Simply Everything

Alice in Wonderland

By Peter K. Lam

I went to watch “Alice in Wonderland” in IMAX 3-D today and it was ok. There was a lot of hype about how magnificent it was going to be but honestly it did not really live up to the hype. The story was not as layered as I thought it’d be and it seemed to be gear more toward children. The 3-D graphics was not really utilized either. It seemed to be used to add addition dimensions to the characters and scenery. There were no scenes where stuff was flying out at the viewers. The 3-D was really not necessary. It could be also that the film was not made specifically to be in 3-D. I didn’t watch “Avatar” in 3-D so I don’t really have a comparison of how “Alice in Wonderland” fared with “Avatar.”

The story was pretty basic as well although there were a few confusing parts. It’s not made clear from the beginning that this live action version is actually a sequel to the animated film. I went in thinking that this was a re-imaging. The audience finds out later that the movie takes place after animated version. It would’ve been a better movie if it had more symbolism and adult-like themes.

On a side note, 3-D is just a passing fad. The technology is still not efficient enough to go mainstream. It might never get to that point. Some movies are able to pull off 3-D while others cannot. Some just don’t make sense to be in 3-D. It doesn’t add that much to the movie-going experience. Since “Avatar” made 3-D a recent hot topic, it may stay in the public eye for a while but I predict that the hype will die down in the coming years.

By Peter K. Lam

Don't they look similar?

I finally got around to watching “Avatar” yesterday after it’s been out for several weeks. I didn’t really intend on watching it but after all the hype from friends and others who watched it, I felt that I should give it a try and watch it. I actually tried to watch “Avatar” some time in January but the theater I went to had water damage to the projectors  from the heavy rains we had. I wasn’t able to watch that day so I watched “Daybreakers” instead which was also an entertaining two hours. I went in to watch “Avatar” with no reservations about the movie at all. I didn’t read in depth reviews or followed up on the backstory. All I knew is that a lot of people went to watch it and it was breaking records left and right.

The concept of this movie is that humans from Earth landed on a planet called Pandora with the sole purpose of raping the planet of its natural resources. Unfortunately the humans are not  the only intelligent life on the planet. The indigenous natives, called the Na’vi, are very protective of the land and happen to live right on top of the largest quantity of the natural resources the humans are after. The humans developed avatar technology which basically allows humans to connect to a body created of human/Na’vi DNA. The intent was to use the avatar bodies to communicate and hopefully assimilate into the Na’vi society to help find a diplomatic way of moving the Na’vi to another location rather than starting an all out war.

The visual effects of the movie was pretty incredible. The avatars are CG but were modeled after the actors and used motion capture technology to create some of the action scenes. The CG was so very detailed that some of it looked pretty real. I watched this in 2D as well so I can only imagine how more incredible it looked in 3D. The world of Pandora is rich with color and life that you probably would’ve been full immersed in if you watch it in 3D.\

The story itself was slightly altered from the age old tale of humans using up natural resources with no regard to the harm they were doing to the ecosystem around them. Even so, this new take on that story was gripping enough to carry viewers all the way through.

One complaint I have about the movie is about the colonel character. He was ridiculously macho and was the most annoying of all the characters. Arrogant, barbaric, and inhuman, he was just hard to identify with. He wanted to destroy the Na’vi and did not care that he would annihilate them just as long as he gets the natural resources he’s after. The most ridiculous thing about this character is that he’s so “tough” that he seemed practically impervious to harm. His arm was on fire at one point which he had practically no reaction to. He also attempted to stop the escape of the rebel forces by bursting out into the hostile atmosphere without any oxygen. He held his breath for probably 5 minutes or so and used several kinds of weapons while pursuing the rebels which is not humanly possible. He was a highly exaggerated stock character of a typical soldier as seen in other films. In this case he seemed to be a direct copy of another soldier in the animated film called “Small Soliders.” Look at the picture and you’ll see the resemblance.

Other than that hiccup in the movie, “Avatar” was thoroughly enjoyable and promises to entertain. I watched the 2D version which was cool. I’m sure 3D would be just as good. It’s probably better for those who want to feel “apart” of Pandora.

The cast of "Battlestar Galactica"

By Peter K. Lam

First, I want to apologize for not posting any new blogs for the last several months. All of my time was taken up by watching the recently completed science fiction series, “Battlestar Galactica,” which aired on the then Sci Fi network. Ever since “Battlestar Galactica” aired in 2004, I have heard nothing but good things about the show. I did not have cable at the time so I was never able to watch the show. I would catch bits and pieces of the show whenever I traveled or I’d catch a random episode when I stayed at a friend’s house. Although I didn’t have a clue about what’s going on, I still found myself completely sucked into the story. The dialogue, imagery and symbolism is incredible.  The words the characters spoke and the manner in which they said it was gripping. I was fascinated but how complex and deeply layered the show is. My friends who watched the series finale told me that they were so moved that some of them even started to cry. After that, I knew I had to watch the series in its entirety. A TV show so powerful that it can move someone to tears must be a show that truly engages you.

I guess all my talk about “Battlestar Galactica” prompted my brother to buy me the HD DVD for Christmas in 2008. Even though I had the whole first season right there in my grasp to watch at any moment, I left it near my file cabinet where it collected dust for several months. I don’t know what prompted me to pick it up and start watching it this past August. Once I watched the mini-series, I found myself just completely immersed into the story and watching hours of it. Three or four hours would past likely nothing at all. It was crazy. The last time I was so into a show was while watching the FOX network’s “24″ on DVD which I also did some crazy marathons with. So over the course of a nearly three months, I completed the entire series and my god, “Battlestar Galactica” has seriously become the best show I have ever watched.

Those of you who have followed me know that I’m a pretty tough critic when it comes to TV shows and movies. I want entertainment not just for entertainment’s sake. I want entertainment that thoroughly engages your mind and gets you thinking. Shows and movies that gets you to think and maybe even question your ideals are shows that stick with you. The ones that give you a good laugh for a few seconds fade from our memories just as fast. The ones that move you and engage you mentally and emotionally tend to have a profound, lasting effecting on you.

“Battlestar Galactica” is a show which examines humanity at its best and worst in the face of extinction. The broad spectrum of emotions that this show conveys is simply amazing. One episode you may find yourself filled with anger whereas the next episode you may feel joy. In many episodes you may feel anger, fear, frustration, hope, and happiness all in one single episode. I have never watch a show that could be so powerful that I would tear up but “Battlestar Galactica” is one of those shows. I have been moved throughout several different points of the entire series. The show truly calls into question the cycle of life and the lifestyle in which we are all too familiar with. Even though the show takes place from in a different era than our own, many of the things the characters go through are things we may have already gone through, are going through, or will go through.

Even though I have already completed the entire series, I’m watching the show again with my brother. It’s his first time watching the complete series. I’m watching it again really to catch the pieces of the story that I may have missed. In the next few months I will be writing more about “Battlestar Galactica” and examine some of its characters as well as some of its overarching themes. It’s been ages since I felt compelled to write an essay about something but here I am. “Battlestar Galactica” is really THAT good that I feel the need to discuss and critically analyze it down to the very last detail.