On Academic Brain and Compartmentalizing
As an academic, it is often very difficult to shut off the faculties I’ve spent the last fourteen years building. Since I spend almost every day of the week analyzing literature, reading or thinking about theoretical/philosophical texts, I generally use my brain in a very particular way. Turning that off is a chore, but a necessary one. In fact, it is often so difficult to turn off that even some of my colleagues have expressed dismay at the inability or unwillingness of other academics to turn those faculties off just long enough to have a “regular conversation.” It’s a problem I’ve seen, too, and it sometimes results in a distancing effect between those who can’t turn it off and those that can. Since I’m so often engaged in everyday sf/f fandom, the exercise of flipping that little academic switch is, in my opinion, crucial. One such exercise occurred last Sunday when I went with a friend to see Ant-Man, the last entry in Marvel Studio’s Phase 2. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and if I can muster the words to say something intelligent about the film, I’ll write a review for Totally Pretentious. Discussing the film on Twitter eventually prompted a brief discussion with David Annandale and John Stevens about the impact of “academic brain” on one’s ability to enjoy a creative product.
Shaun’s Rambles 002: The Value of Book Reviews and Dark Orbit by Carolyn Ives Gilman
…in which I continue a podcast of random thoughts had while driving home from work. In this edition: http://media.blubrry.com/shaunsrambles/ia801505.us.archive.org/17/items/ShaunsRambles002TheValueOfBookReviewsAndDarkOrbit/ShaunsRambles002–TheValueOfBookReviewsAndDarkOrbit.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Shaun’s Rambles 001: The Gallo Conspiracy and Trial By Fire
…in which I begin a podcast of random thoughts had while driving home from work. In this edition: Some thoughts on the controversy over Irene Gallo’s statements about the Sad / Rabid Puppies Some thoughts on Trial By Fire by Charles Gannon and the absence of sf/f awards for adventure fiction Enjoy the rambles. You can download the mp3 directly from this link or stream the episode below. http://media.blubrry.com/shaunsrambles/ia601500.us.archive.org/15/items/ShaunsRambles001TheGalloConspiracyAndTrialByFire/ShaunsRambles001–TheGalloConspiracyAndTrialByFire.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
5 Lesser Known SF/F Cold War Films
It seems Ian Sales and I are playing a list challenge game, and this list is sure to disappoint him this round. Why? Because I’m pretty sure two of the options on my list don’t actually qualify except in my head. But we do what we can, no? This time around, I was challenged to come up with a list of 5 lesser known Cold War films that fit roughly in the sf/f genre. The rules were as follows: The film must be sf/f-ish (duh) The film must be set in the historical period called the Cold War OR The film must directly engage with the Cold War via alternate or future history (metaphors and obscure allegories do not count) The film must be “lesser known” based on my interpretation of that phrase Now for the list:
The 10 Best Science Fiction Movies Since 2000
I recently challenged Ian Sales* to name 10 films since 2000 that were better than Interstellar (2014). OK, that’s not entirely true. I challenged him to create a top 10 list of the best SF flicks since 2000; for Ian, they’re basically the same thing. He’s already released his list here. It contains some interesting choices, to say the least. While I disagree quite strongly with some of his selections, I do have to give him credit for not creating another boring “usual suspects” top 10 list; sadly, I’m probably going to disappoint people on that front. My list will only contain feature length productions, as short films should probably be discussed on their own. I’ve made no other distinctions with regards to format (live action, animated, adaptation, etc.) or delivery method (theater or straight-to-DVD). Alright, here goes: Inception (2010)This film continues to haunt me. Though its concept may not be original (Duck Tales, FTW), its clever use of the heist format to tell a dream-laden scifi action thriller with an ambiguous ending left me clamouring for more. Inception forced me to rethink about the soundtrack’s engagement with the narrative, too; the collaboration of Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan has produced some of the most experimental scores in blockbuster cinema (listen to the film next time you watch it; really listen). Through and through, this is my favorite movie from this period. Children of Men (2006)A beautiful, yet grungy examination of an infertile human culture struggling to survive. Much like the other films on this list, Children of Men examines humanity’s variant responses to catastrophe. Alfonso Cuarón’s direction, however, gives this one an edge over other dystopias. The single-shot chase scene is easily one of the most impressive moments in SF film since 2000. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho)(2004)Makoto Shinkai’s alternate history allegory for the Cold War remains one of my favorite animated films of all time. Crafted with a certain minimalist style in terms of its characters, PPOED’s teenage protagonists are nuanced sides to a coin resting on its side. Even the science fiction premise — an experimental tower which has the ability to re-map our Earth with the landscape of an alternate, barren one — gives the film a beautiful symbolic resonance that I cannot stop thinking about (which may explain why I published a paper on this flick). Interstellar (2014)I contemplated placing this higher on the list, but the more I thought about it, the less sure I was that Interstellar fit the #1 SF film since 2000 rubric. Regardless, the epic character drama and visual spectacle that is Nolan’s almost-magnum-opus will continue to resonate with me for years. McConaughey’s performance alone is enough to break your soul, and the concentration of themes, though heavy-handed at times, left me physically affected. Cloud Atlas (2012)Easily the most ambitious film on this list, Cloud Atlas is as much a theme-movie as Interstellar. The Wachowski brothers managed to take a complicated, almost unfilmable novel and translate it into a multi-layered, multi-themed dramatic epic. Though the film may have taken a misstep in its racial presentation, the overall product is a thing of beauty that will probably be forgotten — a great tragedy of our time. Her (2013)Of the films on this list, Her is probably the most character-oriented of them all. This nuanced examination of near future Millenials interacting with their AIs takes pains to give us an honest look at what that might mean. How would our relationships progress? Could you love an AI? Could an AI love you? The film’s ending provides an almost somber answer, demonstrating the real violence inherent in artificial intelligence: that they might abandon us entirely. The Dark Knight (2008)Heath Ledger’s performance deserved its Oscar; here, Nolan strips Batman completely from his comic book roots (something I think Batman Begins failed to do) and injects the gritty reality of larger-than-life crime into a franchise that had for so long been about visual spectacle (of the Gothic variety). From the Joker’s social experiments to Bruce Wayne’s questionable actions, The Dark Knight offers a landscape within which we should think about the interaction of morality and law. Sunshine (2007)The first Danny Boyle film on this list, Sunshine is one of those films which gets a lot of flack for its “twist ending.” I, however, love the ending if only because it resonates with the film’s opening shots of Cliff Curtis “communing” with the Sun. Personally, I am a fan of films which can bring a little philosophical depth to an otherwise standard “save the world” narrative. Boyle delivers with a diverse cast and a whole lot of gorgeous shots of space. Pacific Rim (2013)The only CGI festival blockbuster on this list, Pacific Rim is the kind of film that you love unless you’re someone with bad taste or a desire to be punched (I kid). Guillermo Del Toro’s mecha vs. giant monsters spectacle gave me everything I had hoped for in a film of that type, but then layered on a decent character-oriented plot to give the film a little bit of soul. Unlike other giant robot movies which shall not be named, this one seemed to care about the main cast and their trials rather than giving all of the attention to overblown action sequences with no purpose other than to make our eyes bleed. I’ve seen this film multiple times now, and I’d see it again in a heartbeat. 28 Days Later (2002)A novel engagement with an otherwise tired horror concept. The opening scenes of Cillian Murphy wandering the dilapidated streets of London are chilling, but it is the terrible cost of humanity which makes 28 Days Later my favorite zombie-themed film of all time. There is a certain beauty in Boyle’s direction, which may explain why he appears twice on this list. Honestly, the ranking is meaningless. I don’t think I’d put things in the same slots if you asked me to look at this list
Top 10 Science Fiction and Fantasy Anime Movies
I’ve been sitting on this list for months because I didn’t think I’d seen enough anime movies to warrant the creation of a list. Turns out I was wrong. When I did a bit of searching, I discovered I’d seen quite a lot of anime films, many of them viewed at 1 AM on some random satellite station my grandma had a decade ago. I still don’t know which station played anime at 1 AM, nor do I remember all of the films I saw (Black Magic M-66, which does not appear on the list below because it’s not that great, is one for which I am particularly nostalgic). So here I am with a list of 10. Don’t hesitate to tell me what you think in the comments (or share your own lists). Here goes (in no particular order): Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (Yutaka Fujioka) Flying beds, nightmare kings, magic scepters, flying squirrels, and dreams! The Place Promised in Our Lonely Days (Makoto Shinkai) Alternate realities, Cold War analogues, rebellion, and homemade jets! And I’m presenting a paper on it at the 2014 International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts in Orlando! *dances* Howl’s Moving Castle (Hayao Miyazaki) Talking flames, animalistic transformations, mystical castles, and Miyazaki’s classic genius. Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki) Mythology, modernity vs. the old world, giant spirit animals, and muskets! The Cat Returns (Hayao Miyazaki) Talking cats in tophats, kitty kingdoms, and magic transformations! Oh, and the English-dubbed edition, which is surprisingly good, features Cary Elwes, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Bell, Rene Auberjonois (from DS9!), Peter Boyle, Elliot Gould, and many more. That’s one hell of a cast, no? Akira (Katsuhiro Otomo) Do I really need to explain this one? It’s a beautiful, mess-with-your-head kind of film. And it’s a classic. At this point, you should have seen it already… Ghost in the Shell (Mamoru Oshii) What happens if a human mind merges with an artificial one? And are cyborgs still human? A cyberpunk classic. Ghost in the Shell 2 (Mamoru Oshii) Can you really trust cyborgs when their ability to exert free will is always in question? Nothing like a little cyberpunk to tackle the tough questions! Macross Plus (Shoji Kawamori & Shinichiro Watanabe) Jet battles, artificial intelligence, mass hypnosis, and Robotech! Yeah! Patlabor (Mamoru Oshii) Mecha in everyday society + hackers + mecha police = greatness. —————————————————– P.S.: I really wanted to include the OVAs for Samurai X in this list, but they are technically episodic in format, rather than proper films like the ones listed above. That means I’m going to have to write a whole new list about my favorite SF/F anime series!