Star Trek- Prelude to Axanar – REVIEW

On Saturday evening, Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar premiered outside the San Diego Comic-Con.  This fan film was founded via Kickstarter and is a prequel (of sorts) to the primary project, Star Trek: Axanar.

The story involves a History Channel-like show that is giving the set-up to the famed Battle of Axanar.  During the first major war the United Federation of Planets fought, they were losing.  The Klingon Empire, both threatened and unimpressed with the Federation, had decided to launch an invasion.  After more than a year of success, the Federation, reeling from continued losses, changed tact.  Aside from shake-ups in the command structure, more daring strategies were combined with an arms races with between the galactic powers.  Due to Klingon’s arrogance, their gains were reversed- though they were not beaten nor dissuaded.  The film ends with the premise of forcing a battle that would end the war, one way or the other.

 

The cast for Prelude is small- only a handful of characters were relaying their stories to the historical production. However, the pedigree of these actors, especially for what is essentially a fan-film, is quite stellar. The cast includes: Tony Todd (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Candyman) as Marcus Ramirez, Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica, Falcon Crest) as Sonya Alexander, Richard Hatch (Battlestar Galactica, The Streets of San Francisco) as General Kharn, J.G. Hertzler (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Zorro) as Samuel Travis, Gary Graham (Star Trek: Enterprise, Alien Nation) reprising his role from Enterprise as Ambassador Soval & Alec Peters as Garth of Izar.  The experience of the casting shows through as well- this feels much closer to an independent film, or even a smaller studio production, than a fan film- though to be fair, the crew made a lot of this happen as well.

 

Of special notes are the special effects- vignettes of starships, both traveling and fighting, shown during the interviews to punctuate what the characters are relating.  The quality of the CGI and the overall feel of the space shots reminds Trek fans of the motion pictures, (not the new JJ Abrams one, but the Prime Timeline movies).  However, the fights felt a bit sedated- though this review believes that is due to only showing the exteriors of the fights, without inside the ship shots to show how the crew was reacting.  It is presumed this missing element will be shown in the movie proper- but for a history show, (fictional or otherwise), it worked.

 

Other elements of the background worked as well.  The script, while fairly bare bones, portrayed each character as a distinct personality; Captain Alexander is not interchangeable with Captain Travis, nor were Kharn and Rameriz mirror images.  Further, the framing device of the history show felt mostly right- if I were to nitpick, the footage was a little too clean for material captured during a battle, even in the 22nd Century.  The music was also understated, lending to an educational feel.  Lastly, the lighting for the two interview rooms gave them a distinctly different feel, suiting the different affiliations and their settings quite well.

 

This reviewer does hope that the Axanar movie proper will address how the Federation could be beaten back so easily by the Klingons after a founding member, Earth, succeeded alone against another galactic power in the Earth-Romulan Wars.  There seem to be four possibilities: 1) the ERW exhausted Earth and the Federation spent significant resources rebuilding the Terran infrastructure, leaving the Federation weakened; 2) the ERW was fought in a vastly significant way tactically, with Starfleet busy fighting the last war while the Klingons were not; 3) the Klingon Empire is simply vastly superior militarily to the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire, or 4) the ERW was a border war, and this was the first all-out interstellar war Earth and the Federation fought, whereas the Klingons fought them frequently.  Without addressing this, (especially in the context of a historical look back), it will seem odd that the Four-Year War went so badly for the Federation, after a founding member held off another Star Empire independently.

 

(One minor detail that breaks from the Prime Timeline canon is the importance of Axanar: the movie concludes with Garth’s plan, using Axanar as bait.  Part of the reason for this is the temptation of destroying the Federation’s newest ships, the Consitution-class starships, in construction over Axanar.  Most notably, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was shown among them- however, canonically, the Enterprise was constructed over Earth in the San Francisco Yards.  But, if tiny details like this are your main problem, that’s pretty good.  (And quite frankly, show a level of care and concern far above the recent Star Trek reboot movies.))

 

Lastly, there are some Easter Eggs included.  I will leave them for you to find, save for this one: eagle-eyed Battlestar Galactica fans, was the first Federation ship shown and destroyed- the USS Triton, NCC-1439; (the Battlestar Triton, destroyed in the Colonial Holocaust, was designated BSG-39).

 

Overall, Star Trek: Prelude to Axanar is an impressive short film.  Despite being an entirely independent project, it feels like it would easily have come out of the Paramount lot.  And even though the entire film is essentially a framing device for the Axanar movie proper, it does its jobs and whets the appetite for more.

 

 

If you’re looking for the TL:DR version, if you are a Star Trek fan or enjoy good science fiction, definitely give Prelude to Axanar a watch once it become available to the general public at the end of July- you won’t regret it.

 

The Kickstarter for the main project, Star Trek: Axanar, went online this weekend and is, at this moment, over 90% funded.  Given what they did for Prelude, I see the funding being reached- and the final product should be glorious…  You can check it out Kickstarter- Star Trek: Axanar.  In the meantime, while waiting for Prelude to Axanar to release, here is the preview.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Star Trek- Prelude to Axanar on IMDb

 

Writer’s Tip- Alt-Said Terms- Recap

Here is a recap of the alternatives to said to help your writing have more sizzle…

 

Synonyms For Said – Reporting

 

added advised called complained congratulated continued stated announced asserted commented declared informed lied observed offered mentioned protested quoted recalled related reminded remarked remembered repeated replied reported reassured revealed taunted teased tempted

to enhance an argument to warn, to offer help to capture attention by increased volume to express dislike or disagreement to give wishes; to acknowledge an action or deed to further or add to an earlier point to say or paraphrase from official documents to declare formally and or publicly to state positively but having no proof to explain, interpret, or criticize – to make a remark to make known clearly and openly to give information, to make known; declare to not speak truthfully to mention casually to suggest; to state to state briefly; to bring up in conversation to formally or openly disagree to repeat words of others; to cite a source to remember or bring up to make connection; to say allegorically to remember; to mention so as not to forget to make a brief, casual statement of an opinion to recall to say again; to restate to answer; to say in response to give a formal statement; to give an account of to give additional comfort, support, or evidence to make known; to publish to cruelly tease in a mocking or insulting manner to annoy or pester; vex to cause to consider (usually) something bad

Synonyms For Said – Explaining

 

addressed answered asserted assured broke in cautioned claimed concluded confided described explained finished quipped implied noted promised puzzled reckoned rejoined replied responded retorted returned speculated surmised

to speak directly to sme, respond or answer to respond to a question to add or offer additional information to soothe, comfort, calm to interrupt, supplying additional information to warn or advise; strongly suggest to assert or maintain; to state as fact to finish or draw to a close; to understand to let in on a secret; to disclose to give additional information to make or offer an explanation to conclude or complete to say ironically or unemotionally to suggest, hint, or say without saying to make mention; to acknowledge to give word or make a vow to say with doubt or ambiguity to add or submit; to figure or believe to answer an objection to answer a question or comment to reply or answer a question or comment to reply to criticism in a sharp, witty way to answer an objection; to reply to a criticism or charge to guess using information available to conclude or deduce

Synonyms For Said – Arguing

 

accused agreed argued commanded contended convinced countered chided disagreed emphasized exclaimed interjected interrupted maintained objected pleaded proclaimed proposed reasoned sassed screamed threatened warned yelled

to charge, slander to concur, to be in harmony defend position, disagree or dispute lead; overwhelm opposition to argue, dispute, disagree persuaded; remove all doubt, win over to dispute, question to scold mildly; to goad into action to be at odds; to not agree to stress to speak suddenly, loudly with surprise to add or assert; to interrupt to cut off or disrupt; to interject out of turn to assert, to support by argument, to affirm to disagree; be in oppostion to to implore or beg; to speak desperately to announce officially; support publicly to set forth a design or plan to state calmly and with logic to speak back to authority figure; rebel to use high pitch loud voice to say in menacing manner to make aware in advance of harm, danger, or evil to shout or use loud voice; scream

 

Synonyms For Said – Suggesting

 

chimed in coaxed dared hinted implied insinuated intimated pondered suggested urged

to add (usually) unwanted advice to convince against someone’s will; change mind challenge, question implies suggestion similar to suggest – indicates a definite idea to convey sth unpleasant in a sly, sneaky way to say without saying, stresses delicacy of situation to consider; to weigh all options to propose as a possibility, to imply To entreat earnestly and often repeatedly; exhort

 

Synonyms For Said – Questioning

 

asked begged blurted bugged demanded guessed hypothesized implored inquired insisted pleaded questioned requested wondered worried

to question or solicit to ask in a humble manner earnestly to interrupt or interject, to ask all together to ask repetitively; difficult or unwanted questions to ask for urgently and boldly to infer; to ask without evidence to guess, infer to ask with fervor, implying desperation or distress to ask, seek information to demand strongly, to declare firmly to answer a legal charge, to lovingly implore to ask, doubt, or dispute to ask (sometimes) formally to say with puzzlement or doubt to cause to feel anxious, distressed, or troubled

 

Said Synonyms – Acknowledging

 

acknowledged admitted affirmed alleged approved avowed boasted bragged conceded confessed corrected denied disclosed divulged fretted greeted imitated jested marveled nodded praised revealed uttered volunteered

reluctant disclosure of something perhaps a secret reluctance to disclose or concede facts implies deep conviction, little chance of contradiction to assert or declare, especially without proof to consent or agree boldly declaring, often in the face of opposition to take pride in, brag or overstate to boast or overstate; be prideful similar to acknowledge and admit an admission of a weakness, failure, omission, or guilt to instruct more correctly; remove misconception not accepted; unused, refused to reveal something previously concealed to reveal sth that should have remained secret to needlessly worry about small details to acknowledge presence; salute, salutation to copy, mimic or simulate to make fun of, tease to speak with wonderment or amazement to move head up and down in agreement to speak of with honor; to speak highly of someone to make known that which had been secret or hidden to articulate; pronounce or speak to give or offer to give voluntarily

 

Synonyms For Said – Tone

 

barked bawled beamed bellowed bleated boomed cackled chattered cheered choked clucked cried croaked crowed declaimed drawled groaned grumbled grunted jeered joked laughed mimicked mumbled murmured muttered nagged ordered ranted roared scolded shouted shrieked smiled smirked snapped snarled sneered squeaked wailed whispered

to speak sharply or loudly; shout to cry loudly to glow, shine, radiate to roar, to cry out in anger or fear to repeat same sound (cry) again and again to speak with loud, deep, voice; a thunderous sound to laugh cynically – implies sinister intent; sneer to speak noisily about something unimportant; small talk to yell loudly; to give a shout to speak with great difficulty due to emotion noise made using tongue against bottom of mouth to call for help, to shout, to weep, to sob to make a sound like a frog; hoarse voice to speak in a self satisfied way; to boast to speak in a pompous way to speak in a way that prolongs the vowels to make noise in chest or throat to speak under one’s breath; to show disapproval to make unintelligible low sounds to speak or shout derisively; to mock to make a joke or speak in funny manner to say in fun, joking manner to say by copying another; to make fun of by imitating to utter inarticulate or almost inaudible sounds to speak in a low, indistinct voice to speak in a low, indistinct voice; inarticulate to badger; to continually remind to speak demandingly, with authority to make short, angry monologue or speech to utter a loud, deep sound; animalistic to find fault; speak angrily to make a loud cry or call to make a loud, piercing cry or sound to say good naturedly, kindly; in a kind manner to say with contempt to say suddenly and angrily to say with a hateful rage to say in scornful manner to say with tiny high pitched voice to express grief or pain through long, loud cries to speak softly to avoid being overheard

 

Synonyms For Said – Sounds & Misc.

 

babbled bubbled chatted chortled chorused chuckled coughed decided echoed gasped giggled growled gulped gurgled hissed hollered lisped panted piped quavered shrilled sighed snickered sniffed snorted sobbed sputtered stammered stuttered vowed wept whimpered whine

to speak incoherently; gibberish, like baby talk to speak lively and expressively; with joy to speak informally as to a friend to chuckle gleefully; short laugh of joy to speak simultaneously, together short, soft laugh; usually to one’s self short, strong expulsion of air from lungs finished, set repeated sound heavy breath after scare or physical exertion short, high-pitched laugh from fear or nervousness rough, threatening manner to speak taking in large amounts of air as if drinking to speak with fluid in the throat to speak in evil threatening manner to shout usually to someone at a distance to speak unclearly substituting sounds especially ‘th’ to speak as if out of breath to speak suddenly and loudly to speak emotionally with faltering voice high pitched shriek to speak with difficulty as if bored to say derisively with a laugh to say as if about to cry to say with contempt and a short burst of breath to cry uncontrollably to speak with difficulty perhaps from impediment repeating words and sounds while missing others to repeat certain sounds multiple times to promise solemnly; pledge to cry softly, quietly to cry or sob with soft intermittent sounds; whine to complain or protest in a childish fashion

 

Eureka Season 5 Episodes 1 & 2 : Lost & The Real Thing – Review

When we last left the Eureka cast, it was a on a high note turned sour.  The Astreaus mission to Titan is ready finalizing for its exploratory mission, goodbyes are being said, but overall, a definite sense of accomplishment and anticipation.  Of course, this means something goes wrong- after all the crew is aboard in their protective chambers, the ship launches uncontrollably with Allison Blake (Salli Richardson-Whitfield) unintentionally aboard.  And that’s where we left off…

Here there be spoilers…

 

Episode 1, Lost- We start off with the Astreaus, and find out what happened.  In fact, it is a solid, surprisingly action-packed beginning to the final season- definitely a welcome surprise- since we left of a cliffhanger and aren’t normally treated to strong action sequences. The crew crash lands- wait a minute, on Earth?- and almost four years have passed.  This comes as quite a shock to the crew, but we see it most clearly with Allison and Zane (Niall Matter), who find out their significant others, Sheriff Jack Carter, (Colin Ferguson) and Deputy Lupo (Erica Cerra), have moved on and gotten together with each other.  Further complicating matters, there has been a change in how things are run in Eureka- it’s very Stepford Wives, except instead of robot replacements, Android Deputy Andy (Kavan Smith) and his A.I. brethren control the people of Eureka using a device from the show’s history.

Aside from the changes in the town, a few things seem wrong.  One of the most prominent elements is how tightly “happy thoughts” are enforced in the town.  When Zane and Lupo have an argument outside of Café Diem, one of the Martha flying drones incapacitates Zane.  In fact, this incident leads to Carter, Allison and everyone deciding it times to take the town back.  After noting the change of Dr. Parrish’s (Wil Wheaton) personality, they know which invention needs to be used.  The ensemble cast gets a good chance to showcase individual members, without it feeling “by the numbers”. Once the Andy problem is resolved, the crew of the Astreaus begin to integrate into the freed town once more.

 

Episode 2, The Real Thing- This episode begins with the return of Beverly Barlowe (Debrah Farentino) in a lab, surrounded by the Astreaus crew.  Each crew member is hooked up, and we learn they are not four years in the future, but tied into a virtual reality simulator.  This is what was teased at when Zane was unconscious, (if you paid close attention and remembered it for a week), but does come out of left field.  We learn that all 21 members of the crew survived and are being used to develop new technologies for the Consortium.  And, we learn that the time skip inside the VR lets helps to form new memories in the crew, as well as explain any anomalies in the program.  Honestly, this reviewer found the lack of transition from Futurama Eureka to in a VR simulation a bit jarring.  A few seconds from the POV of an unconscious character in one episode, to full reveal in the intro of the next? Aside from this point, the surprises play out quite well.

Which brings us back to Eureka.  In the month that the crew and the Astreaus has been missing, Jack, Kevin (Trevor Jackson) and Henry (Joe Morton) have been working furiously trying to find the ship.  Of course, they have been looking to the stars- the mission was to Titan, after all.  Once Senator Wen (Ming-Na) officially calls off the search, Kevin resorts to his old tricks of borrowing from Eureka’s scientists to assist his search.  In fact, Henry confirms that he has designed a device that can track the Astreaus- so Jack and Carter send out a call for the parts they need.  The residents of the town respond with everything they can, just short one crucial piece.  With Andy and the returned Lupo’s help, they are able to secure it from a nearby military outpost.

In V-Eureka, the stress on the system causes an iguana experiment from the mission to become a dragon.  Fargo and Holly disagree on if it can be real, because dragons are mythical.  In fact, no one really can believe it, even after a few minor injuries and capturing said dragon.   Holly’s scratches, however, prove to be the solution to a problem with the VR matrix.

Back in the real world, the tracking device is activated.  Eureka’s best rolls out to rescue the crew, but they only find the ship and the room with the unimportant equipment from the simulation.  This gives Jack a hunch, and which he uses to find out that Eureka had a mole- one who tipped off the kidnappers.  The back and forth between Virtual Eureka and Real Eureka worked well in this episode, and served to play off each environment.  That said, the death of the character feels like it was more for shock value- one might say Whedon-esque- especially given the resources available and the benefits of keeping him/her alive.

Falling Skies Season Two Premiere- Worlds Apart and Shall We Gather at the River

The first season of “Falling Skies” introduced us to the world six months after an alien invasion.  Skitters roam the land with Mech (robots) and Beamers (airships), slaughtering adults while capturing and harnessing children.  90% of humanity has been wiped out, with all major governments and cities devastated or destroyed.  Surviving Americans had organized into groups of fighters and civilians based on their location- the focus of “Falling Skies” is the 2d Massachusetts Regiment.  (You can read more about the <a href=>first season here</a>.)  The finale had the second in command, Tom Mason, played by Noah Wyle (“ER”, “Pirates of Silicon Valley”), walking onto an alien ship with a Slender, the alien overseers, after a successful attack on the Boston mothership.

Season two begins three months later, with the 2d Mass leading a Skitter and Mech unit into an ambush.  During the skirmish, Tom reappears only to be accidentally shot by Ben, (Connor Jessup (“The Saddle Club”, “King”)), his formerly harnessed son.  The first episode, “Worlds Apart”, is divided between Tom’s flashbacks in surgery and the group preparing to leave their temporary shelter which is in danger of being overrun.  The second premiere episode, “Shall We Gather at the River”, has a wounded and possibly compromised Tom coming to grips with the changes in the survivors, especially his three sons, as the 2d Mass tries to escape across the last bridge across the Housatonic River.  We conclude with a successful retreat as Red-Eye, a Skitter who has been prominent in both episodes, observing them move out.

The first season felt leaden, with interpersonal morass and without any of the action one would expect of a science fiction military drama.  Season two changes this with a heavy dose of action, more natural dialogue and an enhancement of the special effects.  The invaders feel like a threat, both individually and as a whole.  The 2d Mass looks more ragged and on edge, having lost their home base and taken has been casualties.  We see new members of the group and hear about the Battle of Fitchburg, which was a pyrrhic victory at best.  The group has also been much more aggressive, attacking and setting frequent ambushes- despite having lost their Applied Phlebotinum.  All of this leads to a much crisper drama with characters you vest in and a show you want to watch.

A significant slice of the show’s improvement can be attributed to the new blood, much of it having a Battlestar Galactica pedigree.  Remi Aubuchon, (“Caprica”, “24”) took over as showrunner for the season.  The writing duo of Bradley Thompson and David Weddle, (“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”, “Battlestar Galactica”), also joined the show, penning the second episode.  A great example of their snappier writing in the movement across the bridge long shot, which introduced Crazy Lee, played by Luciana Carro (“The L Word”, “Battlestar Galactica”).  The first season veterans stepped up as well- David Weddle stated, “You can thank (Steven) Spielberg (“Saving Private Ryan”, “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) for the special effects.  He said, ‘I want them better- especially the aliens.’”  The thanks would be well deserved as the Skitters look more realistic, the Mech more formidable, the Slenders much more menacing, and the series overall feels significantly grittier- all of which are welcome changes.

If the first two episodes are representative of what is in store with season two, “Falling Skies” will be a great addition to the science fiction canon.  Both episodes grew the characters while delivering impressive action- a delightful blend I am looking forward to seeing more of.

 

TL;DR?

The Season two opener of Falling Skies has a much stronger punch than season one combined…

The Borgias- Season Two and the Season’s Finale episode, The Confession- Review

Jeremy Irons, (“Reversal of Fortune”, “The Lion King”), stars as Rodrigo Borgia Pope Alexander Sextus in Showtime’s medieval drama, “The Borgias”.  The second season was concluded with the most recent episode, “The Confession.”  The season has covered several events of the historical Borgia account, from the invasion of King Charles VIII of France, played by Michel Muller, (“Hénaut Président”, “The High Life”), to the heresy of Girolamao Savanarola, performed by Steven Berkoff (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, “Forest of the Gods”).  Even with the multiple storylines weaving forward, the season was able to focus strongly on the Borgia family and secondary characters, bringing them fully to life.

The finale was started in the last episode’s final moment- as Cesare, portrayed by François Arnaud (“Yamaska”, “I Killed My Mother”), ended his fraternal rivalry permanently.  This carried into the main story- what happened to Alexander’s favorite son, Juan Borgia, played by David Oakes (“Pillars of the Earth”, “Trinity”), and who did it to him.  Seeing Iron’s breaking from the loss to realizing who had done it was exceptionally moving.  It was felt strongly in his counter-confession, explaining that favors he bestowed on Juan came so easily because Cesare was so like him.  Then, to follow it with the laying to rest of his son; the scene- the music, the appearance, the contrast to the simultaneous events- is enough to move most anyone to tears.

While “The Borgias” is a historical drama, it takes great liberties with the histories.  The basis of the story, the mafia-esque nature of Pope Alexander Sextus, is taken from the viewpoints of his political rivals.  While the rampant nepotism was the norm of the time, charges such as simony are largely undocumented.   In contrast, Popes Urban VIII and Sixtux V declared him an outstanding pope.  Truthfully, we can see reflections of this exultation or demonization of individuals in modern politics.  Further, the creative liberties extend beyond the papal portrayal- time and events are modified.  The Savonarola reformation and Roman response took place years after Juan’s death, meaning it could not be a factor in Cesare’s actions or forgiveness.  Accuracies notwithstanding, “The Borgias”’s take on the Vatican’s drama of the late 15^th century is masterfully done and wonderfully entertaining.

The second season of “The Borgias” comes to a close with a cliffhanger- the plot finally reaches fruition.  The fraternal rivalry has ended, though a paternal schism may have appeared.  Through it all, the majesty and dark recesses of medieval Rome come across vividly.  It is a Rome of depth that is rarely seen from a time that the Eternal City is rarely shown.  All in all, “The Borgias” is a beautifully done, both visually and audibly- which only serves to enhance the great storyline the fleshed out characters travel.  If you crave outstanding drama, you will not be disappointed.

Writer’s Tip- Alt-Said Terms Pt4

Here’s a fourth list of alternate terms to said, to help spice up arguments.

 

accused agreed argued commanded contended convinced countered chided disagreed emphasized exclaimed interjected interrupted maintained objected pleaded proclaimed proposed reasoned sassed screamed threatened warned yelled

to charge, slander to concur, to be in harmony defend position, disagree or dispute lead; overwhelm opposition to argue, dispute, disagree persuaded; remove all doubt, win over to dispute, question to scold mildly; to goad into action to be at odds; to not agree to stress to speak suddenly, loudly with surprise to add or assert; to interrupt to cut off or disrupt; to interject out of turn to assert, to support by argument, to affirm to disagree; be in oppostion to to implore or beg; to speak desperately to announce officially; support publicly to set forth a design or plan to state calmly and with logic to speak back to authority figure; rebel to use high pitch loud voice to say in menacing manner to make aware in advance of harm, danger, or evil to shout or use loud voice; scream

 

Snow White & The Huntsman – Review

“Snow White and the Huntsman” stars Kristen Stewart (“Twilight”) and Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”, “The Avengers”) as the titular characters, with Charlize Theron (“Monster”, “Hancock”) portraying the evil queen Ravenna.   The film is a refreshing take on the fairytale, far more in line with the original Grimm version than the Disney-fied versions that are the current norm.  The dwarves, for example, are not slapstick props nor one-dimensional; they were distinct from each other with some depth and not to be trifled with.  On top of that, the women are more than mere set decoration- both Ravenna and Snow are helped by men, but helped only- they are the main characters and they are in control.

Prior the release of “Snow White”, one of the more vocal concerns that had been raised is about casting Kristen Stewart in the lead role due to her work in the “Twilight” saga.  The worry was misplaced as Ms. Stewart plays both Snow wonderfully.  She has a more reserved nature for most of the movie- which make sense in character given her imprisonment during adolescence and the effect that would have.  Then, after her character’s transformative moment, she acts as a renewed person on a crusade.  Setting aside her accent, which was a little weak, this was a solid casting decision.

Visually, “Snow White” delivers in spades.  The stunning imagery works to show the stark contrast of the good lands of Snow White and her father and the (super)natural realms, as opposed to the dark and decaying kingdom of the evil Ravenna.  Much of the magic of the film is shown as wet- from the milk baths to the transformation residue to the liquid metal Magic Mirror.  This gives the film a raw, grittier feel than the clean magic styles depicted in “Harry Potter” or “Lord of the Rings”.  The faerie forest comes across as otherworldly, as it should.  And finally, the attack on the castle has a superb feel, bringing to mind the Arthurian legends.  All of these play magnificently onscreen.

Unfortunately, the film does rely on the visuals too much.  This reviewer really wanted to learn more of the back story of Ravenna, especially the relationship between her and her brother Finn (Sam Spruell).  Not only does the relationship have the whiff of incest, but how they are linked magically was left frustratingly unsaid.  Likewise, the story does seem to gloss over some details, such as the queen’s other kingdoms, the ease of Snow White’s escape, the nature of Snow’s innate magic and how or why she has this power.  Moreover, does this take place on Earth?  Before her escape near the beginning of the film, Snow White recites the Lord’s Prayer- which says that she’s a Christian- in this world of faeries and trolls and magical queens.  (Admittedly, other instances of out of place Christian utterances- Tigh’s “Jesus” in the Battlestar Galactica pilot comes to mind- happen, but recitation of a prayer as opposed to an utterance takes a different level of involvement.)  This indicates that the film took place in Europe somewhere in the Dark or Middle Ages, or that Christianity is known and practiced by some people in this world.

“Snow White” is a relatively marvelous summer movie.  The story moves a little fast to fill in some narrative points, but it is a compelling one.  Having two strong female leads, with men in the secondary roles, is refreshing for an action movie of this type.  Superb visuals tie the film well- enhancing the film and drawing the viewers into the story.  I would strongly suggest going to see “Snow White and the Huntsman”- and guys, it’s a good date movie you’ll enjoy too.

 

 

*** SPOILER ***

 

Lastly, this reviewer cannot say how great it is the movie didn’t end with a wedding- I am not a fan of that trope.  Snow being the Queen without a king or even a consort rocked.  After all, she can get one later if she wants.

Writer’s Tip- Alt-Said Terms Pt2

Here’s a second list of alternate terms to said, focused on explanations.

 

addressed answered asserted assured broke in cautioned claimed concluded confided described explained finished quipped implied noted promised puzzled reckoned rejoined replied responded retorted returned speculated surmised

to speak directly to sme, respond or answer to respond to a question to add or offer additional information to soothe, comfort, calm to interrupt, supplying additional information to warn or advise; strongly suggest to assert or maintain; to state as fact to finish or draw to a close; to understand to let in on a secret; to disclose to give additional information to make or offer an explanation to conclude or complete to say ironically or unemotionally to suggest, hint, or say without saying to make mention; to acknowledge to give word or make a vow to say with doubt or ambiguity to add or submit; to figure or believe to answer an objection to answer a question or comment to reply or answer a question or comment to reply to criticism in a sharp, witty way to answer an objection; to reply to a criticism or charge to guess using information available to conclude or deduce

 

20 Top Rules for Writers – from Stephen King

Stephen King- look, you know who he is, so I’m not going to insult you by giving an overview.  That said, below are his top 20 rules for writers.  Setting aside if you’re a fan of his, one must admit he knows a thing or three about the craft of writing, so I would listen up (or whatever the reading version of that is- read up?  Word up?)  Learn them, live them.

1. First write for yourself, and then worry about the audience. “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that arenot the story.”

2. Don’t use passive voice. “Timid writers like passive verbs for the same reason that timid lovers like passive partners. The passive voice is safe.”

3. Avoid adverbs. “The adverb is not your friend.”

4. Avoid adverbs, especially after “he said” and “she said.”

5. But don’t obsess over perfect grammar. “The object of fiction isn’t grammatical correctness but to make the reader welcome and then tell a story.”

6. The magic is in you. “I’m convinced that fear is at the root of most bad writing.”

7. Read, read, read. ”If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”

8. Don’t worry about making other people happy. “If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.”

9. Turn off the TV. “TV—while working out or anywhere else—really is about the last thing an aspiring writer needs.”

10. You have three months. “The first draft of a book—even a long one—should take no more than three months, the length of a season.”

11. There are two secrets to success. “I stayed physical healthy, and I stayed married.”

12. Write one word at a time. “Whether it’s a vignette of a single page or an epic trilogy like ‘The Lord of the Rings,’ the work is always accomplished one word at a time.”

13. Eliminate distraction. “There’s should be no telephone in your writing room, certainly no TV or videogames for you to fool around with.”

14. Stick to your own style. “One cannot imitate a writer’s approach to a particular genre, no matter how simple what that writer is doing may seem.”

15. Dig. “Stories are relics, part of an undiscovered pre-existing world. The writer’s job is to use the tools in his or her toolbox to get as much of each one out of the ground intact as possible.”

16. Take a break. “You’ll find reading your book over after a six-week layoff to be a strange, often exhilarating experience.”

17. Leave out the boring parts and kill your darlings. “(kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.)”

18. The research shouldn’t overshadow the story.“Remember that word back. That’s where the research belongs: as far in the background and the back story as you can get it.”

19. You become a writer simply by reading and writing.“You learn best by reading a lot and writing a lot, and the most valuable lessons of all are the ones you teach yourself.”

20. Writing is about getting happy. “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid or making friends. Writing is magic, as much as the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink.”

The War on Drugs- or Why We Pretend Pot is Evil

If you’re a #TLDR person, here’s the shortest answer- $$$

To elaborate- as I posted yesterday, there are numerous studies that say marijuana is firmly between benign and beneficial- a small sampling of them, many performed by the US Government, are available on yesterday’s post (http://wp.me/paRLC-3T).  So, setting aside the benefits of marijuana, (medical uses, from cancer helping to pain relief, a self-medication for stress, mental stimulation, etc…), and the few side effects that actually do matter, (impairment- seriously, don’t toke and drive), which mirror our society’s favorite* drug alcohol, and we have laws to deal with them that can be expanded to cover MJ.

If Marijuana has not be proven harmful- and seriously, check the studies- then why does the government and “moral authorities” pour so much time and effort into stopping it? Essentially, it comes down to money- there have been a few industries that have a vested interest in fighting this “vile scourge”.

Originally, the main player in starting the Prohibition of Marijuana was the lumber industry- now, I know its hard for young people to understand, but before e-books, there were books, and they took a lot of paper to make.  The lumber industry, which has a large portion of its goods dedicated to taking trees and making paper from them, didn’t like hemp- which can be used for paper quite easily and is a seasonal crop, as opposed to a multi-year investment as are trees.  This effort was spearheaded by Harry J. Anslinger, then head of the Federal Narcotics Bureau, who has conflicting interests with the lumber and other industries, such as cotton.  His tireless efforts in ignoring the science and beating the drums of fear paid off with the banning of the use of marijuana, and its eventually classification as a Schedule-1 drug, (in the same camp as Herion and Meth- ironically, COCAINE is Schedule-2)

Now, we have the lumber industry, with some collusion from the cotton and various chemical industries, having significant interest in keeping their competitor hemp/marijuana illegal.  Since the 1980s, there have been two more players- the first is Reagan’s War on Drugs.  This made the usage of marijuana a significantly more painful offense, often with mandatory prison time.  Concurrent with this was the rise of the private prison industry.  Now, take note of the word “private”- these prisons, which need to be stocked, are run on a profit model.  In other words, more Americans incarcertated, regardless of the crime, is more money they prisons and their stockholders can make.  As of 2006, roughly half of state prisoners, and 90% of federal prisoners, were in prison for non-violent offenses, the vast majority of them for drug possession, with the vast majority of the drug in possession being marijuana.  As of 2003, in fact, more than 58% of women in federal prison were there for possession of drugs, with it being estimated that 50% were in prison for marijuana possession alone.  That’s a lot of money, and a lot of lives ruined.

Taken all together, it makes sense that these industries, and their money, speaks quiet loudly to our politicians.  Individual citizens and states have taken to decriminalizing and/or legalizing medical marijuana, and in the rare case, marijuana outright.  And yet, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) continues to exercise federal laws in those states- leading to more arrests, more repression of medical and overall industrial benefits, and more ignoring of the people’s will.  Because of money speaking louder than the people to the politicians, (I know, the sky is still blue too).

 

Which really means, we need to talk louder.  Whether you enjoy smoking marijuana to relax or to expand your mind, (there is quiet a variety, after all), because you or someone you love is suffering from cancer, or you just think its frakkin’ stupid that we make a greatly useful plant illegal instead of gaining the benefits from it- keep speaking- louder, clearly and consistently- to those in power and those who will listen to you.

 

*Okay, caffeine might be the favorite- seems to be stiff competition…