Category Archives: Geek Serum
Men In Black 3
There have been a lot of remakes and sequels in the land of film, and some of them should be locked away in a tower guarded by fire breathing dragons, never to be seen again. When Hollywood adapted the famous comic; people instantly fell in love with the slimy aliens and the coffee drinking worms.
Knowing Hollywood, it is practically law to make a sequel; hence Men In Black II, which in my opinion, was not as good as the first one, mostly because it lacked what the the first movie had: intensity and ambition. It seems few films made sequels far better than the first one; still the second installment did great in the box office.
So, what of Barry Sonnenfield’s Men In Black 3?
15 years since the first film, and well, it was worth it. The fact that the characters remained true to their personalities we have all loved. Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K, still with the snide remarks, and Will Smith as Agent J with his cool antics. The famous partners-in-alien hunting are as charismatic and as witty as ever.
This perfect partnership, however, was interrupted by an escape of a prisoner in Lunar Max: Boris the Animal played the brilliant Jemaine Clement. K, it seems, brought Boris in that moon prison, and in doing so, has shot of his left arm. Boris swore to kill K and to ensure that the Bonglodites can invade our little blue planet, so he sought the son of the inventor of time-travel in Earth and went back in time. Obviously, K disappears, and J also goes back to the 1960′s to find K.
Although the film goes off plot a couple of times, the script still worked itself. Probably the best times in the film are those which are not in the main narrative, and at some point the audience forgets that went off a bit. Also, one must have a sharp eye, there are shots where the film is showing images of who they consider to be alien in origin, Lady Gaga, for instance, and the blatant proclamation that all models are aliens.
But what really made the film amazing was Josh Brolin’s young Agent K portrayal. It is as if he really is the young Tommy Lee Jones; it is that convincing. Plus, we have Emma Thomspon sporting the black suit, and she is, as expected, amazing in the film.
Men In Black 3 is a film you will not let slip. It is very entertaining, and if I’m going to be really honest, it will give you tears both from laughing and for all the other feelings.
The Great Gatsby trailer
The Great Gatsby, an adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Mcguire, Carey Mulligan, and Joel Edgerton, and is directed by Baz Luhrman. The film is set to be released on Christmas.
Game of Thrones Season 2 Episode 8: The Prince of Winterfell
Ever felt completely confident about yourself during competitions, presentations and whatnot? Confidence that borders on arrogance; this is a quality people usually have when they are sure everything will go as planned, and mostly all players go through this phase. But when arrogance becomes worry, that’s when the real game starts.
As Stannis Baratheon inches ever closer to King’s Landing, those who understand the magnitude of the trouble they will be facing in a matter of days scramble to make sure the city will be well-defended when the time comes. Joffrey, however, is completely blind to the worries of the people around him. Tyrion will have to use whatever power he has to outwit Stannis.
Speaking of power, it seems Tyrion is enjoying his position as Hand of the King. It overwhelms him, and would like to stay as Hand for more than he should, at the cost of being with his sister Cersei, and his nephew Joffrey, which clearly he does not enjoy. The relationship with these three revolves around threats and plotting schemes behind each other’s backs; although Joffrey does little scheming and more on shouting orders.
But this impending strike to King’s Landing made Tyrion question their defences, which is why when Varys spoke of Daenerys and her Dragons which are currently in Qarth, Tyrion can only shrug and say, one game at a time.
Elsewhere, a different game is being played. In each game there is but only one winner, and a number of players who will have to lose. In such a conflict, people create ideas of grandeur, ambitions that are mostly beyond reach.
In Winterfell, Theon Greyjoy is digging his own grave, and his sister knows it. Yara is not impressed with what Theon did, and expressed what we can only describe as tough love, or iron love, for lack of a better description, tries to convince Theon to leave with her whilst he is still alive. The Ironborn take only what they need, but what Theon did made him a locked target by all Northmen. Yara can only wish that he would not die far from the sea.
On a slightly brighter side of things, the burnt corpses were revealed to be not of Bran and Rickon, but of the farmer’s boys. Theon, it seems, is finding it hard to blend in wherever he goes. He cannot be a Stark to these people in Winterfell, and still be a Greyjoy for his father’s cause.
Theon may not be the only one to make poorly thought decisions. Catelyn Stark freed Jamie Lannister, a treasonous act that forced Robb to arrest his own mother.
Robb grows more fond of Talisa, and finds out that he has a lot in common with her. He gives in to her, knowing full well that this might not be well met by the Frey men sworn to fight with him because he is betrothed to a Frey.
Tywin Lannister in Harrenhal gets ready for battle. He is to attack the Northerners, and Arya has a way to stop it. But Jaqen was nowhere to be found, and her last death wish has not yet been fulfilled. Instead, when she finally sees Jaqen, she utters a name that made Jaqen cringe: Jaqen H’ghar. Jaqen asks to be unnamed, but Arya takes advantage of this moment by telling him that he will be unnamed if he will help Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie escape Harrenhal.
Beyond the Wall, Jon Snow becomes a captive of Rattleshirt, the lord of bones. He sees Qhorin Halfhand in the Wildling company as well, telling him that the other Rangers died looking for Jon. Ygritte was able to repay Jon’s mercy by telling Rattleshirt that Jon might be of interest to Mance Rayder since he knows the strength of the Rangers who have come to fight them off, and that because he is Eddard Stark’s bastard son. Halfhand may have yet another Ranger trick up his sleeve, he tells Jon to learn about Wildlings from within the company.
In what we midgardians can only describe as a diva-ish behaviour, Daenerys Targaryen refuses to heed any of Jorah Mormont’s request to flee Qarth so that they can be safe. She is determined to be with her dragons, and if going to the House of the Undying is what she has to do, she will do it. This smells of danger, obviously, but she will not leave Qarth util her dragons are with her.
Next episode, Blackwater
Piranhaconda
SyFy Productions presents a movie about a half anaconda, half piranha that lives in the river and feeds on bikini clad females—well, no not really.
While most of us are probably not surprised another hybrid creature threatens to make its way to our screens since Sharktopus and Dinocroc , Piranhaconda might actually be the worst one yet.
So, what do you make of it?
CBS ‘Elementary’ Fall Preview
I can understand that a lot of people are cynical about the American modern take of Sherlock. Obviously because Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss were the first ones to transport a classic character in a modern setting, and my goodness they did it brilliantly.
The US did ask for an American remake of the BBC Sherlock, but their request was denied. Instead, they went their own way and made Elementary. This American modern take on Sherlock Holmes (Jonny Lee Miller) sees the consulting detective in New York, with Joan Watson (Lucy Liu).
Now we get a proper look at Elementary
======================================================
Opinion inflicting
The differences would probably be just the gender bender, the location, and it seems Holmes in America is…well, kinder. I mean, yes, he is still speaking his mind freely, but he seems nicer in this version. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it is quite different from what I had imagined Holmes to be…ever.
Personality is just a minor thing, though. I genuinely liked the gender bender, but one of the things that I did not like was Joan Watson’s profile: She is a surgeon who lost her license when a patient died. Thing is, I’d rather the she is an army doctor. Seldom do I see a woman soldier on television, and it would have been a nice touch if Joan was one. Losing a license might not mean that she is incompetent and cannot cope with Sherlock’s intelligence, but it is a bit unsettling.
The second series of the BBC Sherlock is airing on PBS, with the first episode gaining 3 million viewers. It would be interesting to know what the American audience would think about this.
But if I’m going to be honest, I’m quite excited to see Jonny Lee Miller. Probably going to watch it mainly because of him (because I’m that foolish).
Game Of Thrones Season 2 Episode 7: A Man Without Honour
This show has gotten more depressing as ever. A Man Without Honour shows how each of our characters struggle to do what is honourable, and for some, what they think is honourable.
As expected, things still did not go well in Winterfell now that Theon took over, especially when he found out that his Stark hostages were able to escape the castle. But Theon learned early on that the only way to gain respect from his men and from the people of Winterfell, he had to intimidate them, and constantly threaten them. Which is why when he was accused by one of his men of losing focus because of Osha, he gave the soldier a beating he won’t soon forget.
Bran and Rickon, due to their night departure, and of course with the help of Hodor and Osha, are now miles away from Winterfell. But Bran realised that the only way to be safe is to avoid asking for help to anyone because he knows that Thoen will not only punish them, but also the people they asked help from. Theon, however, upon visiting a cottage in the woods, found food scraps that came from Rickon. He then sent Maester Luwin back to Winterfell, and we can only assume something bad happened for when he came back to the castle, he showed two charred corpses of children.
Jon Snow is still looking for the other Rangers with his wildling captive, Ygritte. Other than trying to scare Jon into doing it, he explains to Jon that freedom means you get to choose your own way, and make your own decisions, and that your actions are not bound by rules or vows. Jon brushes off offers and threats coming from Ygritte, but still ended up in the hands of Wildlings.
Of the Stark kids, Arya at this point, is lucky. Her conversations with Lord Tywin made the Lannister lord like her. Sansa, on the other hand, is now at that age where she can bear children for Joffrey. And Cersei gives some motherly advise: She knows full well how difficult Joffrey can be, going far as to telling Sansa that she laboured for a day and a half just to get him out. But she tells her that loving people will make her weak. And although there is little chance of Sansa ever loving Joffrey, she will have to love her children because her children deserve her affections more than anyone else.
Cersei seemed to be uncomfortable with Joffrey being a cruel king as well. In a very surprising change of tides, she was not pushing or screaming at Tyrion, she actually and genuinely laid out her emotions, her doubts to Tyrion. She tells him that maybe all this chaos in Westeros is the punishment for what they did in the past.
We can probably add Family-Slayer to Jamie’s nicknames now that he killed a cousin to escape Robb’s prison. He was found by Robb’s men and was saved by Catelyn from a mob who wanted to kill him. After delivering a speech about Ned’s bastard son and his infidelity, and oddly comparing it to his faithful relationship to his own sister, it seems Catelyn is still determined to free Jamie in return for her daughters.
And finally, Daenerys found out who stole her dragons, and getting them back proves difficult as initially thought. She saw the death of the eleven members of the Thirteen of Qarth, snd found out that Pyat Pree and Xaro Xhoan Daxos has her dragons. It is then revealed that the two orchestrated the whole affair to make Xaro, king of Qarth.
This episode not only illustrated how each one value honour, it showed us how even the toughest, meanest people, can put their guards down and attempt to reach out and express what they are really feeling, as what happened to Cersei.
Next episode, The Prince of Winterfell
Dark Shadows
In two words: Weirdly entertaining.
Dark Shadows is about Barnabas Collins, an 18th century man from Liverpool whose family moved to the New World to expand the Collins fishing business. A witch by the name of Angelique cursed him, turned him into a vampire, and buried him alive. Barnabas is exhumed in the 1970′s and found a different Collinsport from the one he once knew. His mansion, Collinwood is falling apart, their family business in shambles, and his family dysfunctional. He then set out to restore the family business, but a rival company owned by the very witch who cursed him ,is making it impossible for him.
I can appreciate the extensive focus on 70′s culture on the film,but a but on other aspects. It was funny the first few minutes, but the next half hour became unbearable, and the plot seemed to be going on a loop.
While it doesn’t even reach Depp-Burton standards, Dark Shadows still has its moments. One would think that the fish-out-of-water aspect might get a bit annoying, but it was one of the few things that kept it together, albeit spending majority of the film’s time on it.
The film was enjoyable, but the storyline was incoherent. There are parts where I forgot what the movie was initially about, and there was no character development. It actually seemed as thought each of the characters are just there for Barnabas to creep out with his 18th century antics.
I can’t relate to people who were able to see the 1960′s gothic soap opera this film was based on, which is why I can’t tell whether the reboot was justified. The movie was mildly entertaining, funny, lacked character development, and it became a little too Depp-centric. In modern terms, it still needs a bit of the umph! factor.
But it was a fun film to watch, and the cameos and the audio were very exciting.
I can’t believe this got past Cartoon Network
This is from Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and the song is called Birds of Prey. While I am sure, very slowly, Cartoon Network is becoming more of a show for people who understand “stuff”. But still, kids watch this channel. It’s funny because last night as I was watching Adventure Time (which is actually one of the greatest cartoon shows ever), I think they’re just showing Tom and Jerry and all the other old cartoons to remain, at least, a PG channel.
All I can say is, this video is the best find yet.
