Tag Archives: SF

Movie Review: Star Trek: Into Darkness

Alice+Eve+in+Star+Trek+-+Into+the+DarknessThis review will be broken into two sections. The leading section will be spoiler-free for those who have not seen the film and who wished to remain naïve and innocent about the horror that will fall upon them. After the jump I will rant and bitch about specific elements of the movie that are particularly stupid, insipid and insulting. Do not blame me if you read past the jump and find yourself spoiled. (Personally I’m not sure this film can be spoiled. That would take as an implication it exists in an unspoiled state, something I find very debatable.)

Star Trek: Into Darkness is a poorly talented con-man utilizing action and fast fight scenes in place of a bluff roll hoping to keep the audience so distracted with spectacle, visual effects, and action so that the poor viewers will never noticed the Michael Bay levels of stupidium from which the script was constructed.

If you saw the nine minute preview attached to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, then you have already seen the start of Star Trek: Into Darkness, and the least stupid portion of the movie.

The film lacks any real scenes of character and development. While this edition is more of Kirk’s story than Spock as was the case with Star Trek (2009), the audience is treated to no dramatic scenes of length to get to know their characters or explore their issues. In this film stuff happens! Before you can process, or question the Stuff more stuff happens and this is bigger stuff. The filmmakers – if they are thinking this far ahead – are desperately hoping that no one will stop during their razzmatazz and ask what is it that these characters are trying to achieve. The plot is a convoluted tangled of scenes that nominally are related, but have as much to do with story, arcs, and development as a poorly crafted first person shooter.

There are moments of real acting, but they occur infrequently because the actors are given so little to work with. One of the best actors, Benedict Cumberbatch, is utterly wasted. As a villain his motivations are sketchy and his supposedly brilliant intellect crafts only the most base and insipid of plans. Simon Pegg, a talented actor with deep geek cred, continues to perform in a manner so utterly at odds with the source material that is it simply best to pretend his character is a distant cousin to our beloved Scotty.

This film continues the previous movie’s utter disdain for science and the vastness of the cosmos. If getting to Vulcan in moments bothered you in Star Trek (2009) what these characters achieve within a single day will infuriate you. There is no consistency in technology or capabilities.

If you are getting the impression I disliked the film you are correct. This is a movie that the more you think about, the more you question, the greater the stupidity. I cannot recommend that you see it.

AND NOW FOR SPOILERS

Continue reading →

Share

This is the Convention that Was.

So the past weekend was Conjecture, the autumn SF convention here is sunnySan Diego. As my earlier post had indicated, this time I was participating on a number of panels, 1 on Friday, 3 on Saturday, and 2 on Sunday making this the heaviest lifting I had ever done as a panelist. What was my feeling on this after such a busy time?

I loved it.

No doubt in great part because I shared my panels with a dazzlingly bright array of fans and pro, who had smart, intelligent, and polite points of views to share. My gods, even the panel on ideology in fiction did not break down into squabbling over political events. We had a good spirited, but always courteous discussion on ideology in fiction. I did not spend the evening hours at the convention, being that we live just a couple of miles from the hotel, my wife and I retired back to our home for board and card games each night. I can honestly say though this was the most fun I have ever had at a small convention.

The only down side was that there were presentations I was forced to miss and I really wanted to see those, including new presentations from my friend Bridget at JPL about the Mars and asteroid missions.

However, I did get to see some things and what I saw I enjoyed, including a 15 minute fan film from 1940s that was a travelogue through the dead cities of Mars. It looked surprisingly good, both in terms what they two brothers achieved and the state of the film after so many years.

I look forward to doing more of this at local conventions.

Share

Sunday Night Movie: Village of the Damned

After a weekend at a science-fiction convention it seemed quite right to watch a classic SF movie, and given thatVillageofThe Damnedis a short SF film that made it double-plus good.

VillageofThe Damnedis a film adaptation of John Wyndham’s novel The Midwich Cockoos. John Wyndham wrote a number of interesting and thought provoking SF novels including The Day of the Triffids. The Midwich Cockoos is equally jammed packed with ideas and concepts, many of which were ditched from the film simply because a film cannot be an extended discussion of evolution, not if you want to entertain the audience. Continue reading →

Share

Sunday Night Movie: The Black Hole

Technically this is a Saturday Afternoon/ later Saturday night movie, but it’s close enough for government work.

The Black was the Disney entry into the “Star Wars made more money than God, what space movie do we have’ race that exploded after 1977. Notable as the first rated Disney film that was no ‘G’, the Black hole is in many ways a classic example of later 70’s genre film making. Pretentious, filled with cluncky dialogue and for no reason what so ever, ESP powers have to be present. Continue reading →

Share

Chicon 7 – Day 2

So day two of the convention started with the now typical backache, but on the plus side my sweetie-wife and I had a very pleasant breakfast with a person whom I had only known as an on line poster.

There is a forum for people writing and submitting to the Writers of the Future contest and quite a few of us were attending Chicon 7. I had hoped to breakfast with two of them, but we failed to make the connection with one and so it was just three of us at the breakfast buffet. Still, it was very nice to put a face and voice to the posts and we had a lovely conversation before the start of another busy day. Continue reading →

Share

Chicon 7 – Day 1

The next morning we discovered what would become the worst recurring aspect to this year’s World Science Fiction Convention, the beds at the Hyatt Regency. The hotel supplied the rooms with beds of extreme softness. Now there may be those who think that means a night’s rest is like sleeping on a cloud when on such a bed, but those are not the sentiments of my sweetie-wife and myself. Both of us suffered from back pains through the convention due to the bedding, my sweetie suffering more than myself. Continue reading →

Share

I’ve Been Away

Howdy:

So for the last week I have been in Chicago attending the 70th World Science-Fiction Convention.

At many conventions I would have done nightly updates on the panels and my activities, but ChiCon 7 was far too busy for that. The panels were really good, and even on the first day I was in panels from noon until 10:15 at night. I am so glad we arrived the day before.

I got to meet a number of my fellow Writers of The Future contestants and they struck me as a talented and engaging group of writers. (What the hell was I doing there?) Honestly I had a great time and I will try to post a little more about it in the coming days. Unusual for me, I skipped out on the last day of the con to go to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Technology, because they had an actual WWII German U-boat there (number 505, captured by Americans) and that was worth seeing and touring.

I had a great time, saw old friends, made new ones, and I am jazzed about my writing again. All in all a success!

Share

Another General Posting

The frequent eye strain headaches have made the desire to sit and compose blog posts rather rare of late. After spending 8 hours at the computer for my day job I am disinclined to spend much more at home. Even bumping up the font only helps so much. However on Wednesday I had my annual eye exam, discovered that the axis of my astigmatism had shifted quite a bit. So while my visual acuity is about the same, I still require new lens. They have been ordered, 7-10 days which is like something from the last century, and when I get them I should be back to my old happy self.

Having just finished the Book of Job, I’m about halfway through my reading of the Old Testament. God has finished making he transition to a spirit above and encompassing the world, quite a change from the wrestling guy in Genesis or the dude who appeared, wrapped in smoke and flame like a Balrog, above magic boxes. I’m not sure if I will finish this read, it has been sucking up a lot of my time and I really shouldn’t waste too much.

Today, 5/25/12, the Dragon spacecraft docked with the International Space station, opening a new era for spaceflight. Space X is going where only governments have gone before, and while I cheer this achievement should we consider where other corporations might go if given the chance? Is this is herald of a bright off-world future or the sign that the cyberpunks might have been right?

Paging Dr. McCoy, your hypo is ready.  Speaking as someone who despises the needle, I can’t even watch one on the movie screen, I truly cheer this invention.

The three day weekend is nearly upon us. I have plans, but hardly anything extravagant. Sadly I will not be going to BayCon this year. It was a choice between BayCon and WorldCon and in that contest WorldCon always wins. So tonight will be D&D, where I am a player. We’re in the middle of a fight, outnumber and fighting under hampered conditions. So far the gamemaster has been holding back, but we’ll see if this is the last game for my Arabic Paladin, Alladin. Tomorrow and Sunday will be board and card gaming with friends and my sweetie-wife, must resist buying the Game of Thrones board game, and on Monday I will be going toDisneyland. Sadly by myself, my dear friend who was going to go is under the weather health wise and that has caused quite a bit of financial stress. I already had paid for my ticket, so alone I go. I shall have fun in his honor.

Share