Science Fiction

Tron

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  • Title: Tron
  • IMDb: link

Remember when Frisbees were Cool?

Tron is something of a novelty.  The film was the first to rely heavily on CGI (Computer Generated Imagery) during a time when no one used computers in movies. The technology was new and limited, but because the film was made at such a time the movie has a look and feel that no other film is likely to duplicate. 

The way Tron was colored and backlight by hand, frame by frame, is too labor intensive for our Star Wars / Jurassic Park era and beyond.  Rather than using CGI to create more believable images or other worlds, the creators of Tron realized the limitations of the technology and instead focused on using light against the black background to produce a one of a kind art form.  The difference is important.  Even after 40 years have passed the movie still holds up even though the technology used to create it has long been passed by.

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Halo – Allegiance

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Halo – Allegiance
  • wiki: link

“Allegiance” offers the tease of a peaceful happy ending for Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and Makee (Charlie Murphy) following their shared experience with the artifact. Then, all goes to hell. Dr. Halsey (Natascha McElhone) corrupts the other Spartans and attempts to steal Master Chief and the artifacts, and Dr. Keyes (Olive Gray) makes a discovery about Makee’s recent history and allegiances that reminds her of the evils of humanity and makes it impossible for her to leave the Covenant behind. The only good news for John by the end of the episode is that Cortana (Jen Taylor) chooses him over Halsey’s orders and helps to stop the doctor from getting her hands on the Spartan.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Serene Squall

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – The Serene Squall
  • wiki: link

Although the episode relies on a twist you’ll likely see coming, “The Serene Squall” has the feel of a classic Trek adventure with the Enterprise fighting space pirates on the edge of Federation space. Themes from the season continue to be played out here including Spock (Ethan Peck) and  T’Pring‘s (Gia Sandhu) relationship and the tease of Nurse Chapel‘s (Jess Bush) feelings for the Enterprise’s Science Officer. Jesse James Keitel is well-cast here as the main guest-star whose character needs to be insightful and empathetic to Spock but also to turn on a dime when the plot calls for it.

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Halo – Solace

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Halo – Solace
  • wiki: link

In the wake of losing the larger artifact to the Covenant, “Solace” works towards Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber) and Makee (Charlie Murphy) having a combined vision through the Spartan’s use of the smaller artifact offering us the first real look at the Halo ring. Elsewhere, Dr. Halsey (Natascha McElhone) becomes the easy fall guy for the government and is frozen out of the project, although she still retains access thanks to Cortana (Jen Taylor). As to the deeper meaning of John and Makee’s vision, that will have to wait, but at least we don’t get the distraction of Kwan (Yerin Ha) making “Solace” one of the show’s more focused episodes.

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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds – Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach
  • wiki: link

“Lift Us Where Suffering Cannot Reach” has the feel of a mix between a classic Star Trek episode (with the captain making sweet, sweet love to an alien woman) and one from Star Trek: The Next Generation (dealing with alien customs in conflict with Starfleet directives and human morality) when Captain Pike (Anson Mount) is reunited with a woman he saved years ago. Saving Alora (Lindy Booth) again leads to problematic discoveries about her idyllic world involving a chosen child (Ian Ho) who is destined to save their world albeit by paying a terrible price which is hidden from Starfleet for most of the episode.

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