Log Entry #14: 11/16/10

With never seeing the movie "Blade Runner" , I was especially ecstatic that we were going to watch one of science fiction's best movie ever. I've heard from my dad that this was one of the best movies he has ever seen, and that every time he has watched it, he realizes something new about the plot that he previously didn't catch. We started the movie yesterday, and realized in the first couple mintutes that I was really going to enjoy this movie due to many aspects, such as: androids, the future, the technology advancements, and all the thrill involved. The movie starts out where this one doctor is giving a bunch of questions to a person, which will test whether he is an android( doesn't really have emotions) or a human being. With the suspected android not being able to tolerate the questions, he freaks out and repetitively shots the doctor. After the criminal fled the scene, it lead for Blade Runner to come back into the picture and start killing these androids. Not even 45 minutesin,  there has been over 3 killings and violence that happens almost every couple of minutes.  On that note, I honestly don't think this would be the best movie to watch with younger audiences. Although, for the teen to older audiences, this is one movie I strongly suggest. Moreover, I would just like to say I am glad I am not Blade Runner, because he has so many enemies that want to kill him. If I were him, rather than trying to killing the 4 or 5 criminal androids, I would ovoid this situation by running as far away from that area as possible and start a new life (new name and appearance).

As I was watching this movie, many issues started to pop up in my mind: is our world progressively coming to the point where we will have programed machines that roam on the planet with us? Will we have hovering vehicles by 2019 (which is present in the movie)? Will our planet be always really dark and raining?

Log Entry #13: 11/11/10

Yesterday, we finished watching the film Contact (based on Carl Sagan's cosmos theories) in class. Staring Jodie Foster as Dr. Arroway, a radio astronomer searching for extraterrestrial intelligence who, one day, receives a message from a different planet called Vega. After thoroughly reading Sagan’s article, “The Quest for Extraterrestrial Intelligence”, it became came quite clear that the the information stated in the story was the driving force for what led Dr. Arroway to search for a message from other civilizations. He believed that the search for alien life is a task that might be very hard to succeed in, but with all the space in the universe, there must be some kind of life. In the movie, Ellie and her scientific team do make contact with aliens, and the film elaborates on that key point for the rest of the movie. Throughout movie, there are many scenes where Ellie chooses reasoning over intuition and does not believe in a God. As a result, she is not chosen as the one human to go to Vega  in the first attempt (in the U.S.). On that same note, Ellie was questioned about god when her father died suddenly. She said that "only if I had the medicine in the lower level, I would have been able to save him".I found this quite interesting because it would take more like a miracle to save a person, rather than, just using medicine. In conclusion, with watching this movie, it has given me a lot of desire to peer into the sky and truly question what is out there.

Movie Response Entry #2: 11/10/10

When Sean and I finally were able to watch "The Butterfly Effect, we concluded that we choose two movies that were really quite similar. Evan (the main character in "The Butterfly Effect") had the ability to use his journals to go back in time and alter the past. Although, with doing such an act, he changed the out- come of what was going to happen in the future. This was quite coincident to what Donnie was able to do; the both of the main characters had the ability to use what they know while living the present, and able to go back in time and change the total outcome of what is going to happen in the future. On another note, I thought that both films where also quite similar in how the main character's troubles/ schemes all revolved in the fate of their significant female friend. For example, in "The Butterfly Effect", Evan was always trying to make sure that Kayleigh always had a good future and did this by altering what happened in their childhood. Similarly, Donnie realized that his girlfriend should have a good life( rather than being run over by Frank's car), so he used the worm hole to go back in time and took his life rather than Gretchen's.

Usually,  I am not a fan of Ashton Kutcher but he was quite good at playing a serious role for once. This was a film I wouldn't just pick up to watch if I was hanging with my friends, but defiantly as a family movie. I liked all the thrill that happened to him as a child, and how it shaped him as person. For example, when Evan was a kid he was staged into pornographic movie, which he did not think how Kayleigh's life should be framed around. But when Evan was older, he went back to that moment and just told Kayleigh's dad to never touch her and it led her to emancipate herself when she was 15. In conclusion, with watching this movie, it lead to really think what it would be like to have the abilities to alter the past. Although with such power, I wouldn't know when to really stop and know this is the life that I want to live, and it could lead to a death shorter in life.

Movie Response Entry #1: 11/8/10

As the first movie Sean and I watched, we decided that "Donnie Darko" would be quite similar to the movie "The Butterfly Effect. We came to the conclusion to select these two films, due to both the main characters had the ability to go into the future. But while they were in the future, they had the ability to experience the failures and promising moments that were happening. Although, that also led to the main characters to decide whether they want their friend to live or not. This was defiantly the case in the movie, "Donnie Darko". Donnie was able to carry out his life (surviving the air plane crash on his house), where he met a nice girl, but was tormented by his alter-ego/ scary bunny. In the life that Donnie was shown in for most of the movie, Frank (evil bunny), runs over Donnie's so called girl friend. Moreover, as the movie starts to come to an end, Donnie has to decide whether he should allow his girlfriend to live (by not getting run over), or her dying with Donnie surviving of the plane crash that destroyed most of his house.

I honestly loved this movie for all the thrill, scary plots, and horrendous looking bunny. It was a movie, in which you thought you knew what was going to happen, but instead something horrific happened. For example, when Donnie was at the movie with his girl friend, you would have thought nothing was going to happen. Instead, Frank comes into play and tells Donnie to leave the girl to sleep while he torches the administrator's house (who get arrested later for child pornography). Furthermore, the movie truly demonstrated how hard it would be to be schizophrenic, and how much that kid's life and other peoples' life could be a risk. In conclusion, if i had the opportunity to tell a friend about this movie, I would say that it was a scary/dark movie, but interesting on what he decided for the girl's fate and his own, how he could see worm holes, and what kind of destruction he would create.

Log Entry #12: 10/22/10

Today we had our first quiz on Ender's Game, which had some pretty exhilarating moments in it and moments that I could relate to (how Ender fights with Peter sounds like how I use to have fights with my brother). In the past week, I honestly couldn't put the book down because there was so much chaos going on with Ender. As I got done reading this exciting part of the book, I began to think what if I was in Andrew's (Ender) shoes. I honestly wouldn't know what to do if was a third child in a society that doesn't accept third children. In addition, I would think it would be very hard to leave you family in a drop of a pin to become a commander. But if you knew that you have the possibility of being known as a the greatest commander ever, I would defiantly consider it. In addition,  if I knew I wouldn't have a lot of friends at first and then I would have to leave them in a very short time to be under the command of Bonzo and then Rose de Nose, I would have to say No. I think I would just like to stay  home with Valentine (who I wouldn't be able to see for a whole 6 years or even more) and my family. In conclusion to reading and pondering on the thought of me being Ender, I'm very glad that I don't have to experience the decisions that he had to go through at such a young age. But with concluding on that thought, I began to think: will our society ever stoop to that level, where 6 year olds have to decide whether they want to leave their for the military and play a game where you kill these creatures from other planets? 

Log Entry #11: 10/17/10

I Have No Mouth & I Must Scream could possibly be one of the most terrifying science fiction works that I have ever read or heard of. It truly depicts what could happen if you put too much power into machine; this short story follows the last five human survivors on earth, trapped inside AM ( a computer that has overrun these five survivors and tortures them). The person who created AM  made him complete tasks that humans can't), and doing so, they gave AM almost unlimited power. As the story progresses you learn that  AM hates humans (his creator),  but he knows if he kills the last remaining people on this Earth, then he'll be completely alone for the rest of eternity. So as much as AM wants to kill his creator for leaving his an inclosed genius, he knows he can't kill them.

AM was named by the humans by the phrase "I think, therefore I am." . This phrase describes that AM thinks and is existent but it is not a human.  Furthermore, AM terrorizes these five poor humans and rules the world;  although, it cannot experience new things and learn like a human can. In this way, it makes it seem that Am is not actually existent and is all a tale in Tim's head.

After ready this story and watching the two horrific frankenstein films, it seems that these stories are very much similar. In which, both they stories are about how these creations break free and are exposed to society, so they go against the creators and cause havoc.

Log Entry #10: 10/15/10

Sandkings is probably of the best science fiction short stories that I have ever read, and I can see why Mr. Inloes deems this as one of his favorites. When I received this in class I didn't want to read it due to the length, but after reading just the first couple pages, I was hooked. The concept that these creatures from other planets fight each other in a glass tank is quite compelling. As you continue to read, you learn that Kress is starting a betting league with his friends and alters the results of the sandking's wars so that some colonies have to stave and have to fight for food. But with him inviting his ex, she goes crazy on Kress and breaks the glass sandkings cage. This allows the sandkings to get out and truly conquer Kress' house and the perimeter. After that catastrophe, you pretty much knew that there was going to be deaths. Although, I no idea that they would get so descriptive with some parts of the story (the description of Catherine De Lain carcass).

After reading the story, I truly thought it would be a great story to put into a movie. With people dying, betting, and creatures that kill humans, I felt it that would be a true crowd pleaser. I was astonished when we were shown some of the movie, and how it was not similar at all.

Log Entry #9: 10/13/10

With our class getting done with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Mr. Inloes thought it would be interesting and enjoyable to show how key aspects from Kubrick’s film is very influencial in many shows and commercials today. We watched an episode of the Simpsons that had many scenes in it that were practically the same as kubrick's movie. For example, the Itchy and Scratchy episode where Itchy is out in space and then takes Scratchy's helmet off. This was quite similar to the actual movie, because Dave tries saving his friend in space with the space pod, but his friend was already died because his has vent was thorn apart. Moreover, when Homer opened the bag of potato chips, which led to Homer floating in the space craft and eating the chips with the heroic music in the background. That was quite similar due to the no dialog just heroic music scenes in 2001.

Krubrick's movie actually influences many other things of TV. Just last year, there was a commercial with a guy who just bought his wife a new pendent from Jared Jewelry. The guy gets back in his car to go home and tries to plug in his destination into his GPS, but his GPS (which has a female voice) doesn't want to cooperate. As a result, the only way for the guy to get home is if he put the pendant on the GPS. This is just like the A Space Odyssey, where Hal (the space shuttle's core intelligence system which has feelings) takes over the ship by trying to killing everyone. Similarly, the GPS won't cooperate with the guy unless she gets the pendant (due to the GPS has feelings). 

In conclusion, even thought I didn't love 2001: A Space Odyssey, it is interesting to know and realize how influential that movie is.

Log Entry #8: 10/11/10

We just finished Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, and it made me truly think "how different the movie is from the book". With being quite the skeptic of the Jurassic Park movies back in the day, I thought it would be interesting to really see how the movie and the book are different.A few days after concluding Micheal Crichton's Jurassic Park, we began to watch the Spielberg film, which different right from the start( the movie starts with the park workers trying to calm a Velcoraptor and in the book, it starts with a girl being attacked by little dinosaurs).It was differently awesome to see revisit the movie I haven't seen in multiple years, but with reading the book, the story line lacked all of the book’s outstanding/ chilling details.


With watching the movie, we also received a Stephen Jay Gould article in class this week, “Dinomania”, explaining his thoughts on how he thought the movie were different. I completely with Gould's argument  that Spielberg did “dumb down” the book’s scientific elements so that the average American would understand (For example, in the movie they made the Velcoraptors 10 feet tall instead of the actual 6. This was just to demonstrate to the average american that dinosaurs dinosaurs were really scary) Moreover, Gould finds Malcolm’s to still be a believer in the chaos theory in the movie, but says that nature selected dinosaurs for extinction, rather than it was all due to chaos theory and explaining that in the movie.

Log Entry #7: 10/10/10

For the past three days we have been watching Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, which I thought was quite a challenge to understand and bare. During the movie there were some instances where nothing would be going on; no dialogue, only color displays of figures in space. With these instances occurring,  It made me become quite uninterested, and I had to continuously tell myself to stay attentive. Consequently, It made me conclude this movie as one of the worst movies I have seen in the past couple years. I understood what was going on up until the lights show when Dave was going through the different atmospheres of Jupiter. I honestly thought there was no reason for the light show to go on for an astounding 15 whole minutes. I could understand one to two minutes of the color display, but 15 is ridiculous. As those 15 minutes of brilliant colors came to an end, Dave all of a sudden was in a modern looking room and then he progressively got older, and then became a star child looking at earth. Once we were done with the movie, it was left with not knowing what was happening and in need for a explanation of the ending. With Mr. Inloes explaining how he perceived the ending, it became much clearer (the notion that aliens guide us and help us grow as a race). In conclusion, I began to actually appreciate the significance of the movie and would defiantly see it again.

Log Entry #6: 9/30/10

Today we had our second quiz on Jurassic Park, which pertained to the most exciting part in the book so far. In the past week, I honestly couldn't put the book down because there was so much chaos, theft, and mystery. As I got done reading this thrilling part of the book, I began to think what if I was in this situation as Tim Murphy. At first, when Tim was being observant and able to look and touch the Stegosaurus, I thought that would be an awesome experience. But as I continued to read, I learned that Tim was entirely in the wrong place at the wrong time (when he was in the land cruiser, with no power, and stuck right where the T-Rex's territory was). If I knew that a T-Rex was going to destroy the car that I was in, I would probably do the same thing Ed Regis did with some minor changes. This would include me running, but initially I would try to make something very eye-catching on land cruiser, so the Rex would initially be concerned about the car rather than me. While I would be running from the car and the T-Rex, I would snatch the night vision goggles and run as close to trial as I could towards the control center. In addition, as I would be running back, I would get some kind of thick log, so if I get into any trouble, I would be able to defend myself. In conclusion to reading and pondering on the thought of me being Tim, I'm very glad that dinosaurs are extinct and that none of the happened. But that brings the question, will there be something in the future that could pose the same treat that dinosaurs would pose to humans?

Log Entry #5: 9/29/10

The film Jurassic Park is quite good, but Michael Crichton’s book is probably one of the best books I have ever read. With in just reading the introduction, I begin to love the book for how it describes the attacks of the infant, it's almost realistic setting, and how it incorporates science that could be plausible. In the movie, they go pretty in depth, but it would be pretty hard to put every aspect the book had into the movie. If the directors did, it might create a very long movie, which could lead to a disliked public opinion. But with saying that, I'm glad to be able to read the book, which seems to be so much more descriptive.  With the book being so descriptive, It gave me the inclination that maybe this could be possible in the very soon future. Crichton does this by including a lot of scientific definitions, explaining chaos theory, and important/interesting characteristics into the book. 


With continuing to read this book, it has begun to frighten me because this book makes it seem that this kind of cloning will occur in the future. Similar situations of the Procompsognathuse attacks that attacked the little girl on the island, could become reality, which could lead to disaster. But the most interesting part about this book, is that it relates much like Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. What I mean by this,is that Crichton seems to be warning the people reading his novel that this chaotic dinosaur would could happen again. Similarly, just like how Mary Shelley did with her readers. 

Log Entry #4: 9/28/10

We just finished watching Gattaca with Ethan Hawke and Jude Law this week, and I made me think that maybe what happens in this movie is very plausible in the next couple decades. The whole concept of eugenics and the designing the "perfect human" is quite bothersome, but at the same time awesome on what the future hold. It is mind boggling to think that in the next couple decades us humans ( god children) could be inferior to the perfect human beings created by different traits which would make them possibly perfect. Even though, it is scary to think that these perfect beings could be created soon; although,there is already stem cell research and project (create the perfect DNA strand, by extracting that bad strand and adding the good strand) being done.

I feel like Vincent (who wanted to always go to titan but was initially not allowed to leave Earth, because he was a "god child"), is going to be a similar issue in the future. If we do create these perfect people, then it will lead people to do ANYTHING to be as good as these perfect human beings. As a result of that thought, would It really be a good idea to create a person that is so far beyond normal capabilities? I think not initially. Rather, we should gradually do it, so when the oldest genetically altered people get older the younger will take over and not have to cause conflict with not that of fortunate genetically altered beings.

Log Entry #3: 9/26/10

With watching Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I honestly had no idea what to expect for Young Frankenstein. As we started watching, there were multiple aspects of the movie that were entirely different from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. First off, how the directors perceived the monster. For example, in Young Frankenstein, the monster was perceived as evil due to it was given a criminal's brain(abnormal). On the other hand, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein perceived frankenstein as neutral then becoming evil( not have a reason the be mad at society), due to being harassed by the people in the city and abandoned by Victor. Another aspect that was different from the two movies, was the ability for the monster to learn. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, he was shown to have the ability to learn (speak and read). On the contrary, the Young frankenstein showed that frankenstein was quite illiterate and not having the ability to learn; rather, just able to decipher sounds and know what frightened him. While I was watching the Young Frankenstein, I also realized that how the monsters were created was somewhat differently. The frankenstein in Mary Shelley's was created by electricity generated by electric eels. On the contrary, the frankenstein in Young Frankenstein was created by the electricity generated by lightning. In conclusion, if I had the opinion to watch Young Frankenstein now, I would have to say no, due to I think Mary Shelley's Frankenstein perceived a better/ truer frankenstein.

Log Entry #2: 9/21/10

When people try to classify "true science fiction movies" they state movies like Star Trek or Star Wars. But personally, I believe people should be quite familiar with the movie "The day the Earth stood still" for multiple reasons. First off, the movie demonstrates many crucial themes of science fiction: aliens invasion, people uncertain by what has come to their presence, and also aliens saying that the world might be in trouble. Secondly, it showed cutting edge video effects for its time, which set the board walk for future science fiction movies. Moreover, I believe if you're a fanatic of the Star Trek or Star Wars movies, you should defiantly see this movie because it also dealt with humans and aliens and their conflicts with each other. In my opinion, I truly loved this movie due to it had many conflicts (aliens & humans) and I just love the fascination of extra terrestrials taking over the world. I don't think I would have changed anything to make it better (1950's version), but if they recreated it in this time period, it would have the potential for being one of the best current science fiction movies.  It might also make things look more life like and not "1950's screen glitchy", which would/could be a crowd pleaser. Even though they did not create a new version of the movie, I would defiantly suggest the 1950's version movie to a friend.

Log Entry #1: 9/20/10

When our class was told that we would be watching Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I was ecstatic. With growing up watching the cartoon version of Frankenstein, I thought it would interesting to see how this director depicted Frankenstein. Then when I was informed that Kenneth Branagh was directing and also starring, I became quite skeptical on how this movie would turn out. For the first 10 minutes, I thought this movie had the potential for being great, but as all his movies are,  it turned into a gestured female attraction. With that being said, there are multiple things I would change. First off, I think there should have been an actual battle scene with the ship crew and Frankenstein; it could have erased the horrific memory of Kenneth's bare chest being shown every 5 minutes. Moreover, there should have been more attempts to kill Frankenstein and maybe a successful attempt, which is probably how the movie should have ended. Thirdly, with the death of the little boy and one of the sisters, Kenneth should emphasized those points a tad more than they were displayed in the movie. This movie is depicted as a "horror movie", which is clearly not the case. Rather, there should be a new genre called  "comical horror" suitable for 12 year olds and/or younger". I know I am being quite harsh, but If kenneth was really trying to depict Mary's story, he should not included himself!