Gary Varner

Laser Cannon Incapacitates Enemy Satellite In Space

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
February 12, 2022

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Ethics, Medicine and Health, Religion

Tagged
Alliance (in Firefly), Firefly Episode 3, Malcolm Reynolds (character in Firefly), Reavers (in Firefly), River Tam (character in Firefly), Science fiction, Shepherd (character in Firefly), Simon Tam (character in Firefly)}

Firefly Episode 3: Should Some People Be Left To Die?

_{After the space crew rescues the survivor of a pirate attack, Captain Mal faces off against The Shepherd on whether God can save even that man.} _{Gary Varner

February 12, 2022

10

Arts & Culture, Ethics, Medicine and Health, Religion}

Episode 3 begins with a friendly game of basketball… or something like it. Simon, a doctor who has joined the Firefly crew, notes that there appear to be no rules to the game as he watches from the balcony. The game is interrupted by a “proximity alert” and the crew discovers a wrecked ship floating in space. The captain decides to check it out and they quickly discover that the ship has been attacked by the infamous Reavers. We’d seen their ship once in episode one, and we’d heard some ominous descriptions of what they do to their prisoners: “If they take the ship, they’ll rape us to death, eat our flesh, and sew our skins into their clothing. And, Read More ›

Concept of asteroid mining in space for rare raw materials

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
February 5, 2022

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Ethics

Tagged
Firefly (TV series 2002-2003 Episode 2), Malcolm Reynolds (character in Firefly), River Tam (character in Firefly), Terraforming (in science fiction)}

Firefly Episode 2: When Captain Mal Gets a Pang of Conscience…

_{In the 2002 series, he decides to return stolen goods when he learns of the plight of those from whom they are stolen — with fearsome consequences} _{Gary Varner

February 5, 2022

9

Arts & Culture, Ethics}

Last time, we discussed the first episode of the 2002 Firefly series because Disney is thinking about ruining it with another season. In case you were wondering, this review contains spoilers. In Episode 2, we find Captain Malcolm getting to know his passengers. The doctor’s sister River is suffering flashbacks from her time in the “labs.” Despite being a doctor, her brother Simon has no idea what’s wrong her. She keeps repeating the phrase, “Hands are blue, two by two.” After a bar brawl, the crew lands a job. It’s an old-fashioned train heist. Malcolm and Zoe, his partner in crime, land on the train and steal the goods by latching them to their ship and lifting them into the Read More ›

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
January 29, 2022

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Environment

Tagged
Cowboy Bebop (animated TV series), Firefly (TV series 2002-2003), Malcolm Reynolds (character in Firefly), Science fiction (Wild West theme), Terraforming (in science fiction)}

Firefly: Can Science Fiction Reimagined As The Wild West Work?

_{I strongly recommend the original 2002–2003 series for its careful development of the culture that grows up around world-building (terraforming)} _{Gary Varner

January 29, 2022

10

Arts & Culture, Environment}

I recently read an article in Screen Rant which claimed that Disney+ was planning a Firefly series remake. A trailer for the original: Five hundred years in the future, a renegade crew aboard a small spacecraft tries to survive as they travel the unknown parts of the galaxy and evade warring factions as well as authority agents out to get them. (2002-2003) When I heard this rumor, I felt like Darth Vader screaming No! into the void and wanting to choke something. Since Disney+ has a reputation for producing films which are nothing short of family-friendly abominations, it isn’t surprising that the fandom mobbed Twitter, demanding that the Mouse stay away from their beloved sci-fi franchise. So far, there has Read More ›

Logging. Aerial drone view of deforestation environmental problem.

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
January 22, 2022

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Environment, Ethics

Tagged
Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), Gort (robot in Day the Earth Stood Still), Klaatu (character in Day the Earth Stood Still)}

Aliens as Both Angels — and Bugs? Superior But Sociopathic?

_{A look at the puzzling 2008 remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) - environment doom replaces the Cold War} _{Gary Varner

January 22, 2022

5

Arts & Culture, Environment, Ethics}

Last week I reviewed the 1951 classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. Before watching the original, I had decided to watch the 2008 remake. I now regret my decision. Let’s talk about the 2008 movie featuring Keanu Reeves. The 2008 movie opens with essentially the same beats as the original. The spaceship lands, but it is not metal; it’s a bizarre space orb, made of different kinds of luminescent biological material. This change gives the aliens an ethereal quality. They are entities that have reached demi-god status. The writers even go to the trouble of showing the ship hovering over a cathedral, illuminating the building. The movie is practically screaming, “They’re Angels! Get it!” The alien, Klaatu, steps out Read More ›

Shaved male nape and a lot of usb cables connected to it. Concept of dependence in thinking and information

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
January 15, 2022

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Ethics, Robotics

Tagged
Day the Earth Stood Still (2008), Ethics (policed by robots), Gort (robot in Day the Earth Stood Still), Klaatu (character in Day the Earth Stood Still)}

Enforce the Law With No Bias? Use Robots! Oops, Wait…

_{The 2008 remake of the 1951 film, The Day the Earth Stood Still, explores the concept} _{Gary Varner

January 15, 2022

5

Arts & Culture, Ethics, Robotics}

Since we’ve been reviewing the Matrix movies, I thought I would review another sci-fi film starring Keanu Reeves, The Day the Earth Stood Still, (2008) which was a remake of a film of the same name that came out in 1951. However, as I was watching this train wreck, even by remake standards, I thought I ought to watch the original for a little extra context. What I saw compelled me to write this review. Here’s a trailer for the original, which gives some sense of the period: Now the new version: The movie opens with a spaceship landing and the alien, Klaatu, and his robot, Gort, stepping out of the ship. Klaatu is shot and Gort destroys a few Read More ›

Red Pill Blue Pill concept. The right choice the concept of the movie matrix. The choice of tablets

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
January 8, 2022

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

Tagged
Agent Smith (character in Matrix series), Analyst (character in Matrix), Neo (character in Matrix), Trinity (character in Matrix)}

Matrix Resurrections: What Does Existence Outside of Time Mean?

_{Call me a sentimental child, but I liked watching Neo and Trinity fly off into the sunset. I liked watching them fly in the same way those random birds kept flying in a circle. Did it make sense?} _{Gary Varner

January 8, 2022

7

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture}

For all the latest Matrix movie’s faults The Matrix: Resurrections it tried to play with an interesting concept, the difference between linear speed and time. In the previous two reviews, we discussed Trinity becoming the One, the merit behind the writer’s decision, and one of the fatal flaws within the Matrix series as whole, which is technology being used as an ambiguous magic system rather than a system with clearly defined rules. This time we’ll discuss the movie’s villain, the The Analyst. I vacillated about this character, unable to make up my mind about whether or not the Analyst was a worthy addition to the series. To be honest, I’m still not sure, but I’m leaning toward yes because of Read More ›

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
January 1, 2022

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

Tagged
Lana Wachowski, Matrix Resurrections (film), Technology portrayed in film}

The Matrix Resurrections: Technology as a Soft Magic System

_{Gary Varner

January 1, 2022

8

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture}

Stakes and believability are connected, especially when it comes to science fiction. Last time, we discussed the most controversial element of the The Matrix: Resurrections , as well as the meta narrative Lana Wachowski set out to establish at the beginning of the film. Now, the Matrix Resurrections is much better than The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003) because it, at least, brings the original trilogy full circle. That being said, there are loads of problems, and many of them are issues I’ve already discussed in reviews of the earlier films First, we have the pacing issue. Wachowski says too much too fast. This time, we’re not getting conflicting narratives that are confusing the plot but rather Read More ›

Movie at cinema concept. 3D glasses with red and blue lenses with soft colored shadow on dark background.

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
December 25, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

Tagged
Agent Smith (character in Matrix series), Featured, Laana Wachowski, Last Jedi (film), Matrix Resurrections (film), Matrix Trilogy (films), Neo (character in Matrix), Rian Johnson, Trinity (character in Matrix)}

The Matrix Resurrections: The Studio Is Making Us Do This!

_{Mark Zuckerberg, eat your heart out. If there is one word to describe this movie, that word is Meta.} _{Gary Varner

December 25, 2021

6

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture}

Let’s address the most contentious issue first. This movie isn’t great, but it’s not The Last Jedi bad. Matrix fans aren’t going to be storming the gates in protest, because their beloved characters were assassinated for “the message.” It’s true that Neo is nerfed so that Trinity can take his place. This is annoying because, as I’ve said before, nobody wants to see a Dragon Ball Z spectacle featuring Neo’s powers just so the poor sap could die in obscurity because nothing he did mattered anyway. They didn’t do this, and that is to the writer’s credit. If there was anybody who deserved a deus ex machina sent by the Social Justice Warriors from on high, it was Trinity. Her Read More ›

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
December 18, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy of Mind, Relationships

Tagged
Agent Smith (character in Matrix series), Dualism (in Matrix film series), Featured, Hugo Weaving, Matrix Revolutions (film 2003), Neo (character in Matrix), Trinity (character in Matrix)}

The Matrix Trilogy: Some Final Thoughts

_{I enjoyed the films and am looking forward to the Matrix Resurrections but there are some things I need to say as a reviewer} _{Gary Varner

December 18, 2021

5

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy of Mind, Relationships}

While waiting for The Matrix: Resurrections, December 22: I admit, I’ve given this trilogy a hard time. But I do actually enjoy the films… when I’m not thinking about them. There are some good elements, and I want to point those out before going further. First of all, the relationship between Neo and Trinity is solid. It develops with the trilogy and we don’t have to suffer through a bunch of “will they?/won’t they?” tropes. A viewer can get invested in their relationship, so it hurts when Trinity dies. I appreciate any film where this risk is taken, instead of breaking up the characters and then getting them back together just so the writers don’t have to show the relationship’s Read More ›

many falling translucent multicolored dices with white dots on black background

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
December 11, 2021

Categorized
Arts & Culture

Tagged
Matrix Revolutions (film 2003)}

The Matrix Revolutions Churns Into a Cosmic Drama

_{It turns out to be a conflict between chaos and probability with no apparent moral compass} _{Gary Varner

December 11, 2021

6

Arts & Culture}

In preparation for when The Matrix: Resurrections drops, December 22, I’ve been reviewing the Matrix trilogy (1999–2003) that provides a foundation (links below). Last time out, I offered a map of what happened in The Matrix: Revolutions, the third film in the trilogy. Now for the details from that film: There is one important scene that must be mentioned before Neo is rescued from digital purgatory. While searching for Neo, Morpheus and Trinity visit the Oracle, and we get some much-needed exposition concerning her relationship to the Matrix. The Oracle turns out to be — more or less — an avatar for chaos, or variables, and the Architect, is an avatar for order, or probability. So, the movie balances its Read More ›

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
December 4, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture

Tagged
Machines (imagined relationships), Matrix Revolutions (film 2003), Merovingian (character in Matrix), Morpheus Trinity (character in Matrix), Neo (character in Matrix), Science fiction, Trinity (character in Matrix)}

The Matrix Revolutions (2003) Spins Out of Control

_{In Part I of this review of the third film in The Matrix trilogy — anticipating The Matrix: Resurrections (December 22) — we bring you up to date on the story} _{Gary Varner

December 4, 2021

6

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture}

Recently, I’ve been reviewing — and reminiscing, if you like — The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003). After all, The Matrix: Resurrections opens December 22. Although I find the plots disjointed so far, I can at least provide you with a cheat sheet for what happened earlier. Now let’s see what happens in the third film in the turn-of-the-millennium trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions (2003). Alas, the confusion continues. The movie opens with our lead characters discovering that Neo is not in a coma after all but has been taken to a zone between the Matrix and the real world; think digital purgatory. How does this happen? We don’t know. How can Neo be taken anywhere when he’s not Read More ›

military robot and skulls of people. Dramatic apocalypse super realistic concept. Rise of the Machines. Dark future. 3d rendering.

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
November 27, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy

Tagged
Free will (as explored in Matrix Reloaded), Matrix Reloaded (film 2003), Matrix Trilogy, Science fiction, Zion (fictional city in Matrix)}

The Matrix Reloaded (2003) Just Did Not Load Properly

_{Although the second part of the Matrix trilogy offers interesting ideas and exciting action, the confusing plot obscures the concepts it should explore} _{Gary Varner

November 27, 2021

6

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy}

What a mess of a story is The Matrix Reloaded (2003) — the second part of the Matrix (1999) trilogy, in which the world we know turns out to be a simulation created by AI intelligences. We met some of the characters in the first part, The Matrix (1999), reviewed here. But then what happened? First, we’re introduced to the new technician, Link, but no one explains where his predecessor Tank went. Then Zion (“the last human city, the only place we have left”) is introduced and there we find ourselves at the infamous Party Scene: To look at this techno-hedonistic rave, one might think we’ve entered volcano-challenged Pompeii of long ago. But this party is more reminiscent of the Read More ›

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Author
Gary Varner
Date
November 20, 2021

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy

Tagged
Matrix (1999 film), Matrix Resurrections (film), Matrix Trilogy (films), Morpheus (character), Mouse (character), Neo (character), Nihilism (in The Matrix trilogy), Oracle (character), Plato's Cave, Red vs blue pill (Matrix), Science fiction}

Will The Matrix Resurrections (Drops December 22) Break the Mold?

_{The culturally influential trilogy (control by evil aliens) enjoys a fascinating beginning — but a thud! ending} _{Gary Varner

November 20, 2021

4

Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Philosophy}

The Matrix trilogy is famous for starting strong, then falling apart by the end. Will this happen again? We’ll see. After eleven years, the Matrix Resurrections comes out December 22, 2021. Now is the perfect time to look back at the original trilogy, starting with the first film, The Matrix (1999). The Matrix series begins by following a computer hacker named Neo, who is led by a beautiful stranger into a forbidding underworld. There, “he discovers the shocking truth — the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.” He had been searching for the mysterious Morpheus who defends a human civilization from attack by machines. Neo is horrified to discover from him that not only is Read More ›