Do you believe in rock 'n roll, can music save your mortal soul?

Just wanted to share Jeremy Renner's lovely voice in Love Comes to the Executioner

All these bitches checkin' out my britches

Shameless plug for Flight of the Conchords

All Your Belief Cannot Absolve Your Sin

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Now that there are no “Stargate” TV shows on anymore, fans have something else to turn to until “Stargate: Universe” hits SciFi. What is that? Straight-to-DVD movies. Instead of renewing the shows for more seasons, the producers decided to take a different route and wrap up storylines in under two hours. The first of two “SG-1” movies, The Ark of Truth, is setting a trend for the series, which looks to continue through with “Atlantis” movies.

The Ark of Truth is definitely made for the “Stargate” audience. There is no doubt that anyone who hasn’t watched the series or knows nothing about the franchise will be lost. While that may be true, there is also a prelude on the DVD that summarizes the last two seasons of “SG-1,” which is useful if someone forgot what had happened. It gives background for the film and also refreshes the memory of us dedicated viewers of the show, so we aren’t straining to remember what happened in the series that ended a while ago.

Since the film is a continuation of “SG-1,” there are definitely a lot of similarities with the show. They have stayed true to the series, both in character and plot lines. All of the characters remain as they were (except maybe Sam, whose hair has grown quite a bit). They are still the same old, loveable characters with their flaws, and they still bring humor to the genre, especially Cam (Ben Browder), who has numerous one-liners (a perfectly placed “ow” had me laughing for minutes). If the movie had been shown as a special episode, it would be hard to tell the difference, except maybe that there are a few more swear words allowed.

The movie itself continues on the Ori story arch as the team continues to look for a way to take out their big enemy. They find a hope in the Ark of Truth, hence the title. The film focuses on the search for the end of the Ori and deal with them as a big bad as well as the reappearance of the Replicators, which have long plagued the series. By the end of the film, the storyline is split between dealing with the Ori and dealing with the Replicators, two of the biggest baddies in the whole “Stargate” franchise. The action involved with both is definitely copious and it all leads to two separate epic battles that finally take care of the story arch from the series and that of the film.

With straight-to-DVD films, it’s usually a hit or miss. The film was good, yes, but it felt as though it was a whole story arch smooshed into an hour and a half. I think The Ark of Truth could’ve been better if there had been an appearance by Colonel Jack O’Neill, but that’s just me. By the end, it almost felt as if I were asking myself “That’s it?” Ten years of trouble, the past two of the season leading up to this and that’s all it took to defeat the Ori? At least it was better than getting left with guesswork. They did manage to wrap up the storylines, but I feel as though it was a bit rushed. In comparison, I think Serenity did a better job with wrapping up “Firefly,” even though a lot of stuff from the show wasn’t expanded on.

While the film would make a good episode, I think I speak for a lot of fans when I say I would prefer a whole ‘nother season. Unfortunately for us, the film did well enough that the producers decided to take “Atlantis” off the air and do the same thing. But if this is all we have for the “Stargate” series, I’ll take what I can get.

I whispered in her ear: fear me, dear, for I am death

Shameless plug for Looking for Group

Daddy was a bankrobber, but he never hurt nobody. He just loved to live that way, and he loved to steal your money

Are you a RockNRolla?

Walking into the theater to see the film, you probably find yourself asking, “What is a RockNRolla?” The answer is found right at the beginning of the movie: “A real RockNRolla wants the fucking lot,” the good life in all aspects. What does that have to do with the film, other then the fact that the title is RockNRolla? At the center of the conflict is a rocker named Johnny Quid who faked his own death for popularity; but the tale is also one of money, drugs, art and relationships and at its core is a crime film. So, the title of ‘RockNRolla’ has to do with music as well as crime.

Like other Guy Ritchie films, RockNRolla deals with the underworld of London. Thieves, mobsters, and corrupt figures populate the movie, which centers said people that end up in trouble with the Russians. Like Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, a series of interconnected events leads to the main conflict of the film: the Russian boss’s painting goes missing whilst in the care of a London crime boss. It turns out, Johnny Quid is Lenny the boss’s son and has stolen the painting, causing trouble for the London crime boss who is trying to negotiate with the Russians over property and money. This action sets off the conflict that causes the other characters to scramble around and pass on the painting without realizing its significance.

Ritchie employs a great cast including Gerard Butler as a thief named One-Two, Tom Wilkinson as Lenny, Mark Strong as Archie, Lenny’s second, and Thandie Newton as the Russian’s accountant who inadvertently adds to the main conflict of the film. Toby Kebbell’s Johnny Quid ties them all together with his philosophical commentary as he delves deeper into the life of a RockNRolla. The characters in the film are diverse and flawed, making the cast well rounded. At the same time, all the characters are humorous and important to the plot. Even the junkies who make a few appearances add a comedic aspect as well as furthering on the conflict. Most important, the characters are believable and somehow, like a true Ritchie cast, are all interconnected in one form or another.

As a film in the crime genre, the story revolves around the life of criminals, thugs, and dirty thieves. There is stealing, swindling, drug use and action to go along with it. But there is also a humorous play on the seriousness of these events. Unlike other crime films, this one can be considered more of a comedy, but it still has its roots deep into the crime genre. Yes, there are robbery scenes, blood and violence, but the robberies get messed up, things go wrong, and people just don’t stay dead. One-Two’s encounter with the Russians that spans on for more than he thought it would is one of those great comedic scenes. Subplots become connected to the main one and everything seems to come full circle. Things stay understandable with the help of Archie’s voiceovers and the movie stays enjoyable to watch all the way through.

The story and characters make a film, but the soundtrack is absolutely amazing and adds to the story and mood. The music ranges from ‘50s and ‘60s rock to rock and roll of modern times. With the film having RockNRoll in the title, it would have been a disappointment not to have a RockNRoll soundtrack. The music helps with the comedy, the action, and even the background of the film, especially in terms of Johnny Quid. A notable use of the soundtrack is the flashback sequence involving a younger Johnny and Lenny, which illustrates their relationship against The Clash’s “Bankrobber.” It is a brilliant and touching scene, and explains why Johnny and Lenny clash so much, no pun intended.

Overall, the film is worth watching, even if you are not a fan of crime films. Its action, comedy and drama add to it and make it enjoyable and anyone who appreciates a humorous spin on a normally serious topic would like it. If you are a fan of Guy Ritchie or enjoyed his other films, RockNRolla is definitely one to add to your collection.

I'm floating in a most peculiar way, And the stars look very different today

Wow, so I suck at updating my blog. Probably because what I set out to use it for (aka school) hasn't been giving me anything to post. So, I'll sum up the last few weeks of Astronomy in one post.

Since last time we've:
>> Observed Orion and Venus, looked at a cloud forming region. Froze our asses off.

>> Gotten in new equipment, so we put it together and cataloged it. I was in charge of the delicate filters (bad call by the way) and the expensive lenses, but I managed to not destroy any of the expensive equipment. I also had to set up the computer and camera because...it's kind of what I do.

>> Brought the new equipment outside and set it up. Tried to align it. I was in charge of the camera and computer again. I also had the military-issued flashlights strapped to my pants and was proceeding to make a rave for my fellow classmates

>> Worked with photoshop to composite and color black and white pictures and make pretty images, which I didn't get to take off of the laptops we used so I can't post them

>> Finally used the new equipment and I was in charge of figuring out why the camera wasn't working. Also, I was out in the freezing cold the entire time (only one in my class to do so including my professor). I went a little numb, but I got the stuff to work. Also manged to fix what my professor broke. He said I got an 'A+' because I fixed the expensive equipment. I couldn't tell if he was joking.

Yep, and outside of class I've been observing Saturn and Venus. Venus has been acting as me and Katy's 'guardian' At first we thought it was a star that only we could see, but it turned out to be Venus. But it's cool. I saw a lovely phase of it. Also saw Saturn. Missed a fireball because my professor didn't point it out to us because we were looking at him. I call that irony.

So that's been astronomy for the past month. It's been freezing, but we've been having perfect weather for observing. If only we could've observed more =P