Showing posts with label robot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label robot. Show all posts
Saturday, April 10, 2010
The Gift.
A short by Ridley Scott protege Carl Erik Rinsch. Pretty awesome.
Update: ok, that's not working right and I don't have time to fix it. Watch the link here.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Monday, August 10, 2009
Make Shit Up
Okay, so with the exceptions of the Drag Me To Hell and the upcoming District 9, it seems like all of this summer's sci-fi type entertainment have been re imaginings, remakes, sequels, interpretations of a toy based marketing opportunity, or some combination there of.
Don't get me wrong, I like some of this stuff (new Star Trek was awesome, and I'm sure the new Harry Potter is just fine), but how about a little bit of originality? Or, filming a book who's themes haven't been done to death? Let The Right One In & True Blood are great and all, but they are still vampire stories.
Of course a lot of this stuff is drek. The Transformers sequel was stunningly bad, and my expectations were pretty low. Between the racist caricatures in robot form, testicle jokes, rampant sexism, nonsensical & self contradictory metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, and the most obvious McGuffin in the history of McGuffins, I'm surprised it wasn't a George Lucas film (Okay, that's not fair, Lucas doesn't do testicle jokes). You will of course have to drag me kicking and screaming into the GI Joe movie. If I am to be forced to watch it, I must be made pliant with alcohol before, during, and after the film.
I see that Joe Haldeman's Forever War is in the planning stages with Ridley Scott attached, and that's promising. However: he has now signed to do an Alien prequel. I'll probably like it (anything is an improvement over AvP: Requiem), but it's ground that's been covered.
District 9 does look good though. It's plot sounds engaging, it has power armor/mechs, and Peter Jackson's involvement is usually a good sign. Beyond that we have 9, which could be great, or a big build up to nothing. It's premise is interesting and it's voice cast impressive, but it's produced by Tim Burton and I hope he kept his grubby little hands out of the visual design.
Don't get me wrong, I like some of this stuff (new Star Trek was awesome, and I'm sure the new Harry Potter is just fine), but how about a little bit of originality? Or, filming a book who's themes haven't been done to death? Let The Right One In & True Blood are great and all, but they are still vampire stories.
Of course a lot of this stuff is drek. The Transformers sequel was stunningly bad, and my expectations were pretty low. Between the racist caricatures in robot form, testicle jokes, rampant sexism, nonsensical & self contradictory metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, and the most obvious McGuffin in the history of McGuffins, I'm surprised it wasn't a George Lucas film (Okay, that's not fair, Lucas doesn't do testicle jokes). You will of course have to drag me kicking and screaming into the GI Joe movie. If I am to be forced to watch it, I must be made pliant with alcohol before, during, and after the film.
I see that Joe Haldeman's Forever War is in the planning stages with Ridley Scott attached, and that's promising. However: he has now signed to do an Alien prequel. I'll probably like it (anything is an improvement over AvP: Requiem), but it's ground that's been covered.
District 9 does look good though. It's plot sounds engaging, it has power armor/mechs, and Peter Jackson's involvement is usually a good sign. Beyond that we have 9, which could be great, or a big build up to nothing. It's premise is interesting and it's voice cast impressive, but it's produced by Tim Burton and I hope he kept his grubby little hands out of the visual design.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
We now interupt our hiatus for roboerotic violence.
Ravage! SQEEEE!
I know, I'm a proponent of the laws of robotics, I shouldn't like this stuff. But come on, giant construction equipment that turns into killer robots? I'm there.
Update: The bastards took it off line. I shall attempt to find it again.
Next update. Go here to see it in all it's 'splodey glory
Monday, November 24, 2008
Killer Robot Future
A NY times published an article on the idea of autonomous lethal combat robots, with the idea that they will be more ethical in combat situations than flesh & blood humans.
They're a long way away, but it's my personal plea, and desperate hope that who ever succeeds at creating intelligent robot or other artificial life that they have read Issac Asimov, & Phillip K. Dick, and watched Bladerunner.
These things are of course, entertainments. But, if we do not heed their lessons, we will morally doom ourselves as a species. If the first intelligent created life is enslaved and made to kill, we'll be placing ourselves in dire peril.
So please, engineers and roboticists of the world, I know you're not going to listen to little old me, but please, listen to this:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
They're a long way away, but it's my personal plea, and desperate hope that who ever succeeds at creating intelligent robot or other artificial life that they have read Issac Asimov, & Phillip K. Dick, and watched Bladerunner.
These things are of course, entertainments. But, if we do not heed their lessons, we will morally doom ourselves as a species. If the first intelligent created life is enslaved and made to kill, we'll be placing ourselves in dire peril.
So please, engineers and roboticists of the world, I know you're not going to listen to little old me, but please, listen to this:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Transformers
(minor spoilers) So yesterday, I got to be 8 for a two and a half hours or so while watching helicopters, tanks, trucks and other such things turn into giant robots and beat the hell out of each other.
Sure it had a few Bayisms (a little to long, some pained dialog, etc), but he kept himself largely in check (Spielberg's production influence at work I suspect). The story wasn't bad, many of the actors actually acted, and then there's the giant robots.
Both Sadimac and I got a little tingly when Optimus Prime made his big entrance, and then made the big announcement of his name in that great original voice (by Peter Cullen) that resonates through my childhood memories.
It's from a kind of corny childhood cartoon, I know, but it's a voice that I associate with (an admittedly larger than life) integrity, bravery, and self-sacrifice. Only one fictional screen character since then (Maximus form Gladiator) has carried that weight for me, and I've always compared him to Prime anyhow.
The action scenes were great. Blackout's attack on a human army base, Ironhide dodging a barrage of Starscreams missles, Prime fighting Bonecrusher on a freeway, and a badly damaged Bumblebee taking on Brawl really stand out, but everything is just such a thrill your favorites will surely vary.
My last bit of praise goes to the use of strong female characters, with no weak ones to "balance it out." Maybe Bay took a cue from Joss Whedon, maybe he went out on his own, but either way it's a welcome sight that we're seeing more, but not nearly enough.
Sure it had a few Bayisms (a little to long, some pained dialog, etc), but he kept himself largely in check (Spielberg's production influence at work I suspect). The story wasn't bad, many of the actors actually acted, and then there's the giant robots.
Both Sadimac and I got a little tingly when Optimus Prime made his big entrance, and then made the big announcement of his name in that great original voice (by Peter Cullen) that resonates through my childhood memories.
It's from a kind of corny childhood cartoon, I know, but it's a voice that I associate with (an admittedly larger than life) integrity, bravery, and self-sacrifice. Only one fictional screen character since then (Maximus form Gladiator) has carried that weight for me, and I've always compared him to Prime anyhow.
The action scenes were great. Blackout's attack on a human army base, Ironhide dodging a barrage of Starscreams missles, Prime fighting Bonecrusher on a freeway, and a badly damaged Bumblebee taking on Brawl really stand out, but everything is just such a thrill your favorites will surely vary.
My last bit of praise goes to the use of strong female characters, with no weak ones to "balance it out." Maybe Bay took a cue from Joss Whedon, maybe he went out on his own, but either way it's a welcome sight that we're seeing more, but not nearly enough.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Let the geek flow
Confession time. I will wake up tomorrow, full of exploding 4th of July holiday spirit, looking forward to hanging out with our friends, drinking, eating, and blowing shit up.
But before any drinking or explosions, I will giddily wake my dearest, summon our roommate from her basement sanctuary, and drag us all to the nearest corporate ubermultiscreenaplex and watch Transformers.
I really don't care if it's good or bad. It being a Micheal Bay movie, I fully expect it to be dumb as a Arkansas educated post, but full of well executed robot on robot (roboerotic?) violence.
It's my perfect storm of geekdom this summer. Pirates are fun, but kind of played out. The Simpsons hasn't been worth watching for years, so why should the movie be any good? All of my current TV shows are over (if you think I waited for the Sci-Fi screenings of Doctor Who you're mad).
It'll have to be D&D as my geek focus for most of the summer. Oh well, nothing like the classics.
But before any drinking or explosions, I will giddily wake my dearest, summon our roommate from her basement sanctuary, and drag us all to the nearest corporate ubermultiscreenaplex and watch Transformers.
I really don't care if it's good or bad. It being a Micheal Bay movie, I fully expect it to be dumb as a Arkansas educated post, but full of well executed robot on robot (roboerotic?) violence.
It's my perfect storm of geekdom this summer. Pirates are fun, but kind of played out. The Simpsons hasn't been worth watching for years, so why should the movie be any good? All of my current TV shows are over (if you think I waited for the Sci-Fi screenings of Doctor Who you're mad).
It'll have to be D&D as my geek focus for most of the summer. Oh well, nothing like the classics.
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