Another Earth

August 18, 2011 — 1 Comment

Another Earth is more of an existential drama than a science fiction flick. On the same night that a planet resembling Earth appears in the sky, a teenage girl commits one of the worst crimes imaginable. After contact with the second planet is made, the world soon discovers that every human on Earth has a duplicate on “Earth 2.” It’s not long before a contest is launched by a spaceflight agency. The small group of people who win will become civilian passengers on the first shuttle to Earth 2. The interplanetary theme is a fascinating backdrop to the real matter at hand: the teenager wants to contact one of her victims. Actress Brit Marling (who plays Rhoda Williams) brings balance to a controversial character who could easily polarize an audience. The real fun is asking yourself one question: If there was a lottery to meet another version of yourself, would you have the courage to play?

Guest blogger from Seattle

Cowboys and Aliens

August 11, 2011 — Leave a comment

One of the highly anticipated movies of the summer arrived a couple of weeks ago. Instead of a bang it landed with a meh.

Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford leads an all-star cast that includes Keith Carradine, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell and Clancy Brown. Daniel Craig is perfectly cast as the amnesic Jake Lonergan who wakes up in the desert with a mysterious band on his wrist. He has no memory of who he is or why he’s there. He learns that he is a wanted criminal. As he tries to solve the mystery of who he is, a group of town folk are kidnap by some mysterious entities. The town bands together to fight the unknown band guys. Along the way the group encounters the typical western folk: Indians and bandits.

Cowboys and Aliens has a cool steampunk look to it. The western style has a very modern feel to it from skinny pants to stylish prairie dresses. The alien technology gets the short shift and we never get a feel for what their tech can do. The aliens look great and are wholly original. Unfortunately, the aliens are not given a personality or an opportunity to communicate their nefarious motivates.

With an impressive list of writers and producers, the plot is surprisingly paper thin. The special effects are great but not enough to hold your attention.

Catch it as a rental

May 9, 2011 — Leave a comment

Does cancellation spur creativity?

As Stargate Universe wraps its two year run tonight, I wonder if the reality of cancellation has provided a spark creative output from its showrunners.  After a dismal first season with unlikeable characters and boring plots, the show started its second season on a bubble, but found its creative footing.  With the announcement of its cancellation, the creative team started rehabilitated its characters and finally drew me in with its storylines.  Looking forward to see if the strong writing lasts until the end.

Through the Wormhole

July 7, 2010 — Leave a comment

The new series “Through the Wormhole” seeks to unlock the secrets of the universe.  The premiere episode “Is There a Creator?” follows different theories examining the creation of the universe. Various scientific disciplines are challenging our perceptions of the universe.  We get a peek at Garrett Lisi’s “The Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything”, which is a unique attempt to unify the universe through mathematics.  Next up, Michael Persinger, a leading neurologist, puts forth in our minds.  As humans evolved our brains have developed a system to help us filter our understanding of our place in the world. The most controversial theory is that God is real that we are living in a simulated world.  The hypothesis is that the details found in computer code can be found in reality and maybe a higher being has created our world and the people who live in it.

Although advance theories are discussed the premises are broken down so that a lay person can follow.  If the premiere episode is any indication, this series promises to open our minds to fresh and challenging ideas.

Wednesdays on the Science Channel