me from being upset as I am really close to me family and often get very home sick (it lasts for a week ish normally).
     
    Anyways, I am told that my room (door and windowcil/chest of draws) should hopefully build built this week and then the entire house prefect in 3 weeks. Hopefully this time in a month I will be loling about the whole ordeal and able to focus on my studies!
     
    Thanks for reading,
     
    Sundew!
  25. Planty
    It's time for another film review! This week I got to see RUSH - a film by director Ron Howard rated 15 (from bad language, sex and gore).
     
    Here is the trailer:
     

     
    Plot:
     
    Rush portrays an exhilarating true story of possibly the two greatest rivals in F1 history - English playboy James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth, or the guy who plays Thor) and the perfectionist, Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl).
     
    It's set in the mid 1970's in the hayday of Formula 1, where both drivers push themselves to breaking point both mentally and physically in a race for victory where there is no margin for error.
     
    Thoughts:

    Firstly I would like to say I am an F1 fan and watch most races. I have to say that I did not watch any film trailers, but I had already seen documentaries on the story line.
     
    The thing that really impressed me about the film was it managed to really make you understand the risk that the F1 drivers where putting themselves through when they where racing. You really feel like you where there in the race scenes and you get a great sense of the speed's.
     
    The film also uses footage from actual races and incidents woven elegantly into the film. This was one thing that I felt could have been a big stumbling point, how well would it mesh? But I can say they achieved a lot of success with this (despite a few scenes being a little clunky) and added wonder and realism to the film that I don't think could have done in any other way.
     
    The story is amazing. I won't give anything away, but If you know the true story already, then you defiantly will not be disappointed by the portrail! It really tugs on your heart strings at times, and shows the contrasts of 2 different types of personality and leaves some interesting ideas for you to think about at the end.
     
    Should you see it / Why a 15?:
     
    The 15 rating, while deserved is one of the lower end 15's. There is very little swearing in the film (just enough to give it a bit of realism without overdoing), however there is one instance of the "C" word being heavily implied. There are 4/5 occasions of boobies being seen, and are 1/2 sex scenes. Gore is also present at the film, but only 2/3 times and once again it's to make it feel real and definitely does not over do it.
     
     
    Conclusions:
     
    If your expecting a typical 15 thriller with loads of action and gore and swearing, then don't see this.
     
    This film is all about telling the true story in a very real manner, which it does exceptionally well, and making you really feel for the characters and understanding there situations which it does really well. Even for non-f1 fans' the film is done in such a way that you need to know nothing about F1 to understand the story or the main characters feelings.
     
    My rating?: 9/10 - probably the best film I have seen this year.
     
    Just bear in mind I'm an F1 fan already . As a non-f1 fan the interest may not be so high (maybe dropping to 7/8 out of 10)
     
    Thanks for reading!
×
×
  • Create New...