Demotivational Poster: Summer Glau

I count six so far.  Bonus points if you can name them.

Demotivational Poster: Valentine’s Day

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!!

Demotivational Poster: Communication

But by the same token… Chewbacca did understand made the effort to understand Han as well.

Demotivational Poster: Eenny Meenny Miny Mo…

Yes, I am still here.  Things are happening behind the scenes. Stay tuned to this blog for more details

Vulcan Stev Family Movie Review: Avatar

Starring:
Sam Worthington …  Jake Sully
Zoe Saldana …  Neytiri
Sigourney Weaver … Dr. Grace Augustine
Stephen Lang …  Colonel Miles Quaritch
Joel David Moore …  Norm Spellman
Giovanni Ribisi …  Parker Selfridge
Michelle Rodriguez …  Trudy Chacon
Laz Alonso …  Tsu’tey
Wes Studi …  Eytukan
CCH Pounder …  Moat
Dileep Rao …  Dr. Max Patel
Matt Gerald …  Corporal Lyle Wainfleet
Sean Anthony Moran …  Private Fike
Jason Whyte …  Cryo Vault Med Tech
Scott Lawrence …  Venture Star Crew Chief

Synopsis from IMDb: When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge’s intentions of driving off the native humanoid “Na’vi” in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na’vi people with the use of an “avatar” identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand – and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora.

2009 – 20th Century Fox – PG-13 – 162 min 

VS 1.9 pointed ears
I did not get to see this in the theater.  We just finished watching the movie on video last night.  My soul complaints with this movie are the over-handed “Humans are money-grubbing @$$holes who care nothing for the enviroment” message and the fact that this film was OBVIOUSLY (even in the 2D format) made for 3D.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not sore than Cameron took advantage of cutting technology to film this movie.  I’m sore that I DIDN’T get to see it in all it’s 3D splendor.

The film is beautifully crafted and truly deserves all the praise and accolades lavished upon it.  However, I am getting sick and tired of the “Humans are evil anti-nature @$$holes” plots that Hollywood seems to be shoveling out.  The whole notion is becoming trite and clichéd.  I’ve heard it said that there is no religion in Hollywood.  I believe that the “Green Movement” is as close as I’ve seen Hollywood come to fully embracing a religious fervor.

Once you get past Cameron’s religious fervor, this is a really nice film.

Pvt Black Spartan: 1.9 pointed ears
James Cameron delivers a very beautiful film.  I like the fact that flora and fauna of Pandora were truly alien.  This movie absolutely rocked in 3D (sorry Daddy I got to see it in 3D and you didn’t).  The planet-wide “computer” network was a cool idea as well.

PIT #2: 1.25 pointed ears
I don’t get what all the hype is about.  This was an OK movie.  James Cameron is not God and his movies do not shine with a heavenly glow (regardless of the hype).

To me this was high-budget commercial for Green Peace.  Humans have wrecked their enviroment and are now wrecking another *yawn*.  Someone wake me when there’s something else on.

PIT #3: 2 pointed ears
Blue people who are ten foot tall are awesome.  I want to be a Na’vi in our next D&D game.  The military battles are great.  I want one of those cool helicopters for “Top Secret”

7.05 pointed ears out of 8

This is not a good movie for younger viewers.  The intensity of the battle sequences and on-screen deaths of some children may be a little traumatic.

Only the youngest seemed to let the heavy-handed environmentalist sermon go by without a mention.

Demotivational Posters: Irony

If you love something set it free.  If it comes back and kills you it was never yours to begin with.

Demotivational Posters: The Cleric

The Force is strong in this one.

Demotivational Poster: Count Your Blessings

Mesa muy muy happys tos bein seeings yousa

The View from My Chair: Who owns the Universe?

My attention was directed to this video today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aoc3roT81nU

This got me thinking, when it comes to the Universe created by one individual but loved by a very large group of fans, who actually “owns” the universe?  In the legal sense the universe is “owned” by the copyright holder.  I cannot go around writing stories about space battles in far off galaxies and call it “Star Wars” without some lawyer showing up and issuing me a cease and desist.  I cannot write stories of young wizards named Howie, Don and Chermoine saving the universe from the evil Tromedlov without somebody notifying J.K Rowling.  If I  want to write detective stories about a 19th century detective I’d better not name him Sherlock Holmes or I’ll be hearing from the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  At least I’d better not write anything like that and expect to sell it to others.

I’m not going to delve into the legal realms of “Fair Use” or how much can I write about these situations and steal from the original idea while still making it seem like something new.  Rather I want to look at the serious fan and their disagreements with the original authors about the nature of “their” universe.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle grew so disenchanted with his creation, Sherlock Holmes, that he killed the detective off in “The Final Problem”.  As the author, this was Doyle’s right to do so.  The public however had other ideas.  The outcry over the “death” of the great detective led Sir Arthur to resurrect his creation in the “The Adventure of the Empty House”, in this instant the “ownership” of the universe changed hands.  No longer could Sir Arthur lay complete claim to his hero.  Yes, legally the Sherlock Homes universe is still owned by the estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but it was the fans who forced the resurrection.

The Harry Potter universe is another instance of certain fans being at odds with the author.  My sister has undertaken a re-writing (in fan-fiction of course) of Harry Potter 7.  According to my sister (and a few of her friends, a few of mine, and nearly half a million writers at fanfiction.net) J.K. Rowling screwed up the Harry Potter universe with book 7.  ”Harry should have married Hermionie,” “Harry should have died,” the list goes on of the supposed “wrongs” that Ms. Rowling has done to “their” universe.  Now I cannot claim to be a reader of the Harry Potter novels (my kids are) but I have seen the first six movies.  Great cinema? not really but they are nicely done movies.  My point is that the fans have taken a very possessive view of the universe.  The universe if J.K.’s to do with as she pleases.  If she had wanted to end book 7 with the magical equivalent of the atomic bomb, killing every magical being in existence she certainly could have.  Would have made the fans happy? probably not.  But the fans need to be aware of the fact that this is Ms. Rowlings’ universe, she only invites us in.

This brings me to George Lucas and the universe that he created.  Star Wars entered into the public’s collective conscious in 1977.  I was 10.  I was enamored with the story being told on the big screen.  I collected the comics.  I played with the toys.  I gained an interest in science fiction that has never gone away.

When Mr. Lucas re-did the original trilogy in the 90′s, I brought my family to see Lucas’ vision.  The redone effects made (in my opinion) a good film better.  Did Han need jump out of Greedo’s way before toasting him?  Maybe not, but this is Lucas’ universe not mine.  George can do with this universe whatever he wants.  It is his house, he is only inviting us in.  Now, Mr. Lucas has been more than generous allowing folks to rummage around and play in his universe.  The Expanded Universe of novels, comics, games and whatnot have added to an already rich tapestry.

I do not understand the vehemence folks use when discussing Jar Jar Binks.  Do I like the character? no.  Do I wish Jar Jar had been one of Anakin’s victims on his slide to the dark side?  yes. (Meesa no wanna die Annie).  Does that change the fact that George Lucas can do whatever he wants with the character? no.

I don’t remember where I read it but I recall this interview with George Lucas.  He states that he had always intended to kill Jar Jar off but kept him around simply because Star Wars is his universe and won’t be dictated to by the fans.  If I am remembering correctly and this is the reason Jar Jar didn’t die, then I applaud Mr. Lucas for sticking to his guns.

The question remains.  Who owns the universe?  Answer the creator.  We should be thankful that we’re allowed to play inside.

Vulcan Stev Family Review: Stargate Universe season 1.0

Starring:

Robert Carlyle …  Dr. Nicholas Rush
Justin Louis …  Col. Everett Young
Brian J. Smith …  Lt. Matthew Scott
Elyse Levesque …  Chloe Armstrong
David Blue …  Eli Wallace
Alaina Huffman …  Lt. Tamara Johansen
Jamil Walker Smith …  Sgt. Ronald Greer
Patrick Gilmore …  Dale Volker
Peter Kelamis …  Adam Brody
Julia Benson …  Lt. Vanessa James
Jennifer Spence …  Lisa Park
Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman …  Sgt. Darren Becker
Mark Burgess …  Jeremy Franklin
Ming-Na …  Camile Wray

Series premise from IMDb: The Previously unknown purpose of the “Ninth Cheveron” is revealed, and ends up taking a team to an Ancient ship “Destiny”, a ship built millions of years ago by the Ancients, used to seed Distant galaxies with Stargates. This team, led by Dr. David Rush and Colonel Everet Young, are trapped on the ship, unable to change its programmed mission, and encounter new races, new technology and new enemies, as the runaway ship takes them to the far ends of the Universe.

This is the second (third if you count the animated series) spin-off of the popular and successful Stargate franchise.  Contrary to all the naysayers posting their drivel in forums and blogs, the series is still too new to be written off completely.  The Vulcan Stev family has faithfully watched every aired episode on SyFy (that’s pronounced siffy) and we just got done re-watching the first 10 episodes (really 9 as the first episode is a 2 hour intro that has been split for subsequent airings).  Two initial observations: for all of MGM’s hype that Sargate is the ‘most popular, longest-running, science fiction tv series’, Stargate sure seems to follow Star Trek’s footsteps very closely (Star Trek TOS & TNG the main universe, DS9 a far flung outpost, Voyager – a ship with a combined crew at odds with each other stranded far from home; ) and SGU sure has not delivered (to date) on it’s promise of new aliens or new enemies.

VS: 1.4 pointed ears
First to the rabid fanboys (and girls) crying on the forums that “this isn’t Stargate”.  No, it’s a different show set in the same fictional universe.  *Wah* it doesn’t Col O’Neil or Dr. Jackson and no T’ealc, one of the bigger problems I had with SG-Atlantis is that is WAS too similar to SG-1.  Universe has a strong premise but 10 episodes is nowhere near enough aired footage to kill or praise the show.  Universe is Stargate mainly because MGM says so.  At least we’ve got the correct creative team behind the show, Robin C. Wright and Brad Cooper delivered some of SG-1′s best moments.  They’re not out to kill the franchise.

My biggest problem and biggest praise to date is that the producers have spent so much time with the problems on board the Destiny; power, water, air, and the problems back home that there has been very little in the way exploration.  These issues needed to be dealt with and I applaud the producers for doing the episodes, but personally I think ten episodes was a little too much time to spend on “broken ship’ episodes.  Again we’ve only seen ten episodes, so I hope the writers are taking care of the “we don’t know how to run the ship” episodes early on and leaving us with the promised new adventures for the rest of the series.

I’m also trying hard to accept the fact that this premise is a blatant rip-off of Star Trek Voyager; two crews with radically different goals, one military, one not are trapped so far from home that the possibility of seeing home again in their lifetime is remote.  The difference between this show and Voyager  is that Voyager spent wa-a-ay too much time with the Kazon and Universe is spending way to much time on the broken ship.

I had a difficult time figuring out who was who during the initial airing of the 10 episodes  this is a very large cast of characters, watching the episodes back to back helped that problem.  The Kino webisodes and other extras included with the DVD make this a nice addition to the collection.

Mrs. VS: 1.2 pointed ears
This show was confusing when I watched it with my family (editor’s note: Mrs. VS caught the episode “Time”).  It was a very professionally done show.  Watching it I can understand why my family enjoys this series so much.

PIT #2: 1.7 pointed ears
I understand the need to have shows were the characters are figuring out a new strange existence.  It seems that every show this season is about a problem with the ship.  I really hope that season 1.5 delivers on its promise of new aliens and new threats.  I don’t like it that Dr. Rush is one of the sources of conflict.

PIT #3: 1 pointed ear
The whole season was about the broken ship.  I like the characters, especially Lt. Scott.  I don’t like all the kissing and junk.  If the show could actually be about something other than the broken ship, like the episode “Time” then the show will start to be better.

6.3 pointed ears out of 8
Not a bad show.  The series needs to find its own identity.  We’re going to give it a shot as Cooper and Wright haven’t let us down yet.

A must have if you’re a serious Stargate fan.  If you’re thinking of picking up the DVD as an intro to the series because you missed the episodes, the $29.99 price tag would suggest watching episodes on Hulu first to see if it’s your cup of tea.