Thursday, June 29, 2006

Review: Superman Returns (2006)


Superman Returns (2006) - Directed by Bryan Singer
Rated PG-13 for some intense action violence.

With Spiderman, X-Men, The Hulk, Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and The Punisher all getting movie adaptations, the Marvel Comics universe has more or less been tapped. Save for last summer's phenomenal Batman Begins, heroes in the DC Comic universe haven't seen nearly as much big-screen time in comparison. Missing from this recent onslaught of superhero flicks is arguably the biggest of them all: Superman.

But fear not fellow mortals, for our savior--The Man of Steel--has returned.

In Superman Returns, the titular hero (played by newcomer Brandon Routh) comes back to Earth after leaving to visit the remains of his destroyed homeworld. But in the 5 years since his departure, Superman finds that quite a bit has changed--that is except for Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) and his criminal ambition.

I was unsure what to expect from this movie, but all doubts as to whether or not Bryan Singer could pull off Superman were blown away after the opening title sequence featuring a massive supernova set to the legendary John Williams score. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Although perhaps not quite on par with Batman Begins, Superman Returns certainly should be included in the 'Superhero Movies That Don't Stink' list. Every bit as grand and magical as the Christopher Reeve movies, Brandon Routh does a fine job of giving props to Reeve's portrayal while adding his own youthful vigor to Supes. Kevin Spacey (whose performance I was most looking forward to), taking the role of Luthor from Gene Hackman, never seemed as good as it should have, however. And Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane didn't do much for me.

But with great special effects (better than the trailers may lead you to believe), a touching script, and excellent direction in the hands of Bryan Singer, Superman Returns will not disappoint.

Pros:
+ Bryan Singer's direction of a great script
+ Brandon Routh proves himself capable of wearing the blue tights
+ Great effects

Cons:
- Kate Bosworth was a poor choice for Lois Lane
- May be a bit long for the young'uns

Who Should See It: Comic and action fans alike. It will reaffirm your faith in superhero movies if you were turned off by X3.

Rating: 4.5/5

posted by Khyron @ 29.6.06   0 comments

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

The K-Files - 06.28.06


06.28.06

Welcome to this belated edition of The K-Files. As some of you may remember, the Bilderberg Roundtable review I had planned for last week never came to pass. I had some family matters to attend to, so was unable to get the final copy ready for posting. Contrary to popular belief, there is some (albeit slight) editing done to polish each week's K-Files. But in any case, better late than never, here's Khyron's $0.02 on Coast to Coast AM's Bildgerberg Roundtable discussion.

It was a real doozy of an episode. And although it may not have been what I was expecting, it delivered in ways previous conspiracy shows have left me wanting more. But is it worthy of the much coveted Coasty Contender status? Lets find out.

You'd better get ready, 'cause here come The K-Files...Full Article

posted by Khyron @ 28.6.06   0 comments

Monday, June 26, 2006

Coming Soon...


July 14th, the Sci Fi Channel: The return of Stargate Sg-1 for a record-setting 10th season, as well as season 3 of Stargate Atlantis.

With them comes the all new and totally revamped Sci-Fi Showdown.

Stay tuned...

Khyron.net, 2006.

posted by Khyron @ 26.6.06   0 comments

Sunday, June 18, 2006

The Bell in Return


Just when I was finally getting used to Ian on Saturday nights, Art Bell makes his triumphant return to the show he created. No longer 'Live from the High Desert,' he's coming to us from 'The Capital of Something or Other in the Beautiful Yadda Yadda.' I don't remember what he said exactly, but from the get-go I was already turned off by the lack of mysticism of the new locale. But Art did sound enthusiastic (a big change from his first few post-Ramona eps), and that's what's important for a good host.

The first hour open lines were pretty entertaining, and provided a few surprises (like all good open lines segments should). The first of these was a big one --apparently Art is going hardcore Catholic. Wow. Didn't see that one coming. I guess Airyn has more sway over Art than I expected.

Then came the other big shocker of the night--rebuffering, Coast to Coast AM style. So because he must relay the signal from his new condo to the States, there's a chance he may lose the connection from time to time. Hm. That's kind of lame. It adds a sense of suspense to the show, but that's not really a good thing. Though it was marginally funny when a caller was talking to Art, but was instead left with dead-air. She asked "Art? You there?" before the show cut to Ross Mitchell's voice telling us to stand by. Poor caller. All alone amidst the sea of Coast to Coast AM.

Hopefully that connection issue gets worked out (I recall him saying something about it having to do with the increased phone activity due to Father's Day), but I'm glad Art is finally back. Say what you will about his new marriage, but he does sound happy--and this mood transferred over to the Russell Targ interview well.

Welcome back Art. Stick around a while, now. Oh, and happy birthday, too.

posted by Khyron @ 18.6.06   0 comments

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

The K-Files - 06.14.06


06.14.06

Welcome to this latest installment of The K-Files.

Last week saw one of Coast to Coast AM's most outspoken recurring guests detained by Canadian authorities. Alex Jones, The Bulldog himself, was thrown into the pound for a 15 hour interrogation. Or so he says, at least. The noticeably exhausted filmmaker told his side of the story in a first hour interview, but some pretty big questions about the incident still remain. Are the Bilderbergers out to get Alex Jones? Or did he have a role to play in his detention?

You'd better get ready, 'cause here come The K-Files...Full Article.

posted by Khyron @ 14.6.06   0 comments

Monday, June 12, 2006

Got the Internet Going Nuts


Ah yes, the internet--home of noobs, fads, and 4chan. For most, it serves as a source of information. For others, it delivers a plethora of low-brow entertainment venues. Rarely, however, is it used as a means to exact justice.

Until now, that is.

In this fast-paced world of email, instant messages, wireless synchronization, and camera phones, personal gadgets are becoming more advanced, multi-capable, and ultimately more expensive. Because of this, the latest and greatest mobile phones are being more and more sought after. But if you're desperate enough to get one--say going so far as keeping one you found in the back of a cab--then you may want to think twice. Or, at the very least, be careful how you use your hot merchandise. Because you never know when you'll become the target of a world wide internet man-hunt.

Case in point, How NOT to steal a Sidekick.

With new fads popping up on the internet weekly, its often hard to keep up with them. This one, however, has caught my attention unlike any in recent memory.

So here's the story: a couple dropped their T-Mobile Sidekick phone in the back of a New York cab. It then found its way into the hands of the cab's next patrons. However, instead of using the device's email and instant messaging capabilities to contact the rightful owner, the unscrupulous thieves decided to keep it as their own. And that's where they made the biggest mistake of their lives. You see, with T-Mobile camera phones, a copy of every picture you take can be checked online. Likewise, you can also check any screen names used to log into its AOL instant messenger client. So the phone's rightful owner, armed with the thieves images and screen name, went to the web in search of justice.

Within a day, the story was sweeping the internet. Amateur sleuths were able to track down the thieve's activity all across the net. In an almost frightening display of the information gathering and tracking ability of the internet, enough evidence was found on the thieves to make a defense attorney spontaneously combust.

You can get frequent updates on the situation at the above link. At last check, a police report has been filed, but due to the low-priority of the case, the NYPD isn't moving too fast with it. But hopefully with the unexpected publicity this story is getting, we might be able to get the ball rolling again.

Personally, I'm just glad these punks are getting their comeuppance. Being a bit of a gadget freak myself, I know that if someone decided to hold on to my lost Blackberry I'd be more than a little ticked off. And, even if no legal action is brought against the degenerates, they must still live with the public humiliation of having their thieving mugs plastered across the net.

I guess human decency still has a place on the internet. Evan, keep up the good fight, man. I support whole-heartedly what you're doing, and am impressed to no end at your perseverance and fortitude. Best of luck.

posted by Khyron @ 12.6.06   0 comments

Thursday, June 08, 2006

Deadly Prey Ep. 1

A Comic Life joint brought to you by the Mac Mini, free time, and my cluttered desk. Enjoy.


Episode 1

Place your bets by leaving a comment.

posted by Khyron @ 8.6.06   0 comments

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

The K-Files - 06.07.06


06.07.06

Welcome to the latest installment of The K-Files. I unfortunately missed the once in a millennium chance for the 06.06.06 K-Files, but that's alright. I've never been too big into this whole Mark of the Beast business. Instead, it's allowed me to focus on a more pressing matter.

In this special edition of The K-Files, I will be discussing Dan Aykroyd's first-hour appearance on Coast to Coast AM last Sunday. I was looking so forward to this show, and its outcome would help me decide whether or not to dish out my limited cash for Dan's Unplugged DVD. What we got, however, was one of the more frustrating wastes of potential in recent radio memory.

You'd better get ready, 'cause here come The K-Files...Full Article

posted by Khyron @ 7.6.06   0 comments

Friday, June 02, 2006

Mini Adventures



Now I've gone and done it. I never thought I'd see this day, but I have indeed purchased a Mac. It was kind of an impulse purchase, but I've been spending the last week or so fine-tuning this beast and learning the intricacies of the Mac OS X operating system.

For all of you reading this on your Windows XP machines, let me assure you that the process of setting up a Mac is pretty harmless. To demonstrate, allow me to take you on a picture tour of my Mini adventure...

Step 1: Find a spot for it


This couldn't be easier. At 6.5 x 6.5", this thing is tiny. It's hard to believe such a small box is even a computer. But despite its miniature stature, this box packs a fair amount of muscle for its price. A $599 price tag gets you a brand spankin' new Intel Core Solo processor, 512MB of DDR2 RAM, an ample 60GB SATA hard drive, and a pretty cool slot-loading Cd-burner/DVD player drive. And, as if that wasn't enough, it also comes packed with built in WIFI and Bluetooth wireless technology. If you're looking for a cheap and capable second computer, don't dismiss the Mac--these are pretty neat machines.

However, for me, I will never fully give up my powerhouse PC. Therefore, the next step is getting everything connected to allow the Mac and PC to share my single monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speaker system.

Step 2: Get it all connected


This image gives you a pretty good look at the back of the Mini. From left to right is the power cable, iSight Camera (which took these pictures, by the way) in a Firewire port, video out with included VGA adapter, iPod cable in USB port, mouse/keyboard in USB, and speaker cable.

To allow my 2 computers to share a connection to the keyboard/mouse/monitor, I purchased an IOGear KVM switch. Basically, you plug all of the above devices into a single hub, which has 2 sets of wires coming from it--plug these into each computer and you're good to go. To switch between them, I simply double-tap the Scroll Lock key. Here's what the KVM switch looks like:



For $33 on Amazon.com, this is probably one of the better KVM's on the market. However, these things are notoriously buggy. For instance, the audio quality when sharing a single set of speakers is terrible. Also, because of the ghetto converting I had to do to connect my USB mouse (notice the green adapter) to a PS/2 connector means that when working in Mac OS X (which doesn't have support for PS/2 accessories) I can't use any of the special mouse buttons. But, that's not that big of a deal, and I think I can learn to live with it. There's also a USB only version of the above KVM, so for those with a USB keyboard, that might be a better solution. The USB KVM is only slightly more expensive.

Step 3: Get to know it


For a long-time Windows user, the Mac OS X interface seemed a little alien at first. However, after a few hours of operation, I'm loving all the built in convenience features. Although most of them will also be featured in the upcoming Windows Vista, Mac OS X is extremely user friendly. With a powerful hard drive search function, automatic iPod support, a great media presenter called Front Row...its a class-act, to be sure.

I'd say the biggest difference I've noticed between the Mac and the PC is simplicity. With a PC, everything has lots of buttons, lots of ports, and lots of versions. Personally, I like this customization aspect of a PC, but for those uninterested in complication, you should probably consider a Mac. Here's a good example of what I mean. Below is a universal remote for Microsoft's Xbox 360 console and the Mac universal remote for Front Row. Notice a difference?



In conclusion...

Mac Mini Core Solo: $599 + tax
IOGear KVM switch: $33 + shipping
3.5mm audio Y-Splitter: $6 at Radioshack
Spending Memorial Day Weekend learning a new OS: Priceless

Have a good weekend, all.

posted by Khyron @ 2.6.06   1 comments