Showing posts with label sci-fi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sci-fi. 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
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
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.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
More ships
The Voot Cruiser from Invader Zim, and Futurama's Planet Express Ship (which was on an early version of the list but some how fell off), are on the official list.
While I appreciate the enthusiasm, I had thought of, and dismissed the Spaceballs Winnebago previously. Nice try.
I now return to my full weekend with Sadimac.
While I appreciate the enthusiasm, I had thought of, and dismissed the Spaceballs Winnebago previously. Nice try.
I now return to my full weekend with Sadimac.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
In which I actually post an update to my Blog
Lots going on.
I am now a chief steward for ILWU Local 5 (please excuse the rough web site, we had to switch hosting on short notice), and things at BLB01 are going about as well as can be expected in these brutal economic times.
On the other hand, Percey the cat is not doing so hot. She has another round of dental problems and various other health issues, that for her comfort and quality of life we have decided not to treat. We'll be going on a track of some antibiotics and enough painkillers to keep her comfortable, and we're going to let her live out her last year or so in relative comfort. No more traumatic day long vet stays or surgery that she's always scared and miserable after, and as little poking and prodding as we can manage. There's no sense in having her live in fear.
I have come to a tattooing decision. I've always wanted to get one nice, fairly ambitious tattoo, and the decision has been made as to what & where: A collage of starships (no, not Jefferson Starship) will be somewhere on my body (I will reveal where when work has begun). Here's the list of what I'm planning on including so far
Definitley:
Serenity (Firefly/Serenity)
Enterprise (TOS)
The TARDIS (Dr Who)
a Viper (New BSG)
a Raider (Old BSG)
Moira (Farscape)
Challenger (the space shuttle)
Klingon Bird of Prey (not sure which one)
Saucer from the original The Day the Earth Stood Still
Discovery One (2001 ASO)
Maybe:
SDF 1 (Robotech)
The Phoenix (Battle of the Planets/Gatchamon)
The ARK [Transformers (80's Cartoon)]
I'm also looking for other ships, be they from old Amazing covers, obvious things I haven't thought of yet, etc. So send me links and scans, I've got some flesh to fill!
My next step is to talk to a tattoo artist, and my dear sister has provided what I think will be the right path.
I am aware that there are no Star Wars ships on the list above, and it is intentional. There will be one Star Wars vessel, either an X-Wing or Slave-1. We have been betrayed, and my anger runs deep.
I am now a chief steward for ILWU Local 5 (please excuse the rough web site, we had to switch hosting on short notice), and things at BLB01 are going about as well as can be expected in these brutal economic times.
On the other hand, Percey the cat is not doing so hot. She has another round of dental problems and various other health issues, that for her comfort and quality of life we have decided not to treat. We'll be going on a track of some antibiotics and enough painkillers to keep her comfortable, and we're going to let her live out her last year or so in relative comfort. No more traumatic day long vet stays or surgery that she's always scared and miserable after, and as little poking and prodding as we can manage. There's no sense in having her live in fear.
I have come to a tattooing decision. I've always wanted to get one nice, fairly ambitious tattoo, and the decision has been made as to what & where: A collage of starships (no, not Jefferson Starship) will be somewhere on my body (I will reveal where when work has begun). Here's the list of what I'm planning on including so far
Definitley:
Serenity (Firefly/Serenity)
Enterprise (TOS)
The TARDIS (Dr Who)
a Viper (New BSG)
a Raider (Old BSG)
Moira (Farscape)
Challenger (the space shuttle)
Klingon Bird of Prey (not sure which one)
Saucer from the original The Day the Earth Stood Still
Discovery One (2001 ASO)
Maybe:
SDF 1 (Robotech)
The Phoenix (Battle of the Planets/Gatchamon)
The ARK [Transformers (80's Cartoon)]
I'm also looking for other ships, be they from old Amazing covers, obvious things I haven't thought of yet, etc. So send me links and scans, I've got some flesh to fill!
My next step is to talk to a tattoo artist, and my dear sister has provided what I think will be the right path.
I am aware that there are no Star Wars ships on the list above, and it is intentional. There will be one Star Wars vessel, either an X-Wing or Slave-1. We have been betrayed, and my anger runs deep.
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.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Sci-Fi A-E
It seems that
Adams
Asimov
Bear
Bradbury
Brin
Butcher
Butler
Card
Delany
DeLint
Dick
Donaldson
and others will be my responsibilities.
Adams
Asimov
Bear
Bradbury
Brin
Butcher
Butler
Card
Delany
DeLint
Dick
Donaldson
and others will be my responsibilities.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Everything's gone Gold
First off watch this:
We love Amanda Palmer.
Now for the good news: BLB01 has deemed me worthy of the Gold Room. I will be working the Sci-Fi section full time in about two weeks. The year of Generalist was enjoyable, but I was ready to settle into a section and Gold was the room I wanted, and what I'm best suited for, so we all win.
Both of us also went through steward training, and pending approval by the Executive Board, I will be a shop steward in short order.
t-minus 3 days till election. Vote damnit
We love Amanda Palmer.
Now for the good news: BLB01 has deemed me worthy of the Gold Room. I will be working the Sci-Fi section full time in about two weeks. The year of Generalist was enjoyable, but I was ready to settle into a section and Gold was the room I wanted, and what I'm best suited for, so we all win.
Both of us also went through steward training, and pending approval by the Executive Board, I will be a shop steward in short order.
t-minus 3 days till election. Vote damnit
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Serenity Now Equality Now Tickets on Sale!
The title says it all folks! Here's a link directly to our ticket sales, and then here's another that goes to our exciting podcast!
Don't forget to to check out our official event site, and our regular every day site as well.
Buy tickets, buy shirts, re-post this in your blog! Help us raise money so Equality Now & The Women's Film Initiative can keep doing their good works!
Don't forget to to check out our official event site, and our regular every day site as well.
Buy tickets, buy shirts, re-post this in your blog! Help us raise money so Equality Now & The Women's Film Initiative can keep doing their good works!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Forgotten Sci-Fi: Enemy Mine
Breaks over, time to get back to it.
Enemy Mine is on the TV right now. For those that aren't familiar with what I consider to be one of the best Sci-Fi films of the 80's, it goes like this: the it's the late 21st century Humans have finally made peace with each other, and while exploring the galaxy came upon a race of advanced sentient reptiles known as the Drac.
Being Humans, we went to war. With the conflict in full swing a Human and a Drac crash land their respective fighters on a barely hospitable planet. To survive, they must rely on each other.
It's a deeply moral tale of the value of tolerance, friendship, and acceptance. Strictly speaking, it's a story that didn't have to be told with a science fiction setting, and in a way that's what made it so good.
It has an elegant simplicity. There were special effects to be sure (decent, although not great ones for the period), and the Drac makeup was excellent, but they didn't overwhelm the rest of what was going on. The actors (Dennis Quaid, Lou Gosset Jr., and the always menacing, but dearly missed Brion James) didn't let the fantastic setting throw them, and delivered genuine performances. Gosset is particularly good as Jeriba, the Drac. He's portraying a completely alien being, dramatically different, yet very much like a human.
Netflix it. You won't be disappointed.
Enemy Mine is on the TV right now. For those that aren't familiar with what I consider to be one of the best Sci-Fi films of the 80's, it goes like this: the it's the late 21st century Humans have finally made peace with each other, and while exploring the galaxy came upon a race of advanced sentient reptiles known as the Drac.
Being Humans, we went to war. With the conflict in full swing a Human and a Drac crash land their respective fighters on a barely hospitable planet. To survive, they must rely on each other.
It's a deeply moral tale of the value of tolerance, friendship, and acceptance. Strictly speaking, it's a story that didn't have to be told with a science fiction setting, and in a way that's what made it so good.
It has an elegant simplicity. There were special effects to be sure (decent, although not great ones for the period), and the Drac makeup was excellent, but they didn't overwhelm the rest of what was going on. The actors (Dennis Quaid, Lou Gosset Jr., and the always menacing, but dearly missed Brion James) didn't let the fantastic setting throw them, and delivered genuine performances. Gosset is particularly good as Jeriba, the Drac. He's portraying a completely alien being, dramatically different, yet very much like a human.
Netflix it. You won't be disappointed.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
The Good Doctor(s)
I am a fairly big Doctor Who geek. My Ipod has random tracks of the Tardis engine noise, K9, Daleks, the scream effect and various versions of the theme song. The Think Geek (birthday in April: hint hint) catalog we have is particularly worn on the Sonic Screwdriver page (it WILL be mine), and the pair of glasses I'm going to get are the spitting image of the ones that the 10th Doctor wears.
All that's stopped me from building a Tardis in the back yard is lack of carpentry skill (idea: ask if I can paint the shed), and the only thing that keeps me from buying crazy things like the Tardis USB hub and remote control Dalek is a lack of funds.
The new season starts soon, and I am as giddy as a very nerdy school girl over it. Battlestar Galactica also starts soon (April 4th), so I'm going to have a very geeky April. Oh, how I love it.
The new season starts soon, and I am as giddy as a very nerdy school girl over it. Battlestar Galactica also starts soon (April 4th), so I'm going to have a very geeky April. Oh, how I love it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
