I am almost at the end of Ender's Game, and I now have a new favorite book that I've had to read in school (barring a horrible ending).
I loved the matrix and I really like this book for the same reason. In each story there is the one, who is destined to save humanity or the world. This person is just a normal person before but has enormous potential to best the very best. I probally like these types of stories because I wish that I could save that many people.
I also like how Ender battles his way through any obstacle and confronts each challenge head-on without complaints. He is the classic hero who sacrifices something for the greater good, in this case he sacrifices his normal life and his sister to be a commander in the army.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
X-FILES
I've heard of the X-Files before and new its basic premise but I had never seen it. After watching it, I think I am going to watch more.
The story in the two-episode-thriller that we watched was compelling and while not totally believable is somewhat on par with the truth of the UFO phenomena today. Most of the cases when people report seeing unidentified flying objects they are a case of mistaken identity and the government allows these rumors to circulate so it can cover up what it is really doing.
While its not likley the government is harboring a Japanese scientist who is experimenting on human beings on rail cars, it is more likley that the government is trying out new and futuristic looking technologies. If they keep the story that the strange craft in the sky was not that of this earth then they can prevent foreign governments from knowing the technology that we posses.
The story in the two-episode-thriller that we watched was compelling and while not totally believable is somewhat on par with the truth of the UFO phenomena today. Most of the cases when people report seeing unidentified flying objects they are a case of mistaken identity and the government allows these rumors to circulate so it can cover up what it is really doing.
While its not likley the government is harboring a Japanese scientist who is experimenting on human beings on rail cars, it is more likley that the government is trying out new and futuristic looking technologies. If they keep the story that the strange craft in the sky was not that of this earth then they can prevent foreign governments from knowing the technology that we posses.
La Cosa
The Thing was a good movie, I enjoyed it. Everyone enjoys a good movie when the hero saves the day and is willing to sacrifice his own life for the greater good. Thats exactly what MacMurphy does and who he is in the movie.
I liked that the movie surprised you and that it was unknown who the thing was the whole time. I thought that when the doctor is on his computer it was really funny. He would type something on the computer and it would say something like probability that someone in the building is infected, or probability that the thing will kill everyone 75%. Without a sentient computer that task of computing those probabilities accurately would be impossible.
Another part of the movie that was questionable as to its scientific accuracy was the test that MacMurphy creates to test the blood of the people to see if they are infected. It might be just me but I don't think putting a wire next to blood will do anything.
I liked that the movie surprised you and that it was unknown who the thing was the whole time. I thought that when the doctor is on his computer it was really funny. He would type something on the computer and it would say something like probability that someone in the building is infected, or probability that the thing will kill everyone 75%. Without a sentient computer that task of computing those probabilities accurately would be impossible.
Another part of the movie that was questionable as to its scientific accuracy was the test that MacMurphy creates to test the blood of the people to see if they are infected. It might be just me but I don't think putting a wire next to blood will do anything.
2001: Pop Culture Odyssey
When we were watching 2001, Mr. Inloes said that you can't go more than a couple of days without seeing a reference to the movie. Of course I didn't believe him, because of his tendency to be a pathological liar (just kidding mr. inloes).
Anyways, after I watched it I tried to find references to it and I wasn't able to until one day when I was watching tv. A commercial came on the television, it was one that I had seen many times before but this time it clicked in my head that it was a reference to 2001.
The commercial was about this guy who bought his wife a necklace at some jewlery store, and as he tried to go home his GPS system started talking to him. The GPS system wouldn't give him directions until he showed her the necklace in the bag. The specific reference was when the GPS said "I can't do that Dave."
So I guess this proves that Mr. Inloes doesn't pathologically lie, references to 2001: A Space Odyssey are all around us, you just gotta know where to look.
Anyways, after I watched it I tried to find references to it and I wasn't able to until one day when I was watching tv. A commercial came on the television, it was one that I had seen many times before but this time it clicked in my head that it was a reference to 2001.
The commercial was about this guy who bought his wife a necklace at some jewlery store, and as he tried to go home his GPS system started talking to him. The GPS system wouldn't give him directions until he showed her the necklace in the bag. The specific reference was when the GPS said "I can't do that Dave."
So I guess this proves that Mr. Inloes doesn't pathologically lie, references to 2001: A Space Odyssey are all around us, you just gotta know where to look.
Sandkings
After reading and then watching Sandkings I have to agree with Mr. Inloes, the movie was terrible.
I really enjoyed the short (if you can call it that) story, and thought it was original and very creative. However the movie was not good at all. I didn't like that they changed the story, but after thinking about it more, I think that they did this because they wanted to set it in the present day instead of the future. This movie story is the only one that make sense in the present day. In the written story, Simon Kress travels to another planet on his personal space ship to get the sandkings and maybe because the creators of the movie were lazy and didn't want to have to create all of the special effects of outer space stuff, they set it in the present day.
If another version of the movie was made today that stuck to the script, I think it would do very well, and it would be a lot easier to create with the recent computer generated images technology.
I really enjoyed the short (if you can call it that) story, and thought it was original and very creative. However the movie was not good at all. I didn't like that they changed the story, but after thinking about it more, I think that they did this because they wanted to set it in the present day instead of the future. This movie story is the only one that make sense in the present day. In the written story, Simon Kress travels to another planet on his personal space ship to get the sandkings and maybe because the creators of the movie were lazy and didn't want to have to create all of the special effects of outer space stuff, they set it in the present day.
If another version of the movie was made today that stuck to the script, I think it would do very well, and it would be a lot easier to create with the recent computer generated images technology.
2001: A Slow Odyssey
If you want to know the perfect recipe for falling asleep in a science fiction class, just take a tired student, add a dark room, an early morning, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.
With each scene taking excruciatingly long period of time , I soon became very bored during parts of the movie.
Ok, I'll stop. But you can see how annoying it is in writing, just imagine that multiplied by 10 and in a movie. Scenes that could have taken 10-20 seconds to show, instead took 2 - 3 minutes. I know that movies from different eras are slower and not as action packed but this was just ridiculous. I mean we get the point that the space ship is flying through space, you do not have to show it for ten minutes moving at what appears to us as 2 miles per hour.
I know that the movie was delibrately slow at times by the director's choosing and it is meant to convey a message. However, I'm used to action and images on screen for a few seconds, and I like movies that way.
With each scene taking excruciatingly long period of time , I soon became very bored during parts of the movie.
Ok, I'll stop. But you can see how annoying it is in writing, just imagine that multiplied by 10 and in a movie. Scenes that could have taken 10-20 seconds to show, instead took 2 - 3 minutes. I know that movies from different eras are slower and not as action packed but this was just ridiculous. I mean we get the point that the space ship is flying through space, you do not have to show it for ten minutes moving at what appears to us as 2 miles per hour.
I know that the movie was delibrately slow at times by the director's choosing and it is meant to convey a message. However, I'm used to action and images on screen for a few seconds, and I like movies that way.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Science Fiction Movies
In class we discussed an article in the Detroit Free Press about the Top 10 Science Fiction films of all time. I haven't seen all of them on the list but I have seen about half. When I got home I decided to find another list of the top 10 sci-fi films of all time. This list comes the Guardian.
1. Blade Runner
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. Star Wars: Episode IV
4. Alien
5. Solaris
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
7. The Day the Earth Stood Still
8. War of the Worlds
9. The Matrix
10. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
To read the full list click here
From the Science Fiction movies that I have seen, my favorite is the Matrix, followed by Star Wars: Episode IV, Jurassic Park, and the new, Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning version of War of the Worlds. I am excited to watch Blade Runner if it is really considered the greatest sci fi movie of all time. My list might change the more movies that we watch in this class, and the more movies that I see out of class.
1. Blade Runner
2. 2001: A Space Odyssey
3. Star Wars: Episode IV
4. Alien
5. Solaris
6. Terminator 2: Judgment Day
7. The Day the Earth Stood Still
8. War of the Worlds
9. The Matrix
10. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
To read the full list click here
From the Science Fiction movies that I have seen, my favorite is the Matrix, followed by Star Wars: Episode IV, Jurassic Park, and the new, Tom Cruise and Dakota Fanning version of War of the Worlds. I am excited to watch Blade Runner if it is really considered the greatest sci fi movie of all time. My list might change the more movies that we watch in this class, and the more movies that I see out of class.
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