Throwback Thursday: Prometheus Re-Watch

For the first time since the midnight release, I watched Prometheus. I loved the film the first time I watched it; I found it thought provoking and an interesting concept of how life began, and even a realistic representation of what science could evolve into.

In case you couldn’t guess, SPOILERS.

The only issue I had was that some things about the Engineers made no sense to me. Having the knowledge that this is a prequel to the Alien franchise (which I have never seen, sorry…) many parts of the story don’t seem to correlate to Alien. In the comfort of my own bed, my boyfriend and I discussed the movie in the context of other people’s reviews and in the relation to Alien (my boyfriend loves them). 

The Opening

I was told that people have different interpretations of opening scene. My first (and then second watch) made me think the opening was an Engineer left behind to create life. This was done by his body breaking down to his DNA, allowing for evolution to occur. Any other interpretation is lost on me. What else could even be occurring? He didn’t know what he was drinking? They didn’t plan on evolution or humanity? If you have a different idea, please explain it in a comment. It seems to me that reviews/viewers are overanalyzing the opening when it was fairly cut and dry.

Sexualization

If you are new to my blog, please note that I will almost always need to discuss the representation of women. In this movie, the women aren’t at all sexualized. 

The relationship between Elizabeth and Holloway isn’t shown by sex, it’s shown through mutual respect, shy smiles, and hand holding. Then when they have sex it’s a plot point. It isn’t done out of a need for the audience to see a naked woman. 

The women are also in space suits/outfits that are equal to the men’s. So often in science fiction, for example some of the outfits in the Mass Effect series, the women are in space suits/armor that has boob cupping pieces…which is in no way realistic. Female astronauts and females in the military do not have special women only uniforms, they have their size. 

However, Elizabeth Shaw is naked in the film again. I bet some readers thought I’d forget that.  But if you see a woman giving herself a C-section and think it is sexual, then you need to see a doctor. Your mind is fucked up. It might be strange to some women that this was a plot point but I think it shows her strength as a woman in a womanly way. Too often feminists want women to basically be men. Shaw experiences something that men and even most women understand but cannot comprehend. As David says, she has an amazing survival instinct. Most women would not survive the physical pain let alone the emotional pain she is experiencing. She’s infertile and her lover just died after impregnating her with a creepy baby. That’s a lot to take in.

In conclusion, I would rate Prometheus as 4 out of 5, losing points for the slight confusion it causes. 

Other things to note:

Weyland is Guy Pearce! WHAT!

What did David ask the Engineer? I need to know.

Also, so many problems would have been solved if everyone would just be nice to David. AND if they had given him more to do during the two years that everyone else just slept. Boredom and resentment is not good combination. In the words of my favorite Youtube celebrity Sassy Gay Friend, “Look at your life. Look at your choices.”

Film Friday: Pacific Rim Review

When brains collide it doesn't mean love.

Mild Spoilers. 

After seeing Pacific Rim my first reaction was that this film is the perfect children’s scifi film. Before you get offended, and tell me that Guillermo del Toro was trying to make a film for anime and monster loving adults, listen to my reasons. 

There was an article that claimed Pacific Rim is for the current generation, as Jurassic Park was for mine/ours. I found this to be completely true. The power of nature, the follies of human technology, and the will of humans to survive, these three traits describe both of these films. None of the three traits are characteristics found explicitly in children’s movies, but they are notable because as an adult, I expect everyone to die, I assume there will be making out/a sex scene, and I figure the action will take too long and be unrealistic. Most (no two children are the same) children, want the hero to survive and be awesome, they will groan at the kissing scenes, and they want action. Only action. Stop talking already and go kick some monster ass. Pacific Rim gives children what they want, but not in a way that assumes children are mindless. They use the three traits I listed for children because children understand these things. The science mattered, the way each scene was shot mattered, and the lives of the main characters were dangled in front of death’s door. This film will allow the nerdy children of the world to realize their nerdiness and fall in love with science fiction, then complain to their parents until they get a PS4, and yell when their favorite book is ruined by the movie industry. Children of the current generation needed this. I would say The Avengers and Pacific Rim opened the gateway to being a nerd, and a lifetime of awesome movies, comics, TV shows, and more. 

This isn’t to say I didn’t find fault in the movie. But most of this I attribute to newbie acting, and a lack of direction for the newbie actors in the writing. Was it a romance or a bromance between a man and woman? Why is Mako acting like she is in a soap opera? Why does she remind me of Mulan when she says “respect” and does that make me racist? Why do we need a Top Gun-esque rivalry? Why wasn’t Charlie Day’s character considered more of a hero? 

Bad acting aside, I enjoyed this movie completely. I want to take my 12 year old brother. He’s on the edge of nerdom. I’m gonna push him off that edge with Guillermo del Toro cheering me on. 

Pacific Rim deserves a 4 out of 5. But let me know what you think in the comments!

Trash Talk Tuesday: Review of The House of the Scorpion

"Very dark indeed is his majesty when he wants to be. 

When he was young he made a choice, 

like a tree does when it decides to grow one way or the other. 

He grew large and green until he shadowed over the whole forest, 

but most of his branches are twisted."

-Nancy Farmer, The House of the Scorpion

There are some children's books that I read and my brain screams "How is this for children!?" Some people argue that children aren't capable of grasping the concept they are reading. I don't agree with that. I believe that children understand the horrors and sadness they are reading/watching/hearing but they don't have the words yet to explain their grief. I thought about this a lot throughout the course of reading Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion.

I wish I had read this book as a child. It is a shocking and intense introduction to science fiction. I wanted to cry so many times throughout reading it. 

My only "trash talk" about this book is that I wouldn't call it feminist. The women were mostly bad mothers because they cared about political issues or evil or cute little girls who want to save kittens. Only Celia was a feminist character but even that could be argued. 

This was a great coming of age novel that dealt with too much for one child. Which is why I wanted to cry so often. I suggest this book for people who love science fiction and children's stories. You should also read it if you want to read a story about a character of color. 

The House of the Scorpion is about science, corruption, power, and what it means to be human. Strangely, it is both a celebration of the will to live and the acceptance of death. My overall score would be a 3.5.