Limes with Orange

Those of you who know my peacenik tendencies may be surprised to learn that I've been following The Discovery Channel's Jetstream, a show about fighter pilot training. But I started watching the show because my screenwriting instructor's sister-in-law is one of the pilots on it (and she's very cool).

I've continued to watch the show because it's well made and I'm curious to watch Riel's progress (she just got a "superior" on her latest flight on the show!). As I've been watching, I also happended to develop a crush on one of the other pilots. Imagine... ME having a crush on a military man. A hunky, hockey playing, good-natured fighter pilot trainee. That would be Tim Coffin. Unfortunately, he's been struggling on a few phases of the training. In tonight's episode, the powers that be called a meeting to review his progress. And the verdict was... disappointing, to say the least. Tim has been ordered to cease training. And apparently you never get a second chance. So it's the end of his dream.

I'm familiar with the heartbreak of lost dreams. And I don't mean dreams that are random, vague or a million miles out of reach. I mean those so-close-you-can-taste-them kind of dreams. To lose those dreams... it can be devastating.

But something else I'm familiar with... you get more than one dream in a lifetime. It can take a very long time to discover your next dream when the one before has been crushed. But if you've dreamt once, you will be able to dream again. I promise.

Labels: tv

Watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles...

John Connor and his Terminator bodyguard Cameron getting into Sarah's car after school:

JOHN: I call shotgun.
CAMERON: I call 9mm.

Labels: tv

If Miss America was really intent on updating their image and crowning an "It Girl," why did Miss Alaska not make the semi-finals? And why did they still crown a Barbie?

Labels: tv

"This season a mother will become a warrior, a son will become a hero, and their only ally will be a friend from the future."

I've started watching Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I may have been dissatisfied by the TV adaptation of Painkiller Jane, I may have been disappointed by the remake of The Bionic Woman, but I finally have my "women who kick ass" show! (Just to be clear, the only reason that Battlestar Galactica doesn't fill that bill is because it's an ensemble show. Yes, it does have plenty of women who kick ass but it has an equal number of men who kick ass. Different category. But I digress…)

Perhaps I'm simply blinded by my love of the James Cameron Terminator movies, but I don't think that's the case; I love it because it's faithful to Cameron's vision. I love how Lena Headey's Sarah Connor stays true to Linda Hamilton's Sarah from T2. I love how the opening and closing narration mirrors the films. I love the nods to the films, with the line used as the subject for this post being a prime example.

But I also appreciate the new directions: the time travel, the presence of Cameron (nice choice of name, btw) and the questions that her presence raises: Why couldn't the other terminator identify what kind of cyborg she is? What is her special relationship to John and/or Sarah? Basically, what's her secret? Because you KNOW she's got one.

One quibble: I get that the TV show has a fraction of the budget of a feature film, especially when that feature film is Terminator 2: Judgement Day, but they should have at least taken a moment to explain why we wouldn't be seeing any of the high tech T-1000 terminators with that cool liquid metal. But if that's my only problem with it, I'll learn to deal.

Overall, I think it succeeds where Painkiller Jane and The Bionic Women fail because of the power of its mythology. Yes, it has the advantage of movies to provide backstory for that mythology (mind you, Painkiller Jane should have had the advantage of comic books to provide backstory, but they didn't really bother to use that advantage). But I think it could stand on it's own without the films. The epic nature of their struggle, combined with their solitary existence as they hide from the world, gives it far greater scope than the other two series mentioned here.

If anyone believes that I'm overrating Chronicles and underrating the other shows, I would be very interested in your opinions so feel free to comment.

Addendum: Just realized another interesting name choice. The FBI agent in the show is named Ellison. James Cameron's original Terminator story was inspired by the writings of Harlan Ellison. Pretty cool, dontcha think?

Labels: film, pop culture, tv

True confessions time... America's Next Top Model is one of my guilty pleasure reality shows. Correction... was. Because it is a pleasure no longer. The beautiful and stunning Heather Kuzmich has been eliminated. The woman whose talent dwarfed her disability. (She has Asperger Syndrome and while everyone else tried to make it an issue for Heather, to her credit, she herself never focused on it.)

Not one other girl on the show can hold a candle to Heather physically, and as for their personalities... can we say boring and bitchy, boys and girls? I won't bother watching the rest of the season because I don't give a crap about the remaining four girls. How come the quality rarely rises to the top in these model shows? I think I'm giving up on the whole franchise. There's just no point anymore.

Addendum 12.07.2007: I knew that Heather was an artist but I just discovered that she has some of her art up on deviantART under the name 0Pandoras0tear0. She is one wonderfully weird and wacky artistic gothic geeky gal. Kinda makes me wanna hang out with her. I wonder if she watches Battlestar Galactica...

Labels: rant, tv

By now I'm sure that most people, even those completely outside of the entertainment industry, are well aware of the WGA writer's strike. But there is cautious optimism in the air as news trickles out that talks between studios and writers will resume next week. For more about that news, check out WILDsound's Entertainment News. I certainly hope that they can sort things out before the strike affects Battlestar Galactica (dontcha love my priorities?). But if they don't, if the final season of Battlestar gets cut short *gulp*, I still support the strike. Why? Watch this video:

Labels: film, politics, tv, videos

I had planned on giving a blow-by-blow account of tonight's show, but let's skip right to the important stuff...

And the winner is: Will Bigham!

I have to admit that I'm thrilled. Not that Jason and Adam weren't both talented and deserving, but I was definitely rooting for Will. I just didn't want to type that last week because my predictions seem to be turning into jinxes lately. But now I can proclaim my bias proudly and celebrate loudly!

And for your viewing pleasure... "The Yes Men," one of Will's best films in my opinion:


The Yes Men - On the Lot
Uploaded by starmometerdotcom

Labels: film, tv, videos

So Sam Friedlander was sent home from On The Lot after last week's voting, which I thought was the right choice. But the remaining filmmakers didn't have to make new films this week (pity), just choose two of the films that they'd made this summer. Starting with…

Jason Epperson — These are the films that he made this summer:

"Getta Rhoom"
"Blood Born"
"Eternal Waters"
"Sweet"
"Old Home Boyz"
"The Move"
"Oh, Boy"

Jason chose to screen "Eternal Waters" and "Sweet," both good choices I thought. They definitely showed his range as a director, as well as the optimistic outlook that he brings to his films. It was kind of sweet (no pun intended) how he kept choking up tonight, but not very helpful when he was supposed to be answering why he wants to win this thing. Garry Marshall said that he thought Jason should win.

Will Bigham — These are the films that he made this summer:

"Lucky Penny"
"Glass Eye"
"Nerve Endings"
"Spaghetti"
"Unplugged"
"Road Rage 101"
"The Yes Men"

Will chose to screen "Glass Eye" and "The Yes Men." While I definitely agree with his second choice, I actually thought "Glass Eye" was one of his weaker films. Of course that's all relative because all of his films are strong and the visual style of "Glass Eye" was very cool, but I think I would have picked either "Spaghetti" or "Unplugged" or "Road Rage"… wow, it really is hard to choose. I also think he gave a very good spiel when asked why he wanted to win this. And Carrie Fisher said that she thought Will should be the winner.

Adam Stein — These are the films that he made this summer:

"Dance Man"
"Dough: The Musical"
"Discovering The Wheels"
"Worldly Possessions"
"Girl Trouble"
"Driving Under The Influence"
"Army Guy"

Adam chose to screen "Dough: The Musical" and "Army Guy." As with Jason, I thought these were good choices. They really showed his diversity. And while I stand by my assertion that "Army Guy" is very derivative of that Twilight Zone episode, Adam's work does show quite a lot of originality. Unfortunately, I think his explanation of why he should win was the weakest and neither of the judges pegged him as the possible winner. But it's up to America so it's still anyones game.

Who do you think should win? Who do you think will win? I'd make a prediction myself but with my anti-psychic powers these days I think my predictions are more like jinxes, so Mum's the word from me!

Labels: film, tv

First of all, what the frack is going on with the voting public?! I haven't watched Canadian Idol yet, but I heard that Greg Neufeld was eliminated. And I was so sure he would be in the top 3. And now Zach Lipovsky gets eliminated from On The Lot?! I really thought he was going to win the whole thing. I must stop predicting things; I think I just end up jinxing them instead! But I'm here to talk about the remaining competitors, so let's get to it:

Logline: A man wakes up and finds himself in a dress but can't remember what happened the night before

1. Will Bigham – "The Yes Men"

I thought this film was clever, fun, stylish and original. Two very enthusiastic thumbs up.

2. Sam Friedlander – "Dress for Success"

Even before Carrie mentioned "9 to 5," I was thinking Sam's film was rather derivative of that movie myself (I haven't seen "Saw" so I can't comment on how this film compares to that movie). I still thought it was pretty good, but the tag at the end was weak so it didn't really sell it to me.

3. Adam Stein – "Army Guy"

Um… have the judges never watched episodes of the original "Twlight Zone"? Because, no offence Adam, but this was incredibly derivative of Episode 79: "Five Characters in Search of an Exit." So it really bothers me that the judges are saying how original this was. It was good, yes… but not original.

4. Jason Epperson – "Oh, Boy"

This was definitely more of what I expect from Jason than his film last week. It was sweet and funny and optimistic (possibly a strange choice of words for a film that involves a bomb exploding, but I stand by that word in describing Jason's films).

My favourite film of the night? Once again, Will walks away with that honour. My predictions? Um...

I will not make predictions
I will not make predictions
I will not make predictions…

Labels: film, tv

I have to say, I was shocked that Andrew Hunt went home after last week's vote. And even more shocked that Zach was in the bottom two. I think we can safely say that I do not possess any psychic ability whatsoever. But on to tonight, with Penny Marshall sitting in for Garry, Jerry O'Connell acting for Jason and Gary Ross as the guest judge ("Pleasantville" director, "Dave" writer)...

1. Adam Stein - "Driving Under the Influence"

My regular readers will not be surprised to hear that I think this mini-musical was delightful. I thought the ending could have been stronger but I definitely enjoyed this film.

2. Sam Friedlander - "Backseat Driving Test"

I have to agree with the judges that the mother character generally and mother-son relationship specifically were underdeveloped, but the tag at the end was cute.

3. Zach Lipovsky - "Bonus Feature Two"

I adored the first part of this film last week, even though it didn't really fit the brief. Well, this sequel was even better. More story, better character development with a good tag at the end. I think he should be safe this week. I hope.

4. Jason Epperson - "The Move"

First of all, even though I enjoyed Jason's film last week I am surprised that it garnered the most votes, giving him the opportunity to direct Jerry O'Connell. Unfortunately, I don't think he took advantage of the edge that should have given him. While he did a good job building suspense, the payoff was not nearly as good as the buildup. I'm a little worried for Jason this week.

5. Will Bigham - "Road Rage 101"

This was hands down my favourite film of the night. Well shot (loved the Vertigo shot or "Zolly"), great ending. Will's hitting them out of the park. He'd better be safe after this!

Based on a body of work, I think it's Sam's time to go. But based on tonight's films, I'm really not sure. And, as we've seen, my predictions rarely come true so why bother. Let's just see what next week brings.

Labels: film, tv

First of all, let's talk about the On The Lot eliminations. I'm shocked but relieved that Kenny went home… I guess I should have more faith in the voting public. I am sorry to see Mateen go, no offence to Sam but I would have preferred to keep Mateen over Sam. But I'm not entirely surprised.

Guest judge: Brad Silberling (director of "City of Angels")

1. Zach Lipovsky – "The Bonus Feature"

I enjoyed this immensely. It was fun and clever and yes, Carrie Fisher said it was more like a ride than a movie but I've gotta say I loved the ride. And just a shout out to Zach if he ever does any ego-surfing: The judges said you were a great director in need of a storyteller. Well, I've got a great story in need of a director… so if you don't win this thing, drop me an email!



2. Adam Stein – "Girl Trouble"

I have to confess that I was underwhelmed. I don't know how Carrie didn't see the Susan gag coming at the end, but I agree with Garry Marshall that it was more like an SNL skit than a movie.

3. Will Bigham – "Unplugged"

This one was definitely charming, nicely bookended by the human characters. I would say that he certainly fulfilled the romantic comedy brief and should be safe for next week.

4. Andrew Hunt – "Keep Off Grass"

The superhero schtick was a riot but the execution wasn't as good as the idea itself. But I think the concept was original enough to keep him safe, also.

5. Sam Friedlander – "American Hoe"

The performances were a little stiff and the story could have been stronger, but it had a nice tag at the end.

6. Jason Epperson – "Old Home Boyz"

I really liked this one. A fun, funny, well executed, boy-finally-gets-girl-after-50-years film.

I think that Jason and Will best fulfilled the romantic comedy brief, but my favourite film of the night was still Zach's. I think it's probably Sam's time to go, but time will tell. One week to be exact!

Labels: film, tv

I'm afraid I missed On The Lot last night because I was shopping for my maid of honour dress for my best friend's wedding. (The dress is awesome... but I probably won't have any decent pictures of it until the wedding itself, so don't be holding your breath on that one.) I didn't bother to check the TV listing times, just assumed that it would be on CTV after Canadian Idol. But (a) I didn't check the Canadian Idol times which turned out to be earlier than I assumed (all this assuming... well, I guess we don't need to say out loud what that makes me), and (b) CTV didn't even bother showing On The Lot for some reason. And I was definitely too late to watch the Fox airing.

Thankfully, Fox posts videos of the contestant films the next day, so I just finished watching them. And I have to say that my favourite, hands down, was Jason Epperson's film "Sweet."

Labels: film, tv

Too sick for a full review tonight…

Favourite film of the night: "Spaghetti" by Will Bigham.
Favourite concept of the night: "Time Upon a Once" by Zach Lipovsky.

Labels: film, tv

First of all, I totally blanked on the losing film from last week's episode of On The Lot. I didn't even remember to write about it immediately after the show. Guess it really didn't leave much of an impression on me and I understand why David was sent home. Sorry David!

But on to this week. I would have to say there are no real winners and no real losers here, there are just varying shades of pretty good. I think my least favourite was Kenny's "Malibu Myth." I didn't feel that it was remotely original and I didn't feel any building tension. And I think Kenny should have let his Director of Photography do his job because the change in colour tone when the actors stepped out of the vehicle was jarring and I'm quite certain it was not intentional. But aside from that, the style was cool. But that's the problem with Kenny's work... it's always style over substance (as in there is no substance at all).

My middling ones were Sam's "Ankle Biters," Andrew's "Midnight Snack," Shira-Lee's "Open House" and Mateen's "Profile" (links to come once they're posted). The attack in Sam's film was very well done, but the film wasn't cohesive overall. And "Midnight Snack," while enjoyable, really was more comedy than horror. I think both Shira-Lee and Mateen got excellent performances from their actors which is a big plus for me. And I think that Mateen's approach to the horror genre was unique and should be commended. The moment when the rookie cop stepped into the bathroom had all the tension that one could ask for. But, unfortunately, the beginning and the ending didn't support the middle as well as they could have.

I guess my favourite film of the night (by a very narrow margin) was Jason's "Eternal Waters." The beginning of the film was excellent and really set a nice tone. And I loved the combination of real life scariness combined with the supernatural. And I enjoyed the twist that the supernatural stuff was the positive stuff. But I agree with guest judge Eli Roth (director of "Cabin Fever") that the performance by the actress playing the mother really let down an otherwise excellent film. I don't know whether that has to do with her acting ability or with Jason's directing ability, but if that performance had been stronger I'd be giving this film two very enthusiastic thumbs up. As it is, I'll give it one solid thumb up instead.

Labels: film, tv

I've uploaded a new song to My Music Box. It's called "The Bird and the Worm" by The Used (on "Lies for the Liars"). At the risk of lowering my CMQ (Cool Music Quotient ), I'll admit that I discovered it on Canadian Idol when Montana Martin Iles sang it last week. You can watch Montana sing it over on Music Musings, my music blog, where I'm currently posting my commentary on Canadian Idol.

And in defense of my CMQ, I love to discover new talent and new songs regardless of the setting. And Canadian Idol gives me a chance to do both. Not every week, mind you, but more often than you might think.

Labels: music, tv

First of all, I thought On The Lot this week was going to be Horror Week. The first week was comedy, so why are we back to that genre already? And why are the groups doing different genres? Did the group going this week get a head start or is the group going next week going to have the advantage of having extra time to think about their ideas? I'd really like a better understanding of their plan for this show. (Probably just because I would actually like to be a contestant... and I have to say, after doing the Herland workshop this February, I'm not at all intimidated by the thought of doing a two-minute film in 5 days. That's completely do-able. Especially with a professional crew!)

Second of all, I think the voters got it right this week. (Sorry, Jessica.) And I think the reason that voting was up 37% from the week before is that America knows they got it wrong the previous week when Marty Martin got sent home.

Guest judge: Mark Waters (I think he did a great job with Freaky Friday!)

Now on to the films. My least favourites were Hilary Weisman Graham and Adam Stein... which is a shame because I've enjoyed Adam's work in the past, but neither film did anything for me. Will Bigham's film "Nerve Endings" was funny until it got to the crazy dancing bit and lost whatever subtlety it might have had. But I think Mark Waters did a disservice to this film with his comments... I just don't think he gets black comedy.

I really enjoyed Shalini Kantayya's "Doctor-in-Law." It was very chuckle-worthy, especially given the fact that she claimed to be out of her element in comedy. Shalini, my dear, you can absolutely do comedy.

But the best film of the night? Zach Lipovsky's "Die Hardly Working" (video embedded below). I would say "What a surprise" in a sarcastic tone, except that it WAS a surprise... there were no special effects!!! Well, no visible special effects that is. It was all done with sound effects and camera angles. Very clever and hilariously funny. And I just realized that Zach's Canadian! Go win this thing you crazy Canuck!

Labels: film, tv

Last night, on Jon Stewart...

Labels: humour, jon stewart, politics, tv, videos

Just finished watching this week's episode of On The Lot. First of all, I'm glad that they put the poor departing filmmaker out of his misery at the beginning of the show this time. But Marty?! Are you fracking kidding me?! But I'll save that rant for another post; this one's about tonight's show.

Guest judge: Wes Craven!!!! I guess I don't typically cite him as one of my directorial influences, but he really is. So I was very excited to see him on the show.

The films: a strong group tonight… mostly. So I'm going to do a mini review of each, from my least favourite to my favourite.

5. The Orchard (Jessica) – The concept was intriguing; it was clever and had potential. The execution, however, did nothing for me. Absolutely nothing. If she doesn't go home next week, then something is wrong with the voting public.

4. Lost (Mateen) – This was a nice film, well-written, well-acted, but it didn't really grab me. Maybe because it was so dialogue heavy. Film is a visual medium and the visuals didn't make much of an impression on me.

3. Glass Eye (Will) – This was pretty cute. Of course, it used one of my favourite techniques of combining black & white with colour. Unfortunately, I felt nothing for the main character. The dog, yes. The man, not so much.

2. Blood Born (Jason) – I loved the concept. The style was slick. The ending had a nice irony. My only criticism would be that the main character wasn't proactive at all. He simply reacted. Otherwise, I thought it was great.

1. Sunshine Girl (Zach) – Granted, I wouldn't have understood the film as well as I needed to if Zach hadn't explained beforehand that the little girl was afraid of the dark. But aside from that, I thought it was excellent. Sweet and clever and surprising, with the main character even managing to show growth in such a short period of time. (And having directed a little girl myself, kudos to Zach in his casting and directing of his sunshine girl.)

So it looks like I agree with the judges this week. Hmm… should I be worried?

Labels: film, tv

BURN NOTICE (bûrn nō'tĭs) n.

1. An official statement by one intelligence agency to other agencies, domestic or foreign, that an individual or group is unreliable.

I was just reading about USA Network's Burn Notice, a new TV series about a CIA operative who gets a burn notice. He doesn't know why, but he's determined to find out. Obviously, he won't be able to use his normal contacts so he'll have to get very creative. I decided to tap into my inner MacGyver and thought of an easy to make spy tool: a Hollow Book. Watch my "instructional" video:


And for better spy gadget ideas, watch Burn Notice!

Labels: cool stuff, tv, videos

I missed last week's episode of On The Lot and have yet to view the films from last week, so for now I'll keep my comments to the films shown tonight. My favourite was "Dance with the Devil" by Marty Martin (who directed "The Big Bad Heist" that I mentioned briefly in my previous post). My second favourite was "Polished" by Andrew Hunt (this is a little more like what I was expecting, though still not up there with his fantastic pitch session). I enjoyed "Beeline" by Shira-Lee Shalit, but felt that the acting was overdone. I'm not quite sure why this was a judge favourite, but c'est la vie.

Personally, I would opt to send Kenny Luby home. His work lacks narrative and I find it self-indulgent. The judges seem to be suggesting that it's simply experimental and independent but I've watched and enjoyed a lot of experimental and independent films and I stand by my statement that Kenny's work is neither. But it's possible that the popularity contest that is reality shows where viewers vote will keep cute Kenny and his charm and poor David May will be sent home instead. Tune in next week to see if I'm right.

Labels: film, tv

I watched On The Lot tonight, the comedy shorts episode... which apparently means potty humour to many of the contestants. I have to say that I think I could have done better than many of them, and that my herland film workshop teammate, Moksha, did do better than many with her "Lean Mean Queen Machines." But there were also a few tonight that make me realize I'm sooo not there yet. I think my two favourites were "Dance Man" by Andrew Stein and "Danger Zone" by Zach Lipovsky. "Dance Man" was a fun quirky story with heart and "Danger Zone" was technically brilliant. I was a little disappointed by Andrew Hunt's film "Spaced Out"; not that it was bad, but I just expected more from him. Other films worth mentioning: "Big Bad Heist", "Lucky Penny", "Soft", "Check Out" and "Replication Theory". "Please Hold" started off really well but the weak ending spoiled it for me. The rest... well, I predict that the three going home tomorrow night will be three of the ones I didn't mention.

And I just have to say that I know Garry Marshall thinks he's trying to encourage women filmmakers, I just wish that someone would explain to him that he's actually being rather patronizing. With his talk about women's issues and women's perspectives... well, that's great, but sometimes it's just a human issue (or a penguin issue) or just an issue. And sometimes one woman's perspective bears no resemblance to any other woman's perspective or any other person's perspective (although that might make it hard to find an audience, but I'm just trying to make a point here). So please, Garry, just treat the women on the show like filmmakers, not "women filmmakers." Muchly appreciated.

Labels: film, tv

If you're a regular reader here, you probably already know that I'm a wee bit of a Buffy fan. (Holy understatement, Batman!) Well, I was over visiting the Internet Movie Database for that Movie Meme when I noticed they have a new FAQ for Buffy the Vampire Slayer! And I just learned that they've started "season 8" in the form of a comic book. I just might have to return to my comic book roots for that. And do ya wanna see the original unaired pilot? Me too! And you can watch it here: Buffy Unaired Pilot Season 1 Episode 0. I haven't read through them all yet but just picture me rubbing my hands together with glee.

Labels: buffy, pop culture, tv

Now there's a statement I never thought I'd write. But they finally made the perfect reality show for me! It's called "On the Lot" and it's for wannabe filmmakers. Pick me, pick me, pick me!

P.S. I'll be keeping my eye on Andrew Hunt.

Labels: film, tv

Okay, I've finally managed to pull a clip of Chief Tyrol's gears & levers speech from Battlestar Galactica. Compare it with the clip of Mario Savio's original speech in my Mario Savio post. And you can also compare the texts and contexts in my Gears & Levers post. Hope you find these as fascinating as I do!

Labels: battlestar galactica, politics, tv, videos

Here's a website with a very cool idea. You can trade your DVDs, music CDs, games, books and audiobooks all in one place. It's called Hitflip UK and, as the name implies, is currently only in the UK. But they started in Germany and it looks as though they're planning on expanding into the States, so I'm crossing my fingers that they'll end up in Canada eventually (hopefully they'll post these kinds of updates on their blog).

I love the idea of being able to swap DVDs that I've grown tired of (doesn't happen very often) or have duplicates of (which is somewhat more common) or that were gifts from people who didn't check my Amazon.com wish list (probably the most common reason I would swap).

*a few moments pass as I browse the site... *

Okay, now I'm desperate. I just did a search and seasons 1-5 of "Drop the Dead Donkey" are available to swap! I know the site is just for residents of the UK and I know the DVDs would be the wrong format anyway, but I want that show!!!!

*takes deep breath*

Okay, I've calmed down now. But I still want that TV show. I'll just have to figure out another way to get it. And I will. I'm quite determined that I will.

Labels: books and literature, cool sites, film, games, music, tv, videos

Blue October performed on Conan last night... and I missed it! I was working late into the night on a grant report that's due... well... now. Unfortunately, Conan doesn't seem to provide videos (he could learn a thing or two from Jon Stewart), nor has anyone uploaded it to YouTube yet. But some kind soul on MySpace has the video... many thanks to Dory. So here's Blue October on Conan singing "She's My Ride Home":

Blue October on Conan O'Brien

Labels: music, tv, videos

I don't know if you remember, but a while back I mentioned this great blog called Galactica Station. For those Battlestar Galactica fans who haven't browsed that blog yet, I highly recommend it. Especially with the long summer ahead and no new BSG for months. Galactica Station is the place to get your BSG fix.

Which is why I nominated it for Best Pop Culture blog in the Blogger's Choice Awards. And yes, I nominated it in a category that I'm already nominated in, but I really think it deserves the award more than I do. But there's a long way to go to get them noticed by the voting public. So here I am providing blatant advertising, wishing I had bribes to offer people to get them to vote (just kidding)!

So at the very least, check out Galactica Station. And if you want to go even further... vote!

Labels: battlestar galactica, blogging, pop culture, tv

Now, now... get your mind out of the gutter... that's not what I meant. (Or is mine the only mind that landed in the gutter?)

Blue October is going to be performing on Conan O'Brien on Wednesday, April 25!

(I feel like a little Blue October cheerleader. Oh well, I guess I can live with that as long as I get to be the Gothic Cheerleader! )

Labels: music, tv

Whilst browsing through the Blogger's Choice Awards, I discovered that Jane Espenson has a blog! And it's not just a this-is-what-happened-to-me-today sort of blog, it's Jane's screenwriting advice. (Mentally clapping my hands with glee.)

And I just realized that not everyone knows who I'm talking about. (Sad but true, I guess.) Well, Jane Espenson is a TV writer extraordinaire. A Joss Whedon crony who worked on Angel, Firefly and Buffy (she wrote two of my favourite Buffy episodes, granted I have many favourite episodes but these are definitely amongst them: Earshot and Life Serial), I've recently noticed her name on Battlestar Galactica episodes! (Dirty Hands was hers... the one where I said that the Chief was Savio-like in his glory; I'm rather fond of that line of mine and I'm rather fond of that episode of hers.)

Now I just saw something on her blog that makes me want to imitate a girl I went to elementary school who would get so excited when she knew the answer to something that she didn't just raise her hand but she slapped her other hand under her raised hand (right around armpit level) saying: "oh, oh, oh!" So what's making me want to behave in this ridiculous fashion? Jane has a short story in "Flirting with Pride & Prejudice: Fresh Perspectives on the Original Chick-Lit Masterpiece." Must! have! that! book!

Labels: battlestar galactica, blogging, buffy, pop culture, tv, writing

I am fully aware of the fact that I now have those handy Blogger labels, so you could find the Battlestar Galactica posts on your own. But I just thought I would make things a little simpler (and the links in brackets are to the episode descriptions):

3.25.2007 — Said the Joker to the Thief: What the Frack?! (Season Finale: Crossroads, Part 2)
3.21.2007 — Battlestar Galactica Poll (Re: Starbuck's destiny)
3.18.2007 — There's a Storm Coming (episode 19: Crossroads, Part 1)
3.04.2007 — Starbuck's Destiny (episode 17: Maelstrom)
3.03.2007 — Chief Norma Rae (episodes 15 & 16: A Day in the Life & Dirty Hands)
2.11.2007 — Do The Right Thing (episode 14: The Woman King)
1.28.2007 — Maybe It Was Gaeta... (episode 13: Taking a Break From All Your Worries)
1.21.2007 — Is Starbuck a Cylon? (episode 12: Rapture)
11.15.2006 — Battlestar Galactica Webisodes
10.15.2006 — A New Crew In Town (YouTube music video)

And I know this one was for season 2, but it's still one of my fave BSG posts:
7.02.2006 — The Gears & The Levers (Season Finale: Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2)

I'm a little disappointed in myself that I didn't start posting at the beginning of the season, but hindsight and all that. And now comes the long wait for season 4... *sigh*

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

Well, I may have been right about Starbuck (thank the gods... of course she could still be a Cylon, so I guess "is Starbuck a Cylon?" could be the "who shot J.R.?" equivalent... but she's back and that's all I care about right now) but holy frack was I wrong about so much other stuff! The Chief?! Seriously... the CHIEF?!?! My "Savio-like in his glory" Chief? Say it isn't so.

And I guess skin jobs have been around for a looong time. And I guess they do have the ability to appear to age. Who knew? (Apart from Ron Moore and the BSG writers, I mean.) But I have to say that I respect Tigh more now, after his little speech (I wish I had it on DVD so I could quote him exactly). Actually, I don't think I ever respected him before, so I should say that I finally respect him. Ironic, dontcha think? The method of reveal was interesting though and I find myself wondering how each of them is going to react in the next season.

But I'm particularly looking forward to watching the unfolding storyline connecting the President, Athena, Caprica Six and Hera. THAT should be good.

Oh and the song, for those who haven't figured it out yet, was "All Along the Watchtower" written by Bob Dylan (I'm not sure whose version... Hendrix maybe?):

"There must be some way out of here,"
said the joker to the thief
"There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief
Businessmen they drink my wine, plowman dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth."

"No need to get excited," the thief, he kindly spoke,
"There are many here among us who think that life is but a joke
But you and I, we've been through that, and that is not our fate,
So let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late"

All along the watchtower, princes kept the view,
while all the women came and went, barefoot servants, too
Outside in the distance a wildcat did growl,
two riders were approaching, the wind began to howl.

Labels: battlestar galactica, music, pop culture, tv

Okay, so I've mostly mastered the embedding of videos (though I'm still waiting for a fix on the stand up comedian video), so I decided to try my hand at a poll. It might not be the prettiest poll around, but I think it does the job. Now I just need you Battlestar Galactica fans to actually vote!

Is Starbuck Really Dead?

Yes, never to return again.
Yes, but she'll return in flashbacks.
Yes, but she'll come back as a Head Starbuck for Apollo.
No, she's actually a Cylon.
No, I don't know HOW they're going to bring her back but she still has a destiny to fulfill.
I don't know.
I don't care.


View Results

[Make your own poll]

Please feel free to comment. Whether you think my answers are incomplete, idiotic or right on the money... let me know. And thanks for participating in my first poll!

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

*SPOILER ALERT*

A Battlestar Galactica storm. A lot of questions asked but unanswered this week. And I have a feeling that only a fraction of them will be answered next week, with it being the season finale and all.

President Roslin has cancer again? Why did it return? Will they be able to treat it this time? The same way as before? Something new? They wouldn't kill her off, would they? And what's up with her assistant? And what's the deal with that snippet of song? Is Saul finally cracking up? Or is there something more sinister going on? (Someone suggested that maybe Saul is a Cylon, but I find that hard to believe if he's Adama's oldest friend. Just how long have the Cylon's been making skin jobs? And do they program them to show signs of age?)

As for Apollo… well, let's just say that if I were Dee I would have left him long ago. Y'know, I never thought I'd say this but I would be okay if Apollo were the one to leave the show. Which brings me to my theories…

As I've said before, I don't believe that Starbuck is really dead. Okay, so her name's not in the credits. And yes, the survivor count is one lower. But I don't believe that's permanent. Denial? Or good instincts? Only time will tell. Personally, I think her "death" (I'll remove the quotes once we're into episode 2 of season 4 and there's still no sign of her) is a red herring and if somebody is actually leaving the show—and it's not just rumours started to create some BSG buzz—it will be another character, a different character, a less crucial character… or Apollo.

Of course, the most logical other character to remove would be Baltar. If he loses the trial and is put to death, that would make perfect sense. Although we could still have Head Baltar. And Baltar could still turn out to be a Cylon (though I doubt it). But if Baltar is going to stay, how? Will he win the trial? Will the Cylon's take him back? Will he somehow become indispensable?

As for "the storm," I don't think it's much of a stretch to theorize that Helo's instincts will turn out to be correct and there will be a honkin' big fleet of Cylons at the nebula (or something we can't even imagine yet). Whatever it is, next week should be good. And it bloody well better hint at some way that Starbuck could still be alive. Let us talk about that all summer, Mr. Moore. "Is Starbuck alive?" could easily surpass "Who shot J.R." in pop culture history… I swear!

P.S. Love, LOVE, LOVE Mark Sheppard in the role of Romo Lampkin, Baltar's lawyer. Delightfully sleazy!

P.P.S. I just found a new (to me) online BSG resource: BuddyTV. Great articles... check it out!

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

I realize that I won't be able to afford a new TV for a while, but when my friend loaned me "Road to Perdition" and my cousin made me promise not to watch it on my 14" TV with its crappy sound system… well, I started thinking a new TV should probably go on my wishlist. But I don't really know what I want.

When my mother gave me her 15" free-TV-with-purchase last summer, I was excited. Not for the whole extra inch but because it was an LCD TV. I quickly discovered, however, that LCD screens (at least this particular LCD screen) can be limited in their viewing angle… the picture looks very dark if I'm not positioned just so. Now what?

Once again, the internet to the rescue. This site called TestFreaks has reviews of a large selection of different TVs; I'm kind of leaning towards a Plasma TV now. The site would be even better if you could sort by specific features and/or do a side-by-side comparison of selected makes and models. I'd also like to see photos of the TVs in question because aesthetics are important too. But there's a whole lot of information in one place, so that's a pretty decent start.

Labels: cool stuff, tv

*SPOILER ALERT*

They did NOT just kill off Starbuck. No way can her destiny be to die such an inglorious death. I don't know where Battlestar Galactica is going with this; they probably want us to think that the only way she could still be alive is if she's a Cylon and I don't believe she is. I don't know how else to get out of this one, but I'm sure the writers have a way. She is NOT dead. No fracking way.

No. Fracking. Way.

Labels: battlestar galactica, tv

Well, I just spent the last 20 minutes watching "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe, Chapter 1: Purple Death" thanks to ReelTime.com. Oh my, what delightfully cheesy story lines and what wonderfully bad acting. (I always knew that Captain Proton from "Star Trek: Voyager" was based on the old Flash Gordon, but I had never realized just how closely the one resembled the other.) And, oh my gawd, Queen Fria has Princess Leia hair. Or, technically, I guess that would be the other way around. Too fun!

I'm really quite excited by the ReelTime.com website. It's a DVD quality streaming video site offering movies and vintage television shows. Its content may be a little limited at the moment but it's growing. And it's cheap!!! Whether you buy a membership or opt for the pay per view route or just enjoy their free content (like the aforementioned cheesy Flash Gordon).

Now, you may be wondering why I'm touting watching movies on your computer when I recently questioned whether people really want to watch TV shows on their cell phones. Well, (a) the ReelTime website shows you how to hook your PC up to your TV so that you could actually stream the movies directly to your TV set, and (b) my computer monitor is actually larger than my TV and I have a love seat in my office, so watching a movie on my computer is a pretty enjoyable experience for me.

I'm kind of keen to check out the short films they have available (what a surprise ). Now I just have to decide whether to pay the whopping $0.49 up front, or get a membership first. Decisions, decisions.

Labels: cool sites, film, pop culture, tv

I finally got to catch up on the Battlestar Galactica episodes that I missed during my film workshop. (It really IS the best show on television!)

"A Day in the Life" was a good enough episode, if not one that will echo strongly in my mind. But "Dirty Hands" was a standout for me. Revisiting that golden moment when the Chief, Savio-like in his glory, paraphrased that famous gears and levers speech that resonates in my head like Shakepeare. ("Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, assume the port of Mars...")

When the young architect student was injured and the Chief started marching with a purpose, I knew we had a Norma Rae moment coming. And it was Norma Rae but better. It was Norma Rae and Mario Savio all at once as the Chief threw himself on the levers and shut down the mill... oops, I mean refinery. It was a heart swelling scene, a Proud Moment, dazlious. (Have I mentioned that my grandad was a union activist? So you see, I come by my socialist tendencies honestly.)

Much as I enjoyed both of these episodes, I want to know when we're going to revisit the burning question of who Deanna saw. What about Starbuck's destiny? And forget the big picture... what's going on with Caprica Six, wasting away in the brig with not a camera crew in sight. Is she being visited by Head Baltar? Enquiring minds want to know. God I love this show!

Labels: battlestar galactica, politics, tv

I just read this article called "Get Tuned In: TV Programming on Cell Phones." It's kind of interesting to see what's coming down the pipe in terms of TV on cell phones; the article gives a sneak preview of what the various cell phone carriers will be offering. Verizon really looks like it's got the best package as far as television programming goes, with plans to offer network shows after they've been aired on regular TV plus their intention to expand their FiOS TV service to wireless handsets, which would let users control their DVRs from their phones without having to be at home. Both very cool features. (They don't mention Bell Mobility... is that only a Canadian service? Because their commercials make their package look pretty good, with their movie service and everything. It would be interesting to see how Bell stacks up to the carriers mentioned in the article.)

The article goes on to discuss the downside of mobile TV features in terms of bandwidth, but I have to ask this… do people really want to watch an entire TV show (or movie, for that matter) on a screen that can fit in the palm of their hand? I mean, people complain about my 14" TV being too small, but they'll watch it on their cell phone instead? As the Scots say (okay, it's actually a Yorkshire expression, but I first heard it from a Scotsman so I still hear it with a Scottish accent in my head): there's none so queer as folk.

Labels: cool stuff, film, pop culture, tv

I was originally going to call this Battlestar Galactica commentary "The Mayor of Dogsville" but changed my mind. I picked my current title because Helo, like Apollo in the original series, is that stand-up guy who always tries to do the right thing, always has the best intentions, always stands up for what he believes no matter who opposes him. Then I realized the title was even more appropriate than I first thought. Circumstances creating heightened tension, racial intolerance leading to violence and death... sound like any particular Spike Lee movie you know?

I suppose it may be obvious at this point to say that I really enjoyed tonight's episode (and not just because it featured Helo). Confession time: even I was glad not to be subjected to the Starbuck-Apollo love quadrangle this week, much as I've tried to be tolerant and defend this storyline to the naysayers. And oh what a lovely tease: the Baltar inside Caprica Six's head is back! I think we'll be seeing more of Head Baltar in the future...

Labels: battlestar galactica, film, pop culture, tv

I originally misread this week's Sunday Seven question as favourite TV episodes, each from a different series. As you will see, that's not really what Patrick intended. But I decided to keep what I wrote anyway because I wrote so damn much!

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name your top seven favorite individual episodes of any single television series. If you feel especially enterprising, give a few lines explaining why you think makes your chosen episodes so good.

1. The West Wing, "A Proportional Response"

One of my favourite shows on TV until Aaron Sorkin left, there are countless episodes that I would call favourites. Here I opted for the one where Charlie was first hired. I love how he keeps insisting that he's just there for the messenger job but keeps getting pulled deeper into the West Wing. And the dialogue at the end provided a wonderful example of what I call a "West Wing moment." After Charlie has figured out where the President left his glasses, and gets yelled at for his pains, he decides that he should just leave. Then President Bartlet pulls him aside...

BARTLET: Listen, Leo McGarry filled me in on the situation with your mother. I'm so very sorry. I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of calling Tom Connolly, the FBI Director, and we had the computer spit out some quick information. Your mother was killed by a Westing 38 revolver firing KTWs, or what are known as "cop killer" bullets. Now, we have not had a whole lot of success yet in banning that weapon and those bullets off the streets, but we're planning on taking a big whack at it when Congress comes back from recess.
(beat)
So, What do you say, you wanna come help us out?

CHARLIE: (pause) Yes sir, I do.

After a bit more banter between other characters, Charlie whispers to Josh...

CHARLIE: I've never felt like this before.

Josh smiles...

JOSH: It doesn't go away.

2. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Once More With Feeling"

So many Buffy episodes to choose from, I was tempted to follow Carly's example and list all my favourite Buffy episodes, but I didn't want to be a copycat. Given my intense love of musicals and all things Buffy, this particular episode seemed like a natural choice.

3. Battlestar Galactica, "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 2"

I've made no secret of the fact that BSG is one of my favourite TV shows, so again, tough to choose. But Chief Tyrol's speech, and its echoes of Mario Savio, made me opt for this one hands down.

TYROL: There comes a time when you realize that the engine you built with your blood and your sweat and your tears is being used for something so foul, so perverted, it makes you sick in your heart. And it's then that you must throw your body on the gears, and on the levers, and on the machine itself and make it stop! And you have to show the people who run it, the people who control it, that unless we're free that machine will be prevented from working at all!

4. Star Trek: The Next Generation, "Darmok"

The first TV episode I ever purchased, back when you had to buy them on VHS one episode at a time. Such a brilliant, thought-provoking episode. I attempted to address it in a previous post (The Language of Metaphor), but was overwhelmed by how much I wanted to say about it. So maybe that's a post for the future. (In case you're wondering, the title of this post is from Darmok and means "giving; receiving.")

5. Star Trek: Voyager, "Drone"

Expanding greatly on concepts first presented in the Star Trek: TNG episode, "I, Borg" I found this episode truly moving, especially at the end when Seven says, "You're hurting me," a line that One had used previously in a literal context. Ironically, this oh-so-touching episode also contains one of my favourite bits of funny dialogue from Voyager:

ONE: I was an accident?

DOCTOR: Call it a random convergence of technologies.

ONE: Am I unwelcome here?

DOCTOR: On the contrary. Our primary mission is to explore new forms of life. You may have been unexpected but given time, I am sure you'll make a fine addition to the crew. After all, you've got my mobile emitter driving your neo-cortex so you're bound to make a dazzling impression.
(beat)
That's called a joke.

ONE: Joke. A verbal comment or gesture designed to provoke laughter.

DOCTOR: I see you've got your mother's sense of humour.

6. Rock Star: Supernova, "Week 10"

This may sound like a strange choice, but this was the week when Storm Large sang her original song, "Ladylike." Her performance still rocks my world.


Do you want Storm to come to Calgary?

7. Sex and the City, "An American Girl in Paris: Part Deux"

I wish I'd thought of this one for the Sunday Seven about our favourite series finales. Anyway, I loved how all the storylines wrapped up in such touching ways, while remaining completely true to the characters.

Best line...

CARRIE: I am someone who is looking for love. Real love. Ridiculous, inconvenient, consuming, can't-live-without-each-other love.

Sounds good to me.

Labels: battlestar galactica, buffy, memes, pop culture, rockstar, tv

Tonight's episode of Battlestar Galactica was not as compelling a storyline as last week (at least, not for me) although it was quite exciting from a filmmaker's perspective: the interrogation sequence was fabulous and the intercutting between scenes near the end... very cool. I have to say that I think Edward James Olmos is very interesting as a director. But that's not really what I came here to talk about.

I came here to discuss the burning BSG question of the moment: who did Deanna see last week? Tonight's story started me wondering whether it was Gaeta. I mean, the way he woke up and got to the brig just in time to save Baltar... Holy Coincidence, Batman!

Only time will tell.

P.S. For those fair weather fans out there who think BSG's days are numbered, I suggest you read State of Galactica Address over at Galactica Station.

Labels: battlestar galactica, tv

So who did Deanna see? The scene between Helo and Starbuck about Starbuck's painting would suggest that Deanna saw Starbuck. But I think the Battlestar Galactica writers are far too clever to make it that obvious... so I predict that line of thinking to be a red herring. Although it would certainly fit with the observation I've heard some people make that all the hot chicks on the show turn out to be cylons. But if not Starbuck, then who?

And while we're on the subject of BSG, I loved the scene before the opening credits between Helo and Sharon/Athena. Granted, they are my favourite couple on the show (as well as being two of my favourite characters... and yes, I have a wee crush on Helo, so I may be a little biased), but I still say it was damned moving.

Labels: battlestar galactica, tv

I finally got around to playing Patrick's Sunday Seven this week and decided that I couldn't really play the way I'm supposed to.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION:
Name your seven favorite television series finales.

I don't have seven. I have two. Unless I'm forgetting some (which could easily be the case). So I'm splitting up my list...

Favorite TV series finales:

1. Star Trek: The Next Generation ("All Good Things...")
2. Star Trek: Voyager ("Endgame")

Okay TV series finales:

3. Frasier ("Goodnight, Seattle")
4. Friends ("The Last One")

Disappointing TV series finales:

5. Buffy the Vampire Slayer ("Chosen")... they killed Anya!!!!
6. M*A*S*H ("Goodbye, Farewell & Amen")... I was so stoked for this finale and so crushingly disappointed afterwards; for me, it almost seemed to negate everything that went before.
7. Seinfeld ("The Finale")... ditto

And an extra couple of categories just for the heck of it...

TV series finales that would have been good had they bothered to mention that it was series finale, not simply a season finale:

8. Judging Amy ("My Name is Amy Gray...")

TV series finales that I didn't watch because Aaron Sorkin didn't write it:

9. The West Wing ("Tomorrow")

Labels: buffy, memes, tv

Having recently been talking to a few people about new TV sets (it being Christmas time and all), I thought I should check out this handy "TV Guide." And no, I don't mean the thing you get each week that tells you the TV listings. I mean the online Guide to Television & Accessories that helps you in choosing a TV from leading brands. The site is definitely thorough, but I would have loved to have seen an interactive guide where you could have narrowed your options by selecting answers to specific questions. But maybe that's just because I'm inherently lazy.

Labels: odds and ends, tv

While exploring the sites of other meme participants, I came across this entry: "Thirteen Favorite Joss Whedon Moments".

It was both amusing and informative. I had no idea that Joss Whedon had written a few Roseanne episodes (the blog has a clip from one of the episodes; I never had any desire to watch that show, but I must admit the clip was good). I didn't realize that there were Joss Whedon graphic novels that take place in the Buffyverse (cool!). Nor had I realized that he had written Alien Resurrection (but I guess I can forgive you for that, Joss, because of everything you've done since).

In my opinion, they missed a couple of key Buffy moments. Particularly Becoming, part 2 (Season 2 finale)...

In the moments before Buffy kills Angel, he gets her cornered and disarms her. Then he says, in that mocking way of Angelus: "Now that's everything, huh? No weapons... No friends...No hope. Take all that away... and what's left?"
Buffy looks up at him with one of her famous Buffy stares and says:
"Me."
Then she stops his sword with her bare hands.

Yep, I would definitely swap that one for the Gingerbread episode doodle moment.

But you've gotta head over to the blog just to check out he video of Angel dancing at the end. It's hysterical!

Labels: buffy, pop culture, tv

Those of you who know me are probably aware of just how big a Battlestar Galactica fan I am... both old and new. Well, I just found out that there are BSG Resistance Webisodes that fill in the four-month gap when the humans were living on New Caprica under Cylon rule. My cousin first noticed "Battlestar Galactica: The Resistance" on the Internet Movie Database. Then some kindly reviewer on that page pointed the way to SciFi.com's Battlestar site, explaining that these were short webisodes.

I don't know if they will stay as webisodes or if there's any plan of putting them together for some kind of two-hour special or if they'll go on the Season 3 DVD when it comes out... I haven't looked into that yet. Right now, I'm just trying to watch them. I'm having some issues and I haven't figured out whether it's my browser or what. The pre-clip commercial plays just fine, but not the clip... very frustrating. Anyway, once I get that sorted out, I'll let you know what I think of the episodes (although I doubt it will be as insightful as my Gears & Levers post, but what can you do?).

Addendum (2.01.2007): I still haven't managed to get these damn webisodes to work. I've tried different browsers to no avail. Does anybody have any suggestions?

Labels: battlestar galactica, pop culture, tv

Tempest = Storm
Great = Large

I know I haven't been commenting on Rock Star: Supernova this year, even though I was a two-posts-a-week Rock Star: INXS grrl last year. That doesn't mean I haven't been watching, just that I've been too insanely busy with my short film to blog (said film is now in the can, except for one insert shot, then it's off to the lab when the rest of the students finish filming). But enough preamble...

I was keenly disappointed to see Storm Large leave the show. Especially after her incredible, anthem-like original song the night before: "Ladylike." I hope she goes straight into the studio to record this song (both the PG and R-rated versions). I simply can't get it out of my head which, in this case, is a wonderful thing. Aside from the fact that it's crazy catchy, the sentiment is so relatable for all of us women who feel constrained by society's desire for us to fit a girly-girl mold. And I HIGHLY recommend watching the video!!! You can either follow the links on the Rock Star site or go here to watch it without commercials (albeit with lower quality).

Anyway, since I'm commenting on the show, I'll throw in a couple of other observations. Love Dilana! Even if she did have a bit of a meltdown a couple weeks ago. I think she's pulled herself together and is back to her rocking, original self. Can't stand Lukas Rossi, even if he is Canadian. He's kind of like this year's JD for me. Though I confess that he's probably more talented than JD and I did actually download his original song, "Headspin." To take the comparisons further, I kind of feel like Dilana is the new Jordis, Toby Rand is rather Mig-like (though I think Toby is a stronger contender than Mig was) and, for me, Storm was this year's Marty. To clarify that last statement, Marty Casey was the guy that I didn't even realize I loved until I noticed that the Rock Star songs that I played most were his... all of his. Same with Storm. That girl can sing the sh*t out of a phone book.

Tempest = Storm
Great = Large

I can't wait for the storm to pass this way.

P.S. Check out this awesome video of Storm, Inc. (Storm's old band).

Labels: music, pop culture, tv

I finally got around to watching the season two finale for Battlestar Galactica (why it took me so long to watch the season finale to my favourite show is a long and boring story... and by the way, for any Americans who might be reading this, the finale was only aired here in Canada about a month ago. So I'm not THAT late in watching it).

While watching the part where Chief Tyrol gives his union speech, I thought it seemed somewhat familiar. When he got to the "gears and levers" bit, I realized why. The Chief's speech was paraphrased from the speech given by Mario Savio on the steps of Sproul Hall in 1964 as part of Berkeley's Free Speech Movement. Compare:

Chief Tyrol: "There comes a time when you realize that the engine you built with your blood and your sweat and your tears is being used for something so foul, so perverted, it makes you sick in your heart. And it's then that you must throw your body on the gears, and on the levers, and on the machine itself and make it stop! And you have to show the people who run it, the people who control it, that unless we're free that machine will be prevented from working at all!"

Mario Savio: "There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part, you can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies on the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!"

Now I hope you don't see this as Battlestar Galactica ripping off Mario Savio. I think Mario Savio was an incredible man and see this as more of an homage. And I think it's amazingly cool that a BSG writer would be familiar with the Savio speech, identify the perfect context in which to use it and reword it in the Chief's unique voice. Bravo!

P.S. I did a little research and found out that BSG actually got permission from Savio's family to use the speech. Maybe this sounds a little corny (or Klingon-ish), but it kinda makes me proud that they acted with such honour.

P.P.S. Allow me to highly recommend the documentary "Berkeley in the Sixties" by Ma