Quick review Battle Los Angeles

I went along and saw this last night after umming and aaahing over whether i would bother going to see it on the big screen. My reaction was that i liked it but its not one I'll go after when its comes out on DVD unlike lets say District 9.

It's got plot holes that you could drive a truck through but they kept the action up and i didn't feel i had to leave before the credits rolled.

• interstellar race invades earth and forgets to install redundant command and control system
• aliens are here for water but come onto land to get it
• alien weapon platforms don't have protection for the operators

There were some bits towards the end that just got a bit silly like the scene and dialogue in the Humvee when they shot the alien off the hood and they did blow a lot of stuff up.The aliens were different from the norm look wise but reacted like badly scripted AI shooter aliens which was a pity as they could have been much more menacing and were only really effective at the start of the film. They weren't too over the top with the corny American rah rah stuff although it was just there below the surface trying to come out.

Its a film that reminded me of the original Stargate which was the gateway to the Stargate franchise, so when is the series coming out?

It was a bit Jekyll and Hyde too with the first half being shot like a sketchy fast paced doco. and the second half more like a paper cutter war movie.

Did i mention they blew a lot of stuff up?

Grey Knights quick thoughts

Some thoughts on the Grey Knight imminent release before i burn out the door to work.

•  the terminator models are sweet and a big improvement on the old metal models and there are 13 heads on the sprue! thank you GW.
• i have seen some comment on the internet that people are dissapointed that there is not the wow factor of say the blood angels release. i feel  that is being overly critical because there is a big difference. blood angels were a major leap forward in design especially if you include the space hulk figures while GK are simply new plastic figures with the (almost) same design as the old metals.
• i am not personally excited about the dread knight as a figure. when you compare it to say the penitent engine it looks like a lego man or a baby carrier as i saw someone remark. Its big though which is cool when you stand it underneath a valkyrie or stormraven.

Oops forgot WIP shots of Arachnarok spider

I just happened to look at the blog and realised I'd forgotten to post some more shots of the Arachnarok spider.

Coming along nicely. And as i mentioned I'm going blind painting these little blighters. I've just realised I'm three short so back out to the garage to fish some more out.

I've also been very busy priming various miniatures for the painting table.

A mixed batch here with Valiant plastics at the back, Games Workshop Grey Knights and Orcs in the middle and Pegasus 1/76 Germans on the left with some Warmodelling 20mm there for Bill at TMP.

More goblins or how i went blind painting tiny teeth.

I've got a handful of Night Goblin spearmen to get done from the last Warhammer boxed set. Who was it that sculpted so many teeth on the little blighters?

 

These came to me undercoated and partly (badly) painted but without being glued to their bases or with any flash removed. I've been experimenting with painting them unbased but have to admit i'm not a fan. Blocking in the different colours has taken some time with a brown (GW Devlan Mud ) wash down the spear and GW Thraka Green on the flesh.

 

Now that they are on their bases the teeth and eyes have gone on.

Ready for the dentist and optometrist.

  I've got to the point where they are glued down, tonight is getting them on their bases, sand and undercoat applied and ready for base base coat in the morning.

PVA and sand applied to bases

Softly, softly, catchee spider

First Devlan Mud wash on the Arachnarok carapace, Skull White for the legs and various colours on the tree.

Worked on the base and tree last night then made a little progress on the Arachnarok spider this afternoon. Cooked tea, moved half a meter of gravel which a neighbour has kindly dropped off and now i'm off to bed. Tomorrow is a day off so in between cleaning the house, looking after the five year old and moving the other half a meter of gravel I'll try to get this close to finished. Phew.