Science fiction to me (and to the immeasurable Orson Scott Card) isn’t just about space ships, aliens, and freakishly tall, forest-dwelling blue people who are [insert soft whimsical voice here] connected to all nature and animals and it to them in peace, harmony, and fluffy glitter bunnies.

Science fiction is about the concept of the seemingly impossible to us in this world and how, as human beings, we would discover and learn of ourselves through the seemingly impossible.

Nothing captures this true concept of science fiction better than Inception, written and directed by the very refreshing Christopher Nolan.

Nolan attacks the very immeasurable idea of dreams in this movie.

In the movie, Leonardo DeCaprio plays Cobb, a man who knows how to place himself into dreams he makes for a particular person in order to steal their secrets.

Cobb has baggage of his own that we as the audience gradually learns about, and that continues to crop up in the dreams he possesses. His deceased wife (Marion Cotillard) remains a powerful presence in his subconscious because of the guilt he feels over her mysterious death.

The plot itself is a caper involving Cobb, and a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Whom I absolutely adored in this movie!), Ellen Page, and Tom Hardy (better known as Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis) among others.

The purpose of the caper is to implant an idea into a man’s head, yet have him believe that it is his own idea so that it will mature and develop as such, and change the course of his life, and the lives of others.

I won’t explain the entire concept, because that was part of the fun of the movie, figuring everything out and keeping track of where the characters were throughout.

But to sum it up, this plot that brought amazing visuals along with it blew out my brain pan. There isn’t really any other way I can describe it.

Nolan takes the knowledge we already have from dreaming – falling makes you wake up, influences from the outside effect how and what you dream; your subconscious populates the dream with projections of people – and solidifies it so that it comes much closer to a reality.

The cast is amazing. It also includes a few Nolan favorites, Cillian Murphy ,(Pretty!)  Michael Caine, and Ken Watanabe. In fact, I found myself incredibly envious of Ellen page, because of the fantastic cast of dudes she was surrounded by. All of them have their backgrounds and characters believably established in such a short time, which not only makes the plot in this movie amazing, but the layout and execution fantastic.

Everything was believable – the concept of the controlling of a dream, and the idea that a person could come into your dream and find out your secrets. There was never a question raised regarding any part of the original idea for the story. That fact in itself is what helps to make a good movie brilliant.

Nolan has truly outdone himself with Inception – something that I frankly didn’t believe was possible after the jewels that are The Dark Knight and The Prestige.

Inception is a movie that has depth, dimension, wonderful new ideas, stunning visuals, and a mind blowing story. Nolan has definitely set the bar for story-telling higher than we have seen it yet.

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When you’re a fan of several different franchises as I am, you have to realize that in doing so, there is a certain amount of risk involved.  A danger of your fandom not living up to your expectations and/or coming to the point that causes you to ponder “Why in the world did I ever start watching/reading/playing this?” is always present, even if it is only the danger of the story ending.

I first came to grips with this painful fact at the tender age of eleven, when my family and I sat in our living room with our eyes glued to the television, and we watched the last flight of the Enterprise 1701 D into an artful background of sun and nebulae on the small screen. Star Trek: The Next Generation is still my favorite show, but there is no one more depressed than I am about the fact that there will be no more of it.

Other examples include: Heroes, which turned to crap after the mesmerizing first season. Doctor Who, it will never be the same – no, really, it won’t. 

That’s why the main requirement of being a fan is unfailing, sometimes obsessive love.  But even after all of that, it’s hard not to wallow in despair at times. 

Sometimes we as fans just need a more solid ground to stand on.  There is one thing in this entire universe that I know will never fail me.  It’s a person actually, and his name is Bear Grylls.  Perhaps you’ve heard of him?

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This article was written in late November, but due to issues around the holiday was not able to be published before the end of the month.Darth Sweetums emerged victorious from NaNoWriMo, and we are proud of her and of all our Chicas who completed that mammoth task. ~ The Management

I am taking a break from my life-consuming NaNoWriMo because I feel it is necessary for this information to be sent out as far as it can reach, so we can get a good mix of opinions on it, and let those with the power know what we, the fans, want.  I also happen to be on my lunch break at work where I cannot work on my NaNo, so there you go.

Generally, I would like to think that I’ve attended many nerdy/geeky things.  I’ve been to the midnight release of the seventh Harry Potter novel wearing a Gryffindor scarf, my HP glasses, and a lightning shaped scar drawn on my forehead.  I’ve been to an Orson Scott Card book signing. (Seriously, the man is simply a brilliant teddy bear.)   On the more extreme side of things, I came from the north west of the United States over to Stratford upon Avon in England to see David Tennant and Patrick Stewart perform Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  (You talk to me, I tell you about it some time. *grin*)

I’ve also gone up to Seattle Washington to see Howard Shore conduct his music (badly) from The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.  Most recently as a birthday present for me, my sister and two friends took me to Star Wars In Concert when they were in Portland last month.  (I LOVE you Anthony Daniels!)  I kept trying to count the lightsabers in the audience.  There were quite a few. 

A couple of weeks ago, I got to talking with Beatrice Blythe about what other franchises should hold a touring concert with music from the movies, the television show, or whatever.  They’ve even done it with Doctor Who in Cardiff a couple of years ago.  So what are we missing?  Hm? 

Star Trek!  That’s what we’re missing!  It dawned on me during my conversation with B.B. that of course, the producers of Star Trek should put on a concert featuring the themes and music from the shows and the films!  I honestly would weep because I was basically brought up on ST, especially The Next Generation.  I’ve seen all the movies, I’ve learned to play some of the themes on the piano, and I wouldn’t even question stalking Brent Spiner if the opportunity presented itself!

A week or so after talking with B.B. about this, she sent me an e-mail with a link saying that someone had apparently read my mind. 

A Star Trek Concert Tour @ Roddenberry.com

The post discusses whether or not a Trek concert tour would attract an audience as the Star Wars concert did, and it is very much on the positive side.  Yes, a concert tour from the Trek universe would definitely attract a large audience!  The themes from the films are so diverse, and unique to the stories –

If you read the article you can see where and why it lost me.  Yes, the films are important.  In some instances the music is the only good thing in a Star Trek film. (Yes, I’m a huge fan, but I’m not delusional.  Oh, Star Trek V!  Why didst thou forsake me?) But I could not believe the author of this article did not even think that the themes from the original television shows should be addressed at such a concert.

Yes, I’d probably be happy with a concert featuring the themes from the films, but what makes Star Trek different is that it started on television first and foremost.  That is where the long time Trekkers came from in the first place.  Who would have understood the full story to The Wrath of Khan or First Contact without the television episodes that spawned those original characters and plot lines?   I rest my case.

A Star Trek concert tour would be phenomenal.  I would be one of the first people in line at the box office.  But, performing the music of Star Trek without the television show themes in there would be a mistake in my opinion.

First, let us hope that there will be a concert tour in the near future.  Hopefully, the thought that the original television show themes being present in the concert’s program will have entered the brains of said producers, because it is such an obvious thing.  Wouldn’t you agree?

Peace and Long Life my fellow fan friends.

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This is how undeniably creepy Facebook has become:   

After it finally loads for me, and I want to visit a particular profile page belonging to one of my “friends”, I click on the “Friends” option. It doesn’t matter what submenu you’re after in the “Friends” option, it will take you to the same page first. This page is the friends search page, which is titled thusly:

“We’d like to help you find your friends.”

Would you now?

Does that not register on the creepy scale for some people? Even just a little bit? Personally, to me, it comes across with a sort of, “Put the lotion in the basket!” feel. But again, that could simply be me.

The creepy factor alone might still be tolerable if it weren’t for the irrefutable obnoxious factor that accompanies it.  I was a late comer to Facebook.  But even in the time I joined, it was a much simpler, focused, and easy loading site than the monstrosity it has mutated into.

Now, Facebook is continuously trying to find more relatives for me, so that I can be connected to even more people.  It has brought an entirely new, and unprecedented dimension to spam.   When I first was setting up my account, I did the usual things, I uploaded a profile picture, a few other pictures of myself, and friended the people who I knew would friend me back because they are…what’s the word?  Oh right, my friends!  Do you see the convenient pattern with this?

When I was first getting to know Facebook, I truly believed that it was different from the myspaces, and youtubes of the world because it didn’t have the obnoxious crap.  You had your profile, your actual friends, your notes that you could add to, and some gifts you could throw at/send to people who were your actual friends.  It was decently straight forward, and uncluttered - just the way I like a webpage.

Unfortunately however, like anything posted on the internet for an interminable amount of time, it gets infected and poisoned…by the internet.  Now, Facebook won’t leave me alone. 

“Got a friend that needs cheering up?  Send them a Happy Face Hug or a Group Hug today!”

“What is your color?”

“True Heroes use their power for good…”

“What is your color?”

“Add a photo to We’re Related of each of your grandparents.”

“What is your color?”  “What Is Your Color?”  “WHAT IS YOUR COLOR?!”

I have not made any of those up.  Those are all on my notifications along with several other useless things that I never asked for. 

There is also the one or two friends who you don’t really call friends, but you friended them anyway because they’re an acquaintance of your best friend’s sister’s hamster’s cousin, and you thought you’d be nice and friend them when they first joined the circus.  But soon after, they lead you to regret your act of good samaritanism, and repay you by throwing sheep, pigs, Colin Powell, and Michael Phelps at you at least Twenty. Times. A. Day. because they’re bored at work, or at home because they’re unemployed.

Of course, it’s only in good fun.  And it’s funny too, especially the Michael Phelps one…after about the first ten times.  Then it becomes very old at a rate faster than warp speed.  It’s especially faster than the site itself loads, because heaven knows there’s enough crap now on Facebook to weigh the space station down into the upper atmosphere.  And in the end, do you know what all of those new ads, games, and quizzes add up to?  Do YOU?  Simply: more html for your browser to load, and sort through.

I would like to go back to the time where Facebook was somewhat simple, and there wasn’t at least fifty types of Twilight flair made that say just about the same thing: “Keep your Darcy, I want Edward!”

All of it has stuffed us down the creepy hole, and we are unable to get out because we’re being bombarded more ad-ons, games, and farm animals.  But what we need to do is get to the source of this, lure the beloved dog of the creepy web site into the hole with us, and threaten her life until we are given a chance to escape from the circus!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go, and post this on my profile page, and maybe start a group.

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There’s this scarf that I’ve owned for several years.  I remember buying it at the same department store where I worked at the time.  Its red white and blue in a pattern of American flags on it.  Originally, it was meant for Memorial Day, or Independence Day, I don’t recall which.  But I’ve actually worn it every year on this day, since the year 2001.

It has now been eight years since that brutal attack on our country, and it makes the most logical sense for people to move on, which is what we have done for the most part.  It is important to be able to move on instead of remaining still.  However, remembrance is more important.  We cannot move on, and learn from an event if we do not remember the event itself.  Progression is empty without remembrance.

I believe that Craig Ferguson, host of the Late Late Show on CBS put it the best way in his September 11 monologue from last year when he said that you should never forget how you got a scar.  If you do, you put yourself at risk of getting another one.

So, wearing my scarf, and a red shirt of some kind, I’ve gone to work and throughout this day for eight years, because it is how I remember.  Moving on is important, and we should continue to do so while remembering who we are, where we come from, and those who died protecting the very freedom and ideals that the people responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001 were acting against.

No matter how many attacks we may endure, or how many lives of American civilians and heroes may be lost, those ideals and freedoms that this country was built on cannot be destroyed.  Our enemies, whoever and wherever they may be, do not have that power.  The only people who have the power to destroy those foundations are the American people themselves.

That is why it is imperative that we do not forget the events of September 11, 2001 or any other day in our country’s history where its ideals and people were shaken.

I love my country, and I am so blessed to have been born into the rights and freedoms that come with it.  I don’t ever want to forget where I was, and how I felt on this day eight years ago.  It would be an injustice and an insult to those who died that day to do so.  So, I urge you today to take a moment to remember, in whatever way you see fit even if it just means reading this article.

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As much as we all believe the story of Star Wars to be concluded (Who really believes that?  Come now.) in 2005 with the release of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (The title of which makes no sense, but don’t get me started on that.) thus closing the story and journey of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, that film only did end one small bit of the universe for all of us fans.

                Since then, there have been dozens of video game releases and novelizations covering more of the Expanded Universe (I believe Beatrice Blythe likes to call that Glorified Fan Fiction, which is exactly what it is, but no one seems to care anyway.) not to mention the plethora of fan fiction that has been published and spread all over the Internet. 

                There is one story, however, that I would like to address, and maybe rant about because it is worthy of more than just yet another online Jedi fighting game.  Yes, I am finally discussing something about Star Wars.  Imagine that.

                The game I’m talking about is a new one that is not due to come out for a little while yet.  For PC it isn’t due out until January of 2010 and I believe that is just a guesstimate.  The game is Star Wars: The Old Republic not to be confused with Knights of the Old Republic, of course. 

                Now I’m not a gamer, I’m a writer.  I enjoy games when I get the chance to play them.  Whenever my brother comes over to visit he brings his Xbox and we get to play Halo or Soul Caliber IV and we beat the crap out of each other with gravity hammers or mad kung fu skills.  That is the extent of my gaming abilities.  I’m sure if I spent more money and more time I would be quite the addicted proficient, which is why it is probably a good thing that I don’t.

                I am only discussing The Old Republic because A) It is Star Wars to which I am a dedicated fan no matter how much George Lucas tries to disappoint me; and  B) Last night my brothers showed me the trailer to this game and had I been wearing socks at the time it would have knocked them off!

                The Old Republic is the mother of all prequels.  It deals with the story of the Jedi and Sith wars, which, according to the history, the Sith would have won, most likely if they had not ended up destroying themselves in the end.  That is when the whole “Always two, there are.  A master and an apprentice.” thing came into play.

                As for the game itself, I would play it.  It looks fantastically awesome!  But I don’t know a lot about game play, environments and things to judge any game properly.  That is why another one of our lovely staff will most likely take on reviewing the actual game when it comes out. 

                What I would like to address is my slight irritation with Lucasfilm for this.  This story has the potential to be one of the coolest, and most awesome stories portrayed in the Star Wars ‘verse.  It is before Obi-Wan and Yoda, before Palpatine and his plot to take over the galaxy.  In fact, it is the basis for the original story of the films.

                So basically, we’re dealing with a story that has the potential to be more mind blowing than any previous Star Wars film.  (Well, I can’t really compare anything to what the audiences experienced when A New Hope was first released.  But you know what I mean!)  And yet, what do we get?  Another online game.

                This story would be able to create an entirely new Star Wars trilogy of films that would bring in new fans and that the old fans would definitely go see because it is telling another story in the universe that we already know but would LOVE to see!  With none of the original characters to tinker around with, it would be completely fresh, new, and AWESOME!

                I suppose that’s why I have a beef with this game.  The story is one of the coolest stories in sci-fi and yet only some will get to take part in it.  As I said to my brothers last night, I suppose we will have to wait until George dies and then you can bet your butt that I’ll be starting on screen plays or whipping out ones I’ve already written!  Just the idea of seeing something like this in the format of a film makes my head figuratively explode.  Some may disagree.  I know many have said that they're sick of Star Wars movies and want to move on to other things but this would be so different that it would SEEM like a new thing - like the Star Trek revival of sorts. 

                The Old Republic looks like a good game but it would be so much more fun as an epic movie.  Especially, if George was credited as only a consultant on it.  I simply hate watching the idea of a good story not be brought up to its full potential.  Perhaps I'm being a little too wishful and nostalgic but that’s all I’m trying to say.

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Welcome to our poll results show Chica Trek fans!

This is Darth Sweetums reporting from the GeekaChica’s stadium.  What a race it has been!  I had no idea the upstanding commanders of Starfleet’s finest could be so conniving.

Before I announce the FINAL SCORE let us go over some of the highlights of the race.

When we last left our Captains, Jean Luc Picard was holding a commanding (pun possibly intended) lead over the rest of his competitors.  Original Kirk kept up a distant second, with Janeway in third, Sisko and young!Kirk switching back and forth over fourth place and Archer, having lost consciousness at the beginning of the race,  kept to my expectations and held fifth place.

Yes indeed, it looked like the race was already sewn up as Jean Luc took a break and decided to take his afternoon tea along the sidelines.  But that, my poll race fan friends is when the treachery started.

In my entire career I have never seen any group of people fight so dirty before. Picard was in the lead and taking a pit stop at the side of the track when it was first noticed that Original Kirk was gaining more votes and Picard’s stats were standing perfectly still. The crowd here in the stadium, me right along with them, began to grow suspicious. 

Everyone looked to Picard to see his reaction to the score board and that was when the audience as a whole screamed foul.  Captain Jean Luc Picard was sitting unconscious in his lawn chair, his cup of tea tilted just so in his hand that the liquid had leaked out and soiled his pants.  Thankfully, he was wearing black, as always.

We all had our suspicions as to who the culprit was.  I personally suspected Original Uhura, as I was no longer able to see her in the stands after the incident.  Whoever it was though, got away with hypospraying Picard into a comatose state.  Thankfully, fans had little to fear as Doctor Beverly Crusher raced down from the stands to assist the stadium medics in reviving the good Captain.

Just as Picard regained consciousness, flipped the birdie to Original Kirk who looked as though he was about to moon him, the entire stadium was engulfed in an enormous burst of energy that seemed to be coming from the center field.  After the light cleared it revealed some sort of portal.  Someone had opened a portal in the space/time continuum right here in GeekaChica Stadium! 

The crowd cheered and screamed, clamoring away from it as two figures stepped through.  This announcer had to check through her binoculars to make certain who it was.  Just as I had suspected, it was Original Kirk and Spock from the Alternate Reality! 

Immediately Alternate!Original Kirk began hoofing it on the track, much faster than his counterpart.  There had to be something against the rules about this!  Two Kirks vying for double the amount of votes?  That, however, was when I realized that we didn’t have a rule book. 

Alternate!Original  Spock stayed close to the portal, keeping it stable, I assume, stroking his ever sexy emo-goatee and smiling mischievously.  While several of us, and I include myself in this, were distracted by Alternate!Original Spock’s sexiness, Sisko and Janeway seemed to take advantage of the situation.

Sisko slowed to a slow trot as another figure from the crowd joined him and morphed before our very eyes into a horse!  Captain Sisko mounted the horse and shot off like a rocket around the track, pulling votes right out from under young!Kirk.

Janeway, however, refused to go down without a fight.  Pulling out her phaser, she fired on Archer’s hover chair and disabled it as he had just realized that it could go up to 50 mph.  After a short pit stop, where we witnessed her speaking quickly with Seven of Nine, she took up the track once again.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly, aside from Alternate!Original Spock throwing out Vulcan Neck Pinches like they were candy to any figure of authority who approached him about the portal.  Janeway - innocent, rule abiding Captain Janeway – revealed a device she had been holding in her hand since her pit stop.  She punched some buttons and was suddenly a blur around the track. 

It wasn’t transwarp she was using.  It was something different.  Slip Stream Drive!  Janeway had figured out how to build a personal slip stream unit!  But oh, it was so unstable, she was definitely taking a risk in using it.   The risk factor was definitely proven correct when the slip stream broke down and shot her back out into normal space, across the field, over the stands and out of the stadium like she was just hit by Sammie Sosa.

I believe it was when Young!Spock approached young!Kirk about the bit of Red Matter he held in his pocket that the stadium authorities finally gained control of the situation.  Alternate!Original Spock had been pulled away from the portal by the ever useful Data as Geordi LaForge and Chief O’Brien quickly tried to figure out how to close the portal and send the Alternate! Characters back to their universe.

The race was stopped for a time until the sexy goatee Spock and Kirk were sent back to their own world and the portal closed…

…Um, my apologies.  Thankfully, I had written all of these events down as they were happening.  Apparently, the portal closing caused time to reset itself and everyone involved to forget what had happened, which is kind of a bummer.  I want to see sexy goateed Spock.

The last thing I remember was Picard being unconscious along the sidelines.

However, everything assisting our competitors was removed from the field and the race continued to reveal the FINAL SCORE:

Captain Jean Luc Picard - 254 votes
Original James T. Kirk – 109 votes  [Oh snap!]
Kathryn Janeway – 46 votes
Benjamin Sisko – 28 votes
Young!  James Kirk – 26 votes
Jonathan Archer – 5 votes

Congratulations Captain Jean Luc Picard for winning our fan poll!!  You deserve it my dear, you deserve it!

Oh, and I’ve just been told that Janeway was never launched out of the stadium, which means she remains unharmed and still with us.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to go and ask Mr. LaForge how one would open up a portal like that if one was interested in seeing a sexy, emo-Vulcan.

This is Darth Sweetums signing off!

Comment (3)

As this blog and site is basically dedicated to the female nerd and/or geek when I read through this article I felt that it was incredibly applicable to the audience we have here.

 FIREFOX NEWS: Women Read Comics, And Other Things You Never Knew
by: Merlin Missy

"Women like comics. Girls like comics. And science fiction. And fantasy. And action flicks. And dramas. And comedies. And sports. And Dungeons & Dragons. And WoW. And every other genre out there with the sole possible exception of whatever the hell genre Manswers qualifies as. The biggest football fan I ever knew was a female chemist I worked with in New Mexico. I was dragged into comics by the recommendations of a woman who alternates between considering Dick Grayson a woobie and wanting to jump his bones. "

[See full article through the above link.] 

The only issue I personally have with this article is that she states she is  long time Star Trek fan yet uses the word "Trekkie" to express that.  I've been a fan almost since I was born and I've always been told that the Olde Time Trek fans are referred to as "Trekkers".  But I digress.  That is for a completely different post entirely.

Amen, Merlin!

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*Some Minor Spoilers* 

It is unfortunate that the promotion of Terminator Salvation was first tainted by that four minute long, raging, obscenity throwing, tantrum as thrown by Christian Bale on the set of said film, which caused all fans of all genres to wince, cringe, and sigh out of embarrassment for Bale by proxy.  I say that because Terminator Salvation is a good film.  In fact, I believe it deserves “awesome” status.  And guess what, Christian Bale is good in it too! 

So, it is 2018, after Judgment Day and the human race are at war with the, dreaded machines born and raised by Skynet, the worlds first AI, apparently gone wrong.  I know I am not the only fan to say “Finally!” in regards to the plotline of this film.  I know I’m not the only fan who has been curious to see the beginnings of this story which happen to occur in the future. 

I for one, was getting tired of the young John Connors running around, whining at us because frankly, though I enjoyed Terminator 2 I had a difficult time believing that any kid who remotely resembled Eddie Furlong as he was in that movie would grow up to be suddenly kick ass and be the last hope of the human resistance and thus the human race.  If I had been the Arnold!Terminator in that film, I would have shot him anyway and taken my chances with Linda Hamilton.  It’s a painfully close comparison to Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars actually.  That’s how much he annoyed me.

First off, I’m going to make a check list that this movie had to bring to us fans as it was finally about the grown up John Connor and the actual war we’ve been hearing about.

1)John Connor is hot – check

2)John Connor is the leader of the human resistance – no but it is explained and I’ll get to that. *waggles eyebrows*

3)References to the old films – double check on that.  It was quite clever in fact.

4)Eye popping and brain exploding effects and sequences – check

5)Origination of Kyle Reese as we already know John Connor’s – check

6)Acceptable plot that leads decently into and from the other films – check

7)John Connor sends Kyle Reese back in time – nopers – Heh, I know.

If I think of more I’ll add them to the list.

So #1.  John Connor is played by the beautiful and delovely Christian Bale. Even though the only reason I’d ever approach that man on the street or anywhere would be because he unknowingly dropped a bottle of his anxiety meds on the sidewalk and I was returning them, it goes without saying – the man is beautiful and has a fantastic speaking voice.  But he is one that I’m perfectly satisfied with admiring from afar.

            This is a prequel even though it’s set in the future (How awesome IS that really?) and that means, essentially that we get to see the progress of this heroic character as an adult.  So no, the movie doesn’t start with Connor in charge, and rightly so.  It makes complete sense.  He’s a leader of a base or a squadron or whatever you want to call them but he’s not even at the command center of the human resistance. 

But of course, he’s still a legend from the stories and so people listen to him, people who haven’t even met him listen to his voice over radio transmissions and that brings them hope.  It was amazing to finally see how much faith the human race put in him.  John Connor doesn’t get put as the head of the resistance until the end of the film.  Not even then, officially, actually. 

Also, to address #7, there is no time travel. *gasp!* I KNOW!  Personally, I always speculated that the humans figured out what the machines were doing with the T-800 (Arnold) and stole the time travel technology from the machines as they were the ones that came up with it first.  But that wasn’t the focus of this film at all, which was a little disappointing but also exciting because now we know that we’ll get at least one more movie out of it!

The T-800s are brand spanking new in this time frame.  They scare the crap out of John Connor and the gang because of how real they are.  It is so much fun to see the progress of what they constantly referred to in the other films, which leads me into #3.

That is what makes me happy.  It’s what made me happy with Star Trek as well.  All of the references and sort of inside fan things that have been associated with the franchise for decades were hinted at and references in this film from the actual heart pounding Terminator “theme” of sorts in the opening credits to the famous line, “Come with me if you want to live,” to the tapes that we see Sarah Connor making for her son in T2.  (And yes, it was Linda Hamliton’s voice.  Hah!)

I hadn’t been expecting half of what they managed to put in there and it was all greatly appreciated and a very nice surprise when they did show up.  It knitted it all together for me and made this film an official part of the Terminator ‘verse.

The camera work and effects were brilliant of course.  There was lots of “scary” in this film as the little boy who was sitting next to my sister could tell you.  He couldn’t have been more than seven years old.  It’s called a BABY SITTER people!  The poor thing was freaked out from the very first sequence. Hell, I was freaked out.  “HOLY CRAP! It’s got Connor’s LEG!  Kick it!  Kick it, John!  No, kick it in the HEAD you moron!” 

I’ll have to go and see it again before I can name my favorite sequence in the film, and there were quite a few, but the way everything was portrayed, machines and human vehicles alike, was fantastic and realistic too actually.  As noted by my sister in the theater, the Mythbusters would be proud because they did not ignite an entire gas truck by just shooting it with a bullet.  Just thought I’d note that.

Sometimes the dusty, grimy sort of filter they used in the photography made some of the shots look just slightly off but in all, it was very well done.  And scary!

I think the one person – okay, there are two people I really appreciated in this film besides the given (Christian Bale and Sam Worthington as Marcus) are Anton Yelchin (Kyle Reese) and Bryce Dallas Howard (Kate Connor).  Yelchin was spot on in his performance, really channeling what’s his name from the first film.  Though he didn’t strike me as obnoxious with bunny teeth so that was a bonus.  I know, I’m a crappy judgmental fan, but all I can say is that it’s TRUE!

The fact that he was a civilian first just defending his own part of the country before becoming an official resistance fighter makes his character even more awesome in my mind.  He was just a kid but took charge and kept his hope.  And kudos to him and Christian Bale for their scenes together!  Oh!  I had ALWAYS wanted to see that and I finally got a taste of it – John Connor meeting the man who would become his father.  Connor already knows everything and Reese is completely clueless.  It was brilliant!  And we’re going to get more, which will be equally as awesome.

Bryce Dallas Howard – I just love you, woman.  I love you in everything you’re in and this was no exception.  The character was not only just beautiful and a good match for Christian Bale’s Connor but she was useful and not annoying.  Yay!  I really liked the two of them and I’d love to see them both in other stuff together.  It just fits.  Oh!  Maybe she can be in the next Batman!  Catwoman…or somebody!  *happily toys with idea for the next week*

I have been at the movie theater every single weekend this entire month.  First was Wolverine, then 17 Again and Star Trek, then Star Trek AGAIN, and this past weekend was Terminator Salvation.  I can honestly say that I have not been disappointed once – even with Zac Effron.  Oh snap!  Well, with Wolverine I was expecting a below par script, massive loopholes, and Hugh Jackman in fantastically fitting jeans and lovely wind catching hair.  So no, I wasn’t disappointed…they just fit him so well don’t you think?  Whew.

This has been a great kick off to the summer movie season.  In fact, it’ll probably go downhill from here so go and check out Terminator Salvation.  I know it’s gotten mixed reviews.  Everybody is entitled to their own opinion.  This is mine.  Check it out so you can form your own.  It’s got all the aspects of an awesome sci-fi film – great actors, good story, awesome effects, scary villains, heart pounding action sequences, and an open ending for more in the future!

I’m excited because it definitely will be back!

(I couldn’t resist.)

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Welcome to your update for the current Geeka Chicas poll! This is Darth Sweetums reporting from GeekaChicas Stadium.

There are so many excited fans at the track today, let me tell you.  Many of them are dressed in their favorite Star Trek garb.  I've seen several Klingons, many Spocks and one bald Captain James T. Kirk.  Kudos to that fan, whoever he was.

 Anyway, our poll race for the Fan Favorite ST Captain has been a no contest so far.  What? You ask me, your mouth agape?  It is true my dears, it is  true.

When this announcer first checked the poll Picard had already surpassed expectations by going at warp speed around the track gaining him 25 votes over Original Kirk's 13 that held him at second place.  Janeway, however held strongly at third with 9 votes while Sisko stole fourth place out from under young!Kirk's perfect nose with 2 points. 

 A strange yet interesting development occurred right at the start of the race.  I believe the shot of our starting revolver must have spooked him because Captain Archer seemed to have passed out at the starting line and gave no sign of regaining consciousness.

At first, no one was concerned.  Most of us fans believed that Archer was after a few sympathy votes and maybe some candy.  His plight was not noticed until young!Kirk made his first lap around the track and stopped at Archer's pathetic form lying in the dirt.

To everyone's amazement young!Kirk seemed to forget about the race and stopped to help Archer by calling young!hotter!Bones down from the stands to check up on poor Archer.  I believe the poor Captain began sucking his thumb at that point. 

Meanwhile, the votes are pouring in and our Captains are going steadily along the track until Picard hits 30 votes to deafening cheers from the fans.  All was going well for the French Captain until he made a premature victory lap, waving to the crowd, not paying attention to where he was going and tripped on Archer's immobile body. 

Young!Kirk had been trying to wave the good Captain away but poor Jean-Luc was not paying attention and flew clean over Archer and young!Kirk landing face first in the dirt.

The only person who appeared to receive some sort of joy out of this event was Captain Sisko, grinning from ear to ear as he passed Picard on the track.  I still sense some tension there.  Locutus was not Picard, Ben!  Give it a rest!

Picard seemed to be okay after his fall, however, but he did not start up the race again.  Instead, he returned to the scene of the accident and kicked Archer, who didn't seem to notice, out of seething frustration.  Young!Bones did not like that one bit and got to his feet.  The crowd is absolutely coming unglued at this point because unlike original Bones, young!Bones looks rather intimidating.  I think it's because he looks shockingly like a dorky Karl Urban.  Could be just me though.

The two men looked as though they were about to face off when a loud cry came from the stands and everyone watched as a large, dark man came flying down the stands and onto the track.  It took all of us a moment to identify him but it was none other than Commander Worf, running to defend his Captain against the crotchety physician.

Not long after the fight settled and our Captains were back on track Archer miraculously regained consciousness and Bones was able to push him once around the track in an antigravity chair.  I'm not sure how many more sympathy votes Archer will be able to squeeze out of fans but at least he's awake now.

Right now Picard has been taking a pit stop for several hours along the sidelines reading his beloved collection of Shakespearean works and enjoying several cups of Earl Grey.  He is sitting pretty at 61 votes.  

I believe that Original Kirk may be too concerned about his toupe staying on his head as he is now running around the track with one hand slapped firmly on the top of his head.  It's really slowing him down.  He is staying in second place at 36 points.

And that's all we really need to know.  As fans, we all know that these polls always end up about one thing:  Kirk vs Picard.  So cast your votes and keep your eyes peeled for more updates!

Until next time, thank you and good night!

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Since I've been living on my own (and because I'm single) I've gotten into the habit of arranging my television schedule in my head when all the new seasons and shows start in the fall.  Yes, I'm aware that I need more fullness in my life. 

I'd figure out what I would be watching in the evenings on any given day during the week and stick to that schedule for the most part.  But the fall of 2007 was no different.  Or was it???  I have a point, I promise.

            Two of my younger brothers started watching this show that had started its first season in the fall of 2007.  They really liked it and recommended it to me.  I think my excuse for not watching was that I had a day job and that the show was on too late for me to stay up to watch and be coherent the next morning. 

Well, you know what?  I should have listened to them. 

I'll never, ever, ever say that and if anyone tells them I'll deny it!  But, I should have listened to my brothers.  I also still have a day job.  In fact it's an earlier-in-the-day job than my last day job was but I do my best not to allow it to interfere with my evening television.  Priorities people!

            The show is called Life and it happens to star the wonderful, fantastic, and temptingly tackle-able Damian Lewis.  This, of course I didn't realize until after the first season had aired, when Beatrice Blythe and I saw a picture of him in an ad for the show.  Beatrice shouted out, "Sweetums!  Look, it's Soames!" referring to his nasty character in The Forsyte Saga which was the very first and only thing we had seen him in so far.

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 It has happened to every one of us at one time or another.  Probably multiple times.  But let me tell you about a television show that I actually am okay with getting sucked into. 

What I mean by 'sucked into' is when you're sitting comfortably in your easy chair, enjoying some after dinner ice cream as Ugly Betty, or My Name is Earl, or CSI Saskatchewan, ends, gives you the preview for next weeks fun filled episode and then the next fun filled show starts that you don't generally watch for reasons that were perfectly clear and understandable to you as a fan  *glares at Grey's Anatomy*.  But you don't change the channel in time, or the remote has been pulled in to the recesses of your man-eating couch yet again.  Something on this previously unwatched show makes you laugh, or a mystery arises that captures your interest and before you know it, ka-POW!, you're sucked in and you end up staying up past your bedtime.  

This is what happened to myself and the lovely Beatrice Blythe with what is now a beloved show called 30 Rock.  Beatrice and I watch The Office regularly on Thursday evenings because it is so very choice.  30 Rock is on right after and is cleverly written enough that it caught our interest around the time all the shows were coming back after the Winter Hiatus of Doom. 

It is, in a word, hilarious but not because of Tina Fey - oh no people *wiggles pointer finger*.  In fact, Tina Fey's character, Liz Lemon, is the most normal and stable of the entire cast of characters. 

No, the one credited with making Beatrice and I laugh until we roll our eyes and have to dig around for a clean pair of underpants is non other than the slightly crazy!Alec Baldwin.  

The man is so good with his comedic timing.  Lately his character has been partnered with a love interest played by Salma Hayek and the two of them together have been absolutely brilliant.  Salma has left the show for now but I am just praying that she comes back because I love her so very very much!   The actors and the writing are absolutely amazing.  

Last week's episode consisted of Alec as Jack Donaghy taking over the entire staff of the 30 Rock studio just so he could come up with a marketable, inoffensive name for a portable, miniature, microwave oven.  One of the ideas for it was "Port-a-Hottie" which made me laugh so hard that I had to remember it and I HAD to think of something to associate with it so I would have an excuse to use it on a daily basis. 

Beatrice suggested using it for our hot celebrity guys we love even though they are short.  Brilliant!   I have officially claimed Daniel Radcliffe as my Port-a-Hottie!  Beatrice mentioned something about James MacAvoy.  It can be any guy you happen to fancy as long as he's 5'7" or under. 

So, who's your Port-a-Hottie?  And while we're at it, what show managed to suck you in until you started watching it habitually?  Hmmm? I have a few suggestions for anyone who happens to be stumped on the subject.  Oh, and go and check out 30 Rock.

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We are getting there guys!  I can feel it.  I can almost smell it!  I can see the light at the end of that chokingly dark tunnel of awards season awfulness where the lack of film entertainment sucks out the veritable souls of any science fiction/fantasy fan/comic book fan.  

There were a few exceptions of course.  The last film I went to see was Taken, which falls under the category of "Kick Ass Action", and therefore was very entertaining and satisfying.  Plus, I do enjoy me some Liam Neeson even when he's not wielding a lightsaber at someone.

There was also Australia, Valkyrie, and a few comedies thrown in there. 

But the situation has grown serious.  We, as nerds who understand the concept of warp drive and spend our time in wardrobes looking for Narnia, NEED some sustenance!  Our brains are melting from the realistic dramas that always steal awards out from under the good movies.  The movies people pay money to  see, and then pay more money to go and see again.  Ugh!  I am severely irked by that.  But that is another post entirely. 

(Film Awards and the Blatant Stupidity Behind Them ...   I may just attack that on a later date.)

Anyway...Kicking off the 2009 spring/summer film season is, of course, the greatly anticipated film Watchmen.  I must not be as nerdy as I once thought.  I remember seeing the teaser to this film ages and ages ago with the guy that gets zapped in that electrical field and the ship coming out of the water and all that...stuff.  I had no idea what the hell it was.  No idea.  It looked weird and artsy-fartsy to me. *coughcoughTheFountaincough*  I didn't realize it was a super hero film until I saw a full trailer a month or more later.  But THEN I thought it was going to be silly because I saw the Night Owl's pointy, caped, outfit.  Heh.  Come on now!  It's just so...pointy.

My brother has since then set me straight on some stuff about this story.  These are vague details that I don't consider spoilery but if you've been succeeding in not learning anything about this film except the fact that it looks cool and want to continue doing so then don't read any further.

According to Sean, my brother who has read the entire graphic novel, the only one of these people that you see running around in costumes and masks that actually has power is that Glowing Blue Guy.  I believe his name is Doctor Manhattan.  The rest of them are human, ninja vigilantes.  Remind you of anyone?  Well, how lame is that!  But the story is supposed to be fantastically awesome.  Who am I to argue with millions of comic book nerds? 

I'm sure it will do well.  It looks like the fun, new, action-packed, enough-compute- graphics-to-make-your-eyes-bleed, science fiction film that we've been needing for these past winter months.  In fact, if I were a betting woman, I would bet on it doing well because it seems to be the only film worth going to see this weekend. 

I looked up the list of films being released and Watchmen is the only one I recognized, surprisingly enough.  It is going to cream the competition this weekend, among which is:

Horsemen - Starring Dennis Quaid whom I LOVE.  The title references the four horsemen of the apocalypse.  Fun subject, that. 

Phoebe in Wonderland - Starring Elle Fanning.  I'll go out on a limb here without looking it up and say that she is Dakota Fanning's little sister.  It is PG-13 so I'd go and see it first before you take the kiddies.  It is about a little girl who gets the part of Alice in Alice in Wonderland in her school play but her imagination gets in the way living her life and her ability to follow the rules.

Here's the full list of films being released this weekend:

http://www.movieweb.com/movies/releases/week.php

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I started out watching this episode with good intentions, low expectations, and a pen and pad of paper in my hands. I began taking notes scene-for-scene, just to help me remember what happened when and to whom.

That got old really fast.

I started writing down questions, relevant and otherwise. Unfortunately, I left the sheet of paper with these writings on it at home. I cannot say that I'm surprised -- I never can remember to bring a grocery list I made with me to the store where it would actually be useful.

Two months have passed for our Heroes and Villains according to Nikki -- I mean, Tracy -- in the first scene of episode 3x14 (or 4x01 depending on how you look at it) titled "A Clear and Present Danger". That, of course, raised a bunch of questions. As I only watch the main show that airs on television I may have missed some details about what happened during those two months because I don't go online and read the graphic novels or watch the other episodes with alternate characters. And you know, if they really wanted to make something like that entertaining and different from the show that airs on television they should go at it from a more comedic approach.

I have always wanted to have some sort of show or comic strip portraying the Super Power Rejects. For example, I have always wanted to have someone cursed with the Midas Touch -- only instead of gold, it would be cheese. Whatever said person touched would turn into cheese. He or she would be able to decide what kind of cheese, so it wouldn't be a total loss.

Truthfully I would want to keep one of those people on retainer because I am a Gouda fiend! There is that and I would like to see the Super Sonic Fart power in action on screen. I'm sure it would look different from how I see it in my head.

But I digress.

Rather than focus on the questions this episode raised in my head, I'll talk about the episode itself. 

 It could have been just me. Perhaps I was paying closer attention than others. Maybe I noticed more because I was really focused on it this time and I was writing things down about it. Whatever it was, this episode struck me as different. And trust me, different is good -- because if it is different from the previous episodes we have seen last season (and the season before that) it has to be better, at the very least.

There was a general feel of focus to this episode very much contrasting the feel of previous episodes that just seemed to meander for an hour between the commercials. The editing and workings of the episode were consistent with that focus as well. The audience was reintroduced to the characters one or two at a time and then what were we hit with but a PLOTLINE? I was floored! There was a plot introduced and focused on in this episode. Miracles truly can happen, it seems.

Not only was it a plot but it was a good plot. Again with the good feel to this episode. Our Heroes are seeing the beginnings of persecution from those who fear and don't understand them. It's a classic story line but one thing it took the writers forever to realize is that the classic story lines still work.

Though the motivations of this new and deeply hypocritical villain Nathan has become (I'm still saying it's an evil twin that Angela forgot to lock up when she left the attic last.) and of a couple of the other characters (*coughSylarcough*) are still unclear, the story itself is fitting and can be frightening if the writers play their cards right.

The only thing that doesn't move me at all, ever, is Claire. I'm not sure if it's Miss Hayden's acting ability (or lack thereof) that causes her to emote the same way Every. Single. Episode. or if it's the way the director(s) want her to be. Seriously, it's kind of Draco Malfoy-ish, which is just awful in itself. She is also getting to be so shrill. I am curious as to how she sounds normally from day to day when she speaks because I'm pretty sure that Milo [insert long Italian name here] wouldn't still be with her if she really sounded like that.

And THAT means that she's sounding like that on purpose when she plays Claire. Again, who's fault is this?

Also -- and this is not her fault at all - she has gone from looking like a plastic mannequin to looking like a Barbie doll. Her makeup was paint-by-numbers weird last night, and her hair looked as though if someone lit a cigarette near it it would have spontaneously combusted.

Putting all that aside though, I just find her character not believable at all. If it were anybody else, I would have believed more of what went on in that plane ride at the end of the episode. Once Peter and Suresh got going, I got more comfortable with the concept. But Claire? Being smart? And beating up a full grown man twice her height? Sorry, no.

However, back to the episode itself. I would like to send a message to Tim Kring: I'll keep watching, for now.

(Maybe if the plane crashed on the LOST island [that place is always hopping] it would make an even cooler twisty plot line! Yes/No?)

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Do you people realize that The Matrix and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace will be ten years old this year? WEIRD!
But anyway...

Not only does Valkyrie have every middle -aged English actor and their mothers in it, but it is a freaking AWESOME film! I know, I know - Me? Recommending a film with post-crazy!Tom Cruise in it? Yeppers.

"What did I tell you about 'yeppers'?"

I digress!

I went to see it last night with the fam and a friend and it was really very impressive. *bows down to Bryan Singer* And there is a very good reason for that eye patch you see him wearing in the trailer.   When I first saw the trailer for Valkyrie I kind of rolled my eyes and 'oh pleased' it away lightly.
Then I learned who directed it and my interest in it piqued.

THEN I learned who was in it. Here's the list of biggies for those of you who don't know:

Tom Cruise (duh)
Kenneth Branagh
Bill Nighy
Terrence Stamp
Tom Hollander
Thomas Kretschmann (Fwwwwaaahh!!)
Eddie Izzard
Kevin McNally (Gibbs from the Pirates Movies)
David Bamber (as Hitler. HAH!)

This film not only gets you to cheer for the people on the side that you never thought you'd be cheering for,  but it got me so into the suspense of it all that even though I knew what was going to happen, I was hoping that they would succeed in the end.

It is very un-Tom Cruise-y as well. Maybe one or two of the actors spoke in German accents (Thomas Kretchmann!) because they actually were German. Other than that everyone else just spoke normally and because of the way it was done it was acceptable by the audience. The directing was fantastic and the screenplay was wonderfully clever at getting the audience to warm up to these non-German guys playing Nazis who wanted to get rid of Hitler.

This is one of those Historically Awesome films that keep accurate to the true events and yet seem to be pulled out of someone's imagination, the story is so fantastic and suspensful. It is amazing to think that it actually happened.

So, right, I recommend going to see it. :D

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