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Movie Review: Prometheus (2012)

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 02:06:29 +0100

I love science fiction movies. From cheesy to thought provoking, from shoestring budgets to the Hollywood blockbusters, I'm always ready to watch. And if you add in some suspense or horror? I am on that in an instant.

Ridley Scott's "Prometheus", the prequel to the Alien franchise, should have been a hit with me. Robots, a deep space mission, undiscovered worlds, philosophical musings on god... what went wrong?

** WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD **

Scientists who aren't scientists
I don't expect scriptwriters to be experts in everything from anthropology to astrophysics but I do expect characters who are scientists to act like it. Just because the air has the right oxygen-nitrogen mix doesn't mean you should immediately remove your freaking helmet.

Alien wildlife, especially snakes, insects, and spiders? Don't touch it! Most children learn that before they reach their pre-teens. That leads nicely into...

Survival skills? Who needs 'em!
You do, if you're going to be running around on an alien world. Or hell, walking down the street to your local convenience store. Sure, the skill set for "alien planet" is a little different from "urban landscape" but these people were so lacking in common sense I doubt they could cross a street without being hit by a car. Bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, natural disaster, that's one thing. But purposefully placing yourself in danger for no other reason than a childish impatience? That's just stupid.

In space, no on can hear feminists scream
Also... why the &#@! is the very expensive automated medical equipment in the life-pod/ Ms. Vicker's quarters only programmed for men?! A device sophisticated enough to perform moderately complex surgeries can't handle the female reproductive system? You're telling me that in the future all spaceship crews are men? Or is it just that female lives are worth less in space? Ms. Vickers, who has every creature comfort possible in her life-raft, couldn't afford to spring for the upgrade? It was a kicker - as in, it kicked me right out of my suspension of disbelief.

Once bitten, twice stupid
One giant alien manages to kill several members of your crew and is barely stopped from launching a devastating attack on Earth. You're the only survivor (aside from your robot Yorick) and you happen to have an alien spaceship capable of interstellar travel. Instead of actually telling Earth what happened, you blast off to unknown territories because you have the burning need to ask the genocidal aliens "Why are you all so mean?".

Final Thoughts: Bored and Disappointed
When the only character you have any sympathy for was the unemotional robot, something's wrong with the writing. I didn't give a damn when any of the human characters died. It wasn't even surprising because it was usually due to their own stupidity.

I would have liked to have seen more discussion on the idea of the aliens as creators of life. Or really, any at all. How exactly did we jump from similar pictures of stars on cave walls to "they must have created us". An address and invitation, I can see that. It's even logical. But honestly, there's no evidence available to the characters that the aliens were anything other than visitors to Earth

As a standalone science fiction movie, it falls a little flat. As a prequel to a movie that relied on slowly mounting dread and introduced a generation to the concept of "body horror", it falls flat on its face - in a pile of dog poop.

Blog Update - Now with comments!

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 01:19:23 +0100

Quick update to the blog to allow comments. Try it out!

Discord Custom on Ebay

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 07:57:04 +0100

When ever I sell a piece of art, there is always a strange mix of sorrow and pride.  I imagine it's much like the emotions a parent goes through when sending a child out into the world.  I don't want to let it go but that's what it was made for - to go out an enrich another's life.

This time, it's my Discord custom G3 "pony".  He was made to be sold but still, there is a part of me that wants to keep him.  I'm really happy with the work I've done on him, but it's one thing to be proud of my work and quite another to receive such praise from others.  Thanks, everyone on DeviantArt, My Little Pony Arena, and the My Little Pony Trading Post for commenting.  I'll treasure those long after Discord has found a new home.

But now it's time for me to get ready to say goodbye to Discord.  He's up for auction on ebay with 9 days left for some lucky person to take him home.

Ebay - Discord listing

WIP: G3 Discord -- Grand Finale!

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 02:38:08 +0100

Ladies and gentlemen, ponies and bronies, fillies and foals of all ages! I am proud to present to you the Duke of Disharmony, the Bard of Bedlam, the guy who puts the "demon" in Pandemonium....

DISCORD!

Thanks everyone for coming along on this little creative journey. I hope everyone has had nearly as much fun as I have. Your comments brought a smile to my face and I think that's reflected in the sculpting and painting of Discord.

Maybe we'll do this again sometime. I'm always up for suggestions of what my next project should be. Until then, <3 <3 <3

WIP: G3 Discord - Part 3 -- Shake your tail feathers!

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 02:37:56 +0100

We're nearing the end of the sculpting portion of our little journey.

Here, I've finished the legs. Eagle Claw has wrinkled texture up the leg and Dragon foot has scales all the way to the hip. I've also added a break between the head and the rest of the body. And the tail wire has been shaped, inserted, and secured.

To save on more expensive supplies, the tail was given a filling of air dry clay before being coated in Apoxie. The wings are also attached at this point. I placed them with a few drops of superglue then used Apoxie to blend them into the body.

If you're wondering why I've jumped the gun here and started painting? It helps me to locate rough areas that need to be sanded. Some areas will be smoothed out by the layers of paint, but others require sandpaper. It may sound painful but Discord really appreciates the extreme exfoliation! His skin is so silky smooth afterwards.

Tail spines! Each spine was shaped and allowed to dry before getting a brisk sanding along the bottom edge and the superglue treatment. Superglue is only a temporary solution, to hold the spines in place while a coil of Apoxie is used to make them a permanent part of the tail.

Facial hair, a short mane, and a little plastic surgery to his nose to fill in some teeth marks, makes Discord a handsome boy.

WIP: G3 Discord - Part 2 -- 1001 Uses for a Headless Pony

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 02:37:47 +0100

I've seen so many beautiful wings on custom ponies. But Discord doesn't need epic sweeping wings. No wing envy here, ponies and bronies. Discord is just fine with his little mismatched wings.

So, to mold my wings, I needed something small and curved. I thought about hunting down my foam stress ball but I was feeling lazy. You know what else is small and curved?

PONY BUTT!

While those were setting up, I was free to go back to giving the Lord of Chaos a bit more personality.

If I'm working on his head, I might as well go onto his horns, right? That brings us to another use for a headless pony - propping things up!

You can also see that I've started detailing his feet. Goat leg has received a layer of "hair" above the hoof, Eagle claw has wrinkled toes and Dragon foot has it's first layers of scales. Not seen is Lion paw, hiding behind Eagle claw. He's a little shy... a cowardly lion, perhaps?

WIP: G3 Discord

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 02:37:39 +0100

I've got several ponies in progress at all times, it seems. Right now, I've got a pair of superheroes who are waiting for a hair shipment, a gryphon who needs wings and claws, and a carousel pony I'm considering doing sculpted hair but haven't had the proper inspiration for yet.

With so many ponies in various states, why would I ever think of starting up another?

Because it's Discord, of course! And because I plan to document his construction from start to finish. Ready? Let's go!

I started with a G3 Rainbow Dash whose ears had been nearly chewed off. Weeks ago, I cut off the ears and sealed the holes with Apoxie. I didn't have a clear plan for what she would become - I was thinking dragon - but I put her aside until just last night.

When I was struck by inspiration, I took Dashie and cut her in half. Ouch! But it's for a good cause, I promise. Discord needs a long, slinky body.

I filled him up with a thick coil of air dry clay, giving him a nice curve. A paint bottle was used to support the underbelly while it dried, although I took care to make sure he was balanced and could stand on his own four feet.

Here he is with a layer of Apoxie over the dried clay. (the clay is less expensive than the Apoxie so it makes good filler) I've also given him some ears and the cloven hoof of his goat leg.

Next, I'll be adding more Apoxie to the belly to smooth out the lumps and blend it more naturally into the plastic, working on his lion paw, and shaping and attaching the tail. Stay tuned!