A short break from the routine.

Regrettably, I haven’t been terribly active on this site.  I’ve surely been active in my day job, but after a while, the routine was starting to grate.  I had to take some time off on a vacation.  So, for just one week, I went to Seattle to visit relatives and see a few sights.  What sights I got to see weren’t too bad at all; it’s especially intriguing to see the Space Needle being painted orange to celebrate its 50th anniversary.  Orange…I can’t fathom how attractive it’d look, since I’ve grown accustomed to seeing it all in white.  As it is right now, I think it looks cool with a single orange stripe on it.  When it’s done, it may look like a giant scallop hanging over the city.

A shot of the Space Needle with a shot of orange in it.

The important thing about this little trip (aside from visiting family) was to break up the monotony.  It’s sometimes all too easy for one to fall into the trap of an everyday routine, always eating, sleeping, and doing the same things over and over until it rots the body and mind.  Upon coming back, I’ve resolved to try and keep myself active to some degree.  Even a simple change in routine or a simple task can keep the mind refreshed and active.  Otherwise, I fear that suffering from inactivity, or a standard routine, with a poor diet, could cause me problems later in life.

Fortunately, I’ve also found more time to write.  After nearly five years, Ouroboros: Angel-Craft is finally nearing its conclusion.  The draft is still quite a mess, and something about it still lacks the coherency that the book’s predecessor had.  But with some refinement, I think I’ll be happy with it, and can finally move on with the next projects in the series.

Now it’s back to work and back into the routine.  Only now, I might try and mix things up a bit here and there.

The original sci-fi hero finally on film!

John Carter

Quick, name some of the best, most fantastic, most adventurous sci-fi films to date! Chances are that you might name Star Wars, Avatar, Stargate, Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers, or any number of other popular or cult hits.  If you did, then chances are also good that they share a common root in sci-fi literature; a hundred-year-old series of books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, featuring a hero named John Carter.

After all these years (that is, years of production hell and filming rights being flip-flopped all over the place), Carter finally hits the big screen.  With today’s production values and technology, the results are certainly thrilling.  The film moves pretty fast, with maybe just a few parts of drag.  It’s loaded up with gracious amounts of intense action, fight scenes, and battles.  The special effects are gorgeous.  There are parts that come off as “pulpy,” in a manner that could befit a story in the Heavy Metal magazine.  But above all, everything works together to form a decent piece of escapism.  By the end of the film, I felt I was effectively immersed in the world of Barsoom (Mars, that is) and its inhabitants.

Most negative reviewers would target the story of this film as being predictable, uninspired, or convoluted.  I don't know how close this movie is to its original book; there are indeed some parts that are predictable, and the story overall is quite formulaic; but I have no idea as to whether or not it’s supposed to be this way.  The most critical viewers expecting ground-breaking storytelling may be disappointed.

Right from the start, the movie establishes itself as something fantastic (and specifically admonishes the notion that this would be hard sci-fi; those expecting total scientific accuracy will be disappointed).  Understanding the fantastic nature of this story, there was never anything about it that hampered my enjoyment; I was able to follow the story and understand the world it took place in.  Characters are not huge standouts, but I enjoyed watching them.  It does its best to attribute some key themes regarding war and finding a cause to fight for.

The film is pretty well-made, with quality photography.  A few shots appeared to be sloppily-edited, but most of the film is put together well.  Acting is not terribly outstanding, but it’s not terribly bad either; I grew to enjoy Taylor Kitsch’s machismo as John Carter, and Lynn Collins’ attitude as the princess.  Writing is really no better or worse than most other films.  This production has phenomenal sets, props, costumes, and special effects; I really loved the look and style of the film.  Music is appropriately adventurous.

Given the mixed reviews this film is receiving, I'd only recommend it as a rental.  However, I do regard it as a film well worth seeing for all sci-fi fans.

4/5 (Entertainment:  4.5/5, Story:  4/5, Film:  4/5)

"Fight! For immortality!"

Immortals

Tarsem Singh has only directed a few films to date, and all have shown impeccably artistic visual flair.  After the grim, surreal dreamscapes of The Cell and the exotic fable of The Fall, he would seem to be the perfect choice to direct a Grecian-themed fantasy film.

As expected, the man delivered on a visual level.  The art design behind Immortals is itself worth a look, given the elaborate costumes, the intricate setpieces, and the imaginative special effects.  It also helps that this film has a decent amount of action.  It is about as bloody and grisly as 300, and perhaps a grade darker in tone.  As well-choreographed as the fights are, I found the film fairly satisfying.  The only problem is, the film tends to drag in certain areas.

Unfortunately, this film does get panned for being all style and no substance.  There’s certainly no historic, cultural, or even mythic accuracy; it’s a Greek-themed fantasy in name only.  Even the art direction appears more far-east than Mediterranean.   Following it as a fantasy world of its own kind, it comes off as a finely-blended rehash of various other fantasy stories; imagine the fights of 300 mixed with the theological concepts of the Clash of the Titans remake, combined with the oracle stuff from The Scorpion King, and the revenge theme of Conan, and the character archetypes of…well, Clash of the Titans yet again.  In this day and age, Immortals feels like just more of the same.

That is not to say that it is completely without merit.  Even if it isn’t original, the film does a fine job of establishing its own concepts here and there, and overall establishing itself as its own universe.  Within this universe, the characters receive just enough treatment to keep the story going.  By the end, it reaches a fairly satisfying climax.  If you’re seeking something truly original, it may disappoint; for a mere piece of entertainment, it’s satisfying enough.

The film looks really slick, with quality photography and editing, and gracious amounts of top-notch special effects.  Parts of the film look quite darkly lit, I believe as part of the film’s artistic intention.  I felt that the acting was decent; Mickey Rourke played an extremely menacing villain, Henry Cavill was quite macho and commanding as the hero, and I enjoyed watching Freida Pinto in her role.  The film’s writing shows a few good strengths in the dialogue.  No expense is spared on the film’s elaborate sets, props, or costumes.  The music score is generally not bad, and has a few strong crescendos.

I was fairly pleased with this film, but it has received mixed reviews.   I can only recommend it as a rental.

3.5/5 (Entertainment:  3.5/5, Story:  2.5/5, Film:  4.5/5)

February in a flash.

Much time has passed since my last batch of posts, but I have not been idle.  In February, I've been quite busy at work; let that be my prime excuse for not getting much writing done (never mind the occasional video gaming :p).

Even though the chill of winter has lingered throughout England, I still found myself yearning to leave hibernation and get back to exploring the outside world a little more.  So, a couple of weeks ago, I got the chance to visit the city of York.

The Shambles of York.

It's been years since I last visited this city, and it is far bigger than I remember.  It is quite characteristic with its towering Minster and its wall that envelopes the city.  The city wall has a number of old gatehouses along with, with turrets and narrow arches.  Pedestrians still use it to traverse around the city.  The Minster is still quite an impressive cathedral; its exterior is so finely detailed and shows apt architectural prowess.  Its interior is no less impressive, with its immense space, its mighty stained-glass windows, and the occasional ornate carvings of stone.  We took the time to climb up the Minster's tower (well over two-hundred steps in a narrow spiral staircase; quite a draining experience), which provided an excellent bird's eye view of the surrounding city.  We also went beneath the cathedral to check out the crypt/vault.  It's not quite as creepy as it would sound; it merely housed some old pillars, statues, and a collection of finely-polished gold and silver artifacts.

Exterior view of the York Minster.

York is also home to a place called Clifford's Tower, which is an old round structure on a steep, tall hill.  It is the ruin of an old castle keep.  There's little more to it than a single empty courtyard and a wall to climb on, offering another fine view of the city.  I've always felt it was a cool landmark though.  It is especially noteworthy for its history, which is long and violent.

Aside from revisiting these interesting sites, I was also intrigued to see the Jorvik Viking Festival, which was occurring that week.  I would come to learn the the majority of shows/attractions wouldn't occur until the next day (on a Saturday, when it would be crowded as hell).  At best, we stumbled across a group of actors dressed as Vikings, showing off Viking wares and weaponry to visitors.  A few stalls in a tent provided some interesting wares and paraphernalia for sale.  It wasn't quite the rip-roaring affair I thought it would be (as it likely was on Saturday), but at the least, I managed to get this picture:

A Viking.

The fellow told us that the ship in the square was built in the same manner as a genuine Viking vessel, and they have sailed in it all over various rivers, oceans, and seas.  It goes to show that Viking ship-crafting was indeed something superior.

It was an exhausting day, and it led to an exhausting week all last week.  Work on my writing projects haven't been as fruitful as I want.  I am working on an exciting short story which I will probably post here when it is done.    So, stay tuned!

A tale of wee folk.

As expected out of Studio Ghibli, Arrietty is another cute and imaginative fantasy. It is quite charming to watch a group of wee people sneaking around and “borrowing” things. There isn’t much action or strong conflict in this movie, but as it is with Ponyo, the artwork, the imaginative concept, the characters, and the overall cuteness make the movie appealing.

The story is not terribly strong. It does a fine job of establishing the characters and showing how perilous their world can be. However, even though the film establishes the dangers, it rarely throws the characters into peril (you can find a lot more peril in something like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids).  Arrietty does set up some slight conflict among the characters, but it never reaches a critical point; the film overall feels safe (which could be good or bad). My only other major complaint about this movie is simply that it doesn’t feel as lively or imaginative as other Studio Ghibli films. Maybe this film will resonate differently with others, but I felt more spirit coming out of Ponyo, Spirited Away, Castle in the Sky, and others. Given these issues, you might think I disliked the movie; on the contrary, it met my expectations and was quite charming, it just didn't blow me away.

Fortunately, the animation quality is still top-notch. Backgrounds are nicely detailed and rendered. Movements are smooth. Character designs are pleasing, and designs for the settings and props are decent. The film has okay writing. Music is lovely.

Casually recommended.

4/5 (Entertainment: 4/5, Story: 3.5/5, Film: 4.5/5)

Strange noises?

Have I spoken too soon when I dismissed the 2012 phenomenon as a load of hype and hooey? No sooner did I submit my last post than I found some reports and videos on the Internet describing strange noises being heard worldwide.  From Russia to the US, there were was footage with strange metallic groaning sounds, humming, and other effects that resembled more sci-fi than reality.  And always with nothing visibly making the sound; no aircraft or anything

I read further reports suggesting that these videos could be fraudulent.  I certainly wouldn't be surprised if stock Hollywood sound effects could have been uploaded into some of these videos (especially since they sound so similar to the scary alien horn in 2005's War of the Worlds).  It certainly wouldn't surprise me if there's a singular party out there taking advantage of people's fears and anxiety by faking supernatural phenomenon.

Far be it for me to go around perpetuating the rumors of supernatural noises, it is an intriguing (and perhaps ominous) subject that warrants discussion.  But I wouldn't have given it any more credence if it wasn't for my own mother, calling me earlier today and saying that she heard a strange noise.  She described it as an explosion, and it sounded as though it occurred right next door, or in the back yard.  She heard a loud roaring sound, as if there was a blazing fire.  But there was no such explosion or fire anywhere to be seen.  Per the article linked in the text above, perhaps it was the sonic boom of a passing airplane.  However, she didn't seem convinced.  Having not heard the boom at the time it happened (in my safe concrete-laden office), I have no idea what to think; it makes sense to me that it would be a passing aircraft (which happens a lot around here, with thunderous roars that could shake all our houses).  But if this (perhaps all-too-convenient) explanation does not match up with the experience, then I must concede that it could be something unnatural.

If that's the case, what does it mean? Undoubtedly, jillions of other sites are probably carrying on about secret government conspiracies, contact with extraterrestrials, the coming of the apocalypse, and countless other otherworldly explanations.  I rarely believe in government conspiracies.  I do believe that aliens could exist, but I rarely give UFO sightings much credence.  And, of course, the world will end some day, I just never thought it'd be anytime soon (I'm also unclear as to whether or not the apocalypse is supposed to be gradual or sudden).

Regardless, it is rather disconcerting to wonder whether or not I'll wake up tomorrow and see fleets of alien spaceships in the skies, or a host of angels with all the powers of creation and destruction in their hands.  Or, dare I say, both as one and the same?

Regardless, I wonder what the arrival of such supernatural beings could mean for the world? Will it be total obliteration, as we all seem to fear? Or, as few suggest, will it be a peaceful transition from one era to the next, with the human consciousness turning into a different direction?

But in the end, I often question whether any of this is even real.  Human fears, paranoia, and hysteria make it seem real.  But if these videos are indeed faked, and the explosions heard in Yorkshire really are sonic booms from aircraft, and every other supernatural phenomenon in the world can be explained away scientifically, then that just leaves mass hysteria to blame.  I do find this a likely scenario, and I often wonder how much panic there will be when December 21st comes around.

Despite whatever skepticism I harbor, I do grow wary and anxious concerning all this phenomenon.  As Arthur C Clark wrote:

"Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying."

2012: The Beginning (...of the End?!)

New Years resolution #1:  blog more.  :p

Seriously though, it has indeed been a long time since I bothered to write anything down here.  November was fairly busy, but I managed to participate in the National Novel Writing Month challenge and produce a rough draft of 50000 words.  It's a nice accomplishment that reinvigorated the joy of writing fiction, and helped me see that a combination of perseverance and time management can allow me to squeeze more writing time into a day.

Unfortunately, my momentum was lost in December.  A lot of it has to do with me being sick during the holidays.  I must have had a sore throat for three weeks; it's the most horrid virus I've had in years, and it might actually be the sickest I've ever been.  It's not fun being sick during a time when one is with family, celebrating the holidays.  It's especially not inspiring for getting any writing done.

Thank goodness, the New Year has passed and my sickness has abated.  I haven't gotten around to writing as much as I should, but I managed to finally finish editing a manuscript I've had for years (a nice vampire novel with lots of bloody action), I've started a fun piece of fan-fiction (Star Wars with attitude), and I'm reaffirming my conviction to finding publishers and reaching out to them (unfortunately, such conviction tends to vanish as the year progresses, so we'll have to see if I can keep up the queries.  I'm getting half a mind to just make another print-on-demand novel...).

Although I haven't been posting movie reviews here, I still love the movies and enjoy writing about them.  With a number of thrilling new movies coming out this year (titles like The Hobbit, Prometheus, The Avengers, and more), I'll certainly try to stay on top of it and post my thoughts here.

So, as it is with previous years, I'm starting 2012 with the notion that I can be more productive and get some real stuff done.  My ambitions are overshadowed, however.  We all know that 2012 is a magic number of a year, for it is the year in which the Mayan long count calendar ends.  Many folks believe that this means it'll be the end of the world; I'll be expecting an awful lot of scare-mongering in the media, and perhaps some mass panic as 12/21/12 gets closer.

Do I believe that the apocalypse is upon us? Well, from what I've read around the Internet, scientists find no creditable threat to Earth.  Fanatics may claim that the Earth's magnetic poles will switch, or the galactic alignment will screw us over, or some other planet will swoop on over and snuggle up next to our planet...but scientists can discount a lot of these theories.  Just do a simple search, and you'll see the counterarguments.  That being said, these are still very disconcerting times.  Just recently, the Doomsday Clock was advanced to five minutes till midnight, meaning that we're slightly closer to the threat of a worldwide thermonuclear war.  Combined with the threat of global climate change (which scientists affirm is really happening), poor economy around the world, and continuing social unrest, I think chances are tragically good that the human race may be the cause of its own demise.  And who's to say that it won't happen this year? At the very least, this could be the end of one era and the beginning of another, meaning that massive social change could be inevitable.

Whatever happens, I just hope and pray that catastrophe doesn't befall the human race.  I have faith that we'll see 2013 the same way we passed through the years 1999 and 2000 without anything happening.