Category Archives: Andrew Hales

by | August 20, 2013 · 12:41 pm

Review: Kickass 2

kick_ass_2_poster

Sometimes a movie comes out that changes everything. A movie so earth shattering that you are forced to re-evaluate your entire life. These movies are so rare that we must cherish them and walk away pondering their insights. Kickass 2 isn’t one of these movies. In fact, it’s nowhere close to being one of those movies. Even though I won’t be making any major life altering decisions after seeing Kickass 2, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.

Kickass 2 is exactly what it set out to be: an edgy tale of real life superheroes who truly don’t have any clue what they’re doing. A sequel to 2010’s Kickass, and based on Mark Millar’s comic of the same name, Kickass 2 picks up after the events of the original. Kickass, the main character, is in retirement and Hit Girl is underground, though still training and preparing as if she weren’t. Much of the film deals with Kickass as he finds and joins a team of superheroes, all of whom are inspired by the actions he has taken as the world’s first superhero. There is almost a demented Avengers feel to the movie as the team is introduced, playing off the traditional comic book story of assembling the new team to fight a big threat. The plot fits within the already established world, but, like the first one, it’s still a bit farfetched. One scene in particular with supervillian Mother Russia really pushed the limits of what is believable. She manages to take out ten police officers in some particularly bizarre methods without so much as a scratch to herself. There have been many great movies (like The Matrix) that push the limits of the believable, but they tend not to be set in the present day reality. Certain elements of the movie, such as the training sessions, although exaggerated, were believable; while others like the attack on the poker game were over the edge.

The action sequences provided a pleasant mix of choreographed fights and clever dialogue which moved the story forward, without an excessive amount of shaky camera work and without going too crazy with the gore. The first Kickass was as much about trying to shock the audience as it was about the story. This time around most of the serious violence was saved for the major fight at the end of the movie. There was, of course, some included throughout the movie, but not quite as much as Kickass. Also, the blood and violence was considerably less cartoonish. Speaking of the final fight scene, Kickass 2 had a nice comparison between the supervillains all dressed in black and red and the superheroes who were in a whole rainbow of different colored costumes. Although a bit obvious, it did make things clear who the villains and heroes were.

kick-ass-2

As far as the actors go, I enjoyed almost every performance. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays a very believable geek but was able to get in fantastic shape for this role. Talk about making people feel inadequate; he has muscles I didn’t know existed. Recently Kickass 2 made news even before it was released due to Jim Carrey’s criticism of the violence in the film in the light of Newtown, CT. Carrey’s performance in the movie was respectable though not excellent. He was good, but I think his statements after the fact overshadowed the performance. The standout performance of the movie has to go to Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl. She was good in Kickass, but she was even better this time around. A very talented 16 year old, Chloe was really the driving force behind the story. Although the story is about Kickass and is told by him, as times it seems like a Hit Girl story with bits of Kickass thrown in the middle to break things up. While I loved seeing Hit Girl beat the crap out of Kickass in an attempt to make him tougher, my favorite scene involved her getting even with the school bullies in an incredibly fitting way.

Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl/Mindy

Chloe Grace Moretz as Hit Girl/Mindy

Overall there wasn’t anything specific I didn’t like; it’s just a second tier superhero movie. When compared to the original movie, Kickass 2 is a considerable improvement. There is a much more cohesive plot line, which is a result of the source material being completed well in advance of the movie (Due to health reasons, Mark Millar had to delay Kickass the comic significantly and the last issue was released at almost the same time as the film, leading to the plot of the movie being fuzzy at times.). Kickass 2 proved to be just about everything I look for in a sequel. It gave us further character development; introduced new and interesting characters, both good and bad; and most importantly it wasn’t just a pure rehash of the first film. If you really enjoyed the first one, then check out Kickass 2 in theaters. Otherwise, it’s worth the wait for Redbox. I give this movie 3.5 Death Stars.

1 Comment

Filed under Andrew Hales, Movie Reviews, Movies

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | August 13, 2013 · 11:17 am

Review: Dark Star

DarkStar

“…instead of the most impressive student film ever made, we had the least impressive professional film ever made”. This is how writer Dan O’Bannon described Dark Star, a zany space adventure that is far more influential to both film makers and the movie going public than most people are aware. The plot follows the crew of the deep space scout ship Dark Star as they travel the galaxy looking for unstable planets to demolish. As they continue their travels, their ship is falling apart around them, and due to their near light speed transits only three years has passed for them.

This is one of my favorite B movies, hands down. It hits me in all the right places, from campy humor to science fiction adventure. It also tickles my geek fancy because so many people who became famous later were involved with this movie early in their career. There is lots of geek trivia to be found in this film. Although it was a student film that was expanded into a full length feature, as a B movie, the effects, writing and acting are really of a higher than expected quality.

Dark Star was a stepping stone in the career of one of Hollywood’s most prolific, though maybe not best, directors. Originally, it was the master thesis for John Carpenter, later known for movies such as Halloween and Escape from New York. This movie really set the tone for the B movies for which Carpenter would become known and established a higher bar when it came to quality of B movies in the 70’s.  Movies don’t necessarily have to be good to have an impact.  Low budget films are often the perfect place for new talent to make their name.

By today’s standards, Dark Star’s effects are unimpressive and beyond antiquated, but it was released in 1974, three years before Star Wars was released and changed the special effects game. While the movie obviously produced by people who were just starting out in their field of, the effects are campy without being over the top or just plain bad.  Rather than try to be overly ambitious, the movie creators chose to stick with simple ones that could be pulled off with relative ease. Many of these effects were designed by Ron Cobb who would later gain notoriety for his work as a conceptual designer on many blockbuster films such as Star Wars, The Abyss, and of course Alien.

Dark Star is the first film written by Dan O’Bannon, who would later go on to write Alien and Return of the Living Dead (the first movie in which zombies crave brains). The characters are reasonably well developed, especially O’Bannon’s own character of Pinback.  As it turns out, Pinback isn’t actually Pinback.  Instead he is Fuel Specialist Bill Frugge who was wearing Pinback’s spacesuit after the real Pinback committed suicide. When it came time for launch Frugge couldn’t figure out how to work the spacesuit’s radio to inform people that he wasn’t Pinback so he got shipped off instead.  Being out of place, Pinback provides an amusing commentary on events and a significant lack of professionalism.

Dan O'Bannon's Pinback

Dan O’Bannon’s Pinback

Dark Star also provides a believable look into what life would be like for a crew stuck on a small spaceship for three years.  The ship is falling apart, crew members have died, and those that remain have to stave off boredom and attempt to maintain their sanity.  One crew member spends all his time in an observation dome look out at the stars and Pinback himself has adopted a pet alien.

The alien is played by a painted beach ball with rubber monster claws for feet. The seams of the beach ball are even still visible underneath the paint. Despite this, the alien is still one of the best elements of this movie.  The scenes in which Pinback chases the alien through the ventilation system later became the inspiration for Alien.  (Dark Star is basically the story of truck drivers in space as a dark comedy, whereas Alien makes that same idea into a beautiful horror film.)  So while the beach ball alien bears no resemblance to the Xenomorph, it is, in fact, its early ancestor.

If this cost more than $10 I'd be very surprised.

If this cost more than $10 I’d be very surprised.

There is very little about this film that I don’t enjoy.  However, there are several times where the dialogue is too quiet because of that what is going on in the scene becomes lost. Since the plot is pretty thin that start this only serves to add confusion. The space suits are another complaint of mine. Most of the suit is fine—especially for low budget science fiction—but the chest pieces on both space suits are baking pans. I’m not joking here. One is most definitely a muffin pan and the other is a deep metal baking pan with an air filter attached to it. I know these guys were working with a limited budget, but have to believe that they could have scraped together an extra 20 bucks for some kind of busted electronics they could have used instead of such obviously recognizable household items.

Tell me that isn't a muffin pan.

Tell me that isn’t a muffin pan.

Dark Star is a B movie to be sure, but it is one of the truly outstanding ones. The number of people who got their starts on this movie and the other movies it has spawned or been referenced by gives this movie a longevity that would not be expected of what is essentially an overgrown student film. With everything that Dark Star has to offer, I give it 4.5 Death Stars.

4.5 Death Stars

Leave a comment

Filed under Andrew Hales, Movie Reviews, Movies

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | August 9, 2013 · 2:41 pm

Being a Geek: A Rebuttal

Not too long ago I wrote a post about what being a geek means to me and why I’m proud to be one. What you, the reader, didn’t get to hear was the considerable amount of discussion and argument between my editor and me about my definition. Now that I have had a bit more free time and have gone back to think about this, I realize that while I still agree with my definition, it might be a bit narrow. My original definition encompasses a fairly tight range of activities that are generally accepted as geek. And while I tried to be as accepting as I could, I intentionally left out activities such as sports. This realization got me thinking still further about who I am and I have come to one inescapable conclusion: while being a geek is awesome, it is absolutely not all that I am.

I feel that in order for someone to truly be well-rounded, they cannot just shoehorn themselves into one very small social grouping. This idea applies to the whole spectrum of social groups. Anyone twenty-five or older knows some poor guy whose entire life revolved around high school or college sports and they have just never done anything else with themselves because it’s all they’ve known. I feel sorry for these people who just never realized that there is so much more to life. Sure, they were big shots at some point, but that glory is gone and they don’t have anything to look forward to. This same thing goes for geeks as well.  I’ve met more than my share of older guys living alone, surrounded by mountains of comics, sometimes actually avalanching all around them. No one should be so obsessed with geek culture, or any culture for that matter that they ignore the world around them or the people in their life.

My friends and coworkers know well that I make an annual trip to New York for NYCC and that it is usually the highlight of my year, but comic books aren’t the only thing that gets me out of the house.

Love this guy.

Love this guy.

I enjoy going out and doing all kinds of things, some of which have nothing to do with being a geek. Sure I go to movies and museums, but I also get out for concerts, comedy shows and theatre. I’m a huge fan of Shakespeare and I try to see productions whenever I can.

Being a geek also doesn’t mean one can’t like sports either. For instance, the owner of my normal comic book store is a huge college football fan. I myself like baseball and soccer. It’s great to have a wide variety of interests. In Phoenix, we didn’t have a major league baseball team until 1998; instead we had the Firebirds, a Triple-A farm team for the San Francisco Giants. Thanks to this, I’ve developed an enjoyment of minor league baseball. Sure I like MLB, but I really prefer to watch minor league (I’m also a Mets fan, so major league ball gives me little to be happy about). I really love sitting down with some friends-giant Coke in one hand, hotdog in the other-watching guys play their hearts out for a shot at the big leagues.  These moments are as much about spending time with friends and being social as they are watching the game.

harbor park

This is how baseball should be played.

We geeks aren’t exactly known for getting out there and living life to the fullest. That’s a crying shame. There is so much to experience!  I know this can be tough at first, but it’s best to take baby steps. Maybe you can try a new restaurant in your town. If that is too much, just try a new dish at your favorite place. For example, a few weeks ago I was at a restaurant that I’ve been to plenty of times before, but this time I decided to try something I had never eaten before. It blew my mind. This awesome discovery makes me want to try all kinds of other stuff.

Another way to branch out is to incorporate new things with geek stuff. Go to a convention in a city you’ve never been to and take an extra day or two in order to explore the city. I would love to go to C2E2 and since I’ve never been to Chicago, I can kill two birds with one stone. Just the food alone is worth the trip, but there are so many other awesome things to do there that I’m looking forward to making the trek.

Branching out beyond geekdom can be rewarding as well. A couple years ago a friend tried to get me into mountain biking. As it turns out I do not have the coordination required for this particular sport. What I did discover is that I really liked riding on flat trails in the woods. It is fun, relaxing, a good workout, and quite peaceful. If it weren’t for that push, I would have never known about any of this. My point is that you never know what you might enjoy doing until you get out there and try it. The more you limit yourself, the less exposed you are and the more you might miss out. If something sounds interesting to you, don’t sit around and think about it too much, get out there and give it a try.

If I tried this, I would probably die, but it would be fun.

If I tried this, I would probably die, but it would be fun.

Part of being a member of society is being aware of when things are and are not socially acceptable, and while we geeks are not the Unabomber,

We aren't this bad.

We aren’t this bad.

we do live more towards the edge of society. I am proud to be a geek and I’m not ashamed to show it off. I carry all my stuff in a Grifball bag, I wear t-shirts with superhero logos on them, and read comic book at work.  I am also keenly aware that there is a time and a place for everything. I also do these at the appropriate time. If I need to look professional for something, you’d better believe that I’m going to be in the right cloths for the situation, I may however have a Batman pin in my pocket. (After all, I am still a geek and certain things are expected of me!)

Part of the reason geeks have a bad reputation is that a select few of us don’t seem to understand that not everything is acceptable everywhere. They really love something geeky and they want to show off that love.  There are few people who in the world of geeks that come close the passion of Trekkies. The problem with this is that some of them take it too far.  I’ve seen documentaries that show some fans who incorporate Star Trek into every part of their lives, such as the woman that referred to herself as Commander and wore Next Generation rank pins on her shirt every day at work. This is too far. Star Trek is awesome. It has had a profound impact on me and a lot of it is just good storytelling. But it’s not real and I don’t treat it as such. I have no delusions about being a member of Starfleet and it worries me when I’m around those who do. As much as we may love our fantasies, there is a point where we need to accept the reality we live in. Take Gene Roddenberry’s inspiration and make that reality a better place, but exist there.

Don’t ever be ashamed to be who you are, but don’t let one thing, even being a geek, define all that you are. There is so much more out there to see and do and so much more life to experience. It is worth trying something new and different if only to know for certain that it’s not your thing. You might be surprised exactly what strikes your fancy.

1 Comment

Filed under Andrew Hales, Geek Life

by | August 6, 2013 · 6:16 pm

When Geeks Go Too Far

Few things make me happier than geeking out about something. My speech clocks at 110 mph.  I start getting twitchy, my sentences make less and less sense; my eyes grow to the size of saucers and I may even get goosebumps (This is as close to heaven as I have gotten and I love it.).  I know I’m not the only one who gets this way. I can tell when most of my friends hit this point and it’s fun to watch as an outside observer, and know that this must be what it’s like for them when I hit that same point.  But what happens when geek goes too far? How does one know when a line has been crossed and what can be done?

We’ve all been there when someone has crossed the line and everything becomes super awkward.  I almost always see this happen when I’m next in line for an autograph. It usually starts off harmless enough. The fan in front of me says something to the effect of “I’m a really big fan and I love the work you did on…” and that is perfectly acceptable. I’ve been known to say the same thing, when I’m not being painfully shy. Although I’m sure they hear this a couple hundred times during the course of a convention, it’s also probably nice to hear that people appreciate what they do.  When the conversation moves beyond this, however, things start to get a bit dicey. Some are very gregarious and they like to have conversations with the fans they meet. I’ve been rather fortunate to have short conversations with Walter Koenig and James Marsters and both men were extremely pleasant to talk with. (Walter Koenig apologized for Star Trek VI and to this day I have no idea why.) Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case however and it’s often the fault of the fans.  Even bystanders get a little freaked out when “that guy” takes what could have been a pleasant, short conversation and makes it weird and uncomfortable. As much as you may want to tell Leonard Nimoy that watching a certain episode of Star Trek saved your marriage and that you owe him everything up to and including your first born child, he doesn’t want or need to hear this.

And he definitely wants no part of this.

And he definitely wants no part of this.

So how do you know when you’re pushing your luck? First, it is important to pick up on signals from people around you, especially the person you’re talking to. If you’re excited, it may be tough to do that, but these signs are often the most telling ones. Every so often, take a quick glance around and see what people are doing. If they start looking away or getting really quiet, or if the person you’re talking to begins to avert their eyes, then it’s time to dial things back a bit.  You may not be there quite yet, but if you fail to change course, you will plow over that line at full speed.  If you already know you can go a bit overboard it may also help you to bring a friend along to keep you out of trouble. (There may or may not have been a detailed plan for my friend to bail me out if I got arrested after meeting Jewel Staite.) It’s what friends are for. They can quietly tap you on the elbow or something equally subtle to let you know that you’re going too far. Of course, if things get really out of control, they can grab you and drag you away.  After all, your friend may only be embarrassed; security will likely see how many times you will bounce when they toss you out the front door.

Picking up on other people’s cues is important, but it is equally important to be able to read yourself in these situations. Unfortunately, we geeks as a collective are pretty bad at doing this and often by the time we do pick up on our own signals, it’s already far too late to save ourselves. Being more aware of what these signs are can help you avoid getting into this situation.  As you’re waiting in line or as you’re talking to your favorite celebrity, take a moment in your head to evaluate yourself for these signs (if you need help, ask somebody…please). If you find that they’re starting to show just take a deep breath and try to relax for a moment. Remember, just because Nathan Fillion was on Firefly, he is still a person just like you.

Why is that man holding Will Wheaton? Why not?

Why is that man holding Will Wheaton?
Why not?

Things can also take a turn for the worse when fans want to take pictures or get a hug.  Some celebs are completely cool with it. Adam Baldwin reached out and gave me the most welcoming hand shake I think I’ve ever had and was more than willing to take some pictures with people.  Some, like Will Wheaton, are famous for their amazing interactions with fan. Others, typically with older, more well-known names, are more reserved and are not comfortable with these kinds of things. Sometimes it is because they want you to pay for a picture with them, and sometimes it’s because they just want a little more personal space. It’s important to respect their requests and not get pushy. Typically, if there are rules such as no pictures, there will be signs posted around the person or a handler who is walking up and down the line making it clear to the people waiting.

In my own experience, the best way to prevent going too far is to fall slightly on the conservative side of interaction. This is not to say that you can’t talk to celebrities, but always try to hold a little in reserve. If you’re having a great conversation with the person, then by all means, tell them how much you love their work. It’s ok to let them know how much you enjoyed what they do, but just keep it reasonable and under control. If celebrities didn’t want to interact with their fans, then they wouldn’t go to conventions and other places we gather. I’ve lost track of the number of interviews I’ve seen where some actor says how blown away they are by the amount of fan love they have received, especially if this is their first event. We geeks can be a wonderful people to those we choose to embrace; we just need to make sure we maintain some level of composure. If we do that, we ensure a good time is had by all.

Leave a comment

Filed under Andrew Hales, Geek Life

Tagged as , , , , ,