Jacob Foxx's Blog, page 60

Walking Dead Season Finale Short and Disappointing

Season 4 had some big ups and some great moments, but the season finale was not one of them. Season finales can either give closure to one of the conflicts going on among the characters and/or it can pass the story to a new phase. This season finale of Walking Dead was confusing, short, and failed to bring our heroes to a new phase in their struggle. It was a cliffhanger but fairly weak as far as cliffhangers go.

Season 1 ended with the revelation that the zombie apocalypse is nationwide and that it is indeed a virus, akin to the Resident Evil plot. They made it to the CDC, to get answers from the government only to find the government is gone. Season 2 finished with a final showdown between Rick and Shane and the loss of the farm. Season 3 ended with an epic battle for the prison and the fall of the Governor.

All three involved major battles, that in one way or another resolved key conflicts or revealed a greater portion of the overall story of the zombie apocalypse. The fourth season finale did not. The group is still divided, and the exact nature of the threat is still unknown.

The flashbacks of Rick and Carl trying to farm didn’t seem to connect with the contemporary events. Turning from fighter to farmer was a path to normalcy that Rick wanted for himself and his son. However, they weren’t trying to resume a normal life in the finale, they were trying to find out if Terminus was for real.

Was it about Carl’s restoring his humanity after killing that boy? If so, it doesn’t fit with what happen in the contemporary scenes. Carl’s humanity isn’t what was being threatened in this episode. The great connection in the episode was the one between Mishonne and Carl, not Rick and Carl.

Rick’s instinct to save Carl and be his rock of support is perfectly understandable but we’ve experienced so much with them, I am wondering why their relationship hasn’t changed. How many times are those two going to have the same conversation, same conflict? Carl has proven himself in several instances to be a man. He isn’t all that bright, and lacks good instincts but he is not afraid and is willing to do what is necessary to survive.

Everyone seems convinced Terminus is a cannibal town. The bones and the things written on the walls suggest it. I’m not 100 percent convinced. Can you persuade that many people to eat human flesh? There are dozens of them. They are fairly clever given their shooting and the rooftop defenses. Yet, they let people right in. That level of sophistication requires some high functioning psychopaths, and plenty of them.

Most of the people of Woodbury were good people. The Governor was lying to them, concealing his murderous, sadistic ways. Not sure how the leaders of Terminus could conceal what they are doing.

The human experience side of the series is strong but starting to wear me down. With so much PTSD to go around, the audience is starting to get a little numb. At least I am. We know these people are traumatized and extremely screwed up. They can’t keep showing us that over and over.

Walking Dead has already subjected the group to so much. To continue for another four seasons would be a bad idea. Whether it is new characters, or spinoffs, I think the show is going to have to go in a new direction soon, possibly prepare itself for a conclusion in the next couple seasons.

AMC is shameless with its advertising and promotion during the episode. It doesn’t bother me much because I am nuts about the show. But when you add that many commercials, it gets irritating.

Still, I love the show and I will continue to watch it. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm for the show is starting to dwindle. A dramatic and stunning conclusion, or a new phase for the group would be awesome at this point. Will the group overcome the Terminus threat? You have a possible romance between Darryl and Beth, who is still missing. Tyrese forgives Carol but will Rick be able to live with her? Will Tyrese and Carol make it to Terminus?

The first four seasons have entertained, thrilled, devastated, and enthralled me. It is one of the few shows that has brought me to tears, both happy and sad. It presented a zombie apocalypse with an incredibly powerful focus on the human experience. The gore was there, but it is nothing like the zombie movies from before. It tries harder to earn your suspension of disbelief. For me, it succeeded.

Walking Dead is special, but it is not infallible. This season finale was weak and inconclusive. I truly hope it isn’t a trend.

J

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Is Genetic Memory Real?

The discovery of DNA is one of the great discoveries of the 20th century. As we learn more, it will continue to increase in importance and could lead to a whole new wave of medical breakthroughs. It is also likely it will lead to all sorts of other innovations that we can’t imagine.

Researchers at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia may have discovered one of the unanticipated qualities of DNA. Their research demonstrates the possibility that memory can be communicated via genes from parent to child. During the tests they learned that that mice can pass on learned information about traumatic or stressful experiences. Exactly how information is transmitted from the parent’s brain into DNA is unknown. It is also unknown how such information can be stored in DNA at all.

The researchers conditioned the first generation of mice to fear a certain smell: cherry blossoms. This can be done by inflicting some stress or pain to the mice whenever they are exposed to the smell. This was done before conception of the next generation. The mice were then allowed the breed. The second and third generation of mice from those parents developed a sensitivity and fear of the smell of cherry blossom without any conditioning.

These findings raise all sorts of questions. Are humans also capable of inheriting memories from their parents? What about memories from multiple generations all the way back to prehistoric times? There is also questions about the manner of the memories. Is it only traumatic experiences and fears? Can we inherit intellectual or spiritual experiences?

In Frank Herbert’s Dune, the Bene Gesserit are a sisterhood that can access the memories of their female ancestors, through the use of the spice. It is called Other Memory. Muad’Dib is able to search through the memories of his ancestors to learn the truth of things. His son Leto, who becomes God Emperor, is able to inherit memories of billions of ancestors. Herbert’s idea that memory, sometimes specific experiences, could be passed on was considered a sort of mystical element to the Dune Chronicles and not actual science. This research suggests their could be a speck of truth to it.

There are also social implications. If we can inherit more from our parents than just physiological characteristics, society would inevitably revisit old ideas like those of nobility, eugenics, and the importance of tribal and national identity. The egalitarian melting pot and open immigration policies would also be reexamined. We could find ourselves having discussions in the future that many were having back in the 1930s.

It was not long ago that people believed that lineage was paramount in evaluating an individual. Even before the discovery of DNA, people believed that an individual is largely comprised of who their parents were. If you were descended from wealthy, intelligent, upstanding citizens you were likely to become the same. If you were born of poor, uneducated and criminal parents, you would end up the same. Parents often wanted to know the lineage of prospective husbands and wives for their children. Even if genetic memory is limited to traumatic events, it will be easy for people to take an unscientific approach and begin resurrecting old ideas about people being from “good stock” or “blue bloods.”

There is also the danger of returning to 1930s thinking in terms of race. In the US and Europe, scholars and scientists were embracing the idea of eugenics, that to preserve quality traits in individuals, blood lines needed to be controlled and purified. Sterilizations were conducted in the US and Europe to prevent the “feeble-minded” from breeding and passing on bad genes to future generations. It was a way of controlling evolution with people deciding what those preferred traits were. Nazi Germany took the idea to the extreme, creating a mythical Aryan bloodline and a desire to protect it at all costs from Jews, Slavs, and other undesirables. Non-Aryan’s were considered almost sub-human. If humanity and the world were to progress, the Aryan and races equal in strength had to rule and carry on.

This wasn’t just a Nazi idea. Plenty of American progressives held the same ideal. The difference was American eugenicists weren’t homicidal; instead they preferred sterilization. Americans also didn’t believe in Aryan or any kind of ancient or mythical bloodline. They wanted to protect specific traits, not people. Course, those desired traits were typically those of the upper class. When people make decisions, they are rarely objective or based on science. Inevitably their biases and prejudices will find their way into these decisions.

Eventually geneticist proved our 1930s notions of eugenics and desired traits were not based on scientific fact but cultural stereotypes, or just flat racism. We no longer sterilize people by force, although many still encourage people to get sterilized or abort voluntarily. Most believe there is nothing wrong with mixing races, ethnicities, nationalities, or any other combination of cultural bloodlines. In fact, we’ve learned that a lack of mixing can lead to genetic disorders. At the same time we learned that there are a few genetic disorders that are directly inheritable, and therefore we encourage parents who possess the gene to be aware that it may pass to their children.

Memories are different. If we extend the idea of inherited memory to feelings and thoughts, we start asking ourselves if a serial killer or psychopath can pass on those feelings and memories to their children. What about pedophiles and other sexual predators? What about sociopaths? Should we consider limiting the reproductive rights of such people? In some ways we already do, through incarceration without conjugal visits. To go a step farther would vest incredible new powers in the criminal justice system.

What about positive memories and thoughts? Perhaps we should encourage the great people of our time to reproduce as much as possible and pass along their genetic memories, in hopes of producing more Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mother Theresas, Stephen Hawkings, Martin Luther Kings, Isaac Asimovs, or Angelina Jolies. Individuals will no longer be evaluated on individual merit (to the extent they are today). We might even see college admission decisions be more heavily influenced by genetics, parentage and ancestry.

There is a basic reality we need to acknowledge before going off the deep end. We do not possess specific memories from our parents. I don’t have any memories of a previous life, whether it is my Dad or another one of my ancestors. Perhaps I inherited a fear of heights or spiders from them. Maybe, I am a bit on the anti-social side because of some previous experience, or maybe I am more passive than normal because of an ancient memory rather than my own experiences and biological makeup. There’s no way to know definitively.

If genetic memory exists and does influence humans, it is hard to see it as a major factor in our personalities. Most of what makes a person unique can be traced down to their own experiences and biology. Whatever role genetic memory plays, it is minor. Psychology, although not a “hard” science, has been able to produce compelling evidence and arguments of our individuality separate from our ancestry.

What if certain people have the ability to directly access genetic memory? What if we all have the ability but don’t know how to do it? There might be a way to access them, the way Muad’Dib did. In Dune,the Bene Gesserit and Muad’Dib are the only ones that can access Other Memory. Maybe in the future some will learn to access Other Memory.

Like everything else in science, it can be used to benefit humanity or for sinister purposes. Genetic memory carries with it a dark past of eugenics, compulsory sterilization, and genocide. We need to be careful and make sure we follow the science and not our own feelings and prejudices.

J

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Movie Review: 300 Rise of an Empire

The highly anticipated sequel to Zack Snyder’s masterpiece offers some of the same great action, gore, and spectacular visuals of the first one but just doesn’t stack up anywhere else. 300: Rise of an Empire bastardizes the Battle of Artemisium and the Battle of Salamis taking so much away from the potential of the story. Unlike its predecessor, Rise of an Empire fails to capture the historical significance of the two battles, the tactical genius of the Greeks, and the almost mythological status of some of the key leaders.

The movie is about the exploits of Themistocles, the Athenian general who defeated Xerxes’s father Darius at Marathon, and defeated Xerxes at the pivotal battles at Artemisium and Salamis. The two naval battles comprise the second important strategic setback for Xerxes in the second Persian invasion of Greece. The back story of Xerxes is explained as well as his fearsome naval commander Artemisia, played by the exceptional Eva Green. The special effects are premium, and the unique visual style of the original is maintained in this one to great effect. The music was also well composed and relayed the powerful war drums that can get anyone’s adrenaline pumping.

Unfortunately the Snyder/Miller version of Artemisium and Salamis just don’t generate the same kind of drama as Leonidas and the stand of the 300. The Battle of Thermopylae in the first movie was supposed to be a heroic act of sacrifice to give the Greek city-states time to rally, or perhaps to help inspire the neutral cities, convincing them that victory over Xerxes was possible. Even if this was historically inaccurate, it makes for a great story. Many Greeks declared neutrality or just took Xerxes’ offer and joined the Persian army. King Leonidas proved victory was possible and that Sparta should abandon its adherence to religious tradition in the face of annihilation. It also solidified the legendary reputation of the Spartan warriors.

Rise of an Empire doesn’t have nearly as much going for it. Its climax is the Battle of Salamis, where the Greeks united to defeat the Persian navy under the command of Artemisia. The movie poorly communicated the importance of King Leonidas’s sacrifice, even suggesting the Spartans wouldn’t help in the Battle of Salamis. Why does Queen Gorgo, after trying so hard to persuade her own people to destroy the Persians in the first movie, seem so reluctant in the second? It was always the desire of Leonidas and Gorgo to fight the Persians alongside other Greeks. They did so at Thermopylae, fighting with Arcadians.

Frank Miller’s work isn’t meant to be historically accurate, but it might’ve helped to stick to actual events a bit more. One thing about history, the storyline is consistent and coherent (sort of has to be). The Snyder/Miller version suffers from several plot holes.

The order of battle was ridiculous. To exaggerate the imbalance of forces in the first movie made sense. It is what gave the Battle of Thermopylae its fame. Snyder and Miller exaggerated the naval battles in this movie, basically making the movie “300 at sea.” The problem is the Greek navy was a respectable force, and was outnumbered 3-to-1 at the most. Not great odds but nothing like the stand of the 300. Th exaggeration was unoriginal and pushed my suspension of belief to the breaking point. How many 100-to-1 battles are these guys going to win? This isn’t supposed to be a cartoon or comic book battle (although it is a graphic novel).

Why did they fight so well? The move tries to argue that it is the ferocity of free men fighting to defend their country, effectively selling a similar claim as in the first movie. But Leonidas and the 300 nearly won because the Hot Gates was a narrow passage, funneling the Persians into a bottleneck. They were also the greatest warriors on the planet. Naval battles don’t work that way and the Athenians were just citizen-soldiers.

 

SPOILER ALERT

 

The most confusing part of the plot was the final battle. Snyder and Miller changed the Battle of Salamis, completely discarding how the historical Themistocles defeated Artemisia, and replacing it was something much less interesting. I’m not sure why they deviated from the historical battle.

Queen Gorgo acts out of character in several scenes in this film, eventually playing a key role in the Battle of Salamis. I suppose Miller wanted to appeal to a modern audience, by playing up the importance of the female characters. I can definitely go along with that, but Gorgo was a queen, not a general or admiral. Nowhere are we told that Gorgo is an expert warrior or that women could command navies. Gorgo was already an important character and didn’t need the bump.

Why were they insistent on being so graphic and realistic in terms of the blood, guts, raping and pillaging, yet felt they needed to be PC with the role of women in war??? If you’re going for graphic realism, go all the way, don’t compromise to political correctness, particularly on the strongest female character in the first movie.

Artemisia’s character was compelling at first but inconsistent. Some of her lines were pretty cheesy. She displayed no tactical prowess whatsoever. She proved an expert warrior in the melee but that didn’t make up for her total lack of imagination leading the Persian navy. It was basically attrition warfare. Any commander could’ve done that.

Her character also became confusing as the movie progressed. Early in the movie, we are told her motivation is revenge on Themistocles for killing her surrogate father Darius, then it isn’t, then it is again.

Disappointment is the best way to describe my feeling after seeing it. 300: Rise of an Empire has amazing visuals, sound, and action sequences. The choreography is awesome, but 300 had a certain romanticism and mythological proportion to it. Rise of an Empire doesn’t have it. It’s just straight war.

It is looking more and more like Zack Snyder is a one hit wonder. After 300 he just hasn’t delivered. Sucker Punch and Legend of the Guardians were both terrible. Man of Steel was average at best. Watchmen had some good moments but was over-hyped. Now I hear of  a possible Superman-Batman project, which sounds more like an idea for a kids cartoon, not an action movie.

3 Stars for being great action, but overall Rise of an Empire is forgettable.

J

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Fantasy Movies: 2014

While fantasy did extremely well in television and literature, that success didn’t translate to the big screen. Only three fantasy films grossed over $200 million in box office receipts (if you include Thor). Many flopped despite great special effects and A-list stars. It wasn’t quite as severe as the sci-fi flops, but still not quite what Hollywood was hoping for. Fantasy has yet to extend its domination to the big screen.

One of the biggest TV shows today is the middle fantasy epic Game of Thrones. There’s also TrueBlood, the sexy vampire show. On the lighter side, there are plenty of teen fantasy shows like Vampire Diaries, Green Arrow, Being Human, and Lost Girl. Some are pararomance, but others are straight horror or dark fantasy.

On the literary side, fantasy novels are easily outselling sci-fi. George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire and Charlaine Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series continue to entertain millions. The final novel in the Wheel of Time series also enjoyed tremendous success.

It’s clear romance and vampires dominate fantasy these days. Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson provide a couple exceptions, but one can’t help but notice the adult tilt of popular fantasy on TV and literature. For some reason, Hollywood hasn’t been brought it to the big screen. Most fantasy films are family friendly, including the successful ones.

Thor: The Dark World straddles the two genres using the tagline, “in Asgard magic and science are the same.” I mentioned it in my list of sci-fi movies, but one could put it in this category as well. It earned over $200 million, without vampires or any kind of pararomance (unless you include human/god romance in that category).

Another success was Peter Jackson’s second Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug. It made $243 million, earning the top spot among fantasy films. Oz the Great and Powerful, another movie based on a classic work, also earned over $200 million. Both these movies were entertaining, although I recommend watching The Hobbit in 2D rather than 3D.

For 2014, the list is a little shorter than the sci-fi list, but there are some exciting titles. The final Hobbit movie comes out, which will put an end to the unnecessarily long trilogy. Peter Jackson is testing everyone’s patience, stretching one book into over six hours of movies.

300: Rise of an Empire follows Zack Snyder’s masterpiece about the battle of Thermopylae. It’s “sort-of” history with serious Hollywood CGI spin. Snyder gets back to the franchise that brought him fame, after his not so impressive Sucker Punch and Man of Steel. I definitely intend to see this at the theater.

After several fairy tale remakes flopped (Hansel and Gretel, Jack the Giant Slayer), Hollywood is going to try again with Maleficent. It is the telling of the Sleeping Beauty story from the perspective of the “Mistress of all Evil.” It stars Angelina Jolie, which should bump up the hype level considerably.

Two Greek myth stories are coming as well, both based on the hero Hercules. The Legend of Hercules came out a week ago, and had devastatingly bad reviews. The second one, entitled simply Hercules, stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. There isn’t much info on this one yet.

I, Frankenstein comes out next week, starring Aaron Eckhart. These Victorian Era monster remakes have struggled of late. From the previews, this one looks like it will follow suit. It seems the best fantasy formula is to include a pararomance and/or a love triangle. Without vampires or an attractive 20-something lead, its hard to see this one breaking the bank.

Speaking of vampires, the teen fantasy Vampire Academy comes out later this year. It follows the successful teen vampire formula, which Buffy, Angel and others have exploited so well. It looks like it is more comedy than serious fantasy, starring Zoey Deutch (Beautiful Creatures).

On the darker, more adult side, there’s Dracula Untold starring Dominic Cooper. Cooper did an outstanding job as Uday Hussein, Saddam’s son, in the disturbing drama The Devils Double.

If you want adult, dark, and sexy fantasy, TV and literature is where it’s at. If you want more family-friendly, fun fantasy, you’ll find it in theaters. However, I think it’s a gritty fantasy that will be the big winner this year. 300: Rise of an Empire looks to be the most exciting release in 2014, with The Hobbit: There and Back Again up there with it.

J

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Sci-Fi Movies: 2014 Edition

The year 2013 was not particularly friendly to science fiction. A number of high-budget, over-hyped films underperformed or bombed entirely. The biggest losers were high tech and military science fiction, while the few winners had a distinctly dark, dystopian feel to them. Superheroes had a great year, guaranteeing more Marvel And DC Comic adventures for years to come.

The top grossing film of 2013 was the dystopian-bloodsport-love triangle story, Catching Fire, which grossed an estimated $414 million in the US alone (nearly $900 million worldwide). Suzanne Collins’ brilliant dystopian trilogy continues to capture the imagination of a wide audience. In second place was Iron Man 3, grossing an estimated $409 million ($1.2 billion worldwide). Superhero movies in general continued their hot streak with Thor: The Dark World, which got good reviews and solid box office receipts at $203 million domestic ($632 million worldwide).

Other big winners were Man of Steel, Star Trek Into Darkness, and Gravity. All crossed the $200 million mark domestically.

For me, Gravity and Star Trek were the top sci-fi movies this year, with Catching Fire still on my to-see list.

Now for the bombs: Oblivion, After Earth, and Pacific Rim all failed to get past $110 million domestically despite the hype. All three were high-tech post-apocalyptic movies with weak acting and bad writing. The highly anticipated Ender’s Game also failed to inspire much excitement, despite being a better than average movie. All of these movies had a post-apocalyptic or militaristic feel to them.

Movies based on books also had mixed results in 2013. For example, the bestselling Stephanie Meyer novel The Host was made into a hugely disappointing movie. It earned a laughable $26 million, barely a tenth of its Twilight cousins. I didn’t see it but, critics seem to agree it was truly awful.

Hollywood is going to have to raise its game. It appears Americans are raising their expectations on movies, even summer blockbusters. Poorly written films struggled despite their top-notch special effects and big stars.

The list of releases for 2014 demonstrates noticeably fewer military movies, but otherwise the same buffet of superheroes, sequels, reboots, and dystopias.

The third installment in the Hunger Games series, The Mocking Jay Part 1, will be out in November. Katniss Everdeen is a cultural phenomena, but without an actual hunger games in the story, can the new movie keep audiences fixated? There is also the question of whether viewers will endure the story being chopped into two movies. There have been rumblings that Peter Jackson might’ve overreached when he broke The Hobbit into three long movies.

In the dystopian realm, there is one early challenger to The Hunger Games hegemony. Divergent, the film based on the Veronica Roth novel, brings us to a dystopian society in near future Chicago. The main character, a young attractive woman (of course) discovers she is genetically different than the five genetically specified castes within the city. Now she’s a mutant on the run. The clip features a teen romance angle, which fits the pattern of Twilight, Hunger Games, and others. But teen romance with young attractive stars doesn’t equal success. Beautiful Creatures and The Host both bombed last year.

On the superhero side, The Amazing Spiderman 2 and Captain America: Winter Soldier will be out in 2014. Neither of their predecessors were very good, which dulls my desire to see them. Marvel Comic fans will also get Guardians of the Galaxy, which takes place in space with none of the Avengers present. The cast includes Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, and Chris Pratt.

I also have mixed feelings about X-Men: Days of Future Past. The Wolverine flopped thanks to a horrible ending but the success of X-Men: First Class and the inclusion of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Lawrence in the cast will push up the expectation level on this one. It involves time travel, which makes me uneasy as well. There hasn’t been a good time travel movie in a while.

The Transformers franchise returns with a fourth movie, which discards Shia LeBouf in favor of Mark Wahlberg, a major upgrade. Kelsey Grammar is another addition, but don’t get too excited. Talented supporting actors don’t help that much. John Malkovich’s small role in number three was a waste. The previous movies also suffered from weak writing and several plot holes, but still managed to make considerable money. It is doubtful Michael Bay and crew will try harder on this one. As a hopeless lover of fighting robots, I will definitely see this one in 3D.

2014 will include two reboots: RoboCop and Godzilla.

Joel Kinnaman plays Alex Murphy with supporting roles from Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and Samuel L. Jackson. The old films were brutal, violent, and cheesy. Hopefully the reboot will use a different formula. Unfortunately, the trailers suggest they aren’t venturing too far from the originals. Godzilla abandons the disastrous Devlin-Emmerich formula of the 1998 Godzilla. The horribly performed and written movie was shunned by fans. Godzilla looked like a retarded T-Rex with no teeth. The reboot looks much more interesting. From the trailer, it looks much darker and more of a military sci-fi/apocalyptic movie. It is one of the few for the year.

My dark horse pick for the biggest movie of the year is Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. The previous installment was absolutely amazing, making viewers sympathize with a computer-generated ape over flesh and blood actors. The rise of Caesar and the smart apes continues in this story, in what may be the only post-apocalyptic winner in 2014. This one stars Gary Oldman and Keri Russell. It also has a new director and new writers, which causes some concern for me. Still, there is so much to work with here in this classic franchise, I am optimistic.

Another intriguing movie is Interstellar. The space travel film, with a cryptic trailer, stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, and Jessica Chastain. Christopher Nolan directs this one, his first since Dark Knight Rises. It feels like its less special effects and more human experience.

Two other possible big films are Transcendence and Jupiter Ascending. Transcendence is about a scientist working hard to perfect artificial intelligence. It stars Johnny Depp and is directed by Wally Pfister, a first-time director. It sounds like a boom or bust project to me.

From the early trailer, Jupiter Ascending looks like a sci-fi, dystopian version of Snow White, starring Mila Kunis and Channing Tatum. It is, however, directed by the Wachowskis, the masters that brought us The Matrix.  Can they get Tatum to act? Is this anything more than the same old stale love story?

They missed pretty badly on Cloud Atlas, so maybe their magic is gone.

Tom Cruise is going to try again with Edge of Tomorrow, which looks like Oblivion meets Groundhog’s Day. Cruise is stuck in a time loop, which is several months or years long. He’s a soldier, using powered suits in a war that his side loses. He must find a way to win it.

There’s also Maze Runner, which is based on the novel by James Dashner, is about a boy thrown into a maze with a bunch of other boys. Their memories are erased and they must somehow survive the deadly maze. Sounds a lot like Hunger Games, right?

I am looking forward to this year, perhaps a bit more than last year. I am a fan of the Transformers, Godzilla, and Planet of the Apes franchises. Interstellar also looks interesting. I am also cautiously optimistic about Mockingjay Part 1. The other titles could surprise, but for now, don’t excite me.

Up next: 2014 fantasy movies

J

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Predicting the Coming Dark Age: The Knowledge Apocalypse

Course of Empire, by Thomas Cole

Speculative fiction writers are not feeling too optimistic these days. Both genres have produced numerous post-apocalyptic and dystopian works that have shifted it into a much darker place. There are many different pathways to our destruction. There are zombies, aliens, nuclear weapons, plague, the machines, cyber-attack, new world order fascism, totalitarianism, the antichrist, global warming, and greed. After the cataclysmic apocalypse, many see humanity falling back to a simpler life, more pure to some. For such a future to unfold, it would require the destruction of a vast amount of human knowledge.

Our modern life today is an accumulation of millennia of knowledge contributed by inventors, thinkers, builders, and dreamers. The vast amounts of information are stored in libraries, databases, and within the minds of our best and brightest. An individual living today will never acquire more than perhaps a tenth of percent of all human knowledge. Instead, he relies on the acquired knowledge and skills of other specialized citizens to provide for the needed expertise to sustain a modern lifestyle.

Think of all the things the average citizen doesn’t know. He or she hardly knows how anything works! We don’t know how a cellphone works, let alone how to fix it. We don’t know how to turn coal into electricity, or how to build a car. Some of us can’t even change the oil. Most of us don’t know how our plumbing or electrical systems work in our houses. Most of us can’t perform emergency surgery or diagnose a medical condition in a dying patient. Most of us have no idea how to raise and harvest crops or livestock.

Today’s citizen is so highly specialized and lacks so many basic skills, any kind of catastrophe would leave millions helpless. Novels such as Cyberstorm, World War Z, The Passage, and Earth Abides capture this modern vulnerability. We are so heavily dependent on the knowledge and skills of others, that we are all dangerously interdependent.

A devastating war or cataclysm may not necessarily bring about an age of darkness. There would be a period of upheaval, many would die or fall into poverty, but societies can recover with time. Japan and Europe proved surprisingly resilient after World War 2. Russia restore itself in many ways after the fall of the Soviet Union. Many countries throughout the world have endured calamity but has managed to find their way out of oblivion.

Societies are resilient because the knowledge and skills they rely on can endure calamities.

As mentioned above, all human knowledge is acquired and stored. Any technological breakdown can be repaired as long as the right specialists survive the cataclysm. Even if many of them don’t, the knowledge storage systems may still survive (i.e. libraries, universities, museums, etc.). New specialists can be trained, although there will be a drop off from the previous generation. A true apocalyptic collapse requires the destruction of the knowledge base.

Consider the Library of Alexandria. It was the ultimate storehouse of all accumulated human knowledge in the classical world. When it was destroyed, the loss was irreplaceable. It is believed technological progress froze in its tracks as a result, which later led to a the period known as the Dark Ages. In Rome in particular, there was a clear regression in its civilization.

It is clear the ancient world was more susceptible to a knowledge apocalypse. The Library of Alexandria was one storehouse and it stored scrolls and parchments, which had few or no copies. Today we don’t have that problem. There are thousands of physical libraries throughout the world. Burning one down certainly would be harmful but nowhere near the catastrophic or irreplaceable loss of the destruction of the Library of Alexandria.

More importantly, we have countless virtual libraries: computers and the internet, giving us the means to store the data on hard drives.

The literacy rate and disbursement of skills in the classical world was pretty low. Most people were illiterate and had no access to the vast amounts of knowledge in the Library of Alexandria. The number of skilled professionals, artisans, craftsman, scholars, and others were very few. Kill a few of them off and entire disciplines could disappear, which increased the need for apprenticeship. It was important for every skilled artisan to pass on his knowledge and skills because there was no other way to preserve it. The printing press changed that and enhanced our ability to store knowledge. In the modern world, the literacy rate approaches 100 percent and the number of professionals and skilled laborers is much higher.

To truly bring about a Dark Age in the modern era, a lot of people would have to die, and a large number of knowledge storehouses would have to be destroyed.

Max Brooks’s World War Z offers a glimpse of a possible “brain drain,” which would bring about a slow decline in human knowledge. As the war against the zombies progresses, people have to retrain themselves, gaining new basic survival skills, with no opportunity to use their highly advanced and specialized skills from before the war. Lawyers, nuclear engineers, and IT specialists needed to learn to forage, raise crops, handle a gun, and learn to build makeshift shelters. If the war lasts long enough, eventually no lawyers, engineers, or IT specialists will be trained. All progress ceases and the level of knowledge among the populace gradually drops. The intellectual atrophy wouldn’t reverse until the world found peace and was able to rebuild and grow once again.

The longer a crisis or calamity lasts, the longer there is no need there for such advanced technical knowledge. Eventually the next generations learn more practical skills, like self-defense, agriculture, and carpentry. To be a true decline, the atrophy would have to last for over one generation, with no preservation of accumulation human knowledge.

There is another possibility, which threatens human knowledge: dependence on computers. What if we completely converted to electronic databases? Libraries became server rooms rather than shelving physical books. A cyber-attack that knocks out our information infrastructure could effectively destroy all our storehouses. There is also the possibility of an EMP attack. If we become completely dependent on computers and the internet for information, we leave ourselves vulnerable. Such innovations are not invincible.

An apocalypse is a revealing or unveiling. It shows us something about ourselves and the world, usually though what could be called creative destruction. It is often portrayed as a lesson, whether it is for a city, a country, a civilization, or the world. The lesson of a knowledge apocalypse, is that knowledge is precious and must be preserved. It is humbling, a reminder that we in the modern age stand on the shoulders of millions of giants, geniuses of previous eras. Without their innovations nothing we’ve done in the last two centuries would be possible.

Take those giants away, and we will fall straight down to the ground.

Human history has not been a straight line of steady technological progress. Knowledge must always be practiced, utilized, prized, and cherished. It must be protected from the very worst of our impulses.

J

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Book Review: Cyberstorm by Matthew Mather

Self-published author Matthew Mather has enjoyed great success in the past year. With two bestsellers and a movie deal with 20th Century Fox, he is another example of the growing potential of the non-traditional self-publish pathway for authors. Cyberstorm is his second novel (if you combine the Atopia Chronicles into one book), and has enjoyed commercial success. It’s a unique disaster story that is disturbingly plausible.

Cyberstorm is about a cyber-attack and one of the worst winter storms in history, all happening at once to turn New York City into a third world hellhole. The narrator, Michael Mitchell, is a New York yuppy facing personal challenges in his marriage and his career. His life comes to a screeching halt the internet goes dead, the power goes out, and a winter storm freezes everything.

The story then becomes a struggle for survival. Things like warmth, food, shelter, and the rest of Maslow’s hierarchy play into Mike’s experience. He fights for his life with a group of survivors: Chuck the gun-toting prepper, his wife Susie and their daughter Ellarose, then there’s the neighbors: Richard and his wife Sarah, the selfless doorman Tony, and the tech geek Damon. A interesting group that came together form a mini-tribe after the collapse of modern civilization.

This book is about our vulnerability to a cyber-attack and the potential devastating consequences of a successful one. Unfortunately, Mather only gives you a summary of cyber-security. The overwhelming majority of the book is about the consequences.

For some this is disappointing. Mather is an expert but offers up very little detail on the technology itself and exactly how our internet infrastructure could be taken down.

The cyber disaster feels very real and very plausible, especially for a small group of urbanites in the middle of Manhattan. It is a chilling indictment of the utter lack of foresight by US leaders as well as the over-centralization of basic services and disaster response in this country. Whether it is Hurricane Katrina or Sandy, we just don’t seem to have what it takes to help millions of helpless urbanites. It is a failure of central government AND of each individual that has placed so much faith in vulnerable social institutions.

Mather is a good storyteller and kept me interested for most of the book. The dialogue felt a little short or abbreviated at times, which made it harder to get to know some of the characters. The character development, in general, was uneven. Some of the other survivors in their building became interchangeable, acting as more or less part of the scenery (suffering New Yorker #3). Some of the characters, like Chuck and Damon, were fascinating but you never really get to know them. The characters also didn’t develop or evolve throughout the story despite the incredible events going on around them.

Cyberstorm is a great concept, presents a compelling “what-if” with good storytelling, and is very plausible. There’s no single big weakness, only to say a few elements were okay, not great. Character development, some of the social commentary, and some portions of the survival challenges, I thought could’ve been better.

Overall, it’s a good one. 4 stars.

J

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Movie Review: Desolation of Smaug

Part 2 of The Hobbit trilogy is visually stunning, but Peter Jackson lacked self-control in making this 2 hour 40 minute film. The Desolation of Smaug beats you over the head with special effects and has too many subplots going on. The drama of the quest is noticeably lacking, replaced with an unusual fight for survival and, of course, gold. As a result, it doesn’t match the epic power of LOTR, but instead resembles the summer blockbusters of this year: shiny but shallow. I guess the “feels” of the series will be in the first and last movies only.

The Desolation of Smaug takes you from the goblin mountain to the Lonely Mountain and the lair of the dragon himself. The movie stays partially true to the book but tends to shorten a number of their challenges while making sure most of them made it in. The dialogue early on is short and quick, with Bilbo taking on a new measure of courage. The side plot of Gandalf is from a different book and makes little sense. It is hard to understand what is going on and why he insists on taking things on alone. He witnesses the gathering of the dark armies, identical to his experience at Isengard.

The visual effects are amazing but overwhelming. The river scene is nauseating, with rapid changes in perspective, and full speed action. It’s impossible to perceive what is going on. The elves and dwarves have ridiculous reflexes and perfect aim, which makes it feel like everything is comes easy to them. The quest is a lot less daunting when you see their skill.

Peter Jackson made a mistake turning this into three movies. The two plots (Bilbo/Dwarves and Gandalf) don’t fit well. There is too much going and and too many scenes and battle sequences which go so fast you have no idea what is happening. It is as if Jackson is taking the world’s love of Tolkien for granted and simply making a Middle Earth buffet, with not much structure to make it a great movie. It made me much less excited about the third one.

If you love Tolkien, you’ll probably love it. But for me, it tried too hard to be a summer blockbuster (released in December mind you), deviating away from the classical epic fantasy motif. Without Gollum and the cute dwarf banter, this movie lacks some of the nostalgic appeal of the first movie and LOTR. 3 Stars from me.

J

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The Hunger Games Series: Greek Myth, Big Brother, and the Love Triangle

Since millions have already read the book and seen the movie, I won’t bother reviewing Catching Fire. The Hunger Games series is among the most successful franchises in the past decade, and its success is well deserved. Suzanne Collins does more than tell the story of tragic star-crossed lovers or the much maligned teen love triangle, she created a world with a brutal bloodsport and a lurking rebellion against totalitarianism. At the center of it is the very strong heroine, Katniss Everdeen.

The games are at the core of the first novel and the series. It is a classical tribute system based on the labyrinth of King Minos. Young men and women were forced to enter the large labyrinth only to be devoured by the Minotaur. It wasn’t until Theseus defeated the Minotaur that the nightmare ended. Katniss’s unlikely victories in the first and second games largely accomplishes the same thing. After his victory, Theseus didn’t kill King Minos, rather he escaped with the other tributes back home.

The famous mythology expert Joseph Campbell would say the myth of Theseus, the labyrinth and the minotaur has a certain spiritual and psychological truth that appeals to humanity no matter what era. This would explain why the Hunger Games series is so successful today. It is the triumph of the hero over barbarism and primal violence (the beastly minotaur that is half-man and half-beast).

Suzanne Collins utilizes reality TV and a totalitarian/big brother government similar to the Soviet Union, in place of King Minos and Crete. The people of the Capitol of Panem are so desensitized to violence, they enjoy watching children murder each other on television. The scenes of parents giving children fake weapons similar to those wielded by the victors or their favorite tributes demonstrates the detachment in a deeply disturbing way.

This sort of cognitive dissonance and lack of empathy has happened many times in history. The gladiatorial games and execution of Christians in the Colosseum of Rome is the best known example. One would think we’ve progressed past such things but with what is on TV today one has to wonder. People are fascinated with the serial killer in Dexter, watch drunk idiots fight with one another on countless reality shows, and enjoy violent movies of all kinds. The UFC is among the most popular sports. Football is America’s sport, replacing the much more gentle baseball.

We are still a long way from Panem or Rome, but the trends in today’s society show we are capable of becoming desensitized. For some, the Hunger Games highlights a very serious concern about American society and where it may be heading. Personally, I share some of these concerns but don’t think we are on the verge of watching real fights to the death on TV.

The totalitarian state of Panem is extremely terrifying. It reminds me very much of George Orwell’s 1984. It is also very similar to the experiences of many people in the former Soviet Union. Such a system did not exist in Greek or Roman times. Collins brought a modern terror, a brutal police state, and incorporated it into the ancient myth. It is really a very impressive innovation on her part. Her descriptions of district 12, Katniss’s experiences in the Capitol, and the discussions of rebellion in a police state feel incredibly real.

I think its hard for Americans to relate to this part of the book because we live in a free society. No matter how much we bitch and moan, the United States is five hundred times freer than the Soviet Union, Communist China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Ancient Rome, for that matter.

The love triangle certainly creates an appeal among teenage girls. This third ingredient expands the franchise’s appeal to probably the most lucrative demographic. It’s easy for guys to scoff at this, but one cannot ignore the popularity of complicated teenage romances.

It shouldn’t discourage people from seeing the movies or reading the books. The Hunger Games is not like Twilight.

Twilight is an example of an indulgent love triangle pasted into a fantasy story involving vampires, the sexiest monsters in history. Their really isn’t anything else relevant in the series. Bella Swan is neither attractive nor smart. She is no heroine, instead she is often the victim or target. The heroes of the series aren’t that impressive either. There is nothing really interesting or amazing about Edward or Jacob. Their charm comes form their supernatural power, not really anything else.

Twilight is just a teenage girl’s romantic fantasy. Bella Swan is meant to be an average girl, perhaps even a little on the unattractive side. Yet in the story two incredibly attractive and powerful guys are desperate for her affection. It has given rise to the internet meme “Still a better love story than Twilight.”

The Hunger Games has a similar love triangle, two love-struck guys one girl, but there are some key differences. First, Katniss Everdeen is an actual heroine, not a helpless prize. She is a strong character with plenty of admirable qualities. She is the one who saves others, including her male counterpart Peeta. Katniss doesn’t have unattractive teenage girl problems, she has life-and-death problems. She is the symbol of rebellion for a reason, and it’s not because of her “special” blood.

Still, Peeta is in love with Katniss, but nobody can explain why. Katniss is abrasive, cold, and has admitted no interest in boys other than as hunting buddies. His affections post-games makes sense but he was supposedly in love with her before that. Her affection for Peeta was more or less a trick to survive. Peeta accepted this, then still gushes about her left and right. The Katniss-Gale side of the triangle is the only one that makes sense.

I love the series, largely because of the vivid descriptions of the games and the horrific totalitarian police state. Katniss’s internal monologues are also fascinating. She bears little resemblance to the typical teenage American girl. In other words, she doesn’t have first-world white girl problems. It is really refreshing in the wake of Twilight.

I’ve finished the second book and plan to see the movie. The final book is on my to-read list for next year.

J

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The Age of Stephen King

There are not many authors that have sold over 100 million books. Stephen King is among those very few. His novels have had a profound impact on American culture, leading to a whole new age in horror and suspense. Beyond that, we’ve seen his works adapted into some of the greatest films of all time. Movies such as Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Shining, and Stand by Me are cinematic classics. It is fair to say King is among the best storytellers of all time.

I just finished ‘Salem’s Lot, which is my first Stephen King novel. I’ve seen several movies and TV shows based on his work, so I have a pretty good idea of his style. I only mention this just to let you know my opinions are based on only one novel. It might change the more King novels I read.

In ‘Salem’s Lot, the town of ‘Salem becomes a character in itself. King goes through its whole history, and gives bios on over a dozen residents. It makes it longer and slows down the narration but King manages to keep it interesting. The people are regular people, recognizable to anyone. We all know someone from that town in our own lives. The addition of vampires and a love story make the novel more interesting and easier to move through without getting bored.

The vampire itself is really just a carbon copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s pretty cheesy by 2013 standards, but for 1975, was probably scary. The ending is good but not great. What makes this novel scary, is that it feels like it is happening in our world. Horror movies are notoriously unrealistic, with stupid characters, unsympathetic heroes, bad dialogue, and insulting plot twists. Most of the genre is built with blood, guts, and cheap scares. It’s become dominated by special effects. From a story standpoint, they are awful.

King’s greatest achievement is probably making an entire generation terrified of clowns. The old circus staple is now the source of fear in millions of children and adults. Every person that I’ve met who’ve read it have a look of dread when they talk about it.

King’s style has been called many things: dark, sinister, blunt, crass, vulgar, etc. It is common and very readable even to those who don’t reach much. He doesn’t avoid uncomfortable topics during his narration, such as sex, alcoholism, and abuse. These things exist in the real world and he doesn’t avoid them. You get a full view of each character, not just the admirable or interesting parts.

King, in a way, has contributed to the shift in American cinema and television. Sex, violence, and profanity have all found their way into prime time television and many movies. Very few of the best movies out there have a rating below “R.” Compared to the 1950s, we have really changed. Whether it is less censorship or more reality, however you wish to describe it, we’ve changed.

I am not a fan of horror, especially horror movies. Most use all sorts of special effects to scare people, without telling any kind of story. It is a great idea for a date; and for scaring kids at camp outs, but very rarely stays with you for longer than a couple days. Even then, only the chill stays. There are plenty of exceptions of course: The Exorcist, Carrie, Silence of the Lambs, Alien, Jaws. But they are few and far between.

Stephen King rightly deserves his important place in American literature. The Shining, The Stand, any many other King novels are on my to-read pile.

J

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