Nerd Culture Podcast

Welcome to my Spotlight on Steven Spielberg part 3. Last post we finished up the 80’s so now we move into the 90’s, in which Spielberg produced what many believe to be his finest work, and no doubt contributed to his receiving of a Lifetime Achievement Award at ComicCon San Diego yesterday.

HOOK

Released: 1991

Starring: Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts

Plot: When Capt. Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy.

For: Interesting concept, Dustin Hoffman looks like he is having the time of his life playing Hook, & some cool action sequences.

Against: Boring, Robin Williams dominates every scene he is in (great in Aladdin, bad here), the whole film has a sense of smugness about it.

Favourite Scene: The final battle

Rating: 2 Lukes

JURASSIC PARK

Released: 1993

Starring: Sam Neil, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum

Plot: During a preview tour of a new theme park that exhibits living cloned dinosaurs, a major power breakdown allows the dinosaurs to run amok.

For: Unbelievable special effects (that still hold up today), combining CGI, puppetry & sound, bring the dinosaurs to life. Good story.

Against: Acting is a bit weak.

Favourite Scene: Too many to have just one, so I’ll have the Velociraptors stalking the kids, & the introduction of the T-Rex

Rating: 4 Lukes

SCHINDLER’S LIST

Released: 1993

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Sir Ben Kinsley

Plot: In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after witnessing their persecution by the Nazis and resolves to help them.

For: A masterpiece. Every actor brings their A game, but Ralph Fienne’s performance is extraordinary.

Against: the ‘I could have done more…’ scene is a little over the top.

Favourite Scene: Every scene Fiennes is in.

Rating: 5 Lukes

The LOST WORLD: JURASSIC PARK

Released: 1997

Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Julianne Moore, Peter Postlethwaite

Plot: A research team is sent to the Jurassic Park Site B island to study the dinosaurs there, while another team approaches with a different agenda.

For: Dinosaurs, Jeff Goldblum.

Against: Fighting a Velociraptor with funky gymnastic moves.

Favourite Scene: The Velociraptors in the long grass converging on the hunters.

Rating: 2.5 Lukes

AMISTAD

Released: 1997

Starring: Djimon Hounsou, Mathew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins

Plot: A court-room drama set in 1839, concerning the trial of Cinque, who led a revolt aboard a slave ship that was traveling towards America from Cuba.

For: Great performance from Hounsou, interesting story

Against: Court room dramas not my thing

Favourite Scene: Cinque’s family

Rating: 3 Lukes

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

Released: 1998

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon

Plot: Following the Normandy Landings, a group of US soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.

For: A masterpiece in all areas.

Against: The end scene at the grave is a bit forced and unconvincing.

Favourite Scene: The Normandy landing is one of the best scenes in film.

Rating: 5 Lukes

Well, that’s it for the 90’s. And what a strong decade it was for this great film maker. Next up we hit the 00’s and the final installment of this series of Spotlight On. Let me know what you think. I would love to read your opinions.

Welcome to the fifth installment of Dust Jacket, our regular revue of the best that Sci-Fi literature has to offer. This week, we’re stepping onto the battlefield with Joe Haldeman’s 1974 classic The Forever War.

As always, I’m joined by Luke, the world’s harshest critic, but also the man who recommended I read this novel in the first place. So thanks to Luke and let’s get on with the review.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

William Mandela is a university student conscripted into an elite military force to fight a war against an alien race known as the Taurans. After a grueling training regime, he and his fellow soldiers are sent to do battle on harsh alien worlds against their alien enemies. They travel via ‘collapsars’, a wormhole-like experience that allows ships to travel at near-light speed, covering thousands of light years in seconds. This form of travel creates massive relativistic effects; while only a year or two passes for Mandela and his fellow soldiers, decades pass on Earth.

Mandela forms a bond with Marygay Potter, a fellow soldier who becomes his companion and lover. Attempting to return to civilian life after their tour of duty, Mandela and Marygay find a world drastically changed from the one they left. Overpopulation, food wars, embracing of homosexuality as a means of reducing population growth; all these things leave the soldiers feeling as outsiders. They re-enlist in the military to escape society, accepting the soulless comfort of military life over a society that no longer has a place for them.

Slowly, the reluctant Mandela begins to see the futility of war, and the dramatic effects it has on his life. Each return to Earth heightens his alienation and isolation, and losing contact with Marygay enhances those feelings further.

Eventually, humanity develops cloning techniques, which results in the creation of a new species – Man. Man develops the means of communicating with the Taurans, only to discover that the war was a misunderstanding caused by a random series of events and a total lack of communication.

This new race of Man establishes colonies for the disillusioned soldiers, who no longer fit into society. With the war over, Mandela is reunited with Marygay on one of the colonies. The story ends on a hopeful note, with the announcement of the birth of William and Marygay’s first child. The year is 3143.

(more…)

Episode #4: Continuing the Blade Runner theme…

Dust Jacket:   Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick

From the Racks:   The Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? comic adaptation & the prequel Dust to Dust from BOOM Studios

| Open Player in New Window

Download
(right click and select Save Link As)

Lament of a Camera Ninja: reflections from Supanova 2011

Supanova, the pop culture convention arrived in Sydney 17-19 June and I was interested in finding out what pop culture conventions are like.  Fortunately, Craig (D&D friend) was happy to share his experiences and provide a little advice to convention noob (that would be me).

Had you been to Supanova before?  Did you have any expectations?

I had been about 3 years ago to Supernova at the same venue and earlier this year I went to Armageddon also at the same venue.  So I did have some expectations, though I have to say they weren’t met but for reason I wouldn’t have expected.

My previous two “Con” experiences I hadn’t attended with anyone Cosplaying [dressing up to look like a character], so that really impacted on my experience for this event. Becoming someone’s Camera Ninja (a term coined to describe friends who photo cosplaying friends) is not a fun way to spend your time.

The other thing that really impacted my expectation was the crowd, it was massive. I mean literally queuing for an hour to get into the venue. I had not expected that.

The biggest difference for me between Armageddon and Supernova was that Armageddon was laid back, relaxed, not overcrowded.  You could chat with people and hear them.  Celebrities could give their time to you because there weren’t thousands of people behind you queuing for the same thing. Supernova was frenetic, overcrowded (think the Easter Show on Good Friday). One queue was a three hour wait to get into another queue to see a celeb.  Crazy!

So the cosplaying mates hindered the experience?  How about other people there? 

Luckily for me I had other friends who weren’t cosplaying so we went off for a couple of hours and managed to see what there was to see.

As for cosplayers, they go there to be seen in their costumes. I’m not sure if its attention craving, pop culture worshipping or mish-mash of both, but they go there to be seen.  I am guessing that for non Photo Ninja’s (and from past experience) the cosplayers are one of the attractions too.  It’s great to see people who like what you like so much that they put effort into representing it amongst their peers. Some of the costumes are fantastic because of the details put into them.

I guess I’m saying Cosplaying is as much an attraction as are the guests, merchandise and booths.

Anything you’d planned to see?

There was stuff to see there aside from the cosplaying ladies??????

Sure, I really wanted to see Amy Acker from the TV shows Angel and Dollhouse. I would have lined up for paid photo with her but the queues were totally ridiculously long and the only thing I would want to queue that long for is my death!  I did get to see her Q&A session though so hearing her speak about her experiences on those shows was great.

I’m always interested in the merchandise.  There was a bunch of stuff I “almost” managed to buy. Collectibles are so expensive!

Aside from that I wanted to hang with my D&D friends.  It’s something we can do together they doesn’t involve D&D but is part of the same world.   It’s also cool to see what’s out there that you can be a part of if you want.  Like the group that makes the working remote control Daleks and K-9’s. They’re just a bunch of blokes who get together once a month and build these awesome ‘droids for fun!

(more…)

A PvP restoration spec for Druids.

http://www.wowhead.com/talent#0cbZcZMcuIdfMu0ho:mocsroz0m

This spec is set to be able to heal in a variety of ways, but can deal a little bit of damage too. If the enemy target happens to be low, you can help whittle their health down, due to Fury of Stormrage and Starlight Wrath.  Most people say that the best part of Druid heals is always the heals over time, however Healing Touch can also be a very formidable spell if it’s given a chance.  With the chance to proc Living Seed, Healing Touch becomes stronger, as well as the Glyph of Healing Touch, which decreases the cooldown on Natures Swiftness.  The Glyph of Entangling Roots should also help to keep the enemies off of you while you are healing friends, or casting Wrath on your enemies.

Some may wonder why I chose to put the Feral spec minor Glyph of Dash into this spec.  The reason for that, is due to Furor, you can turn to cat form (keeping 100% energy), run to a friend in trouble, and either throw a quick Pounce or Rip, and then go back to healing your ally – faster and more often due to the 20% faster cooldown.  Barkskin is needed frequently as well as Tree of Life form to help keep yourself and the team alive during stressful situations.  All in all, this spec should be able to heal very well, and do some damage if your enemy is nearing death, which is needed to make it viable for PvP encounters.

Until next time,

-WoW Yoda