It's time for another poll! New York, Paris, London. All cherished cities here on our beloved Earth. But, let's say the earth is done for (as it is in many sci-fi movies)--you have to have another place you can go, right? That's what this poll is all about: preparing you for the apocalypse. Would you like a peaceful retreat nestled in the Misty Mountains, or a bustling city that is literally the size of a planet? You get to choose! I have to admit, you have a hard choice this week, because honestly, I could live in every one of these! 

   I know...it seems like a weird title for a sci-fi/fantasy blog post, right? You'll find out in a second that it's really not. Come with me, let's go from London into the Secret Cinema.
   The Secret Cinema is described as a place with "360 degree participatory world" where "the boundaries between performer and audience, set and reality are constantly shifting." It combines dance, theater, film, music, and art into one fantastic package. The most exciting and unique thing is the "participatory" element, which means that the audience gets roles to play in the reenactment of whatever movie you bought tickets for. Previous "worlds" include such hits as Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Footloose, Casablanca, and The Shawshank Redemption. 
   To me, though, the most exciting of all is none other than Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. You're probably wondering what all this looks like. I could describe it, but it's better if you just see it. Just as a preface, I know you diehards (I'm definitely not one... ;)) will recognize that some of the scenes in the following trailer are from A New Hope, but really, who cares? Here it is:

   Ready to book a flight to London? If I had the money, I certainly would (anyone wanna go halfsies? ha). If you do have the money, though, or would just like to learn more about the Secret Cinema, you can visit their website at secretcinema.org. 

   Mars. Probably since it's been discovered, humans have wanted to go there. With its sprawling red landscapes and, apparently, water sources, it seems like an attractive planet for colonizing, right? President Obama and Elon Musk seem to think so.
   Just a couple of weeks ago, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, laid out his plan for reaching, and eventually, colonizing, the Red Planet. To get there, humans would purportedly hitch a ride in a $10 billon dollar rocket, with tickets costing a cool $200,000 dollars. This first trip to Mars could happen as soon as 2024, if all goes well. Musk's ultimate goal would be to send one million people to create a Mars metropolis. 

   President Obama echoed those calls to get to Mars earlier this week, with plans to get humans on Mars by the 2030s. He said that it will definitely require government and private sector cooperation, which will start when private companies begin sending astronauts to the ISS. 
   There are obviously a lot of concerns with sending people to Mars, like who governs colonization of Mars, will it have adverse effects on people's health, etc. Regardless, I know that after watching The Martian, I am not drawn to Mars, ha!  
​   Even so, these ambitious plans don't end with Mars. Musk even has ideas to reach Europa, Jupiter's moon, which is a whopping 390.4 million miles from earth. Will our desire to go deeper and deeper into space really ever stop? I don't think so. As for me, I think I'll just remain here on Earth. Until space travel is as efficient as warping around the galaxy, as in Star Trek, I'll stay put. 
   What do you think? Would you live on Mars, or even farther beyond Earth? If so, where? Leave me a comment!

   Let's face it, cars are boring. You have to admit at some point you've watched a sci-fi or fantasy movie with some kind of super awesome vehicle and said, "I want one of those!" We dream about someday in the distant future owning one of these things for ourselves. We all have been there. I know I have.
    Today's poll is your chance to weigh in on your favorite vehicle from a sci-fi/fantasy movie. Use the arrows to navigate the options, and press the heart to cast your vote! 

   If you read the title and are surprised, you are on the same boat I was about a month ago. When I found the Max Steel trailer last month, I thought it was a joke at first. But no sir, it is 100% real. You can watch the trailer below.

   In case you watched that and are totally confused, let me enlighten you. Max Steel is a popular line of action figures from Mattel that has been adapted into two separate TV series. The first one ran from 2000-2002 on Kids WB and Cartoon Network. The second one ran in 2013 on Disney XD and continues to run on Netflix. It chronicles the adventures of Max McGrath and Steel, who is of an alien species known as the Ultra-Links. Max essentially has inherent super-abilities, and Steel helps him regulate them; thus the name Max Steel when they are united. So now that you have the basic idea, let's talk about the film.
   In the film, Max's father, a scientist of some sort, has mysteriously died, and Max, a normal high school teenager, wants to know more about his father's research. Sound familiar? Probably because it is very similar to the plot of The Amazing Spider Man. At first glance, it may seem rather cliché, and granted, it kind of is. However, I think that there are some aspects of this movie that may make seeing it worthwhile.
   First, I think it combines the stories of some of our favorite superheroes. Honestly, many superheroes have similar origin stories. But I think that Max Steel is unique in that it feels like if Peter Parker decided to make Iron Man armor instead of a spider suit. Plus, Max's dependence on Steel to regulate his abilities is similar to Spidey's dependence on his web shooters, Tony Stark's dependence on the Iron Man suit, or Batman's dependence on his utility belt. This, I think, creates an almost immediate sympathy for Max. 

   ​Second, I think it's a good way to introduce a character that kids have loved for a long time to adults. With top-of-the-line special effects and a PG-13 rating (for some sci-fi action violence), it will probably make more of the older crowd feel more comfortable seeing a movie about what is perceived as a childish character. I personally look forward to seeing it myself when it comes out later this month on October 14. 
   So what do you think? Leave me your thoughts on it in the comments below or on one of my social media accounts! I'd love to hear your opinions!