Compared to some of the huge events and iconic losses of the last 12 months, my own problems are minuscule, but more personally frustrating. I've spent far too little time with friends, far too much time at work and accomplished very few of my goals for the year.
This blog for instance ground to a virtual standstill apart from the "Doctor Who Show" comics reviews - and those probably only managed to happen because of the monthly deadlines of the podcast. Part of the problem is I that I abandoned the "publish something weekly" discipline some time ago when I found I just couldn't maintain it - at least not to the standard I wanted. I find that to do them justice, a lot of my nostalgia-based pieces take a *long* time to write. Not only do I have to dredge the recesses of my increasingly failing memory, but I need to check facts, construct an interesting narrative, build background biographies and source appropriate images. It's all great fun but days turn into weeks, turn into months - and I won't press "Publish" until I'm 100% happy and I don't have the spare time I once had - it's a vicious circle...
A new year is traditionally a time for new beginnings, so with those frustrations in mind and with a desire to publish more regular content, I've decided to acknowledge my own weaknesses, set some targets and move the goalposts.
The longer pieces will still be released. I enjoy them too much and there are several which are *so* close to finishing that I'm not abandoning things now. They'll happen when they happen. The Doctor Who reviews are going to be on-going too with the comics being joined by some audio stuff and of course a new series in 2017 means the regular return of "Timelord Thoughts" (the Christmas special post is coming very soon I promise).
But to supplement those things I've decided to start several new "strands" that will be smaller in scope, shorter in length and therefore be able to be released weekly. The first of these is already out. "Golden Sunsets" is my look back at fifty of my favourite things from the last fifty years of my life. As one of my friends calls it - a delve into the "Nostalgia Mine". The second new item will be published in the next few days under the umbrella title "I Saw Elvis In a Potato Chip Once". I'm saying no more.
But right now, welcome to my weekly "Random Ravings"...
Movies, books, television, albums, podcasts, comics, news reports, cake recipes, my thoughts on practically anything - it's all fair game and can be mixed and matched in the same post. The only rules are: a) that is has to be something I've read, listened to or watched very recently (nothing older than the last month); b) I can't use more than a few hundred words; c) whatever "reviews" are complete by the end of each Saturday *have* to be published. Keep it short, snappy and to the point. That's the idea anyway. Sometime there might be several items. Sometime there might only be one. We'll see how it goes.
In the spirit of these mini-reviews being somewhat decided by chance - and to be honest just because it appealed to me - the post title each week is going to be a random episode name from any TV series I've seen in the last 40-odd years. Some might be incredibly obscure, some will be more well known. This first one has only a tangential relationship to that film starring Humphrey Bogart. A Mighty Marvel No-Prize if anyone figures out where the titles are from.
But to supplement those things I've decided to start several new "strands" that will be smaller in scope, shorter in length and therefore be able to be released weekly. The first of these is already out. "Golden Sunsets" is my look back at fifty of my favourite things from the last fifty years of my life. As one of my friends calls it - a delve into the "Nostalgia Mine". The second new item will be published in the next few days under the umbrella title "I Saw Elvis In a Potato Chip Once". I'm saying no more.
But right now, welcome to my weekly "Random Ravings"...
Movies, books, television, albums, podcasts, comics, news reports, cake recipes, my thoughts on practically anything - it's all fair game and can be mixed and matched in the same post. The only rules are: a) that is has to be something I've read, listened to or watched very recently (nothing older than the last month); b) I can't use more than a few hundred words; c) whatever "reviews" are complete by the end of each Saturday *have* to be published. Keep it short, snappy and to the point. That's the idea anyway. Sometime there might be several items. Sometime there might only be one. We'll see how it goes.
In the spirit of these mini-reviews being somewhat decided by chance - and to be honest just because it appealed to me - the post title each week is going to be a random episode name from any TV series I've seen in the last 40-odd years. Some might be incredibly obscure, some will be more well known. This first one has only a tangential relationship to that film starring Humphrey Bogart. A Mighty Marvel No-Prize if anyone figures out where the titles are from.
Having got all that off my chest, let's kick week one of 2017 off a couple days early with:
Able Edwards
An interesting yet flawed film, this came out in 2004 but somehow passed me by until a comment by someone on a podcast - and the fact that it was one of the first ever films to be shot entirely using green screen technology - piqued my interest enough to seek out a copy. It's kind of an alternate-world take on the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Maybe.
Abel "Able" Edwards ran the most successful media company in the world, producing films and television and running his incredibly popular "Fantastic Wonderland" theme parks based on his cartoon characters. After his death the company diversified into producing humanoid robots, but with market share waning and no-one having sufficient vision, the board develop a plan to clone their dead founder - in the hope that his genius and innovation will turn fortunes around. They give the clone a robot companion and arrange for the child to have the same life-altering experiences as the original - even down to killing off the first love of his life.
The film then chronicles the rise of the clone Abel as he takes control of the Edwards Corporation, doesn't do what the board expects yet still steers it through years of success, makes a switch into politics and eventually loses it all. Basically it's a clear riff on "Citizen Kane" (it's shot in grainy black and white and there is even newsreel footage) crossed with the question "What if in the future someone was able to clone Walt Disney?". There is also some background texture about a global catastrophe and how what remains of the Earth's population has relocated to a orbiting space station, but that's pretty irrelevant to the main plot.
The film used static historical photographs as background "sets" enhanced with a few props. This is very obvious at times, but they mostly get away with it. The CGI at the time perhaps wasn't quite up to the task with the miniscule budget available. You have to admire the effort and imagination though.
Even if part's of the story are not original and the acting in the supporting roles can be stilted at times (the exception being Scott Kelly Galbreath in the lead role, who is never less than excellent) it's certainly worth watching for anyone that likes thoughtful SF and is interested in the development of CGI. It also shows what indie film-makers could accomplish with the technology even thirteen years ago.
Able Edwards
An interesting yet flawed film, this came out in 2004 but somehow passed me by until a comment by someone on a podcast - and the fact that it was one of the first ever films to be shot entirely using green screen technology - piqued my interest enough to seek out a copy. It's kind of an alternate-world take on the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Maybe.
Abel "Able" Edwards ran the most successful media company in the world, producing films and television and running his incredibly popular "Fantastic Wonderland" theme parks based on his cartoon characters. After his death the company diversified into producing humanoid robots, but with market share waning and no-one having sufficient vision, the board develop a plan to clone their dead founder - in the hope that his genius and innovation will turn fortunes around. They give the clone a robot companion and arrange for the child to have the same life-altering experiences as the original - even down to killing off the first love of his life.
The film then chronicles the rise of the clone Abel as he takes control of the Edwards Corporation, doesn't do what the board expects yet still steers it through years of success, makes a switch into politics and eventually loses it all. Basically it's a clear riff on "Citizen Kane" (it's shot in grainy black and white and there is even newsreel footage) crossed with the question "What if in the future someone was able to clone Walt Disney?". There is also some background texture about a global catastrophe and how what remains of the Earth's population has relocated to a orbiting space station, but that's pretty irrelevant to the main plot.
The film used static historical photographs as background "sets" enhanced with a few props. This is very obvious at times, but they mostly get away with it. The CGI at the time perhaps wasn't quite up to the task with the miniscule budget available. You have to admire the effort and imagination though.
Even if part's of the story are not original and the acting in the supporting roles can be stilted at times (the exception being Scott Kelly Galbreath in the lead role, who is never less than excellent) it's certainly worth watching for anyone that likes thoughtful SF and is interested in the development of CGI. It also shows what indie film-makers could accomplish with the technology even thirteen years ago.
House To Astonish
Paul O'Brien and Al Kennedy hold the dubious honour of being the hosts of the first podcast I ever downloaded. They're also the only comics podcast which I listen to every single episode without fail. Here you have two guys living in Edinburgh who have been regularly recording for eight years (they recently celebrated 150 episodes) talking about every kind of comic you can imagine. Their depth of knowledge is incredible (Paul has a particular fondness for the X-Men) and their enthusiasm for the medium is infectious. When my own interest in comics went through a lean patch, this little show was one of the factors that helped rekindle the fire.
Usual episodes consist of comics news (including at times some fascinating in depth discussions on legal matters since both gents work in that profession), two or three reviews from any publisher - it's very rare that they review the same title twice - plus their own special feature "The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".
This is where Paul and Al take an obscure Marvel hero or villain that really wasn't very good and try to "redeem" them. It's difficult to describe more than that as much of the conversation is free-flowing and can take side swerves into unexpected territory. If you want to imagine a useless 1960s villain as a late night talk show host, or an obscure hero using their powers to make free doughnuts for all, this is the place. It's a lot of fun and frequently hilarious. Of course being a bit of a DC junkie I'd personally love for them to tackle some of the wackier aspects of the Distinguished Competition - the Ten-Eyed Man or Red Bee for example - but for now the gents seem to be in no danger of running out of oddball Marvel characters to look at.
There are also occasional crossovers with other podcasts and the annual awards show (the "Homies") but generally each episode follows the same basic format described above, and I love listening to Paul and Al's thoughts and opinions. There are many series which I only considered trying because for their recommendation.
Anyway you can find the show on ITunes or your podcast player of choice or just follow the links or listen via the embedded player on the House To Astonish blog here. If you love comics, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.
Usual episodes consist of comics news (including at times some fascinating in depth discussions on legal matters since both gents work in that profession), two or three reviews from any publisher - it's very rare that they review the same title twice - plus their own special feature "The Official Handbook of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe".
This is where Paul and Al take an obscure Marvel hero or villain that really wasn't very good and try to "redeem" them. It's difficult to describe more than that as much of the conversation is free-flowing and can take side swerves into unexpected territory. If you want to imagine a useless 1960s villain as a late night talk show host, or an obscure hero using their powers to make free doughnuts for all, this is the place. It's a lot of fun and frequently hilarious. Of course being a bit of a DC junkie I'd personally love for them to tackle some of the wackier aspects of the Distinguished Competition - the Ten-Eyed Man or Red Bee for example - but for now the gents seem to be in no danger of running out of oddball Marvel characters to look at.
There are also occasional crossovers with other podcasts and the annual awards show (the "Homies") but generally each episode follows the same basic format described above, and I love listening to Paul and Al's thoughts and opinions. There are many series which I only considered trying because for their recommendation.
Anyway you can find the show on ITunes or your podcast player of choice or just follow the links or listen via the embedded player on the House To Astonish blog here. If you love comics, you owe it to yourself to give it a go.
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