An Ode To Star Wars: TIE Fighter

My Workout For Tuesday January 07

I earned 614 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Reverse Crunch +53 pts

15 reps (+19 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

12 reps (+15 pts)

Plank +30 pts

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Side Plank +42 pts

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

Chin-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

5 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +165 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

30 lb x 8 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 7 reps (+40 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +208 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+55 pts)

40 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

40 lb x 7 reps (+51 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +98 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

20 lb x 8 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 7 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 5 reps (+22 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

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My Workout For Sunday January 12

I earned 877 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Cycling (stationary) +70 pts

0:10:00 || 2.7 mi || 7 % (+70 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

7 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Chin-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

5 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +169 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

25 lb x 12 reps (+42 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +199 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

35 lb x 12 reps (+52 pts)

35 lb x 9 reps (+50 pts)

35 lb x 7 reps (+48 pts)

Barbell Squat +185 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+43 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+48 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+48 pts)

Romanian Deadlift +149 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+34 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+36 pts)

65 lb x 12 reps (+39 pts)

75 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Upright Barbell Row +87 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+23 pts)

55 lb x 10 reps (+22 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

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La La Land Review

La La Land Review

Automobiles are jammed in traffic on an exit ramp in Los Angeles in a sunny winter. Everyone is restless and impatient. One person breaks out in song, then another, and one by one most of those stuck in traffic sing and dance, showing off vivid pigments of blue, red, green, and yellow. As the song goes it’s “Another Day of Sun.” Cue titles. This is the beginning of La La Land, an homage to 1940s…

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The Amazing Spider-Man Review

    It's been ten years since Sam Raimi unleashed his vision of the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man onto global audiences.   With dry wit, tight action, impressive structure, and soulful acting, Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy became the definition of the comic-book superhero film series for the 21st cetury, with Spider-Man 2 being the golden standard alongside Superman: The Movie for what the genre can and should be.     The series' importance carried through even after the release of Christopher Nolan's masterful and game-changing Batman tale, The Dark Knight.  While Nolan focused on rooting superhero mythology into an image of the current state of the world, Raimi followed the path of the genre as a means of escape, showing that both approaches can exist with equal success.      The third Spider-Man film failed to catch a fire among audiences, meaning that a new story from a new perspective was wanted.  Enter Marc Webb, director of (500) Days of Summer, to take the reins of Spider-Man and tell his own story of the hero from the beginning with The Amazing Spider-Man.     The trajectory of the beginning hits all of the basic notes of the origin story in the previous series' first film.   Peter Parker is a geeky New York high school student who doesn't fit in.  He lives with his Uncle Ben and Aunt May, inadvertently wanders near a secret project that leads to a radioactive spider biting him and giving him superpowers.  At first, he struggles to get comfortable with his abilities, but a personal tragedy brings him perspective and a raison d'etre, and a threat to New York City shows him the man he needs to be.     With there being only ten years separating the previous series' first film with this one, it could have been either lazy or boring to cover a lot of the similar ground.  Then why does it feel different?     1.) We are shown who Peter's parents are and, to a degree, why they left them in Ben and May's care.  This has a profound effect on Peter, showing why he is so intelligent, has a chip on his shoulders, and almost prefers not to fit in with his classmates.     2.) The love interest is Gwen Stacy, a geeky fellow student who works as an intern at Oscorp, the place where Peter's father's colleague, Dr. Curt Connors does research, and the place where Peter eventually gets his powers.     3.) The webbing he shoots is man-made, not an organic effect from the bite.  This emphasizes his intelligence and well as provides a sense of danger in a couple scenes.     4.) Spider-Man is seen as a vigilante more than a hero.  The police, led by Captain Stacy, want to lock him up as a criminal due to his outside-the-law crime-fighting activities.     5.) The criminal who caused Peter's personal tragedy isn't caught.  This gives Peter a sense of failure that he carries throughout his endeavors, knowing that what happened to him could easily happen to someone else.     These changes, as well as other stylistic choices, all keep the film fresh and engrossing, allowing the audience to see it as its own entity without reminding them of the previous origin story.  The comic-book universe has several storylines for one character that play out, some in parallel with each other, and this is something that could be difficult to accept on film. Credit must be given to everyone working on the film for trusting the audience to give the film its own chance.     The script, written by James Vanderbilt, Alvin Sargent, and Harry Potter alum Steve Kloves, is tight, having a constant sense of propulsion while allowing the audience to delve deep enough into the characters to want to join in on the ride.  It tries to balance the grittiness and reality of Nolan's Batman series with the dry wit and fun of Raimi's Spider-Man series, and, for the most part, works well.     The main actors shine thoroughly.  Andrew Garfield has immense talent, as his work in The Social Network and Never Let Me Go shows, but it is still a surprise how natural a fit he is as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  He gives Peter the arrogance, heart, humor, doubt, and strength that fits perfectly for this film.  Garfield understood how to interpret Peter in this universe, and his interpretation is wonderful.     Emma Stone comes off as strong, snarky, tender, and sexy as Gwen Stacy.  Gwen's personality could take any man on, but she lets her guard down with Peter, and the tender moments with Peter are a sight to behold.  Her chemistry with Garfield is natural and flawless.  Even if the rest of the film was terrible, every scene with Stone and Garfield together would still make it worth watching.     Rhys Ifans as Dr. Connors is a conflicted man struggling with keeping a secret from Peter about his parents' whereabouts and with a formula that gives him his arm back but at the cost of becoming The Lizard.  Ifans' filmography shows his range, and he maintains the humanity of Connors when the script sometimes forces him into the Lizard's psyche completely.     The supporting roles work as well as they need to, but some are better than others.  Martin Sheen takes his role in Wall Street and focuses more on how he manages home life, making Uncle Ben the father figure we love and respect.  Sally Field isn't given enough time with Garfield to develop the connection they need, but her Aunt May is still welcoming.  C. Thomas Howell is a great embodiment of how the world sees Spider-Man.  Irrfan Khan plays a one-note character, but as one of Dr. Connors' bosses, he has plenty of menace.     However, of the supporting roles, Dennis Leary is the standout as Captain Stacy, Gwen's father.  His acting chops were honed on his show Rescue Me, and he takes the abrasiveness and New York pride of Tommy Gavin and files it down to a more sensitive, fatherly base.  He feels threatened by Spider-Man as the superhero is doing the job that the police are supposed to do.  This tension carries through the dinner with his family and Peter as a guest, and when he sees Spider-Man's true identity, he understands that while he may not agree with the concept of Spider-Man, he knows that the hero is an asset to the city and not a hindrance.  Leary is superb as the moral center of the film.     Director Marc Webb started out with music videos and short films before his impressive feature debut, (500) Days of Summer.  That film showed how comfortable he is with a good script and great actors, and that carries through here.  The best moments are the smaller ones, not only the scenes between Peter and Gwen but also when Spider-Man rescues a child from a threatened vehicle, when Ben and Peter are together, when Peter begins to get comfortable with the new powers, when Spider-Man is in full smart-ass mode, and when Spider-Man goes to the sewer to pursue the Lizard.  Webb understands the power of a delicate touch, and when he applies that touch, the film reaches the greatness of Spider-Man 2.     However, there are enough flaws that keep it from reaching those levels consistently.     First, the construct of the villain doesn't work as well as it should.  The design of the Lizard is too artificial, and when the Lizard starts talking about how he wants to create perfect beings, it's jarring because of how Dr. Connors was never wanting that to begin with.  The Lizard is an interesting villain in the comics, but he doesn't fit with the grittiness of the film.     The post-credit scene is also disconcerting because it introduces an unnamed figure and randomly expands the Parker's parents storyline and Oscorp into the sequel.  It takes away from the film holding up as its own entity, but at least it allows for future films to give this one some additional meaning.     The music by James Horner is faceless.  While Danny Elfman's work in the previous series didn't have a strong theme, it fit the film better than this score does this film.  Horner knows how to up the drama, but nothing from the music is memorable.     The Amazing Spider-Man is not the greatest Spider-Man film ever made, but it matches the first film in the previous series in quality, and the trajectory of the story along with the acting and directing makes me excited to see where this series goes next, and that is most important. Movie Rating: 8/10 The action is good, the drama even better.  The villain isn't a good fit, but this film doesn't skimp on excitement. Film Rating: 8/10 The sense of loss, doubt, responsibility, and love carries the film effortlessly, and the scenes with Gwen and Peter together are perfectly done. Comic-Book Superhero Film Rating: 8/10 It tries to balance Nolan's grittiness with Raimi's sense of fun, and while it doesn't work completely, it's a great example of how good the genre can be. Spider-Man Film Rating: 8.5/10 It may not be as fun as Raimi's series, but it has more heart and as much depth, and it's as good as the first film in that series.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Review

    The hype and anticipation of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace gave way soon after May 19, 1999 to frustration and disappointment.  What could have been the revitalization of a dormant series instead was a cumbersome movie mired in boring politics, forced performances, ruined mythology, and distant action - a far cry from what Star Wars is.  The main question from the fanbase now was "Is the worst over?  Does it get better from here?"     On May 16, 2002, George Lucas provided a response for the fans with the release of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones: "Yes.  No.  Maybe?"     Set ten years after the the events of Episode I, Episode II begins with an attack on Padme Amidala, now a Senator representing Naboo in the Galactic Republic Senate.  This attack results in the Jedi Council calling on Obi-Wan Kenobi, now a Jedi Knight, and his padawan Anakin Skywalker to act as her temporary bodyguards while they find out who was behind the attack.  A pursuit of the assassin eventually leads Obi-Wan to the planet Kamino, a planet that has been contracted to create a clone army for the Republic to fight the Trade Federation, now in alliance with fallen Jedi Master Count Dooku.  The pursuit also forces Padme to flee to Naboo with Anakin as her bodyguard.  Their time together brings about feelings between the two and leads Anakin to reunite with is mother on Tatooine.  Everything comes to a head on the planet Geonosis, with Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan captured and the new clone army and the Trade Federation clashing in the first major battle of the Clone Wars.     Like Episode I paralleling the original Star Wars, Episode II parallels The Empire Strikes Back - The heroes are split apart, two of the heroes develop feelings, one of the heroes goes on a discovery quest, the central character gets tempted by the Dark Side of the Force and loses an arm, and the ending, one with significant complications, sets up the pieces for the next film.  However, like Episode I, the results are by-the-numbers instead of inspired.     All of the actors struggle to make the material work again, but unlike the last film, there are improvements.  The highlight of the actors is Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  His emulation of Sir Alec Guinness is impressive, making the only earned connection of this film to the original trilogy.  Samuel L. Jackson plays Samuel L. Jackson, but he adds some fun to the film's second half that the first film lacked.  Newcomer Christopher Lee has more menace and stature as Count Dooku than Darth Maul had all of Episode I, making him at least a more thrilling villain.     However, Natalie Portman and newcomer Hayden Christensen have no chemistry together as Padme and Anakin, making every scene they have together an endurance test.  Portman can do fragile and tender, but her line reading lacks passion.  Christensen comes off whiny and helpless, never inhabiting Anakin the way the audience would have imagined.  He is outclassed by everyone else in the film.     The music by John Williams is more uninspired this time around.  It may well represent his worst work in a Star Wars film - the love theme is a partial rip-off of his work on Hook, and other than random revivals of previous pieces, there are no memorable themes or motifs like in the other films.  The cinematography by David Tattersall is just as faceless as before.  The visual effects are an improvement over Episode I, but the universe looks too clean and crisp to feel real, especially the overly sterile and artificial representation of the clone planet of Kamino.     Again, though, these aren't the main problems.  George Lucas makes the same mistakes he made in the previous film as screenwriter and director.      The introduction to the film tries to provide excitement with the assassination attempt, but all of it plays too obvious and poorly sets up the instability in the galaxy.  Worse, it yields to more of the political discourse that sunk Episode I before it got started.  Once the heroes arrive, it becomes obvious how the trajectory of the film will go.  Instead of anticipating where the film will go next, the audience only anticipates when the film will end.     The love story is forced and inert, becoming unintentionally funny in its moments of awfulness.  The audience knows Anakin and Padme will fall in love because there is no other significant female character with whom Anakin is emotionally close.  The worst scene of the film, and arguably the worst scene in the film series, features the two of them fighting with their "developing" feelings for each other near a fireplace.  It's as if Lucas wanted to emphasize how they had a fiery passion for each other that they couldn't control but couldn't get the actors to do it themselves.  This scene and this plot thread is just a representation of an ongoing problem with the prequels - the characters are there to serve the plot, not the other way around.     The protracted third act on Geonosis is awkwardly structured.  It begins with a somewhat inspired survival fight within a coliseum - a way to one-up the podrace sequence from Episode I, though unsuccessfully.  It becomes a visual spectacular once the Jedi arrive and become warriors.  Once Yoda and the clones arrive, though, the fun vanishes and the boredome commences.  The majority of this portion are clones fighting robots - beings with which the audience has no emotional connection. This is the closest Lucas comes to being Michael Bay as he indulges in the visuals without once pondering what it all means.     However, the saving grace of the third act is the lightsaber duel toward the end of this sequence.  Although it is as stylized, choreographed, and overdone as the duel from Episode I - the red and blue lighting and Anakin losing his arm especially - the focus is solely on the duelists and nothing else.  We care about the duelists.  We want to see what happens next.  The reward for this anticipation - the introduction of Yoda the master fighter.  It's the most thrilling sequence of the film, full of visual splendor.  However, in the grand scheme of the series, it's a double-edged sword - it may be exciting, but instead of the simple pleasure of an old Muppet walking around with a cane waxing poetic about the Force, it takes every ounce of visual effects and acrobatics to create the excitement.     This is indicative of the prequels in general.  Instead of  taking, in the words of Han Solo, "simple tricks and nonsense," George Lucas thinks it will take the the most complex sequences to make the film thrilling.  Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones is two steps forward, two steps back for the series - it's more genuinely exciting, but more emotionally distant. Blu-Ray Observations Compared to Episode I, the Blu-Ray presentation is a significant improvement.  The visuals are sharp, but there is a softness to the image that can't be avoided.  Part of the problem is that this was the first major film shot and released completely digitally.  The technology was still in the early stages, and the Blu-Ray shows it clearly.  The contrast is a bit off as well, especially in the scenes in Kamino.  The audio is as excellent as all of the other discs, especially the reference quality of the seismic charges.  Overall, the presentation of Episode II is good but not great. Movie Rating: 5/10 Exposition dominates the proceedings, and the effects are still too sterile.  However, the surprising focus during the duel yields to the most exciting scene in the film. Film Rating: 2/10 All of the previous issues are still prevalent, and the love story is additionally terrible due to the lack of chemistry between two leads involved in that story.  Star Wars Film Rating: 4/10 It tries and fails gloriously to parallel The Empire Strikes Back, but Ewan McGregor's emulation of Sir Alec Guiness and the lightsaber duel in the third act are highlights of what otherwise is another frustrating installment in the series. Blu-Ray Rating: 7/10 Much better than Episode I but the flaws of 2002 digital film transferring are apparent.  The audio is fantastic, especially the seismic charges.

My Workout For Friday February 07

I earned 783 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Upright Barbell Row +92 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 8 reps (+23 pts)

Dumbbell Shrug +80 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+19 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

45 lb x 10 reps (+21 pts)

Reverse Crunch +90 pts

20 reps (+26 pts)

18 reps (+23 pts)

17 reps (+22 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

Plank +22 pts

35 sec (+12 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +102 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 10 reps (+27 pts)

25 lb x 7 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 5 reps (+23 pts)

Side Plank +38 pts

30 sec (+21 pts)

25 sec (+17 pts)

Pull-Up +26 pts

1 reps (+13 pts)

1 reps (+13 pts)

Not one complete one, but 8 of them getting my chin just at the bottom of the bar. I am getting closer...

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Bent Over Barbell Row +125 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+28 pts)

85 lb x 12 reps (+32 pts)

95 lb x 10 reps (+33 pts)

95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)

Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift +206 pts

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

75 lb x 12 reps (+53 pts)

85 lb x 9 reps (+54 pts)

85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

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The endeavor continues...

As of last night, I've begun writing my critique of Star Wars. It'll be some time before it's ready, but be prepared for amazing news...

Carrie Fisher’s legacy will never be forgotten. 

My Workout For Thursday January 30

I earned 794 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Barbell Deadlift +210 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

85 lb x 10 reps (+55 pts)

85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +10 pts

1 reps (+2 pts)

12 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

7 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 100 lb (+2 pts)

Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press +175 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+44 pts)

20 lb x 12 reps (+47 pts)

25 lb x 7 reps (+46 pts)

25 lb x 4 reps (+38 pts)

Standing Calf Raises +18 pts

12 reps || weighted || 65 lb (+4 pts)

12 reps || weighted || 85 lb (+5 pts)

12 reps || weighted || 95 lb (+5 pts)

10 reps || weighted || 105 lb (+4 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +155 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

40 lb x 12 reps (+56 pts)

45 lb x 5 reps (+50 pts)

Tried to do a fourth set, but my body couldn't push through. Next time...

Barbell Squat +224 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

85 lb x 12 reps (+57 pts)

95 lb x 10 reps (+59 pts)

95 lb x 10 reps (+59 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!

My Workout For Friday January 17

I earned 840 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Moving boxes +840 pts

5:00:00 || Easy (+600 pts)

2:00:00 || Easy (+240 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

Now available for free on both iPhone and Android!