Sunday, August 12, 2012

Beam Me Up episode 326 is now online

Episode 326 of Beam Me Up!

Couple of good offerings this week, plus news and reviews. Like I have said….oh hell you already know lol.

Ok, I start off with a short on Neil Armstrong’s recovery from surgery. Also I make the observation of how many people just had no clue.

The first story for the afternoon is episode 11 of “In Plain Sight” by Jason Kahn. Then a session of Trek Trivia!

Next from EarthSky the new super Chilian telescope Alma is due to be at full strength by next year and scientist are excited by what they expect to get for output from the array. Plus more from EarthSky.

The Curiosity Rover is next on the conversation list. The landing and subsequent photos were exciting beyond all measure. Can’t wait for what comes next.

Finally I review the movie Outlander, which was as bad as it sounds.

In closing this week I end with part 2 of “All That Touches the Air” by An Owomoyela.

That and other incidentals this week on episode 326 of Beam Me Up

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Review: Outlander


Outlander

Hey my buddy Mark came through again with a movie that I never thought I would see, because I had the completely wrong plot line and didn't pay attention to who was in it! Thanks Mark!

Starring:
James Caviezel, Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, with Ron Perlman and John Hurt

An alien ship crashes into a Norwegian lake in 709 AD. The lone survivor tells the locals of a horrific dragon-like animal that somehow got aboard his “ship” killing everyone aboard.

He manages to enlist the aid of some of the locals to aide him in killing the beast. Which it seems is problematic as it is impervious to iron age weapons.

Outlander doesn’t really telegraph it’s plot devices but it is evident that a lont of the movie scenes are a homage to earlier films in the genre.

That being said, the cast is great!

James Caviezel with whom I first became aware of in the TV program people of interest which is government conspiracy, mysterious super computer, and the machine’s very eccentric creator. Sophia Myles, Jack Huston, with Ron Perlman do I really have to say anything about Ron’s SF connections? and John Hurt who it goes without saying is so much better than you would have thought of him being. Great cast who took the movie seriously.

I really can not talk much about the second half of the movie other to say, but this time you know where the movie is going, but it is a fun trip.

The extras are a big surprise! Commentary, deleted scenes LOTS OF THEM, tests and more! This movie gave me more bang for the buck than most blu-rays! But then this was a purchase disk and not a rental, but it WAS A DVD.

In rating the movie - its an 8 for being derivative but then it WANTED to be! I really don’t know what I would want more from the dvd... So I am giving it a most excellent 10...18 overall or a respectable 9 which means that the movie is better because of technical reasons but it is still a strong recommendation to give it a go.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Bane after Batman...

From Funny or Die, the question is asked, after Batman, just how is the world treating citizen Bane, and just how is he adapting to a life after crime.....



Bob Hoskins Retires Due to Illness

Airlock Alpha has listed an article concerning Bob Hoskins. For you that might be in the dark about Hoskins, He was responsible for bringing to life Eddie Valiant, a rough, angry and hard drinking private eye in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" an animated live action film.
And his role as Smee in the movie Hook in which he stared with Robin Williams and Dustan Hoffman.

Hoskins has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and instead of continuing on a reduced schedule he has opted to retire and spend more time with his family.

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Armstrong Reported in Good Shape After Heart Surgery

nbcnew.com reports that Neil Armstrong is "doing great" after cardiac bypass surgery. This, according to his wife Carol Armstrong.

The 82 year old Armstrong entered the hospital earlier this week after a routine stress test revealed
four blockages in his coronary arteries.

Armstrong is said to be in great spirits and doctors expect him to recover from the