Archive for May, 2008

SciFi Sunday: Speed Racer hits a speed bump, Friday’s Battlestar & Dr. “Who Cares”

May 11, 2008 | Movies, Science Fiction, TV

Tricia Helfer as Six on Battlestar Galactica

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Speed Racer. AS previously mentioned, I took my son and three of his friends to see Speed Racer at Jordan Furniture’s IMAX Theater on Saturday. The film wasn’t as bad as I expected from the reviews, but still, I wanted to like it more than I did. The story itself isn’t bad, as long as you understand going in that you are essentially watching a comic strip, just with living actors instead of pixels. The biggest problem — the film is just too damn long. Clocking in at well over two hours, they could have easily cut 30 minutes and had a better film with more appeal.

Initial reports have it falling far below initial box office estimates, with Iron Man in its second week beating it at the box office by far.

Which doesn’t surprise me in the least. I took Douglas to Iron Man, which is about as long, last weekend and he was captivated throughout. As were my brother, mother and I. At Speed Racer though, about 30-40 minutes before the film ended, he started pestering me with “how many more minutes?” When an eight-year old kid can’t wait for a film aimed at eight-year old kids to end, you know there’s a problem.

Bottom line: See Iron Man in the theater, save Speed Racer for DVD. It’ll be there soon enough.

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Friday’s episode of Battlestar Galactica, Faith. One of the better episodes this year to-date. Still not enough Adama and zero Lee, but the two main stories, one featuring Roslin dealing with her cancer and the other Kara and her crew dealing with the Cylons, were far more gripping than the previous two eps, which felt more like story exposition than action.

As the title suggests, the episode dealt with Faith. In one arc, Roslin comes face to face with a terminally ill patient whose faith has been restored by Baltar’s preachings. How will Roslin reconcile this with her feelings about Baltar? The other arc was devoted to the prickly rapprochement of Kara’s crew and the rebel Cylons.

It was refreshing to see Starbuck, Helo and Athena acting as a team again, for whatever reason, but the best part of the episode, and one of the highlights of the season to date, is Tricia Helfer. She absolutely rocks, the way she can imbue each and every Six with a different personality. Certainly, the hairstyle and wardrobe changes help, a device not offered as extensively to the other Cylons, but it goes beyond that. She has developed into a superb actress who can hold her own with some of the best on this show, and I look forward to watching her every week. Especially when she portrays the Six leading the Cylon rebels.

Bottom line: A-. Full episode streaming on SciFi.com.

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I’m sorry, friends, but as far as I am concerned, it isn’t Doctor Who. It’s Doctor Who Cares? I watched Friday while waiting for Battlestar, and the best part of the episode was the intimation that this version of the Doctor wasn’t long for this, or any other, world. Beccause literally that’s all I can remember about the episode two days later, and I have a pretty good memory. I am sure David Tennant is a wonderful actor, but he’s not my idea of Doctor Who. I adored Tom Baker in the 80s, and thought Christopher Eccleston was brilliant as Doctor Number 9. I still get goosebumps thinking of the episode The Doctor Dances. While I don’t want to rush him through his remaining incarnations, I long for a Doctor I can love. Especially since the future of Torchwood seems a bit unclear.

Technorati Tags: Speed Racer, Iron Man, Battlestar Galactica, Tricia Helfer, Doctor Who, science fiction

Mother’s Day Bouquet

May 10, 2008 | Spring

Some pictures from my garden using the macro function on my new lens.

More Mother’s Day

May 9, 2008 | Funny

(hat tip The Best Week Ever.TV)

Technorati Tags: Mother’s Day

Tweet tweet

May 8, 2008 | Birds

No, for once I am NOT talking about Twitter. Since I got my new telephoto lens (and refilled the bird feeders), I have been obsessed with the bird activity in the backyard.

Yes, I am most definitely a backyard birder. I have a bird book and binoculars. And the new camera lens. But I don’t venture much past my yard.

But in addition to the usual cardinals, chickadees, robins and blue jays, here’s what I’ve seen in my yard just over the past few days:

Mallards

Goldfinch

Tufted Titmouse

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

A woodpecker that I am still trying to ID I think this may be a female Red Bellied Woodpecker

Some sparrows with yellow heads, also still trying to id. We think these are Chipping Sparrows

Technorati Tags: birds, birding

On Mothers and Mother’s Day

Family, Parent bloggers

How do I want to be recognized this Mother’s Day?

That’s the theme of this week’s Parent Bloggers Network BlogBlast in support of Johnson’s new charitable giving site Baby Cause. I wrote about the campaign last week, and have been giving some thought to the question since.

The truth is, anything my son gives me for Mother’s Day — whether handmade, selected at the local gift shop with his Dad or plucked from my fairly short wish list — will be absolutely perfect. And pale in comparison to the joy of having him in my life. Even when he is being a pill.

I’m one of those moms who always wanted children, but wasn’t driven by the need. If it happened, it happened. And if it didn’t, I had my husband, his daughter and my pets, who were and still are my other children.

What fool I.

I give thanks nearly every day that I did get pregnant naturally at 37. Because I wasn’t smart enough to realize how much I wanted my son until we had him, I would not have resorted to fertility treatments. And now I cannot imagine my life without him.

My son loves magic shows, so this Sunday, we are taking him to see David Copperfield in Boston. Watching him have fun will be the best Mother’s Day present I could have.

And if there’s a real present too? Wonderful, but just the icing on the cake of spending a day with my guys.

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Mother’s Day is an important holiday for me because it gives me a chance to tell my mother how much I love and appreciate her. There are really no words to express how much her love and support have meant to me all my life. I would not be the person I am today without the solid foundation she provided for me and my brother.

So, thanks, mum.

After all, who else would come with me on Saturday when I take four eight-year olds to see Speed Racer? No one else — not my brother, not my husband. Just my mum.

Here she is, introducing Douglas to RoadRunner last weekend. I figure she won’t mind this photo, being that it is of her best side and all.

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Finally, a few words for some lovely mom bloggers who are expecting their second child this month. I’m a little late to the virtual shower for Her Bad Mother, Mrs. Chicky, and Mrs. Chicken but never mind.

I only have Douglas, so I can’t comment on what it’s like to add the second child to the mix from the parent’s perspective. I am however the oldest, by 2.5 years, of two, and my brother has always been one of my best friends. Even when we argued, we would abandon our fight the minute someone else picked on the other. Sometimes I am sorry that we didn’t have a full sibling for my son, so he could have this experience, but he does have his older sister, my husband’s adult daughter.

My advice for you: just keep trusting yourself. Your instincts about the right things to do for your children will always be better than any advice on parenting from someone else. Because every situation is different. That’s not to say that advice isn’t good or welcome. But in the end, trust yourself.

Because mother really does know best.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Technorati Tags: Mother’s Day, Parent Bloggers Network, Johnson’s Baby Cause

Goldfinches in the Backyard

May 7, 2008 | Birds, Spring

I filled the bird feeders last night and today have seen a pair of goldfinches, chickadees, some sort of sparrow, a woodpecker and a pair of tufted titmouse. And of course the usual blue jays and robins. Managed to get some decent pictures of the finches.

A little blurry but I like it anyway.

My telephoto lens

May 6, 2008 | Animals, Equipment, Travel

I’ve alluded to it here and written about it a little on New England Mamas but today, I am going to tell you all about my new love: my Tamron telephoto lens.

For Christmas, my wonderful family (husband, son, mom and brother) gave me the Canon Digital Rebel xTi that I craved. It came with a very acceptable 18-55mm lens, and I’ve been enjoying messing around with the camera since the holidays.

My brother also recently got his first DSLR, a Nikon. We’ve always geeked out about stuff together — from Star Trek in the 60s til now and Web 2.0, so we’ve been talking cameras a lot lately. He even contributes here from time to time. He got a telephoto lens about 6 weeks ago, and from the moment I saw his, I was jonesing for my own. But trying to be fiscally responsible and all.

Then we went to San Diego on vacation. And while I wished for more proximity while watching the pandas,

it was at the beach watching Doug play in the surf that I realized I didn’t just want a telephoto lens, I absolutely needed one.

Because I am just WAY too far away.

I had to go north on business mid-week during the vacation, but when I got back, God bless my husband, he found a photo shop near Balboa Park in the Yellow Pages (remember those), George’s Camera, and we went there to talk telephoto.

While I am a big believer in online shopping, I am sooo glad we went to a good photo store for this purchase. They showed me a number of mid-price options, including official Canon lenses, but the Tamron prevailed. And not just on price, though at less than $200, it was much less expensive than either of the Canon options. What sold me? The macro function. I had it on the lens on my old Pentax film SLR, and I really like being able to shoot close-ups of flowers.

Like this one I shot on Coronado Island:

Or this one at the San Diego Wild Animal Park:

So now I can get close up on David and Douglas, when they are not paying attention to me with the camera, as well as get close-up shots of birds and animals.

Doug, Coronado

Doug and Dave, La Jolla

Doug and Dave, at the William Heath Davis House in the Gaslamp District

San Diego Wild Animal Park - Cheetah

Elephants

A one-day old giraffe and his mother

And seals, La Jolla

Worth every cent.

Technorati Tags: Tamron, telephoto lens, San Diego, La Jolla, seals, San Diego Wild Animal Park, panda, cheetah, elephant

SciFi Sunday: Iron Man

May 4, 2008 | Movies, Science Fiction

Warning: This post may contain spoilers.

I am Iron Man.

Today we saw Iron Man. And I am going to go out on a limb and say this is the best sci fi film I have seen since Blade Runner. Not that others — ET, Close Encounters, Serenity, iRobot among others — haven’t been good.

But this film rocked. And not just because of the Black Sabbath tune. In fact, it may get a place on my top ten films of all time.

What’s so great? The story. And Robert Downey Jr’s performance. When he’s on the screen, he owns it. I know action films don’t tend to get nominated for Academy Awards, but this performance deserves it.

The supporting cast. Terrence Howard and Jeff Bridges are excellent. Gwyneth Paltrow, who can be annoying and whiny, is excellent.

The special effects. Awesome but they don’t eclipse the performances, and that’s what makes a great film. Versus a video game masquerading as one.

Bottom line. Run don’t walk to your nearest theater for this one. And stay ’til the bitter end, all the way through the extensive credits. You’ll be glad you did.

Sequel? Please.

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I have an SG-1 action figure of the Prior hanging around from my last contest. So, here’s your chance to win a present to give your geek nephew or niece for his or her birthday or some other holiday. Tell me your top ten movies of all time in the comments on this post. Giveaway period: now through May 31st. Winner announced June 1st.

Here are mine, in no particular order.

• Blade Runner
• Serenity
• Princess Bride
• Usual Suspects
• ET
• Iron Man
• Wag the Dog
• Rocky Horror Picture Show
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Notorious

I’d also like to recognize 1930s and 40s comedies in general. Among the best: The Thin Man, It Happened One Night, Bringing Up Baby, Arsenic and Old Lace and The Philadelphia Story.

Same general terms as previous giveaways: Adults, US including Alaska & Hawaii, Void where prohibited. One prize winner, picked using a random number generator, gets the SG-1 Prior action figure. Entry period ends May 31st at midnight Eastern Daylight Time. Winner announced June 1st.

Technorati Tags: Iron Man, science fiction

Cam and Vala off to new homes

May 1, 2008 | Contest, Science Fiction

There were 10 comments (excluding my own) on the Ark of Truth review, so we have winners for the Mitchell and Vala figures. The poor Prior is still in the storage closet with the second set of figures, so I guess I’ll have to come up with another way to get him out of the closet.

Winner of the Cameron Mitchell figure is Nightsister, who said this about Daniel Jackson:

“I also think you need to really watch how Daniel (and the rest of the team too) develops from “Children of the Gods” to the present — it’s not just the hair that changes, honest! — but I would recommend “Lifeboat” for an amazing Michael Shanks performance.”

Winner of the Vala Mal Doran figure is ColeJ, who had this to say:

“If you want to see the best of Daniel Jackson, then “Meridian” from the 5th season is a “must watch” episode because 1) Daniel sacrifices himself to save a planet of people who are too stupidly selfish to save themselves; 2) you will get to see how profoundly Daniel/Michael Shanks affected each of his teammates in the first five seasons. The cast’s reactions are genuine and mirror that of the characters. For a later episode that shows, again, how far Daniel will go to make life better/safer for the masses, watch season 10’s “The Shroud”, which ties in directly to the Ori storyline and “The Ark of Truth”. The geeky nerd from the original movie, though he becomes macho and militaristic in later years, manages to retain his deeply unselfish tact throughout the ten years of the show and continues to believe in and dedicate himself to a “greater good”. He never becomes cynical, which is refreshing in the often-dark environment of the Stargate reality.”

Winners were selected using a random number generator.

Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts on Daniel Jackson with me. Please keep reading SciFi Sunday, especially when Continuum is released, when I will do my second SG-1 action figure giveaway.

Technorati Tags: Stargate SG-1, Ark of Truth, science fiction