KHYRON.NET: July 2006

Monday, July 31, 2006

Gate-To-Gate: Week 3

Sci-Fi Showdown GATE-TO-GATE - Week 3 (07.28.06)

Welcome to week 3 of the KHYRON.NET Sci-Fi Showdown, Gate-to-Gate edition.

Last week saw a couple of solid Stargate episodes. Although Stargate Sg-1 was marred by a poor ending, The Gates dished out some quality entertainment. Now this week, Sg-1 crossed over with Atlantis in a big way. So how did the team-up work out? And did Stargate Atlantis continue to dish out the goods? Let's find out...

Stargate Sg-1 ("The Pegasus Project")

I always like it when Sg-1 and Atlantis crossover with each other. Up until now however, the extent of this interaction has been limited to brief references and the occasional character from Atlantis traveling back to Earth.

In episode 10.3,"The Pegasus Project," Sg-1 travels to the Pegasus galaxy to try and stop the Ori supergate from allowing more crusading reinforcements into the Milky Way. Their plan? Drop a stargate by a black hole and detonate a nuclear warhead next to it. The power of the blast would cause the wormhole to jump from the connected gate to the nearest secondary gate (i.e. the supergate). Referencing a past episode of Sg-1, Carter (Amanda Tapping) and McKay (David Hewlett) hope the power of the black hole will cause the supergate to be dialed-in indefinitely.

Besides crossovers between the two Gate shows, I'm also a pretty big fan of past episode references. Having been following Sg-1 since the Showtime mini-series that started it, bringing back past plots to help solve current season problems is like a welcome blast of nostalgia.

But how did the character crossovers turn out in "The Pegasus Project"? Well, let me just say that this episode more than makes up for the less-than-stellar episodes that have plagued the last couple of post-Richard Dean Anderson seasons. This episode was so well written, funny, and downright entertaining that it is now on my Top 10 list of favorite Sg-1 episodes. Finally seeing Sg-1's Mitchell (Ben Browder) meet up with Atlantis' Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) was priceless. As was Mitchell's interaction with McKay. The whole bit about Sheppard keeping a lemon in his vest had me cracking up.

Also, it was nice to see Carter and McKay back together again. Their conversation about how McKay hallucinated her image to help save his sanity when trapped in a sunken jumper in a past Atlantis episode was great. The look on Carter's face after hearing the story was a slice of fried gold.

Yup, "The Pegasus Project" was a good'un. If ever there was doubt that Sg-1 would be able to pull off a 10th season, it's certainly gone now. If the much hyped 200th episode is anywhere near to the quality of this one, good times are ahead for Sg-1 fans.

Rating: 10/10

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Stargate Atlantis - (Irresistible)

With such an explosively delicious Stargate Sg-1 episode on before it, Atlantis had the difficult task of trying to follow it up. It would be pretty hard to match Sg-1's scale, so instead the writers went for more of a one-off filler episode. But an incredibly funny filler episode it was.

In episode 3.3, "Irresistible," Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and crew travel to a planet with the hopes of taking its stargate as part of Carter's idea to shorten travel time between Earth and Atlantis. However, when a human settlement is discovered on the planet in question, the Atlantis team decides to check things out. There they find a charismatic herbalist named Lucius Luvin (played by guest star Richard Kind). Although initially skeptical of Lucius' hospitality, one by one the team begins to warm up to Luvin's contagious personality.

The antagonist's name--Lucius Luvin--is enough to tell you that this particular episode is going to be a comedy. Comical moments are becoming more and more overt in Stargate Atlantis, and "Irresistible" only pushes this trend further.

At the core of the episode was guest star and noted television comedian, Richard Kind. Without his goofy, outgoing performance, this episode would have totally flopped. However, he nailed the role perfectly, creating a memorable character on par with Dom DeLuise from the Sg-1 episode "Urgo" (for those that remember).

Seeing all of the Atlantis characters become smitten with Lucius was good for a laugh or two. Dr. Beckett and Ronon in particular turned exceptionally er...feminine when around him. Hearing Ronon speak adoringly of another man was so out of character that I couldn't help but laugh.

Although a filler episode by definition, "Irresistible" ranks up as one of the funnier and more memorable Atlantis episodes to date. The overt comedy and sexual innuendo was a big risk for the show, but with the help of Richard Kind, this one is a winner.

Rating: 9/10

Thus concludes Week 3 of the Sci-Fi Showdown Gate-to-Gate review. Check back each Monday for new Showdowns.

~Khyron

Friday, July 28, 2006

Review: Lady in the Water (2006)

Lady in the Water - Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Rated PG-13 for some frightening sequences.

The trailers for this latest M. Night Shyamalan movie left me a bit skeptical. Having seen all of his previous supernatural thrillers in theatres, I had every intention of seeing this one as well. However, with the mixed messages I got from the various advertisements for Lady in the Water, I wasn't sure if I should expect a scary horror film or some kind of light-hearted bedtime story. Turns out it was a little of both.

In Lady in the Water, apartment superintendent Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) discovers a strange being living in the building's pool. Heep soon learns that the creature, a fair-skinned nymph named Story (Bryce Dallas Howard), needs his help to get back to her home. Following the guidance of a bedtime story, Heep and his tenants must save her from mystical creatures determined to eat her alive.

As a film critic character points out in the movie, all originality is gone in Hollywood. But the uniqueness of Lady in the Water's story makes it hard to compare to anything else out there. If M. Night's goal was to give us something that we haven't seen before, then he succeeded.

At its core, Lady in the Water is good story telling coupled with just the right amount of laughs and scares. The strong cast, lead by Giamatti, Dallas Howard, and M. Night himself, performs admirably with the witty script. Though there's a word to describe a writer/director casting himself for the role of a writer that will go on to change the world--that word is arrogance.

With each touching or comedic moment followed by an unexpected jump-scare, Lady in the Water delivers a little bit of everything for moviegoers. Just don't expect to be blown away by a The Sixth Sense-style surprise ending.

Every bit as intriguing as M. Night's previous films Unbreakable and The Village (though not quite on par with The Sixth Sense or Signs), Lady in the Water is like a hidden gem of originality amongst a plethora of mindless summer blockbusters.

Pros:
+Good acting
+Good story

Cons:
-Dialogue occasionally comes off as arrogant

Rating: 3.5/5

Wednesday, July 26, 2006

The K-Files - 07.26.06

07.26.06

Welcome to this latest edition of The K-Files. I chose to take a break last week to spend some quality time with loved ones, but now its time to get back to the nitty-gritty of amateur paranormal investigation.

This week's Special Report follows Dr. Steven Greer's claim that SETI has discovered multiple alien signals coming in from deep space. Reported by Art Bell on his first night back to Coast to Coast AM in a while, its a story that certainly has the potential to change the world as we know it. Could it be that SETI is keeping us in the dark about extraterrestrial transmissions? And what does SETI astronomer Seth Shostak have to say about this?

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

Monday, July 24, 2006

Gate-To-Gate : Week 2

Sci-Fi Showdown GATE-TO-GATE - Week 2 (07.21.06)

Welcome to week 2 of the KHYRON.NET Sci-Fi Showdown, Gate-to-Gate edition.

With their season premiers out of the way, its time for Stargate Sg-1 and Atlantis to get down to business. Both shows started strong, with Atlantis standing out as a clearly improving show. But can they keep the momentum going? Let's find out...

Stargate Sg-1 ("Morpheus")

Following up the explosive start to the legendary 10th season, Sg-1 slowed things down a bit by what seemingly felt like a mid-season filler episode. I'm sure the events will be referenced later on, but it seemed an odd choice for this kind of episode so early in the season.

In episode 10.2, "Morpheus," Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) discovers a gate address to a world that he believes may be home to a powerful weapon developed by Merlin to defeat Ascended beings--a weapon that may prove to be the galaxy's last hope against the Ori. Meanwhile, Vala (Claudia Black) must stay behind and endure a series of psychiatric evaluations before being allowed to join the SGC.

The start of "Morpheus" was nothing special for Sg-1. For 10 seasons we've watched this team travel to alien worlds in search of technology. So what was different about this episode's particular planet? Well, besides some Arthurian mythology background, the big twist was that the inhabitants of the usual small town built around the Stargate were found dead in their beds, appearing as they slept to death. Fair enough--a little mystery is just what an episode like this needs to be interesting.

After searching a nearby cave for Merlin's ultimate weapon, Sg-1 and a couple of expendable red-shirts set up camp in the town. After one of them falls asleep and is unable to be awoken, the team realizes that if they dose off, they may never wake up. Sort of like A Nightmare on Elm Street, but without all the nightmares, I reckon.

Over the next 35 minutes or so, we get to watch as Sg-1 pop caffeine pills in an attempt to stay awake. Of course comedy then ensued, including Ben Browder taking a cheap shot at the crapiness of Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo. But Mostly this episode just made me feel tired. It could be that I watched the episode after a long day at work, but I found myself yawning more than Sg-1 was.

Though thankfully the off-world scenes were broken up by Vala's adventures with psychiatry back on Earth. This secondary plot was more or less filler, but it was amusing filler. I still chuckle at the concept of Vala studying in an attempt to cram for a personality test. Her insulting of the psychiatrist during a polygraph test was equally amusing.

The episode came to a close with Mitchell and Teal'c running through a cave in search of lone lizard that was apparently immune to the parasites that they revealed were causing everyone to sleep to death. Thinking they could get some kind of cure from it, Teal'c finally bagged the slippery thing and attempted to return to the gate before collapsing due to exhaustion. There was just something about Teal'c running with a bag with a long lizard's tail sticking out of it that caught my funny bone. The ridiculousness of it was the high point of the episode for me.

All in all, "Morpheus" would have been a solid episode if it wasn't for the last couple minutes. The ending was probably the most useless and abrupt I've ever seen on Sg-1. It was just like, Boom! Everyone wakes up cured because they somehow turned that lizard into a drug. No explanation, no montage, no nothing.

Good episode, but soured by the ending.

Rating: 7/10

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Stargate Atlantis - (Misbegotten)

The season 3 opener to Atlantis was definitely top-notch. With a cast that finally feels comfortable with itself, I think we can expect good things from this show.

In episode 3.2, "Misbegotten," Sheppard (Joe Flanigan) and crew return to Atlantis with the Wraith hiveship captured in the premier. They must now decide the fate of the 200+ humanized Wraith onboard. A decision made all the more difficult after Woolsey of the IOA arrives from Earth to provide oversight on Atlantis.

Unlike Sg-1 changing gears from the premier, "Misbegotten" kept the pace moving along. Much of the episode involved the uneasiness of the Atlantis team in dealing with their Wraith captives. They had enough problems dealing with Michael when they "cured" him, now they must deal with a whole community of former Wraith. If nothing else, the makeup required to make all of those extras look like the ghost twins from The Matrix Reloaded was impressive enough.

To temporarily solve the problem, the Wraith were all shipped off to an isolated world were they could be kept for the time being. In a strange twist, they even reused the retrovirus on Michael and sent him off, as well. Didn't expect they would pull that again. I guess any hopes of Michael perhaps joining the cast as a semi-good companion are pretty much out the window now.

Eventually several of the Wraith (Michael included) begin to detect that something is up. Gathering in the forest at night, they begin to remember what they are and send a kind of psychic message to a nearby hiveship. In a violent uprising, the now rightfully ticked off Wraith killed the human guards and took Dr. Beckett as hostage. In the exciting climax, Sheppard and team must try to rescue Beckett and destroy the revolting Wraith before they can share with the approaching hiveship the location of Earth.

In summary, "Misbegotten" was a decent episode that kept the Atlantis plot moving. The amount of screen-time for Connor Trinneer as Michael was a plus, as the guy makes a good addition to the cast. It was also nice to see Robert Pircardo stepping foot onto Atlantis. The more Sg-1 crossover the better, I say.

Rating: 8/10

Thus concludes Week 2 of the Sci-Fi Showdown Gate-to-Gate review. Check back each Monday for new Showdowns.

~Khyron

Friday, July 21, 2006

Gate-To-Gate : Week 1

Sci-Fi Showdown GATE-TO-GATE - Week 1 (07.14.06)

Welcome to week 1 of the KHYRON.NET Sci-Fi Showdown, Gate-to-Gate edition.

Over the past year, the Sci-Fi Showdown has been following the new seasons of the Sci Fi Channel's Sci Fi Friday lineup. It has been stated here many times the powerhouse combo of Stargate Sg-1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica compose the 3 best consecutive hours on television.

For those that missed out on the Winter Season Showdown, get caught up with the Awards Spectacular.

What began as an attempt to compare the entertainment value of each week's individual episodes has since evolved into a full-blown showdown of epic proportions. However, for this latest Summer Season, the Sci Fi Channel has decided to shake things up a bit. Abandoning the split seasons of last year, Battlestar Galactica Season 3 will instead be debuting in October. So, until then, the Showdown will be focusing on The Gates.

Over the next 10 weeks, Gate-to-Gate will bring you episode summaries, reviews, and commentary for Stargate Sg-1 and Stargate Atlantis. Check back each Monday for regularly scheduled updates.

So, without further adieu, let's see what Week 1 had to offer...

Stargate Sg-1 ("Flesh and Blood")

When we last left off on Stargate Sg-1, things weren't looking so hot for team. In their last-stand effort against the invading Ori crusade, the Earth/Asgard/Jaffa/Lucian coalition was powerless to stop them. With Col. Carter floating helplessly through space and the rest of the team feared dead, it was a depressing season finale.

In episode 10.1, "Flesh and Blood," the story picks up right from the cliffhanger. Drifting in space, Carter (Amanda Tapping) is relieved to discover that Mitchell (Ben Browder) escaped the doomed ship Korolev before it was destroyed. Meanwhile Teal'c (Christopher Judge), aboard a heavily damaged Lucian Alliance mothership, is tortured for convincing the Alliance to assist in the futile engagement.

At the close of season 9, I was afraid we would see another Michael Shanks-esque death-ascension-rebirth plot from when he decided to return to the show after his character was killed off. I was sure at least some of the Sg-1 team were killed in battle against the Ori. But thankfully they avoided that sinkhole by explaining how each member was able to miraculously escape their demise. Its amazing how Sg-1 can always manage to do that...

In his escape, Daniel Jackson (Michael Shanks) found himself aboard one of the Ori vessels. Trapped and unable to contact anyone on radio, he runs into Vala (Claudia Black) who had just given birth to her daughter. But of course it couldn't just be a normal birth--no, the kid ages 10 years in a matter of hours and has the knowledge of the Ori hard-wired into her brain. I cringed for a moment when the kid was revealed, having been turned off by the previous Stargate child actor, Cameron Bright. With the character's fast growth rate however, it meant that there was a new actress just about every scene. They all performed well though, helping to bring out the creepiness of super-girl.

The last act of the episode takes the action to the Jaffa world of Chulac. For some reason, the Ori have chosen it as the place for the first ground invasion. In its defense, the now freed Teal'c and crew race to the scene. But after their plan to destroy the Ori ship fails, it seems the ground war is inevitable.

As far as premiers go, "Flesh and Blood" worked on just about every level. Starting the record-breaking 10th season, Sg-1 still proved that it can be as exciting and funny as ever. Only time will tell how the addition of Vala's daughter will effect the plot, but I think I like where this season is going. 10 seasons long and still going strong, Stargate Sg-1 is a winner.

Rating: 8/10

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Stargate Atlantis - (No Man's Land)

Still finding its niche, Atlantis' second season saw a steady improvement in episode quality. Although it may have taken a back-seat to Sg-1 and Galactica in last season's Sci Fi Showdown, it is still worthy to bear the Stargate title.

In episode 3.1, "No Man's Land," 2 Wraith hiveships are advancing towards Earth at a hurried pace. Trapped inside one of them, Rodney McKay (David Hewlett) and Ronon (Jason Momoa) struggle to free themselves. Meanwhile, Sheppard (Joe Flanigan)--who has secretly attached his F-302 fighter to one of the hiveships--waits for best time to strike.

From the beginning of the episode, I could already tell this will be an enjoyable season. No longer just the new guys of Sci Fi Friday, the Atlantis cast has really come together in the past season. The comedic dialogue between McKay and Ronon when they were attempting to escape the Wraith cocoons was a perfect example of Atlantis at its best. Like Sg-1, you'll get better results if you keep in mind that Atlantis is essentially a comedy hidden under special effects.

The highlight of the episode for me was the Sheppard flashback montage. After debating whether or not it would be possible to attack the hiveships while in hyper-space, he remembers back to a lunch table discussion he had with McKay and Zelenka regarding theoretical physics--during which he found himself more interested in a good looking female sitting across from them. The comedy of Stargate is usually buried tongue-in-cheek into the dialogue, so it was hilarious to see such an overtly comical moment. Good stuff.

As the episode continued, Dr. Weir (Torri Higginson) returned to Earth in order to meet with International Oversight Advisory and answer to her failure of keeping the location of our galaxy a secret from the Wraith. While her friends are a galaxy away--fighting for their lives--Weir finds herself fighting the uselessness of the bureaucratic IOA.

Bringing the season 3 opener to a close, the Daedalus and Orion make desperate attack to stop the hiveships. However, after the Orion is destroyed, the crew of the Daedalus find themselves in a crippled ship quickly running low on oxygen. In a last-ditch effort for survival, the remaining hiveship is flooded with the anti-Wraith retro virus and taken over by Sheppard and his boarding party.

I enjoyed this episode more than any Atlantis episode in recent memory. If this is to be what can be expected from season 3, I think we're all in for a treat. If season 10 is going to be the last for Sg-1 (something I highly doubt), I can rest assured that the legacy will be carried on in good hands.

With a premier that I feel rivaled that of Sg-1's, I can't wait for the rest of season 3.

Rating: 9/10

Thus concludes Week 1 of the Sci-Fi Showdown Gate-to-Gate review. Check back each Monday for new Showdowns.

~Khyron

Friday, July 14, 2006

Gate-to-Gate - Summer 06

Coming Soon...

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

The K-Files - 07.12.06

07.12.06

Welcome to this latest edition of The K-Files. New material has been somewhat sparse lately due to personal matters, so hopefully this edition will tide you over until I can return to a more regular schedule.

This week's Special Report follows the Monday, July 10th episode of Coast to Coast AM with the controversial guest, Brother Michael Dimond. If you happened to miss this show, I suggest you hunt down a recording of it. What was billed as a mediocre religious interview boiled down to one of the more heated debates in recent Coast memory and featured a public humiliation at the hands of the infamous 'JC'. But did Brother Michael deserve what he got? Read on and find out.

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

Monday, July 10, 2006

Review: PotC: Dead Man's Chest (2006)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) - Directed by Gore Verbinski
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of adventure violence, including frightening images.

At the release of the first Pirates of the Caribbean, I was hesitant to accept a Disney pirate movie. Being more of a gore-hound myself, I didn't like the idea of the hyper-violent pirate lifestyle being adapted from a theme park ride. But I came to terms that the relatively untouched pirate genre would be catered to big-budget blockbuster audiences and, despite my expectations, Pirates turned out surprisingly well. But after almost 3 years in production, does Disney's ultra-hyped Pirates sequel make the cut?

In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) and crew must do battle with Davy Jones (one of my personal favorites, Bill Nighy), to whom Sparrow owes his very soul.

Being based off a theme park, its only appropriate Pirates plays out like one. Primarily a showcase for outlandish prop stunts, you'd be hard-pressed to find more thrilling action sequences. The CG effects aren't anything special, but when combined with live action and conventional effects, they create quite the visual feast.

However, the sheer volume of visual effects makes Pirates suffer from Revenge of the Sith-Syndrome--that is to say that after while the brain becomes numb to the action, and you may begin to lose the context of what you're watching.

As far as the cast is concerned, if you liked Depp in the first one then you'll probably like him in the sequel. Though my favorite performance was that of the venerable Bill Nighy as Davy Jones. Although much of his face is hidden behind squid tentacles, his trademark facial expressions are more than apparent.

With a surprisingly elaborate story suffering from only occasional pacing problems and with plenty of fan-favorite characters returning from the original, Dead Man's Chest is pretty much as good a sequel as could have been hoped for. Just don't let the Lord of the Rings or Matrix-esque cliffhanger let you down.

Memorable Scene: A mind-blowing stunt featuring Bloom and Depp running in an old mill wheel like a couple of hamsters.

Pros:
+ Fantastic stunt work
+ Davy Jones and his crew of sea creature-fused cutthroats

Cons:
- Action becomes mind numbing
- Third act drags on

Rating: 4/5