wick did well with Glory, and he does well with this film. The largest problem with the film is the portrayal of the Emperor of Japan, and the Hollywood ending is best left out. Otherwise, the film does an excellent job of glorifying the Warrior’s Code. It doesn’t do as good a job of explaining the flip side of Bushido — there’s a hint of it, but it primarily focuses on the concept of a warrior’s doom. The unfinished conversation concerning Custer’s Last Stand shows this best.

Historically, a lot is left out. Many of the samurai who refused to aid in the modernization of Japan was primarily because of the loss of status. Outlawing the wearing of two swords in public was correctly depicted in the movie as an effort to destroy the samurai caste. The military heirarchy of the feudal samurai needed to be broken to modernize Japan. While part of this is lamentable, in that Japan’s culture changed almost overnight with the Meiji Restoration, it’s quite obvious that the brutality of military feudalism managed to survive and adapt, later taking control of the government and leading Japan down a path to 1941.

It’s a beautifully shot film, with great performances from the cast. The story is a simple one about the redemption of a man’s soul, and the lament that’s similar to the other movie released this month, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. The Last Samurai and Lord of the Rings both wish for a simpler time while ignoring the abject poverty of peasantry supporting a king in exchange for protection. Be it the industry of Saruman or of the Meiji Restoration, both films lament the loss of innocence in the birth of the Industrial Revolution.

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Overall, the movie was fitting for Jackson’s vision of Tolkien’s tale. I can live with certain omissions, and the others I will wait 10 months for the extended DVD release before I pronounce final judgement.

As for the parts not even filmed: the Scouring of the Shire is well and truly a story in and of itself. It can’t belong in a theatrical release intended to finish LOTR. Most people probably were wondering what the last 20 minutes were about, as the movie essentially ended at Minas Tirith, the rest being an epilogue. While it would have been a fun thing to see the hobbits come into their own and deal with Saruman and Grima by themselves in the Shire, tacking it to the end of the movie, while ultimately one of the best parts of Tokien’s story, would not work cinematically. Jackson can always do it as another film if he so wished… the ending was filmed in such a way that you could actually assume that the Scouring took place (between cuts of the hobbits riding into Bag End and the Inn). Of course, if the Saruman cut in the extended DVD actually finishes him off on-screen, this would be moot.

The Return of the King, the actual bit where Aragorn comes to the fields of Pelennor and attacks Sauron’s army, was definitely a low point in the film. The charge of the Rohirrim and the Eowyn’s defense of Theoden was the high point.

What was missing?

The dead were not supposed to be at Pelennor. They helped capture the Black Fleet, and Aragorn gathered an army and sailed up the River Anduin. When the Rohirrim charged and routed Sauron’s army, they fled back to Osgiliath whereupon both sides witnessed the Black Fleet approaching. This encouraged Sauron’s army and they attacked again, while Gondor and Rohan looked on in despair, thinking victory so close at hand had been snatched away.

Then the Black Fleet’s lead ship lowered its flag and raised a white flag bearing the white tree of Gondor. This SIGNALS the Return of the King, and Gondor and Rohan cheer as Aragorn brings with him an army, and the two forces sandwich Sauron’s army in the middle and destroys it.

Aragorn never truly lifted himself up to become king… a lot of that is because Jackson added this idea of doubt in the character, whereas in Tolkien’s writing Aragorn always considered himself the king. Vigo looks so damned uncomfortable in his kingly raiment at the coronation, I was annoyed by it.

The House of Healing was perhaps the largest omission, but it will be present in the extended DVD, so I am not concerned. I have already accepted that the extended DVDs will be the primary version I will watch, and as such never even purchased the theatrical release DVD for TTT, just the extended version. This theatrical release of ROTK is therefore but a taste, and I will have 10 more months of waiting to truly enjoy the final part of the story.

For many, the House of Healing, particularly for those who did not read the book, will be a revelation. Jackson needed to make the primary romance between Aragorn and Arwen, but in the book theirs is a royal sort of union. Love is abstracted and taken as part of kingly lore. The true romance, the one that blossoms in the book and gives two of my favorite characters a little tale that touches the heart, happens in the House of Healing. I await the extended DVD with some impatience because of it.

Overall, you need to consider the movies as a single story that took 10 hours to tell, much like the old miniseries of the 80s. To comment on one part would not do justice to it, much like saying you liked North and South, part 3, but not part 2. Tolkien never intended to write three books. The Lord of the Rings was a single book, which his publisher were fearful of putting out as a single volume. So they split it into three parts, though in truth, LOTR has SIX books. This is why when you read them, you realize that Fellowship abruptly ends with no resolution, and Two Towers even moreso. The ending lies in ROTK, which is long and complete. This shaped how people perceived LOTR, to the point where when the movie version is finally made, it, too, is in three parts. But do not take one part and judge it over the whole, for that is exactly what Tolkien was quite furious about when his publishers did it to his book.

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Forth, Eorlingas!

With the advent of phone number portability last month, along with the expiration of my one year agreement with SprintPCS, I made my move.

I gave SprintPCS a chance a couple months back, telling them hey, number portability is coming, wanna keep me? I want a PCS Vision phone, and with it I’ll subscribe to the more expensive PCS Vision package. They offered me a $25 discount.

Sayonara.

So now I have a new phone with T-Mobile. And I get to keep my phone number.

Rock.

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The 2003 remake of a cheesy 70s show takes itself very seriously. Homages abound, with snippets of the Stu Phillips theme getting played, to showing all the old models by way of a decommissioning ceremony.

I went in with an open mind. The old show was fun, but it was also pretty stupid. Three things stand out from the old series:

1. The theme
2. The Viper
3. Gleaming Cylon robots with that unerringly spooky eye thrumming as it oscillates back and forth.

What did the new show do? Well, the theme was replaced with a rather muted percussion soundtrack that, in all honesty, sucked. The Viper (Mark II) was pretty much the same. The Cylons lost their gleaming bodies, and the troopers kept the eyes but don’t give off the same spooky oscillating noise.

Sadly, these troopers make two appearances, at the very beginning and at the very end, leaving about 3 hours and 50 minutes of zero robotic Cylon presence. Instead, we have to deal with android Cylons, which, while displaying a marked advancement in Cylon technology, don’t have an aura of cold machines doggedly pursuing their goal of human extinction.

The character changes are acceptable. I have no problem with Starbuck becoming female and Boomer going from black man to Korean woman. The problem is in acting. This is usually a problem with the beginning of a series, which this TV-movie intends to become. So I’ll cut them some slack.

But must they be so serious? You can’t take a show too seriously if people are cursing, “”What the frak is going on!?”" or “”Thank the Lords of Kobol, you’re alive!”" or “”I don’t care, just fix the frakkin’ thing!”"

No, really, can you guys lighten up a bit? I know the old show was far too cheesy, but it at least was enjoyable for a ten year old to watch. This one can try to strike a mature tone, but keep some humor. I point to Space: Above and Beyond as an example (particularly past the first five episodes, as this show also displayed some early growing pains).

Another thing they ought to look at Space: Above and Beyond for is space battle choreography. Galactica’s was horrible. Cool camera movements aren’t all that great when you can’t figure out what the hell is going on. Having gray ships darting about in the void adds to the confusion. Either light them up, paint them something garish, or at least make the damn explosions brighten up period. Something.

Finally, the story was destroyed by poor pacing and the lack of anything truly exciting going on. Moments of sadness don’t hit you with any real emotion. Awe-inspiring moments such as the first time you see the Galactica, or the first nuclear explosion, or when Starbuck finds the Cylon fleet, are somehow reduced in impact by poor cinematography and directing. Dear god, how do you make the sight of an entire Cylon fleet NOT work!?

I hope that if this makes its way to becoming a regular series that they do some overhauling in thematic composition, because as it stands, it’s blah at best. And I really would like this show to make it. I’ve been starving for epic space opera for years now since Space: Above and Beyond went off the air. Yes, yes, I keep pointing out this show. Why? Because it’s the best damn example of how to make a decent space opera series and it happens to be one of my personal favorites. As for this show… maybe it will overcome its weaknesses in time. Let’s hope so, and let’s hope SciFi gives them the time to do it.

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35 minutes. It took me 35 minutes to cover 3.7 miles in morning traffic.

Not bad, really. I thought it would take me 45 minutes to get to work this morning, but I managed fine. Need to remember to bring an extra shirt or something, though.

As for the bike… Nisha called it ghetto fabulous when she saw the image online. I wouldn’t quite call it that, but it certainly turned heads as I pumped my way up Westwood Boulevard. With the smaller wheels, and the seat post collapsing all the way down for folding purposes, I can configure the bike to my height without compromise, and though it looks like a tiny bike, it certainly works better with my body size than me perched on a full mountain bike.

It has 8 speeds, cruising this morning was around 6th, and I didn’t drop below 4th gear even on the incline on Charles Young Drive off Westwood. I figure I’ll be cruising on 8th tonight on my way back.

It’s nice to get Christmas presents in early.

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Now I have my own wishlist.

See how easy I’ve made it for you?

A dark comedy that, after the first hour, starts to batter you senseless with foul language, yet finally delivers a good ending.

The characters are all of them bad. The morals learned are, at best, platitudes. But that probably wasn’t the point. Sun summed the point up when we were walking out of the theater and said, “”That was a sad movie.”"

And she’s right. For something so funny, it certainly leaves you feeling that way.

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It didn’t suck. Impressive, considering its cast and the ludicrous plot. I went to see it anyway… I mean, hey, it’s about young Yale archaeologists going back in time. I gotta represent my background, eh? I’d say alma mater, but I don’t think you can say that with just a candidacy.

Anyhow, decent movie. Probably better off renting it, though.

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