To boldly go...

Well, this past weekend was the 45th anniversary of The Original Series of Star Trek. What a ride it has been. Nobody could have predicted the impact or popularity of a little sci-fi show back then but I thank the impact it has had on my life.

Kudos to Gene, Bill, Leonard and all the rest of the group for what they did back then and ever since.

Live Long and Prosper!

My Top 5 Superhero Movies

I saw Green Lantern this week and the reviews were mostly bad. I liked it. It is not my favorite superhero movie nor is it the best but as long as you have fun watching it, that's what matters.

My top 5 all time is this (listed chronologically):

• Superman with Christopher Reeve
• Batman with Michael Keaton
• Batman Begins with Christian Bale
• Iron Man with Robert Downey Jr.
• The Dark Knight with Christian Bale

These movies were well written, well directed and had a great cast. Obvious things to have a great movie. Thor and Green Lantern (the 2011 movies) have been lauded by fans as awful, crappy, unworthy films. GET A LIFE!!! These movies aren't Gone With The Wind or The Godfather. They are over the top characters that exemplify aspects of the human condition (Thor is arrogant and Green Lantern must overcome fear).

Green Lantern

The reviews were bad for the most part but I liked it. It is NOT as good as many other superhero movies but it was still a fun movie to watch. The special effects were cool and hopefully, the 3D version added to the fun.

The crappy reviews and the way the movie was lauded by the press do not detract from learning about Green Lantern, a 2nd tier superhero. While not as well known as Batman, Superman and Spider-man, he is still part of the DC mythos and Ryan Reynolds did a good job of playing a selfish, brash thrill seeker who realizes that his greatest ability (Hal Jordan's) is to be able to overcome fear and use his willpower in a way that the Green Lantern Corps has never seen.

The Hangover Part 2

This afternoon, I dropped by the movie theater and watched The Hangover Part 2. A great funny movie!!! What made both movies great to me is the depth of the mystery about what happened that crazy night and the cast of characters.

I was puzzled as to the choice for the cameo. I won't spoil it for anyone but I was left puzzled. I laughed of course all the way through.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

On Tuesday night, I got the chance to see the new Jack Sparrow adventure. I have not seen the 3rd installment but the 4th one is very good. Johnny Depp is a great actor and has the best role. He nails a complex funny character with such ease. The supporting cast is very good as well.

On Wikipedia, the synopsis makes it sound like a sequel to the 4th movie. I felt (without seeing the 3rd one) that is felt like a prequel. I will try to see watch the entire trilogy this summer and formulate a better theory.

All in all, a great summer movie!

A passage from Children of Dune

I finished reading Frank Herbert's Children of Dune last week. It was a very good book and the last 100 pages were pretty intense.

Each chapter begins with a passage from a character. Here is one that is SOOOOOOOOO relevant to our 21st century world:

Good government never depends upon laws, but upon the personal qualities of those who govern. The machinery of government is always subordinate to the will of those who administer the machinery. The most important element of government, therefore, is the method of choosing leaders.

--Law and Governance
The Spacing Guild Manual

X-Men: First Class

I saw X-Men: First Class last night with my wife. We have enjoyed watching the previous 4 movies and we looking forward to this one. We thought it was GREAT!!! The dynamic between Charles and Erik was so well done. The story was great and there were 2 fun cameos as well. The only bad thing I can say is that there is no secret scene at the end of the credits.

Check it out!