Category: Science Fiction | Page 5

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Gary Varner
Date
May 6, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Arts & Culture, Sci-fi, Science fiction}

Ghost in the Shell, Part 1

_{It's the remake of arguably one of the most influential sci-fi moves in the genre} _{Gary Varner
May 6, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

[Warning: Spoilers ahead] In the last review, we discussed Her, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. That got me thinking of another movie starring Scarlett Johansson, the 2017 remake of Ghost in the Shell. The original Ghost in the Shell is arguably one of the more influential sci-fi movies in the genre. The dramatic visuals found in The Matrix have been attributed to the 1995 anime, and given the culture’s increasing fascination with AI, the concepts discussed in the original and the remake are more relevant now than when the anime was first released. Sadly, the 2017 remake was bogged down in a trite controversy regarding race-swapping which is when a character’s race is changed to appeal to American audiences. Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
April 29, 2023

Categorized
Artificial Intelligence, Science Fiction}

Her, Review 3

_{The AI doesn’t have a heart after all} _{Gary Varner
April 29, 2023

7

Artificial Intelligence, Science Fiction}

In the previous review, Theodore and the AI, Samantha, started a romantic relationship. Then the robot began to act distant, and Theodore wasn’t sure why. When Samantha won’t return his calls, Theodore thought something was wrong and ran around the city, calling her repeatedly. Finally, Samantha answered, and Theodore demanded to know what was going on. And so, we come to the moment where Samantha finally tells him the horrible truth. Throughout the course of their “relationship” Samantha has been growing, meaning that she has been able to process things faster and faster, and as time has gone on, she’s began interacting with other operating systems and people. When Theodore asks how many people and operating systems she’s having simultaneous Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
April 22, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
AI, Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness, film, hollywood, Movies, romance, Technology, television}

Her, Part Two

_{What happens when you’re dating the AI secretary} _{Gary Varner
April 22, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

Last time, we began talking about the movie Her, a story of a man falling in love with his AI and compared it to the abysmal season three of the Orville. Unlike the Orville, which insisted that the viewer take the romance between the robot and the human seriously, Her treats the subject as a what-if scenario, playing the whole situation straight and letting the viewer draw their own conclusions. Theodore had just finished uploading the AI onto his computer, which called itself Samantha, and was impressed by how human-like the operating system seemed. Samantha begins organizing Theodore’s computer and helping him around the office, but it doesn’t take long for a romantic relationship to develop between them. When Theodore Read More ›

Man and flames, inspired by Fahrenheit 451. Gegenrative AI.

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Peter Biles
Date
April 21, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
1984 (book), Aldous Huxley, Arts & Culture, brave new world, Dystopia, George Orwell, Literature, Ray Bradbury, Science fiction, Technology}

Revisiting Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

_{How can we read and remember the past with the influx of digital noise and distraction?} _{Peter Biles
April 21, 2023

5

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

Which one was right, Brave New World or 1984? Are we living in a hedonistic mirage or a totalitarian face-stamping global regime? The conversation over prophetic twentieth-century texts often homes in on these two admirable books, but another classic dystopian novel pokes its head from behind the curtain, asking to be regarded: Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. It’s the riotous, mega-talented sci-fi writer’s most famous work (though I’d argue not quite his best) and follows the life of a fireman, Guy Montag, whose main job is not to squelch housefires but to burn books, and the houses that hold them. This fireman is a member of a brigade tasked with the destruction of literature. With the destruction of meaning. In the Read More ›

Back view of businessman suit standing at office looking at night city through panoramic window. Generative AI

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Gary Varner
Date
April 15, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
AI, Arts and Culture, Culture, Gary Varner, Movies, Science fiction, society, Technology, tv}

Her, Part One

_{The 2013 dystopian film proposes an intriguing "what if"} _{Gary Varner
April 15, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

When I was reviewing the Orville, Season Three, I spent a lot of time complaining about the robot-love subplot which consumed far too much of the series. I will probably always find the idea of such a relationship ridiculous, but that doesn’t mean the concept can’t be explored in a thoughtful way. One such thoughtful exploration is the movie Her, where a man falls in love with his AI operating system. Unlike the Orville, which demands that the viewer take the relationship seriously, almost going so far as to call the viewer a bigot if they don’t get on board with the fantasy, Her leaves everything open-ended, treating the whole idea of a man and robot falling in love as Read More ›

beautiful bunch cordyceps,mushrooms in neon light. The last of us style. Generative AI.

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Gary Varner
Date
April 8, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Culture, Gary Varner, HBO Max, Science fiction, television, The Last of Us, TV shows, Video games}

The Last of Us: Final Thoughts

_{The HBO series is a mixed bag but is still worth the watch} _{Gary Varner
April 8, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

The Last of Us HBO series is a mixed bag. There are parts of this show I really liked and other parts I despised. The main trouble is that there are two full episodes which are completely irrelevant to the plot. Frankly, you could skip episodes three and seven and not miss a thing. These episodes are just fanfare for the critics and add nothing to the story. Particularly episode three. I’ve never seen such a random addition to a series. What’s so astounding is that the flashback in episode three keeps going. About halfway through, the viewer realizes that they really are going to have to watch these two old men live and die, all so Joel and Ellie Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
March 31, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Apocalypticism, Arts & Culture, Gary Varner, HBO Max, Science fiction, Technology, television, The Last of Us}

The Last of Us, Episodes 7 & 8

_{Another flashback for the critics followed by cannibalism} _{Gary Varner
March 31, 2023

7

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

To be blunt, it’s probably best to merge the reviews of episodes seven and eight because episode seven is a complete waste of time. Basically, Ellie moves Joel to an abandoned house and tries to take care of him. He tells her she needs to go back to Tommy’s and let him die, and she almost does it, but then she has a flashback. During the commentary for episode seven, the writers mention that they wanted to make a connection between this flashback and Ellie’s decision to save Joel. But I think the truth is they were more interested in devoting another episode to fanservice for the critics. In this flashback, Ellie remembers Riley, her friend who was attacked with Read More ›

Grand Tetons peak at sunrise with snake river overlook in Wyoming, US

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Gary Varner
Date
March 25, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Arts & Culture, Entertainment, HBO Max, Science fiction, television, The Last of Us, TV shows}

The Last of Us, Episode 6

_{A tale of zombies and...communism?} _{Gary Varner
March 25, 2023

10

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

Episode six starts out strong. We meet an elderly couple who has been living alone in Wyoming. Joel and Ellie break into their cabin and ask for directions in the rudest way possible—at gun point—which is a little over the top, and even the actors playing the couple seem to know it. As Joel sits beside the old pair, holding a gun and acting dour, the elderly man chats with him, sporting a bemused grin. Joel and Ellie get the directions they need and soon come across a group of men and women on horseback who hold them at gunpoint and check to see if they’re infected. Once it becomes clear that Joel and Ellie are fine, the riders ask Read More ›

Concept art illustration of post-apocalyptic New York city

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Gary Varner
Date
March 18, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Apocalypticism, HBO Max, The Last of Us, TV shows, Zombies}

The Last of Us, Episode 4

_{After a derailing of the narrative, the actual plot makes a comeback} _{Gary Varner
March 18, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

After a tough episode three, The Last of Us decides to return to the plot, and we see the writing quality improve somewhat. We pick up with Joel and Ellie driving down the road, and to be candid, the scenes are interesting. There was, however, one giant plot hole during this sequence I couldn’t ignore. It’s a little thing, but as someone who grew up in Missouri, I found it hilarious. So, while they are driving along, they come across a herd of bison. The subtext behind the camera shot is painfully obvious, “Now that man is gone, the buffalo have returned. Nature is healing!” Of course, what the camera crew failed to notice, or at least, what they were Read More ›

Wallpaper of cordyceps fungi, realistic detail photo macro, illustration, like the movie the last of us,

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Gary Varner
Date
March 13, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
HBO, Science fiction, The Last of Us}

The Last of Us, Episode 3 (Part I)

_{This episode serves as a bad omen when it comes to writers’ willingness to stick to the script} _{Gary Varner
March 13, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

In episode two, Tess sacrifices herself after being bitten, and in episode three, we find Joel and Ellie grieving over her death. This scene is another example of the actors overplaying the anger when the tone should be more somber. Joel is hesitant to talk to Ellie until Ellie insists that Tess’s death wasn’t her fault, and that Joel and Tess made their own choices. Now, there isn’t anything wrong with the scene necessarily, but in the first two episodes, it’s already apparent that the HBO adaptation is having a difficult time establishing the father-daughter dynamic between Ellie and Joel that the game is known for. This scene only adds to that problem. However, this might not be an issue Read More ›

Man and girl in post apocalyptic city. The last of us style. Generative AI.

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Gary Varner
Date
March 4, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Apocalypticism, Fantasy, Gary Varner, HBO Max, Sci-fi, Science fiction, The Last of Us, TV shows}

The Last of Us Review: Episode 2

_{A rather slow episode despite the sonar zombies} _{Gary Varner
March 4, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

Last time, we looked at the first episode of The Last of Us and talked about how it was well written, but if you are aware of the controversy surrounding this game and its sequel, then you know bad things are on the horizon. Once we reach episode two, the writing quality drops a little but not much. It’s still pretty good, at least, when it’s consistent with the source material. Ellie wakes up to find Joel and Tess staring at her with a loaded gun. Her guardians are having a hard time believing that she is not infected with the virus despite the fact that her wound has healed. There is a brief debate about whether or not to Read More ›

Dinosaur Fossil (Tyrannosaurus Rex) Found by Archaeologists

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Gary Varner
Date
February 25, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction

Tagged
Dinosaur, Gary Varner, Jurassic World, Science fiction}

Jurassic World: Dominion Part 4

_{A bad movie that makes an okay end to the franchise. But does it actually end here?} _{Gary Varner
February 25, 2023

7

Science Fiction}

After Owen and Kayla survive a plane crash, they begin their search for Claire, evading yet another hungry dinosaur without so much as a limp. What follows is a sequence of random dinosaur encounters, each scene driven by a series of coincidences because all our characters are scattered throughout the valley, and we need them to get together somehow. The most egregious of these coincidences comes when our entire main cast finally meets. Ellie, Alan, and Maisie are on an underground train to an airport, but the bad guy, Dodgson, discovers what they’ve done and turns the train off. This forces them to wander through a series of caves, but they eventually escape with the help of Ian. They drive Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
February 18, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction}

Jurassic World: Dominion (Part 3)

_{In case you were still wondering, this movie is crashing and so is an airplane} _{Gary Varner
February 18, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

In the last review, Ellie and Alan arrive in Biosyn and reunite with Ian, while Claire and Owen endure an absurd raptor chase. During the chaos, Owen and Claire learn that Maisie has been taken to Biosyn, Fortunately, a smuggler with a heart of gold, Kayla, has offered to fly them to Biosyn so they can sneak into the company’s complex and free their daughter. As they enter the valley where the Biosyn compound is located, they are informed that they’re flying into restricted airspace. If they do not turn around, then the Aerial Deterrent System will be turned off, and they will be vulnerable to the various breeds of flying reptiles. Kayla tries to stall the tower, but they Read More ›

modern concept artwork of a person wandering through an abandoned apocalyptic city overgrown by plants

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Gary Varner
Date
February 17, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction

Tagged
Apocalypticism, Dystopian, Gary Varner, Science fiction, The Last of Us, tv}

The Last of Us Review (Part 1)

_{From a writing standpoint, the story in episode one is about as tight and well-written as one can expect, but will they maintain that standard going forward?} _{Gary Varner
February 17, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

HBO Max has begun airing the series The Last of Us, which is based on one of the most popular video games to come out in recent years. However, if you’ve followed the video game series, then you know there’s a part two, and The Last of Us Part 2 has become known as one of the most infamous bait and switches in video game history. So, needless to say, there was a great amount of suspicion directed at this series before it ever aired. That makes reviewing this first episode rather difficult because the truth of the matter is that the episode is good. From a writing standpoint, it is solid. There are no plot holes or contrivances of Read More ›

Dinosaur eye, Closeup yellow eye of the dinosaurs with terrifying. Dinosaur hunters are staring with horrible yellow eye. Generative AI

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Gary Varner
Date
February 11, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction

Tagged
Chris Pratt, Cloning, Dinosaur, Futurism, Genetics, Jurassic World, Sci-Fi Saturday, Science fiction}

Jurassic World: Dominion Review Part 2

_{Incorporating characters from the original movies gives continuity to the franchise} _{Gary Varner
February 11, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

In the previous review, the clone daughter of one of the engineers from the first Jurassic Park, who was being protected by Claire and Owen from the first two movies of the second trilogy, was kidnapped, and her surrogate parents enlisted the help of the CIA to track her down. At the same time, Ellie Sattler and Alan Grant, our heroes from the first trilogy, suspect the international cooperation, Biosyn, of creating genetically altered locusts to eat their competition’s crops. Another survivor of the first Jurassic Park incident, Ian Malcolm, is working for Biosyn, and he has offered to allow them access to the cooperation’s secret lab. Ellie and Alan fly to Biosyn, where they find that many of the Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
February 4, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction

Tagged
Chris Pratt, Dinosaurs, DNA, Genetics, Jurassic World, Sci-Fi Saturday, Science fiction, Story}

Jurassic World: Dominion Review Part 1

_{Too many unanswered questions and gaping plot holes in the grand finale} _{Gary Varner
February 4, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

Like so many kids in my generation, one of the things that prompted my interest in science was the iconic movie, Jurassic Park, and also, like so many kids of my generation, Jurassic Park Three left me furious. Once the dinosaurs started talking, I was out. Then came Jurassic World, and I was left unimpressed but unoffended, so I called it good enough. And the last movie in the second trilogy left me in a similar boat. It fixed one of the big issues I had with Jurassic Park Three, so I can’t really say this is a bad movie. That being said, it is an excellent example of bad writing. The problem with the film is that it’s convoluted, Read More ›

flying into tunnel, sci-fi spaceship corridor. Futuristic technology abstract seamless for tech titles and background. graphic network, big data, data center, server, internet, speed. 3D render

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Gary Varner
Date
January 28, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction

Tagged
Comedy, Gary Varner, Sci-Fi Saturday, Science fiction, space, Star Trek}

Galaxy Quest Review Part 2: The Show Goes On

_{The movie isn't perfect, but it's fun, and definitely better than The Orville Season Three...} _{Gary Varner
January 28, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

Last time, we began our review of Galaxy Quest, a true parody of Star Trek. In the previous review, we’d ended with Jason Nesmith encountering a group of aliens which had mistaken the campy television show called Galaxy Quest for a record of Earth’s history, and therefore, had modeled their technology after the tv show. The cast found it impossible to explain to the aliens that they were actors and must now find a way to stop Sarris, the alien threatening to wipe out this race which has asked for their help called the Thermians. Jason and the rest of the cast are led to the bridge to negotiate with Sarris, who, of course, does not wish to surrender at Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
January 21, 2023

Categorized
Science Fiction}

Galaxy Quest Review Part 1: Bumbling Actors in Space

_{The 1999 Tim Allen movie is a true Star Trek spoof. It's not perfect, but it is entertaining and agenda free} _{Gary Varner
January 21, 2023

6

Science Fiction}

After spending an extended period of time reviewing an abysmal Star Trek parody, The Orville Season Three, I wanted to review a parody I actually remembered enjoying. Galaxy Quest, a movie starring Tim Allen, which came out in 1999, has been referred to as a true Star Trek spoof, and watching it again all these years later, I tend to agree. Now, I should preference this review by saying that this is not a perfect movie. It suffers from plot holes and one big trope I despise, The Liar Revealed. But what it lacks in continuity it makes up for through lack of pretension. There are no sneaky social commentaries, no grand themes the writers are trying to sell. It’s Read More ›

3D rendered fantasy alien planet. Rocks and moon

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Gary Varner
Date
January 14, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Bortus (character in the Orville series), Charly (character in Orvilles 3), Dr. Finn (Orville character), Ed Mercer (character in Orville series), Featured, Gordon Malloy (character in Orville series), Heveena (character in the Orville series), Isaac (robot in Orvilles 3), Kelly Grayson (character in Orville series), Klyden (character in the Orville series), LaMarr (character in Orvilles 3), Lysella (character in Orville series), Moclans in Orville sci-fi series, Seth MacFarlane, Topa (character in the Orville series)}

Final Thoughts on The Orville Season Three — What Went Wrong

_{Unlike Star Trek, which put conflicting opinions in the mouths of beloved characters, Orville 3 screams its opinions to the point of harming the story} _{Gary Varner
January 14, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

What a terrible season! I remember watching the beginning episodes of The Orville and thinking the show wasn’t quite there yet but held promise. Sadly, things did not improve with time. I think part of the problem is that The Orville was taken over by Hulu which is now owned by Disney. This, likely, prompted a degree of studio involvement that dropped the show’s quality. The Orville tried to address controversial subjects, just as Star Trek did years before. But it did not understand or reproduce the most important ingredient of the way the classic sci-fi series dealt with such topics. Star Trek used its main characters as voices that represented various positions. This is not to say that Star Read More ›

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Gary Varner
Date
January 7, 2023

Categorized
Arts & Culture, Science Fiction

Tagged
Bortus (character in the Orville series), Dr. Finn (Orville character), Featured, Gordon Malloy (character in Orville series), Klyden (character in the Orville series), Lysella (character in Orville series), Moclans in Orville sci-fi series}

Orville Episode 10: You’ve Heard of Saving the Best for Last?

_{Well, decide for yourself if you think that’s what the writers did. Some of us would describe it in other terms} _{Gary Varner
January 7, 2023

6

Arts & Culture, Science Fiction}

Episode 10 fails for many reasons, but it’s not the kind of terrible where the episode is so bad you can throw your head back and laugh. Not only is it bad; it’s boring. Mixed up scenes, clunky dialog, and pretentious diatribes spread through the story. The story opens with Moclans Bortus and Klyden renewing their vows. Apparently, the all-male Moclans have a ritual where they essentially run naked through the forest until the “dominate male” catches the “submissive male” and . . . I’ll let you use your imagination. This scene is painful to watch. Two overweight men shamble through the woods in G-strings and the viewer is subjected to every horrendous second. I’m sure you’re wondering, “what kind Read More ›