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San Francisco, 11:25 PM
Thu Nov 26
13 posts in the last 24 hours
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10:21 PM
09:59 PM
And yeah, the story, replete with space marines, an ancient, declining race of superscience and telepathic powers, and evil hive-mind insects, is somehow NOT tired and dull. Can't wait.
09:57 PM
09:22 PM
08:30 PM
07:31 PM
The era of colonialism really wasn't that long ago, and really never ended in many ways. Arguably, economic globalization is mainly a continuation of the process. And whether or not you believe the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan were justified or even heroic attempts to create freedom... for some reason we still can't resist helping ourselves to their oil.
So the point is: the same mindset that created colonialism is still alive and well in Western culture, and plenty of non-Western cultures, too.
The only humans I can safely imagine coexisting with aliens are people from many of the same cultures that were almost entirely wiped out by colonialism.
Many of these cultures were entirely uninterested in conquering anybody and would have been humanity's best ambassadors, had they not been conquered by less civilized societies.
07:24 PM
For every finger pointing at a stupid sci-fi fan, there are three pointing back at a snob, and a thumb indicating the direction your nose should be pointing to.
The sci-fi snobs are the reason that some of the more "cerebral" films never make it--because you're snobby about them too. You nitpick to increase your own sense of superiority, deliberately missing films that are smarter than TF2, and the entire genre suffers, because studios are convinced that fans won't support those films.
Case in point: V getting four episodes. (I realize it's a t.v show--but you get my point.) I don't fault the "unwashed masses" for seeing Transformers. I fault the snobby, sci-fi elitists for making the projects they claim to love so difficult to get off the ground.
Quit giving the rest of us a bad name. I would have liked to see another Watchmen type film. Thanks to you guys, it ain't gonna happen.
This holiday season, I'm thankful that all the previously mentioned films were successful, because it shows that despite your best efforts, entertaining movies can still be successful. Some of the time, at least.
09:16 PM
09:39 PM
10:22 PM
All I was getting at is that the success of Transformers is not a good argument to suggest that moviegoing audiences are looking for smart, quality* films, while the success of films like The Dark Knight, Star Trek, and District 9 does tend to suggest that. There are plenty of valid reasons to have gone to see Transformers 2, most of them having to do with the "pure escapism" angle. I don't have any issue with that, and I don't criticize people for liking the movie. Life's way, way too short to go around hating everything, and I generally try to enjoy as much entertainment as I can.
My entire (and admittedly very unscientific) point was just that the success of those three movies suggest there is a place for intelligent science fiction movies not only to survive, but to thrive. The success of the Transformers movies, which I think are generally agreed to be openly (even proudly) stupid movies, stands as a counter to that, and I felt I should address that. Although I suppose I could argue the generally lukewarm to negative word of mouth for Transformers 2 might support my claim that audiences are starting to expect more from their science fiction.
*Yes, that's a really vague term to use.
10:56 PM
As a genre fan, who actually enjoys a wide range of films, big-budget or low budget, I guess I get a little insulted when my "taste" is questioned just because I liked one movie. I'm a fan of creativity. TF2 was a trainwreck to a lot of folks, but to me it was a fascinating trainwreck (if that makes sense). I think it's been taken at face value, when in my opinion, it's actually a bit subversive, and in a good way.
It was not the greatest film of all time, but it wasn't the worst either.
But beyond that, there's just a sense of elitism in the fan community and for some reason, it just bugs me. Star Trek for instance... was that movie not bashed unmercifully ever since we got the first images of the cast on set? There's no consensus that it was a successful film from an artistic standpoint... lots of ST fans think it's just a bubblegum version of a show that raped the memory of Gene. JJ hate is pretty equal to Bay hate.
And you can extend that to TDK and D9 as well.... some think TDK was one of the most overrated films ever, and some think D9 is just a hodgepodge made up of scenes of sci-fi classics it was ripping off. But one thing we have in common is we love this stuff in general... and we have more in common than not. I think fans forget that sometimes.
So.... basically just letting off steam. Seems to me genre fans can sometimes be their worst enemies. Attack the show, not the viewer I guess is my main point.
Take care.
07:08 PM
I wouldn't argue for a story that's all about peaceful coexistence. I realize that that's boring. What I'd be interesting in seeing is a story where the immigrants come in peace, and then see how good intentions can go horribly awry. I still think there's dramatic heft there.
07:03 PM
I mean, seriously. Have you tried *reading* le Guin's _Always Coming Home_?
06:56 PM
Thankfully, things picked up in the second half of the season.
06:52 PM
And, sadly, I doubt any of us will live to see it. Hopefully, someone else will.
06:47 PM
redeemable for 3 intranet tub uncloggers
06:40 PM
I'm also thankful for the other Alastair, Reynolds - although I'd be more thankful if I didn't have to wait so long for a USA mass-market paperback of "House of Suns".
I'm thankful for the animated film "9". It was too short, and not perfect, but still beautiful.
I'm mostly thankful this year for being exposed to Iaiaiiaain Banks and the Culture universe, which I now am absolutely convinced I live in, and it makes me feel better and even more human.
Lastly, I'm thankful for io9, for reminding me that the infinite is fun as well as wondrous.
06:39 PM
05:51 PM