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Friday, February 02, 2007 |
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TK-422: XBOX LIVE Arcade versus Nintendo’s Virtual Console
by Grimzo
Retro gaming is big business. A massive amount of micro-transactions used to deliver downloadable content is an appealing concept for any business. Console makers know this very well and all three major players have announced some form of retro gaming availability via their shiny consoles. While Sony’s efforts are relatively insignificant at this point, both Microsoft and Nintendo have taken the retro gaming craze somewhat seriously. The question is, who’s done the better job in bringing gamers a classic arcade experience? Both Xbox Live Arcade and the Wii Virtual Console provide gamers with some great downloadable gaming options, but TK-422 tells you which one is best!
Greetings Wiimotional Beings!
Nintendo's Virtual Console or XBOX Live Arcade? Who is better. I know. Now you can too!
Quantity of Content
With a one year head start and the promise of great things, Microsoft’s half-hearted Live Arcade efforts have been completely trounced on by Nintendo’s Virtual Console. With a mind-boggingly immense pool of games to pull from, Nintendo has inundated the Virtual Console marketplace with some of the greatest classic games ever made. Content is king, and the sheer number of classic content made available on the Virtual Console blows Microsoft’s lame efforts away completely. If this was a competition based on quantity alone, there wouldn’t even be a point in taking the two nano-seconds it does to write this article. There are several Virtual Console games released every week, XBLA users are lucky if they get one game a week.
Winner: Nintendo, by a landslide.
Quality of Content
This is where things get just a little trickier. Sure you’ll get more games than you can count for the Virtual Console, but bear in mind that none of these games are enhanced in any real way. That’s not the case at all with Live Arcade. Every single arcade game features some form of online/multiplayer component. Every Live Arcade game is also high definition video compatible as well. Also weighing in on Microsoft’s favor is the fact that many of the Live Arcade games are completely original experiences. This is not the case at all with the Virtual Console. That being said, Nintendo’s virtual console has some of the greatest games of all time under its belt. With gaming giants such as Mario 64 and Zelda, - who needs enhanced graphics and gameplay?
XBOX Live Arcade has brought us:
- Geometry Wars
- Street Fighter II
- Assault Heroes
- Lumines Live
- Doom
- Cloning Clyde
Nintendo’s Virtual Console’s best:
- Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past
- Super Mario 64
- Gunstar Heroes
- R-Type
- Super Castlevania IV
- Mario Kart 64
Now, it’s really not a fair comparison at all. While it’s nice to have the online multiplayer component of Doom, most of the above 360 games don’t really benefit too much from any of the enhancements these games are supposed to get. While Achievement points can certainly help make a game more challenging, it can't take a bad game and turn it into a good game. In Microsoft’s favor however, many of the above games are unique and new experiences. Unfortunately, unique and new is simply not good enough against games like Zelda and Mario 64.
Winner: Nintendo by 99 Stars.
Future Potential
There are literally thousands of games that Nintendo has in its arsenal. If they can ever get Square to allow them to release the RPG juggernauts such as Final Fantasy III or Chrono Trigger for the Virtual Console, there will be nothing that Microsoft would be able to do to even come close to competing.
As it stands, Microsoft has announced a series of ten moderately interesting titles to be released over the next couple of months, including the heavily anticipated Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. While that game is a true gaming classic, every other release seems to be somewhat uninspired and uninteresting. With Microsoft putting a heavy emphasis on things retro gamers don’t care much for (“enhanced” graphics and some form of online component), they seem to be shooting themselves on the foot, because these enhancements seem to cause unnecessary delays and add to the development time. While their efforts to bring some original content to the Live Arcade is admirable, most of the original efforts are somewhat forgettable compared to the classics Nintendo has at its disposal.
Winner: Nintendo, but Microsoft should get some credit for attempting to bring some original content to its arcade.
Conclusion:
With Nintendo churning out multiple games on a weekly basis, it won’t be long before Microsoft’s Live Arcade will be remembered as a half-hearted diversionary experiment compared to the monster retro gaming haven that Nintendo Virtual Console has the potential to bring.
Nintendo has already released better games, has access to a much more interesting library of games, and is taking the effort to give gamers many options. Microsoft is being very slow in releasing its titles, and most of the retro titles they release feature useless enhancements, and the newer games they release tend to cost too much, have broken online play, or employ some annoying money stealing tactics like the Lumines debacle.
While the 360 has proven to be a great gaming platform, its Arcade component pales in comparison to what Nintendo has to offer, mostly due to its poor release strategy, nominally interesting new releases, and some incredibly evil sneaky pricing tricks.
If you had to pick one platform as your source for some classic arcade experiences – the only place to go is Nintendo’s Virtual Console.
TK-422: End Broadcast.
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Friday, February 02, 2007 |
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Roswell (2.17) “Cry Your Name” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
Alex is talking on the phone to Isabel, and Maria and Liz are trying to help him increase his desirability quotient with her. Isabel wants to hang out, but Alex is instructed to keep his distance so she’ll be more interested. Once Liz and Maria are satisfied with his performance, they leave him to his take-out that has just arrived. Alex acts a little out of sorts with the delivery guy, and ends up staring at a picture of him and his Swedish girlfriend, Leanna.
Later, Valenti is driving his truck when he comes across the scene of a car accident. Meanwhile, at the Crashdown, Maria and Liz are working, Max and Michael are talking movies, and Kyle, Tess and Isabel are laughing over photos. Valenti comes in the back door of the café, and looks at Maria. Maria screams and runs into the dining room, running to Liz for a hug. Valenti comes in and gives everyone the bad news. Alex is dead.
Later, the “Alien Our Gang” try to revive Alex, with Max’s healing skills. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work, and Alex is still dead. Isabel is in shock, and runs off, while Maria is so upset, Michael has to take her home. Tess and Liz tell Max to go after Isabel. Kyle, Valenti, and Tess then go off, leaving Liz alone with her grief.
The next morning, Valenti reminds Kyle that Alex died yesterday, not on his birthday. Isabel has a dream that Alex is still alive, and is devastated when she wakes up and realizes it wasn’t real. Over at the DeLuca household, Maria and Amy are sitting on the couch, grieving together, and Michael is on the phone with Sean, giving him the news. Max calls Liz’s house and Liz’s mom, Nancy, tells Max that Liz isn’t doing very well, and she’s gone out to god knows where. Liz is over at the wrecking yard, looking through Alex’s totalled car, when she finds the picture of Alex and Leanna, but with Alex’s head cut out.
Over at the hospital, Valenti and Deputy Hanson are questioning the driver of the semi that Alex plowed into. And at the Evans’ home, Diane is trying to calm her daughter down, telling her that Isabel wasn’t responsible for Alex’s death. Isabel, in her state, admits to her mom about her early graduation.
At school, Liz and Maria ruminate in their grief. Liz pulls out the picture that she found in Alex’s car, but Maria is too grief stricken to listen to Liz’s suspicions. Liz believes that it means something, but exactly what, she is not sure. Valenti is grilling the delivery boy, but comes up with nothing major, until Hanson comes in and tells him about the teachers’ comments about Alex’s performance the past few weeks.
A memorial has been set up outside, by the track. Max is talking to Tess behind the bleachers, when Isabel, Michael, and Maria walk up. Maria is peeved that kids that normally didn’t give a crap about Alex were suddenly his best friends at his untimely passing. Kyle walks up and tells the gang that Mr. Whitman asked Kyle, Max, and Michael to be pallbearers at his funeral the next day.
Back on the track oval, the delivery guy, Jerry, is waxing dramatically about Alex’s mood before he died. Liz lets him know that it isn’t cool and he backs off. She tells him that she wants to ask him some questions.
Under the bleachers, Isabel tells the gang that she’s graduating early and will be leaving Roswell. As she is giving the bad news, Liz is getting the lowdown on what Alex said the night before he died.
Later, over at the Valenti household, Liz is giving her suspicions to the sheriff, and he tells her about what they found out about Alex. He tells her that they suspect suicide. Liz is angry about these conclusions, and Valenti says that the cut up picture adds to the theory. In an angry huff, Liz leaves and promptly throws up outside the house. She goes to Max and asks him if she can stay the night.
Liz tells Max the theory about Alex. Max is disbelieving, and he offers to talk to Valenti. When Liz’s stomach growls, Max asks when she last ate, and Liz tells him the day before. Max offers her frozen mac and cheese, and she accepts.
Over at the DeLuca’s, Michael and Amy talk. Amy tells Michael that she’s glad to see her daughter so well-loved, and Michael is welcome in her house, with the proviso that he’s on the couch.
Isabel is having another Alex dream, but this time Alex is reminding her that she’s dreaming. Isabel tells him that she’s sorry, and Alex tells her that she’s not at fault. Alex tells her that he needs to say goodbye and they kiss. When he gets up to leave, Isabel calls out to him that she loves him, and Alex returns the sentiment.
In the kitchen of the Evans house, Max and Liz are talking about Alex and the stunts he used to pull. Liz tells Max that she saw him kissing Tess and she tells him that she’s okay with it. She asks him to always be her friend, and Max agrees.
The next day at the funeral, Max confronts Valenti about calling Alex’s death a suicide. Valenti shows Max the file on Alex and it doesn’t look good for the no-suicide push. Back at the Whitman house, Liz asks Mr. Whitman if she can sit in Alex’s room and when she is there, she finds two tickets for a concert that night sitting in a book of poetry by Robert Frost. Most specifically, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, and the lines regarding that fact that the narrator has “miles to go before I sleep”. This lights a fire under her.
Liz calls a meeting of the “Alien Our Gang” to tell everyone what’s up. Max tells Liz that he’s seen the file that the Sheriff’s office has gathered about Alex. Liz broaches the subject of murder, but others feel that she’s postulating off the deep end. It ends up that she accuses the “Alien Nation” of being involved and they walk out in a fit of anger. Kyle makes the observation that it is “us versus them”.
Later that night as Liz is grieving over photos from the Prom, Jerry the delivery guy, drops by and show Liz the credit card receipt from that night, where Alex signed it in 0’s and 1’s. Liz realizes that she was correct in her suspicions.
This was a bit of a sad episode, as we say goodbye to Alex. He was a fun character and I enjoyed his interactions with Isabel. They made a good couple, as long as they weren’t in formal wear.
The grief that the kids went through was pretty realistically depicted. I especially resonated with how kids who didn’t even know Alex, allowed themselves to be swept into the drama of an untimely death, and grieved like only teenagers can. They went to school with the kid, so their grief by association was rational to them. I always find it ironic when I see kids that cannot stand someone so much that they spend time abusing them, and then act like their best buddy died, when in fact it was a nemesis.
The whole scene where the “Alien Our Gang” were enjoying themselves prior to receiving the bad news of Alex’s death was good as well. Death, especially when it is unexpected, has a tendency to stop life for a moment. It feels like the world has ceased rotating, and you’re thrown into a deep void, and all you can do is sit in stunned silence. It is the harsh realization that the world has not stopped spinning that throws your grief into sharp relief. I think they captured that well.
I did not care for how I am now being made to wait to find out what Liz will figure out now that she has a new clue. I am not a patient person when I am interrupted in the middle of a story, and this is no exception.
This was a good episode, and I had a hard time finding anything I didn’t like about it. The writers have gotten over their spate of insipid drivel and we’ve gotten back into real storytelling. I am looking forward to the conclusion of this episode with the next instalment. This episode deserves an 8.5 out of 10.0, it was that enjoyable.
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Friday, February 02, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- February 2, 2007
'Hulk' Director Answers Fans' Questions!
superherohype.com is reporting that The Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier is answering fans' questions at the Superhero Hype! message boards and has already revealed a few items on the new movie, scheduled for a June 27, 2008 release.
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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Thursday, February 01, 2007 |
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Heroes 112: Godsend - Review
By: zotquix
Often times when a production comes back from a break, it can be a little flat. That is clearly the case with 'Heroes' as this is probably the worst episode of the series so far. Where to even begin? You know that thing when you overuse a word in something you're writing? Claire's conversation with her father is terribly written. "What do you remember?" "Memory's a funny thing." "Well I can't remember." Ugh.
And the story itself. God what a disappointing turn of events. Parkman's stakeout and then raid on the paper warehouse should have yielded something. It's not like the Haitian is always around. And by now Parkman should understand that this is how his power is being jammed.
What tragically written dialogue parading around as suspenseful:
Parkman: "Where is Sylar?"
Mr. Bennet: "Oops"
Even Hayden Panettiere is off. Claire simply sounds whiny when she says, "I don't want to be alone". I suppose there is some authenticity in this performance, in the sense that, she sort of channeled some of those girls from MTV's "My Super Sweet 16," but really, the world doesn't need to see that anymore than it already does.
There are certainly resonances here with the first episode, and I wonder, especially with a time traveller as part of the mix, if we won't see much repetition during the course of the series. Claire replaying the scene where she has Zach videotaping her jumping. Hiro having no power, etc.. It seems likely the series will never go into full fledged comic book super hero team mode, which is probably for the best. It might be more likely that Jospeph Campbell's "Hero with a 1000 Faces". Which is fine, but then, isn't that a theme that's been overdone?
Jessica's fate seems to lie with the typical hollywood cliche view of what the mental health establishment. Hopefully this won't last overlong, as it should be annoying and painful to watch. I can understand people wondering if she suffers from MPD (despite the fact that in the real world, that is not accepted as a real pathology), but the padded walls stuff will get to be a bit much quickly.
I was ready to give this a 4 out of 10 until half-way through where Hiro and Nathan meet again. That bumped it up to a 5 out of 10, which means it still is inutterably bad in some parts and merely tolerable in others. A short review, because the episode just wasn't worth our time.
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Thursday, February 01, 2007 |
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Anime Review: RahXephon Ep.21
By: samwiseb
“In the not-too-distant future you will become unable to remain human. And I will be there to witness it when you do.”
Twenty-First Movement: “The Carved Seal of Xephon (Good-Bye my Friend)”
TERRA HQ. Makato Isshiki announces Operation Downfall, his plan to neutralize the Tokyo Jupiter Barrier using new technology developed by the Federation. The operation is scheduled for 19:50 on 5-23-28. At the Bahbem Foundation, Quon talks with Ernst Bahbem about how awkward it was to see Maya having grown up passed the capability of becoming an instrumentalist. Creepy moment in which Bahbem asks Quon to show her blue abdominal markings to him.
Isshiki pays Ayato a friendly visit in an attempt to win his cooperation. Ixtli-Haruka is with him; spying Mamoru recognizes her for the mysterious non-human entity she is. Isshiki likens Ayato to Haruka’s adopted stray cat, while Ixtli tells him he’s destined to “spin the thread of the world in your own way.”
Nanamori all-too-cheerfully gives Ayato a lift on his way to Itsuki’s lab, then has a frighteningly sudden meltdown as she drops him off (Itsuki still isn’t talking to her). She slams the gas and tears off yelling that she hates everyone. Ayato apologizes for not returning with Quon, but Itsuki assures him she’s safe. He explains that Haruka (Shitow) has only ever cared for one man all this time, who hasn’t even noticed her in return, then chastises Ayato for being so casual with his sympathy. We later see that Itsuki has the same red abdominal markings as Ayato, whom he strangely refers to as “elder brother”.
Mamoru visits Kunugi at his cottage, introduces himself as Mulian and warns that TERRA is about to open up a Pandora’s Box. He exposits that “Xephon” (what the Mu call RX) will soon be “tuned” by Ollin and gain the title of “Rah”, at last becoming the true RahXephon. Ixtli will guide Ollin to attain his Yolteotl (his "true heart"), and the world itself will be tuned… presumably according to Mu specifications. Mamoru disappears, leaving Haruka’s cat Bucchi behind.
Megumi tries to learn more about Ayato by becoming closer to Mamoru… who is unfortunately back in Unstable Possessive Boyfriend Mode after discovering Asahina’s blood-stained dairy. We get a creepy scene in which it almost appears he’s trying to sexually assault Megumi before he falls apart in tears of grief.
Ayato catches up to Mamoru, whom Megumi’s been showing around town, and confronts him about having learned of Asahina’s fate. Whereupon his best friend grabs Megumi in a stranglehold and starts to tell her how faithless Ayato is for killing Asahina and not having the courage to confess about it. With a jealous rage he admits to having been instructed to become Ayato’s friend just so as to “protect” and monitor him. Megumi breaks free and scrapes Mamoru’s face, calling him a coward for thinking he’s the only one who suffers (he then proves she’s right by punching her in the mouth). Mamoru sneers to Ayato of impending changes to come (see header above) and vanishes. Ayato runs to check on Megumi, relieved that she is alright. To Be Continued.
This episode is mostly talking heads, more so than any other RX ep I’ve reviewed, and almost nothing actually happens in it. Ironically, I did not even notice this until I started writing the above synopsis. There’s a lot of information here, with some rather frustrating half-answers to many of the questions we’ve had throughout the series. Even the most static scenes here are charged with a sense of urgency, amidst some ominous dialogue about time running out.
In one suggestive scene we overhear Kim Hotai throwing up in the restroom. Has Sou gotten her pregnant? We don’t know; the question is never again addressed. The scene serves no narrative function; it is completely atmospheric. Perhaps the same can be said for Nanamori’s temper tantrum. Each character in his own way, from Itsuki’s silent jealousy to Megumi’s innocent naivety, seems to be acknowledging some unavoidable doom that’s in the air. We are one episode away from the beginning of the final act.
We have a better idea of Ixtli’s purpose with regards to Ayato/RX, but what is she and how does Itsuki know her? What exactly is Itsuki’s relationship with Ayato, or Quon’s relationship to Maya for that matter? What is the Mulian idea of a properly “tuned” world, and what will it mean to humanity? What will become of Ayato and Haruka if he cannot remain human?
I give this episode a 7.5 out of 10 for its strong character moments, and setup of events to come. It’s not quite enough to forgive the fact that the characters are basically making house calls to each other for the sole purpose of bouncing expository dialogue back and forth. However, things only get more exciting from here on out.
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Thursday, February 01, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- February 1, 2007
'Stargate' Cast and Crew Seek 'Sanctuary'
gateworld.net is reporting that on January 31st the cameras stopped rolling on the initial episodes of the first-of-its-kind Internet series called Sanctuary, Martin Wood told GateWorld exclusively. Starring Amanda Tapping ("Samantha Carter") and Christopher Heyerdahl ("Halling," many Wraith), the series is co-written by Damian Kindler and Martin Wood.
Each episode is expected to be traditional TV-length, so one can anticipate a single show to be in the neighborhood of 40 minutes. What will make Sanctuary unique, however, is its interface. Fans should expect entertainment that is both enticing in story and completely revolutionary in viewing experience.
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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And since it is such a slow news day, I thought I'd bring up the Aqua Teen Hunger Force promotional stunt gone wrong that made the news yesterday since it has some sci-fi elements.
Am I the only one laughing my head off at how funny this whole thing is and got blown out of proportion? I looked at the devices and did people really think that four batteries and a giant Lite-Brite with a Mooninite flipping the bird was really a bomb?
And the media is acting all serious about it and saying things like "the bomb hoax" and such and such. Come on! Is it really a bomb hoax? You see, to me, for something to be a hoax you have to try to pass it off for what it isn't. If someone would've come out and said, "We placed Mooninite bombs around Boston" and then you found out they weren't bombs, THEN it would be a hoax. What we've got here is a great viral marketing campaign and people who get blown out of shape over the littlest thing. Please, keep this in context, and don't say things like it was a bomb hoax.
The only good thing is Aqua Teen Hunger Force is getting a lot of name recognition and publicity now, even more than what they would've got with the Lite-Brites alone. Who does't want to see someone like Bill O'Reilly saying the names Meatwad and Master Shake. That would be just as funny as this incident.
- jiggyj
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Wednesday, January 31, 2007 |
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Brainwaves #1
We've talked about it before and now it has finally happened, but Sci-Fi Brain has just recorded its first ever podcast, which takes the circular banter and opinions of the Brainstorms and puts it in audio form.
We present: Brainwaves #1 (click to download)
Just go to the link and where Brainwaves #1 is just click download to download and listen to it later, or click the listen option to hear it streaming.
This Week's Topics Include:
Weekly News Update
TV-Roundup: Heroes and Battlestar Galactica
Feature: Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the release of Final Fantasy VII
And of course, the usual sidebar discussions on topics such as who would be cast as Admiral Thrawn, "Is Bender a Cylon?", the PSOne classic shooter - Colony Wars, and much much more.
Be sure to tell us your thoughts on it, as we want to make it a really great podcast that you'll enjoy listening to every week. Hope you like.
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Wednesday, January 31, 2007 |
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Battlestar Galactica 3.13 “Taking a Break From All Your Worries” Review
asher_cross
I can sum up my feelings for this episode very succinctly: I liked exactly half of it. The A-plot, which revolves Adama’s and Roslin’s attempts to get information out of Baltar, is an exercise in brilliant acting and staging, particularly from James Callis, whose desperation in the role was pitch-perfect. The scene where he is under heavy hallucinogens, and hears Adama’s Godlike voice while floating in water with a single spotlight on his head was perfectly done – the show’s water-as-meditative-state motif is continued well.
Unfortunately, the rest of the ep is saddled with a subplot regarding the still-annoying Lee-Kara marriage wreckage, which I simply do not care about. After three seasons of these people, they have become the single most angsty and depressive people on television. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t necessarily think sad characters are bad characters; my great affection fir Six Feet Under should prove otherwise. But the writers seem to just find ways to make these characters more and more miserable. I don’t even remember what they do on the ship anymore. Didn’t they pilot fighters at one point and did something other than languish in bars, wonder what could have been, and be wishy-washy about their perfectly attractive and charismatic significant others?
The ending montage, in an attempt to thematically combine the two stories, fell flat, however, as the cuts seemed to take place at very jarring moments in the respective speeches, so it didn’t flow well at all. However, we were treated to a very special mystery in the form of Felix Gaeta. What does Baltar have on him that would make him be that desperate? I have a feeling that if he’s not one of the five Cylons, then it’s some other mysterious atrocity that, in the Lostlike pattern we’ve seen these past couple of episodes, will not be revealed for a long time.
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Wednesday, January 31, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 31, 2007
Hayden Panettiere on 'Heroes'
superherohype.com is reporting that Crave Online talked to Hayden Panettiere about her role as Claire Bennet in NBC's Heroes.
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'24' & 'Heroes' Still Fighting
darkhorizons.com is reporting that they're two of the biggest hit shows on television and on Monday night they faced off for the second time in a friendly but competitive ratings battle.
The results once again were damn close between "24" and "Heroes" with both series thankfully not cannibalizing each other as many had expected they would.
Last week "Heroes" took the crown just barely. This week it slipped a bit back down to 13.6 million total viewers vs. the sixth season of "24" which improved with 15.3 million viewers this week.
Yet "Heroes" took the key 18-49 demographic (6.1 vs. 24's 5.4). Despite its fall from the stellar return numbers last week (when Heroes came in only behind "American Idol" and "Grey's Anatomy" in terms of ratings), the show remains the biggest new hit of the season.
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SF&F Pilots Picked Up By Nets
scifi.com is reporting that SF and supernatural dramas figure prominently among the pilots picked up by the TV networks this year, including a new version of The Bionic Woman for NBC and and a remake of the BBC time-travel cop show Life on Mars for ABC, Variety reported. Overall, the five networks have ordered 45 drama pilots, on par with the 47 green-lighted last year.
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
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The Dresden Files (1.02) “The Boone Identity” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
In this second episode of The Dresden Files, we see a bit more of Harry Dresden’s world as a working wizard in the city of Chicago. Harry is working a case where a man has lost his daughter in a robbery and is looking for some closure. Mr. Harding has been sensing the spirit of his daughter for a year, and has asked Harry to see if his daughter is actually hanging around. Harry gets more than he bargained for when the daughter’s spirit gives him a mental wallop and shows him exactly how she died.
The perp, Gus Boone, shot Lisa Harding, took an Egyptian tablet, and ran out the door. As Mr. Harding explains, Boone tried to carjack a man behind the store, and ended up shooting himself in the head, ending up dead. The stone tablet was found outside the back of the store, broken on the pavement.
Back at Harry’s place, Bob the ghost and Harry are talking about the case. Bob offers to help, but Harry lets Bob know that idea isn’t welcome. In the middle of making dinner, Harry realises that Lisa isn’t moving on because Boone had an agenda that day. Harry concludes that he must delve deeper into the situation and get to the bottom of things.
The next day he goes to Lt. Connie Murphy, and gets the lowdown in the form of seeing the evidence in the case. Marie, in Records, is quite a character, getting off topic with Harry, but also providing pertinent info regarding the case. Harry learns that the man who was involved in the attempted carjacking was Edward Miller, a commodities broker. Marie posits that Boone must’ve scoped out the victim and chosen Miller for his bling-worthy vehicle, a top-of-the-line Porsche. Harry takes a gander at the stolen, broken tablet, which is called the Lock of Anubis. Then he decides to pay a visit to Mr. Miller to talk to him about the incident.
Miller tells Harry about what happened, including how Boone attacked him and how he died. Harry finds out that Boone was holding his left hand on Miller’s chest, while his right hand held the trigger of his shotgun. Harry surmises that Boone pulled his own trigger, and Miller assures him that it was most likely accidental.
On his way out, Harry sees an Egyptian tattoo on Miller’s neck, and finds an Egyptian sculpture of Anubis in Miller’s study. It seems a little too coincidental and, since Harry doesn’t believe in coincidences, suspicious that Miller is interested in Egyptology too. Alas, all Harry has to go on is the fact that Boone stole an Egyptian artefact and Miller has an Egyptian artefact, but he’s getting closer to the germination of an idea, the more he looks into things.
Bob isn’t convinced that Harry is onto anything, but Harry is positive that he is. Lt. Murphy comes over and grills Harry about why he went over to Miller’s place to talk to him about the case. Harry is told in no uncertain terms to drop it and leave Miller alone. Instead, Harry goes back to speak to Mr. Harding. Harding tells Harry that a Lucas Saben bid on the Lock of Anubis. Saben was a prof in Egyptology, which is why he was trying to bid on the piece from the prison that Boone was in as well. Lisa gives Harry and Harding a sign that they’re on the right track, and Harry pays Saben a visit in prison.
Saben tells Harry that Boone was a cellmate, and he knew about Egyptology from Saben’s ramblings at night in their cell. Harry notices that Saben has the same tattoo as Miller. Instead of telling Saben that Miller has it, Saben tells Harry that he tattooed this design on Boone. When Harry hesitates telling Saben who he saw having the tat, Saben wants to see Boone’s autopsy photos. Harry declines and Saben ends their little chat.
Murphy isn’t interested in hearing Harry’s theory about Saben, Miller, and Boone, so Harry is left to his own devices. After Murphy hangs up, Harry is shot at in a drive-by shooting. He goes to the police detachment to tell Murphy about the occurrence, and Murphy shows him the autopsy photos of Boone, sans tattoo. Meanwhile, Murphy is taken aside by another officer; and when she comes back, she tells Harry that she’s been ordered to take Harry to see Miller and make an official apology for Harry’s behaviour.
Over at the Miller residence, Miller is on an internet call with a tycoon out in Las Vegas, negotiating the sale of all his Egyptian artefacts. JT Bergen is coming into Chicago regarding the sale of Miller’s collection at 8pm via O’Hare, and will meet up with Miller after he gets in.
When Murphy and Harry show up, Murphy isn’t there to simply apologize, but ask Miller why he and Boone have the same tattoo and interest in Egyptology. Boone also developed a deep interest about Miller in prison. She shows Harry and Miller a picture of Boone in the prison hospital where Boone’s tattoo is clearly visible. Miller tells them it means nothing and says that he has an appointment. Harry asks if it is with Bergen at 8pm, and then things get sticky. Murphy is taken hostage by Miller, who is really Boone, and Harry tells Murphy that Boone switched bodies by using the Lock of Anubis. Boone/Miller puts his hand on Murphy’s heart and then shoots himself, allowing his spirit to transfer to Murphy’s body. Murphy/Boone then gets up and shoots Harry before leaving to complete his task.
Harry comes to, and realizes that the shield bracelet that he got from his mother saved his fanny. He goes home to plan how to save Murphy from Boone’s nefarious deeds, and makes a voodoo doll. Bob is upset by this action, but cannot come up with anything else that isn’t black magic. During the dialogue, Harry realizes that Saben can help by giving answers.
Harry tells Saben about Boone’s betrayal, and Saben reluctantly tells Harry what to do to destroy Boone. Harry manages to get the Lock of Anubis out of Evidence and takes it over to Harding’s store and gets Harding to put it back together. Harry then calls Murphy/Boone, letting Boone know that he has power over him, and lets Boone trace the call. Murphy/Boone shows up at the shop a while later and Harry sets the plan into action.
Murphy/Boone surprises Harry by stabbing him in the leg with a switchblade during a scuffle, but Harry manages to get Boone to touch his chest, where he was hiding the re-formed Lock of Anubis. Boone is shoved out of Murphy’s body. Harding and Harry watch as Boone is destroyed and sent to hell. Lisa Harding’s spirit shows up one last time to watch Boone be destroyed, before she tells her Dad that she loves him and leaves.
The next day, Murphy comes over peeved with Harry, as she knows he’s lying to her about what happened at Miller’s house, but can’t prove it. She can’t remember anything that went on while Boone inhabited her body, and she doesn’t feel right since the whole debacle. She makes Harry promise not to lie to her ever again.
I will preface this review by saying that I am approaching this show from the point-of-view that it is a separate entity, not a part of the books’ universe. I know that there are a lot of fans of the books by Jim Butcher, who do not agree with how the television show is proceeding, and I can understand their angst. However, the show is based on the books, not a direct translation of the books, and obviously the show-runners have taken liberty with the universe. They have adapted it to fit their needs in a television format. I am reviewing this show based on its merits as a television show, not as a story that has been moved to the small screen. I will read the books, but after I have given the television universe a chance to develop and grow. Those stories will be reviewed as books in their own right, as the show will be reviewed as a television show in its own right. I hope that readers understand that I must be objective and allow the medium that the story is presented in to be the focus of my opinion.
This episode allowed a little deeper view into the world that Harry Dresden inhabits. The viewer is advised by Harry that he not only can cast spells, but see ghosts, among other things. His relationship with Bob is being fleshed out more as well. Bob seems to have developed a bit of a sarcastic verbal characteristic when he talks Harry, and he gave a hint of sexual perversity when he suggested that he go talk to the ghost of Lisa Harding. The way Harry responded to Bob’s idea gave the impression that Bob likes the ladies and that he prefers them young. This may be reading too deeply into the exchange, but it is the impression I received. Murphy seems to be a bit of a “Scully” character, in that she sort of deals with what Harry is, but treats him like an experiment that has yet to render empirical evidence to prove his status. I get the feeling that she sees him as a necessary evil, and one that she wishes was more normal.
The premise of a ghost with unfinished business, while used quite a bit in television, had an interesting twist with the addition of Egyptian mythology and the use of the god, Anubis. I do not expect the writers to get the nuances of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs correct, so I don’t feel that rating the accuracy of any powers ascribed to relics of any religious sects from ancient Egypt is necessary. That the Lock of Anubis allows a human to transfer their soul to another vessel at the point of death is a nifty plot device. It allows the plot to move forward and fleshes out the storyline somewhat. It is not a novel approach, but it serves its own function in regard to the story.
The reference that Bob made to Harry going off on a quixotic quest was interesting. We are given a glimpse into the fact that Harry seems to have a Quixote complex, which could mean some interesting storylines in the future. It directly referred to the fact that Harry felt he had to help the “lost soul” of Lisa Harding in this episode, which helps one understand a little more about who Harry really is.
This show may not have a large budget for things like special effects, but it does not excuse the fact that I felt like the effects were sadly lacking in a show about a wizard. Harry was doing a little more “wizardry” work in the episode, but it didn’t look like much was up. The effects are a way of providing a more compelling story to the viewer, but since the show lacked that convincing element, it detracted from the impact of the “wizardry” taking place in the story. I hope this is a temporary situation, as this is a show that would benefit from a more liberal use of special effects.
The character of Marie in the Records Building of the Police Department was fun to watch. Her propensity to get off topic, as well as her innocent use of double entendres was amusing and provided some needed levity. I hope we will see more of her in the future, as she is a nice comic foil to Harry’s serious demeanour.
This episode was an improvement over the first, and I am sure that the work will continue to improve as the show-runners massage out the kinks. While I know that other people would disagree with me in my assessment, I liked the show based on its own merits enough to give it a 7.3 out of 10.0. It still has a ways to go, but I am willing to give it the time it needs to mature and grow into its own skin.
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Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
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Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 30, 2007
NEW Animated Star Wars: Clone Wars Series Fully in Production!
iesb.net is reporting that new Clone Wars animated, “is fully into production right now,” says ILMer John Knoll. Hello? Fully in production? Where are my scoopers? I want leaked images now!
Okay, for those of who read our interview with the very talented Mr. John Knoll, your eyes were not deceiving you, you read that right.
For those of you who haven’t read it yet here is an excerpt in where Knoll tells us that the new animated Clone Wars is moving forward much quicker than anticipated.
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'Barbarella' Is Back To Save Us
darkhorizons.com is reporting that acid trip of a sci-fi movie "Barbarella" is making a come back.
Jane Fonda faced the hazards of Zero-G stripping, killer dolls and the killer orgasm machine of scientist Durand Durand in the classic 1968 cheese fest.
Now out promoting his new film "Hannibal Rising", legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis confirmed to NBC30 that he's creating a new franchise with the character.
De Laurentiis quickly stated up front that the new film is "not a remake of 'Barbarella"' but "a completely new 'Barbarella.'"
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Museum of Television & Radio’s William S. Paley Festival
aintitcoolnews.com now has up a list of the sci-fi shows that will appear at the festival including:
March 10 “Heroes”
March 13 “Jericho”
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'Heroes' Will End In Cliffhanger
scifi.com is reporting that Tim Kring, creator of NBC's hit SF series Heroes, told SCI FI Wire that the show's first season will end in a cliffhanger that tees up season two, which was recently given a green light. Kring, speaking in an interview at the recent Television Critics Association winter press tour, added that the first season will resolve the current apocalyptic story arc, in which Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) foresees a nuclear detonation in New York.
"Yes, absolutely," Kring said. "That will be resolved in the first season." As for the cliffhanger? "It's not necessarily a cliffhanger in terms of what has been set up so far storywise," he added. "It's more of a cliffhanger as to the welfare and well-being of several of our characters. ... Obviously it plays into where we kick off at the [beginning] of season two."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
Smallville (6.12) “Labyrinth” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
We join Clark in the barn, doing some chores with his dog Shelby. Shelby begins barking, and then Clark is hit by something and when he wakes up he is in some kind of hospital, in a group therapy session. Everyone knows about him, his real identity and the whole Phantom Zone issue. He’s dragged off after he gets anxious, and he realizes he hasn’t got any powers.
Clark is spoken to about his situation by the doctor, Dr. Hudson, and afterwards, while he is in the line to get his medication, another patient named John speaks to him. John tells him not to trust anyone else. John is then dragged away while Clark watches. Then Clark sees an opportunity to escape. He knocks out the janitor and takes his clothes, making a clean getaway from the psychiatric hospital.
When Clark gets back to the farm, he sees Lana in the barn, sitting in his loft. She is happy to see him and thinks he has had the treatment. He tells her that he didn’t, and she asks why he’s out. When Clark asks where his mother is, Lana tells him that she’s probably at the Luthor Mansion. Clark runs off to see her, and when he gets there, he tries to get Martha to leave with him. He believes that it is a conspiracy by the Luthors and both he and Martha are in danger. Martha admits that she is married to Lionel and that Lionel is a kind and decent man. When Clark tries to drag her off, she presses an alarm and security comes in. Clark fights them off and runs out of the mansion. Just as he’s being caught, a minivan screams up and stops. A door opens and Clark makes a break for it and gets in. Chloe is driving and she takes him away from the danger.
Chloe drives Clark to the old Talon, and explains that the Luthors are after them. She says she knows he’s been drained of his powers, but she wants to help. Clark wants to confront Lex, even though Chloe is counselling against it. He is adamant, so Chloe loans him her van and he takes off. When he storms in to confront Lex, Lex is surprised to see him, considering that Clark ruined his life when he caused the accident that cost Lex his legs. Lex tells Clark about what really happened on the bridge five years earlier, and Clark is stunned when he sees Lex in a wheelchair. Clark thinks it may be a trick, but Lex assures him that it is not.
Clark makes his way back to the Talon, and while he calls out for Chloe, Lana turns up. She tells him that the Talon has always been an abandoned movie theatre, not a converted coffeehouse, and that Clark really did cause Lex’s accident. Clark goes upstairs to see Chloe, and she explains that he shouldn’t listen to Lana and that if she’s there, Luthor’s men are right behind. She tells him that they have to get going to escape. When she comes downstairs, Clark follows her. Luthor Security come in and Chloe draws a gun. Luthor Security shoot Chloe before she can get a shot off, and she dies in Clark’s arms.
Clark is back in the hospital and Dr. Hudson is explaining how Clark made up his pretend world, showing him a jar of Jorel soap, and Clark sees things around the room that show how he used the items in his “delusional fugue”. When Clark is back in his cell, John is speaking to him from the cell next door, telling him that Clark is infected by a Zone prisoner and he needs to kill Hudson in order to get rid of the Zoner. He explains that Hudson isn’t a human, he’s the Zoner, and once Clark kills him he’ll be free of the delusion. John tells him to not take the treatment or the Zoner will win and use Clark’s body to unite all the escaped Zoners.
Clark is brought to the treatment room, where Lana is waiting. She tells him that Hudson is letting her be there for him, and explains that if this is a delusion, wouldn’t he rather be with her in the delusion instead of watching her marry his greatest nemesis. He gets strapped in and as he watches the drill move towards his head, he hears Shelby barking. This gives him the impetus to fight back and he manages to kill Hudson. Once Hudson is dying, the Zoner leaves his body and we see John standing over Clark in the barn, using some red crystal to suck the Zoner in. Clark gets up, now free from his mind prison, and looks at John. John smiles at him and takes off, zooming into the night sky in a flash of red. Chloe comes into the barn and Clark gives her a giant hug, and then gives Shelby a pat for saving his life.
Later, as Chloe and Clark talk, he’s explained what happened and Chloe says that Kryptonite isn’t Clark’s only weakness, as Lana was the ultimate carrot. The next day, Clark runs into Lana at the Talon coffeehouse, and they talk. Clark tells Lana that he had a dream about her the other night. Lex comes in and Clark tells him that he’s glad to see him up and about. Lex tells him that he sounded almost sincere. Lex takes Lana out of the coffeehouse as Clark watches.
This wasn’t a bad episode, as it reminded me of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode where Buffy finds herself in a psych ward too. It differed in that an alien power was trying to take over Clark’s body, whereas Buffy just got some icky demon juice on her that caused the mental break. I enjoyed watching Clark be at a loss regarding his surroundings. It was fun to see him have to deal with things outside his personal power, considering how he seems to be large and in charge all the time.
Lex as a disabled person who was still incredibly bitter over his circumstances was interesting too. I wonder why Lex didn’t get therapy to help him accept his situation, because all that bitterness sure didn’t suggest that Lex had done any work on dealing with his lot in this life.
I am kinda curious about John’s real identity. His eyes glowed red just before he raced off and then he zoomed out of the barn and flew up into the night sky. The guards refer to John within the delusion as being from Mars. His super-speed left a red trail. Could this actually refer to the red planet? The CW website refers to John as Martian Manhunter, but I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t consulted the site.
We aren’t given much regarding whom or what the Zoner that was trying to take over Clark’s body was. Hudson was simply a manifestation of the Zoner within the delusion. We received no explanation as to what this Zoner was really like. Apparently it was powerful enough to attempt to take over Clark, but not strong enough to complete the transfer without the tacit agreement of the host. So, when we see this, it leaves open a lot of questions. Would the Zoner suppress Clark’s personality? Would the Zoner retain all of Clark’s abilities? What about memories? What would the Zoner keep or be unable to access? It was kind of annoying. While I felt badly for Clark, being stuck in this delusion, I never got the impression that Clark was in deep trouble. It seemed more of an inconvenience.
There were some issues that bothered me about this episode. Where did Lana go when Chloe was shot? She never came down and surely a gunshot would cause her to investigate. Martha was positively timid around Clark. Why didn’t Clark pick up on this and use it to strengthen his belief that there was something wrong with his reality? Lana was not the strong woman she has become as well. She was pretty insipid, and really lovey dovey to boot. She has never struck me as insipid or lovey dovey. Why didn’t Clark pick up on that? Sure, he was in a delusion, but even in my dreams I know when something’s hinky. The Security team shot Chloe, but then no police action or any type of ramifications ensued. I can’t really believe that the law doesn’t apply to the Luthor’s, as we have seen many a big man on campus fall under the heavy hand of criminal charges. These issues dampened the episode for me.
“Labyrinth” wasn’t really a maze for me, and while I found it fun to see Clark locked up in a psych ward, it wasn’t a terribly satisfying episode. While I didn’t enjoy this as much as I thought I would, I still cannot justify the episode by giving it a generous rating. So, this episode of Smallville gets 6.5 out of 10.0.
On a side note, we need a reviewer for Smallville for this site starting with this week's episode, so if you are interested in doing the review, please email me at jiggyj[at]scifibrain.com. We are also looking for volunteers in general, who may want to review a TV show we don't cover, sci-fi movies, sci-fi novels, etc. If you are interested in any of the above, email me. Later!
Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 29, 2007
Davies Wants Britney For 'Doctor Who'
digitalspy.co.uk is reporting that Russell T Davies has revealed that he wants pop star Britney Spears to appear in an episode of Doctor Who.
Rather than asking Spears to help the Doctor to save the world, the show's writer Russell T Davies wants her to be cast as a group of aliens cloned to look like the 25-year-old singer.
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Fillion Shifts Gears to 'Drive' and Mentions 'Lost'
jam.canoe.ca has an interview up with Nathan Fillion about his new series Drive, and makes a mention to his character on Lost.
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Ask a Celeb : Darren Aronofsky's Answers!
moviehole.net now has up a QA with Darren Aronofsky, the director of the sci-fi films Pi and The Fountain.
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Reader Review: 'The Astronaut Farmer'
latinoreview.com is reporting that reader Joe Crispo caught an early screening of The Astronaut Farmer in Los Angeles and sent us an email to tell us all about i. He shares his thoughts and a lot of two dollar words for a very intensive review of Billy Bob's upcoming flick. The film follows former astronaut-in-training Charles Farmer (Billy Bob Thornton) pursues his lifelong dream by building his own rocket in the Polish Brothers' family film "The Astronaut Farmer." On the eve of his launch, he must battle foreclosure on his ranch, a small-town community of disbelievers, the FAA, and FBI agents who want to shut him down in the name of Homeland Security – but remains determined to reach his goal and instill in his children the courage to pursue their own dreams, no matter the odds.
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Groening's Bargain to Yield Four 'Futurama' Movies
rottentomatoes.com is reporting that Ftopel writes: "After DVD revived "Family Guy," Fox looked at their other major prematurely cancelled cartoon for a possible second chance. While "Futurama" will not return to the Fox Network, Matt Groening got Fox productions to give him four whole straight to DVD movies for the "Futurama" crew.
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'Heroes' Sylar Will Surprise
scifi.com is reporting that Zachary Quinto, who plays the superpowered serial killer Sylar on NBC's Heroes, told SCI FI Wire that his character isn't pure evil, he's just misunderstood. "I think he's somebody that sort of got overtaken by a desire that he didn't expect to overtake him as powerfully as it does," Quinto said in an interview. "And it starts from a place of really just wanting to be valued and desired, and it evolved into something that is really insatiable. And that's sort of what carries him: It's this insatiable hunger. I think he enjoys it to a certain degree. I think he certainly is aware of what he's capable of. But I don't think that it's something that he is sort of going after for the sake of going after it."
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
Roswell (2.16) “Heart of Mine” – Review
By: jesuiscanadien
Liz and Sean are hanging out, not really on a date, and at the end of the night Sean leans in and kisses Liz. She breaks away first, looking awkward. The next day, she tells Maria about the situation. Liz admits that she’s conflicted because of what’s going on with Max, which is exactly nothing. Maria tells her not to worry because it’s not like she actually kissed Sean back, but when Liz doesn’t say anything Maria feigns revulsion.
Meanwhile, Max and Michael are talking about how Max is beginning to remember their home planet. Michael only wants to know what the girls looked like. Max tells him to be serious, and says that he remembers everyone, but Tess comes through the clearest.
All around the school, everyone is agog about the upcoming Prom. Isabel is happy for others, but sad about herself. Michael and Maria are fighting about it, and Max asks Liz to Prom, but just as friends.
While Liz is having a rotten life moment when she missed the bus, Sean offers her a ride to school. Liz finds out that Sean cannot go within 1000 feet of the school due to his probation. He also tells her that when they kissed, it was the first time he felt at home in Roswell. She tells him about her and Max going to Prom, and Sean cynically responds by saying that Max knows how to work the system. Liz gets upset regarding the inference that Max isn’t an upright guy, and voraciously defends him.
More Prom talk ensues. Isabel tries to finagle an invite from Alex, who isn’t biting, Maria needles Michael some more, and Kyle asks Tess, who graciously accepts.
During the Bickersons fighting, Maria finds out that Michael is seeing a woman named Juanita, and she and Liz are spying on him when they meet. They talk about Max and Prom, and Maria only succeeds in getting more agitated. When Liz goes over to Max’s house to ask what’s up with Michael, at Maria’s aggrieved request, she sees Max with Tess as they are doing some memory exercises to trigger his memories of home. She sees them hug after he remembers a bit more, and she walks away.
When she gets back to her home, Sean is waiting for her. She yells at him and he asks her if she wants to go somewhere. They hit the bowling alley, for some late-night strikes, and Sean tells her that they’re not that much different. He explains what he means and invites Liz to enjoy herself a little by skating around on the bowling lanes.
Back at Max’s place, he and Tess are talking about their memories of home. Tess tells him that her memories of him are the clearest.
Over at Alex’s house a knock at his window freaks him out. When he goes to the window, he sees it’s Isabel. She comes in and tells him that this is her last Prom as she’s on an accelerated graduation program. He asks her to Prom and she happily accepts.
The night of Prom, Michael is working in the kitchen, while Liz and Maria fuss over outfits. Kyle and Tess come in and Kyle talks to Maria about the disconcerting moments they both have had as they find Valenti making out with Amy DeLuca in odd places. Isabel and Alex come in, as does Max, and Amy gets everyone together for a group photo before they take off for the night. Liz says in a voiceover that she has the unnerving feeling that this will be the last time they all get together like that.
At the Prom, Isabel thanks Alex for taking her there. Kyle gets deeply offended when one of his acquaintances makes a sexual crack about Tess, referring to Tess as his “sister”. Max and Liz dance, but Liz brings up the Max/Tess connection and she tells him that it has to be completely over between them (Liz and Max). Liz goes to Maria, telling Max that Maria’s all alone, and he lets her go with regret.
In the eraser room, Kyle is talking to Tess and tells her that he thinks of her as family, like a sister. She tells him that’s okay, and while she’s a bit disappointed, she understands. They hug over the agreement.
Michael shows up at Prom and he explains that Juanita was his dance instructor. Maria feels foolish, and he says that Juanita told him that he was a hopeless case, but if she’d like to chance it…Maria agrees and they go dance.
On the way back to the dance, Tess sees Max and tells Kyle that she’ll meet him inside. She asks Max what’s wrong and he tells her that Liz and him are really over.
Inside, Isabel and Alex are dancing, and Isabel kisses Alex. Alex tells her not to do that, but she kisses him again. Liz sees this and walks out of the dance.
Max is still talking to Tess, telling her about his memory of their first kiss. They re-enact their first kiss as Liz walks in on them. She drops her corsage in the garbage and walks out of the school, going to the bowling alley, where Sean is. She ends up skating on the bowling lanes with him as the night progresses. The episode ends with an overview of what happens at the rest of Prom, and with her and Sean at the bowling alley.
This show is getting a bit boring. I know that Max and Liz aren’t supposed to be together for a while, but man, they could’ve not wasted an episode on it. Plus, I found the whole “Prom” thing to be tedious and overdone. Maybe “Prom” is one of the most exciting nights of a teenager’s life, but I barely remember mine and don’t consider it relevant to anything I’ve actually accomplished in life. An episode dedicated to the tradition may resonate with the under 18 set, but it means little to anyone who hasn’t seen that decade in a while.
The Bickersons were back! Thank goodness, as this episode needed them like nobody’s business. Michael and Maria fighting go together like peanut butter and jam, or Pinot Noir and brie. Anyhow, Maria and Michael bring a freshness to any episode, especially when they’re at each other’s throats. While this time it was Maria screwing up, Michael wasn’t helping anything by getting snotty with her. Ah, young love. Makes me terribly nostalgic.
The dress that Isabel wore to Prom was a bit old for her, as it made her look 30 and desperate. I say that out of love, because she was with a geeky guy, so the scenario was a bit on the side of “geek hires hooker to be his date”. I would’ve chosen something that didn’t scream “look at me” but then I like understatement. Otherwise, Isabel was pretty. She’s always pretty, which should make me hate her, but she’s so darned nice, I can’t help but like her. Even when she’s being a beyotch, you still like her. I think that it must be the actress, Katherine Heigl, who is so nice it just seeps through to her character. She’s such a sweetie in real life, it’s contagious.
Overall, this episode garners a terribly low 5.0 out of a possible 10.0, as I am yet again disappointed by what the writers have offered. Good heavens, I hope things change soon.
Sci-Fi Brain News -- January 26, 2007
New Images From 'The Astronaut Farmer'
iesb.net now has up some new images from The Astronaut Farmer.
From the time he was a child, Charles Farmer (BILLY BOB THORNTON) had only one goal: to be an astronaut. Earning his degree in aerospace engineering and joining the Air Force as a pilot, Farmer was a natural for NASAs astronaut training program and was well on his way when a family situation forced him to drop out and return home—effectively ending his career. But Farmer was not a man to let anything stand in the way of a dream. He spent the next decade and every cent he had building his own rocket in a barn on his ranch in Story, Texas, working toward the day when he could triumphantly launch it into space. By himself.
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SCI-FI BRAIN INDEX
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