Stargate!

Right from the beginning, Stargate, directed by Roland Emmerich and written by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, pulled me right in with the exciting and suspenseful music and the interesting scenery. This made me wonder...what's going on? Who is that? Why are these people there? I automatically wanted to keep watching to see what happens next.  I had this feeling all throughout the movie.  It kept me guessing, thinking, and wondering.  That is one of the best things a movie can do is keep the viewer wanting to watch more.  When asking a question during a movie,  I will not stop watching the movie until I find or see the answer.  The biggest question that this movie faces is "what if?" What if all we have come to know is wrong? What if someone or something else built the ancient pyramids?  A question that strong allows the human mind to wander deep into thoughts and that is one of the things that makes a great movie.

Avatar!

Avatar, by James Cameron, is by far my favorite movie ever.  I have seen this movie at least five times and it seems to never get old.  I could probably watch it over ten times and still love it just as much!  I love everything about this movie; the characters, the character development, the creatures, the action, the plot, the overall message and of course the special effects and graphics.  As a personal experience, I cannot take my eyes off the screen while the movie is playing even though I know what is going to happen.  Every scene is just as exciting as if it were the first time I have ever seen it.  

One of the things that stood out to me most was the respect that the Na'vi had for their world and their natural surroundings.  Their whole lifestyle depends on the health of their planet and mother tree. It points out how humans are neglecting the Earth and killing it for resources and that if one person stands up for what is right, we really can change the way things are even if it seems impossible.

Every single creature and plant in this movie is unique and different.  The entire movie is animated and everything created virtually through graphic design.  It is unbelievable how much detail was put into every scene and every single thing on the screen from the color schemes, to the different language spoken by the Na'vi, the beautiful and realistic scenery and plant life, tiniest markings on every creature.  The intense details put into this movie makes the story way more interesting.  There is also never a boring scene in this movie; there is always something happening and always something to look at.

Design of characters and creatures: 10/10

Design of scenery: 10/10

Ability of plot to keep viewer hooked/Excitement level: 10/10

Themes/lessons relatable to real life: 10/10

Overall: 40/40

This is an amazing movie for all types of viewers!  Children do not have to understand the plot to be intrigued by the amazing graphics and it is even better for those who can understand everything that is packed into this film. 

(I love this movie so much so I am very biased!)

ZOMBIES!!!

The Walking Dead is a perfect television show for those who want to be creeped out and always wondering what is going to happen next.  The main character wakes up after an accident and is surrounded by zombies and dead bodies.  He is forced to survive pretty much on his own because the majority of the living people were either killed or transformed into a zombie.  Everything in this television show seems so realistic, and I mean everything.  There were amazing graphics, and the blood and gory zombies looked so real!  They were disgusting and creepy!  The gun shot wounds looked so real when the zombies' heads spewed blood from the impact of the bullets.  Every cut, gaping wound, and even bodies that were torn apart looked completely real and the blood did not look fake or silly.  All of the sound effects were crystal clear, from the car crash to all of the gun shots.  One thing I noticed was that there were not too many songs that played in the background.  I noticed only two songs toward the beginning, but the majority of the show has no background noise.  However, this really adds suspense to the show.  The silence intensifies the creepiness and the horror that is in the future for the characters.

Personally, it was my first time ever watching the show.  I was gripping my note book the whole time because of the suspense.  I was constantly thinking that something bad was about to happen, and even though I was scared and creeped out (horror and blood/gore would not be my first choice in a show or movie), I could not peel my eyes away.  

As a general rating, I would give this show a 5 out of 5 simply because it does exactly what a television show is supposed to do; keep the audience's eyes glued to the screen and wanting to keep watching more episodes.
 

Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi - Review

Overall, I would say that Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi directed by Richard Marquand is an action-packed movie that keeps the audience on the edge of their seat.  I must say that my favorite part of the movie was the soundtrack.  The title song is a catchy, recognizable tune that has become familiar with so may people.  Depending on the scene of the movie, the music changes from exciting and upbeat to mysterious and suspenseful.  The music really sets the mood for the scene.  Also, for the year that this movie was released, the special effects are great.  Each creature was unique and different, the robots and technological gadgets were well designed, and the fight scenes including the futuristic weapons were thrilling and exciting.  I really liked how there were so many different creatures; my personal favorites are the ewoks!!  Anyway, this movie is perfect for anyone who wants a suspenseful plot with many twists and turns, interesting settings, strange creatures and robots, and great soundtrack music.

From Essay to Blog Post

In my sci-fi english class, we watched the movie "Blade Runner," directed by Scott Ridley and read the story "Blood Music," by Greg Bear.  When reviewing and taking notes on both stories, I noticed that they both had similar themes.  Both stories were very strange and made me think of what would happen if the events that occurred in the stories actually happened in real life.  I cannot imagine cyborgs and technology taking over people's bodies! That is the thing that stood out to me the most; the fact that they were trying to mix technology and human bodies to create one fully functioning being with human characteristics.  However, it is obvious that in both of the stories, the "people" were not natural...and by people I mean the cyborgs/replicants and the biochip infected people.  

In "Blade Runner," the replicants were created to mimic humans in every aspect minus emotions and living a full life.  Other people's memories were implanted into their brains, but over time they could develop their own memories based on their experiences.  Also over time, they could develop feelings.  If a replicant was put in a crowd of people, you could not tell who the replicant was.  To find out which "people" are replicants, they are asked a series of questions where they are supposed to answer as quickly as they can.  Replicants could only live for a maximum of four years, and after their time is up they shut down.  They could not live past the four year mark and there is no way to extend their lives.

In "Blood Music," a character named Vergil had biochips put into his body an was injected with a type of protein to make the cells multiply and grow easier and the technology could mix with his body.  Over time, the cells started to take over and change his body.  All of his test results said that his body was suffering from infection, but he claimed it was just the cells working.  Vergil's friend saved him by killing him, but he became "infected" as well. In the end, the cells changed his body and he morphed into a blob because the cells completely took over his body.

What these stories lead me to believe is that the natural cycle of life and the way our bodies work naturally should not be tampered with.  Technology is not natural in any way and cannot think, feel, or act the same way as a human with a soul can.  A piece of technology will never have a soul and will never replace real living creatures.  Nature works perfectly on its own without us trying to change it.