The parts of us

Alright, it is after midnight, I am typing from my BB and I don't have a really clear idea of what I'm trying to say, so please bear with me.

I've had a few different conversations with people that have caused me to reflect on previous experiences.

Countless things interest us. We watch tv shows, play games, read books, surf the web...we read articles about random stuff that catches our eyes and frequently wonder "How does that work?"

But these things don't make us who we are. Not all of them. But I thing we personalize more than we would initially assume.

For example, we all self-label to some extent. I think of myself as many things, some with more justification than others. The positive side is that because I recognize I am not alone and others share this aspect of myself, I can find them and explore more. The negative is that when I find my definition does not match the rest of the worlds or at least the mainstream, I feel offended. It is basically a logical equation.

I am X.
Their X is different.
I am not X?

I'm sure many people of faith have felt the same when loud people who claim to represent their beliefs make them look stupid(*coughfoxnewscough*).

There is of course, a level of eliticism here, of which I am quite guilty. Any person who claims to be a real goth is required by custom to sneer at Hot Topic, and they aren't really wrong to do so, but they ARE choosing to define a broad genre by what will make THEM feel the most justified, the most "hardcore". They are the "real" everyone else is a poser.

Of course, the very worst outcome would be that an individual ceases all critical thinking and literally just follows the crowd, that is, their group. Following the party-line is the most obvious "adult" example. This is why I claim to be neither Liberal nor Conservative. That's not to say that everyone who does self-identify gives up their free will, just that it is more common than I am really comfortable with.

As usual, South Park said it best.
"If you want to be nonconformist, you have to dress just like us and listen to all the same music we do."

So that's self-labeling. There are other personalizations we do however.

Because the genres/stereotypes are so broad as to be almost meaningless, we frequently strive towards exceptionality. This is especially true when we are in a clique of people who all fit the broader category. I will use an example I gave during a discussion with Ardent Sluggard.

Take the notion of Nerd-dom. To at least a decent portion of the population, the Nerd is misunderstood, sometimes maligned or marginalized, etc. It can be tiring to constantly justify your interests, always answering the occasionally venemous question of "Why do you like THAT?"

On the other hand, it offers a level of satisfaction for those who prefer to stay on the fringe. Now imagine being surrounded by other Nerds. You are no longer special, you no longer standout. Where before, you may have considered your unique Nerdness as a part of your identity in relations, it now has all the significance as the fact you walk upright (usually). So now one searches for some aspect of nerdiness that sets him/her apart. Frequently, these activities will then be moved to a more special place of the individual's mind and heart because it now defines them. This can mean the person will view these more personally and sensitively.

The last chosen component of identity is belief. We all know the stories from history. So much bloodshed over ideas, so many battles and cultures laid waste. This doesn't mean having beliefs is a bad thing. The issue lies with people. Our beliefs are a central part of who we are. We base our decisions, our lifestyles on them, they guide our thoughts. And no matter what they say, everyone believes something.

This is why arguing beliefs can be so difficult. You are not attacking (or just questioning) an idea, you are attacking THEM, what makes them them. It is almost totally impossible to separate the person from their beliefs.

This goes for all the aspects I have discussed. People don't like having their identity threatened and it will make them defensive.

Now if we REALLY wanted to get sticky, we coukd talk about whether beliefs should be held accountable for the actions carried out because of them.

Take Marx and Rand. I agree with portions of their views (polar opposites that they are) and they have some good ideas. But taken to an end conclusion, they can andf have been easily utilized to justify terrible actions. Is that Marx or Rand's fault? Surely such was not their intention (one would hope), so are they to blame?

That's another day's issue, I think.

Till then.

Eff you, Samuel Clemens

A common staple of The Internet, especially from the nerd-sector, those proud members of NetGen is the Nerd/Geek/Gamer Webcomic. Love them, hate them, argue over them, people have their faves, their disses and there's an entire subculture built around this.

It has reached the point where you click a link, an advert and then think 'Oh great, another one'. This crossed my mind when I first saw Homebr00d. And to be honest, it really is just Fanboys, but not quite as endearing (or professional, lol) and without a decent female character. But I read the entire archive (there aren't that many, it's pretty new), and I walked away with a conclusion.

It does not MATTER how original a webcomic is. Well, it does. Obviously you don't want clones. But I would never tell an aspiring writer/artist to not give it a shot simply because the idea "has been done before". For one thing, most of the ones I'm referring to are just doing this as a side project. They have other lives, jobs, so they don't need to take themselves so seriously here.

I've often wondered what Gabe and Tycho think about being the standard. Virtually any comic you read will reference them in some way and will DEFINITELY be compared. I don't think this bothers them, nor do I think they feel remotely threatened. They're freaking Penny Arcade, no one is going to usurp their position, they occupy the highest echelon of webcomic greatness.

It would be like Tolkein being offended for every fantasy story that ever comes out.
How many of us have read a book, especially in the sci-fi/fantasy genre and thought 'well I've read that idea before'? Sure, it may bother us sometimes, especially if it's just a carbon copy but we accept that there are certain norms that will probably pop out a lot and that is okay. You know why? Because we LIKE them. Homeb00d didn't offer a lot I didn't already know (though there were a few thought provokers that I'd never considered before) but I'm glad I read it, and will probably keep reading it because 1) I want to be supportive and 2) it's still funny. And more importantly, relatable. That's what we read these for right? There's something kind of perversely pleasurable in reading a joke you know many people wouldn't get. It's a community experience, it makes you feel special and part of something at the same time. Plus it says that out there, people experience and think about the same things you do: Arguments about PiratesVNinjas, RROD, DCMA laws and so on.

So 1) stop being elitist about webcomics, let the guys do their thing and if you don't want to read it then don't, and 2) feel free to go out and make some of your own! Who cares if maybe it's been done before? You would have to go out and read every single comic ever to be sure that a joke, a story, a plot HADN'T been done before and good luck with that. Samuel Clemens said that originality is dead. Well, if that was the case then, the flies have landed and the maggots have left the corpse.
So be free! Do it because you want to.

Movie Review+Redux

Bestest thing about weekends?

Rock Band with all your friends
plus
Movies with someone you love watching movies with
plus
Boomer's Milkshakes
plus
Not reading that book for class even though you know you should
plus
Care package of food from grandparents so you don't starve to death during finals
plus
Sleeping FOREVER.

I won't go into RB details since most of you were there, but I thought I'd talk about some of the movies I watched, and include a bit of a re-review. A review squared? Whatev.

First there was Valkyrie. As most of you know (or don't), Mr.Cruise is not a fave of mine. I like, maybe...movies of his (let's see, Legend, Top Gun, A Few Good Men, oh and Last Samurai, so four) and was hoping for wowage this time around.
To be honest, wowage did not happen. Not that he didn't do a fine job but with the eyepatch, there needed to be more compensation in voice and facial expressions.

I suppose the best thing about this movie is how fast it is, at least from my perspective. It almost goes too fast, leaving not a lot of development. There was certainly a feeling that more could have been done, but at least it didn't drag.

EVERYONE was in this movie. I was constantly going 'Wait, that guy is in this too?'
It was somewhat gratifying to see Bill Nighy as someone who is NOT in control of the situation, he played off the nervousness quite well. Kenneth Branaugh was, as expected, quite good, I wish he'd been in more of the movie.

Though I'm sure some may find it difficult o accept this movie about Germans when there is only one German actor in the whole thing, I submit that they set up suspension of disbelief quite early and in what I felt was an extremely artistic way, so that it never really bothered me (and this is one of those things that usually aggravates me). The only real problem with this movie is many many times you felt that this scene was going to be one of those BIG DEALS, where Hitler was going to give this brilliant soliloquy or there was going to be an emotionally charged moment...and then that just didn't happen. So it wasn't so much that it was bad, it just felt like there was a lot of unfulfilled potential. /is trying hard not to make a Bryan Singer/X-Men joke

In conclusion: This movie is a good rental, definitely worth seeing once, though on one of those quiet days.

Immediately after, there was Frost/Nixon. Talk about flipping the coin, this movie was nothing BUT BIG DEAL moments, with a little bit of dragging. Nixon was brilliant, he stole every scene. The movie is a mix of documentary and classic cinema, which gives a definite story-focus. The downside was that in some ways, it felt very chopped together, it didn't have a nice smooth flow. The script was great, however, and there is a monologue by Nixon that will leave you going "...k..." with very wide eyes.
Michael Sheen as Frost probably did an accurate representation but between the two, it was obvious Nixon walked all over him, which unfortunately made Frost-in-the-movie seem like a weak acting job, when really that was how it actually went.

So if you're interested in history, journalism or politics, this is another good one-time rental. If not, you'll probably not get too much out of it.

And finally, another look at Star Trek. I'm really happy that from what I've seen, The Internet has reacted favorably. Even people who were not so into the canon change admitted that it was a good movie and they enjoyed it. I was a bit surprised it got bumped from number one at the box office so quickly, because there's so much rewatchability (speaking of which, still open to seeing it again :D). This time, I tried to focus on some technical aspects over content, which was my focus last time.

I was really blown away by the music. Besides having the greatest use of a Beastie Boys song ever, the whole soundtrack is just really solid, epic in some places, delicate in others. Any fan of John Williams will tell you that Sci-Fi movies offer the greatest opportunities for composers because you just don't have many other conduits to do really uplifting, big band, classic orchestra numbers.

Little tidbits, homages to other films (I promise there is a Star Wars reference in there) stuck out more as well, and I walked away more impressed with Spock, Bones and Uhura. Sadly, Kirk is still the weakest character for me, but he had to do a lot in not-a-lot-of-time, and I am more than willing to extend the benefit of the doubt to any subsequent sequels.

Like I said, some people didn't like the canon change, but there is one scene that to me acts like a giant disclaimer. They literally say: Our destiny has changed, things aren't going to be like they could have been (IE, the way the show was)and we don't know what will happen. Yes, as a long time fan, this can be really disconcerting but remember what it is that people REALLY like about the series: The characters. THOSE don't change. Yeah, Kirk and Spock didn't get along in this movie, but it made total sense in context and it was clear that the relationship would be built up. Other than that, and a few other dynamics being a little bit different, everything you liked about the old characters are here, just in a new situation.
To me, that is better than if they'd kept the STORY but changed the characters, and I think the fans would have responded way differently.
Now of course, the challenge is to maintain the inertia, bring us something else that's epic, while maintaining the intimate character dynamics, especially in our jaded consumer market.
I realized I had a problem with the trailer for Transformers 2, complete with Michael Bay explosions was shrug worthy. A few years ago, I would have been blown away, and now, it's passe'. So, Mr.Abrams...feel free to wow us some more.

Why I Am A Snob

We all have it. Something we are elitist about. And I am one of the worst kinds of hypocrites, because I actually despise elitism. But we all have something.

I have two things. Hot Topic wannabe vampires. Screw you all, I've been doing this since I was two, at least.

And poser nerds.

Now of course, one of the benefits of having a Star Trek reboot is it makes lots of new fans. I don't mind that, I don't consider myself better than them, though I've been watching for so long.

Wanting to get in Zack Quinto's pants does not make you a nerd.
Wanting to sleep with Spock makes you a nerd. A pathetic nerd, but a nerd nonetheless.

Discussing for ten minutes who was hot and who was not does not make you a nerd.
Discussing how it compared to the original makes you a nerd.

Anytime someone brings up a content focused issue, cutting them off with "I don't care, he's hot" does not make you a nerd.

I could go on. Please understand my rage. And forgive my snobbish elitism.

Nerd Weekend Rockout!

As I sit on my bed, munching away at what I think are meant to be Cookie Dough bites from the theater, I consider the two films I have seen in as many days.

Summer is certainly starting off well for the geek in all of us and I look forward to seeing if Terminator will complete the trifecta of fandom.

In the meantime, here are my thoughts on Star Trek and Wolverine. Please note that while I strive ever to be spoiler-free, there are some items which simply can't be avoided. I try to keep these to fairly well-known tidbits of information, but if you have not read or hear ANYTHING about either of these movies, if you have been locked in a cave and not even a rumor has made it to your ears...or if you just don't care to read reviews (I know most of the time I don't), then feel free to wait for our next Review-ridden segment.

I went into Star Trek with very high expectations and into Wolverine with very low expectations and both probably helped serve me.

First, to space...the final frontier...

The very first scene has some pretty mind blowing action, all the things we liked about the Star Wars prequels without any of the stuff we DIDN'T like about the Star Wars prequels (so basically, lasers, fighting, explosions, that fun stuff). The special effects were solid and I'm not even going to lie, guys, in the first ten minutes, I was holding back tears.

The premise of the movie through me off just a bit, because it greatly involves alternate realities, time-space paradoxes and the like and those just hurt me simple lady mind. In some ways, I felt like this was a cop out so they did not have to work within the constraints of the original universe but I realized by the end that there was SO much respect for the source material and that they were simply being ambitious and setting up for future movies. This is literally a reboot in the purest sense of the word.

Script, as you know, is extremely important to me, and this did not disappoint. While it wasn't shot full of punchy one-liners, there were a few memorable lines and the story never dragged.

Of course, what everyone is concerned about is: How was the acting? How do you recreate the magic that held so many enthralled, and obviously continues to do so after over forty years? I think the director and the producers had a good formula. The cast was a mix of veteran actors, not only of "respectable" (/snarl) films, but sci-fi goodness as well...along with some relative new comers. Because this was such an ensemble cast, it never felt like 'Oh he was just stuck in there because he's a known name', it was apparent that the casting was done based on ability, physical appearance and character dynamics (also known as chemistry).

Kirk, obviously, has to carry much of the movie, but like most animes, he was not my main focus, though he was certainly strong. My only qualm is not so much of a problem, simply a hope that in the following films he has matured a bit, at least to the point where he appears more compassionate to his crew. Star Trek wouldn't be the same if Kirk didn't seem to have the concern he had in the show, but as this was an origins story, and one where the rules were completely knocked "out of orbit" (ha...haha.../sigh), those relationships hadn't developed yet. My favorite thing about Kirk is how well he pulled the lovable manwhore off. He chased soooo much tail, but it was still kind of endearing, and almost always hilarious.

The relationship between Kirk and Bones was what I was most concerned about, as it was always one of my favorite dynamics in the show, and in this, I was blown out of the water. Their scenes were perfect, they played off and complimented each other well and had some of the best dialogue. Karl Urban has officially been forgiven for the vomit-inducing Pathfinder.

Spock is the other side of the equation, as he plays such a prominent role. I think that Zack Quintus (whose name I totally just butchered I think) did a remarkable job showing the conflict between the human and Vulcan halves, though I admit, it is easier to not sound like an automaton when you have Leonord Nimoy's resonating voice. Still, his was probably the most difficult role to pull off, and he did so admirably. His dynamic with Kirk was not the most ideal for me but again...this was because of the way the story was structured and it wasn't enough to ruin it for me.

Uhura was competent as well as witty and gave off that 'girl everybody likes' vibe, which was great because that was always one of her characteristics. She may or may not have been a bit OP'd at her job...>.>...but I certainly didn't mind.

I honestly think they went out and found the cutest kid they could to be Chekov. He had mile long eyelashes and his accent was giggle worthy. At first I thought maybe he would make the movie too silly, but it became apparent quickly that he was a necessary figure. He filled a much needed space as the innocent.

Finally, there was Scotty. And the problem with Scotty is...HE DOES NOT GET ENOUGH SCREENTIME. Seriously. However, when he's there, he delivers some great lines.

With all these characters, there was a bit of caricature involved. The impression I got was that as they got older, they mellowed a bit and what you saw as streaks in their characters from the show are demonstrated in full hormonal bloom in this movie. Kirk is MORE impetuous, Scotty is MORE of a joker, Bones is MORE of a paranoid "Dear God, man!" spouting ball of aggravated angst.

The villain was done, I thought, quite well by Eric Bana. He is not seen too much in the film, which gives the impression he is not well developed but I think that's not quite accurate. The underlying premise of his character is simple and doesn't require a lot of backstory or character build-up. What IS impressive is how sympathetic he is without you losing sight of the fact that HE IS THE BADGUY.

The Starfleet uniforms were more in keeping with Next Gen then the original series, which is good on lots of different levels.

The most important thing about this movie is FANSERVICE. There is a Red shirt. He is obviously a Red Shirt. You see it coming a mile away and it is quite rewarding. There are lots of moments of irony (Bones says the first time they meet Spock, "I don't know who he is, but I like him") and numerous connections made to the original films, especially 2 and 3. We see how Kirk beats the Kobayashi Maru dilemma, and the list goes on and on. The point is that if you've never seen any Star Trek, you're going to appreciate this movie as a solid film and if you HAVE, you're going to be blown away at how well they balanced new and old.

My only problem with this movie was that relationships between the crew as a whole and especially between certain key characters was not as developed as I'd like but that's what sequels are for. ^.^

The problem with Wolverine is that I saw it AFTER Star Trek, and now all summer movies are going to have to compete with that. We saw this last year (or was it the year before) where Iron Man was just dominating...until Dark Knight came out. Like those two films, these two have very different roles and push very different buttons.

When you go to see Wolverine (and I would encourage you to do so), remember that you're seeing a comic book movie and all that goes with it. Dark Knight does not count :P. Think about the classic Batman, Superman, heck, even Spiderman movies. Go in there, don't think, don't question the physics, just enjoy people doing crazy stunts and pulling off physically impossible feats because THEY CAN.

From what I'd read of the Wolverine Origins comic, the movie follows it pretty faithfully, though there are gaps in my knowledge that I'm sure Ardent Sluggard or Holden could fill in for me. The link between Wolverine and Sabretooth that is postulated is not one I'm familiar with but one I think all kids reading X-Men thought of at some point.

And no, "Wade" (Ryan Reynolds) was not totally nerfed. The first time you see him, the first scene he is in, he has nothing but hilarious lines. You don't see him again almost for the entire movie, so it wasn't like he was there but not doing anything. He just wasn't there. When he comes back and is "muzzled", it's okay because he's KICKING ASS. I was like 'Holy crap, he's OP'd'.
This movie was also fanservice, but mostly to the ladies. I think Hugh Jackman spends at least 47% of the film with his shirt off. There were a few funny lines and to be honest, the script was smarter than I thought it'd be.
There were also super cliche'd moments where you were going "What? really?" but I actually found these strangely comforting. It was nice to get back to basics. Special effects were fairly consistent, only a few where you were like 'that probably should have been thought out better'. Gambit was cool but his accent wasn't nearly thick enough. Like there was a lot of obvious potential, I don't think there was anything wrong with the casting, but he didn't say a single french word the whole time.

The fight scenes were good, which was important for a movie like this. I really liked the Deadpool fight scene, it was like watching the Duel of Fates in Episode I all over again. Although, saying that makes me think of music.

The music in Star Trek was definitely better, I mean one of the first songs they play is "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys and it fits so well that you've barely started and already want to rock out in your seat. The rest of the music was quite moving, very epic, and fit quite well (those who had issues with the musical choices in Watchment, myself not being one of them, will not have that problem with this movie). Wolverine's music was just sort of...there. It wasn't bad, but none of it was particularly memorable.

I'm really looking forward to the Deadpool spin off, I think they've set down some great groundwork and have some good material to work off of.
Yes, Wolverine was cheesy, yes, there were stereotypical moments we'd all forgotten about in our bliss of originality (isn't it funny when comic book movies are the ones being original?), but it was FUN, and I'm glad I went.

So...I went in with high hopes to Star Trek and it exceeded them, which makes me happy inside and out. I went into Wolverine with low expectations and was quite pleasantly surprised. I hope this review will inspire you to go out and decide for yourselves. <.<...And...if anyone is thinking of seeing Star Trek anytime soon...>.>...can I come?

~CiS