Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
This is a comment I left on a review of Avatar on Dark Worlds blog that raises issues with the lousy science in Avatar:
Then there is the subject of evolution on Pandora. All the animals have six limbs. Four up front and two in the back. All of them, including the Pterodactyl like creatures. Four wings and pair of legs. Four eyes as well. One pair above sightly farther out than the inner pair.
Everything except the Terminator Smurfs. Two eyes, and four limbs.
Radically different biology, yet they could mesh their nervous system with the local animals.
Did the Terminator Smurfs braid their hair to protect the nerve bundle or did it grow like that naturally.
Oh, why did the Pterodactyl like creatures naturally develop stirrups for the Terminator Smurfs?
With all the “scientists” they had on that planet, why didn’t any notice that the Terminator Smurfs obviously didn’t evolve there?
Originally posted at e-Ramblings
Update: One of the comments points out that the story line is remarkably similar to a Poul Anderson short story, “Call Me Joe.” There are also comments about the movie drawing from Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The World for World is Forest.” I would add Alan Dean Foster’s Midworld as well.
Tags: Avatar, Movie, Science, Science Fiction, SciFi
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Friday, January 1st, 2010
Star Wars
The 1977 original! The one where Han shot first! B-Movie? You betcha! Check out sets, the plot, and delicious evilness oozing out of the bad guys. George Lucas is a big film buff and this is a tip of the hat to multiple genres, including some Japanese classics and WWII flying Ace movies.
Friday B-Movie Archive
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Movie, Science Fiction, SciFi, Star Wars
Posted in Movies, Science Fiction | 1 Comment »
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Merry Christmas! Let us revisit this classic 1989 film starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid in one of his best known roles.
B-Movie Archive
Tags: Christmas, Friday B-Movie, Humor, Movie
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Friday, December 11th, 2009
Sukiyaki Western Django
This flick isn’t just wacked, it’s wiggity wacked! It’s a spaghetti Western filmed in Japan, with Japanese actors speaking English, with a strong Samurai influence, with a dash of Shakespeare thrown in plus Quentin Tarantino as the only non-Japanese member of the cast.
Friday B-Movie Archive
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Movie, Samurai, Western
Posted in Martial Arts, Movies | 1 Comment »
Friday, December 4th, 2009
Bandidas
This B-Movie has some delcious eye candy by way of stars Penélope Cruz and Salma Hayek. To make it even better, that is they way they like it! This Western female buddy film costars Dwight Yoakam, Sam Shepard and Steve Zahn. It didn’t get any Oscar nominations, but it was a hoot to watch. A fun action comedy that goes well with popcorn.
B-Movie Archive
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Movie, Western
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Saturday, November 28th, 2009
The Spirit
Another comic adaptation movie. This time it’s Wil Eisner’s classic indie comic. The cast is top notch and clearly had a lot of fun making this. Samuel L. Jackson is the villian, and Scarlett Johansson and Eva Mendes, well it really doesn’t matter what role they play, they raise the eye candy factor a bunch of notches. The fact that they do a fine job of acting just adds to the fun factor of this movie. Eisner fan Frank Miller was behind this and it shows in his unique visual style.
Friday B-Movie Archive
Tags: comic book, Comics, Friday B-Movie, Movie
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Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
There was a really cool, in an uber-nerd Trekker kind of way, cross over in the latest big budget Star Trek movie. In the middle of the bridge set, the one that looks like an Apple Computer threw up, not just once, but twice, you saw on of the biggest ST:TOS fans in existence, James Cawley.
Cawley is the man behind Star Trek: Phase II, some of the finest fan produced Star Trek episodes out there.
Tags: James Cawley, Movie, Science Fiction, SciFi, Star Trek
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Saturday, November 21st, 2009
Strange Brew
Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis star in this 1980’s comedy classic about a couple of Canadian lads out to make the Great White North safer for beer, hockey and back bacon. Oh, and don’t forget beer, can’t mention beer enough when talking about this movie.
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Humor, Movie
Posted in Movies | 1 Comment »
Saturday, November 14th, 2009
Van Wilder
This early work by Ryan Reynolds is a fitting successor to Animal House. Complete to the actor who played Otter appearing as Van’s father.
Friday B-Movie Archives
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Humor, Movie
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Friday, November 6th, 2009
The Foot Fist Way
Oh my! I studied Tae Kwon Do back in the 70’s and 80’s and there is a lot more truth to this film than I am comfortable thinking about. It is very funny in spots and in the end, a story of a man finding his center and confidence in who he is, and being able to pass that message on to others.
Friday B-Movie Pick Archive
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Humor, Martial Arts, Movie
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