popa's Recent Comments
Update: Crowe Is No Dr. Watson in SHERLOCK HOLMES - Sep 02, 2008 - 11:12am
This might work given the right script. Sherlock Holmes was the late nineteenth century's CSI in a sense because it captured the public's fascination with the scientific method as a tool for fighting evil. I just hope they keep this idea and resist the temptation to camp it up with impossible gadgets and implausible fight sequences. Also, remember that Watson is the narrator, which might suit Crowe fine.
This might work given the right script. Sherlock Holmes was the late nineteenth century's CSI in a sense because it captured the public's fascination with the scientific method as a tool for fighting evil. I just hope they keep this idea and resist the temptation to camp it up with impossible gadgets and implausible fight sequences. Also, remember that Watson is the narrator, which might suit Crowe fine.
STARGATE ATLANTIS Movie Greenlit by Sci-Fi - Aug 24, 2008 - 04:36am
Seriously, can't you guys read? What part of "Atlantis will remain vital" don't you understand? It's a successful series. Have a little faith. Look at the latest Stargate movie. It was amazing, one of the best sci-fi movies I've every seen, but it allowed the stars to move on to other projects. The producers have created a process to turn out high-quality products that go somewhere instead of being allowed to die on the vine. We should celebrate that process, not bitch about it.
Seriously, can't you guys read? What part of "Atlantis will remain vital" don't you understand? It's a successful series. Have a little faith. Look at the latest Stargate movie. It was amazing, one of the best sci-fi movies I've every seen, but it allowed the stars to move on to other projects. The producers have created a process to turn out high-quality products that go somewhere instead of being allowed to die on the vine. We should celebrate that process, not bitch about it.
BURN NOTICE: Rough Seas - Aug 23, 2008 - 12:01pm
I'd give this show an A+. Michael is a problem solver. Whether it's a low-life criminal he's up against or a family situation, he uses his brains to find a solution. How often do you see that done well? It's refreshing to see something besides hand-wringing angst on TV. I like the mother because that character reminds us that Michael lives in the real world where you don't get to pick your parents, a far cry from the usual loner hero story. This show is absolutely the coolest thing on TV I've seen in a long time.
I'd give this show an A+. Michael is a problem solver. Whether it's a low-life criminal he's up against or a family situation, he uses his brains to find a solution. How often do you see that done well? It's refreshing to see something besides hand-wringing angst on TV. I like the mother because that character reminds us that Michael lives in the real world where you don't get to pick your parents, a far cry from the usual loner hero story. This show is absolutely the coolest thing on TV I've seen in a long time.
TV Wasteland: Ron Moore Goes Virtual - Aug 19, 2008 - 07:14pm
You're right, ponyboy. Radio waves travel through space all the time, some coming from near the beginning of the universe. But they all travel at the speed of light. The nearest star is over four light years away which means a radio signal from Proxima Centauri takes over four years to get here. Imagine broadcasting a TV show with a time lag of many years between transmission and viewing. Science fiction sometimes postulates ways of sending a signal faster than light, but no known physical theory supports that idea. (And yes, I know we're talking about science fiction.) I think you're thinking of Arecibo which is in Puerto Rico, not Mexico. That particular instrument's receiving dish is fixed. We have many other receivers around the globe which can point at objects including spacecraft in orbit and the vehicles on Mars. Now that I've bored everyone silly, I think I'll stop writing now. :-)
You're right, ponyboy. Radio waves travel through space all the time, some coming from near the beginning of the universe. But they all travel at the speed of light. The nearest star is over four light years away which means a radio signal from Proxima Centauri takes over four years to get here. Imagine broadcasting a TV show with a time lag of many years between transmission and viewing. Science fiction sometimes postulates ways of sending a signal faster than light, but no known physical theory supports that idea. (And yes, I know we're talking about science fiction.) I think you're thinking of Arecibo which is in Puerto Rico, not Mexico. That particular instrument's receiving dish is fixed. We have many other receivers around the globe which can point at objects including spacecraft in orbit and the vehicles on Mars. Now that I've bored everyone silly, I think I'll stop writing now. :-)
TV Wasteland: Ron Moore Goes Virtual - Aug 19, 2008 - 06:47am
A reality show? Christ. Way to trivialize a concept and kill it right off the starting block! Of course the VR modules have something wrong with them, otherwise there's no threat so why would we care. I won't even go into the obvious technical problem with broadcasting a TV show light years away from Earth. Who thinks this stuff up anyway?
A reality show? Christ. Way to trivialize a concept and kill it right off the starting block! Of course the VR modules have something wrong with them, otherwise there's no threat so why would we care. I won't even go into the obvious technical problem with broadcasting a TV show light years away from Earth. Who thinks this stuff up anyway?
Angelina Jolie Replaces Cruise in EDWIN A. SALT - Aug 13, 2008 - 03:20pm
Oh God, Atlas Shrugged. Really? How do you make one of the longest works of fiction in existence, a work that's primarily about philosophy, into a movie? Some have said it's more science fiction than fiction since the world it describes is really only a device for explaining ideas. There's a speech in the damn thing that's 56 pages long for God's sake! I've read novels not much longer than that. Oh well, it should be interesting. I don't envy the screenplay writer. No matter how he or she decides to condense this monster into 2 hours, I'm sure there will be howls of complaints from all sides.
Oh God, Atlas Shrugged. Really? How do you make one of the longest works of fiction in existence, a work that's primarily about philosophy, into a movie? Some have said it's more science fiction than fiction since the world it describes is really only a device for explaining ideas. There's a speech in the damn thing that's 56 pages long for God's sake! I've read novels not much longer than that. Oh well, it should be interesting. I don't envy the screenplay writer. No matter how he or she decides to condense this monster into 2 hours, I'm sure there will be howls of complaints from all sides.
Sony Grabs Screenwriters for FLASH GORDON - Aug 10, 2008 - 01:13pm
I think it's possible to make a great Flash Gordon movie, but it's going to take an unusual set of talents. The original Flash Gordon was popular when the public knew next to nothing about space flight and the possibility of life on other worlds. Even the idea was fantastic and new back then. In my view, to be successful they'll have to take the gestalt of the first and update it with today's knowledge and public familiarity with space flight. That doesn't mean it still can't be fantastic; it just can insult the intelligence of people who regularly watch astronauts performing their duties on the ISS or who are following the Phoenix lander's search for life on Mars. The recent TV show took the cheap way out. Remove space flight completely from the concept with a magic door. We all know how successful that approach was.
I think it's possible to make a great Flash Gordon movie, but it's going to take an unusual set of talents. The original Flash Gordon was popular when the public knew next to nothing about space flight and the possibility of life on other worlds. Even the idea was fantastic and new back then. In my view, to be successful they'll have to take the gestalt of the first and update it with today's knowledge and public familiarity with space flight. That doesn't mean it still can't be fantastic; it just can insult the intelligence of people who regularly watch astronauts performing their duties on the ISS or who are following the Phoenix lander's search for life on Mars. The recent TV show took the cheap way out. Remove space flight completely from the concept with a magic door. We all know how successful that approach was.
Production Begins Again on ABC's LIFE ON MARS - Aug 06, 2008 - 12:57pm
A P.C. version would miss the point, of course. It would be like Abbot without Costello, Martin without Lewis, Bush without Cheney. I can't believe they'd buy the sandwich and take out the meat.
A P.C. version would miss the point, of course. It would be like Abbot without Costello, Martin without Lewis, Bush without Cheney. I can't believe they'd buy the sandwich and take out the meat.
Rumor: Linda Hamilton is Back for TERMINATOR? - Aug 06, 2008 - 12:18pm
The rumor I heard was that in the future terminators are used as fashion police, and when Sarah Conner shows up in her 1984 hairdo, well, let's just say it isn't pretty.
The rumor I heard was that in the future terminators are used as fashion police, and when Sarah Conner shows up in her 1984 hairdo, well, let's just say it isn't pretty.
Ghost in the Shell 2.0 and Girl Who Leapt Through Time Blu-ray Details - Aug 05, 2008 - 07:44am
Good news, but to me Blu-ray editions of cartoons have only a marginal improvement over standard def. A line drawn in standard def looks pretty much like a line drawn in Blu-ray format. More impressive will be the audio mix I suspect.
Good news, but to me Blu-ray editions of cartoons have only a marginal improvement over standard def. A line drawn in standard def looks pretty much like a line drawn in Blu-ray format. More impressive will be the audio mix I suspect.
Shaye and Lynne Prep Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION - Jul 29, 2008 - 02:24pm
It's about time. Ever since I saw "Star Wars" I've been wondering why nobody's picked up the Foundation series. Asimov's work is a literary masterpiece, light years beyond the cartoon space battles we've come to expect. The series of books is about a new kind of science, a science of history based on a psychological theory of the human mind, set in the far future when the entire galaxy has been settled by humanity. The story tells of the fall of the empire and the rise of a genius named Hari Seldon. I can hardly wait.
It's about time. Ever since I saw "Star Wars" I've been wondering why nobody's picked up the Foundation series. Asimov's work is a literary masterpiece, light years beyond the cartoon space battles we've come to expect. The series of books is about a new kind of science, a science of history based on a psychological theory of the human mind, set in the far future when the entire galaxy has been settled by humanity. The story tells of the fall of the empire and the rise of a genius named Hari Seldon. I can hardly wait.
SDCC: The Watchmen Archimedes - Jul 27, 2008 - 11:49pm
Comic-Con was a dangerous nightmare. I went to sit in on some of the sessions, one of which was hosted by a friend of mine. Because of the huge crowds I was not able to sit in on any except for one which was packed wall to wall in a large room. The exit was blocked by a densely populated line for merchandise, a very dangerous situation which I expect would alarm any responsible fire marshall. They need to divide the convention into one for artists/professionals and another for the fan boys.
Comic-Con was a dangerous nightmare. I went to sit in on some of the sessions, one of which was hosted by a friend of mine. Because of the huge crowds I was not able to sit in on any except for one which was packed wall to wall in a large room. The exit was blocked by a densely populated line for merchandise, a very dangerous situation which I expect would alarm any responsible fire marshall. They need to divide the convention into one for artists/professionals and another for the fan boys.
SDCC: Day Remake Will Definitely Have a Gort - Jul 27, 2008 - 12:08pm
I don't see the logic behind this mechanisms bad, biological creations good, idea. An artificial biological robot would still be a mechanism, just made of different parts. The big difference would be that introducing an alien biological artifact on Earth would have the potential of a dangerous, perhaps deadly, interaction with Earth life forms. A mechanism made of metal, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be inert unless it was radioactive. I suspect that the real reason for this decision is they wanted to differentiate themselves from the original movie while avoiding any "Transformers" comparison.
I don't see the logic behind this mechanisms bad, biological creations good, idea. An artificial biological robot would still be a mechanism, just made of different parts. The big difference would be that introducing an alien biological artifact on Earth would have the potential of a dangerous, perhaps deadly, interaction with Earth life forms. A mechanism made of metal, on the other hand, would be guaranteed to be inert unless it was radioactive. I suspect that the real reason for this decision is they wanted to differentiate themselves from the original movie while avoiding any "Transformers" comparison.
Keitel Leads Department in LIFE ON MARS - Jul 25, 2008 - 11:31am
Life on Mars is a terrific British series, but, honestly, I find it hard to imagine this series without the gritty British sensibility. What made this series fun to me was the comparison to America's corrupt and sometimes brutal times in the moral awakening of the 1970s.
Life on Mars is a terrific British series, but, honestly, I find it hard to imagine this series without the gritty British sensibility. What made this series fun to me was the comparison to America's corrupt and sometimes brutal times in the moral awakening of the 1970s.
Bay Talks TRANSFORMERS 2 and Horror Remakes - Jul 16, 2008 - 02:05pm
Before Stars Wars, studios wouldn't touch this concept because it wasn't grounded in concepts that a mainstream audience could appreciate. Now that robots and space travel are integrated into our culture, something like Transformers can really fly without the audience walking away with confused looks on their collective faces. The question becomes just how much science fiction can a modern mass audience tolerate. My guess is pretty much as long as the story is mainly about people who have conflicts they can identify with. I would hope, though, they tone down some of the fantasy aspects of the cartoon. People still need to believe in the reality of the story at some level.
Before Stars Wars, studios wouldn't touch this concept because it wasn't grounded in concepts that a mainstream audience could appreciate. Now that robots and space travel are integrated into our culture, something like Transformers can really fly without the audience walking away with confused looks on their collective faces. The question becomes just how much science fiction can a modern mass audience tolerate. My guess is pretty much as long as the story is mainly about people who have conflicts they can identify with. I would hope, though, they tone down some of the fantasy aspects of the cartoon. People still need to believe in the reality of the story at some level.
Top Maniacal News: Gort Destruction, Mummy Mum and Iron Holmes - Jul 13, 2008 - 11:08am
The trouble with movies like Alien and sequels in general is that the money people are unwilling to let go of what they consider made the original a hit. The problem with that idea is that usually the main reason the original made money is that it was an ORIGINAL IDEA. I don't think there's a problem with Ms. Weaver playing the role; her age represents a large proportion of the population after all. No, the success of another sequel lies, as usual, in the hands of the writers. I like the idea of keeping the look of Gort except for one thing. The original moved clumsily and the knees bent as if Gort were made of cardboard. Should be easy to fix these days. In the original "The Day the Earth Stood Still" the central idea was brilliant and true today as it was back then: the propensity of humans toward self destruction. It's true that ignoring global warming will kill off the human species just as effectively as war does, but that robs us of the central idea of the original: the robot was the solution in that it would ruthlessly kill humans who resorted to violence. So what is the new role of the robot? If you can't come up with a good answer for that, you don't have a movie. Maybe they should rename the robot "Al Gort." Nobody move or you'll get a lecture.
The trouble with movies like Alien and sequels in general is that the money people are unwilling to let go of what they consider made the original a hit. The problem with that idea is that usually the main reason the original made money is that it was an ORIGINAL IDEA. I don't think there's a problem with Ms. Weaver playing the role; her age represents a large proportion of the population after all. No, the success of another sequel lies, as usual, in the hands of the writers. I like the idea of keeping the look of Gort except for one thing. The original moved clumsily and the knees bent as if Gort were made of cardboard. Should be easy to fix these days. In the original "The Day the Earth Stood Still" the central idea was brilliant and true today as it was back then: the propensity of humans toward self destruction. It's true that ignoring global warming will kill off the human species just as effectively as war does, but that robs us of the central idea of the original: the robot was the solution in that it would ruthlessly kill humans who resorted to violence. So what is the new role of the robot? If you can't come up with a good answer for that, you don't have a movie. Maybe they should rename the robot "Al Gort." Nobody move or you'll get a lecture.
Comic-Con News: July 23 and July 24 Schedule - Jul 11, 2008 - 01:35pm
I'm going on Thursday also, but I'm not worried by traffic. I'm taking Amtrak from Pasadena which is probably the only way that makes economic sense thanks to our oh so wonderful President.
I'm going on Thursday also, but I'm not worried by traffic. I'm taking Amtrak from Pasadena which is probably the only way that makes economic sense thanks to our oh so wonderful President.
Sony Grabs Cast For PLANET 51 - Jul 09, 2008 - 06:38am
A film called Planet 51 about humans landing on a planet inhabited by aliens who seem to be us in, let me guess, 1951? Maybe this picture should be called "The Day the Earth got Spoofed."
A film called Planet 51 about humans landing on a planet inhabited by aliens who seem to be us in, let me guess, 1951? Maybe this picture should be called "The Day the Earth got Spoofed."
Director for Earth Stood Still Talks GORT - Jul 09, 2008 - 02:45am
I just watched the original 1951 movie in the THX DVD release and was impressed at how well it stood up over a half a century later. They included an actual newsreel from the time which I found absolutely chilling. If you think today's anti-science right-wing political propaganda is bad, listen to the strident commentary in this newsreel. It certainly drives home the message of the movie. The essential idea of this film, that civilization's only hope is to put power in the hands of dispassionate, ruthless machines, is still a compelling one today. Power still corrupts. Destruction, murder and assassination are still tools of the corrupted. There is a message here that could easily be expanded to include events of this century. One thing that has to be changed though. In the original, Klaatu's home was a mere 150 million miles away. That would probably make his home Mars, which we now know does not contain a civilization.
I just watched the original 1951 movie in the THX DVD release and was impressed at how well it stood up over a half a century later. They included an actual newsreel from the time which I found absolutely chilling. If you think today's anti-science right-wing political propaganda is bad, listen to the strident commentary in this newsreel. It certainly drives home the message of the movie. The essential idea of this film, that civilization's only hope is to put power in the hands of dispassionate, ruthless machines, is still a compelling one today. Power still corrupts. Destruction, murder and assassination are still tools of the corrupted. There is a message here that could easily be expanded to include events of this century. One thing that has to be changed though. In the original, Klaatu's home was a mere 150 million miles away. That would probably make his home Mars, which we now know does not contain a civilization.
Sigourney Weaver Up for ALIENS 5 - Jul 05, 2008 - 08:35am
Haven't you heard? 60 is the new 40. Ms Weaver would do fine. What they need is a freaking STORY. In my humble opinion, the sequels went the wrong way with the whole concept. They went dark instead of the kick-butt survival, horror sci-fi flick they did so well. Ripley needs to kick some butt again but this time with a spanking brand new concept that still sticks to the alien menace angle. It has to go that way because without another mind-bending sci-fi surprise that grabs you in the gut, it's just another horror movie.
Haven't you heard? 60 is the new 40. Ms Weaver would do fine. What they need is a freaking STORY. In my humble opinion, the sequels went the wrong way with the whole concept. They went dark instead of the kick-butt survival, horror sci-fi flick they did so well. Ripley needs to kick some butt again but this time with a spanking brand new concept that still sticks to the alien menace angle. It has to go that way because without another mind-bending sci-fi surprise that grabs you in the gut, it's just another horror movie.
Comicscape: Wanted vs. Wanted - Jul 03, 2008 - 08:00am
Ebert call this movie "mindless, heartless, and preposterous." Call me old fashioned, but I would think that at the very least a flick has to have at least have some internal logic, some human connection, some way to connect the viewer to what he's seeing. Otherwise, what's the point? Have we gotten to the point where all we care about are special effects? I might as well skip the movie advertisement and go straight to the video game.
Ebert call this movie "mindless, heartless, and preposterous." Call me old fashioned, but I would think that at the very least a flick has to have at least have some internal logic, some human connection, some way to connect the viewer to what he's seeing. Otherwise, what's the point? Have we gotten to the point where all we care about are special effects? I might as well skip the movie advertisement and go straight to the video game.
Waldau Captains Starship in VIRTUALITY - Jun 29, 2008 - 07:12am
Now that I think about it, I think you're right about Roddenberry, joeybaloney. I seem to remember it was also a criticism at the time, but I may be wrong. It was a long time ago. Are you sure you're old enough to remember it directly. :-) You're right about no information to really speculate, but what kind of fun is that? I doubt if they're visiting other planets between here and the nearest star. Any planets will be hard to detect. -- sunless, frozen rock. Traveling at half the speed of light the interstellar medium could offer some plot twists in the form of hull charging, shock waves etc. I assume they're not using ""warp" drive since they're below the speed of light. Perhaps in the future we discover an energy derived from the life force. The virtual existence could provide a way to tap into this energy source which is used to power the ship. Because the engines are taping into the life force, a virtual death could suddenly pull all the life force into the engines, causing the hapless crew member to die ... or something like that.
Now that I think about it, I think you're right about Roddenberry, joeybaloney. I seem to remember it was also a criticism at the time, but I may be wrong. It was a long time ago. Are you sure you're old enough to remember it directly. :-) You're right about no information to really speculate, but what kind of fun is that? I doubt if they're visiting other planets between here and the nearest star. Any planets will be hard to detect. -- sunless, frozen rock. Traveling at half the speed of light the interstellar medium could offer some plot twists in the form of hull charging, shock waves etc. I assume they're not using ""warp" drive since they're below the speed of light. Perhaps in the future we discover an energy derived from the life force. The virtual existence could provide a way to tap into this energy source which is used to power the ship. Because the engines are taping into the life force, a virtual death could suddenly pull all the life force into the engines, causing the hapless crew member to die ... or something like that.
Waldau Captains Starship in VIRTUALITY - Jun 26, 2008 - 12:10am
Hi Joss! Big fan of all your works! Happy Birthday! In my humble opinion a possible problem with "Virtuality" is in a virtual world there's no threat to the players, so why the heck should we care? It's fiction once removed. I hope the solution to this problem, and there's got to be one, isn't totally implausible. The criticism that the premise is too much like "Star Trek" made me smile. Before Trek came out there was criticism Trek was too much like "Wagon Train."
Hi Joss! Big fan of all your works! Happy Birthday! In my humble opinion a possible problem with "Virtuality" is in a virtual world there's no threat to the players, so why the heck should we care? It's fiction once removed. I hope the solution to this problem, and there's got to be one, isn't totally implausible. The criticism that the premise is too much like "Star Trek" made me smile. Before Trek came out there was criticism Trek was too much like "Wagon Train."
The Manic Maniac: Why We Want to Believe in E.T. - Jun 19, 2008 - 06:31am
I've never seen an alien, but I am a scientist and I have some problems with this article. It's fair to say that biological systems would adapt to their environment, but the one thing scientists assume will be constant are the laws of physics. After all, that's what physics is, knowledge that allows us to understand the universe as obeying constant laws, laws that are as true here on Earth as they are on a distant planet. That means that we can predict to some degree what creatures would look like on other worlds. If the gravity was heavier, for example, it would mean living entities would be generally smaller than here on Earth. If the star was dimmer as seen from the planet they might have larger eyes. The star's spectral class could effect the degree of pigment in the skin. This is all speculation of course and what a creature on another planet would look like would also depend on the course of evolution that would be affected by many factors. However, there must be limits. High gravity would limit mobility. High temperatures would make the complex chemistry that sustains life impossible. At high temperatures it's hard to form chemical bonds. Too low a temperature would eliminate water as a solvent and it's hard to image life without this basic ingredient in the universe. The real question that has yet to be answered is this: is life just a fluke that only occurred once in our enormous universe? Most scientists think that's improbable, but we really don't know. If life is not a fluke, then the universe is probably teaming with life of all kinds. And if that's true then maybe all these people who are seeing ships in the sky are not crazy after all. One thing I can say with certainty. If there are aliens visiting us, then they have advanced technology that we can't even dream of today, and that means every government on this planet would have a powerful motivation to do everything conceivable to suppress that knowledge.
I've never seen an alien, but I am a scientist and I have some problems with this article. It's fair to say that biological systems would adapt to their environment, but the one thing scientists assume will be constant are the laws of physics. After all, that's what physics is, knowledge that allows us to understand the universe as obeying constant laws, laws that are as true here on Earth as they are on a distant planet. That means that we can predict to some degree what creatures would look like on other worlds. If the gravity was heavier, for example, it would mean living entities would be generally smaller than here on Earth. If the star was dimmer as seen from the planet they might have larger eyes. The star's spectral class could effect the degree of pigment in the skin. This is all speculation of course and what a creature on another planet would look like would also depend on the course of evolution that would be affected by many factors. However, there must be limits. High gravity would limit mobility. High temperatures would make the complex chemistry that sustains life impossible. At high temperatures it's hard to form chemical bonds. Too low a temperature would eliminate water as a solvent and it's hard to image life without this basic ingredient in the universe. The real question that has yet to be answered is this: is life just a fluke that only occurred once in our enormous universe? Most scientists think that's improbable, but we really don't know. If life is not a fluke, then the universe is probably teaming with life of all kinds. And if that's true then maybe all these people who are seeing ships in the sky are not crazy after all. One thing I can say with certainty. If there are aliens visiting us, then they have advanced technology that we can't even dream of today, and that means every government on this planet would have a powerful motivation to do everything conceivable to suppress that knowledge.
Lawrence Kasdan to Pen ROBOTECH - Jun 16, 2008 - 03:01am
With a good script I don't see how this can miss. The original had everything, a love story, alien technology, giant robots or mechas and a mysterious energy source called protoculture. What was science fiction for kids in the 80s is now very close to becoming an integral part of military systems today with robots of all kinds starting to be deployed in the field. In Robotech it was protoculture they were running out of. Today we're running out of oil. Different name, same concept.
With a good script I don't see how this can miss. The original had everything, a love story, alien technology, giant robots or mechas and a mysterious energy source called protoculture. What was science fiction for kids in the 80s is now very close to becoming an integral part of military systems today with robots of all kinds starting to be deployed in the field. In Robotech it was protoculture they were running out of. Today we're running out of oil. Different name, same concept.
23.5 Degrees: Affirmative Alienation - Jun 14, 2008 - 02:35am
I don't blame people for saying they don't believe in aliens. You're likely to get, at best, polite smiles, and at worst they'll make little circles at the side of their head with their forefinger. But you should know that the situation has changed in the last few years. Scientists now believe that planets around other stars are common including planets that exist in the so-called habitability zone. The absence of these planets was previously the best argument that aliens don't exist, but no longer. Now we're stuck with the idea that life is an improbable accident and, out of the untold billions of planets that must be out there, only one, Earth, has developed life. Personally I think this sounds a lot more wacky than the alternative. Recently a planet has been discovered around a nearby red dwarf star that's in the zone that we think supports life. The gravity is greater than Earth's though. For an alien to exist on that planet he'd have to have large eyes to compensate for the different spectrum and he'd have to be small and have very pale skin. Sure, lots of people have reported seeing aliens that look like that, but they're all nuts. . . Right?
I don't blame people for saying they don't believe in aliens. You're likely to get, at best, polite smiles, and at worst they'll make little circles at the side of their head with their forefinger. But you should know that the situation has changed in the last few years. Scientists now believe that planets around other stars are common including planets that exist in the so-called habitability zone. The absence of these planets was previously the best argument that aliens don't exist, but no longer. Now we're stuck with the idea that life is an improbable accident and, out of the untold billions of planets that must be out there, only one, Earth, has developed life. Personally I think this sounds a lot more wacky than the alternative. Recently a planet has been discovered around a nearby red dwarf star that's in the zone that we think supports life. The gravity is greater than Earth's though. For an alien to exist on that planet he'd have to have large eyes to compensate for the different spectrum and he'd have to be small and have very pale skin. Sure, lots of people have reported seeing aliens that look like that, but they're all nuts. . . Right?
Mania Manifesto: 7 Reasons Blade Runner Was Prophetic - Jun 05, 2008 - 01:10am
Actually Blade Runner was prophetic in many ways. Here's a partial list: Video Phone YES:when Blade Runner was made, video phones were pure science fiction. Now its just an option on some cell phones. For some reason, people like audio only most of the time. My guess it has something to do with vanity. Robots that look like humans YES: a Japanese robotics expert has created a robot(android) that looks exactly like him. The robot can match many movements of a human, but not all as convincingly as the movie. Sex robots have been created but none as human-like as in Blade Runner. Japan experts are convinced that robots are going to be as popular in real life as in Blade Runner in the near future. Robots for exploring other planets YES: robots have explored Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. A NASA spacecraft will fly by pluto in 2015. Robots for military missions Yes:Experimental military robots are being field tested and will me a major part of the military in 20 years Flying Cars NO: prototypes exist but practicality has not yet been demonstrated and to date there's no commercial model available
Actually Blade Runner was prophetic in many ways. Here's a partial list: Video Phone YES:when Blade Runner was made, video phones were pure science fiction. Now its just an option on some cell phones. For some reason, people like audio only most of the time. My guess it has something to do with vanity. Robots that look like humans YES: a Japanese robotics expert has created a robot(android) that looks exactly like him. The robot can match many movements of a human, but not all as convincingly as the movie. Sex robots have been created but none as human-like as in Blade Runner. Japan experts are convinced that robots are going to be as popular in real life as in Blade Runner in the near future. Robots for exploring other planets YES: robots have explored Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. A NASA spacecraft will fly by pluto in 2015. Robots for military missions Yes:Experimental military robots are being field tested and will me a major part of the military in 20 years Flying Cars NO: prototypes exist but practicality has not yet been demonstrated and to date there's no commercial model available
Xbox's BIOSHOCK Hitting PS3?? - May 25, 2008 - 01:11am
The PS3 is definitely harder to program for many because the paradigm it's designed around is parallel processing. That means most programmers have to start from scratch, both from the code standpoint and the way a game is designed. This means the PS3 is a little slow out of the gate and programmers are bitching, but that won't last long so don't count it out just yet. The technology decisions, although initially hard for programmers, are the right ones for the future of computer gaming in my humble opinion. Right now I'm thrilled there are so many fantastic games out there that look absolutely great on a HD big screen. Currently I'm playing Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted and Iron Man on the PS3. Now I say about computer games what I used to say about women when I was single. So many ... and so little time!
The PS3 is definitely harder to program for many because the paradigm it's designed around is parallel processing. That means most programmers have to start from scratch, both from the code standpoint and the way a game is designed. This means the PS3 is a little slow out of the gate and programmers are bitching, but that won't last long so don't count it out just yet. The technology decisions, although initially hard for programmers, are the right ones for the future of computer gaming in my humble opinion. Right now I'm thrilled there are so many fantastic games out there that look absolutely great on a HD big screen. Currently I'm playing Ratchet and Clank, Uncharted and Iron Man on the PS3. Now I say about computer games what I used to say about women when I was single. So many ... and so little time!
Sam Rockwell Mines in Sony's Sci Fi MOON - May 10, 2008 - 11:16am
I don't know about the story, but I can confirm that helium-3 on the Moon is currently of intense interest to many nations worldwide because it has the potential of solving the Earth's energy crises. Discovered by the Apollo astronauts in 1969, Helium-3 was deposited on the Moon by the solar wind over billions of years. Currently the US is ramping up for a permanent colony on the moon. Russia has announced it will be mining Helium-3 by 2015-2020. China and India are also apparently gearing up for mining there and Japan and Germany are now talking about moon missions. If that's not a setup for a story I don't know what is. It's the gold rush of the 21st century.
I don't know about the story, but I can confirm that helium-3 on the Moon is currently of intense interest to many nations worldwide because it has the potential of solving the Earth's energy crises. Discovered by the Apollo astronauts in 1969, Helium-3 was deposited on the Moon by the solar wind over billions of years. Currently the US is ramping up for a permanent colony on the moon. Russia has announced it will be mining Helium-3 by 2015-2020. China and India are also apparently gearing up for mining there and Japan and Germany are now talking about moon missions. If that's not a setup for a story I don't know what is. It's the gold rush of the 21st century.
Eli Roth Goes PG-13 and Sci-Fi - Apr 27, 2008 - 01:51am
Is that really what people want? Mass destruction? I'd say people really want something a little different than that: namely, a big concept movie told on an epic scale. Our war in Iraq is about mass destruction, but "shock an awe" is, frankly, an idiotic concept that only the retarded could be impressed by. No, I'd say the public wants a movie that can pull their minds into a larger arena where mass destruction seems pointless against a powerful idea. We've seen plenty of destruction. How fresh and exhilarating it would be to see someone portrayed in power who could actually have an idea that avoids it.
Is that really what people want? Mass destruction? I'd say people really want something a little different than that: namely, a big concept movie told on an epic scale. Our war in Iraq is about mass destruction, but "shock an awe" is, frankly, an idiotic concept that only the retarded could be impressed by. No, I'd say the public wants a movie that can pull their minds into a larger arena where mass destruction seems pointless against a powerful idea. We've seen plenty of destruction. How fresh and exhilarating it would be to see someone portrayed in power who could actually have an idea that avoids it.
WALL-E Meets a Magnet - Apr 22, 2008 - 11:21pm
Sounds like a great premise, a classic quest for origins adventure told through the eyes of a robot. I just hope the script it true to the magnificent possibilities of the concept.
Sounds like a great premise, a classic quest for origins adventure told through the eyes of a robot. I just hope the script it true to the magnificent possibilities of the concept.
X-Files 2 Title Revealed by Carter - Apr 19, 2008 - 03:33am
'I want to believe" is about Mulder's struggle with his faith? That doesn't make any sense. I always thought the poster signified that Mulder wanted to believe in extraterrestrial life; he wanted to believe we weren't alone in the universe. Now I find out that Mulder wanted to believe, not in extraterrestrials, but in a supernatural being invented by humanity thousands of years ago? Evidently I enjoyed the series based on a false premise. I assumed Mulder was intelligent. I feel cheated to find out he was evidently an idiot. Frankly, I don't believe it. Nothing in any of the stories would suggest Mulder was looking for anything but the truth.
'I want to believe" is about Mulder's struggle with his faith? That doesn't make any sense. I always thought the poster signified that Mulder wanted to believe in extraterrestrial life; he wanted to believe we weren't alone in the universe. Now I find out that Mulder wanted to believe, not in extraterrestrials, but in a supernatural being invented by humanity thousands of years ago? Evidently I enjoyed the series based on a false premise. I assumed Mulder was intelligent. I feel cheated to find out he was evidently an idiot. Frankly, I don't believe it. Nothing in any of the stories would suggest Mulder was looking for anything but the truth.
CW Announces New SMALLVILLE Leaders - Apr 18, 2008 - 04:36am
I agree. There needs to be some realization by Clark about what being an alien with advanced capabilities on Earth means. The script needs to show some growth in Clark's understanding of his situation. As it is, Clark seems to solve problems by accident or only as a last resort. Superman needs to grow up and instead of being the reluctant hero, become the master of his fate. That role has its own set of problems that the writers can exploit.
I agree. There needs to be some realization by Clark about what being an alien with advanced capabilities on Earth means. The script needs to show some growth in Clark's understanding of his situation. As it is, Clark seems to solve problems by accident or only as a last resort. Superman needs to grow up and instead of being the reluctant hero, become the master of his fate. That role has its own set of problems that the writers can exploit.
DreamWorks Grabs Rights for SHELL Manga - Apr 15, 2008 - 04:35pm
In my opinion, Ghost in the Shell epitomizes the best in modern literary science fiction. The title says it all: what is the essence of identity? How much can we replace before losing that which makes us human? Are we merely sophisticated machines with delusions of transcendence? Will our increasing reliance on mechanisms rob us of our soul? These are the questions and more that Ghost in the Shell asks, questions that can't help but leave a little ache in our hearts, and provide the framework of a potentially powerful live action motion picture.
In my opinion, Ghost in the Shell epitomizes the best in modern literary science fiction. The title says it all: what is the essence of identity? How much can we replace before losing that which makes us human? Are we merely sophisticated machines with delusions of transcendence? Will our increasing reliance on mechanisms rob us of our soul? These are the questions and more that Ghost in the Shell asks, questions that can't help but leave a little ache in our hearts, and provide the framework of a potentially powerful live action motion picture.
Verheiden Talks TEEN TITANS and BSG - Apr 04, 2008 - 05:36am
I'm not so sure Battlestar Galactica really is science fiction. It's more like a futuristic soap opera. If you haven't noticed, there's a space station in orbit around Earth and we've got robots on Mars as well as in orbit. I don't think just setting a drama in space with robots is enough to qualify a show as sci-fi these days. I liked the animated Teen Titans when they started, but I lost interest when their production values went to hell. A live action version might have a lot of promise.
I'm not so sure Battlestar Galactica really is science fiction. It's more like a futuristic soap opera. If you haven't noticed, there's a space station in orbit around Earth and we've got robots on Mars as well as in orbit. I don't think just setting a drama in space with robots is enough to qualify a show as sci-fi these days. I liked the animated Teen Titans when they started, but I lost interest when their production values went to hell. A live action version might have a lot of promise.
Millar and Gough Exit SMALLVILLE - Apr 03, 2008 - 05:43pm
I can certainly see their dilemma. Weekly flying sequences could break the budget, but how do you do Superman without them? Their solution worked for awhile, but it's hobbling the show so much now it's becoming just a lame excuse. I'd suggest going to computer graphics for the flying sequences. If you can't do it realistically enough, give him a faint glow when he flies—I'm sure the writers can come up with something to explain it.
I can certainly see their dilemma. Weekly flying sequences could break the budget, but how do you do Superman without them? Their solution worked for awhile, but it's hobbling the show so much now it's becoming just a lame excuse. I'd suggest going to computer graphics for the flying sequences. If you can't do it realistically enough, give him a faint glow when he flies—I'm sure the writers can come up with something to explain it.
NEW LINE Employees Get Pink Slips - Mar 03, 2008 - 02:48pm
The way I heard it, after he got a toe in the businesss and elbowed his way in, he was handed the job but wound up knee-deep in trouble, gave the CEO the finger and ankled the production. Some said he'd put his foot in it, but others said he had balls.
The way I heard it, after he got a toe in the businesss and elbowed his way in, he was handed the job but wound up knee-deep in trouble, gave the CEO the finger and ankled the production. Some said he'd put his foot in it, but others said he had balls.
WB Splits TERMINATOR Rights with Sony - Feb 26, 2008 - 10:30am
As much as I loved all of the terminator movies, I think the premise is a little tired. We need a startling new twist to the original idea to keep this ship afloat, something that's as thought provoking and as relevant as the original idea. The first three were about the physical survival of the human species. Perhaps the next three can be about why we should survive. There doesn't seem to be much evidence of that recently.
As much as I loved all of the terminator movies, I think the premise is a little tired. We need a startling new twist to the original idea to keep this ship afloat, something that's as thought provoking and as relevant as the original idea. The first three were about the physical survival of the human species. Perhaps the next three can be about why we should survive. There doesn't seem to be much evidence of that recently.
New Photo for INDY IV Appears Online - Feb 02, 2008 - 12:18pm
I love it. After seeing this photo, it suddenly dawned on me the final chapter could be at once obvious and yet at the same time brilliant. The first film really didn't have closure, just a comment on the typical inanity of authority. But what if this film turns it around and we see the real ending. If that's what they have in mind, there are some very interesting possibilities that suggest themselves.
I love it. After seeing this photo, it suddenly dawned on me the final chapter could be at once obvious and yet at the same time brilliant. The first film really didn't have closure, just a comment on the typical inanity of authority. But what if this film turns it around and we see the real ending. If that's what they have in mind, there are some very interesting possibilities that suggest themselves.
Forte Beams Crew in STAR TREK - Jan 28, 2008 - 03:48am
I think the cast is great, but I wonder if they're being directed to imitate some of the mannerisms of the original cast. It's hard to imagine Spock, for example, without Leonard Nimoy's characteristic gait. But I'm more concerned by something even more important, that the director really understands the original concept. Recently they published a picture of the Enterprise apparently being constructed on the ground. This makes as much sense as building an ocean-going vessel in the Sahara Desert. The Enterprise has a lot in common with the International Space Station currently being constructed in orbit. It's natural environment is space. Building it on the ground makes no sense.
I think the cast is great, but I wonder if they're being directed to imitate some of the mannerisms of the original cast. It's hard to imagine Spock, for example, without Leonard Nimoy's characteristic gait. But I'm more concerned by something even more important, that the director really understands the original concept. Recently they published a picture of the Enterprise apparently being constructed on the ground. This makes as much sense as building an ocean-going vessel in the Sahara Desert. The Enterprise has a lot in common with the International Space Station currently being constructed in orbit. It's natural environment is space. Building it on the ground makes no sense.
TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES: The Turk - Jan 24, 2008 - 04:03pm
If nothing else, this show is attracting intelligent viewers, a fact made clear by the impressive quality of responses to this lame review. I would think the last thing we need is a return to formulaic action TV of the last century. The premise of this series is ripe for idea-driven science fiction. Sure, make our pulse quicken with suspense when appropriate, but also stimulate our mind to the possibilities and paradoxes of time travel. It would be a shame to waste this iconic idea on television as usual.
If nothing else, this show is attracting intelligent viewers, a fact made clear by the impressive quality of responses to this lame review. I would think the last thing we need is a return to formulaic action TV of the last century. The premise of this series is ripe for idea-driven science fiction. Sure, make our pulse quicken with suspense when appropriate, but also stimulate our mind to the possibilities and paradoxes of time travel. It would be a shame to waste this iconic idea on television as usual.
Marvel Comics vs Science: The 5 Most Absurd Superhero Origins - Jan 18, 2008 - 10:31am
The premise of this article is a good one, but it deserves a little more thought in execution. For example, the illegality of launching an "unlicensed" spacecraft pales in comparison with Fantastic Four's biological capabilities. There's obviously no physics that would support mutations of this type. However, many private spacecraft have been launched. The "unlicensed" part sounds like a quibble in comparison.
The premise of this article is a good one, but it deserves a little more thought in execution. For example, the illegality of launching an "unlicensed" spacecraft pales in comparison with Fantastic Four's biological capabilities. There's obviously no physics that would support mutations of this type. However, many private spacecraft have been launched. The "unlicensed" part sounds like a quibble in comparison.
TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES: Gnothi Seauton - Jan 17, 2008 - 06:40pm
A couple of technical points for those that care about such things. I didn't have a problem with the headless terminator because in a military machine you'd want to have distributed processing. The point of having a human form is camouflage and the ability to interact in a human-built world. The problem with sending something back in time to change the present, assuming it's possible, is unintended consequences. There's a famous science fiction story about someone who goes back in time and makes some tiny unintended change only to find the world he left completely changed when he gets back. But that's what's so much fun about this series. The plot possibilities are endless and this series seems to do a good job of exploring some of them. The problem for the audience (and the writers) is keeping track of the timeline since the timeline is malleable. Somebody should publish a diagram. Seriously.
A couple of technical points for those that care about such things. I didn't have a problem with the headless terminator because in a military machine you'd want to have distributed processing. The point of having a human form is camouflage and the ability to interact in a human-built world. The problem with sending something back in time to change the present, assuming it's possible, is unintended consequences. There's a famous science fiction story about someone who goes back in time and makes some tiny unintended change only to find the world he left completely changed when he gets back. But that's what's so much fun about this series. The plot possibilities are endless and this series seems to do a good job of exploring some of them. The problem for the audience (and the writers) is keeping track of the timeline since the timeline is malleable. Somebody should publish a diagram. Seriously.
Apple iTunes and Studios Begin Movie Rentals - Jan 16, 2008 - 05:55am
To really buy into Apple's plan, you have to buy into the "Time Capsule" concept, a way of effortlessly backing up purchased copyrighted medium wirelessly. This is the idea that could replace having a physical medium such as a DVD for backup. I believe there is no doubt this is the future. The question is ... are you ready for it yet?
To really buy into Apple's plan, you have to buy into the "Time Capsule" concept, a way of effortlessly backing up purchased copyrighted medium wirelessly. This is the idea that could replace having a physical medium such as a DVD for backup. I believe there is no doubt this is the future. The question is ... are you ready for it yet?
Top 6 Reasons 2008 Could be the Year of PS3 - Jan 15, 2008 - 02:42am
I have to agree. HD DVD is on a long ride off a very short pier. When Warner opted for Blu-ray the writing was on the wall. Here's the main reason I've chosen Blu-ray: of the two standards, Blu-ray's significantly larger memory capacity means that applications such as movies and, in particular, games have room to grow into. Although there is an initial cost to doing this, in the long run it saves money because nobody has to invent a new standard with more memory for, hopefully, a very long time.
I have to agree. HD DVD is on a long ride off a very short pier. When Warner opted for Blu-ray the writing was on the wall. Here's the main reason I've chosen Blu-ray: of the two standards, Blu-ray's significantly larger memory capacity means that applications such as movies and, in particular, games have room to grow into. Although there is an initial cost to doing this, in the long run it saves money because nobody has to invent a new standard with more memory for, hopefully, a very long time.
Producer Talks G.I JOE and TRANSFORMERS 2 - Jan 08, 2008 - 10:43pm
I think the writers have their work cut out for them. The first movie rode on the pleasure in seeing an old cartoon fleshed out with modern computer graphics combined with a threadbare plot that mainly developed the premise. There's got to be a very substantial story for this trick pony to ride again, which means meaty, imaginative new material that the original never had.
I think the writers have their work cut out for them. The first movie rode on the pleasure in seeing an old cartoon fleshed out with modern computer graphics combined with a threadbare plot that mainly developed the premise. There's got to be a very substantial story for this trick pony to ride again, which means meaty, imaginative new material that the original never had.
Update: WB Is Now Blu-Ray Exclusive, HD-DVD Responds - Jan 04, 2008 - 05:34pm
Sorry for the accidental resend!
Sorry for the accidental resend!
Update: WB Is Now Blu-Ray Exclusive, HD-DVD Responds - Jan 04, 2008 - 05:18pm
This is good news, although I can understand the confusion as to why. The point that most people miss is that a standard should not just satisfy the current need but must also anticipate future developments. We don't want to wind up with a different standard for each application, one for movies and one for video games for example. The history of consumer data storage shows that you can never overestimate the need for memory.
This is good news, although I can understand the confusion as to why. The point that most people miss is that a standard should not just satisfy the current need but must also anticipate future developments. We don't want to wind up with a different standard for each application, one for movies and one for video games for example. The history of consumer data storage shows that you can never overestimate the need for memory.
Screenwriter Talks About THOR Adaptation - Dec 14, 2007 - 11:26pm
Thor comes to Earth and meets a beautiful women. They make love all night, but come the dawn he feels guilty about not revealing who he really is. "I'm Thor," he says to the exhausted woman. "You're sore," she says. "I'm a writer in the WGA!"
Thor comes to Earth and meets a beautiful women. They make love all night, but come the dawn he feels guilty about not revealing who he really is. "I'm Thor," he says to the exhausted woman. "You're sore," she says. "I'm a writer in the WGA!"
Science of Sci-Fi - Dec 10, 2007 - 06:04am
I am a scientist and I have to say that in my opinion the connection between science and science fiction is this: it takes a hell of a lot of imagination to come to terms with what physicists know about reality. What we think of as reality breaks down when you look at it too closely. Particles slip in an out of existence. Matter tunnels through barriers. The truth is this: what we think of reality is just a construct in our minds, and if reality is just a construct, i.e. fiction, then what better tool to examine it is there than science fiction?
I am a scientist and I have to say that in my opinion the connection between science and science fiction is this: it takes a hell of a lot of imagination to come to terms with what physicists know about reality. What we think of as reality breaks down when you look at it too closely. Particles slip in an out of existence. Matter tunnels through barriers. The truth is this: what we think of reality is just a construct in our minds, and if reality is just a construct, i.e. fiction, then what better tool to examine it is there than science fiction?
New BATSUIT Photo Appears on CineLive - Dec 09, 2007 - 03:14pm
The suit has a high-tech, militaristic feel to it, perfect for our age. Of course, nobody could really exist today like Batman, a man who is judge, jury and executioner, a man who knows evildoers when he sees them. For someone to really exist like that would be unthinkable in our society today.... Oh wait, we do have someone like that today. Never mind.
The suit has a high-tech, militaristic feel to it, perfect for our age. Of course, nobody could really exist today like Batman, a man who is judge, jury and executioner, a man who knows evildoers when he sees them. For someone to really exist like that would be unthinkable in our society today.... Oh wait, we do have someone like that today. Never mind.
Sydney Poitier Chasing KNIGHT RIDER - Nov 16, 2007 - 06:25am
At first I thought there was a typo, but then I remembered Sydney Poitier named his daughter Sydney Tamila Poitier. Sort of unconventional for a man to give his daughter his first name, but cool if you don't mind the inevitable confusion.
At first I thought there was a typo, but then I remembered Sydney Poitier named his daughter Sydney Tamila Poitier. Sort of unconventional for a man to give his daughter his first name, but cool if you don't mind the inevitable confusion.
Stallone Talks About RAMBO - Nov 15, 2007 - 11:51am
Stallone was explaining where Rambo has come to after all he’s been through. But, of course, Rambo is wrong and that has to be the lever that moves the plot. Charity for the downtrodden is not natural. Going to the moon is not natural. All the best things about being human are not natural, and that’s what lies at the core of being human, the willingness to cast off the beast within. Sounds like a great idea for a movie to me.
Stallone was explaining where Rambo has come to after all he’s been through. But, of course, Rambo is wrong and that has to be the lever that moves the plot. Charity for the downtrodden is not natural. Going to the moon is not natural. All the best things about being human are not natural, and that’s what lies at the core of being human, the willingness to cast off the beast within. Sounds like a great idea for a movie to me.
STAR TREK Casting Call Online - Nov 06, 2007 - 06:53pm
Gee, who'd have thought 'emaciated' was a talent? Why don't they just say 'looks like an alien without resorting to makeup'?
Gee, who'd have thought 'emaciated' was a talent? Why don't they just say 'looks like an alien without resorting to makeup'?
LOST Cut in Half & Related WGA News - Nov 06, 2007 - 05:28am
The writers are the wellspring from which all things cinematic derive. Don't let the money changers profit while creativity languishes. Support the WGA.
The writers are the wellspring from which all things cinematic derive. Don't let the money changers profit while creativity languishes. Support the WGA.
THE ADVENTURES OF YOUNG INDIANA JONES Vol. 1 - Nov 04, 2007 - 07:12am
I watched most of these when they first came out on TV and thought they were amazing. TV shows that assume the audience is bright and inquisitive. Who'd of thunk it? My only disappointment is George apparently didn't shoot the originals in wide screen.
I watched most of these when they first came out on TV and thought they were amazing. TV shows that assume the audience is bright and inquisitive. Who'd of thunk it? My only disappointment is George apparently didn't shoot the originals in wide screen.
Shatner Talks STAR TREK Snub - Oct 29, 2007 - 09:58am
This sounds like a failure of imagination. Try this on: The movie starts with the death of Kirk. We get inside his mind as he dies. He starts reliving his past adventures with scenes that flicker by toward the past. But then something happens. In his minds' eye he sees his nemesis who is vowing not just to kill Kirk but to wipe out every trace of his existence, the ultimate revenge. Kirk vows to live again if only to destroy his nemesis. The screen clears and Kirk opens his eyes. He is startled to realize he has a new body, a new face. He goes to a computer screen and types furiously. He's barely able to commit his message to the memory of the computer before his memories of a past life began to fade. Later he finds the message and suddenly certain things start to make sense...
This sounds like a failure of imagination. Try this on: The movie starts with the death of Kirk. We get inside his mind as he dies. He starts reliving his past adventures with scenes that flicker by toward the past. But then something happens. In his minds' eye he sees his nemesis who is vowing not just to kill Kirk but to wipe out every trace of his existence, the ultimate revenge. Kirk vows to live again if only to destroy his nemesis. The screen clears and Kirk opens his eyes. He is startled to realize he has a new body, a new face. He goes to a computer screen and types furiously. He's barely able to commit his message to the memory of the computer before his memories of a past life began to fade. Later he finds the message and suddenly certain things start to make sense...
Fox Greenlights MAD MAX 4 Production - Oct 25, 2007 - 05:21am
Gibson not returning because of age? What, is age some kind of disease now? This seems to be a remarkable lack of common sense here. Buy the concept but trash the actor who made the concept popular. Do these morons really think that buying the concept and the name is a sure ticket to success? Sounds like hubris to me.
Gibson not returning because of age? What, is age some kind of disease now? This seems to be a remarkable lack of common sense here. Buy the concept but trash the actor who made the concept popular. Do these morons really think that buying the concept and the name is a sure ticket to success? Sounds like hubris to me.
Urban Confirmed as Bones for STAR TREK - Oct 18, 2007 - 06:18am
I guess I’m confused about what the intention is here. I thought the new Star Trek was not going to ignore cannon, but the casting choices would seem to imply the cannon has been thrown out in favor of a testosterone-fueled action movie, which doesn’t make any sense at all. I saw the original series when it came out and I loved the central theme of the series: in the future we are smarter and rather than using violence to solve every problem, our species had evolved to meet problems with intelligence and understanding. Of course, this is the opposite of what our current administration is doing today, so this message is even more important today. Bones is a case in point. He’s older, more mature than Kirk, and ever ready to object when people’s lives are threatened. He’s the voice of reason. Kirk, on the other hand, is willing to take chances when he feels the goal is worth it. It was this conflict between Bones and Kirk that was one of things that made this series so compelling and relevant. I just don’t see Karl Urban is this role.
I guess I’m confused about what the intention is here. I thought the new Star Trek was not going to ignore cannon, but the casting choices would seem to imply the cannon has been thrown out in favor of a testosterone-fueled action movie, which doesn’t make any sense at all. I saw the original series when it came out and I loved the central theme of the series: in the future we are smarter and rather than using violence to solve every problem, our species had evolved to meet problems with intelligence and understanding. Of course, this is the opposite of what our current administration is doing today, so this message is even more important today. Bones is a case in point. He’s older, more mature than Kirk, and ever ready to object when people’s lives are threatened. He’s the voice of reason. Kirk, on the other hand, is willing to take chances when he feels the goal is worth it. It was this conflict between Bones and Kirk that was one of things that made this series so compelling and relevant. I just don’t see Karl Urban is this role.
Waters Pens EARTHLINGS For Sci-Fi - Oct 11, 2007 - 02:51pm
It's easy to see where the writers are coming from on this. If there ever was a time to have a little fun at the expense of irrational human beings it would be ... let me see .... oh yeah ... RIGHT NOW!
It's easy to see where the writers are coming from on this. If there ever was a time to have a little fun at the expense of irrational human beings it would be ... let me see .... oh yeah ... RIGHT NOW!
Spielberg Talks INDY 4 & TRANSFORMERS 2 - Oct 10, 2007 - 05:02am
Listen up kiddies. I'm Harrison Fords' age and I've been working out with heavy weights and running most of my life and I'm here to tell you that you're only as old as you let yourself be. It's not the chronological age; it's how fit you've been keeping yourself. Sure, it's not easy, but nobody ever said life was.
Listen up kiddies. I'm Harrison Fords' age and I've been working out with heavy weights and running most of my life and I'm here to tell you that you're only as old as you let yourself be. It's not the chronological age; it's how fit you've been keeping yourself. Sure, it's not easy, but nobody ever said life was.
Pixar Developing JOHN CARTER OF MARS Trilogy - Oct 09, 2007 - 01:16pm
I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around the concept. “John Carter of Mars” came out in 1912 and takes place in the civil war era. In 1912 Mars was a mysterious place where anything was possible because we knew next to nothing about it. That’s no longer true, of course, so what is the concept for a movie? An adventure that only took place in the mind of John Carter? Or maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe pure fantasy is what the world needs right now.
I’m having trouble wrapping my brain around the concept. “John Carter of Mars” came out in 1912 and takes place in the civil war era. In 1912 Mars was a mysterious place where anything was possible because we knew next to nothing about it. That’s no longer true, of course, so what is the concept for a movie? An adventure that only took place in the mind of John Carter? Or maybe I’m missing the point. Maybe pure fantasy is what the world needs right now.
SF Obstacles - Oct 08, 2007 - 05:15am
I agree that the best science fiction has real science at its core. Star Trek is a great example. Amazingly, some of the ideas in the early shows that seemed like fantasy, eerily turned out to be very close to later scientific developments. We can’t teleport people today, but we can teleport particles and the limitations of the hypothetical device predicted in the early episodes turned out to be correct in several important ways. Recently it was discovered that a certain type of crystal might be the ideal ignition devices of a fusion generator. True, we don’t have warp drive (yet), but faster than light travel would almost certainly require the warping of space-time, a concept that is well within the boundaries of modern physics. Many of the early science fiction concepts such as space flight, robotics, artificial intelligence and machines that make other machines are now common staples of our civilization. Up and coming science fiction writers be advised: ignore the latest concepts coming out of our universities and laboratories at your peril. And hang on. It’s going to be quite a ride.
I agree that the best science fiction has real science at its core. Star Trek is a great example. Amazingly, some of the ideas in the early shows that seemed like fantasy, eerily turned out to be very close to later scientific developments. We can’t teleport people today, but we can teleport particles and the limitations of the hypothetical device predicted in the early episodes turned out to be correct in several important ways. Recently it was discovered that a certain type of crystal might be the ideal ignition devices of a fusion generator. True, we don’t have warp drive (yet), but faster than light travel would almost certainly require the warping of space-time, a concept that is well within the boundaries of modern physics. Many of the early science fiction concepts such as space flight, robotics, artificial intelligence and machines that make other machines are now common staples of our civilization. Up and coming science fiction writers be advised: ignore the latest concepts coming out of our universities and laboratories at your peril. And hang on. It’s going to be quite a ride.
BIONIC WOMAN: Paradise Lost - Oct 05, 2007 - 08:38am
I couldn’t disagree more. I watched this expecting a lame rehash of the original series but Michelle Ryan blew me away. Sure, Sackoff shows her polished angst, but Ryan gave me the most important thing a character in a science fiction show needs: intelligence. I love the way she solves problems and stands up against authority. I can’t wait to see where this series takes her.
I couldn’t disagree more. I watched this expecting a lame rehash of the original series but Michelle Ryan blew me away. Sure, Sackoff shows her polished angst, but Ryan gave me the most important thing a character in a science fiction show needs: intelligence. I love the way she solves problems and stands up against authority. I can’t wait to see where this series takes her.
HALO 3 Hits $170 Million Mark on First Day - Sep 27, 2007 - 08:28am
Obviously this is a watershed event that is surely going to make the entertainment industry sit up and take notice. I suspect the impact of this one event will be felt for years to come and not just in the computer game industry.
Obviously this is a watershed event that is surely going to make the entertainment industry sit up and take notice. I suspect the impact of this one event will be felt for years to come and not just in the computer game industry.
McTiernan Sentenced to 4 Months in Prison - Sep 25, 2007 - 05:41pm
Funny that nobody’s talking about the real story here. My understanding is that McTiernan’s crime arises out of new laws enacted as part of the authoritarian Homeland Security provisions. What ever happened to the right not to incriminate yourself? I find it ironic that McTiernan is going to jail over a lie about wiretapping while the President pushes massive wire tapping on US citizens and has told us a pack of lies that have resulted in over a million deaths so far.
Funny that nobody’s talking about the real story here. My understanding is that McTiernan’s crime arises out of new laws enacted as part of the authoritarian Homeland Security provisions. What ever happened to the right not to incriminate yourself? I find it ironic that McTiernan is going to jail over a lie about wiretapping while the President pushes massive wire tapping on US citizens and has told us a pack of lies that have resulted in over a million deaths so far.
Tom Welling OUT of JLA Movie - Sep 22, 2007 - 08:20am
This has the stench of pure ego. I can hear their thinking very clearly: I’m not going to build on the characters and stories of others. That might taint the admiration everyone’s going to have for my brilliance. We’re going to transcend mere comic books and TV shows and make this a real movie. Yeah, right. They’re forgetting that some smart people are behind the Superman saga. Mere money is not going to replace the years of thought that went into these characters. And it’s hard to imagine someone better than Tom Welling. They should build, not tear down and start over. And for God’s sake, get a writer who has some understanding of elementary physics this time. The last Superman movie was embarrassing.
This has the stench of pure ego. I can hear their thinking very clearly: I’m not going to build on the characters and stories of others. That might taint the admiration everyone’s going to have for my brilliance. We’re going to transcend mere comic books and TV shows and make this a real movie. Yeah, right. They’re forgetting that some smart people are behind the Superman saga. Mere money is not going to replace the years of thought that went into these characters. And it’s hard to imagine someone better than Tom Welling. They should build, not tear down and start over. And for God’s sake, get a writer who has some understanding of elementary physics this time. The last Superman movie was embarrassing.
EUREKA: God is in the Details - Sep 14, 2007 - 10:37am
On the face of it, this episode of Eureka sounds almost like a reasonable idea for a story. When physicists talk about our reality being an illusion, just a small slice of a larger unseen universe, it does seem like there should be a connection to religion. That is until you remember that science is the mortal enemy of religion. They burned people alive for saying the Earth went around the Sun in the 17th century. Today they say evolution and global warming is a lie. The great thing about science is it is not political. It’s all about reason and evidence. Religion is all politics and the idea there is some common ground with science flies in the face of all of history. Having said that, I think this episode did a reasonable job of walking a very shaky tightrope between having a credible story line and invoking the wrath of of the faithful. In the end, it is up to the viewer to draw the moral implications of the story and that’s as it should be.
On the face of it, this episode of Eureka sounds almost like a reasonable idea for a story. When physicists talk about our reality being an illusion, just a small slice of a larger unseen universe, it does seem like there should be a connection to religion. That is until you remember that science is the mortal enemy of religion. They burned people alive for saying the Earth went around the Sun in the 17th century. Today they say evolution and global warming is a lie. The great thing about science is it is not political. It’s all about reason and evidence. Religion is all politics and the idea there is some common ground with science flies in the face of all of history. Having said that, I think this episode did a reasonable job of walking a very shaky tightrope between having a credible story line and invoking the wrath of of the faithful. In the end, it is up to the viewer to draw the moral implications of the story and that’s as it should be.
Wachowskis' New Technology for SPEED RACER - Aug 28, 2007 - 06:09am
If this is the kind of story that would only appear on a slow news day, I can only hope for more slow news days. I find this story somewhat surprising. At a time when many studios are going digital and anxious to make their digital processes look like film, here we have, apparently, an attempt to make film look like cartoon digital. Isn’t this the kind of effect that would be much easier in digital? Another thing I can’t quite wrap my brain around is, although the theme of corruption sounds very adult, they’re going for a G rating. No doubt this will all make sense when we see the final product.
If this is the kind of story that would only appear on a slow news day, I can only hope for more slow news days. I find this story somewhat surprising. At a time when many studios are going digital and anxious to make their digital processes look like film, here we have, apparently, an attempt to make film look like cartoon digital. Isn’t this the kind of effect that would be much easier in digital? Another thing I can’t quite wrap my brain around is, although the theme of corruption sounds very adult, they’re going for a G rating. No doubt this will all make sense when we see the final product.
Scribe Paul Haggis Talks BOND 22 - Aug 27, 2007 - 07:02am
Like it or not, I think we’ve all grown up a little since Flemming’s image of the amoral spy fighting for King and country hit the screen. We all know the world’s a lot more complicated than super villains and pretty girls, and to ignore that reality would take us out of any meaningful context. Sure, we all like the action and adventure of it, but I think today’s audiences are more sophisticated. They’d like to believe that a man like Bond could, however improbably, really do something meaningful, and somehow, someway make it all make a little sense.
Like it or not, I think we’ve all grown up a little since Flemming’s image of the amoral spy fighting for King and country hit the screen. We all know the world’s a lot more complicated than super villains and pretty girls, and to ignore that reality would take us out of any meaningful context. Sure, we all like the action and adventure of it, but I think today’s audiences are more sophisticated. They’d like to believe that a man like Bond could, however improbably, really do something meaningful, and somehow, someway make it all make a little sense.
Update: Bay Back on TRANSFORMERS 2 - Aug 23, 2007 - 12:41am
When I was growing up I was taught that capitalism was a goal worth fighting far. The idea that the best and the brightest would be encouraged to create for the benefit of us all. Nice, except it’s only the richest and the most connected that count these days, and HD versus Blue-ray is a case in point. They’re putting their influence and money toward the inferior recording format because they stand to make more money, not because it will be good for the customer. This is just another VHS versus Beta struggle. The inferior product won then and it will win now. Another sad defeat for capitalism.
When I was growing up I was taught that capitalism was a goal worth fighting far. The idea that the best and the brightest would be encouraged to create for the benefit of us all. Nice, except it’s only the richest and the most connected that count these days, and HD versus Blue-ray is a case in point. They’re putting their influence and money toward the inferior recording format because they stand to make more money, not because it will be good for the customer. This is just another VHS versus Beta struggle. The inferior product won then and it will win now. Another sad defeat for capitalism.
First Look at BOND 22 - Aug 18, 2007 - 03:01am
Evidently Bond 22 is going to be science fiction. Don’t believe me? Look carefully at the married woman’s hand.
Evidently Bond 22 is going to be science fiction. Don’t believe me? Look carefully at the married woman’s hand.
Andrew Currie to Launch SPACE INVADER - Aug 11, 2007 - 07:00pm
On the face of it, I’d say this is a difficult concept to do right because this isn’t science fiction. This is a story that (apparently) has scenes on a real orbiting outpost and a real spacecraft. Everybody knows (or should know) what the ISS and the Space Shuttle look like inside and out. It’s on TV 24 hours a day on the NASA channel. This idea might work as a Saturday Night Live skit, but a whole movie? It’s going to very hard to make this come out any other way except lame. Lots of luck!
On the face of it, I’d say this is a difficult concept to do right because this isn’t science fiction. This is a story that (apparently) has scenes on a real orbiting outpost and a real spacecraft. Everybody knows (or should know) what the ISS and the Space Shuttle look like inside and out. It’s on TV 24 hours a day on the NASA channel. This idea might work as a Saturday Night Live skit, but a whole movie? It’s going to very hard to make this come out any other way except lame. Lots of luck!
Mania Talks with SUNSHINE Director Danny Boyle - Jul 21, 2007 - 12:27pm
I guess I shouldn’t complain that a movie is being made based on a complete misunderstanding of reality when we’re in the middle of a real war based on it. But it irks me that with so much that could wrong that could end life on Earth, the producers of Sunshine chose a plot so utterly implausible. The sun isn’t like a campfire that can go out; it’s a main sequence star with well understood physics. Please, all you writers, producers and directors out there, for the cost of a cup of coffee over lunch, you could sit down with a scientist and he or she could give you hundreds of doomsday scenarios that are actually possible. You wouldn’t film a Civil War movie without at least knowing something about it would you? Why waste all that money and talent over an utterly ridiculous idea?
I guess I shouldn’t complain that a movie is being made based on a complete misunderstanding of reality when we’re in the middle of a real war based on it. But it irks me that with so much that could wrong that could end life on Earth, the producers of Sunshine chose a plot so utterly implausible. The sun isn’t like a campfire that can go out; it’s a main sequence star with well understood physics. Please, all you writers, producers and directors out there, for the cost of a cup of coffee over lunch, you could sit down with a scientist and he or she could give you hundreds of doomsday scenarios that are actually possible. You wouldn’t film a Civil War movie without at least knowing something about it would you? Why waste all that money and talent over an utterly ridiculous idea?
Hollywood Studios Ponder Future Franchises - Jul 10, 2007 - 03:29pm
I think the current administration and the Iraq war are at least partially responsible for the success of so many movies based on comic book characters. Reality is a bit too painful right now. But it won’t last, and movie studios need to think about what comes next. If I were them, I’d look back to the success of the westerns in the 1950s. They were successful because they showed people struggling to survive in, what was for them in those days, a new frontier. To escape the reality of the cold war, people of the fifties looked back on days when individual honor and self-respect mattered. Well, there’s a new frontier out there. People are living in orbit and struggling to survive. In another fifty years it’s not hard to imagine people raising their families in space and, like the frontier of the old West, it will be hard and dangerous, the grist for a new kind of frontier movie, and a wonderful platform for writers to spin human tales full of hope.
I think the current administration and the Iraq war are at least partially responsible for the success of so many movies based on comic book characters. Reality is a bit too painful right now. But it won’t last, and movie studios need to think about what comes next. If I were them, I’d look back to the success of the westerns in the 1950s. They were successful because they showed people struggling to survive in, what was for them in those days, a new frontier. To escape the reality of the cold war, people of the fifties looked back on days when individual honor and self-respect mattered. Well, there’s a new frontier out there. People are living in orbit and struggling to survive. In another fifty years it’s not hard to imagine people raising their families in space and, like the frontier of the old West, it will be hard and dangerous, the grist for a new kind of frontier movie, and a wonderful platform for writers to spin human tales full of hope.
Sega Exec Demands PS3 Price Cut - Jul 04, 2007 - 02:36pm
Sony is making the gamble that games that can only be made using their advanced architecture will ultimately win the day even though, because of the multi-core nature of this machine, the developers must learn an entirely new way of programming. Most systems isolate the programmer from architectural changes and it’s this unavoidable break with tradition that’s causing the delay. Personally I think that Sony will eventually find themselves with the right technology at the right time, but it’s going to be a struggle.
Sony is making the gamble that games that can only be made using their advanced architecture will ultimately win the day even though, because of the multi-core nature of this machine, the developers must learn an entirely new way of programming. Most systems isolate the programmer from architectural changes and it’s this unavoidable break with tradition that’s causing the delay. Personally I think that Sony will eventually find themselves with the right technology at the right time, but it’s going to be a struggle.
VALKYRIE Filming Barred in Germany - Jun 26, 2007 - 06:31pm
Our country was founded on the principle of tolerance toward religion. I have nothing against that. I think most of us feel that there’s something more than that the physical universe we see around us. Even physicists know that the reality we know is inescapably connected with our ability to perceive it. That’s a profoundly spiritual idea. But there are some things about religion we should never allow. We should never let our children be sexually mutilated in the name of the religion. We should not let them be indoctrinated under the age of ten because, technically speaking, that’s brain washing. And, as adults, people should not be harassed or extorted for money. But we do allow it, and that’s what makes Scientology, as absolutely nutty as it is, so hard to stop. As long as an organization has the name “religion” stamped on it, it can get away with almost anything, simply because we . . . are them.
Our country was founded on the principle of tolerance toward religion. I have nothing against that. I think most of us feel that there’s something more than that the physical universe we see around us. Even physicists know that the reality we know is inescapably connected with our ability to perceive it. That’s a profoundly spiritual idea. But there are some things about religion we should never allow. We should never let our children be sexually mutilated in the name of the religion. We should not let them be indoctrinated under the age of ten because, technically speaking, that’s brain washing. And, as adults, people should not be harassed or extorted for money. But we do allow it, and that’s what makes Scientology, as absolutely nutty as it is, so hard to stop. As long as an organization has the name “religion” stamped on it, it can get away with almost anything, simply because we . . . are them.
MARVEL Studio Head Talks Future Movies - Jun 25, 2007 - 05:14am
As much as I welcome these movies, this development makes me very sad. Hasn't it occurred to anybody why these kinds of movies are so popular right now? There can be only one reason that America is turning en mass to fantasy these days. If you don’t get it, try reading a newspaper.
As much as I welcome these movies, this development makes me very sad. Hasn't it occurred to anybody why these kinds of movies are so popular right now? There can be only one reason that America is turning en mass to fantasy these days. If you don’t get it, try reading a newspaper.
Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of Crystal Skull - May 30, 2007 - 03:10am
The script takes place in the 1950s. From Indiana Jones' earlier adventures against the Nazis (remember that Hitler was born in 1899) Harrison Ford is precisely the right age to play this role. So what's the problem? Oh, and there's also the small issue of Ford's enormous talent and charisma. I couldn't imagine anyone else in this role. You still think he's too old for this role? Fine, then stay home and play with your toys. There's a real man on the screen.
The script takes place in the 1950s. From Indiana Jones' earlier adventures against the Nazis (remember that Hitler was born in 1899) Harrison Ford is precisely the right age to play this role. So what's the problem? Oh, and there's also the small issue of Ford's enormous talent and charisma. I couldn't imagine anyone else in this role. You still think he's too old for this role? Fine, then stay home and play with your toys. There's a real man on the screen.
STAR WARS "Legacy" on History Channel - May 29, 2007 - 05:23pm
With apologies to my friends at JPL, I found the technical explanations to be dry as dust, mostly irrelevant, and not in the spirit of what Stars Wars is, namely, an entertaining movie. For example, instead of explaining there's no sound in a vacuum, and who doesn't know that, talk about a technology that could translate the light of an explosion into sound for the benefit of feedback to the warrior pilots. Instead of explaining why current ion propulsion couldn’t power a TIE fighter (ho hum), explain what the future of ion propulsion could be and what it would take to develop it. As it was, it sounded very much like scientists being politically correct with their description, so very careful to never give the impression they were talking about anything for which they didn’t have current funding. Where’s the fun in that? Let your hair down guys! NASA needs visionaries.
With apologies to my friends at JPL, I found the technical explanations to be dry as dust, mostly irrelevant, and not in the spirit of what Stars Wars is, namely, an entertaining movie. For example, instead of explaining there's no sound in a vacuum, and who doesn't know that, talk about a technology that could translate the light of an explosion into sound for the benefit of feedback to the warrior pilots. Instead of explaining why current ion propulsion couldn’t power a TIE fighter (ho hum), explain what the future of ion propulsion could be and what it would take to develop it. As it was, it sounded very much like scientists being politically correct with their description, so very careful to never give the impression they were talking about anything for which they didn’t have current funding. Where’s the fun in that? Let your hair down guys! NASA needs visionaries.
CLONE WARS Preview - May 28, 2007 - 03:33am
I saw the first Star Wars movie showing in Hollywood on its first day. I saw it just because I'm a science fiction fan without any idea of what I was going to see. I was completely blown away and in subsequent years saw the others among cheering fans. I even played and enjoyed some of the video games based on the movies. But watching this I have to say I don't get it. The video games make sense because they offer interaction with the Star Wars universe. What is the hook that's going to make people watch this on TV? Although it's tempting to compare this with new generations of the Star Trek TV series, I don't think it's the same thing at all. Star Trek is the story of man's exploration of the universe and how he overcame obstacles to take his place in a galactic civilization. The story possibilities are endless. Stars Wars is about, well, war, and a specific war at that. There have been successful TV series about a war, MASH comes to mind, but MASH, like all good stories, was about the human condition. Stars Wars TV seems more like a toy ad for children. I hope I’m proven wrong.
I saw the first Star Wars movie showing in Hollywood on its first day. I saw it just because I'm a science fiction fan without any idea of what I was going to see. I was completely blown away and in subsequent years saw the others among cheering fans. I even played and enjoyed some of the video games based on the movies. But watching this I have to say I don't get it. The video games make sense because they offer interaction with the Star Wars universe. What is the hook that's going to make people watch this on TV? Although it's tempting to compare this with new generations of the Star Trek TV series, I don't think it's the same thing at all. Star Trek is the story of man's exploration of the universe and how he overcame obstacles to take his place in a galactic civilization. The story possibilities are endless. Stars Wars is about, well, war, and a specific war at that. There have been successful TV series about a war, MASH comes to mind, but MASH, like all good stories, was about the human condition. Stars Wars TV seems more like a toy ad for children. I hope I’m proven wrong.
The View to a Kill - May 26, 2007 - 02:59pm
I don’t blame Rosie for being upset. I’m upset when I see this characterized as a disagreement coming from someone with “left wing” views, as if truth and knowledge were some kind of plot against America. This country needs to grow up and realize we’ve been had. Not only did the President lie about the threat against America, we now know that his own intelligence estimates predicted the mess we’re now in. There has never been a rationale argument for the war and people who think there has been are either ignorant, stupid or traitors to everything this country stands for. Given this, how do you think Rosie feels when she realizes she’s been setup to defend the obvious for the benefit of rating? The irony is palpable — just another example of people trying to make money from this tragic war.
I don’t blame Rosie for being upset. I’m upset when I see this characterized as a disagreement coming from someone with “left wing” views, as if truth and knowledge were some kind of plot against America. This country needs to grow up and realize we’ve been had. Not only did the President lie about the threat against America, we now know that his own intelligence estimates predicted the mess we’re now in. There has never been a rationale argument for the war and people who think there has been are either ignorant, stupid or traitors to everything this country stands for. Given this, how do you think Rosie feels when she realizes she’s been setup to defend the obvious for the benefit of rating? The irony is palpable — just another example of people trying to make money from this tragic war.
Johnson Talks GORDON - May 24, 2007 - 07:23pm
I loved the old Flash Gordon serials, so I was very intrigued by the news of a TV series. But my heart sank when I read the interview. Flash Gordon without spaceships is like Superman without the suit. It’s like Batman without a batmobile. The spaceship was what the original series was built around. Replacing that concept with a literal wormhole is just unimaginative hack writing. It’s been done to death. Yes, fast travel to other planets takes hyper-dimensional physics, but it doesn’t have to be wormholes. But, of course, the reality here is the writers were just plain lazy. Wormholes work for Stargate. Stargate was successful. Ergo, Flash Gordon with wormholes. Makes it easy to explain to the accountant types. No spaceships means no expensive landing and takeoff sequences. The whole show can be done on cheap sets with a few glowing circles. Never mind that the original concept just went out the window.
I loved the old Flash Gordon serials, so I was very intrigued by the news of a TV series. But my heart sank when I read the interview. Flash Gordon without spaceships is like Superman without the suit. It’s like Batman without a batmobile. The spaceship was what the original series was built around. Replacing that concept with a literal wormhole is just unimaginative hack writing. It’s been done to death. Yes, fast travel to other planets takes hyper-dimensional physics, but it doesn’t have to be wormholes. But, of course, the reality here is the writers were just plain lazy. Wormholes work for Stargate. Stargate was successful. Ergo, Flash Gordon with wormholes. Makes it easy to explain to the accountant types. No spaceships means no expensive landing and takeoff sequences. The whole show can be done on cheap sets with a few glowing circles. Never mind that the original concept just went out the window.
"The Cage" Enterprise - May 18, 2007 - 01:20am
It should be noted in passing the significance of Roddenbury's vision with this design. For the first time in my memory, a fictional spaceship acknowledged the vacuum of space in it's aerodynamical unsuitability. Also, since the fuel was antimatter, the fuel tanks were designed for a quick jettison. Prominent on the front end is a high-gain antenna, mandatory for a craft that travels immense interstellar distances. It’s this kind of attention to science and engineering that contributed to Star Trek’s longevity.
It should be noted in passing the significance of Roddenbury's vision with this design. For the first time in my memory, a fictional spaceship acknowledged the vacuum of space in it's aerodynamical unsuitability. Also, since the fuel was antimatter, the fuel tanks were designed for a quick jettison. Prominent on the front end is a high-gain antenna, mandatory for a craft that travels immense interstellar distances. It’s this kind of attention to science and engineering that contributed to Star Trek’s longevity.
Fox Orders 48 More for 24 - May 16, 2007 - 10:12am
There was a time when a series about the US breakdown of foreign relations and corruption at the top would have seemed so implausible, so remote from reality, that few would buy a single season of sustained disasters that Bauer has to deal with, let alone a series spanning years. 24 has championed the time-honored tradition of the smart, honorable hero fighting against overwhelming odds at a time when every day brings a headline that makes us want to believe someone like him could actually exist.
There was a time when a series about the US breakdown of foreign relations and corruption at the top would have seemed so implausible, so remote from reality, that few would buy a single season of sustained disasters that Bauer has to deal with, let alone a series spanning years. 24 has championed the time-honored tradition of the smart, honorable hero fighting against overwhelming odds at a time when every day brings a headline that makes us want to believe someone like him could actually exist.
LucasArts Reshape Next-Generation Entertainment - May 03, 2007 - 09:08am
Maybe it’s just me, but I found this article confusing. If I read this right, LucasArts, a company that among other things makes movies, is coming out with a trademarked video game on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at the same time there is movie playing with the same name. Presumably this shuts the door on there ever being a movie based on the game. This must have kept a few lawyers busy. I believe this type of game foreshadows the future of gaming, a future not coincidentally currently most enabled by the PS3 architecture. I see the future role of game developers as primarily the creators of environments and tools that can be used within the environment. Will Wright’s “Spore” is a good example of that. Sadly, this mirrors the real world in which super corporations create scenarios and build tools for the purpose of reaping profit from the destruction of human lives.
Maybe it’s just me, but I found this article confusing. If I read this right, LucasArts, a company that among other things makes movies, is coming out with a trademarked video game on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at the same time there is movie playing with the same name. Presumably this shuts the door on there ever being a movie based on the game. This must have kept a few lawyers busy. I believe this type of game foreshadows the future of gaming, a future not coincidentally currently most enabled by the PS3 architecture. I see the future role of game developers as primarily the creators of environments and tools that can be used within the environment. Will Wright’s “Spore” is a good example of that. Sadly, this mirrors the real world in which super corporations create scenarios and build tools for the purpose of reaping profit from the destruction of human lives.
Ridley Scott to direct "Nottingham" - Apr 30, 2007 - 02:34pm
This makes me wonder why Robin Hood all of a sudden? First the excellent series on BBC and now this. Why the interest in a guy fighting against corruption and stupidity at the top? Couldn't possibly be relevant to anything that's happening today . . . could it?
This makes me wonder why Robin Hood all of a sudden? First the excellent series on BBC and now this. Why the interest in a guy fighting against corruption and stupidity at the top? Couldn't possibly be relevant to anything that's happening today . . . could it?
"Painkiller Jane" - Apr 17, 2007 - 05:53pm
Geez, you guys do like to pile on. I love this new series, especially the smart dialog from the irrepressible heroine. Anyone’s who’s ever been straitjacketed by a repressive system can relate to her attempts to be her own person. And that’s what this series is about. I think most, if not all of us, can relate. Beyond the very promising concept, I thought Kristanna’s acting fit the part perfectly: intelligent, smart ass, yet very human in her reaction to the idea of turning mortality on it’s ear. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
Geez, you guys do like to pile on. I love this new series, especially the smart dialog from the irrepressible heroine. Anyone’s who’s ever been straitjacketed by a repressive system can relate to her attempts to be her own person. And that’s what this series is about. I think most, if not all of us, can relate. Beyond the very promising concept, I thought Kristanna’s acting fit the part perfectly: intelligent, smart ass, yet very human in her reaction to the idea of turning mortality on it’s ear. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
The SEX-Box - Apr 13, 2007 - 08:40am
It pains me sometimes when Americans don't understand their own history. There's no mystery here if you understand that America was founded by a very disturbed group of people who called themselves "Puritans." These strange people, who couldn't make it in Europe, turned humanity on its head by demonizing pleasure and embracing pain. They literally made sadomasochism part of the religious tradition and elements of this are still rampant in American psychology today. I dare say that this one single factor has provided American psychologists and psychiatrists with a rich vein of revenue from the treatment of the terrible disfunction that results from this perverse reversal of normal human social needs and interactions . Europeans find our attitude about sex a bit puzzling since they didn’t and don’t have the same influence from the Puritans. In fact, they kicked the buggers out. Good show! And if some of you find this threatening to your belief systems, please don’t believe me. Look it up. It’s all in the history books.
It pains me sometimes when Americans don't understand their own history. There's no mystery here if you understand that America was founded by a very disturbed group of people who called themselves "Puritans." These strange people, who couldn't make it in Europe, turned humanity on its head by demonizing pleasure and embracing pain. They literally made sadomasochism part of the religious tradition and elements of this are still rampant in American psychology today. I dare say that this one single factor has provided American psychologists and psychiatrists with a rich vein of revenue from the treatment of the terrible disfunction that results from this perverse reversal of normal human social needs and interactions . Europeans find our attitude about sex a bit puzzling since they didn’t and don’t have the same influence from the Puritans. In fact, they kicked the buggers out. Good show! And if some of you find this threatening to your belief systems, please don’t believe me. Look it up. It’s all in the history books.
Newest "Spider-Man 3" Trailer Now Online - Apr 12, 2007 - 01:47pm
Compelling clip, but absolutely the worst use of promoting movies with trailers on the Internet. I was bombarded with a barrage of ugly, flashing advertisements, and had to dig down through this cess pool to find the damn thing. If you have a Mac, use Apple.com instead. There's probably an equivalent for Windows.
Compelling clip, but absolutely the worst use of promoting movies with trailers on the Internet. I was bombarded with a barrage of ugly, flashing advertisements, and had to dig down through this cess pool to find the damn thing. If you have a Mac, use Apple.com instead. There's probably an equivalent for Windows.
Neal Purvis and Robert Wade writing "Barbarella" - Apr 12, 2007 - 01:16pm
I admire the objectives of the writers, but I question how you get 'funny" from political correctness.
I admire the objectives of the writers, but I question how you get 'funny" from political correctness.
Halle Berry to shave head for role - Apr 07, 2007 - 03:13pm
Geez, what a tough crowd. Personally, I'll take it any way Halle wants to show it to me.
Geez, what a tough crowd. Personally, I'll take it any way Halle wants to show it to me.
More "Transformers" Photos - Apr 03, 2007 - 12:04pm
I saw a surprisingly long and detailed trailer for Transformers on (Los Angeles) TV yesterday that included a shot of a flying robot not shown here. I thought it looked great and was very exciting, but it left me a little apprehensive. Normally a trailer is a tease. I was expecting the studio to keep the detailed appearance of the robots secret until the opening. A big scene has to be when the transformers reveal themselves to Earth for the first time. The convention wisdom is that showing so much before the movie opens is a mistake. You’ve never seen a stripper start her act stark naked have you? Same idea.
I saw a surprisingly long and detailed trailer for Transformers on (Los Angeles) TV yesterday that included a shot of a flying robot not shown here. I thought it looked great and was very exciting, but it left me a little apprehensive. Normally a trailer is a tease. I was expecting the studio to keep the detailed appearance of the robots secret until the opening. A big scene has to be when the transformers reveal themselves to Earth for the first time. The convention wisdom is that showing so much before the movie opens is a mistake. You’ve never seen a stripper start her act stark naked have you? Same idea.
Michael Biehn joining "Avatar"? - Mar 26, 2007 - 08:09am
Funny thing about science fiction. Shakespeare wrote a romance in 1597 that’s still perfectly relevant today. Then as now, people fall in love. But then there’s science fiction. It’s sort of an odd duck. Among all art forms, it stands almost alone as being totally dependent on time. The original War of the Worlds is mired in 19th century ideas for example. In fact you can bet all science fiction will eventually become outdated. As technology advances, that idea that once seemed fresh and new becomes humdrum and boring. This is the challenge of Science Fiction. James Cameron knows he can’t just make a good sci-fi movie, he’s got to push the state of the art and give us a vision we’ve never seen before. It’s a monumental challenge, and, personally, I’m glad there’s a major talent like him to be up to the task.
Funny thing about science fiction. Shakespeare wrote a romance in 1597 that’s still perfectly relevant today. Then as now, people fall in love. But then there’s science fiction. It’s sort of an odd duck. Among all art forms, it stands almost alone as being totally dependent on time. The original War of the Worlds is mired in 19th century ideas for example. In fact you can bet all science fiction will eventually become outdated. As technology advances, that idea that once seemed fresh and new becomes humdrum and boring. This is the challenge of Science Fiction. James Cameron knows he can’t just make a good sci-fi movie, he’s got to push the state of the art and give us a vision we’ve never seen before. It’s a monumental challenge, and, personally, I’m glad there’s a major talent like him to be up to the task.
Images of Stallone as "Rambo"! - Mar 26, 2007 - 02:31am
I hope nobody reading this assumes, because Stallone is using HGH, it’s a good idea to take it. As far as I know, there have been no long-term scientific studies of the the effects of HGH. There’s no doubt that short-term use has produced some positive results, but one shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that it is beneficial. Some scientists claim that users of HGH have an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. I would be very careful of using any substance whose claims were unsubstantiated by the scientific community.
I hope nobody reading this assumes, because Stallone is using HGH, it’s a good idea to take it. As far as I know, there have been no long-term scientific studies of the the effects of HGH. There’s no doubt that short-term use has produced some positive results, but one shouldn’t jump to the conclusion that it is beneficial. Some scientists claim that users of HGH have an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. I would be very careful of using any substance whose claims were unsubstantiated by the scientific community.
"Doctor Who" gets Fourth Season - Mar 24, 2007 - 05:47pm
I love the central theme of Doctor Who: every problem can be solved if you’re smart enough. Much better than the no problem can be solved if you’re stupid enough philosophy going around (and we all know who stupid is). This is a show for our age, a time of wonder in the unfolding complexity and mystery of the universe that we are only just beginning to understand. Doctor Who is the best kind of science fiction, forever teasing us with fundamental questions that make us question our preconceptions about the totality of existence. Oh, and also it’s a lot of fun.
I love the central theme of Doctor Who: every problem can be solved if you’re smart enough. Much better than the no problem can be solved if you’re stupid enough philosophy going around (and we all know who stupid is). This is a show for our age, a time of wonder in the unfolding complexity and mystery of the universe that we are only just beginning to understand. Doctor Who is the best kind of science fiction, forever teasing us with fundamental questions that make us question our preconceptions about the totality of existence. Oh, and also it’s a lot of fun.
Jonah Nolan to write Spielberg's "Interstellar" - Mar 23, 2007 - 10:24am
As much as I like most of what Spielberg does, I get nervous when I hear that “Interstellar” is an exploration of Kip Thorne’s ideas about gravity fields. I think Speilberg means well, but he has a history of throwing out the science for the story. Since this is a money-making endeavor, I don’t blame him for that since most of his audience won’t know the difference anyway, but to announce up front that this is a movie about Kip Thorne’s ideas is probably disingenuous. Take “War of the Worlds” for example. He, understandably, wanted a fresh take on an invasion from Mars. However the story he came up with was ridiculous from a scientific point of view. He threw out the idea that the Martians invaded by crossing space, a logical way of invading, in favor of a fresh and perhaps scarier idea that made very little sense. Anybody who hasn’t seen this movie should stop reading now! Spielberg did keep the ending of the book. The original idea was that the Martians were defeated by exposure to Earth’s biosphere. This was cutting-edge science fiction in the 19th century because scientists were just realizing the role of viruses and bacteria. In the 21st century this makes no sense at all. Speilberg would have us believe that an old, advanced race of aliens who had interplanetary travel and could build huge machines that could tunnel through the Earth, would not know even the simplest facts about biology. A completely unbelievable premise since the aliens were biological in nature. Having said that, it is true that some of the latest (unproved) theories, which propose that dark matter is actually matter in another dimension that exacts its attraction using the hyper-dimensional nature of the Higgs boson, do have some story possibilities. I just hope the baby doesn’t get thrown out with the bathwater.
As much as I like most of what Spielberg does, I get nervous when I hear that “Interstellar” is an exploration of Kip Thorne’s ideas about gravity fields. I think Speilberg means well, but he has a history of throwing out the science for the story. Since this is a money-making endeavor, I don’t blame him for that since most of his audience won’t know the difference anyway, but to announce up front that this is a movie about Kip Thorne’s ideas is probably disingenuous. Take “War of the Worlds” for example. He, understandably, wanted a fresh take on an invasion from Mars. However the story he came up with was ridiculous from a scientific point of view. He threw out the idea that the Martians invaded by crossing space, a logical way of invading, in favor of a fresh and perhaps scarier idea that made very little sense. Anybody who hasn’t seen this movie should stop reading now! Spielberg did keep the ending of the book. The original idea was that the Martians were defeated by exposure to Earth’s biosphere. This was cutting-edge science fiction in the 19th century because scientists were just realizing the role of viruses and bacteria. In the 21st century this makes no sense at all. Speilberg would have us believe that an old, advanced race of aliens who had interplanetary travel and could build huge machines that could tunnel through the Earth, would not know even the simplest facts about biology. A completely unbelievable premise since the aliens were biological in nature. Having said that, it is true that some of the latest (unproved) theories, which propose that dark matter is actually matter in another dimension that exacts its attraction using the hyper-dimensional nature of the Higgs boson, do have some story possibilities. I just hope the baby doesn’t get thrown out with the bathwater.
"Superman Returns" sequel on schedule - Mar 19, 2007 - 08:23am
Dear Mr. Burnett: If I were on your staff, I advise you the following about "Superman Returns." (1) Treat the superman epic as science fiction, not fantasy. As an earlier slogan began "you will believe," make us believe. Fantasy works with gremlins and goblins. It doesn't work with a story about a man from another planet. (2) Realize that the modern audience is a lot more sophisticated than when the series began. We're more sophisticated in politics, science and human psychology, to name a few. That should be seen as an opportunity, not a problem. (3) Hire someone with a physics background to read your script. When you fall off a skyscraper you don't die from hitting the sidewalk. You die from the deceleration. Superman must slow a fall down, not just catch him. The person he's saving might as well have hit the sidewalk. Most people will not notice this intellectually, but it will subconsciously take them away from the impression of reality you are trying to create. (4) Science knows a hell of a lot more about the universe and how it works than in the 1940s. Use this to your advantage. A lot of mainstream scientific theories have a science fiction feel to them. Use them. Make the audience think about Superman in the context of the mysterious universe it really is. Let them leave the theater with a sense of wonder, not the impression they've just watched a cartoon with actors.
Dear Mr. Burnett: If I were on your staff, I advise you the following about "Superman Returns." (1) Treat the superman epic as science fiction, not fantasy. As an earlier slogan began "you will believe," make us believe. Fantasy works with gremlins and goblins. It doesn't work with a story about a man from another planet. (2) Realize that the modern audience is a lot more sophisticated than when the series began. We're more sophisticated in politics, science and human psychology, to name a few. That should be seen as an opportunity, not a problem. (3) Hire someone with a physics background to read your script. When you fall off a skyscraper you don't die from hitting the sidewalk. You die from the deceleration. Superman must slow a fall down, not just catch him. The person he's saving might as well have hit the sidewalk. Most people will not notice this intellectually, but it will subconsciously take them away from the impression of reality you are trying to create. (4) Science knows a hell of a lot more about the universe and how it works than in the 1940s. Use this to your advantage. A lot of mainstream scientific theories have a science fiction feel to them. Use them. Make the audience think about Superman in the context of the mysterious universe it really is. Let them leave the theater with a sense of wonder, not the impression they've just watched a cartoon with actors.
"Stardust" Trailer Online - Mar 17, 2007 - 02:06am
I can't really tell if I'd like this movie from the bief snippet offered, but on the hand I see no reason to trash it. This movie is a fairy tale that is told as if it were true. Complaining that it doesn't make sense doesn't make sense for this genre. Emotion is the only currency here. On the other hand, if this was touted as science fiction, I'd jump on it with both feet. But in a fairy tale, sure, puny little goats can pull a chariot.
I can't really tell if I'd like this movie from the bief snippet offered, but on the hand I see no reason to trash it. This movie is a fairy tale that is told as if it were true. Complaining that it doesn't make sense doesn't make sense for this genre. Emotion is the only currency here. On the other hand, if this was touted as science fiction, I'd jump on it with both feet. But in a fairy tale, sure, puny little goats can pull a chariot.
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I played the demo and was impressed with the sweep of its graphics and weaponry as seen on my HD screen. But, call me silly, I have trouble playing evil. Obviously that's just me because nobody else I know has a problem with it.