YouTube vs. Twitch

Social media plays a considerable role in modern life, and video-sharing social media, in particular, is one of the most popular forms of social media. Currently, two of the biggest video-sharing sites that regularly compete with one another are YouTube and Twitch. Within this decade, YouTube and Twitch have provided their users with great online live-streaming content, a new form of entertainment. Many might argue that YouTube is a better website for live-streaming content; however, Twitch is far superior due to its larger platform. 

Twitch is branded as a live-streaming service whose sole purpose is to provide their users with live-streaming content. Due to this focus on one particular objective, Twitch has received the reputation of being the best site to live-stream and watch live-streamers. This attracts more streamers to come live stream on Twitch, making it a better platform overall due to the variety of content viewers can enjoy from different streamers. These various streamers also contribute to creating more prominent and diverse communities within Twitch that allow its viewers to become a part of their favorite streamer’s content that cannot be done in YouTube live-streaming. The importance of having a larger platform can let viewers have more freedom with different streamers and their communities, which in turn makes it an overall fun experience for everyone.

Young Audiences Deserve Better Movies

Movies have an extraordinary power to draw audiences in and captivate them with meaningful stories that change our lives. As for children, the movie industry scrapes the barrel’s bottom and leaves them with minions and fart jokes.

The biggest dilemma with movies tailored towards younger audiences is they often underestimate them. Instead of creating relevant conflicts that teach important lessons, filmmakers choose to pad time with brainless action. Even some movies meant for more mature audiences do the same.

Mr. Rogers, one of the greatest advocates for children’s media, once said, “We don’t have to bop somebody over the head to make drama on the screen… I think that it’s much more dramatic that two men could be working out their feelings of anger…”

Filmmakers bombard younger audiences with films that only care about holding the viewer’s attention. Films should tackle emotional problems to help audiences realize that feelings are mentionable and manageable.

I care deeply about children. I only wish films would too.

The Breath of the Wild Sequel Might be a Letdown

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild from 2017 is one of the highest-rated video games of all time and is my favorite video game. It has nearly infinite exploration options and collectibles, and almost everything about the game is perfect. So, after I finished it for the first time this month, the upcoming Breath of the Wild sequel became my most anticipated video game. However, the more I looked into the sequel, the more reservations I gained because the sequel sounds like it might feel too similar to its predecessor. 

The most universally enjoyed and praised part of Breath of the Wild is its massive open world, and a lot of the magic of playing the game comes from unlocking new areas. Many fans believed that the next game would be set in the lands beyond Hyrule and would provide players with unexplored territories. However, Eiji Aonuma, Zelda series project manager, said that the sequel game will reuse the same map and many other assets from the former game. These similarities cause one to question how original the sequel can be. Will the sequel have any exploration elements if there are no new locations? Moreover, if there is exploration, will it not feel too similar to Breath of the Wild? No one outside of Nintendo knows, and the fans will have to wait until the game is eventually released.

Pusheen is the BEST mascot

Every famous company has a well- known mascot. Nintendo has Mario, Disney has Mickey, Sega has Sonic, Sanrio has Hello Kitty, and the list goes on. As popular as they are, they do not compete with Pusheen the cat. Pusheen is a female cartoon cat that first appeared in 2010 on online comic strips and quickly took off. Everywhere you look online, you are bound to at least see one Pusheen gif being used.

When comparing Pusheen to other companies, she is better. Her personality is one of the best since she perfectly represents a regular housecat’s sassiness while still being entertaining to all ages. She is also relatable since all she wants to do is sleep and eat, like most people in quarantine nowadays. Those who have younger siblings can relate to Pusheen as well since she also has two younger siblings. When they interact, it perfectly represents interactions between siblings and how they do not always get along. All of the chaotic energy that she brings to the table is very amusing and can bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Pusheen may sound “girly,” but anyone can enjoy Pusheen since she was created to be enjoyed by everyone of all ages and genders. Anyone can enjoy Pusheen and all her crazy shenanigans in comics and gifs.

Should Disney purchase the rights of Spiderman from Sony? 

In 1999, Sony purchased the rights to the famous Marvel superhero, Spider-Man. Marvel was broke at the time and decided to sell Spider-Man and all of its rights for a meager $10 million along with a 5% cut from the money it made from the movies. However, now that Marvel has become the “Thanos” of movies, making almost $3 billion from Avengers Endgame alone, should it purchase Spider-Man back from Sony? It is safe to say that Sony made a smart investment when it purchased the rights to Spider-Man for a tiny $10 million. Spider-Man’s latest movie, Far from Home, made $1.132 billion. It is also important to note that the rights Sony have not only includes the rights to the Spider-Man character but anything related to Spider-Man. This includes different villains, different spider men and women in multiverses, and origin stories. This explains why Disney should consider purchasing the rights to Spider-Man from Sony. For instance, one of the first Marvel movies that explored the multiverse, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, made $375.5 million. Of course, if you look at animated movies like Frozen, it is not that much. However, considering the number of positive reviews it received, Marvel is headed in the right direction. However, Sony still receives the majority of the money made at the box office for any Spider-Man related movie. This shows why it would be a wise decision for Marvel and Disney to purchase the rights of Spider-Man back from Sony. Sony has stated that they would let go of the web-slinger for $10 billion. Though that sounds like an absurd amount of money, if you consider what the return will be, it does not seem completely insane. Keeping in mind that the latest Spider-Man movie made a little over one billion dollars, imagine how much profit they could gain in the future. In conclusion, I believe that Disney should wait to see what happens with Sony before purchasing the classic web-slinger, in case the company gets sold. However, it should still be eyeing the rights to Spider-Man.

Movie Theaters are Overrated

Before the coronavirus caused everything to shut down, everyone would have to go to the movie theaters to watch newly released movies, unless they were willing to wait a few months for it to come out on DVD or be available on streaming networks. However, ever since people started quarantining and the movie theaters have closed, new movies have gone straight to DVDs and streaming, allowing people to watch from the comfort of their own homes.

Not having the option of going to the movie theater has made me realize the numerous benefits of watching the newest movies from my bed. One of the most apparent advantages is not spending an arm and a leg on movie tickets and snacks. Even if you are just going by yourself, the price can add up to be quite expensive considering that you will only watch the movie once. When watching from home, you only have to pay the initial price for the DVD or streaming service before you can watch and rewatch the film as many times as your heart desires. Plus, you can eat whatever snacks that you can find at your house at no extra expense. 

Additionally, it is much more convenient to watch movies at home because you can pause and rewind whenever needed. Unlike when watching from home, you can only hope you do not have to go to the bathroom or need a snack refill at the movie theater because it will inevitably cause you to miss out on parts of the movie. The overall movie experience is more enjoyable when done at one’s home rather than a crowded, overpriced movie theater.

Are Video Games Bad For Us?

Video games have seen a massive increase in popularity over the past decade. Seen as a way to pass the time and relieve stress while having fun with friends, video games are played by nearly all kids and many adults. From an early age, in most homes, parents preach video games as bad for us. However, in my opinion, video games have many positive qualities that make them beneficial for us to play. However, this must be done in moderation, of course, much like anything else.

Many studies have shown that video games have many cognitive benefits, such as increased hand-eye coordination, improved problem-solving skills, and enhances memory. These are essential benefits of playing games that, when developed early, can help in day-to-day life. Most importantly, however, video games offer an easy method of socializing and destressing. Whether it be immersing myself in a virtual world or feeling excitement for completing a difficult task with friends, video games, for me at least, have helped as a means of destressing myself from a busy life. However, playing video games should be done in moderation, as excessive gaming can lead to addiction. By limiting the amount of time we spend on games, we enjoy the time we spend playing more and reduce our chance of addiction. Video game addiction has many negative effects, which can include physical pain, such as neck, wrist, and arm pain, as well as mental effects, such as withdrawal or depression. In all, video games are beneficial and an easy way to destress, though too much can lead to unwanted consequences.