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Star Trek / The Key Collection Vol 4 : 3 of 5
2.09.2010 6:56 AM \| Link 0 comments	I love Star Trek and I love old comic books, so this series is just perfect for me, and I've been enjoying reading volume after volume for the past few years! This collection contains eight issues from 1974-75, and although they aren't quite as good as some of the past volumes, I still really enjoyed following the Enterprise crew through crazy adventures that couldn't be produced for TV, yet feel very much like actual episodes if you step back and admire them. Of course, there are lots of outlandish situations, but that's part of the fun (like Scotty getting shrunk down so small that he has to fight a microbe)! It's interesting that several of the plots involve political or moral themes this time (something Star Trek has always dealt with), such as a war between red and blue races on an ice planet, or a cloned Samurai society that keeps the people in the dark about their origins. There's even a story that mimics Romeo and Juliet, right down to the lovers' suicide and memorial statue that brings peace to two feuding factions. But along with these somewhat serious stories, I get a kick out of finding hilarious details that always crop up in these comics. In one episode, Uhura is unmistakably drawn as a Caucasian, and in another Spock gives a lecture on the Big Bang by using an old school movie projector (reels and all)! There are some great lines, too, such as Kirk calling someone a "warp four looney", and once Uhura calls McCoy "Leonard" out of the blue (rather than "Dr. McCoy"). The artwork is pretty much the same as usual, with some nice shuttlecraft renderings and even a pod that looks like it was copied from 2001: A Space Odyssey! I could read these comics all day, so of course I'm getting the next volume (after I finish a huge pile of other books)! Labels: books, comics, star trek
Transformers / Revenge of the Fallen : 3 of 5
2.08.2010 6:42 AM \| Link 0 comments	Although the first Transformers movie definitely had its faults, it still had the initial awe of the CGI effects going for it. Now that the honeymoon is over, Michael Bay tries to keep things interesting, but all he knows how to do is add more explosions and cheesy cliches, turning this sequel into somewhat of a farce. There are still a few good things going for this film, though. Of course, the special effects are still cool - I love seeing the Autobots transform in mid-action, and I thought using Soundwave as a spy satellite was a nice touch. Bumblebee is still a great character, and Optimus Prime's voice will always be awesome. I also enjoyed some of the locations like the Air & Space Museum and the Egyptian pyramids. The general plot about the Fallen (kind of the original Decepticon) and the resurrection of Megatron isn't too bad, but it certainly doesn't stand up to the punishment of battle after battle that should have been cut. Not only is Michael Bay a terrible editor, but I just can't believe the stereotypical characters he gets away with (and that the general public seems to accept!). I don't care how red-blooded you are - Megan Fox is just too ridiculously slutty to be believable, just like all the other "normal" college kids in the movie (plus I got sick of the high contrast style that makes everyone look like they have a perpetual thin layer of sweat). This stupidity extends to the Autobots, especially the new "urban" twins that constantly spout the worst dialogue ever. With all that said, I still made it through this 2.5 hour saga and ended up entertained at the end. I'd enjoy this movie much more if it was just marketed as a parody, but the fact that Michael Bay (and his fans) think this is good filmmaking just irks me! Labels: dvds
Entering the world of Blu-ray
2.06.2010 7:26 AM \| Link 2 comments	I've really been enjoying my new LG BD390 Blu-ray player that Mom & Dad got me for my birthday! Although I've only scratched the surface of Blu-ray coolness, there are still tons of little features that I love. When I first hooked it up, I had some trouble getting it on my wireless network - it just couldn't see my Airport Extreme router at all. I read that this model has a fairly weak Wi-Fi antenna, so I decided not to worry about it and just order an Airport Express to extend my network (and actually connect the player with an ethernet cable). But then a couple days later I decided to check again, and suddenly it could see my network and connected easily! I have no clue why it started working (possibly from upgrading and then downgrading my router firmware), but I was thrilled to check out the online features like Netflix and YouTube! I can already do this with my TiVo (and I can watch YouTube on my Apple TV, meaning I now have three ways to check out YouTube on my TV!), but the LG interface is really cool and works well. I had so much fun watching my first Blu-ray disc, the new release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - even the trailers that I always skip were magnificent! What really impresses me is getting close to the TV and realizing the pixelation I'm used to seeing with standard DVD is almost non-existent! I also love how menus can be much more advanced and animated now. After my network connection started working, I had a blast checking out BD Live, which let me stream some Disney trailers right there on my player, and I was really blown away by the interaction that's possible now that the player is totally a computer. I loved it when the Magic Mirror said, "Good morning, Master. The winter cold has come to chill your bones. Shall I throw a log on the fire?", all because it could get time and weather information from the internet behind the scenes! I'm even enjoying some added convenience when watching standard DVDs. They definitely load much faster and menu transitions are much smoother, but the best feature of all is that this player detects when to switch aspect ratios automatically! I watch a lot of cartoons on DVD, which are usually 4:3 but often have 16:9 menus and features. With my old DVD player I had to pick one ratio and suffer (or keep switching myself), but the LG does the right thing for me. I still have to keep my old Philips around to watch Japanese DVDs, but 90% of the time I'll be using my new LG and loving it! Labels: life
Last of the Jedi Vol 10 / Jude Watson : 4 of 5
2.05.2010 6:34 AM \| Link 0 comments	After reading Volume 9 of this series, I was skeptical that everything could be wrapped up in this last book, but although the events seemed a little rushed, I ended up completely satisfied, surprised, and moved by the finale! Once again, lots of time is spent in the heads of the characters. Ferus now knows Vader is Anakin, and thinks back to their past adventures trying to discover why and how he changed. Vader is filled with rage and sadness while remembering choking Padme (as seen in Revenge of the Sith), and his inner conflict (fueled by the manipulations of the Emperor and the Dark Side) really generates a lot of sympathy in the reader. The big twist in this story (spoiler alert!) is discovering that the fledgling resistance had been infiltrated by a spy, who eventually causes the tragic ending of the last few Jedi that Ferus had rounded up, as well as the hidden asteroid base! There are many memorable moments getting to this point, especially when Ferus visits the destroyed Jedi Temple on Coruscant (where his flashbacks of childhood there are filled with beautiful descriptions) and finally faces Vader himself. Although I still think it's crazy that Ferus would carry around a Sith Holocron for so long, the way it speaks to him during this confrontation is interesting and makes for a really dramatic battle! I appreciated the various conversations between Ferus and Obi-Wan, some even taking place on Tatooine where Obi-Wan must help Ferus deal with his failure (as Ferus sees it). I absolutely never expected Last of the Jedi to end this way (I was even close to tears), but when Ferus ends up on Alderaan watching over the young Leia (just as Obi-Wan is watching over Luke on Tatooine), it definitely felt inspirational as Star Wars should! Labels: books, star wars
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs / Diamond Edition : 5 of 5
2.04.2010 6:39 AM \| Link 0 comments	I thought it was kind of appropriate that my first Blu-ray experience was the first feature-length animated movie, and even though you might think a 1937 hand-drawn film wouldn't be the best way to enjoy my new Blu-ray player, Disney really did an incredible job with this new Diamond Edition release! The film itself looks practically brand new, and when you combine the Blu-ray clarity with the smoothness and quality of animation it seems impossible that this movie is over 70 years old! I was pretty impressed with Disney View, which uses tasteful paintings to fill in the sides of a 16:9 screen (since movies were good ol' 4:3 in the 1930s), and I loved how they change to fit the scene. Of course, the bonus materials on this release are absolutely bursting at the seams thanks to Blu-ray storage capacity, most of which are contained in the fascinating Hyperion Studio feature, which allows you to wander around the original Disney studio. Each room contains several short segments that provide a wonderful education about the making of Snow White as well as the process of animation in general, combined with classic Disney shorts to illustrate key points. I loved the vocal recreations of story meetings, the funny anecdotes about working for Walt, and of course seeing interviews with all of my animation heroes, both old and new. From Don Hahn's excellent explanation of the exposure sheet, I learned how the shadow effects in Snow White were produced with complicated double exposures, and I also discovered that the voice actress for the evil queen also did the old witch, but with her teeth out! The advanced capability of Blu-ray and BD LIve allows for some cool and unexpected interactions, such as the Magic Mirror (who narrates the menus) greeting you by mentioning the time of day and even the weather in your location! The games are also pretty amazing - Jewel Jumble is as smooth as any basic arcade game, and Scene Stealer allows you to upload photos to the web which are accessed to put your face on Snow White and some of the dwarfs! The amazing Platinum Edition of Snow White from years ago was fantastic for its time, but I am thoroughly impressed with what this new technology can do and how Disney is using it! Labels: animation, disney, dvds
The Star / Austin Lyric Opera : 4 of 5
2.03.2010 6:08 AM \| Link 0 comments	Although I love seeing the usual opera hits over and over, it can definitely be a a fun experience to enjoy something completely new. Austin Lyric Opera hasn't been afraid to "take chances" with some relatively obscure productions in recent years, so I had no idea what to expect with their current opera, The Star, a somewhat modern French comedy opera. Opening night fell on my birthday, and I'm glad to say that The Star was a hilarious way to celebrate the occasion! While the music was certainly wonderful with accessible melodies and light songs that reminded me of The Magic Flute (especially the kissing song), this production is truly visual. The costumes are full of outlandish colors, combined with props like umbrellas, bowler hats, and even scooters, and the set is an unbelievable mix of mirrors, sloped floor, garish backdrops filled with eyes, and even six remote-controlled spotlights in the ceiling that can project shapes and move them all over the stage. There's even a huge inflatable throne! When I saw the combination of these elements it seemed like Magritte meets Laugh-In, but somehow it works! The plot is really clever and funny, and although it seems impossible to follow when reading a written synopsis, it actually flows easily. The lead male role is played by a woman, who did a fantastic job with broad comedic overacting, but I thought the king was the best role of of the show, especially during one hilarious song where he gets drunk with the count astrologer. This production of the The Star requires an open mind and definitely challenges various pre-conceived notions about opera, but there's no denying that every minute was sheer entertainment and fun! Labels: arts, opera
Birthday bonanza weekend
2.01.2010 5:32 PM \| Link 0 comments	Considering all my birthday gifts and events, I think I should turn 43 more often! Mom & Dad started things off by getting me an LG BD390 Blu-ray player (which I enjoyed all weekend!), plus my new RedOctane Ignition dance pad that I have been dancing away on. They also sent me two cool cards, including a giant Star Wars card that plays the theme when you open it - it's so big that the music is loud with actual bass! On Friday at the office they treated me to healthy yogurt parfaits with all kinds of berries and granola, and that evening I got a package from my pal Dae with two excellent books to add to my "read soon" shelf. On Saturday I went to the opera with my pal Melinda, and afterward we went out for cake, where she gave me a huge pile of presents, including a new LEGO set, a Wii workout game, and other goodies! And finally on Sunday, several of my pals took me to Ruth's Chris for a spectacular, delicious, and expensive steak dinner, and on top of that there were more gifts. Matt & Kumiko got me a cool Mickey Mouse shirt and some unique beer, and Chris & Eliza loaded me up with iTunes Store credit. I am completely surrounded in birthday loot, and I can't thank everyone enough for their incredible friendship! (Be sure to check out Matt's photos of the steakhouse fun as well!) View photos: Mikey's Birthday 2010 View photos: Matt's Steakhouse Dinner Labels: pals, photos