Battlestar Galactica (2004) has always been a show that has me perturbed.
Many critics have hailed the remake as a stunning accomplishment and a quantum leap forward in the genre of science fiction. And while this may have been true once upon a time, I think it's been scraping the proverbial 'bottom of the barrel' lately.
A recent episode caught my eye earlier tonight as I browsed Hulu.com's television section out of boredom. In the mid-season finale "Revelations", it was revealed to Admiral Adama that Saul Tigh, his best friend of 30 some years, was a Cylon. One would expect many things from the show at this point, but I never expected what we got-Tigh being thrown into the airlock not five minutes after he made his reveal. Now I realize that the humans in this show still have some angst over having their entire civilization destroyed by the Cylons, but Adama's reaction mystified me.
If you or I had been Adama at this point, I think we'd be having any number of emotional reactions to this, but I think eventually the knowledge that Tigh had been a life-long friend would have outweighed the hatred toward Cylons as a race. This certainly would have been the direction I'd have expected from the show's producers since they (often smugly) pride themselves on being able to tell complex stories in shades of gray. But instead, we basically got a knee-jerk reaction and an excuse for Adama to tear apart his entire office in a fit of insanity.
Let me say that I've severely disappointed in Battlestar over this incident. The entire point of the show (and this comes straight from its creators) has always been examining what it means to be human. The Cylons were even made to look human to cause the characters to stop and view them as something other than simple machines. But apparently, a grown man can't even be bothered to consider that his best friend might still be the same man underneath. From all the facts we've been given about Tigh, he's still a loyal, devoted friend. He's a man who cares deeply about the human race and the admiral. So why has he suddenly been reduced to a toaster oven? I can only shake my head at this portrayal of Adama and his cohorts.
As I've said before, many people in the mainstream media view Battlestar Galactica as a shining example of intelligent drama-a template for all other shows to follow. But I have to ask, when a show doesn't even permit its characters to empathize for someone in this way, have we merely taken one step forward and two gigantic steps backward? I think so. Battlestar still has impressive special effects, respectable acting (on a good day) and some interesting episodes. But at the end of the day, I think the message of BSG that will resonate with people is that we should feel rather than think. And when I consider this, I'm almost certain that any of the genre greats such as Asimov, Stracznski, Clark and Card would all be shocked and disgusted right now. I know I am...
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
haha...noob mistake...oops
If you read my last post carefully, chances are you're either laughing or shaking your head. Yeah, I must have lost the ability to count there for a second. I'm feeling too lazy to correct the mistake though. You'll be seeing a lot of that in the coming months. As to whether I'm referring to temporary stupidity or laziness, well, the latter....I hope.
later...
later...
just because i can
Two posts in one day...woohoo..."yippee ky yay mother fu(post truncated pending lawsuit resolution and royalties agreement). I'm gonna break into sweat anytime now. Heavy sarcasm there for the people who are either too literal or too stoned to pick up on the subtlety.
The topic of the moment: BONES
I've been told that I have the tendency to go through periods of relative obsession when it comes to entertainment, especially with TV. I'm going to disregard all of that right now and just shamelessly plug my new fav for a moment. Bones is an awesome show. It's a great mix of comedy, romance, action-adventure and good old dry lab speak 'n' schpeel. If you haven't seen it already, make sure to tune in to FOX Sep. 3 from 8-10 p.m. And make sure to catch up on the show via hulu.com or the DVDs, which are conveniently available for rent at your local stores.
Short but sweet eh? That's all I have the energy for right now. I'm going to try to post about something serious tomorrow. Hopefully it'll offset the dose of crazy you got tonight.
See ya.
The topic of the moment: BONES
I've been told that I have the tendency to go through periods of relative obsession when it comes to entertainment, especially with TV. I'm going to disregard all of that right now and just shamelessly plug my new fav for a moment. Bones is an awesome show. It's a great mix of comedy, romance, action-adventure and good old dry lab speak 'n' schpeel. If you haven't seen it already, make sure to tune in to FOX Sep. 3 from 8-10 p.m. And make sure to catch up on the show via hulu.com or the DVDs, which are conveniently available for rent at your local stores.
Short but sweet eh? That's all I have the energy for right now. I'm going to try to post about something serious tomorrow. Hopefully it'll offset the dose of crazy you got tonight.
See ya.
Random Thoughts: Part 1
There are lots of things that drive me crazy in life. Stupid people who tend to get laid a lot and don't seem to appreciate their (unearned) successes is a big one. Holier-than-thou people who think they're channeling God is another biggie. But what about the small things? People never really write about the really tiny things that drive them nuts in a public forum. I know, we're not approaching a monumentally intellectual topic here, but what the hell.
Here's my list of ten small things (in no particular order) that make me grind me teeth.
1. Japanese RPGs: Just played one called "Lost Odyssey" last night. I played it for a couple hours (just for the achievements) before returning it. Trouble is, it's long gone and the damn thing is still causing me a greater headache than straight tequila shots on an empty stomach.
I know it's wrong to judge an entire genre on the basis of one terrible experience, but frankly, I just don't care. It was bad, and when I say 'bad', I mean BAD! Never before in my life have I played a game where I had to sit through half an hour of dialogue-free introductory cut scene before I was allowed to move my character. And oh yeah, after it finally let me use the controller, I hit a load screen after walking ten feet. *GROAN* The rest of the game was pretty much like that...one big migraine after another.
2. Animal friends with an upset stomach: This one requires little explanation. My 13-year-old cat of monumentally large proportions woke me up at eight in the morning to the sound of vomiting...on my bed. Goddamn you Scooter.
3. People with really bad timing: A girl whom I've been on and off friends with for about a year just got back in touch with me a few days ago saying she wanted to hang out. I know what you're thinking. Why is this bad? She's nice and doesn't hate my guts, so shut up and deal already. The kicker: She moves away for good in a month. Ouch. Now granted, we lived a block away from each other for over ten years and it took me until very recently to even talk to her, but hey, why not blame the opposite sex?
4. Incessant parental nagging: Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, kill me now. I know they mean well sometimes, but after years of casually being talked down to, I've had enough. Too much more and things'll get interesting.
5. Unfair movie reviews: Where is it written that it's acceptable to trash Indiana Jones 4 while embracing Hellboy II? The former was a charming, feel good throwback to the good old days of the '80s while, as near as I can tell, the latter was just a slickly produced CGI-fest/comic book adaptation. Yep, critical taste is dead.
6. Pre-Election season BS: I think every American, excluding comatose people and retards, knows what the candidates stand for at this point in time. There's no need to break out the old bag of tricks again. I think we've been lied to enough over the past 20 years and we don't need any more lies from the people who are supposedly running to stop them. Seriously, let's just ban town hall meetings and TV ads. Un-American you say? Well so is not wearing a flag pin or praying to a deity with a different skin tone. Go ahead and tell me my exclusion is more childish than yours. I dare you.
7. MSN relationship advice columns: I swear to God that if I see another article on 'Ten Ways to Make your Man Forget His Own Name', I'm going to shoot myself in the head. I can't believe people are paid to write this sh*t. It's bad enough that psychologists get to do it and get paid for it, but to let a bunch of teehee squad morons with more chest weight than brains do it is just unacceptable.
8: Gossip magazines: This falls hand-in-hand with number seven. I don't give two sh*ts about who my next-door neighbor is porking. Why am I supposed to care who some collagen obsessed idiot is getting friendly with in L.A. County? You let me know once you've figured that out.
9. Political correctness: George Carlin surely said it better than I'll ever be able to, but beating a dead horse never gets old, especially when it gets people talking about it. I'll be as plain and concise as I possibly can here. Death is death, not a 'cessation of brain function'. An idiot is an idiot, not a 'developmentally disabled person' or 'mentally challenged individual'. That last one bothers me. You'd think a smart person would be stimulated by mental challenge, so that one is just plain confusing. Anyway, you get the idea. Let's just all say what we mean and not be so dodgy about it that we'll forget to walk straight in the morning.
10. Hypocrisy. I know, we're all hypocritical...including me. But it never ceases to make me mad when I'm having an argument with someone and they blatantly tout their hypocrisy at me. It's almost like I'm being mocked, and I hate being mocked. But that's for another list and another day. For now, let's just say that everyone should be consistent and not act like an ass to one-up somebody in a debate.
Anyway, that's my list. While not terribly meaningful, verbose or high society, I think it conveys exactly what I wanted it to. I hope you enjoyed it.
Part 2 is forthcoming.
Here's my list of ten small things (in no particular order) that make me grind me teeth.
1. Japanese RPGs: Just played one called "Lost Odyssey" last night. I played it for a couple hours (just for the achievements) before returning it. Trouble is, it's long gone and the damn thing is still causing me a greater headache than straight tequila shots on an empty stomach.
I know it's wrong to judge an entire genre on the basis of one terrible experience, but frankly, I just don't care. It was bad, and when I say 'bad', I mean BAD! Never before in my life have I played a game where I had to sit through half an hour of dialogue-free introductory cut scene before I was allowed to move my character. And oh yeah, after it finally let me use the controller, I hit a load screen after walking ten feet. *GROAN* The rest of the game was pretty much like that...one big migraine after another.
2. Animal friends with an upset stomach: This one requires little explanation. My 13-year-old cat of monumentally large proportions woke me up at eight in the morning to the sound of vomiting...on my bed. Goddamn you Scooter.
3. People with really bad timing: A girl whom I've been on and off friends with for about a year just got back in touch with me a few days ago saying she wanted to hang out. I know what you're thinking. Why is this bad? She's nice and doesn't hate my guts, so shut up and deal already. The kicker: She moves away for good in a month. Ouch. Now granted, we lived a block away from each other for over ten years and it took me until very recently to even talk to her, but hey, why not blame the opposite sex?
4. Incessant parental nagging: Nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, nag, kill me now. I know they mean well sometimes, but after years of casually being talked down to, I've had enough. Too much more and things'll get interesting.
5. Unfair movie reviews: Where is it written that it's acceptable to trash Indiana Jones 4 while embracing Hellboy II? The former was a charming, feel good throwback to the good old days of the '80s while, as near as I can tell, the latter was just a slickly produced CGI-fest/comic book adaptation. Yep, critical taste is dead.
6. Pre-Election season BS: I think every American, excluding comatose people and retards, knows what the candidates stand for at this point in time. There's no need to break out the old bag of tricks again. I think we've been lied to enough over the past 20 years and we don't need any more lies from the people who are supposedly running to stop them. Seriously, let's just ban town hall meetings and TV ads. Un-American you say? Well so is not wearing a flag pin or praying to a deity with a different skin tone. Go ahead and tell me my exclusion is more childish than yours. I dare you.
7. MSN relationship advice columns: I swear to God that if I see another article on 'Ten Ways to Make your Man Forget His Own Name', I'm going to shoot myself in the head. I can't believe people are paid to write this sh*t. It's bad enough that psychologists get to do it and get paid for it, but to let a bunch of teehee squad morons with more chest weight than brains do it is just unacceptable.
8: Gossip magazines: This falls hand-in-hand with number seven. I don't give two sh*ts about who my next-door neighbor is porking. Why am I supposed to care who some collagen obsessed idiot is getting friendly with in L.A. County? You let me know once you've figured that out.
9. Political correctness: George Carlin surely said it better than I'll ever be able to, but beating a dead horse never gets old, especially when it gets people talking about it. I'll be as plain and concise as I possibly can here. Death is death, not a 'cessation of brain function'. An idiot is an idiot, not a 'developmentally disabled person' or 'mentally challenged individual'. That last one bothers me. You'd think a smart person would be stimulated by mental challenge, so that one is just plain confusing. Anyway, you get the idea. Let's just all say what we mean and not be so dodgy about it that we'll forget to walk straight in the morning.
10. Hypocrisy. I know, we're all hypocritical...including me. But it never ceases to make me mad when I'm having an argument with someone and they blatantly tout their hypocrisy at me. It's almost like I'm being mocked, and I hate being mocked. But that's for another list and another day. For now, let's just say that everyone should be consistent and not act like an ass to one-up somebody in a debate.
Anyway, that's my list. While not terribly meaningful, verbose or high society, I think it conveys exactly what I wanted it to. I hope you enjoyed it.
Part 2 is forthcoming.
status report
Okay, so apparently I flip-flop faster than John Kerry when it comes to writing. I recognize and fully admit to it, although I hope you won't hold it against me.
I've decided to revamp this blog in favor of diversifying the things I can talk about. True, I do love entertainment, and I also love stamping my loud opinions on everything I possibly can. But I really do enjoy just writing whatever comes to mind even more. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write a lengthy review, so I skip out and leave you guys dry. That stops now.
If there's anybody out there, this is for you folks: You'll still get your reviews, but you'll also get a hell of a lot more. Count on more updates because of this change. Oh, and just to prove that I'm no totally full of sh*t...
Post # 2...here we come!
I've decided to revamp this blog in favor of diversifying the things I can talk about. True, I do love entertainment, and I also love stamping my loud opinions on everything I possibly can. But I really do enjoy just writing whatever comes to mind even more. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to write a lengthy review, so I skip out and leave you guys dry. That stops now.
If there's anybody out there, this is for you folks: You'll still get your reviews, but you'll also get a hell of a lot more. Count on more updates because of this change. Oh, and just to prove that I'm no totally full of sh*t...
Post # 2...here we come!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Update Notice
Hi again,
I just wanted to let everyone know that I plan to post again within 24 hours. I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking of either doing Contact with Jodie Foster or Terminator 2. And as always, I will consider reviews on demand if you post comments wishing me to do so. See ya around!
I just wanted to let everyone know that I plan to post again within 24 hours. I haven't decided yet, but I'm thinking of either doing Contact with Jodie Foster or Terminator 2. And as always, I will consider reviews on demand if you post comments wishing me to do so. See ya around!
Review #1: ALIENS (1986)
Have you ever wondered why the dropships in the “Halo” series evoke feelings of Deja Vu, or why some of the dialogue in “Mass Effect” sends shivers up your spine? Others have as well, and when they've asked people in the entertainment business where they drew their inspiration from, they all said the same thing- a little film called "ALIENS". The movie is just one of those things that's unavoidable in popular culture. Even if you haven't actually seen the film, chances are you've been exposed to it in one form or another. Many have called it a "genre-defining" film, and just about anyone you talk to who has seen it will say the same thing-it is amazing.
The movie is a self-contained sequel to the 1979 film "ALIEN" by Ridley Scott. It neatly picks up where the original left off: Ellen Ripley, a former warrant officer aboard the commercial space freighter Nostromo has been floating through space for 57 years. After surviving an experience with a vicious alien who killed her entire crew, she is found by a deep salvage team and restored to health in orbit around Earth.
Upon being woken up, she is horrified to find that her company superiors have established a colony on the very world she had just escaped. To their apparent surprise, contact with the colony is lost, and Ripley is asked to lead a U.S. military team to the planet to investigate. Upon arrival, they find that everyone, save for one little girl, has been killed by the same alien species, and everyone is plunged head-deep into a battle for survival.
The catch is that a plot summary does not do this film justice. Yes, "ALIENS" aims to tell a story, but it is so much more than that! One of the aspects that sets it apart from the rest of its competitors is that it allows you to not only observe what is happening, but to FEEL it. Through the use of vivid art design and set construction, you immediately feel as though the world is a believable place that you can walk around in.
The same is applied to the characters. Everyone from the main character, to the supporting cast and right on down to the extras, 'feels' lifelike. In a typical, cliched horror movie, the characters are just used as cheap eye candy for the audience; they neither act nor react to their surroundings and are quickly killed off. But in "ALIENS", they go from being cocky, to cautious to scared out of their skin when the realization of what they are facing sets in. And their fear is reflected back on us every step of the way.
The film also has a display of unprecedented military realism. There is not a single James T. Kirk moment where the superior officer goes gallivanting off the ship for no reason. In fact, the commanding officer waits patiently in the ship at a secure distance while the grunts secure the area for him.
Instead of charging in with guns blazing, the squad separates into search and support teams as they sweep through the complex. Everyone has a clearly defined objective and they pursue it intelligently without splitting up to look for the source of a “strange noise”. And contrary to the way drama is usually set up, there is a clear strategy with contingency plans in place.
At one point, about 80% of the marines are killed in a matter of minutes by the aliens, but instead of merely retreating, we find that the dropship, which has been circling the complex until ordered to land, is not only ready for a fast pickup, but has a nuclear payload to take care of the infestation before it spreads and causes further loss of life.
This is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the display of strategy in the film, but it illustrates intelligence to the movie that is very rare in the genre.
Most importantly, “ALIENS” is a film that understands pacing and is not afraid to slowly build anticipation before exploding into action. So many contemporary films fall flat because they immediately jump to the action without any regard for setup, and the result is usually one of boredom. One can only take so many cheap shootouts shoveled down their throats before they are desensitized to the effect.
“ALIENS” wisely recognizes the concept of delayed gratification, and consequently, when the shit hits the fan half way into the movie, everything that happens feels not only more believable, but more rewarding and more intense.
“ALIENS” is at once immersive and breath taking as it sucks you in, straps you down and takes you for the ride of your life.
Some may choose to view the film as a polarizing, "love it or hate it" movie at first glance because it happens to be a genre film. This could not be more untrue. Just about everyone who has seen the movie, male or female, black or white, nerd or jock, religious or agnostic, film buff or book nut, has loved it. It is also one of the rare films to have achieved a perfect, 100% metacritic score.
Never being one to dispute intelligent consensus, I’m giving it 10/10.
Take that Godfather!
The movie is a self-contained sequel to the 1979 film "ALIEN" by Ridley Scott. It neatly picks up where the original left off: Ellen Ripley, a former warrant officer aboard the commercial space freighter Nostromo has been floating through space for 57 years. After surviving an experience with a vicious alien who killed her entire crew, she is found by a deep salvage team and restored to health in orbit around Earth.
Upon being woken up, she is horrified to find that her company superiors have established a colony on the very world she had just escaped. To their apparent surprise, contact with the colony is lost, and Ripley is asked to lead a U.S. military team to the planet to investigate. Upon arrival, they find that everyone, save for one little girl, has been killed by the same alien species, and everyone is plunged head-deep into a battle for survival.
The catch is that a plot summary does not do this film justice. Yes, "ALIENS" aims to tell a story, but it is so much more than that! One of the aspects that sets it apart from the rest of its competitors is that it allows you to not only observe what is happening, but to FEEL it. Through the use of vivid art design and set construction, you immediately feel as though the world is a believable place that you can walk around in.
The same is applied to the characters. Everyone from the main character, to the supporting cast and right on down to the extras, 'feels' lifelike. In a typical, cliched horror movie, the characters are just used as cheap eye candy for the audience; they neither act nor react to their surroundings and are quickly killed off. But in "ALIENS", they go from being cocky, to cautious to scared out of their skin when the realization of what they are facing sets in. And their fear is reflected back on us every step of the way.
The film also has a display of unprecedented military realism. There is not a single James T. Kirk moment where the superior officer goes gallivanting off the ship for no reason. In fact, the commanding officer waits patiently in the ship at a secure distance while the grunts secure the area for him.
Instead of charging in with guns blazing, the squad separates into search and support teams as they sweep through the complex. Everyone has a clearly defined objective and they pursue it intelligently without splitting up to look for the source of a “strange noise”. And contrary to the way drama is usually set up, there is a clear strategy with contingency plans in place.
At one point, about 80% of the marines are killed in a matter of minutes by the aliens, but instead of merely retreating, we find that the dropship, which has been circling the complex until ordered to land, is not only ready for a fast pickup, but has a nuclear payload to take care of the infestation before it spreads and causes further loss of life.
This is simply the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the display of strategy in the film, but it illustrates intelligence to the movie that is very rare in the genre.
Most importantly, “ALIENS” is a film that understands pacing and is not afraid to slowly build anticipation before exploding into action. So many contemporary films fall flat because they immediately jump to the action without any regard for setup, and the result is usually one of boredom. One can only take so many cheap shootouts shoveled down their throats before they are desensitized to the effect.
“ALIENS” wisely recognizes the concept of delayed gratification, and consequently, when the shit hits the fan half way into the movie, everything that happens feels not only more believable, but more rewarding and more intense.
“ALIENS” is at once immersive and breath taking as it sucks you in, straps you down and takes you for the ride of your life.
Some may choose to view the film as a polarizing, "love it or hate it" movie at first glance because it happens to be a genre film. This could not be more untrue. Just about everyone who has seen the movie, male or female, black or white, nerd or jock, religious or agnostic, film buff or book nut, has loved it. It is also one of the rare films to have achieved a perfect, 100% metacritic score.
Never being one to dispute intelligent consensus, I’m giving it 10/10.
Take that Godfather!
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