Tag Archives: science fiction

April 17, 2021

Cowboy Bebop

During the last two weeks I re-watched Cowboy Bebop, an award-winning Japanese science fiction anime classic created in 1998. In contrast with a lot of anime, the show is so adult in its themes that only 12 of the 26 episodes were aired when it premiered on TV Tokyo in 1998. The full series wasn’t aired in Japan until the following year on Wowow, a private, premium satellite network.

In 2001 it was the first anime title ever broadcast on Adult Swim, so it was the first experience many Americans had with Japanese anime. Since then, because of its visuals, music, and themes, it has earned international acclaim, both with critics and audiences.

It’s a definite must-see for any fan of anime or science fiction.

46 Comments | tags: anime, Cowboy Bebop, Japanese anime, science fiction, science fiction TV, SF, space opera, Yoko Kanno | posted in Music, Sci-Fi Saturday, TV

April 3, 2021

Attack the Block

By Wyrd Smythe

Fans of Doctor Who, at least those without an unreasoning dislike of Jodie Whittaker, may get a kick out of seeing her in the 2011 British alien invasion film Attack the Block. It’s a small rather unregarded film with a box office return of only half its £8 million budget (about $11 million USD at 2021 rates). Since its release it has gotten well-deserved critical praise and won a few international accolades.

I should note that Whittaker is not the lead. At best, she’s a co-star, and perhaps almost more of a major supporting character (she is present for most of the film). The film stars John Boyega, who many will know as Finn from the final Star Wars trilogy.

I highly recommend it for all science fiction movie fans.

8 Comments | tags: Doctor Who, Dredd (movie), Jodie Whittaker, John Boyega, science fiction, science fiction movies, SF, SF Movies | posted in Sci-Fi Saturday

March 13, 2021

Black Lightning

By Wyrd Smythe

Last Sci-Fi Saturday I savaged Sabrina, which remains a new low to me in dumb TV. This time I have a much more mixed review. I’ve been working my way through Black Lightning (available on Netflix). It’s a superhero show, so it’s fantasy and suffers all the problems and weakness that go with that.

On the other hand, it’s about a Black superhero (three, actually), and the landscape has been sadly and notably deficient in people of color as superheroes. There is also that Black Lightning obviously has a bigger budget, much better acting, and a far stronger sense of authenticity.

That said,… I’m sorry, but superhero stories are just super lame.

15 Comments | tags: science fiction, science fiction TV, SF, superheroes | posted in Sci-Fi Saturday, TV

February 13, 2021

Wrong Quarantine?

By Wyrd Smythe

In what seems the distant past of late summer 2019, I posted about an interesting science fiction novel by Greg Egan, Quarantine (1992). The post didn’t get many views back then — only 13 that August, and only 27 total by the end of the year. And through 2020, it only racked up another 37 views. (That’s 64 total for those keeping score at home.)

Then, this January, the post got 257 views — 161 in the first three days. After being largely ignored for a year-and-a-half, something made the post go mildly viral. No one commented, so I have no idea how or why the post got so much traffic.

I have a thought it might have to do with the title.

6 Comments | tags: COVID-19, Greg Egan, science fiction, science fiction books, SF, SF Books | posted in Books, Sci-Fi Saturday

February 6, 2021

Scalzi: The Interdependency

By Wyrd Smythe

I thoroughly enjoyed the first John Scalzi book I read, Redshirts. I thought it was delightful and definitely my kind of book. I also very much enjoyed the second Scalzi book I read, The Android’s Dream. Because of that, I’ve been looking forward to reading his trilogy, The Interdependency.

This past week, courtesy of online library books, I finally did, and I do regret to report that I found the series rather underwhelming. I ended up skimming through the last half of the last book just to find out how it all turned out.

I think the biggest issue for me was lack of action. There was a ton of narration, explanation, internal monologue, and talking, but there wasn’t much action.

8 Comments | tags: John Scalzi, science fiction, science fiction books, SF Books | posted in Books, Sci-Fi Saturday

January 24, 2021

Keeping the Sabbath

By Wyrd Smythe

When I started this blog back in 2011, it was always my intention to write about the Yin and Yang of our physical reality and a putative metaphysical one. Call it programming if you wish, but I have a life-long commitment to the perceived reality of the latter. I have a faith, deliberately irrational though it be.

I also have a life-long commitment to science and the physical world, and I’ve never had much trouble reconciling the two. That’s the thing I’ve been wanting to write about; how a spiritual life is not contrary or exclusive to a scientific one.

In fact, I believe they are the Yin-Yang of a complete person.

9 Comments | tags: God, science and spirituality, science fiction, spirituality | posted in Religion, Sunday Sermons

December 12, 2020

Brave New World

By Wyrd Smythe

In every literary genre (in every type of art, really), there are classics that stand out and often participate in forming the language, or at least some of the territory, of the genre. That is part of what makes these works classics. (Lord of the Rings is an ultimate classic — all Medieval fantasy since is in reference to it.)

I suspect all serious readers have a classic or two they’ve never gotten around to. Last week I finally got around to reading the classic science fiction novel, Brave New World (1932), by Aldous Huxley.

For a novel written 88 years ago, it’s surprisingly prescient and relevant.

30 Comments | tags: Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Idiocracy, Nineteen Eighty-Four, science fiction, science fiction books, SF, SF Books, soma, The Time Machine | posted in Books, Sci-Fi Saturday

November 24, 2020

Channel Surfing

By Wyrd Smythe

With the distraction of the election, on top of the distraction of the pandemic, my note pile has started to accumulate again. I’m way behind on my “Fall Clearance” plan to either finally write the posts or throw away the notes. (The issues I’ve been having with my laptop’s WiFi incompetence haven’t helped.)

Between winter and social distancing, I’ve had plenty of time to catch up on reading. I’ve also been catching up on TV shows I wanted to either check out or re-watch. There have been some new shows I liked so much the first time that I wanted to see them again.

So for this TV-Tuesday I’m channel surfing over all those shows.

19 Comments | tags: Ben Edlund, David Tennant, Good Omens, Michael Sheen, NCIS, Neil Gaiman, Northern Exposure, Patrick Warburton, science fiction, science fiction TV, SF, Terry Pratchett, The Blacklist, The Simpsons, The Tick (TV series), The West Wing | posted in TV, TV Tuesday

November 21, 2020

Terminator: Dark Fate

By Wyrd Smythe

Well they finally made a good Terminator sequel! Granted, the first one is a modern classic and a very tough act to follow. There is also that sequels are almost always necessarily warmed up left-overs, but this franchise has been noted for being especially disappointing. (I know I saw #5, but it left absolutely no impression, and #4 was dismal and awful.)

I’m definitely more of a Terminator fan than a Star Wars fan. That’s even more true when it comes to Star Trek. I’m willing to at least see the Star Wars movies, but I gave up on Trek ever since J.J. Abrams took over (although it had already gotten moribund).

For my money, Terminator: Dark Fate is a nice return to form and a pretty good action movie in its own right.

20 Comments | tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Cameron, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, science fiction, science fiction movies, SF, SF Movies, Tim Miller | posted in Movies, Sci-Fi Saturday

October 24, 2020

Chambers: Small Angry Planet

By Wyrd Smythe

Last week I read a science fiction novel I’d seen in a number of “must read” lists: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (2014), by Becky Chambers. The title certainly appealed to me, and, along with the book’s cover, it seemed like it might be fun, funny, or even zany.

I like to let things unfold, so I usually avoid trailers and reviews until after I’ve seen or read for myself. A few months ago I wrote about Axiom’s End, which I really liked. I was anticipating a similar ‘great new author’ experience. (I’ve also mentioned the S.L. Huang Cas Russell books. I kinda liked those, too, so I’m definitely feeling favorable towards new authors.)

Unfortunately, I didn’t like this book at all.

33 Comments | tags: Becky Chambers, Firefly, science fiction, science fiction books, SF, SF Books | posted in Books, Sci-Fi Saturday