Nerd News: UK University Bans Throwing of Mortarboards at Graduation

Why? Because some people think it's a health hazard. You have got to be kidding me! Blurb:

The move to abandon the tradition at Anglia Ruskin University was described as "health and safety gone mad" by student organisations.

The university, which has campuses at Cambridge and Chelmsford, said the action had been taken because a mortar board had injured a graduating student several years ago.

The student had to be taken to hospital for stitches after he was struck in the face. The incident is the only mortar board inflicted injury to have been recorded by the university.

A statement on the university website said: "It is requested that graduates do not throw the hat up into the air, as this not only causes damage to the hats, but can also cause injury if the corner of the hat hits the graduate or others who may be nearby."

Frankie Whiffen, the Student Union President, branded the university authorities "anti-fun, health and safety killjoys" adding: "We support university policies but it sounds like health and safety gone mad.

"It's an important tradition, and who is going to go round stopping it anyway - the hat police?

"It's outrageous that decades of tradition should be shelved because big brother is worried a group of grown adults can't catch a hat properly."

He added: "It's ridiculous and puts a dampener on the graduates' big day."

Taiwan and China Talks: Wu Hu?

I stole the title and the story from blogfriend Dignified Rant, who has a very interesting post about talks between Hu Jintao and the KMT, starting with KMT bigshot Wu Poh-Hsiung.

I'm trying to be objective here, but frankly my knee-jerk reaction is deep cynicism and the urge to yell for caution. I'm with Brian on this one in wondering if Beijing's lulling Taiwan into a false sense of security.

As I've said before, it's time to watch Ma and the KMT very, very carefully. I don't trust those guys any farther than I can throw them, and I am not at all convinced that they will hold the line against any encroachment on Taiwanese sovereignty.

UPDATE: View From Taiwan opines that Wu has sold out Taiwan. Are we really looking at a KMT-CCP platform/alliance? Two beacons of democracy, eh? The blood runs cold.

A League of Legitimate Democracies

You know, forming a league of legitimate democracies isn't a new or original idea, but it's actually a good idea. A while back, I'd said to a colleague that we ought to have such a thing as a counterweight to the UN.

Of course, I can see various stumbling blocks -- like what to do when and if Taiwan (a legitimate democracy) wants to join up, or what to do about Israel.

Any thoughts?

UPDATE: Dignified Rant has some feedback and a difference of opinion. I absolutely see his points, though I don't think the UN can really be reformed in any meaningful way. As for the idea that America itself is the actual counterweight to the UN, that is all too true. I had thought, perhaps foolishly, that in a league of democracies, there might be a chance to have a less openly hostile environment.

Movie Review Review: Friends, Feedback, and Further Thoughts on “Iron Man”

Thinking about identity and keeping up appearances. Aren't we all?

Recently both the Sibling and I (in separate cities) took friends to see “Iron Man.” Both sets of buddies enjoyed the movie immensely, and I thought this might be a good time to step back and look at it again. After all, a reviewer can change her mind after a repeat viewing, or perhaps see things she missed the first time around. The Sibling also says that one mark of a really good movie is its replay value, and it’s true. Really good movies you can watch over and over; just look at our DVD collections. We can’t wait to get “Iron Man” on DVD.

Anyway, for reviews it’s always nice to have the input of other movie fans too. I went back to the theater with some dear friends from college as a “girls’ night out.” (And yes, this gaggle of young women decided to go see a blockbuster ‘boys’ club’ action flick – so put that in your pipe and smoke it, Manohla Dargis. In fact, the theater was about evenly populated with both guys and girls, so there.)

On a repeat showing, I have to say that my original review stands. Here are a few more thoughts from my friends, the Sibling (to whom I just gave the soundtrack), and me too. So here we go.

A Girl Appreciates a Man – or Movie – That Can Make Her Laugh

Everyone caught onto the essential but hard-to-define fun factor. There’s a lot of laughter in the movie, and by laughter, I mean the good kind. The scriptwriters and director Jon Favreau have created a film with a vibrant sense of fun and a deft, light touch. Plus it’s nice to hear friends chortling in the darkness as we pass popcorn around.

A huge part of this is the script. It’s smart, sharp, and witty, filled with snappy dialogue and memorably playful lines, and – thank goodness – it doesn’t waste our time with too much dull, plodding exposition, overwrought origin stories a la Spider-Man, or pseudo-philosophical-existential whining. The script is often a fencing match between characters, only with words instead of foils. There’s a priceless exchange between Stark and Rhodey on an airplane, for instance, and between Pepper and Stark about shoelaces.

The writers have created Stark as someone who seems to be congenitally, incorrigibly incapable of not making smart-aleck comments or hilarious, lightning-fast, deadpan quips. (I caught one this time that I had missed before, and it was so naughty it made me giggle. Look for it in the scene when Stark’s robots are attempting to disassemble his exoskeleton while he’s still in it. Oh, my!) Downey, whose comic timing is spot-on, is like the class clown whom the instructor can’t scold because she’s too busy laughing helplessly – believe me, I know.

Oh, and the Sibling would like you to know that he absolutely loves the bit about the cheeseburger. “Cheeseburger first.” Priorities, man!

The Devil Is In the Details

I hadn’t realized how rich the details were – and they’re so easy to miss in all the action. But here are a few.

~The Sibling points out that on Stark’s workshop table, you can see the Captain America insignia. It’s in the form of a paperweight or something like that. But the point is that right there is a comic book reference. The Sibling “geeked out” and got all excited. Fanboy.

~In the Afghan caves, you can see piles of food aid in large bags. The best chance to see this is in the parting scene between Stark and Yinsen (Shaun Toub). The labeling on the bags actually reads that the food is the gift of the American people and that it’s not be sold – what you see on US food aid sent overseas to troubled areas of the world. So think about it: humanitarian supplies have ended up in the hands of terrorists and evildoers instead of people who really need it. Is this a not-so-subtle shot at corruption and inefficiency in international agencies? Was I the only person who thought about stuff like the UN’s Oil for Food scandal?

~If it looks like the BBC, sounds like the BBC, whines like the BBC, and peddles doom and gloom like the BBC . . . Well, chances are, it’s the BBC – specifically, BBC News. Check out the news report Stark’s watching on TV when he finds out about Gulmira’s weapons cache. The film’s news has no logo on it, but the reporting’s tone and content basically shriek out “I’m BBC!” Come on, there is such a thing as “BBC-speak,” and no news outfit on the planet is as good as the BBC for trafficking in human misery and tear-jerking prognostications of total disaster.

~From the Sibling and his technophile friends: “What the heck is Tony Stark doing using Dell servers? Should he be using, like, a supercomputer?” It’s called product placement, bud. And I hadn’t even noticed the Dell computers in the movie. To the Sibling: YOU COMPUTER GEEK YOU.

Pepper Potts’ Fancy Footwear

Remember my comment in the first review about Pepper’s shoes? As the ladies and I were talking after the film, my friend Alessandra spontaneously declared: “There’s no way Pepper Potts could run in those ridiculous shoes.”

I burst out laughing. The issue of shoes maybe is some kind of female instinct. We KNEW, because at various times we’ve all had to wear beautiful but totally impractical shoes. Pepper’s teetering heels look like they’re four inches high or more, and I guarantee you that if I wore them, I might look fantastic, but I’d be utterly immobilized. And then I’d need big-time orthopedic surgery.

“What’s the Air Force doing driving Humvees in the desert?!”

This was the comment from a friend with a military background. Implied in that too was the idea that hey, somebody else should be doing that desert driving – and that’s the Army. I hadn’t a clue, but my buddy pointed out a number of things; she should get hired as a consultant on the next film with a military presence!

~The female soldier driving Stark’s Humvee identified herself as an “airman.”

~The uniforms weren’t those currently being worn by the US Army.

~Despite all that, the name “1^st Cav” was printed on the Humvees. (Need a refresher on who the First Cavalry Division is? Yes, they’re ARMY.)

~“Those are Humvees we have in the States, not the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

~“If someone’s shooting at you, why would you get out of your armored vehicle?” (Because otherwise Stark wouldn’t end up in his sticky situation? It’s a movie, after all.)

Pet Robots

The ladies were intrigued by Stark’s little pet robots – especially the overly enthusiastic fire-extinguisher-bot. There’s also a rather oddly touching moment with another little ’bot that wins the praise “Good boy.” Not quite R2-D2, but all this makes me want to rush off and see the new Disney-Pixar film “Wall-E” as soon as it opens – its robot star is going to be adorably cute. But I digress.

We’ve Found the Solution for Our Dependence on Foreign Oil! Or Not.

Now I hadn’t thought about this per se, but gentle reader Don did. I give you his comment:

. . . that miniature reactor was pretty cool tech and apt to lead to a lot of great technologies both civilian AND military, possibly even medical.

Think of that baby powering a car, Maddie! No more stupid corn ethanol, no more gas pumps, just seal off the Middle East and watch the mullahs starve as nobody wants their frigging oil anymore.

By George, he’s right! That would be pretty awesome. *grin* Well, I’ve long been an advocate for increasing research and development, for firing up the tech sector, showering down
incentives, and turning the geeks loose to find alternative solutions . . . ! We’ve a lot more potential there than in a million Kyoto Treaties or Al Gore sermons or ethanol subsidy boondoggles. I’ll tell you this now: I have more faith in tech geeks in R&D than in politicians and activists.

Glorious Geek Joy and Tech Lust

OK, this is especially for the Sibling and me, so if you’re not mad about technology, computer wizardry, and the delights of being a brainiac geek or nerd, you don’t have to read this! I’ve tried explaining this, but maybe it just doesn’t make much sense unless you are also a technophile. Anyway, part of why we love this film is its sheer mind-blowing, breathtaking technical wizardry and enthusiastic delight in techno-toys, engineering, and computers. When the Sib and I first saw Stark’s awesome basement workshop, I thought we were going to pass out right then and there. Come on, 3-D virtual rendering, pet robots, Jarvis the AI, and a million shiny cool doo-dads, doohickeys and gadgets! We’re suffering from tech lust. And what’s the Iron Man suit if not the ultimate tech-toy? Heck, you can even use your cellphone hands-free in the darn thing!

That’s another thing too. For us, just watching Stark make the suit through trial and error was one of the best parts of the entire movie. You have to realize that the Sibling and I were always on the science, computing, and tech teams in high school; we used to participate in all kinds of science competitions from Odyssey of the Mind to Science Olympiad to software programming contests and more. I didn’t go to my senior prom because I was at a national science competition with my friends. That was the sort of nerdy, geeky, but delightful and brainy life the Sibling and I shared with our school friends; nowadays I’m just a fan and amateur enthusiast of science and technology (I decided to be a PhD doctor instead of a medical one – do you really want someone like me operating on you?), but the Sib is a professional computer expert. Tech lust is in our blood; our relatives include engineers aplenty. We just LOVE tech stuff. The movie resonated with us on a very personal level—hence the ridiculously rapturous response. Stark takes what the Sib and I love – and makes it so much cooler. The whole thing is some kind of glorious geek fantasy. Oh, and when Stark first went flying outside in his exoskeleton, that was too cool for words – the moviemakers did very well in creating a sequence that captured the thrill of figuring out that wow, you can FLY at super speed. Stark whooping and laughing with delight in his helmet was a great image. What a rush, man. We’re green with envy!

And, yes, I guess you can say that the Sib and I are fans of Tony Stark for the sake of his brains. As the Sib said admiringly, “He’s an inventor. A genius inventor.” I’m taken with the whole idea of using your brains; the entire business in the Afghan caves, with Stark MacGyvering his way out, was a great sequence. Add up all the elements: brains, brawn, humor, and butt-kicking tech—what a potent cocktail. I quote another critic noting that Stark doesn’t have any superpowers in himself, really: “his heroism is all handicraft, elbow grease and applied intelligence.” The result is absolute, unashamed brainy geek joy over the power of creativity, inventiveness, intelligence, and technical brilliance. Besides, (girl-talk here), smart is attractive. And as Alessandra added, “That suit is HOT.” Mmm, you can say that again.

Here’s some Geek Joy and Tech Lust for everybody. Heck, yeah.

Political Rorschach Test

This flick seems to be different things to different people – or at least, people seem to see their own political persuasions reflected in it. I’m only going to say this: I’ve read reviews identifying the movie as both pro-war and anti-war, pro-conservative and pro-liberal, and I think this is all great. Why? Because it means that the moviemakers haven’t overwhelmed the film with any one particular, obvious, beat-you-over-the-head bias. It’s probably too much to hope that the overwhelmingly leftist Hollywood would make movies actually sympathetic to conservative or traditional values and viewpoints, so it’s nice to get a film that doesn’t go around actively stomping on them, blatantly bashing America and the military, and/or inserting heavy-handed political commentary. I might be (to some people, anyway) an evil campus subversive reactionary, but I still want entertainment, not sanctimonious lectures, when I go to the cinema. Really, if you take this film overall, it’s kind of a centrist film. It’s there to have a good time, and it wants you to have a good time too.

I have to say this, though. I don’t think the post-Afghanistan Stark is really as much a liberal peacenik as some people think he becomes. Sure, in a knee-jerk, impulsive decision, he wants to shut down weapons manufacturing at Stark Industries when he comes home. But is anybody an actual pacifist peacenik if he personally dons a weaponized robotic exoskeleton to go unleash deadly force on terrorists? Stark’s self-imposed (and totally unilateral) mission to Gulmira is, if anything, reminiscent of an entirely opposite perspective: he identifies hostiles and civilians in clear terms (no moral ambiguity or moral equivalence there), doesn’t even try to talk to (much less negotiate with) the hostiles, and dispatches them without hesitation. Then he just as decisively disarms the remaining terrorists by blowing up their weapons supplies (and he later tells Rhodey, proxy for the US military, “Looks like somebody did your job for you”). Hm.

I don’t want to get into a big digressionary discussion about the use of force or the role of arms, but here’s a thought: both in the Gulmira incident and Stark’s captivity sequence, it’s clear that there is a time and place for the use of force. Stark and Yinsen, no dummies, both know that their captors aren’t to be trusted.

A related thought is about Stark and his weapons manufacturing. I’ve heard some critics call him a scion of the leftist-bogeyman “military-industrial complex” and/or an unscrupulous arms dealer and profiteer who doesn’t care where his products end up. Is he really just churning out weapons willy-nilly to the highest bidder? I just don’t think so. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be so upset to see his weapons end up in the wrong hands. The whole point to his “epiphany” is that he discovers that, without his knowledge or approval, Stark weapons are in the possession of the bad guys – and that those weapons are being used against the wrong people. There is one short but important segment where the usually-flippant Stark agonizes that his weapons are now being used against American troops, the very people he meant those arms to protect and defend. He actually uses the words “protect and defend” – that’s pretty significant. Interestingly, Stark doesn’t moan about being shredded by his own weapons as much as he talks about how other people are affected.

As for his entire guilt trip, I think it’s a littlest bit overblown (since it was really Obadiah Stane who was responsible for the arms shipments), but hey, it’s for the plot, right? Thank goodness guilt soon turns into action, not moping and self-flagellation.

In the end, the whole angle about armaments and foreign involvement isn’t the most important thing going on in the flick. This subplot disappears as soon as we figure out that Stane is the one whose machinations are wreaking havoc. Cue the Iron Monger-versus-Iron Man throwdown! Yeah, baby! (Who cares if it’s an echo of every clanking, screeching mech warrior/guyver/Tranzor Z/Voltron/Transformers robo-rumble fight? It’s just darn cool.)

Well, that’s all, folks. I’m going home to see my family in a few days (finally!!!), and I’m sure that, once reunited, my Sibling and I will be going back to the cinemas with all our buddies too.

In general: Look for more reviews and non-academic summer silliness here in the near future!

UPDATE: The Cinema-Mad Sibling has a guest review. Enjoy:

Review: Ironman (2008)

At the behest of a sibling of mine, I was encouraged to hasten my efforts in producing a review for Ironman, as it's been quite a while since I've put forth the effort to collect my ever-scattered stream-of-consciousness thoughts into legible text., if it were ever so simple...So here we go, it's me Mario...

You know, before the trailers and stuff, I never really knew much about Tony Stark or Ironman, or the history there with Avengers, etc. So sue me, with the comic world (i.e. Stan Lee's head) being so crammed with endless characters and stories, hey you're bound to let a superhero or two slip thru the cracks. I was much more a Batman/Superman fan, with Batman Begins to me was being what a superhero origin movie done right. Would IronMan be up to the challenge?

Fortunately, yes, and it indeed exceeded my expectations greatly, and lived up to the all the reviews and the hype, 93% fresh on Rottentomatoes. Renaissance man/actor/writer/comedian/producer/director Jon Favreau put together a production that hones in on audiences want to see: a smart, funny action-filled, character-driven story that balances that all those ingredients carefully, resulting in an enjoyable 2 hours of summer movie.

A quick summary: man inherits family business that makes weapons. Discovers weapons are in the wrong hands the hard way. Uses wit to MacGyver himself from terrorist captivity by protecting himself with an iron suit made from missile scraps and busting out. Perfecting his designs and using technology to fight the enemy, destroying any of the weapons that wrongfully fell into their hands. Finds his purpose, to protect the people. Fun ensues.

Characters were all developed nicely with fun interchanges among them. Robert Downey Jr plays Tony Stark as the cool hero, genius child prodigy with a penchant for machinery, sarcasm, and women. His character grows from the man we see in the beginning and there is a learning curve in a matter of speaking. This hero is not endowed superpowers by the sun nor midichlorians in the bloodstream. No, he is a normal everyman who has to figure out with his wit and brain how to solve problems. He finds his destiny and embraces it.

The special effects people have outdone themselves. That suit is just bdazz. I'll take two. Cool robot action reminiscent of Transformers and Robocop pepper the movie. Though most of the fun parts were the getting there - seeing Stark's various trial and error outings with the mechanics of his would be superhero garb, seeing that it's not perfect at first, it's not all there at once. Step by step and slowly taking shape, adding realism to the whole enterprise.

I for one would see this again. I saw it twice, and took some friends that would probably have not gone to proselytize 'em. When I first told this girl, she asked is it about Triathlon? Great, this'll be fun, hehe. Well turns out she really liked it and told me so, and that she never would have gone had I not taken her. That's what a good comic book movie should be - accessible to all ages and crowds. Ironman dazzles, shines, and throws in a bit of hot rod red in this summer movie season.

China: Grieving Parents Criticize Government Officials

Here is a follow-up to a recent post about the numerous school buildings that collapsed in the Chinese earthquake.

The parents of the schoolchildren who died in the disaster are now voicing their grief and rage. Blurb:

DUJIANGYAN, China — Bereaved parents whose children were crushed to death in their classrooms during the earthquake in Sichuan Province have turned mourning ceremonies into protests in recent days, forcing officials to address growing political repercussions over shoddy construction of public schools.

Parents of the estimated 10,000 children who lost their lives in the quake have grown so enraged about collapsed schools that they have overcome their usual caution about confronting Communist Party officials. Many say they are especially upset that some schools for poor students crumbled into rubble even though government offices and more elite schools not far away survived the May 12 quake largely intact.

. . . The protests threaten to undermine the government’s attempts to promote its response to the quake as effective and to highlight heroic rescue efforts by the People’s Liberation Army, which has dispatched 150,000 soldiers to the region. Censors have blocked detailed reporting of the schools controversy by the state-run media . . .

Consider too how much worse this is emotionally, given China's one-child-only policy.

A Thought on Global Poverty -- and Curing It

Hmmmmmm.

I like this observation:

The solution to being poor is getting rich. It's economic growth. We know this. The mystery is why all societies have not adopted the obvious remedies. Just recently, the 21-member Commission on Growth and Development -- including two Nobel-prize winning economists, former prime ministers of South Korea and Peru, and a former president of Mexico -- examined the puzzle.

Since 1950, the panel found, 13 economies have grown at an average annual rate of 7 percent for at least 25 years. These were: Botswana, Brazil, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Malta, Oman, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. Some gains are astonishing. From 1960 to 2005, per capita income in South Korea rose from $1,100 to $13,200. Other societies started from such low levels that even rapid economic growth, combined with larger populations, left sizable poverty. In 2005, Indonesia's per capita income averaged just $900, up from $200 in 1966.

Still, all these economies had advanced substantially. The panel identified five common elements of success:

· Openness to global trade and, usually, an eagerness to attract foreign investment.

· Political stability and "capable" governments "committed" to economic growth, though not necessarily democracy (China, South Korea and Indonesia all grew with authoritarian regimes).

· High rates of saving and investment, usually at least 25 percent of national income.

· Economic stability, keeping government budgets and inflation under control and avoiding a broad collapse in production.

· A willingness to "let markets allocate resources," meaning that governments didn't try to run industry.

Op-Ed: Conservatives and the GOP

Well, a huge part of the current GOP's problem is the fact that it's forgotten what it means to be conservative. This op-ed points that out. Blurb:

As congressional Republicans contemplate the prospect of an electoral disaster this November, much is being written about the supposed soul-searching in the Republican Party. A more accurate description of our state is paralysis and denial.

Many Republicans are waiting for a consultant or party elder to come down from the mountain and, in Moses-like fashion, deliver an agenda and talking points on stone tablets. But the burning bush, so to speak, is delivering a blindingly simple message: Behave like Republicans.

Unfortunately, too many in our party are not yet ready to return to the path of limited government. Instead, we are being told our message must be deficient because, after all, we should be winning in certain areas just by being Republicans. Yet being a Republican isn't good enough anymore. Voters are tired of buying a GOP package and finding a big-government liberal agenda inside. What we need is not new advertising, but truth in advertising.

You can say that again.

Movie Review: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

It’s been a few days now since I saw “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” with some friends, and it’s time for a little review. I’ve thought about my initial disappointed reaction – and, well, it still stands. Here are a few more thoughts (and, yes, I wrote them when I should have been doing research. Shhhhhhhh – don’t tell the Nerd Lords!).

Maybe this movie should actually be titled “Indiana Jones and the Weight of Completely Impossible Expectations.” There was no way that this movie could possibly meet the hype, hopes, and expectations that surrounded it (even if it just raked in $100 million over the holiday weekend). The original Indiana Jones trilogy of movies has become pop culture icons and – more than that – a temple of affectionate nostalgia visited by an entire generation of people like me, the “children of the 80s.” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” came out when we were small, and we basically grew up with the trilogy. By the time Sean Connery and Harrison Ford rode into the sunset at the end of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” we too were riding off – into young adulthood. The original Indy became, for me anyway, inextricably tied with all those life memories and experiences of a particular span of time; those movies became more than mere movies – they were the touchstone for a generation as it grew up.

All that nostalgia is both good and bad for seeing the new, fourth Indy film, released years after the originals. The nostalgia is bad in that it raises expectations sky-high for the new movie. At the same time, though, the nostalgia is good in that it creates a wave of goodwill that drives people to the cinema and lets them (or at least, me) gloss over the new movie’s flaws. I ended up liking the film rather a bit more than I probably should have – because of the nostalgia factor alone, not because of the movie’s own merits. I went into the theater nervously hoping, “Please don’t suck, please don’t suck, please don’t suck,” and I’m pleased to report that the movie does not, in point of fact, suck.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” isn’t a bad movie. But it’s not a great movie, either. If anything, it left me feeling unsatisfied and antsy. Something was missing. It took me a while to figure this out, because the movie is full of action sequences and set-pieces and references/homages to the other Indy films. It has mystical objects! Car chases! Dangerous exotic locations! Scary flesh-eating insects! A host of bad guys out to get Indy! CGI mayhem on a grand scale! HARRISON FORD AS INDIANA JONES, for goodness sake! Yet . . . Why wasn’t I happy? What more could I possibly want?

The answer is “fun.” Pure popcorn movie fun. The missing ingredient was the sense of adventure and fantasy, of letting yourself go on a thrilling ride of imagination. There really is such a thing as movie magic. When it works, it sweeps the audience away to totally different places – while making the enchanted audience forget that all that fun is the product of filmmaking. The trouble with the fourth Indy film was a sense that it was trying – and trying really, really hard. The sense of exhilarating, effortless FUN was missing, along with the sense of zestful, energetic filmmaking that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The jokes in this film seemed to fall short; the (admittedly impressive) panoramas seemed to be art without emotion. I kept waiting for the film to hit its stride and give me an iconic moment – like the famous “fight” between a weary Indy and the showboating kung fu assassin. I kept waiting for a scene that would hit that high note. It never came.

The movie gave off a distinct sense of being too self-conscious. It reminded me of (uh-oh) George Lucas’ latter-day Star Wars movies. They too had struggled mightily to deal with the iconic status of their predecessors – and failed miserably. They’d also forgotten about the fun factor in their titanic effort to match expectations. Relax: Indy 4 is not the flaming chunk of worthless space debris that the new Star Wars trilogy is. Still, it shows a few of the same symptoms and the same feeling of overworked contrivance. I found myself thinking that maybe this film needed less George Lucas and Steven Spielberg; maybe what it needed was a touch of Michael Bay. (Good grief, did I just say that out loud?)

This review sounds as though I’m damning the Indy movie with faint praise. The movie has flaws aplenty, but it does have a few great moments too. When you first see Harrison Ford don his famous hat . . . when he first brandishes his iconic whip . . . when you first hear the unmistakable notes of the Indiana Jones theme music . . . when you see the first shot of Karen Allen reprising her role as Marion Ravenwood from “Raiders of the Lost Ark” who can – and does – give Indy a run for his money. Those are great moments. Unfortunately, they, coming at the beginning of the film, are promises that the rest of the movie never quite keeps.

In terms of setting and plot, the movie is set during the 1950s. Indy’s enemies now are not the Nazis, but the Soviets, led by the campy, kitschy, gun-slinging pseudo-scientist Irina Spalko, played by a spastically energetic Cate Blanchett. (By the way, what’s the deal with that terrible haircut? Maybe Spalko pretends to pay her hairdressers, and they pretend to give her a coiffure. I’m thinking that hm, capitalists have better hair.) The goal for everybody is an artifact shaped like a crystal skull, rumored to possess (what else?) mystical powers. The final revelation about the true nature of the artifact is pretty much preposterous, even compared with the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail from previous flicks. You’ll see why – and then you’ll wonder if George Lucas had sneaked into the movie.

Aside from Spalko, Indy is joined by various others. Marion Ravenwood I’ve mentioned, and though she and Indy start arguing and bickering as though no time had passed at all, the chemistry seemed just a tad off. Indiana also soon acquires – or, rather, is acquired by – a sidekick, a leather-wearing young rebel and Fonzie-wannabe named Mutt (played adequately if not memorably by a poufy-haired Shia LaBeouf) who has an identity issue that anyone with two brain cells can spot from a mile away. Big burly Ray Winstone is also in the cast, though frankly he’s wasted as a character who has no real impact either emotionally or creatively. A wispy John Hurt is on board as a nutty soothsayer type of fellow – because I suppose you can’t go questing for magical objects without having a nutty soothsayer along to dispense bizarre warnings. Maybe it’s a union requirement. Anyway, Hurt’s most memorable caveat is “It falls three times,” leading straight into an action sequence so completely ludicrous that I laughed. Besides the manic Spalko, though, I kept getting the impression that the performances were a little off, that they weren’t operating at 100%. The thrill is gone -- or at least faded. (In fact, I started thinking of this eternally awesome Onion satire.)

The final analysis? Despite its flaws, I really think you should go see this movie, especially if you’re a “child of the 80s.” Go and watch Indy take up his fedora one more time. Go and spend two hours of nostalgia-fueled entertainment. Go and see what might be the redeeming theme of the film: the idea that age is only a number and that at any point of life, the hardy hero is ever ready and willing to do what he should and must. Add too that the choice of Karen Allen as the love interest, not some dewy, doe-eyed young starlet, was very astute. After all, courage, adventure, and love are not only the province of the young, and that’s a nice thought for all of us “children of the 80s” as we live our own, now-grown lives.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” runs for 124 minutes and is rated PG-13 for action sequences and some scary images.

Mad Minerva gives this movie a grade of B-.

My friend and fellow movie fan Alessandra D’Ambrosio gives it a grade of 85 out of 100, a solid B.

Rotten Tomatoes gives “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” a very respectable rating of 78%.

This is the official website for the film.

Nerd Note 1: This made me laugh: in one scene, a professor says that it’s time to retire if people start hunting Communists in academia. Well, Indy 4 is set in the mid-1950s. In 2008, practically the only hard-core, unrepentant Communists left in America are . . . in academia! Oh, OK, I’m kidding. Sort of. (Seriously, nowadays if you want to be a subversive academic, you should be an evil capitalist – or a libertarian – or a real conservative.)

Nerd Note 2: Look for one action-chase sequence in which Indy skids into the library. An undergrad, oblivious to the obvious fact that Jones is otherwise occupied, walks up and asks about homework! And Jones actually replies. Hey, in real campus life this sort of thing happens all the time! A grad school friend said the same thing when she saw the scene. Some undergrads will just walk up to you as if you’re a vending machine for information, and they won’t have any clue that maybe you the instructor are busy and that maybe you’re not holding office hours right then! Listen, this past semester, this happened to me IN THE BATHROOM. A student walked up and asked me about an assignment right there at the sinks and mirrors. Can’t I even visit the bathroom in peace? Well, at least I wasn’t also being chased by a bunch of artifact-seeking crazy Commies. (And, yes, I answered the student’s question.)

Nerd Notes: Thoughts by a Professor Teaching Intro English

Oh, dear. The professor has a point, even as he has a very hard time doing his job.

Geek News: the Latest from NASA's Phoenix Mission to Mars

Lovely update for all you astronomy and space exploration enthusiasts out there (myself included): the Phoenix has landed on the Martian surface.

Check out the mission overview at the NASA website.

Nerd Journal: Back to Work

The holiday weekend is over, and I'm back in the library. UGH.

There you have it, gentle reader. Academia. It's not just a course of study. It's a LIFESTYLE.

UPDATE: Screw it. I'm going to write my full review of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Look for it tomorrow. The first reaction is here. And don't tell the Nerd Lords I'm doing this instead of research that I should be doing.

Happy Memorial Day

I'm off with my buddies again, but I would be remiss if I didn't wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day, and especially to all those who were or are in the armed services--a big thank you. See a related post at Dignified Rant too.

Actually, this project looks interesting. It's starting today: an effort to send the largest shipment of care packages in history to American troops. It looks like a great idea for a great cause. Perhaps you'll look into this or any of the various charitable efforts that are available for doing something practical and useful for the guys and girls in uniform.

I suppose I could now write an entire post full of historical references about the role of the American military in peace and war -- and how it's been a force for good overall from helping in natural disasters to holding the line against totalitarian regimes -- but it's a HOLIDAY, and my buddies are waiting. I'll leave it up to you to think about these issues, OK?

Have a great holiday, everyone!

China: Collapsing Schools and Issues of Shoddy Construction

This isn't good at all. During the recent earthquake in Sichuan province, schools collapsed like houses of cards, crushing and killing numerous children and young people.

But other buildings in the same area often did not fall in the same dreadful way. Are we looking at substandard, shoddy building materials and procedures for Chinese schools?

Here is a blurb:

But the number of student deaths seems likely to exceed 10,000, and possibly go much higher, a staggering figure that has become a simmering controversy in China as grieving parents say their children might have lived had the schools been better built.

The Chinese government has enjoyed broad public support for its handling of the earthquake . . . But as parents at different schools begin to speak out, the question of whether official negligence, and possibly corruption, contributed to the student deaths could turn public opinion. The government has launched an investigation, but censors, wary of the public mood, are trying to suppress the issue in state-run media and online.

Hello Kitty Monstrosity of the Day: HK is Japan's New Tourism Ambassador

This is fresh from my inbox, courtesy of the Coffee Pot Dictator himself. I'll have you know that he commented on this story thus: "Mwahahahahaha!" Evil, sheer evil.

Come, gentle reader! Feast your terror-stricken eyes on this headline: "Hello Kitty Named Japan Tourism Ambassador."

In this capacity, she is actually an envoy of the Japanese government. Is this the Imperialism of Cuteness?

A photo follows of Hello Kitty with Japan's Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba. The horror, the horror!

Preview of Movie Review: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"

Very quickly now, since I'm about to fall asleep simply sitting here!

I just saw a very late showing of the fourth Indiana Jones movie, and my first impressions were:

• At least it didn't suck the way I feared it would
• But neither did it rock the way I hoped it would
  
• The plot seemed both too farfetched and too predictable
• It also seemed to run too long and yet leave me unsatisfied and wanting more
• Not nearly enough chemistry between Harrison Ford and Karen Allen
• The opening of the film was blah, utterly blah.
  
• What was the Ray Winstone character good for, anyway?
• Cate Blanchett's Russian accent is ridiculous. In fact, her entire character is too.
• I never really felt engaged with the film, the plot, or the characters. Not really.
  
• Two of my favorite movie reviewers (Libertas and Kyle Smith) both panned the film . . .
• I'm beginning to think that my money should have gone for a viewing of the Prince Caspian film or, heck, go another round with Tony Stark because I just GOTTA see that robo-suit again.
• If you really want real Indiana Jones magic, go get the DVD of the glorious "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." Now THAT'S the Indy we want, full of punch, energy, wonder, danger, adventure, and fantasy.

PS: It's past midnight and now officially May 25, so a very happy birthday to my fellow movie fan, the Cinema-Mad Sibling!

Geek News: iPhone 2.0 Launches Worldwide on June 9

My Sibling was able to resist the siren song of the first iPhone . . . but can he do it again?

As for me, even I'm looking at the new iPhone with undisguised tech-lust.

Wired is saying that the iPhone 2.0 will launch worldwide on June 9. Ooooooooooooooh!

Nerd Journal: FRIDAY AT LAST!

I'm so happy I could cry.

Instead, I'm packing an overnight bag and fleeing out of town later today to see some dear old college friends. I told nobody at school -- certainly no Nerd Lords or academic types. What people don't know can't hurt . . . me. Ha! People can think I'm spending the weekend locked up in my apartment with research papers, but I'm planning on going out with my girls for dinner and movies and ice cream and talking all night and enjoying a break!

This is Memorial Day weekend coming, the unofficial start to summer!!!

*MM flees, leaving a swirling cloud of papers behind.*

Taiwan: New President Ma and His Inaugural Speech

The View from Taiwan blog has an in-depth look at Ma's inaugural presidential speech.

Do take a look.

Honestly, I'm still unhappy about the KMT in general, though clearly the DPP dropped the ball in all sorts of ways. Ma's just starting out, though, so I guess all I can do is wait and see.

I do have to point out one little piece of the English translation of Ma's speech:

"Dr. Sun Yat-sen's dream for a constitutional democracy was not realized on the Chinese mainland, but today it has taken root, blossomed and borne fruit in Taiwan."

Interesting. Well, my wise old grandpa (he was a lifelong teacher of history -- I guess my apple didn't fall far from his tree) used to say that Sun Yat-sen was the only person both mainland Chinese and Taiwanese could agree on was a Good Guy.

Aside from that, I find Ma going back to Sun to be rather a gloss over nitty-gritty real history. Yes, today there is a vibrant (if still young and growing) democracy in Taiwan, and we should all be supporting it. BUT that democracy didn't just appear magically out of thin air. People had to work hard to develop it -- after 50 years of one-party rule and martial law by . . . the old KMT. Ummm, yeah.

Movie News: Christian Bale = John Conner!

AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING!

Lieberman: Democrats and Foreign Policy

The eminent senator from Connecticut has a few home truths to say:

How did the Democratic Party get here? How did the party of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy drift so far from the foreign policy and national security principles and policies that were at the core of its identity and its purpose?

. . . A great Democratic secretary of state, Dean Acheson, once warned "no people in history have ever survived, who thought they could protect their freedom by making themselves inoffensive to their enemies." This is a lesson that today's Democratic Party leaders need to relearn.

Indeed. Also, note that in a departure from most political commentary these days, Lieberman actually seems to have learned a bit of history.