Doctor Strange.

To atone for not posting in one week of October, I will be releasing this post earlier than usual. This is also due to the fact I have already seen the latest Marvel film recently and so I need to write it all down before I forget. What is the latest Marvel film that came out? Why it is none other than:

Doctor Strange.

Full disclosure: I have no real knowledge of Doctor Strange so if some of my notions and thoughts on Doctor Strange seem uneducated or outright wrong, reader, you now know why this is the case.

What makes it:

Cumberbatch's acting. One part of the film I remember enjoying was Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as Doctor Stephen Strange.  In the film, he manages to portray the various states of life Strange is in a convincing manner, where we can see the arrogant high profile surgeon, the broken shell of a man, the naive but willing initiate, the know-it-all student, the reluctant hero and eventually, the experienced intermediate sorcerer in all of Cumberbatch's performance. The broken shell aspect was quite well done to me as it had the right amount of emotion put into it without seeming too unrealistic. What helps with my enjoyment of his performance is his own sarcastic jabs and remarks throughout the film but I presume my own enjoyment of those are a result of having seen Cumberbatch in Sherlock as the eponymous character and due to enjoying his performance in it, resulting in some bias. 

Decent effects. As the trailers indicate, there are plenty of special effects in the film. Then again when magic is involved in a film, some form of special effects are to be expected. The magic on display for the most part look nice while the reality shifting parts are quite nice to look at. The effects in a certain part are quite a sight to behold. The only problem is that the reality shifts are nothing too grand or have been done before i.e Inception. Still as far as features of this film go, the effects were decent.

The solution to the final conflict. To avoid spoilers, I will not say anything directly about the aforesaid solution but to me at least, it was a rather smart and creative approach when using certain kinds of magic. I do like it when magic of that nature is exploited correctly.

What breaks it:

Forgettable side characters. Aside from Cumberbatch, none of the characters struck out or were memorable to me. Somehow with all the discussions on magic and multiverses accompanied with tension and emotion, I never  gave any regard about any of the characters. The Ancient One was an average mentor type that served her purpose, Mordo did not register as anything more than a companion, Wong was simply present and Palmer was the token love interest that acts like a basic everyman. I get that the film is supposed to be the origin story of Doctor Strange but did it have to make the other characters forgettable and lacking in additional shown depth? It is a basic rule; show, don't tell. One should show the complex and thought-provoking aspects of a character rather than simply talk about it like with Mordo's background and the Ancient One's feats.

One nice thing to note here is that unlike most Marvel films, here the token romance ultimately fails. It might seem like a minor point to like but after watching so many Marvel films with token romances that pop up like crazy, it is somewhat refreshing to see a film where the protagonist does not get the love interest.

Forgettable antagonist. Along the lines of forgettable side characters is a forgettable antagonist like Kaecilius. While there are mentions of his tragic backstory and how it may have motivated him (which the viewer will have to pick up by themselves), he does not impress me as a villain and left little impact on me. His feats are standard villain fare with boosted powers from a darker source, his motivations are rather basic & shallow, and his underlings barely registered as characters. In fact, I could not even differentiate the underlings save for one who only stood out because of his death. Plus there is one more fact that I hesitate to state outright for fear of spoilers but I will say that it is linked to one type of chess piece. While the actor's performance was adequate for the most part, the villain here felt underwhelming as a whole.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/o7MtfYoRvxo/maxresdefault.jpg and https://www.comicbookmovie.com/comics/marvel_comics/what-is-the-marvel-studios-formula-a133104

Recycled Marvel formula. While I am capable of excusing Marvel's recycled formula for making superhero films due to their entertainment value (i.e prologue with villain's feats shown; introduce protagonist and status quo; create situation that brings protagonist into fray; some form of training or character moment; action with protagonist's side not winning; some sort of sacrifice; protagonist rises up to the challenge; protagonist wins etc.), this film makes it difficult to ignore said formula. The film felt predictable to me with every progression of the story being something I could predict with little inaccuracy. It got to a point where I could predict plot twists and revelations of certain characters which usually does not bode well for most films.

In fact if I were to compare this film to another Marvel film, I would compare it to the first Thor film. In fact, this film and Thor left me with strikingly similar feelings of underwhelming satisfaction and entertainment. What does not help is that both films have similar plot threads like a haughty protagonist being brought down to their lowest, being allow to discover traits like virtue, the protagonist being called to handle a world-threatening crisis and the protagonist succeeding. While the formula may be an effective and safer approach to making Marvel film stories, it can result in the overall film's story becoming more predictable and less exciting. The formula here left me feeling only a little satisfaction as the entertainment value was not as high as previous Marvel films (like Civil War).

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PacingProblems

Pacing felt rushed. Another problem I had with the film is how fast the film felt. While there was time dedicated to showcasing the result of Stephen Strange's accident on himself and his personal life, the rest of the film felt rushed. After a rather brief training sequence, the film suddenly escalates to the point where Strange and Kaecilius finally meet and do battle. That part is then rushed through quite a bit to reach the point where the mentor performs a heroic sacrifice and after a rather brief inspirational talk with said deceased mentor, Strange proceeds to the film's final battle which is resolved fairly quickly too.

Parts that would have involved Strange learning about the type of magic used by the other sorcerers in detail feel like they were cut out, leaving a viewer like me with mixed feelings. While some training sequences in films can overstay their welcome in terms of length, it is advisable to go into some detail on these training sequences especially where magic, with its own set of rules, plays a major role in the film. The rest of the film just felt rushed as though the film could not stay put in a particular moment for too long. By the end of the film, I was quite surprise when the credits began to roll since it felt like the film only reached the halfway point.

Final thoughts:
The film, while competently made and watchable for the most part, was not as entertaining as the Marvel films prior to this one. As a result, I do not think that I would recommend giving the film a watch. While I was somewhat entertained by parts of the film, it was not a fulfilling experience even for a superhero film. While it did not bore me, it felt like watching a run-of-the-mill superhero flick like the first Thor film. Others have compared this to the first Iron Man flick which I can understand since this is another superhero origin film.

A Look at Vampire the Masquerade – Bloodlines Part 10

Now for the next instalment of my look at Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines. My apologies for missing my weekly deadline but so far, I have been engrossed in S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky. It is a good first person shooter game(FPS) available on GoG (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: CLEAR SKY) and Steam (S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky) that I personally recommend to people looking for a highly immersive and atmospheric FPS that takes place in a fictional version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Note that it is a difficult game that needs patching and some mods to further patch.

After escaping the blazing inferno that was Grout's mansion, Mark enters the jester prince's tower to inform him of the primogen's Final Death. Before that, Mark speaks to Chunk to open the elevator. Good to see Chunk is as observant as ever though his sense of smell leaves much to be desired.

Chunk's ramblings are always a treat for Mark and me.

Now to give LaCroix the bad news.

Bach is back. Tell a friend.

Ah... so LaCroix and Bach have history together.

Incidentally, the reader should look up the Hunter stories of CWoD. It does shed light on how Hunters operate in the CWoD where the horrors of the night exist in droves.

Picking any of the answers will lead to the same outcome.

That outcome being the reveal of a blood hunt and its consequences.

Looks like Mark has a new quest now.

Mark's sycophant ways are paying off! Praise and flattery abound!

The second option nets some extra cash which is always useful for supplies and box, eh? I'm sure it would not be important...

Sneak in, find the sarcophagus and no bloodshed, got it. Before leaving, Mark obviously has some questions.

Regarding Bach.

Regarding the Society of Leopold.

Regarding blood hunts.

Don't open it. Got it.

Word travels fast around here. How did he find out so quickly about Mark's tattling?

That is what Mark saw... or what he thinks he saw.

Fledgling life is never gonna be easy, is it? Everyone is bound to dislike you for one thing or another.

Jack has a less hostile response to Mark's tattling.

That sums up an issue with the Anarchs of LA. A lot of bark but bites come far later.

Classic Anarch conspiracy theory but considering LaCroix's lack of influence, he probably needs something to get rid of his direct opposition so the theory is sound.

Business as usual, it is.

Here's what Strauss thinks about the Ankaran Sarcophagus.

Gehenna?

On to the museum!

Now this front door area is probably from the Plus Patch of the Unofficial Patch (I have not verified it at time of writing). So far, I found nothing notable about it except for being an outdoor area.

I wonder how this plays out.

I will admit that I have wondered how the front area of the museum looks like so at least the Plus Patch additions did benefit me a little.

Now to use that front door key.

Before having to unlock a side door.

Funny how the fire exit is Mark's method of ingress.

Ah.. dinosaurs! I guess this is what Rosa meant.

Some nice lampshade hanging here. How else would a dinosaur end up here?

Note the side area past the dinosaur. I made a full loop around by accident rather than simply making a direct move towards it. Whoops. There is a key inside.

Now to head down the stairs.

Good thing ideas like The Night at the Museum was not used here (and it would not have made sense considering the lore of the world). I doubt the guards and Mark could survive an onslaught of rampaging dinosaur bones.

Inside that cubicle in this lavatory is a security guard handling his business. Mark best not disturb him.

Past the cubicles is this supply closet.

With a man-sized vent. I wonder how this place has not been robbed yet...

Proceeding through the vents will lead Mark into this office.

That is next to this security room.

Inside this room is an important key for those without any points in Security.

The cult of Gaben will be pleased.

Looks like Pisha's artifact is here. Unless someone has been sending e-mails on fetish related content around. In this room is a set of office keys Mark will be using shortly.

Like so.

Making my way through halls, sneaking fast, passing rooms and I'm basement-bound.

And now for the part I hate the most in this game.

The black object hanging from the wall in the distance is one of several cameras in the basement. If it or its brethren spots the player, the alarms will activate, making all the guards aware of Mark's presence. To disable the cameras, Mark will have to sneak into a security room and hack the terminal to disable them.

Which leads me to part 1 of parts I hate in the basement. Sneaking into this room without Obfuscation is one of the most frustrating parts of this game. Going through the window is the only real option I could think off here and then there is a guard inside who moves around at intervals. Without Obfuscate and an ability that stuns/dazes the guard inside, it becomes a matter of luck and point allocation that fails due to the poor stealth mechanics.

Thankfully, Mark has Voice of Bedlam to stun the guard.

It may be risky and difficult but deactivating the cameras will make life easier for any player character in this part.

Oh and there is another guard patrolling the area. Terrific...

Do not forget to collect this book for a free Security skill point.

Check some of the offices while sneaking around. There may be items to sell.

Must resist urge to snap annoying guard's neck...

Ah.. this seems important.

Along with an e-mail regarding a code change.

By the way, the artifact sought by Pisha lies in this room. To enter, Mark will have to break the glass.

Here is the item in question.

If the player did not read up on that code change, this keypad will be a problem.

Now for part two of parts I hate in the basement. That room is another security room. While the cameras are out, the hallway past said room is filled with laser tripwires that will sound an alarm if triggered.

The only way in is to smash the glass. This however places the guard inside on alert.

Unlike the previous room there is only one way out and not helping is the patrolling guard from before who may end up coming here before standing completely still. It is infuriating to sneak past the two.

Successfully hacking the terminal inside that room would disable the lasers. The alternative would be to activate a nearby electrical panel (not pictured here) to cause a malfunction that causes the tripwires to randomly activate and deactivate at intervals.

After bypassing the hallway, Mark reaches this area.

Good thing Mark picked up that key.

Huh... looks like I was right about robberies in this museum after all.

And here's Beckett with a fair point.

Regarding Beckett's interest in the sarcophagus.

A Gehenna skeptic? Interesting...

Hmm... that is a fair point. Most mythologies that I know of tend to have some form of doomsday integrated in their beliefs.

Regarding Antediluvians. That last bit is quite true.

Regarding Caine. Um... some like Kapaneus would argue otherwise... ;)

Regarding thin-bloods.

Regarding the signs of Gehenna.

Hopefully it is coming across to the reader that Beckett is a skeptic on many Kindred beliefs and thus goes out of his way to learn more about Kindred society and history. This makes him one of the most knowledgeable individuals on the aforesaid subjects.

Self-fulfilling prophecies tend to be the most dangerous in fiction.

For non-Malkavian vampires, there are more articulate thoughts to raise here. However, Mark is a Malkavian...

To be fair, it would not be the first time he has heard mad ramblings as a theory on the function of vampires.

Farewell, lone wolf.

This ends the quest and results in Mark transitioning back to Downtown LA. I wonder what Heather has been up to.

Looks like Heather brought back something extra with the usual groceries. This cannot be good...

To be fair, I do understand the appeal of takeaway meals being eaten in the home.

Looks like this fishy is angry... I wonder why.

While other player characters from other clans have been capable of convincing this fish to calm down and drop the issue, I am unsure that Mark could do so based on the last two dialogue options. So Mark will preserve the Masquerade here with the first option.

I expect they will have a violent reaction to that.

Of course, Mark is a mostly kindhearted madman so he will forgive her for this well-intentioned mistake.

Looks like there is another e-mail from Mark's mysterious friend.

Speaking of mysterious, time to return the fetish to Pisha. Mark's reward: a repulsive goblet. Gee, thanks...

Kidding aside, this is one of the most useful (if not the most useful) items in the game. It acts like a refillable bag of blood by collecting blood from slain enemies. Since blood also heals wounds on vampires, the Chalice will serve the purpose of as a refillable healing potion.

Looks like Jack has been hearing about Mark's adventures.

A little reminder that Jack is still an old vampire and is more crafty than what he seems to be.

Which means Mark's report on it being stolen will not be received well.

Diablerie? Take note of that word, reader.

In simpler terms, it is where a vampire completely drains the blood of another vampire.

Kinda like Kirby except less adorable.

And the pieces begin to come together. If the reader pays attention to the beleaguered status of LaCroix, this particular point from Jack begins to make more and more sense.

Better to store the locked MacGuffin with the enemy you know than the enemy you don't know.

I wonder if getting in will involve that missing box from before.

Perhaps I could suggest a Capuchin? Those monkeys are quite crafty...

Very good, Chunk. When I get my own super penthouse condo, I know the one overweight guard Mark should hire.

Now for some lines from the Jes- I mean, LaCroix.

One funny thing to note here is that when non-Malkavians can play up the sycophancy a bit here with a Persuasion option, LaCroix is able to pick it up unlike before.

Then again, there are those who were already sharpening pikes for LaCroix's head.

Now to bring up the bad news.

One thing I love about this sequence is the animation. While they are not realistic, they manage to portray exasperation and disappointment pretty well. As a bonus, it is humorous to watch.

Looks like the Nosferatu got some splainin to do!

From this bit, one can tell that LaCroix is clearly thinking up excuses on why he should get the sarcophagus. None of that charisma from his probably rehearsed speech on the blood hunt.

Looks like Mark is going to Hollywood.

An Anarch baron? More civil than the lot here? This will be interesting.

New mission it is.

Before leaving, Mark checks in on Chunk.

We can attest to that, Chunk, seeing as LaCroix was a part of history at some point.

Now I am not sure if this conversation is supposed to trigger at this point but essentially, this conversation reveals that Heather is being watched by unscrupulous individuals. In normal versions (along with the basic Unofficial Patch), the player only has two options: cut her loose to spare her from this attention or keep her around and bear the consequences. The Plus patch additions however add in an additional option which is to hide in the Haven and actively avoid attention.

Seeing how Mark wants Heather around but will not want her harmed, he picks the option that encourages her to hide and be cautious.

Feel free to pick the response that you feel Mark should say to dear Heather.

Looks like LaCroix has some business in Hollywood. Literally, there is an e-mail with that subject.

Almost forgot about Damsel. Now is the only time I have seen a new response appear throughout this whole time playing as Mark.

One can clearly tell that Damsel is quite reactionary and short-sighted.

Best not forget about Mercurio. I wonder what is this SPAS-15 he speaks of.

A semi-automatic shotgun! Nice... It is actually a pretty good gun that holds up in the later levels since it can alternate between automatic fire and single fire.

Now for Mercurio's take on recent events.

Regarding flamethrowers. While flamethrowers are not quite practical as personal defense weapons, they do make for some effective weapons against vampires.

One more thing to do. Check in on the Voermans (or is it just Voerman?).

Looks like things are going well for Therese.

While Jeanette is actively supporting Therese for mutual benefit. They'll be a powerful force to be reckoned with as long as no situation calls for the two to be in the same room at the same time.

Onward to Hollywood then!

Where Mark is bumped into by this person.

Time to pay tribute to the local baron of Hollywood and by pay tribute, I mean go around town looking for things to do.

This is the Hollywood hub area with plenty to see and do. It is also our stop for this part of my look at Vampire the Masquerade - Bloodlines. Join Mark next time as he picks up a few quests, meets up with Isaac and begins his search for the Nosferatu.

P.S: Also, the soundtrack for this part is great. Have a listen: VtM Bloodlines OST - Hollywood Theme.