I was not sure what to expect of this series. I started with the premier (a long, 200 minute affair) and was pleasantly surprised. For the most part, I liked how the plot unfolded, the intrigue, the action.
There is a lot I had forgotten since the original. I did not remember anything about Kobol, nor the 12 (or 13) colonies, nothing about a President Roslin.... perhaps they are all new, but I would not know. I do remember the cylons very well, and I rather miss the boxy shape of the Gallatica; the "newer" model is too rounded for me. I do like the unseemingly ragtag collection of other starships, as that is "just right" from the original.
Starbuck is a girl. Weird, that will take some getting used to. On the good side, she has the right amount of spunk, grit and "get out of my way" attitude. Her facial expressions kinda throw me; I can hear Randy and Paula of "American Idol" saying "What's up with the eyes?!?".
I remember Apollo being a little more mature, but I like the actor they casted for this series. I have to remember that I am over 20 years older now than when I first watched BG. =)
And finally the tech. This has me bamboozled. Granted that sci-fi has changed a lot in the past 25 years, but didn't the original good guys have blasters of some type? Especially on the Vipers. Instead all we see are your run-of-the-mill projectile guns (with tracers, of course). Something seems wrong with that. And the cylons are significantly superior technologically, able to infiltrate computers remotely and have a number of computer-defeating weapons. And the cyborgs! That is outrageous. If anything, the cyborgs ruin the show for me. By the time I got to season 2, half the cast seems like they are now cylons, and that is just wrong. (yes, I am exagerrating about half the cast). That whole dimension just adds way too much weirdness and unfamiliarity.
Perhaps more to follow, but perhaps not.
31 March 2008
25 March 2008
Behind Enemy Lines, 2001
This was one of the few Owen Wilson films that I actually liked. In fact, I cannot think of another off the top of my head. A couple times he kinda gets into his Wilsonisms ("Whaddya mean...."), but for the most part, we saw more of Chris Burnett then Owen. I never thought of Hackman as an Admiral, but I thought he did a good job. And even though Joaqim makes a good commanding officer, he is a horrible American commanding officer. Bad casting.
The subterfuge revolving around Joaqim's character (Admiral Piquet) was quite intriguing and I appreciated the plot twists that sprouted as a result. Some of the action scenes were excellent; perhaps I had an overly cynical and pessimistic expectation of Owen's ability to do this type of role well, but I think he pulled it off well. I enjoyed Vladimir's performance of Sasha, but the cloud of mystery and enigma interwoven into his character was a bit too thick. Ok, so he came from a prison camp. What was he doing running around like some kind of loner arch-enemy who can do anything?
I enjoyed most of the cinematography. The action scenes were great, and the stop-motion cuts were tasteful, not to mention the dramatized, granular details of the jet explosion. I detested the scene were Chris Burnett was "sneaking" through the mine-infested industrical area. I hate the "realistic" non-steady-cam, not to mention the fact that absolutely nothing was happening while Owen was pretending to run and hide behind debris in the middle of the field. That sequence added nothing, in fact brought the movie down a notch or two.
The supporting cast was great. I thought Hackman's Admiral character was a bit too gushy at the end, hence unbelievable. But a good movie overall.
The subterfuge revolving around Joaqim's character (Admiral Piquet) was quite intriguing and I appreciated the plot twists that sprouted as a result. Some of the action scenes were excellent; perhaps I had an overly cynical and pessimistic expectation of Owen's ability to do this type of role well, but I think he pulled it off well. I enjoyed Vladimir's performance of Sasha, but the cloud of mystery and enigma interwoven into his character was a bit too thick. Ok, so he came from a prison camp. What was he doing running around like some kind of loner arch-enemy who can do anything?
I enjoyed most of the cinematography. The action scenes were great, and the stop-motion cuts were tasteful, not to mention the dramatized, granular details of the jet explosion. I detested the scene were Chris Burnett was "sneaking" through the mine-infested industrical area. I hate the "realistic" non-steady-cam, not to mention the fact that absolutely nothing was happening while Owen was pretending to run and hide behind debris in the middle of the field. That sequence added nothing, in fact brought the movie down a notch or two.
The supporting cast was great. I thought Hackman's Admiral character was a bit too gushy at the end, hence unbelievable. But a good movie overall.
19 March 2008
10,000 BC, 2008
I had high hopes for this flick, and unfortunately, I fell victim to advertising. Dang, I hate when that happens!
I was really expecting a lot more action; more fights, more war, more battles. Something!
Let's start with the good parts. The scale of the pyramid building was impressive. I am curious how many real people they actually had; there were some scenese were at least 50 were obviously real, but I highly suspect that was it. What else... The decor and motif for the early tribesmen seemed really barbaric, adding to a sense of authenticity. The austere mountain scenery was nice; the remote wastes of those mountains seemed rather savage.
Most everything else I did not like. The egyptian-looking folks were way to advanced for 10,000 BC. And what was up with muxing and flanging the audio for the voices to such extremes? Way too much CGI, and the oversized ostritch-vulture things were a bit out of place. No fighting with the saber-tooth? The acting was forgettable. There was just too much that was unbelievable in the movie.
I was really expecting a lot more action; more fights, more war, more battles. Something!
Let's start with the good parts. The scale of the pyramid building was impressive. I am curious how many real people they actually had; there were some scenese were at least 50 were obviously real, but I highly suspect that was it. What else... The decor and motif for the early tribesmen seemed really barbaric, adding to a sense of authenticity. The austere mountain scenery was nice; the remote wastes of those mountains seemed rather savage.
Most everything else I did not like. The egyptian-looking folks were way to advanced for 10,000 BC. And what was up with muxing and flanging the audio for the voices to such extremes? Way too much CGI, and the oversized ostritch-vulture things were a bit out of place. No fighting with the saber-tooth? The acting was forgettable. There was just too much that was unbelievable in the movie.
18 March 2008
Varekai cirque du soleil, 2003 DVD
Cirque du Soleil is most definitely world-renowned for a dramatic presentation, and Varekai is no slouch. The artistry is amazing, the execution is superb, the skills on stage are astounding and the choreography is mesmerizing.
So why did I blacklist this show? I am a meat & potatoes guy. No, actually, I am just a meat guy. I want action! While the performances were phenomenal (!!), I wished there were more acrobatics. La Vigie was just strange, eccentric in a bad way. Did he do anything other than run around like a dramatic clown? While the story was, or could be, very intriguing, I was lulled by the comic-relief of La Vigie that juxtaposed the meat of the story.
Some of the acrobatics are mind-blowing. The two guys doing the aerial/ground stunts were compelling and vivid. I was struck by how mask-like they affixed their faces, as if their strenuous exercise were but a walk in the park. It was a relief to see them breathe heavy and smile at the end of their performance, just to know they were human. The folks who paired up, the bottom guy throwing and kicking his partner in sometimes graceful movements, sometimes dangerous flips, was awesome! How do they do that?!?
I guess in the end, this was a great show, but I am glad I got it from the library (free!) and did not pay to see it in person. I am sure I would feel differently about other performances. Maybe.
So why did I blacklist this show? I am a meat & potatoes guy. No, actually, I am just a meat guy. I want action! While the performances were phenomenal (!!), I wished there were more acrobatics. La Vigie was just strange, eccentric in a bad way. Did he do anything other than run around like a dramatic clown? While the story was, or could be, very intriguing, I was lulled by the comic-relief of La Vigie that juxtaposed the meat of the story.
Some of the acrobatics are mind-blowing. The two guys doing the aerial/ground stunts were compelling and vivid. I was struck by how mask-like they affixed their faces, as if their strenuous exercise were but a walk in the park. It was a relief to see them breathe heavy and smile at the end of their performance, just to know they were human. The folks who paired up, the bottom guy throwing and kicking his partner in sometimes graceful movements, sometimes dangerous flips, was awesome! How do they do that?!?
I guess in the end, this was a great show, but I am glad I got it from the library (free!) and did not pay to see it in person. I am sure I would feel differently about other performances. Maybe.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
Even though I had not heard much good about this movie, I did have some hopes if for nothing else than the whimsical adventures of the children. To that end, I thought the children were great! They were the highlight of the movie; interesting characters, well played and well written. In fact, I found the plot in general to be well conceived.
But there were many unfortunate factors that caused this piece to slide downhill for me. Jim Carey. While I think he has great talent (and this movie helped him improve his accents a little), his mannerisms are just too strong. But he was not the only problem. I found all the adults to be idiots. Its one thing if you make a children's movie, but this is not a movie for children specifically. It is dark, deep and mysterious. Why do the adults have to be so thick? The children stand out like red blood on newspaper.
My one complain of the children is Sunny - too much CGI. While her character was cute and charming at times, they gave her too much credit and had to adapt for it by synthesizing certain movements and postures. Bad choice, as it makes the character seem unreal.
But there were many unfortunate factors that caused this piece to slide downhill for me. Jim Carey. While I think he has great talent (and this movie helped him improve his accents a little), his mannerisms are just too strong. But he was not the only problem. I found all the adults to be idiots. Its one thing if you make a children's movie, but this is not a movie for children specifically. It is dark, deep and mysterious. Why do the adults have to be so thick? The children stand out like red blood on newspaper.
My one complain of the children is Sunny - too much CGI. While her character was cute and charming at times, they gave her too much credit and had to adapt for it by synthesizing certain movements and postures. Bad choice, as it makes the character seem unreal.
Age of Empires II, Microsoft game
Well, version 2 is definitely better than the original, but I was shocked to realize that some basic issues were untouched between the two. While AoE II is more polished and a few of the annoyances worked out, there is a sharp lack of diversity between the French, English and Scottish armies and buildings. The eastern races have a slight breathe of fresh air in that they at least look a little different. While extremely minor, I did not like how the menu graphics have such poor quality. And the music....
On the good side, I like the improvements made to the game system. Primitive waypoints are introduced, and selecting large groups of armies is a huge advantage. Pulling in the Egyptian architecture and units was a nice touch. And the upper-tech units add some nice variety, with distinct styles of play and unique weaknesses/strengths.
On the good side, I like the improvements made to the game system. Primitive waypoints are introduced, and selecting large groups of armies is a huge advantage. Pulling in the Egyptian architecture and units was a nice touch. And the upper-tech units add some nice variety, with distinct styles of play and unique weaknesses/strengths.
05 March 2008
Age of Empires, Microsoft game
I dabbled with the AoE II demo a while back, so I thought $10 would be a good price to get everything up to an including the AoE II expansion pack. You get what you pay for.
AoE II is definitely more polished than the original. I am playing through the original now and really finding it hard to like. No way points or build queues. My warriors stand around like dummies when an enemy is nearby (I already set Diplomacy to "Enemy"), and the pathfinding algorithms suck big time. Watch towers seem hesitant to fire upon the enemy (fear of retribution?). And how come if I kill an animal with a warrior I cannot harvest its meat?
I am looking forward to playing AoE II again; my memory is a little blurry, but I seem to remember that it was a little more satisfying.
AoE II is definitely more polished than the original. I am playing through the original now and really finding it hard to like. No way points or build queues. My warriors stand around like dummies when an enemy is nearby (I already set Diplomacy to "Enemy"), and the pathfinding algorithms suck big time. Watch towers seem hesitant to fire upon the enemy (fear of retribution?). And how come if I kill an animal with a warrior I cannot harvest its meat?
I am looking forward to playing AoE II again; my memory is a little blurry, but I seem to remember that it was a little more satisfying.
Belgarath the Sorcerer, by David and Leigh Eddings
I like the way these guys write. I like the style and level of detail, I like the way the plot unfolds and the constructs they use.
I like Belgarath. Although he and the rest of the disciples seem pretty dumb given that they live for tens of thousands of years, he has spunk, and I like spunk. The authors make their characters rather consistent, which lends life and believability to their personas. I also like the use of the occasionally parenthical thoughts; they are often used for foreshadowing, but also to develop other characters.
I like the magic system that the Eddings employ, the Will and the Word. Although Polgara seems to use hand motions a little more, the idea is still essentially the same. There is an intersting hierarchy within the gods, all of whom seemed compelled to follow the rules of the Necessity. "Compelled" being a keyword, as it seems it is occasionally allowed to disobey from time to time. It is interesting how we start to see the classic "evil vs. good" near the end of the book. More specifically, how the "evil" is a mistake, and a "good" is coming to correct that mistake. It strikes a very similar, although misguided, parallel to Christian theistic beliefs.
There are not many points of which I regret in this book. The landscape is a little small; folks travel all four corners on a consistent basis. Probably part of what skews the scope is that time is also a little distorted; if you blink, you might skip 3,000 years.
I see that the Eddings have written other things, and I plan to check them out.
I like Belgarath. Although he and the rest of the disciples seem pretty dumb given that they live for tens of thousands of years, he has spunk, and I like spunk. The authors make their characters rather consistent, which lends life and believability to their personas. I also like the use of the occasionally parenthical thoughts; they are often used for foreshadowing, but also to develop other characters.
I like the magic system that the Eddings employ, the Will and the Word. Although Polgara seems to use hand motions a little more, the idea is still essentially the same. There is an intersting hierarchy within the gods, all of whom seemed compelled to follow the rules of the Necessity. "Compelled" being a keyword, as it seems it is occasionally allowed to disobey from time to time. It is interesting how we start to see the classic "evil vs. good" near the end of the book. More specifically, how the "evil" is a mistake, and a "good" is coming to correct that mistake. It strikes a very similar, although misguided, parallel to Christian theistic beliefs.
There are not many points of which I regret in this book. The landscape is a little small; folks travel all four corners on a consistent basis. Probably part of what skews the scope is that time is also a little distorted; if you blink, you might skip 3,000 years.
I see that the Eddings have written other things, and I plan to check them out.
Winterbirth, Brian Ruckley
I read "Winterbirth" and "Left Hand of Darkness" back to back. Talk about a study in diametric opposition. Where Ursula was boring, Ruckley is all about bloodshed. Where Ursula explores, Ruckley spills blood. Get the picture?
I may attempt to pick it up again. All the aggression was a bit too much for my tastes; the story is raw and without grace, but full of testosterone and gristle.
I did enjoy the premise, the concept of the gods leaving and letting the people go about life without their influence, for better or worse. I do like the overriding but subliminal presence of some kind of "evil" that must be fought, in this case, the destiny of the entire planet.
I may attempt to pick it up again. All the aggression was a bit too much for my tastes; the story is raw and without grace, but full of testosterone and gristle.
I did enjoy the premise, the concept of the gods leaving and letting the people go about life without their influence, for better or worse. I do like the overriding but subliminal presence of some kind of "evil" that must be fought, in this case, the destiny of the entire planet.
The left hand of darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
I have enjoyed other Ursula K. Le Guin books in the past, but this one just did not draw me in at all. There are definitely some interesting concepts, and I like how she develops the characters, but the story lacks engagement. I am finding it hard to say much anything else.
Raisin in the Sun, 2008 TV Movie
As a white person watching this movie, I found it very eye-opening; the topic reminds me of the horrible inequities faced by minority groups in our country, but also highlights the bravery, stamina and raw strength that some people have, no matter what situation they are in.
The cast was excellent and I was drawn in by the acting. The filmography was a bit too dark for me; the graininess I attributed to my TV. =) The story was riveting and very real, from my perspective. I felt Walter's struggle to be a man, amidst so many distractions, challenges and temptations. The day-by-day struggles of this family were amazing, only to be outdone by the strong vision of the mother ("Lena") and the vivacious glue with which she kept the family together.
The subplot about African heritage was interesting as well. I am reminded how much I, and perhaps most Americans, are rather ignorant of general African history.
My heart is torn by this type of drama, mostly because I know it is real and folks are still suffering from it. There is absolutely no good reason for this type of prejudice and racial disharmony; only bad reasons.
The cast was excellent and I was drawn in by the acting. The filmography was a bit too dark for me; the graininess I attributed to my TV. =) The story was riveting and very real, from my perspective. I felt Walter's struggle to be a man, amidst so many distractions, challenges and temptations. The day-by-day struggles of this family were amazing, only to be outdone by the strong vision of the mother ("Lena") and the vivacious glue with which she kept the family together.
The subplot about African heritage was interesting as well. I am reminded how much I, and perhaps most Americans, are rather ignorant of general African history.
My heart is torn by this type of drama, mostly because I know it is real and folks are still suffering from it. There is absolutely no good reason for this type of prejudice and racial disharmony; only bad reasons.
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