Saturday, May 23, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Journalism and Star Trek
This post over at CJR is pretty funny.
Yesterday’s rave review of the new Star Trek film referred to the “hateful Klingon Nero” (Take it to the bridge, page 9, Film & Music). Numerous readers got in touch to say how very wrong this was.
Read it here.
Yesterday’s rave review of the new Star Trek film referred to the “hateful Klingon Nero” (Take it to the bridge, page 9, Film & Music). Numerous readers got in touch to say how very wrong this was.
Read it here.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Letters from Spock
The new Star Trek as you know by now gives us two Spocks. Old Spock who has lived out his life but traveled back in time to when young Spock is just beginning his career in Star Fleet. Now, it's true that the universe is altered pretty dramatically but aren't there some things will happen the exact same way to young Spock that they happened to Old Spock.
Yeah, I just got a nosebleed thinking about it. Still, if it were you wouldn't you send an e-mail every once in a while to give your younger self a heads up about some dangers.
Lets take a peek.
Old Spock: Dear Spock, hope you are doing well. Today the crew of the Enterprise will revive Kahn. Instead of doing that you should blow him out of an airlock. Don't talk back, trust me, it's better for everyone this way. Kill him. No, no, seriously do not, under any circumstances exile him to Ceti Alpha V.
A week later
Old Spock: Don't eat that ham sandwich today.
Two weeks after that
Old Spock: Jim will kiss Uhura today so you might want to do something about that.
A Month after that
Old Spock: Seriously, have you killed Kahn yet? It's really, really important.
Yeah, I just got a nosebleed thinking about it. Still, if it were you wouldn't you send an e-mail every once in a while to give your younger self a heads up about some dangers.
Lets take a peek.
Old Spock: Dear Spock, hope you are doing well. Today the crew of the Enterprise will revive Kahn. Instead of doing that you should blow him out of an airlock. Don't talk back, trust me, it's better for everyone this way. Kill him. No, no, seriously do not, under any circumstances exile him to Ceti Alpha V.
A week later
Old Spock: Don't eat that ham sandwich today.
Two weeks after that
Old Spock: Jim will kiss Uhura today so you might want to do something about that.
A Month after that
Old Spock: Seriously, have you killed Kahn yet? It's really, really important.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Star Trek and Top Gun
Anybody remember Top Gun? I'm a fan of 80's Tom Cruise. He did several of the same movie over and over again. Kind of like John Wayne and Rio Bravo. The Duke liked the plot of that movie so much he remade it twice, Once as El Dorado and once as Rio Lobo.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Tom Cruise. By the way we will get to Star Trek eventually, because it is Star Trek week here on Buckshot. During the 80s Tom Cruise made, I don't know, a half dozen of the movies that Roger Ebert dubbed The Tom Cruise movie.
Essentially, Cruise is a hotshot young professional, pilot, NASCAR driver, pool hustler and bartender. Cruise is all raw talent and nerve, a mixture of arrogance and talent.
But he's never the best that he can be because he needs an older guy to come along and guide him to his destiny and the love of a good woman.
The best of these is Days of Thunder, the NASCAR picture because it's got Robert Duval and Nicole Kidman in it. A close second is Top Gun. I know you know the plot already but in short Cruise is a rebel pilot who has daddy issues. He likes fast cars, fast planes and fast women. He's also the best damn pilot in the Navy.
There's a really iconic shot where Cruise rides his motorcycle next to the base and the F14s.
Cruise also has daddy issues because the Navy has always made it seem like his father, who was also a pilot, died an unheroic death.
That gets straightened out by Cruises' mentor in this exchange:
VIPER: Yeah, he did it right... Is that why you fly the way you do? Trying to prove something? Yeah your old man did it right. What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career. We were in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. His F-4 was hit, and he was wounded, but he could've made it back. He stayed in it, saved three planes before he bought it.
Maverick: How come I never heard that before?
Viper: Well that's not something the State Department tells dependents when the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.
So in the new Star Trek movie (see I told you we'd get to Star Trek eventually) we're introduced to Jim T. Kirk a hotshot young genius who's a hotshot and the best there is at, well, everything, including bar fights and making out with green chicks.
There's an iconic scene where Kirk drives his motorcycle near the spaceships.
Kirk is also wounded by the heroic death of his father on the same day of birth.
That get's straightened out this way.
Christopher Pike: Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved 800 lives, including yours. I dare you to do better. Enlist in Starfleet.
IMDB trivia has this to say
To prepare for his role as Captain James Kirk, Chris Pine watched classic episodes and read encyclopedias about the Star Trek universe. However, his research was rudimentary, as he wanted his performance to be original and not an imitation of William Shatner. He based his performance on Tom Cruise's Maverick and Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Indiana Jones, heroes who Pine felt possessed the archetypal hero qualities Kirk has (humour, arrogance, decisiveness).
Oh, and one more thing.
That Navy Ship that Maverick served on in Top Gun: It was the USS Enterprise.
Man, I need a life.
Tomorrow on Star Trek week, Old Spock's letters to Young Spock.
Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, Tom Cruise. By the way we will get to Star Trek eventually, because it is Star Trek week here on Buckshot. During the 80s Tom Cruise made, I don't know, a half dozen of the movies that Roger Ebert dubbed The Tom Cruise movie.
Essentially, Cruise is a hotshot young professional, pilot, NASCAR driver, pool hustler and bartender. Cruise is all raw talent and nerve, a mixture of arrogance and talent.
But he's never the best that he can be because he needs an older guy to come along and guide him to his destiny and the love of a good woman.
The best of these is Days of Thunder, the NASCAR picture because it's got Robert Duval and Nicole Kidman in it. A close second is Top Gun. I know you know the plot already but in short Cruise is a rebel pilot who has daddy issues. He likes fast cars, fast planes and fast women. He's also the best damn pilot in the Navy.
There's a really iconic shot where Cruise rides his motorcycle next to the base and the F14s.
Cruise also has daddy issues because the Navy has always made it seem like his father, who was also a pilot, died an unheroic death.
That gets straightened out by Cruises' mentor in this exchange:
VIPER: Yeah, he did it right... Is that why you fly the way you do? Trying to prove something? Yeah your old man did it right. What I'm about to tell you is classified. It could end my career. We were in the worst dogfight I ever dreamed of. There were bogeys like fireflies all over the sky. His F-4 was hit, and he was wounded, but he could've made it back. He stayed in it, saved three planes before he bought it.
Maverick: How come I never heard that before?
Viper: Well that's not something the State Department tells dependents when the battle occurred over the wrong line on some map.
So in the new Star Trek movie (see I told you we'd get to Star Trek eventually) we're introduced to Jim T. Kirk a hotshot young genius who's a hotshot and the best there is at, well, everything, including bar fights and making out with green chicks.
There's an iconic scene where Kirk drives his motorcycle near the spaceships.
Kirk is also wounded by the heroic death of his father on the same day of birth.
That get's straightened out this way.
Christopher Pike: Your father was captain of a starship for twelve minutes. He saved 800 lives, including yours. I dare you to do better. Enlist in Starfleet.
IMDB trivia has this to say
To prepare for his role as Captain James Kirk, Chris Pine watched classic episodes and read encyclopedias about the Star Trek universe. However, his research was rudimentary, as he wanted his performance to be original and not an imitation of William Shatner. He based his performance on Tom Cruise's Maverick and Harrison Ford's Han Solo and Indiana Jones, heroes who Pine felt possessed the archetypal hero qualities Kirk has (humour, arrogance, decisiveness).
Oh, and one more thing.
That Navy Ship that Maverick served on in Top Gun: It was the USS Enterprise.
Man, I need a life.
Tomorrow on Star Trek week, Old Spock's letters to Young Spock.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
STAR TREK SPOILERS
Don't read this post if you haven't seen the new Star Trek.
OK
So, now my head is exploded. First of all, The new Star Trek movie exists in an alternate reality where time travel messed everything up. That means a couple of things.
First, the original series, the one with William Shatner in it still exists, all the movies still exists but they are in a completely separate universe. But, and this is a big but NOW, there is a completely different STAR TREK universe. In this new universe the phasers look more like guns, no one ever preaches to you about the meaning of the story or the lesson humanity needs to learn, SULU is an amazing swordsman and Chekov can't speak English.
Also, for some reason everybody needs sunglasses while on the bridge of the Enterprise because there are giant, bright lights everywhere.
The onion described it this way: Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film as 'Fun, Watchable.'
Yeah, that about covered it.
Rogers called it ULTIMATE STAR TREK and that is as good a designation as any.
I loved it but my eyes melted at one point thinking about time travel.
As I was watching the movie I kept waiting for the moment where everything would return to normal. Where the crew would somehow change time so that the universe went back to Shatner land.
And that moment never happened.
HOLY CRAP, JJ ABRAMS just killed Star Trek.
This is exactly what John Byrne did to Superman in the 80's when he recreated him. All of sudden Superman was depowered and the superpets never existed. The world needs Beppo, the Supermonkey guys. It's important.
But what happens to Picard now? Is Picard never born?? Can this at least mean that Tasha Yar is never born because she sucks.
And all of DS9, Voyager and Enterprise can disappear too. DS9 especially because it's a crummy rip off of Babylon 5.
OK, that's enough for now.
Final Analysis: Great Movie, go see it now. But later you'll be a little depressed that there wasn't a comment on the current state of humanity. Without that it's not Star Trek, It's Star Wars without the force.
Tomorrow: why the Star Trek movie must be the remnants of someone's screenplay for Top Gun 2.
OK
So, now my head is exploded. First of all, The new Star Trek movie exists in an alternate reality where time travel messed everything up. That means a couple of things.
First, the original series, the one with William Shatner in it still exists, all the movies still exists but they are in a completely separate universe. But, and this is a big but NOW, there is a completely different STAR TREK universe. In this new universe the phasers look more like guns, no one ever preaches to you about the meaning of the story or the lesson humanity needs to learn, SULU is an amazing swordsman and Chekov can't speak English.
Also, for some reason everybody needs sunglasses while on the bridge of the Enterprise because there are giant, bright lights everywhere.
The onion described it this way: Trekkies Bash New Star Trek Film as 'Fun, Watchable.'
Yeah, that about covered it.
Rogers called it ULTIMATE STAR TREK and that is as good a designation as any.
I loved it but my eyes melted at one point thinking about time travel.
As I was watching the movie I kept waiting for the moment where everything would return to normal. Where the crew would somehow change time so that the universe went back to Shatner land.
And that moment never happened.
HOLY CRAP, JJ ABRAMS just killed Star Trek.
This is exactly what John Byrne did to Superman in the 80's when he recreated him. All of sudden Superman was depowered and the superpets never existed. The world needs Beppo, the Supermonkey guys. It's important.
But what happens to Picard now? Is Picard never born?? Can this at least mean that Tasha Yar is never born because she sucks.
And all of DS9, Voyager and Enterprise can disappear too. DS9 especially because it's a crummy rip off of Babylon 5.
OK, that's enough for now.
Final Analysis: Great Movie, go see it now. But later you'll be a little depressed that there wasn't a comment on the current state of humanity. Without that it's not Star Trek, It's Star Wars without the force.
Tomorrow: why the Star Trek movie must be the remnants of someone's screenplay for Top Gun 2.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Ball of confusion
I'm doing the usual thing listening to music and scouring the Internet while the wife watches Sister Act II and studies for finals. I have a lot of soul music keyed up. That's what I've been in the mood for. The O'jays, The Delfonics, James Carr, Solomon Burke and what pops up, Ball of Confusion by the Temptations. Literally seconds before the nuns sing it in the movie.
Here are some songs that are getting me through lately.
Backstabbers The O'Jays.
Papa was a rolling stone, The Temptations
A whole lot of James Carr who has one of the best soul voices I've ever heard but the highlights include, The Dark End of the Street, Pouring Water on a Drowning Man and You've got my mind messed up.
Cry To Me, Solomon Burke
Across 110 Street by Bobby Womack
I am now watching the Sister Act II scene. And the circle is complete
Here are some songs that are getting me through lately.
Backstabbers The O'Jays.
Papa was a rolling stone, The Temptations
A whole lot of James Carr who has one of the best soul voices I've ever heard but the highlights include, The Dark End of the Street, Pouring Water on a Drowning Man and You've got my mind messed up.
Cry To Me, Solomon Burke
Across 110 Street by Bobby Womack
I am now watching the Sister Act II scene. And the circle is complete
Twitterific
Yeah, so after a gentle nudge from my boss I am now twittering. It occurs to me that I have a weird job. Anywho, the twitter widget is at the bottom right of the page and you can follow me, if you know what that is and how to do it.
My first twitters follow
# Looking for pirates. It's a long story. I'll give you the link tomorrow.about 1 hour ago from web
# now I'm looking for firefox twitter aps. about 2 hours ago from web
# I watched Terminator last night. Clearly, twitter is the beginning of Sky Net. Eventually the machines grow tired of 140 characters and kill about 2 hours ago from web
# And I was the remote control in my house. Son, go change the channel. My Pa would say. Course, there was only three channels.about 2 hours ago from web
# I'm just saying I can remember when no one had cell phones because they were big and bulky and expensive.about 2 hours ago from web
# The question at the top says what are you doing? The answer, learning how to work twitter. God, I feel old.about 2 hours ago from web
My first twitters follow
# Looking for pirates. It's a long story. I'll give you the link tomorrow.about 1 hour ago from web
# now I'm looking for firefox twitter aps. about 2 hours ago from web
# I watched Terminator last night. Clearly, twitter is the beginning of Sky Net. Eventually the machines grow tired of 140 characters and kill about 2 hours ago from web
# And I was the remote control in my house. Son, go change the channel. My Pa would say. Course, there was only three channels.about 2 hours ago from web
# I'm just saying I can remember when no one had cell phones because they were big and bulky and expensive.about 2 hours ago from web
# The question at the top says what are you doing? The answer, learning how to work twitter. God, I feel old.about 2 hours ago from web
Friday, May 1, 2009
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