Nintendo's E3 2018- The Hype Train

E3 seems particularly special this year.

With Nintendo on such a roll at the moment with not a whole lot of details about what the future holds revealed I can’t think of an E3 in recent memory with this much hype. A Smash Bros roster shrouded in almost complete mystery on fuels that speculation fire.

That being said, we have been let down before and to be honest there’s been more underwhelming E3s as of late than great ones.

So I’ve decided to write not one, not two, not four, but three lists today. Firstly my real prediction list- what I expect Nintendo to show based on the current speculation and what is realistic. Second is my dream list- if I was the boss of Nintendo just now, this is what I’d be getting my employees to work on.

Lastly and most depressingly will be the worst case scenario list- the E3 that if happened would probably make me sell my Switch.

So without a further ado here’s list 1, the actual prediction-

Some standard Nintendo direct music to start and as the ‘E3 direct 2018’ text disappears we see and hear that characteristic sword swish associated with whenever there was about to be a character reveal in Smash 4. A slightly updated version of the Smash 4 theme starts to play and quite a standard looking gameplay trailer starts to play on Smash Bros Switch that on the base looks very similar to the Wii U version. There’s Mario, Kirby, Pikachu- smashing it out. But ooh there’s Breath of The Wild Link and Zelda on a stage that looks like The Great Plateu. The next shot is a close up of one of the inklings tossing an ink grenade on a large inkopolis level. It still looks very much like what came before but when you look closer you start to notice little touches- an Odysee stage, a cappy item. The ice climbers are back.

It looks like the trailer ends but then we see Shulk running through a Xenoblade looking stage before he suddenly has to shield himself from a firey blast. The camera pans round- there’s Rex and Pyra from Xenoblade 2. They go to fight- we freeze frame and we continue with the direct.

A small introduction from Reggie then some quickfire segments similar to their mini directs. Here we see-

More on Mario Tennis Aces

Mario and Rabbids Donkey Kong DLC, maybe footage of a cool looking boss fight and a release date.

Is the new cross platform Minecraft out yet? If not, that.

Octopath traveller.

A new Mario Party for Switch! It seems to be a mix of the recent games and the more traditional games with individual turns and less car nonsense.

A few other independent titles with release dates.

Into our second big segment. Fire Emblem. Not knowing the series too well I don’t know what to expect but there’ll be detailed gameplay and story details ending with a Winter 2018 release date.

Back into quickfire mode.

Pokemon Lets Go! gets a smallish segment showcasing mostly what was in the previous trailer but with a few more surprise details.

Footage of the new single player Splatoon 2 campaign with release date.

Some 3Ds games no one really cares about.

A small segment on Yoshi.

The thumbnail for the next segment is a question mark. A cinematic starts to play. Darkness- but with a pulsing glow from off screen. It intensifies with a bassy rumble. We see a figure looking completely beat, slouched against a metal wall. Samus Aran. Some thumping, a loud bang and then she starts to run towards the camera- the area she’s in is being destroyed by some huge creature from the outside. She straddles bits of falling debris, blasts parasites in her way as she runs. The breathing intensifies as the creature on the outside gets closer and closer and…fade to black.

The Metroid Prime music plays slowly and quietly. Metroid Prime 4- 2019.

Nothing more said about prime 4 but back to Bill Trinen or someone else who introduces our next big reveal- Animal Crossing Switch! Gameplay is shown with a voiceover, it looks similar to new leaf but prettier. The new thing this time is you can get a job- we see a villager farming turnips in one section. One running a clothes shop in another. Animal Crossing Job Related Subtitle coming Q4 2018.

The last round of quickfire.

Mario Odyssey DLC. As many as 3 new kingdoms and a season pass. We have a quick look at a level with lots of slides down a mountain similar to Cool Cool Mountain in Mario 64 but bigger- Peguin Mario is seen sliding down said slides. In Another scene there’s a haunted level- there’s Boo Mario floating down a twisting corridor. Finally the biggy- there’s Delfino Plaza. Mario is seen kicking about fruit and in another he’s wondering round as a Pianta. All this will be Summer, Autumn and Winter DLC.

Bayonetta 3. Full trailer.

Some 3^rd party surprises including something from Bethesda- a Fall Out 4 port possibly.

Fortnite is shown. Probably Fifa 19.

We’re reminded that Crash Bandicoor NSane Trilogy is coming soon and then it’s confirmed The Spyro trilogy is coming soon as well.

A trailer starts to play. A Pikmin is seen running away from a large Bulborb holding a large coin. The bulborb suddenly falls over and the Pikmin with the coin escapes. Some laughing orange Pikmin suddenly appear who have been camouflaged and holding a chain of themselves to trip the Bulborb up. We then get an ace gameplay trailer of Pikmin 4 and it looks amazing. Different environment, mad looking boss fights and puzzles. Pikmin 4 coming Q1 2019.

Reggie thanks us for watching and reminds us treehouse live starts immedietly after this presentation. ‘We do however have one final surprise for you today. Take a look and we’ll see you soon in Treehouse Live’.

Peach’s castle music plays- we’re in one of the rooms of a Mario 64 esque plaza. Mario and Peach watch as some toads hang a new picture on the wall. Mario and Peach nod in approval. They suddenly have a look of concern however. The picture is one of a jungle and it has started to ripple. Slightly. A character is then thrown out of the picture to everyones surprise landing face down on the floor. Mario and Peach go to investigate and the character looks up looking dazed with a famous ‘woah’.

Crash Bandicoot is revealed to be the next playable character in Smash. Another 10 seconds of quick gameplay showing him fight various Nintendo characters is shown before a final Smash Brothers title appears with the release date of October 26^th 2018.

Reading that back I might be a little hopeful. That being said- here’s the dream list-

It starts with a Smash trailer. But not any old Smash trailer, a fully orchestrated epic new theme in the vein of Melees or Brawls. All cinematics, not even gameplay of Nintendo characters in their environments and before we know it bam there’s new characters left right and centre. Shit was that just Captain Toad?! Rex and Pyra! Nice! RIDLEY! It ends spectacularly with Mario and Link throwing down with out of nowhere- Travis Touchdown and Shovel Night- SUUUPER SMASH BRATHERS LEGACY!

A man can hope

We’re given details about Smash- extensive story mode conformed with cutscenes and giant boss fights. Tag mode is confirmed where you can switch between 2 characters on the fly. We’re promised more details to follow…

Mario Tennis Aces, Fire Emblem, Octopath traveller all shown..for 3 seconds each as they scroll across the background. Everything we know lots about already is saved for Treehouse Live.

Instead comes the previously mentioned Pikmin 4 I detailed in the predictions.

The quick fire reveals will actually be reveals. I’ll take that Mario Party. Sure throw Fortnite in quickly. That new New More Heroes game? Yeah it was just a warm up for No More Heroes 3.

Then comes that Metroid trailer. Some gameplay is shown after of an early boss fight and it looks stunning. The background shown is confirmed to actually be a stage in Smash Brothers where we see a bit more of Ridley.

The aforementioned Animal Crossing game is shown but only quickly. It’s heavily online focussed as well though and much bigger than any other Animal Crossing.

Speaking of exceeding expectations here comes the Pokemon Lets Go section and it actually looks a lot more complex and deep than we first thought. There are big episodes of story that are similar to the anime. The actual size of the game is double that of Yellow just due to the extra storylines and things to do.

Pokemon Snap 2 announced, why not, it’s my dream list.

And that rumoured Star Fox Grand Prix game, it’s real. It looks like Diddy Kong Racing with F-Zero style racing in Arwings, Tanks and Subs. You know what, make it an F-Zero crossover. Those 2 universes could work together.

All the Mario Odyssey DLC confirmed with playable Luigi, Wario and Waluigi.

Ports revelaed that I just want. Fallout, Cuphead even though it’s an Xbox exclusive. We’re also getting Red Dead 2. And Kingdom Hearts.

Reggie thanks us for watching and touches on a few other things happening in the world of Nintendo. We’re shown a still of the new Mario movie. A few new concept images from the upcoming Nintendo theme parks and a little from Mario Kart Tour on IOS and Android. ‘Thank you and we’ll see you in Treehouse Live’.

Peach’s castle, Toads hanging a picture etc. Some more Toads appear though, they have another picture too. As well as that jungle picture there’s a picture of some rolling hills peppered with sheep…and crystal dragons.

Two characters tumble out the pictures. Crash looks up with a ‘woah’…as Spyro the f**king dragon shakes himself off and the montage of them fighting the Nintendo giants starts.

Super Smash Brothers Legacy. September 21^st 2018. Mystery amiibo packaged with each game. Free demo available on e-shop from today.

A few notable exceptions from that list. No Zelda, it’s too early. And we can save Pokemon Gen 8 for late 2019 as previously stated.

And finally. The worst possible outcome.

We start with Smash. It’s a port of Smash 4 and looks identical. There’s no new characters other than the Inklings. Then shock- the big reveal at the end. Ice Climbers. No one really cares.

They talk about Smash for ages. A full rundown of the Inkling moves set. Loads and loads of details about The Ice Climbers and existing characters. An Odyssey stage is shown and it’s a static Battlefield clone.

An entire 10 minutes of Mario Tennis Aces. A further 5 on Octopath Traveller and 5 on DLC for Mario and Rabbids and Splatoon 2.

We look at the Pokemon Lets Go trailer again- it’s the same but with a voiceover. Battling is a simplified version of what it is in mainline Pokemon games. It all looks incredibly underwhelming.

Fortnite is shown with a lot of fanfare. Some other small independent titles are given huge importance.

A Mario Maker port is given 5 whole minutes.

Reggie appears. ‘Thank you for joining us. Now for one final surprise’. Dark mysterious trailer starts. Excitement mounts. It’s Fire Emblem. They show some overly complicated battle mechanics for a trailer. The trailer ends with a message saying that the new character no one knows about yet in Fire Emblem will feature is Smash and the Treehouse will start with them playing that character.

Happy E3 everyone. See you on the other side.

Alton Towers: The Big Six Eviction

I went to Alton Towers this year after not visiting since the start of the 2010. I really had forgotten what a wonderful theme park it is even if Hex and some other rides were closed.

After The Smiler drama last year it's nice to see the park slowly returning back to it's usual busy vibrant self. And with SW8 replacing The Flume in 2018 it shows that the future for Towers might not be as bleak as it looked this time last year.

It made me think beyond 2018 and to the park's long-term future. If they were to add a coaster after SW8 (which they will of course) where would it go? With limited space for coaster building and with all coasters ultimately having a shelf-life, which of the big six coasters would likely be sacrificed for a new development?

Here's a list of what coaster is most likely to be scrapped next in the next 5+ years starting with least likely.

6. The Smiler

With it back up and running this year with either the longest to second longest queue in the park I think this would be highly unlikely. The Smiler was such a huge investment for Alton Towers I think they built it with staying power in mind.

More than that- the Smiler looks incredible and is the most modern, polished ride in the park. Hopefully it'll be a good few years before those revolving screens start to break or those bright yellow entrance gates start to fade.

5. Th13teen

Another newer ride and one that still seems quite popular. It's unlikely Merlin would get rid of one iconic coaster (Corkscrew), replace it with this highly themed much advertised coaster than demolish it just over a decade later.

Th13teen seems to get mixed reviews from coaster fans but as a family coaster it works very well.

It's certainly not the most iconic or most intense coaster in the park but with it's relatively low age I'd reckon Th13teen has a good while left in it yet.

4. Nemesis

This is where things start to get tricky. On paper the odds are stacked against what is my favourite coaster in the entire world. It's the oldest of the big 6, clocking in at almost 23 years old. It certainly isn't getting the queues it used to either with it having one of the lowest wait times consistently the day I went.

So why number 4?

Nemesis is iconic- one of the highest praised coasters not just in the UK but around the world. It's status definitely keeps it out of the firing line. Soon I feel it will become an almost heritage style ride- the coaster that reinvented what it meant to be a mega new theme park attraction.

Add to that that the whole landscape is formed around Nemesis- you'd struggle to fit another ride in it's place without a lot of difficulty.

Maybe it is just my bias- but I don't think Nemesis is leaving- possibly even in my lifetime. One can hope anyway!

3. Galactica 

Alton Towers' newest ride- but not really. Galactica is Air- this will never change. Galactica is just an option riders can take to enhance the experience.

Air suffered from a case of 'world-firstitus' in my opinion and isn't the only ride at Alton Towers to have down so. Being the world's first flying coaster is fantastic for a few years as the same cannot be found anywhere on the planet. But then after just a short while this was no longer the case. The new rides based on the same idea were bigger, more intense and utilised the technology even better.

Thus Air became rather dated rather fast. Next to Manta at Seaworld Orlando or Tatsu at Six Flags Magic Mountain Air is a pussycat which is maybe why it was chosen for the VR treatment first.

The thing is though, VR has given Ai..Glactica a little more staying power. In a few years they just have to update the headsets to a new video and they can advertise it as a new attraction again.

The track and coaster-design itself will forever be rather tame however which puts Galactica higher on this list.


2. Rita- Queen of Speed

Rita- favourite of absolutely no one. It's not a bad ride. Just one that's over far too quickly and lacks theming and atmosphere to such an extent it was changed from a prehistoric ride to a dark forest ride between seasons.

In defense of Rita it is still relatively new with it only opening 11 years ago. It also has quite a small footprint and doesn't take up a huge amount of space as it curves round the edges of the dark forest area. I'd struggle to think of a ride that would go exactly in it's place.

That being said though it's anything but iconic and they could tear it down with a minimum of protest. It almost spoils the dark forest theming of the area and it would be nice to see a coaster in there with a similar aesthetic to Th13teen that isn't last minute pasted on.

The new woody is going in place of The Flume in 2018 but it'd still be nice to see something nice and rickety looking over in Dark Forest as well.

1. Oblivion

You know that 'world-firstitus' I mentioned earlier? No ride is riddled with it more than poor old Oblivion.

I love Oblivion- it's a total rush. Unfortunately at this point however is feels just a little more than a drop tower with the actual experience minus lift hill lasting just a couple of seconds. And with better themed and better designed dive-coasters not just in America but also in Europe now I think Oblivion's time may be limited- to the next half decade or so anyway.

The area around it is also a bit concrete feeling and the theming all feels a little dated and faded. The videos and music played in the queue haven't aged overly well either and feel very 90s. The vertical drop used to dominate the area but now with The Smiler at the entrance to X-sector it skulks away in the background.

Towers were thinking about Robocoaster technology a few years ago when they were throwing ideas around for Th13teen I'm pretty sure so I think a coaster of this type would be perfectly suited next to The Smiler. It's just a shame we'd have to say goodbye to what was, at one time, such an intimidating looking coaster.

It also had the shortest queue times the day I went and I don't think it has the same staying power as Nemmy.

The future?

In an ideal world I'd like to keep every coaster at Alton Towers and just see the place get even bigger in size. It'll be an interesting time in the coming years to see what the number 1 UK theme park does to improve and lure guests in with. I'll always look forward to finding out what they've got in the ever changing theme park pipeline.

My Top 10 Favourite Rollercoasters

I like to think of myself as a 'theme park enthusiast' but it's tricky when you live 100s of miles away from any proper rollercoasters that aren't the Looping Star at Codonas or the new one at Landmark.

I did a count though the other night and it turns out I've ridden around 70. Not all of them great of course (the 2 coasters mentioned above count) but the vast majority are all properly great and it made making just a top 10 pretty tricky. 

So much time and effort goes into a good coaster. It's no longer about the novelty of going kinda fast and maybe going round a few loops. It's about creating an experience and an atmosphere; to make you feel a feeling of peak adrenaline while not thrashing you about and making you feel unwell. 

So here's a list of my top 10 favourite coasters I've ever ridden, a list I'll hopefully add to in coming years. 

10. Cheetah Hunt - Busch Gardens Tampa

The fight for the number 10 spot was pretty tight but I think Cheetah Hunt is an example of how smart rollercoasters are starting to get not just in terms of their theming but how they actually move as well.

The most interesting thing about Cheetah Hunt is that it genuinely moves like a cheetah. Ride designers studied how the cheetah moves in the wild and replicated it in the ride- from the three bursts of acceleration to the zig-zagging pattern made by the track in the latter part of the coaster. 

The whole ride looks great as well and is especially scenic as you hurtle through the faux-African planes and rockwork. It's long as well for a launch coaster, moving at top speeds for the best part of 2 minutes. 

It's Busch Gardens's finest and a concept that is being used in other parks now such as Mako at Seaworld Orlando that imitates the movement of a shark. 

9. Space Mountain: Mission 2 - Disneyland Paris

People often see Disneyland Paris as a Disney park on a smaller scale but in the case of many of their rides it's simply not the case. Space Mountain Mission 2 is an example of a ride far superior to it's American cousins. 

It's not got the fastest launch in the world but the confined space and epic scale of the launch tunnel makes it feel far more intense. From there you're immersed in one of the most spectacular looking environments found in any ride. The ride tears around holograms of planets and asteroids and pulls off a few inversions which is impressive for such a tight enclosed space. 

It's also a case of on-ride audio getting put to good use with the music getting faster and more intense as the ride continues to it's pretty spectacular finale of twisting red neon lights. 

It's a king of dark rides and the perfect evolution of the original concept of what a space mountain ride should be like. 

8.Stampida - Portaventura

Stampida is an example of a modern wooden coaster done incredibly well. It feels rickety and out of control and is laid out in a chaotic way so the coaster is constantly weaving in and around itself. The ride just looks very busy with lots going on which adds to the excitement. 

What makes Stampida really stand out however is the racing element. The fact you're also racing another coaster just adds to the mad nature of the ride and it's clever how they've managed to fit 2 entire coasters in a small space. It's also not a case of one track just running parallel with the other- after a while each coaster goes its separate way and then they interact with one another before eventually coming back together for the race to the finish. 

Sure it's a little rough but with it being a woodie it kind of needs to be. It also fits in well to the Wild West area of Portaventura and I'd struggle to think of anything else that would better in it's place.

7. Saw- The Ride - Thorpe Park

It's not often a rollercoaster is centered around the theme of 'we are going to murder you on this ride' yet here's Saw- The Ride, where there's blood splattered up the walls of the queue and there's a dead body lying under part of the track.

In all seriousness though Saw-The Ride is intense- both in terms of it's extreme horror theming and as a forceful coaster. I love a coaster that starts with a dark section and Saw has probably the best first few seconds of any coaster I've ridden. You're immediately plunged down a near vertical drop and into tunnel of darkness, swinging blades and shot guns. And then a heartline roll over the aforementioned dead body- it's definitely not one for the family.

The outside coaster section is where the forces kick in and the layout is unpredictable and twisty as you're pulled in every direction after that iconic first drop over the Saw blades.

A truly mental coaster and shows that theme parks are definitely not just for the kids.


6. Superman: Escape From Krypton - Six Flags Magic Mountain

Sometimes it's good to experience just what a coaster can do in terms of incredible speed and G-force. Superman: Escape is a former record breaker in the categories of top speed, acceleration and max height. And it's incredible.

I rode this backwards in 2014 not expecting much- it's just a straight forward launch coaster after all. But it really needs to be ridden to understand the hype. It goes without saying but yes- it's bloody fast. You really do feel the difference between this and say Stealth at Thorpe Park or Rita at Alton Towers. And then after the initial launch you find yourself in a weird state of free-fall at 400ft facing straight down at the park below you.

There's not much more to add about Superman. It's just an intense G-force machine that pushes the limits of what a coaster can do.


5. The Swarm - Thorpe Park

The UK theme park industry has come on leaps and bounds in the last decade or so. There's been theme parks in the UK for a long long time but many tend to just be an extension of the classic sea-side funfair and are incomparable to the theming at saaay Disney World or Universal over in the states.

You could find The Swarm in any American mega-park and it wouldn't look out of place. It's a worldclass ride both in terms of the spectacular theming and a forceful thrilling ride itself.

Merlin have nailed the 'apocalypse' atmosphere of the ride that get's it's own entire area of the park. The theming isn't just shoved away to the side either with a lot of the scenery providing large set-peices for the ride experience. The still smoking  crashed aeroplane and wrecked billboard are the best 2 head-choppers of any coaster I've ridden.

It's the best themed ride in the UK and a promising look as to the direction and effort Merlin will be putting in to future rides.


4. Expedition Everest - Disney's Animal Kingdom

If you can't tell already- I quite like my theming. It can completely make a ride. So if The Swarm is the best themed coaster in the UK I'd have to say Expedition Everest is the best themed coaster in the world.

Expedition Everest might be the ride that turned me into a bit of an enthusiast and really made me want to travel over to America so I could experience rides of this caliber. I remember in 2006 watching a POV of the ride on Google Video and not quite believing such a beautiful ride existed. This wasn't just a roller coaster- it was a full on adventure story in an incredible setting.

Even as a fully grown adult that mountain looks authentic. The area is completely immersive and absolutely stunning with it's cascading waterfalls and snowy peaks.

It tells the story of the yeti chase in such a brilliant clever way that starts slow and just ups the excitment and pace as it goes on. From the trick-track at the top of the mountain to the animatronic grand finale there's not a single moment of slow down.

I look forward to seeing if Disney will ever top this coaster in terms of both scale and beauty.


3. X2 - Six Flags Magic Mountain

X2 at Six Flags Magic Mountain is coaster innovation at its finest. It reinvents the very art of making a great coaster by adding a completely different dimension to the ride - ride cars that move independently to the whole coaster train. It's a tricky concept to even visualize yet it pulls it off flawlessly. All this from a ride built in 2002.

The first drop is the most intense of any coaster I've ridden. The way this coaster is designed allows for a full on vertical skydive to start the ride followed by a backflip that launches you straight back into the air. Other highlights include another backflip over an airtime hill and a backwards loop that just wouldn't be possible on any other type of coaster.

I remember seeing the ride on Rollercoaster Tycoon 2 and completely failing to understand how the ride could possibly work. Experiencing it in real life made me realise how well the idea of a multi-dimension coaster does work and made me appreciate how hard it would be to create a coaster that used the technology effectively.

I sadly didn't experience it with on board audio and fire effects but I'd imagine they just make the ride even better. It's a masterpiece in the coaster hall of fame.


2. Shambhala - Portaventura 

There's a vlogger on youtube called Shawn Sanbrooke that went on about how good this ride is and constantly calls it his favourite coaster in the world. From youtube videos and pictures I didn't really see the big deal- it kinda just looks like another Big One at Blackpool. Rides are more about just a big drop now right?

Shambhala is a coaster that really needs to be ridden to be appreciated.

Held in with the world's most comfortable yet sketchy looking restraint of just a clasp over your thighs your taken up a satisfyingly quick lift hill and through one of the smoothest rides to be found in any theme park ever. And because there's no clunky over the head restraint in place you feel totally free as you soar through the air next to the incredible looking Mediterranean coast.

It's not just about that first drop either. The clever figure-eight turn more than 100ft in the air, the impressive looking water splash and the powerful airtime hills make every second of this coaster a hugely enjoyable experience.

It's a ride I could sit on all day and not feel at all uncomfortable on. It's the original coaster concept of leaping the dips but done in 2012 to an absolute perfect level.


1. Nemesis - Alton Towers

Nemesis is the ride that really explained to me how a rollercoaster can create an atmosphere and tell a story not just through scenery but through actual coaster design. Every inversion or banked turn is positioned where it is for a reason and not just haphazardly thrown in because loops + turns = a good ride. Nemesis is for me the perfect rollercoaster experience.

I first rode Nemesis back in 2007 when I was still getting into big rides. I'd had a great day in Alton Towers riding Oblivion, Rita, Air etc. Me and my friend left Nemesis until the end and it just felt...different. All the other rides were great fun and got my adrenaline pumping but Nemesis was almost like a work of art in the way it cut into the landscape the way it did and worked so well with it's extreme surroundings of steep rock faces and blood red waterfalls.

Once Nemesis takes hold it really never lets go. From the deceptively long first drop you enter that first corkscrew which provides just enough slow-down to set you up for the intense acceleration that builds up in the next section of the ride. You're literally thrown round that next helix and continue to build speed as you plunge through a tunnel and twist seamlessly into a barrel roll. After that is the intimidating vertical loop that seems to last forever before another series of tunnels, turns and a genius hidden corkscrew in an impossibly tight space.

Rides can cost  hundreds of millions dollars, break all kinds of records and add as much scenery and effects as they want. But is the actual design of the ride itself isn't up to scratch it'll always look weak compared to what I still call my favourite ride in the world even after trips over to America and Europe. Nemesis at Alton Towers.

Top 10 Films I watched in 2015

It's been a big year in the film world. 2015 saw films that had been talked about for years, in some cases decades, release in cinemas and they have done so to big acclaim for the most part. I love a blockbuster, I'm a pretty crappy critic to be honest. I like explosions, big budgets and cheese. 2015 had all of that in abundance.

Honorable mentions: Mad Max Fury Road, Mission Impossible 5, John Wick and Ant Man. They come highly recommended.

To the countdown!

10. The Night Before

Very rarely do comedies make this list but The Night Before took me by surprise. I can give or take Seth Rogan films but the Night Before really surprised me with how genuinely funny it was. More than that though it had a load of heart and some lump in throat moments. It's everything that makes a Christmas film a year-after-year watch and I look forward to seeing it next festive season as well. 

9. Avengers: Age of Ultron 

A shame that Age of Ultron appears so far down on the list this year. It didn't blow me away like The first Avengers or even some of the recent Marvel films- but it was still a lot of fun and the action was as explosive and well choreographed as you come to expect from Marvel. It was certainly big- perhaps maybe a little over-stuffed. 

8. Big Hero 6

Good ol' Disney, giving us yet another new-renaissance classic in the form of Big Hero 6. Baymax obviously steals the show and is an adorable character. The fact it's a solid super hero movie as well makes it even better. It also provided some of the coolest cosplay I saw at Glasgow Comic Con this year like the girl who dressed as the roller disk girl. Well done her. 

7.Spectre

It's not as good as Skyfall! It isn't! Look how it isn't Skyfall! True. But it's still one of the finest action films of the year. The stunts are what really stood out in Spectre- everything else was good but not aaass good as what has been done previously. The best bit for me was the first 10 minutes with that spectacular Day Of The Dead sequence. It also ends well- Bond just always seems best when he's on home soil. 

6. Fast and Furious 7

Spectre had good believable stunts. Fast and Furious 7 had ridiculous phenomenal stunts. And feels. Sure it all happens in a world of twisty physics and cheesey dialogue but it's still held together coherently and is Hollywood escapism at it's finest. It's a thrill ride in a cinema screen. The Abu Dhabi sky scraper scene had me smiling ear to ear. 

5. The Kingsman Secret Service

Didn't see this coming. The Kingsman feels like Kick-Ass crossed with Alex Rider which is a combination that works fantastically. It's shocking, funny and very exciting- the parachuting scene is incredibly tense. Colin Firth is great, so is Sam L Jackson as the villain. I look forward to many a sequel.

4. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

A great ending to one of my favourite film series in modern film. Whereas in part 1 where not an awful lot happens- a lot happens in part 2 both in terms of action and story. It went in a direction I really wasn't expecting and took some really shocking twists and turns which I feel really paid off. It's a film with a message and that message is expressed successfully through what has felt like a tough-going but enjoyable journey.


3. Inside Out

This is top tier Pixar up there with Wall E and Toy Story 3. It's a brilliant idea and even though it's kind of been done before, Pixar really get the idea right. Should have known a film all bout emotions would indeed make me feel emotions. While the little adventure with Joy and Sadness is good fun it's the emotional moments that really make Inside Out stand out from other animated films. It's what Pixar do best and Inside Out is an absolute showcase for them.


2. Jurassic World

'It had it's flaws', I heard people say after watching. I honestly couldn't care less- It was a film that in my mind captured the tone and excitement of the original Jurassic Park and turned it into a bigger budget spectacle for the modern audience. It was paced nicely, had fun characters and had exactly what you'd want to see from a Jurassic Park film made 22 years on- Dinosaurs f***ing shit up on a massive scale. It was cheesy but as said previously I love cheese- especially in a film that made me smile and make me feel as nostalgic as this one. 

1. Fantastic Four

LOLLE JK i didn't even see it. But seriously-


1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

We waited years- the hype train was very much on track and steaming along since 2013. And somehow it passed expectations. It felt very Star Wars but more than that it just felt like a really movie. The new characters are brilliant and the returning characters are used well while not being smooshed into your face screaming 'LOOK! IT'S LIKE OLD TIMES!'. The biggest complaint from people was it was too similar to a New Hope. When a film is compared to one of the greatest films of all time is that really a bad thing? Plus it added a lot to the Star Wars universe and I can't wait to see the new trilogy expand it even further. Star Wars came back with a bang this year in a film I would describe as the best in the entire franchise.



Thank you 2015. It's been a year where nostalgia has played a big role in creating some movie magic as well as films being great in their own right.

It's a big super hero year this year. I wonder how many will make it onto 2016's list. 

Derren Brown: The Ride?

Ah the unpredictability of the theme park industry. A survey was created by Thorpe Park a while ago asking what TV shows guests would like see made into rides and attractions at the park. There was some obvious choices like Doctor Who or Top Gear, you can clearly imagine what those rides would be like. Then there were the more obscure ones. Xfactor for example. And I'm a Celebrity which, bizarrely, actually happened in what looks like some kind of horror maze/gameshow oddity.

This is a thing apparently

I certainly don't remember a Derren Brown option- if it was there I wouldn't even know what they'd do with the 'Derren Brown Ride' concept. I'd imagine it would be a magic show or creepy walkthrough like what they've done with I'm a Celebrity and I'm a man who would obviously prefer a rollercoaster or good dark ride.

But that's exactly what this new ride will be- a dark ride with what I can assume will feature rollercoaster elements. A rollercoaster based on physiological manipulation eh. Sounds different at first before you realise this was more or less the exact theming of another of Merlin's recent coasters- one I'm sure they wouldn't want this new  ride to be associated with.

Coming 2016 - The Smiler 2

It's a brave move but one I'm happy with. As much as The Smiler has such a bad name now and it's future is looking pretty bleak it's theming was original and well done. It would be easy enough for Merlin to stick to the basic Rollercoaster Tycoon menu themes (Jungle! Space Age! Pirates!) but they took a gamble here and it paid off, at least until Summer 2015.

So it's a theme that works but what will they do with it and how will it be different? Being a dark ride opens up a plethora of opportunities- I don't think it'll be a full on coaster with 10 loops and big drops but I think there will definitely be ride cars and a track, especially with such a big budget. Some information I've found on Thorpe Mania reveals that the 'experience' will be around 13 minutes long which suggests that a rollercoaster segment would only be one part of the ride. A 13 minute rollerocaster is unheard of and impossible in the room available...unless they're include a preshow in that time.

What elements could a Derren Brown ride feature? Thinking of other mind mending attractions at Alton Towers- Hex is still a mindf*ck even though I know exactly how it's done. And then there's Thirteen with it's moving track that catches first timers off guard as they're confused what direction they'll shoot off next.

Good old Hex, still confusing

An element of not knowing which way is up sounds like a good idea for a ride that manipulates the mind- it's the feeling the Smiler went for as well in a probably more physical way of continually throwing riders upside down. As the future of big budget theme park rides veers more towards 'robo-coaster' territory it'll be incredibly interesting to see what could be done with the technology to provide some legitimately world-first experiences.

The tone of the teaser trailer is looking promising as well. It feels very unnerving and seems aimed very much at the teen-adult market which is exactly what I think Thorpe should continue to do.

Creepy

As someone who has seen Derren Brown a few times I can tell you he puts on a hell of a show and I've not once left a live show not feeling totally perplexed by what I've just seen. It would be wonderful to recreate that feeling in a theme park attraction with an added coaster-thrill as part of the experience. I can tell this won't be a half assed effort.

Fingers crossed we get more information in the coming months and I might have to find time early next year for a trip down to London. I've not even ridden the bloody Swarm yet...

Fall Out Boy's Albums Ranked

In just under a month my favourite band of my early teens that continues to be one of my favourite bands now will be playing just 2 miles up the road from my house.

The news that I'll be seeing them live (for the 4th time no less) has had me listening to FOB's entire discography again and had me thinking about what my favourite album was. It's often said that their old stuff is better than their new stuff but I don't think that's entirely the case- some of Fall Out Boy's best material is on their post-hiatus albums.

Getting a definitive ranking of all albums proved quite difficult so I took the scientific method and listed every song on all 6 FOB studio albums and listened to each one front to back. There are worse ways to spend a Tuesday night I'm sure. I then gave each song a mark out of 10 and took an average for each album.

This gave me a rundown of the top 6 Fall Out Boy albums and I have to say it's pretty close and not exactly as predicted.

And here's that rundown...here.

6. Folie A Deux 

Score- 7.5/10

Sadly Folie A Deux appears at the bottom of this list due to a lackluster second half that slows the tempo and get's a bit dreary. It's an album they often avoid playing live other than 'I Don't Care' and is often regarded as their weakest album by fans making the hiatus seem like a logical next step.

That's not to say it's a bad album though- not at all. A pattern I noticed with FOB albums were their incredibly strong starting tracks- Disloyal Order is as strong as any album opener on this list and that's followed by the brilliant party anthem of the aforementioned I Don't Care.

What A Catch Donnie is one of the best of the band's slower efforts and acts as a small celebration of what the band had achieved up to that point.

Also the best album artwork of any album on this list. Don't beat yourself up Folie A Deux.

Best Song: Coffee's for Closers
An underrated gem and one of the best 'pick me up' songs of their back catalogue - the violin outro leaving the whole song feeling very grand.

Honorable Mention: I Don't Care
A party classic for me at secondary school house parties. Rebellious and fun.

Worst Song: West Coast Smoker
Ends the album on a low after several other forgettable songs.


5. American Beauty/American Psycho

Score- 7.8/10

The band's newest album while never suffering a big slide in really great songs doesn't really have a massive memorable track that truly defines it like some of the other albums.

That's not to say the title track American Beauty/American Psycho isn't a hugely catchy unique track on the album. And Immortals is part of what made Big Hero 6 as great as it was.

I look forward to hearing a lot of these tracks live on their tour- seeing certain songs live can change their meaning and lasting affect on me quite a bit.

Best song: Favourite Record
One of Fall Out Boy's best love songs in my opinion that just has a huge nostalgic feeling to being in the late years of secondary school.

Honorable Mention: Immortals
Uplifting with a bit of swagger if I'm using that term right. A great training montage song as shown in Big Hero 6.

Worst Song: Twin Skeletons
A weak note to end the album on- like the lyrics it tends to go 'on and on and on'.


4. Save Rock and Roll

Score- 7.9/10

Almost totally proving the opinion of 'the old stuff is better than the new stuff'' by front loading this list with the new albums it's not to say that when Fall Out Boy came back they came back with a bang.

An album that features artists like Foxes, Courtney Love and incredibly Elton John; it shows just how big Fall Out Boy still were in the music world even after a 4 year gap between albums which is considerable for Fall Out Boy and especially after the slight disappointment of Folie A Deux.

It's a definite change in tone for the band- the start of new Fall Out Boy which brings with it a decelerated pace but retains the power and catchy choruses present in every FOB album old or new.

Best Song: Alone Together
As mentioned in American Beauty/American Psycho- seeing a band live can often totally change a song for me. This was their most moving powerful songs of their 2014 set in Glasgow. Touching lyrics that Stump sings perfectly.

Honorable Mention: The Phoenix
Forget I Know What Your Songs Did - this is what cemented Fall Out Boy's triumphant return to music for me. It's one of the best fight songs ever written and again an awesome album opener for the band.

Worst Song: The Mighty Fall
I don't quite get this song and is probably my least favourite song on any album. It's a direction I'm glad the band don't appear to be pursuing. Not a Big Sean fan either.


3. Infinity On High

Score- 8.1/10

The album that made Fall out Boy truly mainstream with anthems like This Ain't A Scene and Thnks Fr Th Mmrs. From Under the Cork Tree was a success but Infinity gave Fall Out Boy legitimate chart success and they partially shed their image of  'an emo band for teens' to a 'band for everyone'.

Fitting with the Fall Out Boy tradition it has a powerful start and flows magnificently well to the incredible finish of GINASFS.

The album for the most part is very upbeat with the emotional interlude of Golden creating a nice break from the thrashing guitars.

Best Song: GINASFS
With an album with such massive hits on it I will always remember Infinity On High for how it ends- with this bouncy little track. It reminds me of growing up and how life can be tough sometimes. I'm not sure why the title stands for 'gay is not a synonym for shitty' but I agree with the message anyway.

Honourable Mention: Thriller
An opening so good the band often still use to open new shows.

Worst Song: I'm Like A Lawyer
The only song on the album I'm not crazy about. Just a bit of a letdown after the first few greats before it or ones that follow.


2. Take This To Your Grave

Score- 8.2/10

There's not a single 'skip' track on Fall Out Boy's first album- from start to finish it's just hugely enjoyable to listen to.

This is Fall Out Boy's true start- before this there was Evening Out With Your Girlfriend admittedly but that album (technically an EP) was still a bit rough round the edges- TTTYG is where they tightened everything up and started something fantastic.

Rolling Stone famously called this album 'like anything you can see on The Warped Tour' and I think this is anything but true. Fall Out Boy weren't just another emo band- they offered something more. The perfect voice blended with the pop punk rhythms gave it something more and was lacking in the whiney melodrama associated with the genre.

From Tell That Mick to The Patron Saint Of Liars And Fakes it leaves you with a massive smile on your face- it's about dealing with being a teenager and growing up in a way that's less 'life is so hard- let me tell you about it' and more 'life is hard- let's get on with it.'

Best Song: Grand Theft Autumn
So much fun to belt out and have a little mosh to. And takes on a beautiful quality when experienced acoustic. Lovely.

Honorable Mention: Grenade Jumper
I have a soft spot for Grenade Jumper due to it's main  chorus line that features my name. It's a song about showing appreciation for a fan named Chris and there's something about that that just...speaks to me.

Worst Song: Reinventing The Wheel To Run Myself Over
At a push this is probably the least memorable song of the album but still loses none of the momentum that makes this album flow.

1. From Under The Cork Tree

Score- 8.4/10

My introduction to Fall Out Boy and the first time I felt really connected to music. In the days where a lot of my friends at school were very much into either rap and hip hop or at the other end the heaviest of metal, Fall out Boy just spoke to me and I knew I'd found the genre of music that fitted my way of life.

I'm getting a bit deep but it's essentially an album with some of my all time favourite songs on it. Dance Dance and Sugar We're Going down still get whoops and chairs when played in bars and clubs and they just have lasting appeal.

You could say this is Fall Out Boy at their peak- every song is catchy and bouncy, it's a showcase of Stump's fantastic voice and to me the soundtrack of my life in the mid to late 2000s.

Best Song: I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me
A hell of a title and a hell of a song. Among the classics on this album there appears this one which is to my delight usually performed live and has that almost aggressive edge as it teeters into slight screamo territory with Wentz's vocal. Needless to say it pays off.

Honorable Mention: Sugar We're Going Down
The first FOB song I ever heard and still one of my favourites. Sing it loud and let your problems disappear.

Worst song: Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying
The album's only dud- it loses tempo and lacks and the monologue at the end isn't entirely necessary.


See you next month Fall Out Boy and thanks for the memories (sorry).