The Most Holy Order of Wayward Fans

9:18pm: Ice Age 3
I wish I had seen it in 3-D. It was hilarious. Sid and Mother Dinosaur echoed Donkey and Dragon in Shrek although no long term relationship was going to happen here. The flying sequence involving a flock of pterosaurs was outstanding. The aerial flight sequences of standard movies had nothing on this one.

The story begins with the impending birth of Manny and Ellie's bundle of joy. Sid and Diego are feeling left out and lonely, so Diego decides to take off for the life of a bachelor while Sid manages to become the surrogate parent to a trio of eggs, that hatch out little dinosaurs. Mother Dinosaur comes looking for her offspring and takes off with them, and Sid, to a veritable dinosaur haven under the ice. The rest come looking for Sid and we are off to the races and the real story. Once again the value of relationships is stressed as the 'herd' commences on their adventure to find Sid. And what an adventure! We meet the crazed weasel Buck (Simon Pegg) (who sounds Australian to me) who becomes the unlikely leader, with Crash and Eddie worshipping the ground he walks on. Buck lost an eye to the king of the dinosaur land, which he has named Rudy. Rudy hasn't forgotten Buck but you can't keep a good weasel down when he's in the middle of a death defying struggle. Whether he is piloting a pterosaur for the first time or swinging through the vines a la Tarzan, Buck is a character that can't be held back.

Children of a certain age will surely appreciate Crash and Eddie, their surrogates on film, most especially in a scene where noxious gases result in high pitched voices and the equivalent behavior of folks on nitrous oxide (laughing gas).

If you need a few belly laughs, this movie will make them happen.

6:38pm: The King of Pop
Michael Jackson died today. He was definitely a phenomenon, as well as a very complicated man with a strange way of living. CNN is flogging his life and death now, and apparently have been doing so for some time today. His bones will get picked over and picked clean by the media vultures long before he is buried. Brilliant yet troubled, his mark on music will last a long time.

Rest in peace O Gloved One.

2:46pm: Really an Angel
Farrah Fawcett has died. A sad thing, even though death finds us all in the end. She was 62, the same age as my father when he died 19 years ago. I remember Charlie's Angels, and while I envied Farrah for her great looks, I really wanted to be like Kate Jackson's character. I saw her in Small Sacrifices after reading the book by Ann Rule. Farrah was dead on in capturing the personality of Diane Downs, who was denied parole in December 2008.

I looked at the pictures at CNN and Farrah's beauty held up over time. It never really diminished. I wish her family, especially her son who is in a rehab program at the county jail, well.

8:24pm: AT LAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Patriotville is up for an outing in Las Vegas. So what about the rest of us?

9:36pm: Boleros for the Disenchanted
I made a special trip to San Francisco for this play, which was followed by a Q&A session with the actors.

Boleros is based on the real life experience of the playwright, Jose Rivera. The story takes place in Puerto Rico in the 1950s and Alabama in the 1990s. Rivera draws on his own life experience to tell this story.

Flora, a young woman of Miraflores, has had her heart broken by the womanizing Manuelo, arguably the town's biggest 'catch.' She meets Eusebio while visiting her cousin Petra and falls in love. Fast forward 39 years and we meet a Eusebio who is missing his legs, below the knee, has psoriasis and is otherwise dependent upon Flora for his life.

Robert Beltran portrays the alcoholic father of Flora, and the dependent, elder Eusebio. This is a deliberate decision of the playwright. Robert is wonderful as the alcoholic, if loving, Don Fermin who meets his future son-in-law while brandishing a machete. He is no less effective as the elder Eusebio who is living with his arrogance about his body; resulting in the amputation of both legs below the knees due to diabetes, and psoriasis throughout. He is finally struck down by a stroke, which leaves him struggling to speak. In the meantime, we are forced to recognize that the otherwise spiritual Flora is struggling with her own demons, created by Eusebio's philandering actions.

This was a fabulous play and I enjoyed every minute. The very end, when Flora offers Eusebio the opportunity for assisted suicide, with her joining him, literally brought tears to my eyes. As a former hospice volunteer it was not hard to recognize the love that drives a couple to consider options that might otherwise be ignored by the rest of us.

During the Q&A session a question came up regarding the cast's view of the characters and how they took the story into themselves. What was very interesting is that most of the cast either had Puerto Rican or multi-ethnic roots. All of them could relate to the characters.

The play's run ends on May 31.

ETA: For a detailed writeup, check out Rigel's work.

I don't know what is ahead for Robert, but I was reminded that he is a far better actor than some of the Sci-Fi movies might have suggested. It is a bit depressing to realize that he is better than the material I have seen on Sci-Fi. At the same time, it is gratifying to know that there are opportunities available beyond Sci-Fi. I am glad I made the journey to San Francisco.

2:43pm: Weather Report
Cool, some sun forecast for tomorrow and Monday. Not bad for this time of year, and pretty typical when you think about it. But that weather map for the rest of the country!! One big blob of rain and storms smack in the middle. That will put a damper on a lot of BBQ plans.

It's also the sort of stuff that drives pilots nuts (although this is what they really get paid for) as they bob and weave around the buildups and storm cells, with the Seatbelt sign lit nearly full time. That can be hard on passengers' bladders, especially if they are purchasing drinks. On the other hand, it can make for entertaining listening on Channel 9 if you are flying United Air Lines. The usual expanse of dead air between handoffs is instead punctuated by calls for deviations in this or that direction, requests for altitude changes as the air gets more turbulent (break out the air sickness bags!), and the general exasperation that comes from riding a roller coaster in mid-air. But it's spring!!! That's what you get at this time of year. C'est la vie!!

7:26am: It's Been Nearly 8 Years
I haven't ever seen the Prince perform live, aside from the Galaxy Ball.

8:00am: A PSA
I never cease to be amazed at the chutzpah of people looking to prey on the rest of us. They really do take it for granted that they will win and we will lose. I suppose the odds are in their favor since most of us don't go around with a permanently suspicious attitude about strangers. In mid-May I came across such a person, who uses the email address ben_kennedy4u@yahoo.com and can be found on Yahoo Messenger as Ben_Ben.

This person (I don't know that it is a guy) spun quite a tale as a 50ish Italian immigrant who became a naturalized citizen and changed his name so everyone would know he's an American now. His Italian name, Tamaro Vani (no I don't believe it), just wasn't good enough. Back in the old country his mother Adona and (grown) son Santo still live la dolce vita along with a brother and sister. Ben_Ben claimed he moved to Houston 6 years ago to get over the tragic death of his wife. Cue the violins maestro. In some alternate Houston a road construction and paving company, by the name of Kennedy and Associates Company Limited, is out building and patching the highways and byways. He owns that company in case you haven't figured it out. His own house has a pool and he has a male English bulldog about 4 years old. Now on its face he sounds like he could be a real standup citizen. Heck, he even sent me roses (to my mailing address not the home address). Wasn't that nice? They are very pretty and they even smell like roses should smell.

But I was suspicious throughout. The fact that Yahoo Messenger provided a trail to a Houston area woman called Foxy Lady raised the first flag. His story completely unraveled when he provided me with his claimed address. I had told him who I worked for, but I don't believe the implications fully registered. I went to work (on my own) with this information, and while there is a man with that name at the address, that is the only thing that checks out.

I have taken steps to notify all the sites where I encountered this person. I am not going to enable him (or her) by keeping silent. It's unfortunate that we have to work so hard to protect ourselves, but that is the price we must pay. I am posting this so that my readers can learn from my mistake.

ETA @10:30 AM - Chutzpah, you can never have too much. So I received an email response to my cutting this person off, in which he declares he loves me and not to believe what other people say. He totally does not get that he sunk his own ship.

4:35pm: Passengers
I finally watched Passengers. It is an interesting little thriller/ghost movie. Like Sixth Sense and Jacob's Ladder it deals with the questions of what is death and do we know when we are dead. I don't believe it was done as well as it could have been. The crash, the events on the plane, the setting itself were all fine. It was the acting that bothered me.

The psychologist, Claire, was just a bit too uptight and I never got the sense that she really unwound herself until the very end. The mystery or conspiracy regarding the other survivors didn't quite grab me, and I believe that was partly because I found Claire a bit offputting. Eric wasn't all that either. It became evident quite quickly that he was dead, but getting there was not half the fun it could have been. On the other hand, the revelation about Arkin, played by David Morse, was really well done. Morse himself was wonderful. He appears to be a very tight lipped, creepy acting airline employee who is behind the mystery and then we realize he is a wounded soul in pain for his perceived failure. In one scene Arkin travels from fierce conviction to near emotional breakdown, prevented only because he gets a grip on himself. Arkin holds himself responsible for the crash, and is unable to let go of his guilt. One has to wonder how long it will take for him to forgive himself and move on. .

Not a bad movie, but it could have been better.

9:29am: KA-CHINGGGG!!!!! KA-CHINGGG!!!!!!
Ah the sound of active cash registers, busily sucking in the dollars. $76M+ for the first weekend of Star Trek. Music to Paramount's ears. Unless something weird happens and traffic suddenly tanks, I would think they would make the $200M Paramount is expecting and more besides that.

9:36am: Star Trek XI
This movie will make a ton of money for Paramount. Roger Ebert offers his take on it all:

The new movie essentially intends to reboot the franchise with younger characters and carry on as before. The movie deals with narrative housekeeping. Perhaps the next one will engage these characters in a more challenging and devious story, one more about testing their personalities than re-establishing them. In the meantime, you want space opera, you got it.

My take - Star Trek as we know it is dead. Wrap your minds around that because Abrams has killed it off. The dialogue in Star Trek XI is unequivocal about it and makes the statement that this is an alternate reality created by the arrival of Nero (young Spock describes the situation). If Abrams intends something else he is saving it for a sequel, but I don't think that will happen. He was determined to start the franchise over and he surely has.

It is a slam bang action film that never lets up, even in the slower spots. For a demographic that moves at light speed it is perfect. For the Trek fans that don't, it can be fun except for those who see this as heretical since they are wedded to the previous canon. Trust me on this, nothing that we saw before can happen as it did with this new timeline. This is not the Mirror Universe or some parallel timeline as some fans fondly wish. The arrival of the original Spock and Nero, which is accidental, changes everything.

I saw it twice, on Wednesday and on Thursday, and I enjoyed it the first time. The second time I was paying closer attention to the details, although I did miss the Tribble. Zachary Quinto as Spock, and Karl Urban as Bones are outstanding. Chris Pine will have to grow on me. I am not impressed by the soundtrack. Alex Courage's theme pops up for a nanosecond in a couple of scenes, and never gets heard in full until the end credits. The new theme, if that is what it was, sounds like a riff from The 13th Warrior.

( Here there be spoilers in amazing detail, and my take on the wisdom of Abram's choices. )

All that said, no matter how you slice it this is the equivalent of moving from Windows XP to Windows Vista. The logo is the same but the guts have changed. Whether or not you like the change will depend on how much you need the original canon to stay intact. For me, I want to see if Abrams create a film that has more to it than cool SFX and lots of noise and excitement. That stuff wears off pretty quickly. Much as I enjoyed this film the franchise needs more than what we first saw. Ebert is right, Abrams has set the stage for the next film. I will be interested in what he does with it.

8:44am: Star Trek Is Dead - Long Live Star Trek?
Over at The Chicago Tribune we have a review of Star Trek XI (spoiler alert!!). It got 3 starts and I know that the rating system goes higher than that. Four I think. Reading through the review, which omits Leonard Nimoy altogether, I found these comments to be the most interesting:

The cerebral philosophical dilemmas from the original Gene Roddenberry-created series? Those belong to the mists of time. Director J.J. Abrams’ merrily assaultive reboot, heavy on the iPod- and iPhone-friendly close-ups even in the action scenes, is more “Star Wars” than “Star Trek,”......

and

The film may not be memorable science fiction, but it’s an engaging pop diversion. If Abrams can learn to appreciate the value of an occasional medium shot, all the better. And considering those vicious brain-slugs administered aurally in “Khan” are administered orally in this latest “Star Trek,” I’m not sure I want to know where they’re heading in the sequel.

I am going to a screening tonight with a free pass, which means I won't necessarily get in. No worries, I have a reserved seat for tomorrow. In everything I have read to date about the movie it is clear that Abrams didn't just 'reboot' the franchise. What happened to Trek is the equivalent of dumping Windows XP for Windows Vista. I will have more to say after I see the movie.

5:32pm: Hobbit Update
The latest from Empire Films. It's going to be a bit of a long wait.

5:23pm: Viggo
From The Guardian, an interview with Viggo Mortenson. I really like this interview, it gets into the person more than most. The movie also sounds very interesting. Hope it shows up here in the US.

8:40pm: Fan Movies
And you thought that only happened in Star Trek? HA!!! Check out this trailer for The Hunt for Gollum. Star Trek New Voyages showed us what could be done in the Trek-verse. Now we see what can be done in the LOTR-verse.

5:33pm: Star Trek XI
The preliminary screening is done, and Harry at Ain't It Cool News loves the new movie. His joy is not universally shared. Check out the Trek Movie site for additional feedback on the premiere. However fan reaction, while generally positive, appears mixed to me based on the comments to posts here and reviews here. Make sure you check the comments on the articles as there is some pretty interesting reaction. Also some nuggets of news, such as Paramount showing the film all over the world in various locations, including US military sites.

For a film mag's review go here.

Summed up - for the most part those who saw the movie liked it, but there are issues. Despite the issues the overall verdict appears to be thumbs up for the movie and the franchise.

I'll be very interested in what the other film critics (especially Roger Ebert) have to say.

3:56pm: Repo Chick
Thanks to a comment from Marjanne Peters to my previous post I went on a hunt for Repo Chick, the Prince's latest foray into the realm of movies. It is a remake of Repo Man. If you care to wander through Alex Cox's blog you'll see about 3 entries regarding the film. Repo Chick was listed and then deleted at the IMDB and the comments in the Slash Film entry explain why. Principal photography is complete.

Some research reveals that this film is considered to be a micro-feature due to the limited budget. I don't know what they were paying people, but based on the number of names listed as appearing it had to be a pittance, if anything at all. People don't sign up for indie films to obtain dollars, although sometimes glory will accrue if it's a box-office hit. They do it because the story speaks to them and they simply must do it. It seems several people heard the story calling them.

The fans are divided about the remake. I understand where they are coming from since remakes and retreads appear to be the order of the day. The current entry is Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, a straight-forward ripoff of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Remakes, reimaginings, reboots, and retreads can be fun if they are done well. Battlestar Galactica is a wonderful example of a well done reboot. Unfortunately not all are, and until Repo Chick is released we won't know if it stands up to its predecessor.

The movie was mentioned as early as July 4, 2008. Paper Street Films is involved, I suspect for the financing based on the description on the home page. No release date as yet. Watch IMDB for a new entry.

9:40pm: Seriously BACK in the saddle
If you want something meatier from the Prince than a mere autograph, then fork over the cash for this play. It runs only in May, and it is in San Francisco. The Prince is in it, beyond that I have no other info. Wondering if I will attend? Check with the National Tattler, they know my whereabouts at all times.

6:34pm: Back In The Saddle
Still wanting that picture with The Prince? Hike thee hence to Creation's Las Vegas Star Trek Con. He'll be present to sign autographs and be photographed (and recruit you to the Archon's service), although he isn't getting any stage time. Rumor has it that he'll be in New Jersey also although Creation's site isn't listing him at this point. Either way, a quick scan of Creation's calendar shows that these are the ONLY Star Trek conventions currently scheduled, so if you really really really need that piccie, get your tickets.

Nimoy and Shatner will be in Vegas, Nimoy may be in New Jersey. Old line Trek fans will likely jump at the chance to see these two warhorses. Shatner and Nimoy are 78 (on 3/26 for Nimoy) so it's not as though they are going to be around a long time. I suspect tickets will be going quickly.

3:18pm: Eyewitness
Molly Kronberg, widow of Ken Kronberg who committed suicide nearly two years ago, writes about forced abortions in the Archon's world. Pro-choice is just that, pro-choice. The behavior of the Archon's organization and its leaders is exactly the opposite. Someone should explain to the LYM members that they are fortunate to have been born outside the organization's boundaries, or they might not exist at all!

I wonder what the Prince would say if he knew about this. However, I seriously doubt this is an item that comes up for discussion much, if it comes up at all.

2:41pm: Oscar Night
Last Saturday I sat through AMC's Best Picture Showcase of the five nominees for Best Picture. I thoroughly enjoyed it and predicted to my group that Slumdog Millionaire would probably take the award. I am so glad I was right, although I enjoyed all of the movies, for different reasons. I saw very little of the Oscar show itself, tuning in for the Best Score and then onward to the ultimate award, Best Picture. The setup for the Best Actress/Actors award was superb. The intercutting of films with similar themes as the nominess for Best Picture was truly innovative. This show clearly benefited from fresh ideas and imagination. I don't know how it did in the ratings, I hope it did well.

Milk brought back a time I was familiar with as that was when my brother came out (actually forced out by his doctors, who thought they were doing him a favor). Gay friends of mine who saw the picture tell me that it literally brought tears to their eyes, especially those who lived in San Francisco at the time. I fully expected Penn was the leader for Best Actor, although I did not see The Wrestler and could not appreciate the work done by Mickey Rourke. I thought that if Slumdog did not win Best Picture, this one would.

Frost/Nixon was an amazing depiction of two men and their respective egos. Michael Sheen's Frost had a real 'deer in the headlights' look about him as Nixon dominated the first 3 interview sessions. When he finally gets his act together you realize just how close he came to being outmaneuvered by a truly gifted politician who ultimately disgraced himself and finally acknowledged it. I thought Langella had a shot at Best Actor if it didn't go to Penn.

The Reader was, for me, this year's Atonement. An introspective film that examines the heart and why we do what we do when we come to grips with an unpleasant truth. I enjoyed this movie for that reason, although a friend of mine found it too cerebral. I didn't think it stood a chance to get Best Picture, but I was rooting for Kate Winslet for Best Actress. She was fabulous.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was very uplifting, and fun to watch, but I really didn't think it would get the award. I also didn't think Brad Pitt was going anywhere with the nomination for Best Actor. He was good, but he wasn't being asked to do a whole lot, unlike Penn.

Slumdog Millionaire took the 'boy meets girl/loses girl/gets girl back' theme and really worked it over in a different venue complete with an Indian Fagin, and then wrapped it up in a bow with (what one friend described as) a "Bollywood" dance sequence for the ending. It was an unrelenting slice of Indian life. I know dramatic license always comes into the process but I suspect we got a snapshot, however icky and unpleasant, of life for India's poorest. I think the fact that the film was able to tell the story so well in the face of all the challenges to making it had a lot to do with its win. Or perhaps the voters just liked the story itself. It was a happy ending after all.

Congrats to all the winners, it was a great year for movies!

3:52pm: I have been following the final season of Battlestar Galactica (BSG) and I can't help but compare it to ST:VOY. It is arguably a flawed comparison since the premises, visions, and philosophies are somewhat different. Bear with me anyway. ( How VOY would have been as good as BSG had Braga checked his ego at the studio gate. )

10:56pm: Push
I just got back from seeing Push and let me tell ya, this is just the ticket for the tinhat crowd. The basic premise is that our government, among others, has been working on genetically modifying people with psychic abilities, with the usual despicable results. The only actor I recognized was Dakota Fanning, and while she is fine in her role as a "watcher" (can see the immediate future), the entire movie comes across as a something of interest to folks with not much else to do. Generally predictable, and you don't need psychic abilities to see what is coming next. Fantasy? Oh yeah. Science fiction? Probably. Thriller? Only for those who get all shook up over squeaks and bumps in the night. Save your money for something meatier, like Gran Torino or any of the Best Picture nominees.

For the historians among us: If you remember your CIA history, the MKULTRA scandal, which was wrapped around the CIA's use of psychedelic drugs to obtain information (and compliance) from test subjects, is the spiritual god-parent for this film. ULTRA is never mentioned, but anyone with functioning recall of the hearings will recognize the connection. Somehow I doubt that the folks behind this movie have a clue about ULTRA, but that won't matter to the tinfoil crowd if they get wind of this one.

10:47pm: Creative License
You may be familiar with New Voyages, a fan run operation that has produced original online episodes of TOS. They have done a quality job and done it well enough to be embraced by TOS cast members, George Takei being one. I watched the episode he was in and was mightily impressed.

Well LOTR fans will not be outdone. Independent Online Cinema has just issued a press release for the fan film Hunt for Gollum. The link includes a YouTube trailer, and frankly that is one impressive piece of work.

Both fandoms are demonstrating that creativity is not the sole province of Hollywood (Bollywood or any other "wood") professionals, both in crafting the story and bringing to bear the technological tools that help with the telling. Nice job all around. Bravo!!

4:46pm: How Big is YOUR Love?!
As is often the case, a high friend in a low place brought my attention to something I didn't know about The Prince. A quick check of IMDB confirmed it, although it is apparently a recent entry. The Prince has a recurring role (how recurring is anyone's guess based on the synopses I read) on HBO's Big Love. He is in at least 2 episodes. My informant rang me with this information while he was on screen. I don't get HBO, so don't know what is going on in any given series. I do know that much of what HBO does is well conceived, and received.

A quick look at the message board and comments about Big Love reveals the underlying controversy about it; current Latter Day Saints (LDS) (aka Mormons) practice does not include polygamy, and the LDS do not protect polygamists. Polygamy aside, the main character and his family appear to be behaving in ways outside of current Church practice and beliefs. Interesting if true, and perhaps that and decent writing is keeping the series alive into its 3rd season. Bill Paxton, whose professional career is as diverse as any actor's, has come a long way from the punk confronting the Terminator in the first movie of the series. And who could forget him as the overwrought Hudson in Aliens?

I managed to catch a quick video of The Prince in his character. His hair is as long as it was on Medium but the beard is gone. Personally, I like him better without the beard. A little too Kevin McCarthyish (circa 1978) for me. Good to know he is doing more than sitting at home stirring the Archon's diminishing political pot. I hope his time on Big Love leads to more opportunities, assuming he wants those opportunities.