Behold the Geekiest Weekend is Nigh!

 

There are many weekends in a year... 52 to be exact. But only one of them can be the geekiest. What determines which weekend gets the coveted geekiest award? Well that's simple my geek/nerd minded friend.

April 10-12...

Why you might ask? Well, allow me to elaborate.

The Daredevil Cometh!

The release of Daredevil... a Netflix original. This long awaited Marvel series, is part of Marvel's phase three, and the beginning of the Invasion into streaming services of Marvel's universe. This is an unbelievably exciting period for Marvel Studio's as for the first time, many of Marvel's lesser known characters will be unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. Be aware that Daredevil isn't rated, and apparently is much more violent and dark then it's mainstream cousin's on ABC. However it will soon be followed by Jessica Drew, and Luke Cage, and soon The Defenders. However, it all starts this weekend.

The Return of Game of Thrones...

Welcome back to Westeros, where murder and intrigue are most foul, you'll come for a wedding and stay for the dragons. The long anticipated 5th Season (series if your British) begins anew, beginning on Sunday. So yes, after you've finished mainlining Daredevil for 10 straight hours, Jon Snow, Khaleesi, and Stannis the Mannis demand your presence. Basically you'll be sitting on your couch for hours so prepare some popcorn, dawn your snuggy, and gather the loved once close as you brace for the certain and inevitable betrayals.

Megacon or How I Stopped Being Afraid and Embrace Cosplay.

 Megacon begins Friday and runs through Sunday. So just when you thought you had the perfect costume as the 24th Naruto... one of the biggest Con's of the year kicks off. Not to worry, I'm sure there will be Netflix in your hotel room in Orlando as you struggle to get your head into that well engineered Iron Man helmet. And of course you signed up for HBO's streaming service right? No? Well I guess you have somethings to do...


Behold the Geekiest Weekend is Nigh!

And I Ran.. I Ran to Westeros...

Just spotted these amazing rendering's of Game of Thrones Characters as they would appear in the 1980's and 90's. As a child of said decade, I'm obligated to feel nostalgia from anything circa 1980' through 89.

My favorite so far? Miami'd Viced Jaime Lannister... though the hipsterish Dany has me nearly swooning. It actually reminds me of My friend Miisa from Finland. Check Out Moshi-kun's Tumblr for more...

http://moshi-kun.tumblr.com/

Movie Review: Battle for LA ... or Marines Vs. Aliens

Yes, its the long awaited film that had that creepy music in the trailer that made everyone who heard it, eager to see what world destroying aliens would do now. Battle for LA is in every way what Skyline wasn't. That isn't to say that it's the most epic of alien invasion flicks... but it is a superior film. How you ask?

Story-Plot

The movie centers around a planet wide invasion by our friends the mysterious and powerful aliens. However our particular story is focused one small unit of the Marine Corps. For non-Americans (there are people who aren't if you can believe it) the Marines are the toughest portion of the US armed forces, stronger and better trained then the army generally speaking. The movie is straightforward, this movie is about combat and warfare with aliens. No long expositions about the who the aliens are, no internal conflicts about if we deserve our fate, not even any fully fledged love story.



The writers of this movie have cut all the fat that is usually added to most summer blockbusters. Theres very little fluff, and what fluff there is short and to the point. The characters are somewhat 2 dimensional, but fit with the story very well. The typical character tropes are mostly there, and the brief character interactions at the beginning of the film are actually very well done. Better in fact than in any Michael Bay, or Roland Emmerich film.

The acting is fairly strong, with most notes being hit well by veterans like Michelle Rodriguez and Aaron Eckhart. There are a few chew the scenery scenes late in the movie that are anomalies, but generally the acting is better than in most modern action films. The rest of the cast fill out thier roles with varying success, but don't really stand out.

The effects are reminiscent of Skyline, and the aliens in particular are well thought out and the cg effects used to animate them are never in your face or over the top. There is some shaky cam, but it's mostly during battle sequences, and it makes for a movie that keeps you intensely involved and nearly ducking when fight gets up close.

The main difference between this movie and Skyline? Intensity and resolution.

Battle for LA makes you feel the sweat, dirt, and the pulverized concrete of an urban environment turned into a war zone. Theres no mourning period here, only the difficulties of loss and the struggle to persist in fighting an enemy who seems to be unstoppable. However the Aliens are fallable. They have in fact not thought of everything, and they can be hurt, killed. This is a refreshing more old school approach to the Alien menace. If your looking for a Halo-like movie experience, this movie sells it and does so with style and class.


Battle for LA ends...

That's right it has a definable ending. Unlike Skyline, that seems to persist even after they ran out of script. The writers for Battle for LA understand that most audiences seek a conclusion, a catharsis, a resolution to present circumstances, whether it be open ended or not. What are characters decide to do after the resolution is also interesting, and that is where I will end my review.

So see Battle for LA, its a movie that knows what it is, and what it wants, and an entertaining ride.

7.5 out of 10 stars. ******* 1/2

Movie Review: Skyline... or My Friend the Alien

Why is it that every time Aliens show up on our doorstep like an unannounced relative from some place you'd wish they'd go back to, they only want to kill us, or warn us, or both?

Skyline is yet another one of those... and while it's fairly shocking and has an unending unlike any other Alien Invasion flick, it still presents a fascinating myopic and pedestrian wrangling with the idea of aliens.

The movie unfolds like many before it, were introduced to our characters, and they like them or not, they present various incarnations of the plague of modern day excesses. Our man character/hero is visiting an old friend who has made good. It's never really explained why his friend has made so much cash as to be able to live in an exclusive and cavernously tall resort/condo in a posh part of LA, but then again it matters only a little as the plot throttles ahead to the coming Alien Invasion.

We aren't meant to like anyone but our hero and his girl, so the rest of the characters are shallow and pale, and lack any sort of likable quality. We dont' root for anyone,we ,like the dispassionate aliens that are attacking, care little for the daily struggles of these celluloid creations. So devoid humanity are they that we begin to lose interest until the explosions start. Like War of the Worlds (The Tom Cruise version not the book) this alien invasion is viewed from a narrow perspective.


Were introduced to the Aliens first method of sterlization, distraction and conversion through the use of pretty lights. Somehow, (and don't worry its not explained, and never can be) the light takes possession of those who see it, and propels them towards it, sort of like a mind worm, without the nasty skull boring part. The scenes where thousands of individuals are sucked up like dust bunnies is extremely well done but don't really advance the story, we already know that people are being abducted en-masse by that point. Seeing it is just more confirmation.

The obligatory attempt to escape is thwarted by who else... Aliens, and it's then we realize that this film is not about the flight from Aliens, or the fight against Aliens, its about the futile efforts that men will make in its attempt to avoid being wiped out. There's a little nuking, some soldiers, a lot of Aerial Combat ala Independence Day, and when all is said and done, Humanity is still doomed.

Had the story ended there, this would be an interesting but yet empty movie decrying and depicting the fall of humanity. Yet the movie persists. Our protagonist against all odds, continues fighting, and while he seems to present a beacon of hope for the one he loves, Humanity in general is left decaying in the basement of some extraterrestrial lab. This is not to say that all movies must have an upbeat ending, just that Skyline drops you off of a cliff, and offers only a hard water landing.

Skyline will leave you feeling empty, and a bit dry. Because most of us go to movies to be entertained, and yet in a time that seems to obsess over humanities coming destruction, Skyline says "No, we all can't win, but a few of us might." Sort of like a teacher telling her students that only one of them will be successful, but only after he loses his soul and body, and that the rest should just pack it in.

What it fumbles at saying is this "Any hope no matter how small is worth holding on to", yet, this moral feels empty and shallow once exposed to the harsh light of reality. Skyline offers little to the sentimental, and the whole production seems to mock the idea of heroism in general. While it's attempt is noble, it falls flat, and frankly I'm a bit miffed that I spent my time with it at all.

Hopefully the upcoming "Battle for LA" will rejuvenate my senses, and leave with a bit more encouraging ending.

Rating 4/10 ****

Inception: How Nolan Broke into Every Geek's Mind pt 2

The Effects

It's an old style of movie, from Ocean's Eleven to Alias Jimmy Valentine, but Nolan builds on this premise by adding a sci-fi/fantasy element that is undeniable and amazingly innovative. No this is no Blade-Runner, but it does open up a fantastic new genre of films that are niether Noir nor New Wave. Nolan has managed to take CG in films and use them in the opposite way of Cameron or Bay who bombard their audiences with hours and hours of CG fests. He's thoughtful and careful use of CG interspersed with real sets, real stunts and actual locations builds the world of the dream into a tangible, breathable and livable space.


Some reviewers complain that they wanted more fantastical scenes to satisfy their imagination. However this is not the aim of Inception, it instead targets a singular narrative, providing a warning for all those to hold on to the seat of their pants as the movies plot plunges forward at a particular speed. Our eyes are satisfied as well as our reason. The effects where most effective add to the experience, and don't distract us from the story Nolan is trying to tell.



Genre?

This film is difficult to categorize, While it remains a Heist film, there are elements of Film Noir, Spy films, and even direct and pointless action films. Yet there is a diverse set of likable and relatable characters, uncharacteristic of most action films, and rare in spy films. There is also a definite Femme Fatale in the character of Mal. Odder still is the inclusion of a deeply romantic thread running through the entire film, creating a multifaceted story that can be summed up by one genre.

Often when I watch a movie I think about what my dad would have felt about it. It was he who introduced me to films when I was younger. Mostly black and white affairs, westerns, and the occasional Sydney Poitier film. What struck me about inception was the fact that here was a film that could be set in any film time period from the Grainy black and white of the early 40's to the odd technicolor of the late 50's, from the gritty 70's to the post modern and the opulent early 80's. (Minus of course the special effects innovations) The plot works in any time period, thanks to the very subtle non-inclusion of technology. Even the weapons in the film are relatively low tech. This to me is a triumph, the creation of a film that will be popular not just for a few years but will continue to be relevant no matter what the time period.

The Sound Track...

Level 3...

Inception: How Nolan Broke Into Every Geek's Mind pt. 1

Level 1...

"Dreams feel real while we're in them. It's only when we wake up that we realize something was actually strange."

He can't do this. It's virtually unheard off. It defies all logic, precedent, and common sense. How often I have heard fellow geeks and nerds comment snark-ly the following, "Smart movies can't do well at the box office, most regular people won't get them, and they'll get frustrated at having to think too much." Sigh, how wrong they were.

The Director

Director - Writer, Christopher Nolan has done something few thought possible. He's known for his amazing ability to direct dark and sometimes noir-ish type movies. Case in point the Dark Knight. In fact that film did so well that it is know #3 in all time box-offices gross (domestic), arguably the best Comic book movie of all time. So how could he follow that? Surely not with an original movie, that's smart, visually compelling, an incredibly complex plot, has amazing acting, has a lot of dialogue and captures the viewing public like few other movie's ever have! Except that is exactly what he's done with Inception.

The Story

Imagine you could share your dreams. Imagine that you could construct an entire world in your mind that others could walk around and interact with? That's initial conceit setting of the entire premise. This is a dream world as in the fun house impossible physics of an MC Escher painting. This is a real dimension, based off our real world physics, populated and filled by the dreamers subconscious.


If such a thing were possible, than it would also be possible for someone to use our own subconscious minds against us, exposing our darkest secrets, our biggest regrets, and quite possibly fundamentally altering our image of the real world. that is where Mr. Cobb and his team comes in.

In the movie the technology exists, and we aren't bombarded by the how, or the technical specs. You can enter a shared dream with a subject, and said subject populates the dream which has been created by an architect (in this case a real architect). If you are killed in the dream, you awake to the real world and your fine. No mess no fuss. To awaken normally from the dream you either wait until the drugs used to induce such a state ware off, or use a kick. (ie invoking a response via the appropriate stimulus.)

The Cast

Nolan has some help making this movie incredible of course. No matter how good the source material, the characters must bring the story to life. The stars of this film do this, and do it with such ease and charisma that it makes it nigh impossible to not admire their acting. The startling thing about Inception is the absence of a single weak performance.


Leonardo DiCaprio is at his best. His character (Cobb) is the central figure of the film. He is both hero and villain (we learn this later). His performance as Cobb sucks the viewer into the film. He brings someone to root for, even while we know what he does is morally questionable. Cobb is a man who has been cut off from his family, and living each day with just one hope in mind, finding away back to his children. He gets his chance when he encounters Saito (Ken Watanabe) a very powerful executive of an energy company with a 'job' that involves someone who has Cobb's particular skills. Saito comes across as an intelligent well-bred and confident man, not unlikable. Yet somehow he remains emotionally distant as an employer should.

Joining Cobb in performing the 'job' is Arthur, the 'point man'(J Gordon-Levitt). His job is to protect Cobb as he delves deeper into the subconscious, he is a loyal friend, and very good at his job. Gordon-Levitt has been an up and coming actor for some years now, this film shows off just how good of an actor he has become. Rather then being a distraction, he adds to every scene he is in, and enhances the overall experience through his presence and well disciplined craft.

Equaling J Gordon-Levitt is Tom Hardy, playing 'the forger' Eames. Eames comes off as an extremely intelligent scientist, someone who enjoys dreams for how they allow him to be someone else entirely. He's snarky, sarcastic, and deeply charismatic. His relationship with Arthur is both hilarious and familial. As the job progresses we see just what this Brit is capable of and why he is so confident in his abilities. Ellen Page plays Ariadne, a young architecture student who cobb recruits to assist him complete 'the job'. She is not your typical female heroine, she's plain, very smart, and deeply intrigued by the possibilities the dream world offers her. She's beautiful, but no overtly sexy, allowing her to be much more than simply eye candy (take note Mr. Bay).

Level 2.... up next...

To "Kick-Ass" ... A Geek Dream....: Movie Review

Who hasn't dreamed of dressing up as a costumed crusader and fighting injustice on the streets? Not me you say? Well I cry for you my uninspired friend. That idea is the exact premise of the comic book turned movie "Kick Ass". Let me warn you that this movie is not for the fans of the uber-innocent Batman of the 60's or the boy-scout Superman of Christopher Reeves. This superhero flick is serious as life, and revels in the humor of it's insane masochistic blood lust. Did I mention it has an 11 year-old going off like some strange hybrid of an anime-robocop-prepubescent-predator-mini terminator? No? Well it does, and she kicks more ass in 30 seconds then the entire cast of Kill Bill.

When Dave Lizewski decides that being a superhero can give his life meaning, he decides, rather stupidly, to build a costume, grab some numchucks, (fighting sticks for the layman) and start kicking ass under the moniker, you guessed it, "Kick-Ass". However his brief foray into the costumed saving people gig comes to a painful halt when he's stabbed by some thugs and run over by a car. Now most people would have called it a day at this point. Not Dave, he heals up, and the damage to his nervous system has had an 'uncanny' effect, he doesn't quite feel the same amount of pain as before, plus the tons of metal put inside him to piece his skeleton back together have given him a 'psychological' boost.

"Hey I look like Wolverine..."

Meanwhile, we are treated to two other superhero wannabees, only their not quite so benign. On to the stage comes a cute father daughter pairing, Big Daddy and Hitgirl. This not so nuclear family brings machine guns to a knife fight, and has no problem dishing out death and destruction to anyone or anything that gets in their way. These two are anti-heroes that would make Frank Castle tear-up, if he wasn't simply insane. Their main target? Drug dealers and the mob that has ripped apart their normal family.


Big Daddy is some odd surreal combination of Batman, Punisher and Dirty Hairy, he's a man unhinged, and with his own nearly insane sense of justice, a trait that he has instilled in his young daughter. Hitgirl is every typical 11-14 year old girl who's been raised firing an Ak-47 and practicing her knife wielding skills. She'd much rather slice up bad guys then play with puppies, and she's damn frightening. These two are skilled killers, martial artists, and have serious conviction to kick ass, and leave bullets, and lacerations in every creep they encounter.


So how does Kick-Ass (the main characters moniker) match up with these serious Bad Asses? He doesn't, at least not at first. There is a gulf between them, Kick Ass is a like a 1960's DC character, wanting to do good, and protect the innocent... golly gosh. His intentions are altruistic, and he probably couldn't kill someone even if he tried. As Big Daddy quips... "He should be called Ass-kick, cause that what he's good at."

Big Daddy and Hitgirl are Marvel antihero's as in the fashion of the late 70's. They are darker, edgier, and they curse people out before making them shoot themselves. As they hack away at the bad guys, you might well wonder... Why does Kick-Ass even belong in the same universe as these guys?

The answer? Conviction.


Being a superhero is not about the size of the gun you wield, or how fast you can disembowel someone, or how hard your punch is. It's about how far you're willing to go to make a difference. Kick-Ass has a dedication that won't be denied, the guts to get his ass-kicked and get back up and ask for more. That's why Hitgirl recognizes him as a fellow hero even if he doesn't know how to throw a ninja star to save his life. In the end Kick-Ass does kick said 'ass'... and we love him for it.

So will this movie make you want to be a real life, street haunting, bad mother*%@#&! 'Shut your mouth!', 'just talking 'bout' - superhero?

Hell No! Not unless your mentally unstable, or have serious emotional issues, or have a major masochistic streak. Still it makes for some great entertainment with a serious edge.

Final Score.... 8 Vigilante street fighters out of 10

Caprica: A Review

What do you get when you combine a BladeRunner, Battlestar Galactica, The Godfather (Part 2), and with a heaping helping of a Bear Mcreary score? Apparently Caprica. The show is an intended prequel to Battlestar Galactica, but that show is not requisite viewing for R. Moore's latest outing. Caprica is science fiction television done right, large expansive yet simple sets, beautifully designed cgi that tastefully adds (not distracts) from the story, and a complicated and yet thoroughly engaging plot.

The pilot begins by showing us the titular planet and city that the show is based in. Caprica City is a compelling mix of post modern New York and Tokyo, taking the technology of one, and the smoky 'noir'-ish elements of the other. It's a city inhabited by the Graystones, a small rich and troubled family, whose father, Simon Graystone happens to be the 12 Colonies version of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. His company Graystone Industries is... drumroll please... responsible for creating the first Cylon.

His daughter Zoe Graystone is a typical dysfunctional teenager, plus she has the mind of a genius and the conviction of a terrorist zealot. In secret, she has been designing an avatar, a perfect AI copy of herself, she uses the holoband, a super fast and incredibly lifelike internet (another nifty invention of her father) that allows the users to create networked worlds like mini matrices. (think 'the matrix' if not used in a near apocalyptic dystopian future) Her Avatar, is disturbingly real, a copy so perfect that even her own father has troubling distinguishing
them apart.

His wife, a doctor at a local hospital, married into money, and enjoys a life that most would consider ideal. However all is not well in the Greystone household, and life gets worse in a hurry. Zoe planned to runaway from home, for not only was she a genius, but also a new convert to a growing 'extremist' religion, monotheism. Thats right, The one "true" god. Before she's able to escape however, she is killed in a terroist attack orchestrated by her boyfriend, Ben, whose zealotry and extremism obviously ran deeper and darker then Zoe's.

Into the mix are thrown Joe Adama and his Tauron family. Think of Tauron's as a combination of all the worlds cultures that have mafia and gang stereotypes in them. There Italian-Irish-Russian-Corsican, plus a couple I missed. Joe Adama, somewhat corrupt lawyer/family man lost his wife and daughter in the bombing. He's a man who has been straddling two worlds, the Halatha (Mafia) and the straight and narrow, and the bombing throws his world into chaos. Without the grounding of his wife and daughter he begins to fall back on his roots, and rely on the dangerous power the syndicate can give its members. His son, who is later revealed to be Bill Adama (later Commander Adama of Battlestar Galactica) now looks up to Joe's much grittier much more dangerous brother, Sam. Sam who has embraced being Tauron and revels in the respect such thuggery brings, is not exactly an ideal role model.

With the death of Zoe Greystone, her AI-Avatar is thrown into minor chaos, and is soon discovered by her father. The tantalizing prospect is now there, to reconnect with his daughter through the form of immortality shes has created. A prospect he dangles in front of his new friend Joe Adama, just the sort of thing you don't do to a man whose just lost most of his world. Simon hatches a plan to move his daughter into the real world. He just needs a little favor from Joe, a theft from a rival corporation for the right processor. The plan works and soon he's beta testing his daughters new robotic body, you guessed it... a cylon prototype. Unfortunately, his attempt appears to fail, and he lossed his daughter in the digital soup of the machine.

However the Zoe avatar survives and is now bonded with her robotic extension, enabling it to have the reaction time, and reflexes of an actual human being. We leave the pilot not knowing what will happen next, but this is an amazing and tantalizing start to a great show.

The world of Caprica is rich and full of life, and reminds of our world, while yet being just out of reach. It's not as dark and depressing as Battlestar, but it retains its "real" edginess. It asks questions, but doesn't leave us with moral lessons, just more questions. In part two of this review I'll discuss the first episode so stay tuned....

Caprica airs on SYFY channel on Friday Nights. Check your local listings...

5 cylons out of 5

Avatar Review: We are all Jake Sully... pt. 2

At first the opportunity to walk again even if it means through an alien creatures eyes, is amazingly clear. Jake almost salivates when he enters his avatar for the first time, running and jumping about, and enjoying a renewed freedom.Jake's life is a tragedy unto itself. He's lost the use of his legs, confining him to a rugged wheel chair. He's status in his life so far is painfully clear, and it's painted on the back of that chair in the word 'Grunt'. He's given part of his life to the military and they have seemingly returned precious little. Adding to his tragedy is the loss of his twin brother. It's never implicit on screen, but one can infer and imagine that his brother was a research scientist and also at odds with his twins warlike ways.












...experience as a human in jungles
of earth or on other worlds will not
help him on Pandora.

As Jake begins to explore the jungle he, like us, is mystified and stunned by the beauty and the elegance of the Pandoran jungle. Soon, through a wild animal attack and a night of fear, we meet our first Naavi, Neytiri, a princess of the Naavi people. (Why does it always have to be a princess?) She is thin, but strung and agile, and everything action she takes is efficient and or deadly. She is as dangerous as the jungle she calls home, and Jake's intrusion into that world is one that is unwelcome...at first. She saves Jake's life, though she is disgusted by his very existence. She quickly shows the naive Jake that his experience as a human in jungles on earth or on other worlds will not help him on Pandora. One of the most shocking things is her putting out his fire. This is an act that has some many layers of significance.












Fire for humans is a sign of civilization, it is one element what separates us from the animals, and its duel purpose of protection and destruction embodies our relationship with technology. For Neytiri to extinguish Jake's fire would be an act tantamount to murder for many of our ancestors. Yet she does so because the fire makes jake blind to the world that he thought he was seeing. The act opens his eyes to the illumination the Pandoran jungle provides for itself, and yet another amazing dimension of Pandora dazzles our eyes.

It is easy to see humanity becoming
the aggressors as they are in Avatar.

The Naavi are an amalgamation 0f many different native cultures. The tribes of south america, the now nearly extinct cultures of North America, the zulu warriors of Africa, the Dayak tribes of Indonesia. Yet they are different then these, and here is where nuance is shown. They are reflections of a people more in tune with their environment. Wether technology has ever been a facet of thier lives is not known, nor is it asked here. They confound us, especially during a time when most of us have a link to technology nearly from birth. It is easy to see humanity becoming the aggressors as they are in Avatar. What is shown, is their stark contrast to the technology crazed and greed driven humans that have come to their world. While not all humans share in this greed, it is not hard to draw direct allegory to some of the events in our own shared history. An examination of which still inspires ire and anger at the ravages of our own species.














After being examined by the Na'avi, Jake is allowed to live and invited to learn the ways of the Na'avi. At which point the second act of the movie begins. It's a period of learning and unlearning, and a time for us to learn just how connected to the planet the Na'avi people are.











While the plot of the rest film at this point is predictable, the execution of the storyline is where Cameron shows brilliance. There are a handful of lines that or clumsy and not 'poetic' but there are moments of cinematic brilliance where what is seen on screen creates a spectacle that both awes and inspires.

If you don't see Avatar, then you will
have missed a major part of the beginning
of the second century of film making.

By the films end, we have seen our hero undergo a transformation, and find an ending a bit different then Cameron's pastiche for bleak or bittersweet conclusions. If you dont see Avatar, then you will have missed a major part of the beginning of the second century of film making. Sci-fi movies have a new standard to reach... one created on a planet called Pandora.

So the Challenge has been issued and excepted!

Well really its just a Challenge to myself. But a challenge none the less. the Challenge to average one X-box 360 Achievement a Day for a Year. To follow this Challenge I started a new Blog. http://achievement-a-day.blogspot.com/

please comment and let me know what you think.

Avatar Review: One Geek's Apology... pt. 1

Ok, so I was wrong. There I said it. James Cameron is one of the most influential and talented film makers of the last century. He's proven himself time and again, confounding both the pundits and critics. So why did I so doubt him this time? There was a time when I didn't believe that serious cgi characters could ever appeal to my senses...at least not enough for a 'serious' movie. The technology did not exist, or the filmmakers couldn't make the effects seamless with the live action portions, or aliens were simply too unbelievable.

There was a time when
I didn't believe that serious CGI
characters could ever appeal to
my senses...at least not enough
for a 'serious' movie.

These things may have been true of other films, but not Avatar.

Why does Avatar raise the bar for sci-fi movies? Simple, the special affects don't overule the story, nor do they fade to the background after repeated viewings. There is a near perfect synthesis of plot, acting, and effects. Avatar is the type of movie that George Lucas wanted to make when he made Episode 3. A deeply engrossing story, a visual effects powerhouse, a 3-d experience that will leave everyone who watches in nearly gasping in amazement by the time the film is in its 7th minute.












...
Avatar is the type of movie that
George Lucas wanted to make
when he made Episode 3
...

The story begins and we awaken from cryo-stasis, a very old sci-fi trope, used by Cameron to great effect in Aliens (a great nod to fans of that movie) and as we do the first 3-d effect allows the audience just a taste of the virtual 3-d extravaganza to come. A doctor tells the main character that a little disorientation is normal, and we almost nod to him as if he's speaking directly to us, mainly because we are all adjusting our eyes to the amazing effects.

We begin the film with Jake Sully, the (main protagonist) just as he does. Never before has the hero's birth effect been used with such stunning effect. In mere minutes we sympathize with our new hero, and find him to be the kind of guy we could all be friends with. He's relate-able, and he acts as our human 'avatar' into this incredibly rich world of Pandora. And what a world! It's an world teaming with life on every continent, and if not for the un-breathable atmosphere (to humans at least), and the viscous indigenous creatures it would be dubbed paradise found. Jake is offered the role of Avatar-pilot, as his twin brother (a research scientist) and he share the same genetic code used to create the Avatar. Avatar's are not unlike the "android's" in Blade Runner, they are designed to look like the Naavi, a people indigenous to the planet Pandora, more on them in a bit.

... In mere minutes we sympathize
with our new hero, and find him
to be the kind of guy we could all
be friends with.
...

Pandora is altogether plausible, a massive planet that is a lot like earth not unlike the types that are being discovered even as I write this post. Of course the reason for Sully to be there is another common trope, a precious mineral that we humans highly prize for something. It doesn't really matter what we call it, but its a sure fire bet that we homo-sapiens will always have some rock we desire and place as more valuable then nature or just about anything else.



The Naavi at first dont come off as hokey or overly sympathetic creatures, our first glimpse of them is somewhat shocking, almost as if they are just another strange dangerous creature gracing the surface. From afar they are tall imposing, animalistic, and downright scary. We first see one in the form of the Avatar Jake Sully will eventually inhabit. They are strong, fast, cat-like people that somehow never manage to become cute or familiar, or overtly foreign.












The human base on pandora is downright para-militaristic. The corporation. whose name is not important (just think of the Weyland Corporation from Aliens) has spared no expense in bringing ex-marines and 'warriors' to protect their interests. The military hardware is inventive, but not implausible and or unbelievable.














We meet Colonel Quatritch, who's size and stature is equaled only by his machismo. He has all the hallmarks of a man with balls the size of the moon, and a heart inversely proportional to the size of his balls. If we were all gung-ho marines about to invade Afghanistan or Iraq... we'd love this guy. He's a natural leader, and Sully appears as a shell of man compared to his visage. Yet as much as he impresses, Quatritch is not someone we the audience like, and like the scientists who share the base with the military elements, we bristle a bit at any man who is so unforgivably militaristic.


...
Quatritch...has all the hallmarks of a man with balls the size of the moon, and a heart inversely proportional to the size of his balls.
...

As we explore the jungle the abilities of 3-d story telling become abundantly clear. We are sucked into the beauty as it surrounds us and brushes by us. Several times, the audience collectively brushes aside amazingly detailed lifeforms that seem to illuminate the screen, only to be confronted by wondrous other creatures that both terrify and intrigue.

I could go on, but this seems like a review that needs at least another part. So I will pause only to say: Go see this Movie! Avatar is worth twice amount of admission. And please see it in 3-d, as this is the best possible way to see it.
...End of Part 1...

Just Checking in!!

Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy and prosperous new year. I just want to thank everyone who has checked out this blog and listened to the Podcast. It has been a great year and the coming year should be even greater.

More to come very soon.

Troop.

New Segment: 'Geek' Hurdles

In the pantheon of hurdling, there are few jumps larger then the proverbial 'geek' hurdle. Of course some might say that 'nerd' hurdles is the correct term. I chose to ignore those people, as I hope you will as well. A 'geek' hurdle is the level of acceptability a concept can create in the common man-geek (or she-geek if you prefer.) It's the moment when the non-geeky general public tunes out of a science fiction movie, or starts to yawn on the genre tv show that just got canceled.

You know those moments in movies where the unexplained is explained? The super scientist gives you a thirty second explanation for why a certain tech works? Or how he figured out the planet is in danger? Most of the time, that moment is the pinnacle of the 'Geek Hurdle'. Of course you might have other moments, but a majority of the cringe worthy moments, that happen in a blockbuster happen in the exposition.

Here in an uncertain terms (feel free to argue) are the top ranking Geek Hurdles.

Super Soldier - Yes Captain America I'm looking at you. Characters that have enhanced strength and speed due to a special serum, a rigorous training program, or some combination thereof. It's not to far out there, what with the accusations of doping in professional sports. Maybe they don't have a target on their chest, and they probably don't wield a shield, but they are generally believable.








God - Angels, Demons, and general biblical creatures. We live in a Judea Christian Western World were most people learn about the G-O-D when they are young, regardless of wether or not you are religious, most people will buy the big guy getting involved in some fantastic plot.










Mutants - People with special abilities, people who are different from me and you, minus the Xavier school, are generally acceptable, while they begin to strain some credibility, most people will stick around.



Vampires / Werewolves - Sparkly or not, Vamps are a bit of a pill to swallow. At this point your movie/tv show has opened a whole gate way to bigger and crazier concepts. Granted your mind knows they aren't real, but who would argue that David Boreanz is fake? Not me.



Zombies - Walking, running, stumbling, and mostly undead. Once you see these guys its over, forget about it. Realism is gone, and its time to start throwing the undead kitchen sink into the mix. No one is watching zombies and expecting them to be completely believable. If they are they've gone insane, or are watching to many zombie movies.


Magic - You might think that the mysticism would be much lower on the list. Magic is to much of a cure-all. IE Marvel's "House of M". At it's most extreme, Magic trumps plot 9 times out of 10. No matter how impressive, Magic is a costly element to add to any story.



Aliens - They used to be interesting, back before Star Trek and Babylon 5 ruined it for everyone. They've become watered down, overused, walking cliche's . When they are used these days people yawn, become disinterested, or they generally recall post traumatic stress from the last India Jones movie.

"Cancelled": the Joss Whedon Way

Yeah... it's gone. Dollhouse after two glorious and over hyped seasons... is dead as the shows ratings have been since the end of Season One. Never before has so much promise met such an untimely and uncalled for demise...

(Except for Firefly,Dark Angel, The Bionic Woman, Dead Like Me, Family Guy, Jericho, Angel, Terminator:TSCC, Farscape, Space Above and Beyond, My Own Worst Enemy, Galactica 1980, The New American Gladiators, The Old American Gladiators, and just about any other show canceled after early success.)

But Why you ask? Was it the subterranean ongoing story arc? The sub par acting on the part of Elisha Dashiki...Dooku...Dudster? The lack of meaning-full ensemble cast episodes? The over the top sudden face change of Paul Ballard? The introduction of that vital and almost radioactive element known as Glau-minite?



No?

Perhaps its simply the dwindling audience for good ol' Genre Television. You know the type grandpa Roddenberry used to make...



That's right your pa's Genre TV is dying. Ratings are down across the board for most Genre shows, and while a few shows have retained their core audience's it appears as if we maybe in the final age of the scripted sci-fi show on Network TV. If true then no amount of fixing or changing could have changed Dollhouse's fate. "But wait JayT" You say, "What about Stargate Universe... it's ratings are strong? And Fringe is still holding on, and what about "V"?"

Ok, ok, those shows are doing pretty well... but Remember V only has one more episode before a major break in production. Will people forget about the show when it's gone for a month or two after four epy's? Does a rip-off 'Platinum' Omega watch turn your wrist green?

Fringe while still 'holding' hasn't been renewed yet...if people don't watch, it's done. This is Fox we're talking about remember? And Stargate? Well Stargate has a long history of being continued even when ratings are low. The simple fact is that Stargate is the comfort sci-fi that many geeks and nerds alike turn to when everything else goes all Whedony. Call it what you will, but like a friendly ex-girlfriend who's frumpy and eccentric, but makes a mean sammich... we keep going back to her when things aren't going to well and we need comforting.

So what hope is there?

1. Well there's hoping that we can have our minds wiped to completely forget Dollhouse...

2. Perhaps Dollhouse can move to the Syfy channel.

3. Perhaps we get a Dollhouse Movie?


Until then, Ypsilanti!

In the end there can only be one...Blog!

Wow... Long time no BLOG! Apparently Trooper lost his Blog license, either that or in the end there can only be one... tell'em Steve Colbert...



In any case I will soldier on, The battle for mainstream Geektivity will not be abated. Long Live GEEK!

(PS- in case Troop is alive don't tell him about this blogpost, you wouldn't like him when he gets angry...)

Why So Bad..Part 2... Heroes

Let's begin by saying what Heroes does well... special effects, ambiance, and great acting. However our favorite NBC sci-fi 'comicbook' style show falls flat nearly in every other category.

Ever since the lack luster end to its first season, and its aborted second season, Heroes has become a pariah of 'nerddom'. Not bad enough to be canceled, but not good enough to be lauded. Why you ask?

3. Lack of Heroic acts...

Sure there's the occasional save the day, but rarely does anyone outside of Peter or Hiro do anything worthy of calling them heroes. In the recent episodes, Peter is trying to change that, and good on him for using his abilities to help people... So whats wrong with that you ask? Nothing except that we hardly ever see him actually saving people. All his heroics? Off screen!? Brilliant because instead of focusing on being a hero the show seems to be more worried about his emotional needs.

Note to NBC and the writers ... Heroes save people! Superman puts his all on the line not because he has a complicated back story or a weird shape-shifted brother... but because he wants to protect his fellow citizens. Why not have an episode or three devoted to actually saving people from a disastrous situation? Wait I know! Lets set up and elaborate plot with characters no one knows or cares about so that we can have another top heavy hammy story arc that no one will care about!

Which leads us to Number 2...

2. Arcs' that end in Tangents...

So Hiro and the cheerleader and HRG and Nathan and Peter and Mohinder have all joined forces to end some horrible threat. Day saved, apocalypse averted... now what? Whats that you say? Form a club? Start a therapy group? Link to each others Facebook page?

No... they all go their separate directions and act as if they never met. Seriously the characters seemed to get amnesia at the end of each season, and go back into caring only about themselves and a limited amount of others in their sphere of influence. Whats the deal? Is it so much to ask that some of characters stay in touch? The point of the arc is to have characters grow and learn as a consequence of ongoing events. Yet with each new season a reset button is pushed, characters disappear and no one much seems to mind.

Which leads us to number 1...

1. Characters Matter

Stop treating characters as simply means to tell a story. The characters in Heroes don't seem to matter much, they don't have deep lives, and they seem to exist only as a sounding board for the writers. The series leaves characters behind casually, kills them indiscriminately, and is so obsessed with Sylar so much so that we know more about him then we do any other character. Now, I like Sylar as much as the next geek, but Heroes has become almost the 'Sylar Show'.


"Remember us? No? Don't worry we didn't matter either..."


We could see the beginnings of a group dedicated to help people with abilities... not locking them away but using them constructively. Instead we get the same overlong plot arc after arc.

Instead of really interesting and well thought out villains we get boring cliche's (My Fathers Evil!!), sinister government agents (Grrr, Heroes are Dangerous), Or we pull out the old Sylar bit and give that a go.

Why so Bad..Part 1... Smallville

Whats going on? Why have some of our favorite Genre shows (excluding Vamp Diaries), been so... bad? The hype from comic-con is gone, the smell of a fresh season is quickly fading, and ratings are beginning to plummet. High time we look at a few of the reasons why these shows are struggling...


Smallville...

Oh Clark, why so serious...

After the last season of the poorly named Smallville, our favorite non-caped crusader decided he should devote his time to saving people and training. Ergo the Black Knight/Blur scheme.


Sadly this plot device was a joke before it started. For years Smallville devotees know and understand that Clark's real papa wanted him to train... we learned that in season 2 of the show. Problem? It's been 7 years! The man's been saving people and the day all that time. Surely this counts for on the job training. What more does he need to learn? The intricacies of Post Kryptonian politics? Possibly a cooking class from dear old dad? Maybe he's learning to not learn? Or perhaps he must unlearn what he has learned to learn what he hadn't learned? Nonsense he still cant fly so whats the point?

The show runners still haven't grasped the idea of interesting surviving villains, instead they use the same heavy handed approach to nearly everyone the Blur faces. They are always psychopathic, or sadly misled to thier doom. Either way... they die minutes after they appear.

'Don't worry Clark he's
only 'nearly indestructible'

Villains on 'Smallville' are simply a small speed bump in the rise of clark, and when they are a challenge (See also, Doomsday, Zor El, Titan, Phantom Zone Badies, Meteor Freaks) they essentially are there to look intimidating for a minute and then evaporate like the morning dew. How about a few roving evil guys that always seem to pop back up at the worst times? Perhaps a little proto Legion of Doom? Or is that concept to high brow for this show?

NEXT WEEK: Heroes

Viva La Resistance...save this show!

Cue the emotional theme music, the pulse pounding final seconds of a cliff hanger... your favorite genre tv shows most epic moment...

And then nothing. That's right the soulless corporate machine has sucked the life from your show, and you are left hanging over a pit of despair. Will you get a continuation, a resolution... heck even a comic book series? Borne of cancellation comes the battle for the return, sometimes it's just a few fanboys banning together to put up a website or two. Occasionaly a campaign is begun, urging fans to sign a petition, send in letters, nuts, strawberries, or maple syrup to the evil studio that cancelled the show.

Podcasts come next, followed by fan conventions, meetups and parties. Then come the t-shirts, the merchandise, the dvd pumping... and even the occasional audio drama.

These crusades can last decades, with casualties in the hundreds of thousands of man hours. Progress to bring your favorite show back can be impossible to measure, and much like a battle against insurgents, tough to continue without losing will. Only the toughest of fandom's can last the years between production, and all too often, they fall to the wayside. So who's still fighting, and can they possibly win?

Survival Codes:

CB ~ comic book
FS ~ Fansite (high quality)
MD ~ movie deal
TVS ~ tv specials
Pod ~ Fan Podcasts
AD ~ Audio Dramas
OM ~ Online Minisodes
D ~ Just dead baby...



Firefly- The battle continues, the crew of serenity all have shows in production, (except Ron Glass, who's probably relaxing by a fireplace somewhere reading shakespeare and sipping cogniac) and Joss Whedon and Tim Minnear have seemingly moved on. There are several devoted podcasts..., and a fanbase that just won't quit. In fact the entire shows premise is about surviving after being on the losing side, and with Summer Glau and Nathan Fillion Alan Tudyk and Adam Baldwin why aren't you a Browncoat yet? Codes: FS,CB,MD,POD,AD

Farscape- John Crichton has wormholes in his brain... and fans across the world dying for more. Seriously the show that the Sci-fi channel (thats right... pre sy-fy) canceled prematurely is still kicking around, in some form. Theres online shorts... a comic book and even talks of more tv specials. Only one question, what is Chiana and is she still hot? Codes: CB,POD,OM

Jericho- I thought I told you that we won't stop. Seriously? This show is beloved by its fans, so much so that they sent tons of nuts to the studio when it was canceled. Strangely it was renewed then canceled again all within a year. People apparently have a strong tie to post apoclytic fiction, and the campaign continues. FS,TVS, POD

Terminator: SCC- No! Even we here at the Mainstream geek are hurt by this one. A great show that could have gotten even better, killed before its time paradoxes could be solved. Glau gets another show...that was canceled to soon. Hope she doesn't get a complex... seriously. Hang in there Josh Friedman, we your fellow geeks feel your pain. POD,FS,D

Dark Angel- A genetically manipulated Jessica Alba kicking but and acting all cat like? How did this show get canceled? It did, and sadly there were few fans rallying for its continuation. Still it's worth a look, and its by pre Avatar obsessed James Cameron, so its got that. Codes: D

Kings- Does it have a fan base? Will anyone crusade for David? Maybe, but despite critical acclaim, this show has less buzz then a three year old dead butterfly. Heres hoping it'll be rediscovered on DVD and come back like Lazaraus of old. Codes: D

Reaper- Originally these series was called ground breaking, later it was buried in the same ground. Apparently there wasn't a lot of people clamoring to watch, and Sam and his pals were killed much like the demons he hunted in the series, and sent to hell for the rest of tv eternity. Fans liked this show... but like a girl they just 'sort of' liked, forgot about. Who cries for thee Sam? Codes: D

Angel- Five Seasons is a good run most would say, but for David Boreanz and crew five seemed a bit short. Still at least they didn't go out like punks, and hey is that a dragon? Whedon fans are some of the most rabid around, and thanks to them shiny ol' Angel got a comic follow up. How bout a movie? No? Well at least we had LA. Codes: CB,POD,AD,D

There are many more crusades to join my geek brethern and sisters. Show them no mercy, for ye shall recieve none. Remember nothing says geek like fighting for a genre tv show.

Villains We Missed

Villains come and villains go, but their evil deeds last forever. As the 2009 Villainy awards end, we eagerly await next years nominees. The job of villainy is hard one, full of toil and little reward. Insurance doesn’t cover planet destroying lasers, and it can be difficult to get good help to rule the world.

Bare in mind, most of these villains could be brought back in a completely ret-conish way, and many have them have defied repeated flat lining in the past.

The Master

The time lord that wouldn’t die. The alien has gone past his original cadre of bodies (13 to be exact) and now rumor has it he’ll be back for the 10^th doctors exit. Status: Presumed Dead

Megatron

The OG of robotic overlords, the bot has had a few different death blows struck against him… yet he keeps on trucking. Maybe people just prefer him over Galvatron? But you gotta love a guy that can turn into a gun. Status: Alive (in the movie)

Starscream

He whines, he complains, he turns yellow like a school bus, and he’s a traitor to everyone except himself. Why do we like Starscream? Because he’s a true cad, and at least he’s true to himself. Status: Alive (in the movie)

Cromartie – T888

I know I know, T:SCC is just past it’s post mortem, but this show gave us some great characters, none more menacing I think then Cromartie. He just kept coming. I mean he was fried and Decapitated and kept on ticking.
If Skynet made a car

I’d buy it, shortly after it tries to kill me. Status: Dead

Evil Cameron

Whats scarier then Summer Glau as a Terminator? Summer Glau as a Terminator coming to kill you…that’s what. Status: Dormant inside Camerons chip lost in the future, and doomed from cancellation…sigh.

The Geek Squared 2009 Villany Awards

We are going to let this run for two weeks.

Thanks for Voting!