Vielä pari sanaa Uusikuu-elokuvasta, ja sitten lopetan tästä aiheesta puhumisen. Ehkä…

Aiemmassa postissani jäi käsittelemättä yksi minua erityisen paljon askarruttanut seikka, nimittäin elokuvan vihaajien äärimmäisen voimakas reaktio elokuvaa kohtaan. Vihaajien joukko on runsas, ja he käyttävät keskustelupalstoilla suunnattomasti aikaa perustellakseen kuinka paska elokuva oli, kuinka Stephenie Meyerin alkuperäisteksti on ala-arvoista kirjallisuutta ja kuinka surkeita kaikki elokuvan näyttelijät, ohjaaja ja koko tuotantotiimi ovat.

En oikein ole ymmärtänyt, mistä tässä vihamielisyydessä on kyse. Käsitän sen, että on ihmisiä, jotka eivät pidä elokuvasta, mutta että vihata nyt kaikkea mikä elokuvaan tai kirjasarjaan liittyy, mennä nyt henkilökohtaisuuksiin näyttelijöiden ja ohjaajan nimittelyssä tai ylipäätään uhrata niin paljon energiaa Twilight-ilmiön inhoamiseen… En itse henkilökohtaisesti perusta toimintaelokuvista ja jos en koskaan enää näe yhtään Vin Diesel -elokuvaa niin en ole pahoillani, mutta en minä silti käytä kaikkea aikaani julistaen maailmalle, kuinka surkeita kyseiset elokuvat ovat. En pidä niistä ja sillä siisti; se riittää minulle. Mutta tämä Twilight-juttu on täysin käsittämätön. Miksi sen kohdalla pelkkä toteamus “elokuva ei ollut minun juttuni” ei riitä? Miksi sitä pitää vihata lähes yhtä intohimoisesti kuin fanit sitä rakastavat?

Entertainment Weekly on kirjoittanut erinomaisen artikkelin Twilight-vihan mahdollisista syistä ja siitä, miksi Uusikuu-elokuvan menestys saattaa itse asiassa olla hyväksi Hollywoodille. Siirtykää syrjään supersankari-kung fu-lättäys-turpaanottoelokuvat, tervetuloa tarinankerronta ja tunnelma! Ehkä tässä sittenkin on kyse valtataistelusta. Ehkä (nuoret) miehet ovat pelästyneet puolikuoliaiksi uuden, romanttisen suuntauksen saadessa jalansijaa Hollywoodissa ja käyvät nyt taistoon omien elokuvagenrejensä puolesta.

Artikkeli löytyy täältä. Se on erinomaista luettavaa.

Otsikon sitaatti EW.

Today I completed my Semiotics Assignment where I was to choose a celebrity and a particular theme to involve them in. Here is a list of the themes we were given to choose from:

•I am masculine

•I am feminine

•I am wealthy

•I am intelligent

•I am evil

•I am popular

I chose to use the medium of Photoshop to work on the assignment. I was still quite new to the  program so I felt this was the perfect opportunity to learn new skills which I did. I chose Vin Diesel as he has a bald head, as I was new to Photoshop I felt that this would be easier for me to trace and add to other images. The first theme I  completed  is the ”I am evil” one where I used a picture of Adolf Hitler who is perhaps the most recognised  figure of evil due to the atrocities caused by World War II as well as the Holocaust. The problem I had with this picture was the fact it was an oil painting, thankfully in Photoshop the posterize tool made Vin Diesel look slightly pixelated and painting like. I used to clone tool to copy the background over excess parts of Hitler’s head and changed the colour of Vin Diesel’s head to make it blend better with the picture, I achieved this by adjusting the saturation and hue.

First Attempt

The second theme I chose was the “I am intelligent” theme. I had trouble finding a picture to work with and searched Google images, failing to find images I then looked to the idea of a teacher or a professor where I found a picture of a video game named “Gravity” where a professor is on the cover holding an apple. I felt this was suitable to use as it represented intelligence and Newton’s theory. I hadn’t got many problems with the photoshopping of this image. Again I used the handy clone tool to edit out unwanted parts of the original layer. I had to adjust the tilt of Vin Diesel’s head and also the tone of his skin to match the professor’s hand.

Professor Vin Diesel

The third and final theme I chose was “I am masculine” where I already had the idea to use a wrestler or weight lifter of some kind. I used a picture of Brock Lesner which was slightly too big but after resizing it was suitable to be photoshopped. I felt the skin tone worked very well especially around his neck, this was the easiest to complete of all the themes as it fit very well. I cloned out part of the wrestler’s head and changed the colour of my subject’s skin slightly. I added some text to experiment and also to indicate which theme I was insinuating.

Buff Vin Diesel

because this one is really annoying me…

if there is one thing i hate the most besides bigotry is being sick! ugh! I have been fighting something since Tuesday and I am starting to feel its wrath coming and eating me up. so feel sorry for me… feel really sorry!

all i really wanna do right now is actually have a good time and prep for thanksgiving with my family and my diet entails…broncolin, theraflu, amoxocillin, and water! yum!!!

i did get to see vin diesel at att today.. so that brought me a smile.. and by vin diesel i dont really mean vin from fast and furious.. but his twin.. cute guy at AT&T, we should hang out!

I hope I can get better by tomorrow because my goal is to watch and relive the 70s with Tony Manero!!!

Gonna go finish reading ‘Push’ and wait to watch the AMAs

for now enjoy Miss J’s awesome new single…

CLICK HERE TO VIEW

This fourth entry in THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise reunites the original stars: Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and of course the bad dude himself, Vin Diesel. Needless to… This fourth entry in THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise reunites the original stars: Michelle Rodriguez, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, and of course the bad dude himself, Vin Diesel. Needless to say, there’s going to be a lot of speed and demolition, especially in the fantastic opening truck hijack executed at amazing speeds by Dominic (Diesel) and his sexy partner in crime, Letty (Rodriguez). When Letty gets killed, it’s revenge time, with the path of the bad guy leading Dominic back across the border to Los Angeles (where he’s still wanted by the law) and into a high-stakes street race in which he’s teamed up with his old nemesis, undercover fed Brian O’Conner (Walker). As in the original, Brewster makes a foxy love interest for Walker (she’s Dom’s kid sister), but there’s not much time for kissing: there’s races to be won, huge accidents to cause, and shady smuggling plots to foil. Fans of the series should be too busy digging the NO2-powered action to notice if there’s anything missing in the storyline, which caterwauls along with gleeful abandon and disregard for logic, sanity, and speed limits. Directed with a sure hand by Justin Lin (TOKYO DRIFT), FAST & FURIOUS features loads of hot babes, and Diesel is as ripped, raging, and gravel-voiced deadpan as ever.

Trippel X er en av actionfilmene jeg syntes var råkul da de kom, men etter å ha sett den nå et par år senere så må jeg medgi at den var uhmm temmelig kårny… Definitivt ikke Vin Diesels beste film. Tror nok ikke jeg gidder se denne om igjen med mindre jeg er stranda på ei hytte med kun NrK og de tilfeldigvis sender den… (til og med da frister det mer med en kabal eller en omgang Ludo). Men men… dama som spiller i filmen (Asia Argento) er iallefall HOT.

Om du syntes denne var bedre enn det jeg synes så har jeg en god nyhet for deg (vel jeg gleder meg jeg og trass denne). Vin Diesel returnerer i xXx i 2011… Noe å se frem til ??

Jeg gir denne filmen

(3/6 stjerner)

Babylon AD è un film del 2008 film thriller basato sul romanzo Babylon Babies di Maurice Georges Dantec. Il film è stato diretto da Mathieu Kassovitz e i protagonisti sono Vin Diesel, Mélanie Thierry, Michelle Yeoh e Lambert Wilson. E ’stato rilasciato il 29 agosto 2008 negli Stati Uniti.

Leggi altre notizie su: | Azione | Fantascienza | Thriller | Mathieu Kassovitz | Vin Diesel | Michelle Yeoh | Mélanie Thierry

Perhaps the headline was too misleading – no, Thundercats still isn’t out of development hell, but some guy on Youtube put this together from clips from all over Hollywood’s celluloid creation. This trailer demonstrates a dreamcast that puts whomever will actually be in the movie when (if) it comes out to shame. The list and the trailer after the jump.

Brad Pitt (Fight Club, Troy) as Lion-O

Vin Diesel (xXx, The Chronicles of Riddick) as Panthro

Gigi Edgley (Farscape) as Cheetara

Hugh Jackman (X-Men, The Prestige) as Tygra

Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids, World’s Greatest Dad) as Wilykat

Alexa Vega (Spy Kids, The Mine) as Wilykit

Garfield (Garfield) as Snarf.

Okay, so maybe those last three aren’t that awesome, even though Bill Murray trying to do Snarf’s voice would be fantastic. (All I hear in my head is “Lip them? Lip them!”).

Come on, Hollywood – fill a fanboy’s heart with hope and make this freaking movie.

The Fast and Furious 4 was released in 2009 as a Universal picture and was directed by Justin Lin. staring a wide range of popular celebrities including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster also featured in The Fast and the Furious which was the first film released of the series.  The film is an action packed thriller with lots of stunts and special effects. The story line to the film follows on from the film The Fast and The Furious. Dom (Vin Diesel) sets out to find the killer of his true love who was murdered, unfortunately to find this person he has to pass a certain amount of tests involving car racing and illegal drug transportation to gain respect and a job from a gang leader who the killer worked for.

I found the film to be breath taking in certain areas with the special effects keeping my eyes glued to the screen. The quality of the picture was immense and the stunts the actors and stunt doubles pulled, made the film very memorable. The acting from the stars was superb, I extremely enjoyed every minute especially with the variety of cars that they including within the picture. The colours and scenery made the film even more fascinating as a summery location was made to appear dark and mysterious when things went wrong. I enjoyed the spectacular sounds that they were able to include within the film not only from musical tracks they had chosen but the roar of each individual engine was captured to perfection.

VERDICT:
9/10 FUBARs

I still have no freakin’ clue how this lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love. What was up with that? Horseshit.

Saving Private Ryan is about a unit in WWII that are given orders to ensure the safety and return home of one James Francis Ryan after the deaths of his three brothers on the field of battle. The members of said unit also get a plane ticket stateside if they get Ryan back, so it’s a win-win for everybody.

Being that there’s a good chance this movie’s gonna be playing on TV tonight (which has become an awesome annual tradition of sorts) thought this would be as good a way as any to celebrate Veteran’s Day in style.

The funny thing about this movie is that even a eleven years after its release, whenever I talk to people about it, the conversation inevitably leads back to the same thing we were all talking about back in 1998 – the opening scene on the beaches of Normandy. Part of me is tempted to say that I’m surprised everyone is still hung up on that scene, but then again, it’s not often that a movie changes the game entirely over the course of fifteen minutes.

The reason everyone couldn’t stop talking about this opening scene is because war had never been depicted like this in movies before. No sugarcoating. No punches held. Everyone was taken for a loop at how Spielberg managed to pull off such a frighteningly convincing feat of presenting the horrors of war to his audience by placing them as close to the front lines as he possibly could without having them rush the beaches themselves. No other war movie told it like this beforehand and there really hasn’t been a war movie that’s done it better since. I’ve seen this movie a good four or five times and even though I know what’s coming, it is always a rough sit-through.

You want to see why war is hell from the comforts of your La-Z-Boy? Saving Private Ryan oughta do the trick just fine.

Granted, this is a pretty hard act to follow for the remaining two-and-a-half hours, and maybe I’m just getting ahead of myself here, but I don’t feel like the rest of this movie gets the credit it deserves.

The things I actually like most about this movie are two things that Spielberg arguably does better than anyone else out there – character development and honest storytelling. There are a lot of characters to account for but everyone has their own distinct quirks and personalities that make them stand out as individuals. They all have their own stories and getting to hear those stories, getting to see how each of them react to the situations around them – not only in the heat of battle but otherwise – is one of my favorite aspects of this script.

The cast is also made up of everyone from every movie you’ve ever seen. The unit alone is made up of Ed Burns (awesome), Tom Sizemore, Jeremy Davies (aka: Eugene from Eugene in Rescue Dawn), Vin Diesel (pre-car thief), Giovanni Ribisi, and, of course, Tom Hanks. What is there left to say about Tom Hanks? He’s one of the greatest actors of all-time and just an all-around standup guy. Naturally, he’s great here as the unit’s leader and once again steals the show. Guy’s come a long way since Bosom Buddies.

Paul Giamatti, Ted Danson, and Nathan Fillion all get bit roles, too. So that’s a nice little bonus. 

And not to beat a dead horse, but even after the opening scene at Normandy, the action scenes are freakin’ phenomenal. An absolutely wild and harrowing experience.

The only problem is that I feel like Spielberg has a hard time finding the right way to wrap up his movies, like the very end of Schindler’s List for example, and the same thing could be argued here. The final scene at the cemetery in Normandy along with the “Earn this!” theme might come off as sappy to some, but nonetheless, not a big complaint in light of everything else it does right.

Saving Private Ryan is just an incredibly well-made movie and redefined the face of war on the silver screen. One of those movies that I’ll to stop whatever I’m doing and just watch whenever it comes on TV.

Freakin’ Shakespeare in Love. That Joseph Fiennes is a ninny.

We nearly called off this shoot due to the looming weather and I’m so thrilled we didn’t! The stormy clouds that pulled in late into the shoot really made for some moody and dramatic imagery!

Paulo, Sandra – you guys really do bring sexy back! We had such fun at the shoot and I can’t remember laughing so hard that I had to put a camera down before! Thank you for climbing cliffs looming over waterfalls, crawling into spiky trees, rolling on wet grass, and being so willing to try new things. I think it REALLY paid off with some memorable images.

We can’t wait for your wedding in March.

PS – It only occurred to me afterward what a Vin Diesel lookalike Paulo is!

Yes, here I am, sitting back in Hintertupfing and I am so much more confused then I was when I left! Part of me thought that I would be so upset on the flight back, but I honestly wasn’t. True, I miss my friends so much, but as we have the chat on the internet and email, I speak to them all the time anyway. There is of course nothing better then sitting in your friends living room with a glass of wine, drooling over Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, having a giggle and then falling asleep on their couch, only to wake up with a blanket over you. Gosh, I had such a great time!

Friday was nice, I went shopping, then saw Miss P, Miss M and Miss K for some coffee. Did I mention how much I miss Starbucks skinny latte?? When I sat in the Cafè in Liverpool Street on Friday, sipping my coffee, watching people walk past the huge window, I felt like a tiny little goldfish that had been dropped into the sea IN his fishbowl. Does that make sense? Aaaanyway, after that, went shopping for some new clothes. Managed to bag a gorgeous pair of leather boots in black, a jumper and a cardigan. Ah, yes, there where some more little bits and bobs of course. Did I mention that I love Primark? Everything is so cheap! You actually get a hot pair of shoes for under 20 pounds. Not bad, eh? They might not last that long, but if you are off to a party and intend to wear them just to that – perfect!

Saturday was spent in the most chilled way possible. We watched Dragon Slayer on TV, commented on by moi – of course – and R cooked some fantabolous fajitas. Hmmmm, heaven! Went into London afterwards with a bottle of champagne and 3 plastic glasses. No, not trashy, that is called bohemian!! W, R and I had to wait for A, a little bit so we decided to walk across Battersee Bridge to enjoy the lights. Might be able to post some pics later on if R lets me have some. When A turned up we made our way into Battersee Park and after locating the loo, where finally ready for the fireworks. Ahs and Ohs can not describe the loveliness! Possibly the best fireworks I have ever seen! The theme of the night was LOVE and as Boyfriend was absent, I had to make do with thinking of him and hugging him in my thoughts.

Sunday – went to my mother in law’s for dinner and then off to the airport, where I managed to buy two more books. I am so excited about the new Phillipa Gregory book! Will update you on how it is.

Now, I am back and trying to do my very best not to get down on myself. I am going to concentrate on Mary and Molly again, so I can finish that book of mine.

Hold fast my friends!

Me xx

P.S.: Sissy, I got you the English Vogue – it will cheer you up, PROMISE! Will pass it on to my brother tonight so he can pass it on to yours. Should be with you tomorrow night. Oh, and I am also sending my Shakespeare and Jane Austen stuff over. xx

Fico pensando se há alguma Vin Lisa…

-2-

Turley jolted awake when she heard the breaking glass next door.  Vincent was up and standing at his window, looking out, watching as Katherine and her new man fought.

Turley got out of bed and joined him.

“Fuck you, you crazy bitch!”

“Go to hell, asshole!”

“If I go, I’m takin’ you with me!” the man called, heading for his truck.

Vincent and Turley watched as the man pulled out a shotgun from beneath the seat and began loading it.

“Shit,” Vincent said.  Turley was already out the door.

Out on the Mason’s lawn, Katherine, the man, and now Turley, stood yelling.  Vincent followed, clad in nothing more than blue jeans.

“Katherine!” Turley called, and the woman shot her a look before looking back to the man with the gun.

“Put the gun down!” Vincent yelled, moving toward the man, and the man pointed the gun at him.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“I’m a friend of Turley’s, Katherine’s daughter.  Now put the gun down.  You don’t wanna do this…” Vincent said, inching toward the man.

The man glanced at Turley and then to Katherine.

“That true?  You got a daughter?”

Katherine scoffed, raised her hand to dismiss the issue, “Ain’t seen her in years.”

Out of the blue, Vincent lunged forward and tackled the man, punched him in the face and then took away the shotgun.  He stood up and unloaded it, and Katherine clapped her hands together and cackled.  “You crazy sumbitch, Vinny!  He almost shot you!”

Still laughing, Katherine staggered and then fell back onto her porch steps, managed to sit down.

Turley walked to Vincent and crossed her arms.

“He could’ve shot you.”

“He didn’t,” Vincent spat, his deep voice even deeper.  He continued with the shotgun until he had taken it apart, and then he threw the barrel into the back of the truck, the stock into the front seat, and put the bullets in his pocket.  Then he picked up Mister Wonderful by his shirt collar.

“You’re gonna get in your truck and drive outta here, and you’re not gonna come back, you got that?”

The man nodded, blood pouring from his nose, and Vincent opened the driver’s side door and shoved him into the driver’s seat.  The man started the engine and sped out of the driveway, and Vincent took the bullets out of his pockets and slung them over the broken fence into the garbage pile next door.

He and Turley walked to Katherine, who was still laughing.

“When you get back?” she asked with a hiccup, and Turley sighed.

“This morning.  I tried coming over but you weren’t home.”

Katherine shrugged, fumbled in her dress pocket for her fifth, took a swig, and then hiccupped again.

“When’re you gonna stop this shit?” Vincent asked.  “We’re getting tired of this all hours of the night bullshit.”

Katherine blew a raspberry at Vincent.  “Oh, go ta Hell, the both of ya!”

“C’mon,” Turley said finally, pulling Vincent’s arm.  After a moment he shook his head, and he and Turley walked back to his house.

Mark held the door open for them.

[1]“ Todo estas bien aquí, Hijo?”

[2]“Si, Papa.  Volves a la cama.”

Mark turned the porch light off and locked the door once Vincent and Turley were inside.  He bid them both goodnight, and Vincent and Turley went back upstairs.  Unable to sleep, Vincent turned the television on, grabbed a t-shirt and pulled it over his head.

He sighed.  “She should be committed.”

Turley shrugged, and Vincent looked at her.

“The only reason my parents never called CPS on her is because they knew you’d be better taken care of here.”  He shook his head in anger, let out a long breath.  [3]“A veces me gustaría quebrarle como un palo.”

“What was that?”

Vincent sighed.

“Nothing.”

After a moment he patted his lap, motioning Turley over, and she went.

He put his arms around her, and she laid her head on his cool, broad chest.

“I’m sorry that you still have to deal with her shit.”

Turley shrugged.  “I’m used to it.”

Vincent looked at her.  “That’s just it, Turtle.  You’ve become numb to it.  Do you have any emotion toward her at all, other than indifference?”

Turley thought a moment and then looked up at him.

“Not really.”

“Then why do you bother?”

“Because she’s my mother.”

“No, she gave birth to you.  There’s a big difference.”

Turley sighed, and Vincent hugged her.

“Let’s try to get some sleep,” he said and then picked her up.  He carried her to the bed, gently lay her down and covered her up.

He turned the television off and climbed in bed beside her, kissed her forehead and again put his arm around her waist.

[4]“Buenas noches, Tortuga.”

“Buenas noches, Insa.”

~

Morning found Turley lying beside Vincent, her leg across his legs, his hand upon her thigh, his free arm around her.

Emma knocked on the door, waking them, “Good morning, [5]ninos!  Breakfast is ready.”

Vincent yawned as Turley stretched and then sat up in bed.  “Thank you.”

“We’ll be down in a bit, Mama.”

Emma Castraletti smiled and went back downstairs as Vincent kissed Turley on the cheek.

“Sleep good?”

Turley yawned.  “Mm-hmm.  Felt safe,” she said with a smile, and Vincent hugged her.  “Good.  Because you are.”

Vincent got out of bed and put on his shoes as Turley went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and put her clothes on.

After breakfast, the two headed back to the garage, where Turley got her car and followed Vincent back home.  They then took the motorcycle back out to the garage so Vincent could finish working on the ‘63 Thunderbird.

Vincent turned the stereo on to Don Henley, cranked up the volume, took his shirt off, and got to work as Turley looked around the garage.

She noticed that all of the postcards she’d sent him over the years were pinned on a large bulletin board by his office; there must have been twenty or more.

Vincent slammed the hood shut on the Thunderbird as Henley’s All She Wants to Do is Dance began to play, and Turley began to dance around the garage.  Vincent wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiled, and watched her as she danced, her hips keeping time with the beat of the music; she could light up any room—even a greasy garage—and Vincent was glad she was back, if only for a short time.

He wiped the interior of the car down, glancing every now and again to Turley, who kept dancing, and he smiled to himself.

When he’d finished with the car, he made a phone call to its owner, telling him that it was finished and he could pick it up anytime; the man said he’d be right over, so Vincent sat down on his toolbox and waited as Turley danced toward him.

She took his hands and pulled him to his feet, pulled him closer by his belt loops, and Vincent laughed, put his hands on her hips and began dancing with her.

When the song ended Turley laughed, and Vincent still held her.  She stared at him, and when he leaned closer, someone cleared their throat, breaking the silence.  Vincent turned around to see the owner of the car.

[6]“Hey, hombre.  Ella todo se hace,” he said as he moved away from Turley.  He got a set of keys from a pegboard in his office and tossed them to the man.  [7]“ Del guardabarros en pedido en espera.  Te llamaré cuando se trata.”

The man nodded, got in the driver’s seat and started the car and drove away, and Turley smiled.

“Let’s go for a ride.”

~

Turley put the top down and laughed, stepped on the gas, and Vincent shook his head as they sped out of the garage and down the road.

“You’re wild, Hermana!” Vincent laughed, and Turley smiled.

~

Vincent was giving her a pick-a-back ride through the field by the creek.

“What’s your best memory from childhood?” he asked, and Turley thought a moment.

“That time when we went to the beach and you let me bury you in the sand.”

Vincent smiled.  He almost asked her what her worst memory was, but didn’t; he already knew, anyway.

“What’s yours?”

Vincent laughed.  “The time I walked in on you in the shower.”

Turley squealed out and tightened her grip around his throat on purpose.

[8]“Bastardo!”

Vincent, choking from Turley’s grip, laughed heartily and then thought a moment.  “No, no.”  He paused.  “I think my favorite memory is when you and I first found this place,” he said, putting Turley down and looking out in front of him to the tall grass.  The dandelions were in full bloom and the smells of lilac and mint filled the air.  Vincent put his hands on his hips and took it all in, sighing deeply.

“I think if there’s a Heaven that it’s close to this.”

Turley sat down and then lay back in the grass.

“I think Heaven is having copious amounts of butter pecan ice cream and not gaining any weight.”

Vincent laughed and joined her in the grass.  He turned on his side to face her.

[9]“ He le nunca dicho cómo bonita estás, Tortuga?”

“No, Insa, you haven’t told me how pretty I am.”

Vincent’s jaw dropped and Turley laughed.  “Did I fail to mention that I took Spanish classes?”

Vincent laughed and nodded, “Yes, you did fail to mention that.”

“Well, [10]gracias, Insa.”

[11]“De nada.”

The two were quiet as a soft breeze began to blow.  Out of nowhere, storm clouds gathered and it began to rain.  Turley and Vincent ran back to the car.  Soaked by the time they got there, and laughing so hard they could barely breathe, Turley quickly put the top up on the car and rolled the windows up.  Within minutes the windows steamed over, and Vincent leaned across Turley and drew a large heart on her window.  Turley stared at him, and, after a moment, climbed onto his lap and began to write on his window as well.  Vincent smiled when he saw that she’d written “I,” drawn a heart, and then written “you, too.”  Without saying anything, Vincent cupped Turley’s face and kissed her gently.

“What are we doing, Insa?” Turley asked after a moment, and Vincent shook his head, “I don’t know, Tortuga, but it feels nice.”

Turley nodded and kissed him again.

~

By the time they got back home the storm had become more fierce, thunder pounding and lightning striking, and they ran inside, getting soaked again as they did so.

[12]“Sustantivo prisa femenino, sustantivo prisa femenino!” Emma said, handing the two of them towels, [13]“ Seque antes de detectar sus muertes!”

Vincent and Turley took the towels and began drying off when Mark joined them in the hallway.

[14]“¿Dónde estuvo, Vincente?  Usted se supone que en el garaje hoy.”

[15]“ Terminé el coche, no se preocupe.  Tortuga y me tomó una unidad el pasado la quebrada, eso es todo.”

“Si, si,” Mark said with a nod, and he picked up the newspaper off the stand by the door and retreated to the living room.

“Dinner is ready,” Emma said, taking the wet towels, “wash up and come and eat.”

Vincent kissed his mother on the cheek and he and Turley went upstairs to wash their hands for dinner.

Midway through the meal, they heard commotion from next door again.

Vincent sipped his milk, glancing from Turley to his father and mother, and then he wiped his mouth and tossed his napkin down.

[16]“ Estoy cansada de este mierda,” he said as he stood up, and Mark looked at him.

[17]“Siéntese, Vicente!  No es su lugar!”

“Papa!”

“Sit down, Vincent,” Emma repeated, and Vincent did as told.  They finished their meal in silence until the noise got louder, and then Mark walked into the living room, turned the television on and turned the sound up loud.

“There,” he said finally as he sat back down.  “That’s better.”

Vincent looked at his father and shook his head.  [18]“Nos hemos puesto con este absurdo para sucediendo treinta y seis años, papá.  Basta.”  He sighed.  [19]“Simplemente llamar a la policía, ya, antes de que alguien obtiene muerto.”

A door slamming, more cursing, and Mark pounded his fist on the table.  “No!” he said finally, and Vincent stood up from the table.  He took Turley by the hand, and without saying anything, the two went upstairs.

Vincent slammed his door, put his hands on his hips.

“Estupido, estupido!” he mumbled.  “Someone’s going to get killed before it’s over with.”

Turley shrugged, “At least then it would be quiet.”

Vincent looked at her, took her in his arms.  “She’s made you cold, Tortuga.”

“Not cold.  Just…indifferent, like you said.”  She sighed.  “It’s not like I love her.”

“But you should.  A person should love their mother.  They shouldn’t fear their own parent!”

Vincent shook his head and sighed, walked to the window and looked out.  He saw the porch light at the Mason house go out, and a door slammed a final time.

“Thank Jesus,” he said after a moment.  “Maybe they’ll quiet down for the night.”

Turley sat down on Vincent’s bed and yawned.  “That’d be nice, for a change.”

Vincent scoffed.  “Tell me about it.  What time you were away…” he shook his head, “…it got pretty bad at times, Turley.  Katherine has been to the hospital several times already.”

“Well that’s what you get when you screw anything that walks and expect there to be no strings attached,” Turley said, her voice emotionless, and Vincent looked at her.

After a long while he sat down on the bed beside her.

“Is that why you’ve never had a boyfriend?  Because of the way Katherine uses men?”

Turley put her head down.  “You know how people would treat me in school, the horrible things they’d say to me because of her.”  She paused.  “Guys always thought I was easy, just like her, so I tried to just avoid males at all costs.  Besides,” she added, “you’re a boy.  Well, a man…and you’re my friend.”  Turley smiled.  “Boy.  Friend.”

Vincent smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

“Aye, [20]caramba!” he said with a smile, and Turley lay on her stomach on the bed, a pillow propped beneath her chin.  Vincent lay sideways beside her.

“So you wouldn’t have turned me down for a date then?  Huh.  Now I wished I would have asked.”

Turley smiled.

“What’s your idea of a romantic evening…for a first date, I mean?”

“Well…dinner, maybe.  A walk on the beach at night, when the sky is clear and the stars are out and there’s a soft breeze blowing…”  Turley sighed.  “That would be heaven, right about now.”

Vincent thought a moment, and his eyes brightened.  “I’ll be right back,” he said, and then he was out the door.

He came back a few minutes later carrying a large box, and told Turley to close her eyes.  She did as told, and when Vincent told her to open them, she saw a large telescope pointed out the window, up toward the sky.  She laughed.

“Can’t do anything about the sand or the waves,” Vincent said.  “Unless you wanna go get in the bathtub with me.”

Turley giggled and then stood up, walked over to the telescope.  She looked inside and saw the stars, and Vincent explained the constellations to her.

“This is a nice scope.  Where’d you get it?”

“Dad bought it for me for Christmas one year.”  Vincent cleared his throat.  “I used to use it to spy on you.”

Turley laughed but stopped when she realized that he was serious; at ten, he loved her.  At thirty-six, he loved her still.

Turley touched his face.

“Why couldn’t you have been this sweet when we were kids?”

Vincent laughed.  “Okay, first of all, if you think that being spied on is sweet, then you’re definitely twisted.  Secondly, I didn’t know how to act around you as a kid.  And puberty was hell, let me tell you…”

Turley laughed.

“I’d get so nervous around you that my palms would sweat and I’d feel queasy…”  His brows furrowed, “I loathed Katherine for hurting you, and I wanted nothing more than to be big and strong to protect you from her, from anyone who’d hurt you.”

“Well, you’re definitely big and strong now,” Turley said of Vincent’s stellar physique, and he chuckled.

“You always said that guys with muscles turned you off, though.”

Turley shrugged.  “Not on you, they don’t.”

Vincent leaned closer to her.  “That’s good to know,” he whispered before kissing her.

Turley put her arms around Vincent’s neck and returned the kiss, and then they heard Katherine scream.

[2] Yes, Dad.  Go back to bed.

[3] Sometimes I’d like to break her like a twig.

[4] Goodnight

[5] children

[6] Hey, man.  She’s all done.

[7] The fender’s on back order.  I’ll call you when it comes in.

[8] Bastard!

[9] Have I ever told you how pretty you are, Turtle?

[10] thank you

[11] You’re welcome.

[12] Hurry, hurry!

[13] Dry off before you catch your deaths!

[14] Where have you been, Vincent?  You were supposed to be at the garage today.

[15] I finished the car, don’t worry.  Turtle and I took a drive down past the creek, that’s all.

[16] I’m sick of this shit

[17] Sit down, Vincent!  It’s not your place!

[18] We’ve put up with this nonsense for going on thirty-six years, Papa.  Enough is enough.

[19] Just call the police, already, before someone gets killed.

[20] Good Heavens!

One of the convenient parts about movies is that they allow stuff to happen that otherwise couldn’t be done in real life.  Very rarely do we ever get a film that feels like it’s abiding by what could or would actually occur but this is part of why certain films are fun to watch (they help you take your mind out of reality for some fun).  However, there are certain scenes that push the idea of plausibility to the point that it’s either just plain silly or simply annoying.  So I’m here to give you ten of the most implausible movie scenes that I’ve ever come across.

10. That’s One Fast Train and Signal-The Fast and the Furious

It’s not like The Fast and the Furious had realism on its side in the first place.  Just about anyone who knows cars well enough should know that an Eclipse with $10,000 worth of upgrades shouldn’t be able to clear a quarter mile in 10 seconds (even with NOS).  However, one scene that I recently noted as being particularly odd is at the end when Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are racing head-to-head in a Supra and Charger, respectively.  However, after they’ve already started racing for the finish line (aka the train tracks) we see that the signal goes down and they narrowly avoid getting crashed (well, one of them does).  But since these are supposed to be ten second cars, that means the train which they just narrowly avoided came within less than 10 seconds with no warning until after they headed off.  I don’t know about you, but I can’t recall the last time a train signal was that slow or a train came that abruptly.

9. No One Sees the Monster-Cloverfield

It’s pretty tough to find little details in Cloverfield since for just about all of the action scenes the camera is shaking around like crazy but it is possible to find little pieces.  And perhaps the most abrupt part of the film is it’s ending, which you need to look in the background to see why they picked it.  Essentially we can see what’s supposedly the monster falling from the sky and into the ocean.  Yet if the bulk of the film itself is of any indication, apparently no one saw the monster go into the ocean.  This is very unlikely since the film takes place in a present setting so there obviously must have been reports of the monster.  Additionally, I find it very unlikely that not a single person who could do or say anything didn’t see the monster crash into the water.  While it can be argued that we don’t see or hear enough in the film itself to confirm this, until we get more background with a follow-up it’s still highly improbable.

8. Burt Is Alive!-Tremors 3: Back to Perfection

Tremors are definitely one of the series of films that you take your mind out of and can easily enjoy.  While the films are genuinely fun and great watches (the first two anyways), there is a scene in the third installment that’s just, well, ridiculous.  Fans of the series can instantly identify the one constant character: Burt Gummer.  There’s one scene in the film where the most infamous creature of the series (graboid) gets and eats him…only somehow he’s still alive inside the monster and is able to clearly communicate to someone simultaneously.  While we have heard a character or two in previous installments scream while being dragged into the ground, Burt, on the other hand, is inside the graboid and comes out without seeming all that affected.  Similar could also be said about how Tommy Lee Jones from Men in Black is able to survive as long as he does inside an alien but since Burt manages to multitask while inside and manage to break clearly, this gets the edge.

7. The Bus Jump-Speed

This scene is what actually gave me the inspiration to do a list of implausible movie scenes.  And of course the one scene that I can never be convinced of is the fifty foot jump across an unfinished bridge.  While Keanu Reeves says there might be an incline and we do see one for the shot the bus apparently lifts, we clearly see in other shots that there’s no such incline on either side of the bridge.  There’s also the bus landing which is less convincing if anything.  For the shot we see of the bus landing on the other side it looks like it’s coming down smoothly from a high area.  And of course they manage to keep it going over 50 MPH even with the landing the bus likely hitting no higher than 80 MPH when hitting the jump.  The film is a fun watch, but some of the scenes take me out too much.  This is the big one.

6. The Sharp Landing Turn-Air Force One

Here’s another film that tests its realism in a number of scenes but for the most part these aren’t to the point that Speed hits.  Yet one scene that I always say “they’d be so dead right there” is after the plane lands during the Russian takeover scene.  There’s a part where we see the plane take a rather abrupt and sharp turn that causes the left side to come very close to the ground.  This is where my belief ran out the window.  A plane such as Air Force One has to weigh several tons and making a turn as nasty as that would definitely make the left wing/engines scrap the ground from the weight transfer and cause a nasty incident (to say the least).  Wolfgang Peterson’s a great director and I love him for bringing us Das Boot, but that scene can never convince me.

*Skip to about 5:50*

Here’s a magazine-style essay piece I wrote about Saving Private Ryan. It’s kind of rambling (1198 words) and won’t make sense unless you’ve seen the film (maybe spoilers for the opening scenes and general plot later on), but I got an A* for it, so I don’t care what you think. The links and pictures are added, but nothing else only a typo has been changed.

Saving Private Ryan came at a crucial turning point in Steven Spielberg’s career. Previously reliably known for his perfect for children yet artistically-unfulfilling chain of blockbusters, this, along with 1993’s Schindler’s List, marked a change of direction into serious historical territory. While awards had always been forthcoming – E.T. was up against Gandhi for Best Picture Oscar® 1983 (Gandhi won, thankfully) – Saving Private Ryan was that rare blend, particularly seen in war movies, of critical acclaim and box offices success, mixing and matching the heady thrill of battles with moral theorizing, often at the same time.

Left to right foreground: Tom Sizemore, Tom Hanks as soldiers on the boats at D-Day

There’s little indication of this to start with. After a mercilessly long and pointless opening with some old dude, the movie proper begins. June 6th, 1944. The date is already ringing a bell. The beach is covered in iron anti-tank crosses. This is Omaha, and the Normandy beach landings are about to begin, now well-known as D-Day. Spielberg mentioned in an interview that his father, who fought in Burma during WW2, used to say, “Nobody ever makes a movie about my war except as an excuse to do action.” Perhaps it was this particular misrepresentation that Steven Spielberg wanted to correct for a modern-day audience with Saving Private Ryan.

The most striking and immediate way that this is achieved in the opening scene is with the camera. Hand-held photography, or “shaky-cam” in common parlance, is employed throughout, creating the feel of a Signal Corps cameraman. These dedicated photographers of still and moving film were there with the soldiers during the real landing at Omaha beach and other military operations, documenting all that transpired for the benefit of the people at home and in the future. Certain shots, where the camera falls over, ducks for cover, or hesitates before running alongside the actors, were deliberately edited into the final film, as well as brief moments when blood or sand cover the camera lens. This makes for a lot of disorientation, confusion, and ultimately the sense that we, the viewers, are there, fighting (or hiding at least) with the characters that we will come to know very personally by the end of the film.

The real D-Day

The whistle sounds. No more time for the little people, this is war on a grand scale. And yet we never lose sight of the individual. As they are shot, maimed, search for their own body parts, cry for far away parents, they are still people. Cut to the other side. The German soldiers are firing relentlessly, but they are all in silhouette. The landings are far away, not so much visually (an extra long lens helps fix that), but personally. We’ve lost the humanity. The enemy have no humanity. This, what propaganda has dictated for decades, is how you deal with the horrors of war. They are your enemy. Don’t get to know them, perhaps they are not even recognizably human. Of course, in reality, this works out very differently, as seen when the principal characters encounter a German later in the film, and no-one knows how to deal with him.

After the initial wave of dead bodies, the humanization of the soldiers continues. A shell explodes next to Tom Hanks, and for a few minutes, he is practically deaf, a hollow ringing in his ears (and in the audience’s through some inspired sound design and mixing). From his point of view, we see people carrying a flame-thrower being engulfed in flames and a soldier searching for his lost arm. He picks up his helmet, tipping out a large volume of mingled water and blood, and returns it to his head. Someone asks for orders. He can’t hear. He is helpless. And likewise, we the audience are helpless, unable to jump through the silver screen and re-assert a peaceful order of things. All we, Sergeant Miller and us, can do is watch, voyeurs to the brutal carnage around us, as our friends from beforehand and acquaintances from the brief time on the boat are cut down all around us. The slow-motion lends a sense of heightened senses and reality, making it all the more torturous being unable to help them.

Basically it’s saying upfront: this movie doesn’t mess around.

The rest of the film rides on the initial strength. For those who don’t know, it chronicles the story of Tom Hanks’ character Capt. John H. Miller, who recruits a rag-tag team of misfit US soldier after the D-Day landings to rescue one James Francis Ryan as he’s the last of three brothers left alive after the Normandy campaign in World War 2.

As the D-Day scene wraps up the loose ends, the weary viewer is unwillingly confronted with the same horrific sight as Tom Hanks; the dead, the dying, the futility of war; and as the sweeping emotional score interjects to yank at the heartstrings, the bloodshed and carnage recedes into the faded-sepia toned memory of the past – quite like history. Saving Private Ryan has a strange relationship with history. Scrawled from the perspective of fifty years later, this presents the movie as an artifact to spur remembrance, of veterans and their comrades’ sacrifices. Post-Vietnam, an unsuccessful and controversial conflict which spawned a whole glut of war movies and their own unique sub-genre, Saving Private Ryan is a constant reminder of a completely different generation’s sacrifice.

Tom Hanks, near the end of the movie.

Although it may not take as brave a stance as, say, Johnny Got His Gun or other examples of the genre, Saving Private Ryan still has a good deal to say about war, dissecting and criticizing the act of it, yet embracing what it stands for. It’s this paradox that somehow staves the characters through the traumatic experiences they are forced into, knowing that they are fighting for a higher cause which is never questioned. Even if the chain of command, the rescue mission itself is criticized, even by Capt. Miller, it’s always imperative that they remember this: their mission is to win the war. This logic jump neatly side-steps all the intrinsic problems that the characters might have with their premise.

The value of life is revisited often throughout Saving Private Ryan. On the face of it, the plot is one expression of this – forcing a group of eight people to risk their lives to save just one. However, it is a theme also befitting war, the backdrop to which this search-and-rescue mission takes place. In one lengthy scene nearing the middle of the movie, Tom Hanks absent-mindedly recollects how he’s always been able to reassure himself that when he was sacrificing men’s lives it was to save more lives than what it cost. In this way, life becomes quantifiable, unimportant, a game of numbers and chance – and pretty big numbers at that. It’s just another way war warps the outlook and perspective of people, including the audience, who are immersed in it. In other words, everything is quite FUBAR.

Saving Private Ryan is, put simply, one of the greatest war films of all time. It deals with all the familiar themes of loyalty, death, and sacrifice, but does so maturely, bringing World War 2, which had never previously been treated in such a way, to life, in all its gory glory.

As well as this one, I also recommend: The Bridge on the River Kwai, Johnny Got His Gun (see above link for DVD trailer), A Matter of Life and Death, The Longest Day as really good war movies.

Okay, picture this. It’s a cross between Rosemary’s Baby and Transformers.

Oh, you haven’t seen Rosemary’s Baby? Ok, then… but you’ve seen lesbian porn right?

Yeah, it’s essentially the same concept.

Okay, so it’s a cross between lesbian porn and Transformers.

We open up on an idyllic meadow with yellow daises and a bright, clear, blue, sparsely clouded sky.

Wait for it… No, wait for it…

BAM! Robots.

Good, right?

Rose is a sexy forty-something cougar with long luscious locks of mouse brown and piercing green eyes who is…

Okay, fine, Rose is a hot, young, fresh, twenty year old bombshell with a gold platinum mane and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. Yeah, ok, good. Blonde Megan Fox.

No, I really don’t think it’s a problem that Megan Fox was in Transformers too. No, this is the stuff she was born to play. Yeah, no, it’s a hot combo. Yeah. Get it? People like what they know, and people like Megan Fox.

Ok, so Rose, played by blonde Megan Fox, is looking for the man of her dreams when robots invade. She meets Lucicon…

Yeah, Lucicon. Like if the devil were a robot. Get it? Ok. Good.

Ok. So Rose is hesitant at first. She kind of gets that Lucicon is no good, but you know, girls like bad boys, so she’s enticed by him and agrees to go to his planet…

CGI. Yeah. Big effects. Maybe at some point we can do a flashback to when Lucicon was a human.

No, in this world, robots are fallen people. It’s religious symbolism. Well, don’t worry about it, we’ll get Vin Diesel to play human-Lucicon.

Anyway, Robot Lucicon takes Rose back to his planet, but drugs her on the way there. Then he fucks her. It’s a really impassioned scene in which Rose is tied down to a sort of alien operating table while robot Lucicon fucks her. Lucicon will look like Vin Diesel in this scene.

Yeah. Really hot.

Blonde Megan Fox will start to hallucinate about Lucicon’s huge dick, and we’ll intersperse it with closeups of her tits.

No, it’s not rape. It’s like Rosemary’s Baby. See. That’s the connection. It’s a classic tale retold. She gets pregnant with a half-robot baby. In fact, it’s like uhhh… she’s the Virgin Mary. See? Religious symbolism. That shit sells.

The lesbian porn? Well, when we get to Act 2 Rose has a change of heart. You know, here she is, responsible for the life of the new robot savior, and she symbolically cuts off all her hair.

Well, I know, but there’s something crazy sexy about chicks who go insane and shave their heads. I mean, Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta, am I right? Yeah I am.

Okay, but, we can’t have Megan Fox looking like a hot dyke without boning some women, so she does. This is the part of the film where she grows as a character and learns things about herself.

Revelation? Yeah. It’s that. She does it with Scarlett Johansson who she met at a seedy space bar during desperate times.

Yeah. Scarlett is an alien babe. She also helps Megan Fox learn to accept her destiny and her heart.

So Lucicon eventually gets the robot baby. Yeah. Megan and Scarlett have more impassioned sex scenes but Lucicon, jealous with rage, fucks then kills Scarlett. It’ll be really intense, but good.

You know, but that’s all in Act 3. I still have some ideas we need to hash out, obviously.

Oh, good, so you like it? Great. I’ll e-mail you a copy of my latest draft and let you have a look over it just so you have a feel for the impassioned dialogue.

Great, good. I’m so glad you like it.

Six figures? Great! But, this is a pretty original idea, can I have my agent talk to you about seven?

Saving Private Ryan is a 1998 World War II drama that follows Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his men through the D-Day landings on Omaha Beach. After surviving D-Day, as depicted in one of the most visceral opening 25 minutes ever filmed, Miller and his squad are ordered to risk their lives and find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon). Ryan’s three brothers have all been killed in action within days of each other. The last one dying on Omaha Beach.  Miller is sent to find Ryan somewhere in Nazi occupied France and bring him back home alive.

The plot is simple. The movie is filled with WWII stereotypes. Captain Miller’s men include a coward, a wise-ass from Brooklyn, a Jewish kid who speaks Yiddish and a medic with a soft heart.  But, because the person directing it is Steven Spielberg, it’s one of the best war movies ever made. And, while some may disagree, I consider it to be one of Spielberg’s best movies.

Before Saving Private Ryan, there had been literally hundreds of movies about war. With Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg took an unflinching look at history through the eyes of those who fought during WWII and made a film about the horrors and heroism of war. Never glorifying it. Always showing how brutal and destructive war is.

The movie is mostly remembered for its opening sequence. A violent and unrelenting battle scene showing Miller and his platoon landing on Omaha Beach and fighting their way through the dug in German defences to the cliff walls behind the beach. We see men killed, repeatedly. Blown up, drowned by their equipment, shot to death and destroyed by German artillery. And, still, these men fight their way forward and take the beach.

The thing is this really happened. The D-Day landings are a real event. And, for a lot of people it wasn’t until this film that they really understood what their grandfathers and fathers went through during the war. And, especially, for the survivors of D-Day.

After the D-Day scene, we follow Miller and his squad on their journey. We get to know them a little. They do their duty and complete their mission at great cost. The final battle scene is as brutal as the first. It’s hard to watch at times because it’s violence is so sudden and intimate.

I think the film’s cultural impact has been greatly forgotten in the decade since it was released. The film combined with the books of historian Stephen Ambrose (Who worked closely with Spielberg as a consultant on the movie)brought a new spotlight on that moment in history. The turning point of WWII when the Allies landed on the mainland of Western Europe. If it weren’t for SVR, we wouldn’t have the modern war film with its realistic portrayal of life as a soldier. We wouldn’t have the video games that changed modern gaming (The Medal Of Honor and Call Of Duty series’). 

It’s a great movie.  Flaws and all.  I give it 5 pitchforks.

I’m at the writing moment sitting at my computer (of cause) watching the fantastic movie “XXX", an Vin Diesel ego wank extraordinaire. But then I realize; this is just a full feature advertisement film. In the first 3 minutes you see the film, me of cause watching it on blue ray (remastered edition) and getting all the dirty details, you’ll se that it’s just a advertisement for DELL computers. which everyone in the entire NSA (National Security Agency, in the fantastic: because they said so logic) uses one. Of cause the entire NSA use dell, and only dell, they are quick, reliable, and above all, cheap!

oh wait, scratch that. they’re not. I fucking hate in – movie commercials. To me they partially ruin my experience. Since XXX is such a corporate dick sucking monkey, I sat down and carefully studied the pictures rolling on my screen.

Then Sony makes their appearance. Since they don’t get enough publicity as it is with their ongoing commercials on TV for the time being. And why don’t I include the 20 seconds before that. Both Ford and Porsche put in a few millions to come join the other corporate jocks in the wank contest this is.

This isn’t going to be just bad, but I just had to express my feelings towards in game and in – movie commercials. I can’t stand them. Especially when every Vin Diesel movie there is, follow this fixed pattern.

And then of cause, it’s the stereotypes. oooh, the stereotypes. God who can forget the stereotypes!? What’s a movie without the stereotype to let all the idiots have someone to relate to? Vin Diesel is doing his normal “I’m hard core” piece of shit, and don’t care about anything. I hate it when movies does this crap, problem is, that Mr. Diesel really do behave this way in real life.

And I can’t fucking stand it.

The other thing is, his dicky face.
Well, here’s a few examples.

and another:

That’s a dicks face.

I hate him.

/Fluffy 

   Postumană, postmodernă şi antimodernă deopotrivă, tematizand o "ţăcăneală" ce-şi are izvorul în paranoia şi schizoidia societăţii moderne – Babylon Babies – cartea lui Maurice Dantec se vrea o evocare fractalică a tuturor posibilităţilor de depăşire ale unei umanităţi ce s-a învechit, ce s-a uzat atât sub raport tehnic cât şi sub raport moral, ale unei umanităţi pe care de a-şi genera în mod paradoxal succesiunea ce o va devora în cele din urmă .

   Filmul făcut după carte – Babylon A.D. – care-l are pe Vin Diesel într-unul din rolurile principale, nu face decât să preia o singură idee din carte şi să brodeze puţin în umbra ei – foarte departe de tematica şi complexitatea cărţii . Sunt pagini în carte de intrigă pură, de acţiune bine structurată, alerte şi pline de adrenalină şi mult mai multe în care povestea se disipează până la dispariţie sufocată de punerea în lumină a diferitelor teorii moderne şi postmoderne despre Univers, ADN, genetică, clonare, cuante, interfaţa om-maşină, neurotransmiţători, şamanism, halucinogene şi multe altele ce se împletesc într-un dans nebunesc cu neputinţă de descifrat de la un punct încolo, dar asimilabil ca o impresie de ansamblu – aceea a micimii şi totalei neimportanţe a ceea ce reprezintă o viaţă de om  "clasică " . O carte de citit şi de meditat, mai ales dacă ai asigurat şi un temei teoretic consistent în prealabil .