Category: science fiction
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Review: Altered Carbon
{Ed. note: Another thing languishing in my Drafts for multiple years. Maybe I thought I’d be expanding it? Clearly I won’t, so here it is.} I’ve finished all of (season one?) of Altered Carbon, and have reached the conclusion that it is decidedly … adequate. It’s so-so cyberpunk and so-so noir, desperately trying to be…
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It must be tough being a film critic
and always having to say something supposedly original and hopefully contrary. The thesis of this article in Deadspin is that Avengers Endgame suffers because it dives headfirst into the mythology and doesn’t pause or slow down for any non-fans watching. I’m just gonna say it: That’s just dumb. (No spoilers for Endgame — it’s safe…
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The Orville v. Discovery: Small reference Pools
I was watching a YouTube video comparing The Orville to Star Trek: Discovery. As it went on, it became almost surreal. At first, it was fine. The YouTuber likes The Orville over ST:D, because it feels more like “classic Trek” — which is a reasonable opinion, and one I more or less agree with. But…
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Agents of SHIELD meets its “End”
It took only a week for me to catch the Season 5 finale of Agents of SHIELD, fittingly called “The End”. It was pretty fantastic, actually, even if it barely tied into the Avengers flick. Agents of SHIELD has been the little show that could, toiling away while the MCU bounces from spectacle to spectacle.…
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The best thing about The Last Jedi
I finally got to see The Last Jedi (after two previous failed attempts, both amazingly sold out afternoon shows, a month after the premier). I liked it a lot. My personal rankings of the “main” Star Wars movies is now something like The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars (A New Hope) The Force Awakens The Last Jedi…
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The power of the dark side
[amazon_link asins=’0785192557,0785192565,0785199772,0785199780,0785197893′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’gilroy0-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’0a4327d5-eb7a-11e7-a142-c169eec473c4′] No, this is not a political post. 🙂 I absolutely tore through the omnibus Kindle editions of the Darth Vader comic (one of several in the rebooted Marvel line). I guess it really paid off for Amazon to make Volume 1 free to Prime members because it hooked me fast. I…
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Looking for hive mind help on a course
Actually, on two courses. The school I’m at (Newark Academy) ends the year with a nine-day “June Term”, wherein students take one class for six hours a day. June Term classes are supposed to be experiential and rigorous, and maybe a bit weird. All teachers are supposed to suggest courses; I made three idea proposals and…
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Lost Worlds and A Strange Visitor From Another Planet
I just re-watched the pilot of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1996). It is actually pretty good, especially for a late-1990s superhero show. It’s sly and clever, and does a nice job working around its obviously-inadequate effects budget. There’s real chemistry between Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher, as well. Hatcher really sells Lois…
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Review: Star Trek Into Darkness
{originally written 2013 May 23, then banished to the Drafts folder for no good reason when I never got around to finishing it.} Spoiler-free review: A solid sophomore outing for the NuTrek crew, but it’s no Wrath of Khan. ====== Spoilers follow ===========