On the road again
Star Trek, Traveling, and Air Force One.
Welcome to another week here in Bogworld. Cartoon updates are going to be a few days late this week because I am in the San Francisco area on business. Not anywhere near my drawing table at the moment makes it hard to draw the toons. But I thought I would at least write a little something here in the blog.
Air Force One Fly-By Scare
Ok. I understand why New Yorkers are upset... REALLY upset... Over the recent low level fly over by Air Force One. Its going to be a long time before a low flying plane is a welcome sight over Manhattan. And there is no doubt that it was an amazingly stupid thing for the government to do just to capture a photo... But...
Did you see the photo they got? I know this is going to be an unpopular thing to say, but the photo of Air Force One flying over the Statue of Liberty is really cool. Before you get mad at me, please keep in mind that I spend my summers going to air shows photographing airplanes in flight. So forgive me if I am too forgiving here, but wow, they really captured an amazing image!
Was it worth scaring the population of New York City? No. But its a really nice photo.
Star Trek-A Full Review
Earlier in the week I wrote a short review of the new Star Trek movie. Since I saw it days before anyone else did, I avoided details and specifics because I did not want to ruin the movie for anyone. Well now since it had one of the biggest opening weekends of all time I figure a lot of you have seen it already. If not, skip to the next section of the blog...
I really like the new Trek movie. I have seen it a few times now and I think I am actually starting to like it even more than I originally did. I have some Trekkie friends who went to the theater fully expecting to be disappointed by this revision of their beloved TV series and subsequent movie franchise. And if you go to a movie intent on not liking a movie, guess what happens, usually you end up not liking the movie. Thats a shame. Because if you judge the new Star Trek on its own merits, its a pretty damn good movie.
Star Trek really is, in many ways, this summer’s Iron Man. Just like most of the super hero movies at the time, the Star Trek movies were starting to take themselves too seriously. They were losing the sense of fun that summer movies should have. Think of the original Star Wars movies. Think of the first Indiana Jones movie. Think of the successful Star Trek movies of the past... The most successful ones... the ones that really connected with audiences... were the fun ones; Wrath of Khan and Voyage Home.
In the same way that Iron Man brought fun back to the comic book genre, the new Trek movie brings fun back to that franchise.
Yes, it makes more than a few logistical and scientific blunders. Not the least of which being its use of a black hole as a super weapon. Why does Red Matter stay stable when its in a glass jar but becomes a planet crushing black hole when its released? And when it is released how come it eats one planet but not the planet within view of the planet it just consumed? But if were going to nit-pick this one, then the other Trek movies are fair game and they made more than their fair share of scientific guffaws. In fact they really laid the ground work for the “artistic license” that this new movie plays on. So to criticize this movie you really have to criticize the whole franchise.
The reason this Trek movie works is because its not about the science as much as its about the adventure. Its not about the logic, its about the characters. Its not about the facts, its about the fun.
If you’re sitting in that theater next to me whining about whether black holes behave that way or that they were not using the proper dialect of Romulan, I am going to move to a different isle. You’re not stepping into the theater with the right attitude.
Star Trek is a blast. Its a popcorn munching two hour roller coaster ride. It comes out in the first minute at full throttle and doesn’t really slow down until the end credits. No its not going to win the Academy Award for anything but special effects. No its certainly not going to win any scientific academic awards. But it shook the dust off a franchise that was more than ready to be retired forever and gave it a whole new lease on life. If Star Trek does not make you smile, jump out of your seat a little, and feel a little like cheering... maybe you shouldn’t go to the movies any more.
Traveling
I am writing this on the eve of a day of travel. I go on one or two business trips a year. I still feel the excitement I used to feel when I was a kid about to go somewhere with my family on summer vacation or when I was a young adult sneaking away for a few days to Disney World. I can tell you it only takes a few moments in a airport to suck all that excitement away. Partially due to security measures... Partially due to the economy... Air travel has become a bus travel with wings. I hope this trip regains the enthusiasm I once had for traveling. Hope springs eternal. But probably more of what will happen is I will have a disappointing experience that will inspire a series of really funny cartoons when I get back.
Air Force One Fly-By Scare
Ok. I understand why New Yorkers are upset... REALLY upset... Over the recent low level fly over by Air Force One. Its going to be a long time before a low flying plane is a welcome sight over Manhattan. And there is no doubt that it was an amazingly stupid thing for the government to do just to capture a photo... But...
Did you see the photo they got? I know this is going to be an unpopular thing to say, but the photo of Air Force One flying over the Statue of Liberty is really cool. Before you get mad at me, please keep in mind that I spend my summers going to air shows photographing airplanes in flight. So forgive me if I am too forgiving here, but wow, they really captured an amazing image!
Was it worth scaring the population of New York City? No. But its a really nice photo.
Star Trek-A Full Review
Earlier in the week I wrote a short review of the new Star Trek movie. Since I saw it days before anyone else did, I avoided details and specifics because I did not want to ruin the movie for anyone. Well now since it had one of the biggest opening weekends of all time I figure a lot of you have seen it already. If not, skip to the next section of the blog...
I really like the new Trek movie. I have seen it a few times now and I think I am actually starting to like it even more than I originally did. I have some Trekkie friends who went to the theater fully expecting to be disappointed by this revision of their beloved TV series and subsequent movie franchise. And if you go to a movie intent on not liking a movie, guess what happens, usually you end up not liking the movie. Thats a shame. Because if you judge the new Star Trek on its own merits, its a pretty damn good movie.
Star Trek really is, in many ways, this summer’s Iron Man. Just like most of the super hero movies at the time, the Star Trek movies were starting to take themselves too seriously. They were losing the sense of fun that summer movies should have. Think of the original Star Wars movies. Think of the first Indiana Jones movie. Think of the successful Star Trek movies of the past... The most successful ones... the ones that really connected with audiences... were the fun ones; Wrath of Khan and Voyage Home.
In the same way that Iron Man brought fun back to the comic book genre, the new Trek movie brings fun back to that franchise.
Yes, it makes more than a few logistical and scientific blunders. Not the least of which being its use of a black hole as a super weapon. Why does Red Matter stay stable when its in a glass jar but becomes a planet crushing black hole when its released? And when it is released how come it eats one planet but not the planet within view of the planet it just consumed? But if were going to nit-pick this one, then the other Trek movies are fair game and they made more than their fair share of scientific guffaws. In fact they really laid the ground work for the “artistic license” that this new movie plays on. So to criticize this movie you really have to criticize the whole franchise.
The reason this Trek movie works is because its not about the science as much as its about the adventure. Its not about the logic, its about the characters. Its not about the facts, its about the fun.
If you’re sitting in that theater next to me whining about whether black holes behave that way or that they were not using the proper dialect of Romulan, I am going to move to a different isle. You’re not stepping into the theater with the right attitude.
Star Trek is a blast. Its a popcorn munching two hour roller coaster ride. It comes out in the first minute at full throttle and doesn’t really slow down until the end credits. No its not going to win the Academy Award for anything but special effects. No its certainly not going to win any scientific academic awards. But it shook the dust off a franchise that was more than ready to be retired forever and gave it a whole new lease on life. If Star Trek does not make you smile, jump out of your seat a little, and feel a little like cheering... maybe you shouldn’t go to the movies any more.
Traveling
I am writing this on the eve of a day of travel. I go on one or two business trips a year. I still feel the excitement I used to feel when I was a kid about to go somewhere with my family on summer vacation or when I was a young adult sneaking away for a few days to Disney World. I can tell you it only takes a few moments in a airport to suck all that excitement away. Partially due to security measures... Partially due to the economy... Air travel has become a bus travel with wings. I hope this trip regains the enthusiasm I once had for traveling. Hope springs eternal. But probably more of what will happen is I will have a disappointing experience that will inspire a series of really funny cartoons when I get back.