2016 And 2017: Bye Bye Bye Bi-Retrospective

The passion for this blog comes and goes unfortunately. Such are the rhythms in this life for me.

When 2016 ended I had little energy for this thing. I was like Superman with a necklace chock full of kryptonite. I write when I feel it of course. At least I try. I can't say it's getting easier to write. Far too many external concerns have taken me away from this place. The ebb and flow of those issues will have an impact going forward but we will always do our best.



Nevertheless, we'll look back and try to look ahead.

The highlights for me in 2016 were likely writing about anime's Blue Submarine No.6 (1998-2000), Stargate Universe (2009-2011) and SG-1 (1997-2007), the Ascension (2014) mini-series, The Expanse (2015-present), Space:1999 (1975-1977) and anime's Knights Of Sidonia (2014-2015).

We took a peek at Continuum (2012-2015) starring the ever so hot Rachel Nichols (are we still allowed to say that in 2018?). We even wrapped up a look at the original Battlestar Galactica's Saga Of A Star World (1978).



Winter hibernation may have had a roll in enjoying a long siesta well into 2017. For whatever odd reason, that spectacular first season of pop culture sensation LOST (2004-2010) pulled me from my slumber. I know. Crazy, but appropriately so was the show.



We saw a sprinkling of Battle Of The Planets (1978) in both 2016 and 2017. We also carried over Stargate SG-1 and Stargate Universe into 2017 along with Knights Of Sidonia, The Expanse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-2009).



Apparently we took 2016 off regarding a look at Kenneth Johnson's The Incredible Hulk (1977-1982) but bounced back to that transformational series again in 2017.

We also jumped back in time for a taste of Land Of The Lost (1974-1976), but then leaped way ahead to the Ronald D. Moore re-imagining of Battlestar Galactica (2003-2009) as well as doomed spin-off Blood And Chrome (2012).



I began a series of posts dedicated to spaceships. That makes sense here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic so why not. One of those focused upon was the Daiku Maryu from anime Gaiking (aka Dino Mech Gaiking) (1976-1977) of which I'm currently painting an iteration of here at home when I have a free moment or two and those are scarce I can tell you.

As a general overview regarding these last two years, I found the Netflix film What Happened To Monday? (2017), starring Noomi Rapace by Norwegian director Tommy Wirkola, to be one of my favorite science fiction films. It was one of the most satisfying stories in two years worth of subpar science fiction.



So what lies ahead for Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic? Honestly this writer has no freaking idea.

Of late I've been travelling back in time, of a sort, and enjoying some Criterion edition Blu-Ray films over the last year and exploring some of the classics. As many here know, despite my love of quality science fiction, I'm not a huge fan of mainstream action films or effects heavy superhero films. They just don't interest me including Star Wars. Though, truth be told, I broke down to attend with my son, both of us skeptical mind you, and we found Star Wars: The Last Jedi, to be a marked improvement over The Force Awakens and enjoyed it considerably. He found it to be easily the best of the last three pictures including Rogue One.



But I've been having a love affair with these Criterion releases. To prove that point out some of the films I've enjoyed of late include: Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal (1957), Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs (1971), Andrew Haigh's 45 Years (2015), Guillermo del Toro's The Devil's Backbone (2001), David Fincher's The Game, Ang Lee's The Ice Storm (1997), Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas (1984), Peter Weir's Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975), Roman Polanski's Tess (1979), Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits (1981), Martin Rosen's Watership Down (1978) and Erik Skjoldbjaerg's Insomnia (1997).



The Criterion film thus far that I'd rank as my absolute favorite would be Jan Troell's The Emigrants (1971) and The New Land (1972). These are striking and beautiful films. It's a journey worth your time. The two films clock in at a whopping, epic 393 minutes. It's easy to see the influence of these two films on a beloved series like Little House On The Prairie (1974). There are literally scenes within these two films that struck me as mirrors to scenes regarding the plight of the Ingalls family despite the adaptation of that series based on the books (1935) of Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Emigrants and The New Land are astonishing films with long establishing shots, intimate close-ups, often little dialogue but powerful in terms of emotional resonance. The Emigrants, a foreign film, was nominated for best film in 1972 but was ultimately taken out by The Godfather.



The Criterion films that I found less than mesmerizing, even a bit labored or slow in some fashion for my taste, would be Hal Ashby's Being There (1979), Lars Von Trier's Breaking The Waves (1996), Karel Reisz's The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981), Steve McQueen's Hunger (2008), Byron Haskin's Robinson Crusoe On Mars (1964) and Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne's Two Days, One Night (2014). Many more to go folks.

As for revisiting science fiction here at the site whether it be those vintage era, nostalgic glory days or something more contemporary of high quality this writer hopes to spend some time offering something of quality to you here on your visits.



What I will do and what I'd like to do are clearly two very different, competing objectives.

There will definitely be more of The Expanse. I adore that series and the books from which it is sourced. The latter have delivered exciting, expansive reading. I'm itching for more Battle Of The Planets, Stargate Universe, and Space:1999 to be covered here.

In anime I would love to finish Knights Of Sidonia, Attack On Titan (2013-present) and explore Mazinger Z: The Impact and Space Battleship Yamato 2199 (aka Star Blazers 2199). I also intend to watch the two live action Attack On Titan (2015) films as well as the Japanese release of that new Shin Godzilla film (2017). I am eagerly anticipating the Mazinger Z: Infinity film in 2018.



Currently I've been watching Robotech (or Macross) (1985), a series best enjoyed through a young person's rose-colored glasses, but still ever so influential with significant attention paid to character for an animated series of this vintage.

On the strictly science fiction front as entertainment, this writer, or more fittingly, this viewer is eager to see The Expanse Season Four and Colony Season Three to air in 2018 on television as well as new Netflix series Altered Carbon. In theatres in 2018 the most anticipated science fiction films for me would be Alex Garland's Annihilation, Mortal Engines with minor interests in Pacific Rim: Uprising, The Predator and Alita: Battle Angel.



So we'll certainly see how things go people. But wherever you are out there, all the best to you and much health in 2018. 

2015: Rear End Retrospective And Musings

The Happy New Year routine is certainly intended to be a positive, cathartic experience. I always enjoy this time of year. Of course coming off the end of those final days of the old year with so much enthusiasm and excitement is a bit like coming off an all-time natural high only to come crashing down to the realities of life and its routines beginning all over again. What's so happy and new about that? If one wasn't a mentally balanced individual you could be setting yourself up for all out depression. It's pretty clear that wheel in the cage just keeps on turning.



But I suppose the new year is a bit of a reset. It's a break from the old and the celebration of the new or what you hope to be new and improved over the previous year. Of course it's all relative. If you had a great year previously why would you want to say goodbye to it? If it was a terrible year, well, then the new year is precisely the thing for you, unless things just get worse. Then there is the cold hard fact it is the end of a calendar year and mathematically we should do something to close out the final day of 365 days. So we have the Romans, the Egyptians and the Sumerians to thank. So I like to be a glass is half full kind of guy if I can and I'm wishing you all the best of luck. So, happy new year to you all to be sure.



I spent some time in Boston over Christmas. You don’t realize just how hard it is to step outside of your comfort zone until you get older. Of course, not everyone is like that. It's like that for me though. I wasn’t always like this. But, the longer I stay connected to blogging, my creature comforts, and my routines the harder it is to break away. I have truly become such a creature of habit. My son also enjoys home or prefers the country. Stepping away for him wasn’t easy either especially heading to the city. I’m really not a city person. I used to enjoy going to the city and I settled in while I was there. Years ago, I often hopped over to the city. A bunch of us used to hit Tower Records, HMV and every other CD shop on Newbury Street to Harvard Square before downloading replaced it all and forced Tower and HMV to close their doors.



A jaunt to the Black Rose for fish and chips was always part of the event. Food always sweetens any deal. Remember that one if you have young kids and start coaching. Food is love. Kids love food.

Anyway, yeah, I’m not crazy about the city as much. It’s a self-preservation thing and yet it’s not so bad really. Of course, as I say that, there were terror threats on Boston that week. It was strange being there and actually seeing that on the news. The family was less than enthusiastic about that news. It's a mess. Never thought I'd see that day. It's here thanks to a complete absence of leadership across the world.



But yes, I did it. I stepped away from the computers and bid farewell to my dogs and did a number of normally unthinkable things just to do something different. My son asked why on Earth we had to go to the city. What’s the point of all of it Dad? I said, because it’s called living. Even I forget we need to do that once in a while.

But I digress from our 2015 Rear End Retrospective And Musings as I’ve so dubbed this little year-end retrospective post.



It’s here we look back (and behind - cough) and muse upon what has been enjoyed and celebrated with regard to science fiction here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic and offer a glimpse of what’s to come in the exciting new year. I know, let's tone down the excitement. I sound like a Doublemint Gum commercial.

2015 has been a generally good year overall here at Musings thankfully. I’ve certainly seen worse.



A good deal of time was spent on anime this year with more to come in 2016 no doubt. A fairly extensive, long term analysis was begun on anime director and visionary great Katsuhiro Otomo (here).



Anime coverage included my beloved Battle Of The Planets (here)



Ergo Proxy (here)



a thorough look at classic Gaiking (here)



Gurren Lagann (here)



Casshan (here)



Star Blazers (here)



Ninja Scroll (and other works by Yoshiaki Kawajiri here)



Redline (here)



Royal Space Force: The Wings Of Honneamise (here)



Blue Submarine No.6 (here) and much more.



One anime series, outside of the fairly well acclaimed Attack On Titan, that I cannot say enough about in offering my rousing endorsement is Knights Of Sidonia (here). I relished that series and was lost in that animated universe as much as I was lost with those in Stargate Universe.



I spent a bit of time tracking the politically correct and ongoing nonsense surrounding the casting of the upcoming Hollywood film take on a Ghost In The Shell (here). It just never ends in the current political climate.



Outside of anime we remained in Japan with a close up on Toho’s marvelous Matango (Attack Of The Mushroom People) (here) one of the best non-Gojira to yield from the studio.



I also investigated the stylish but dreadful Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (here).



I spent a good bit of time on a post called Science Fiction On Film: A Visual History (here). The post is actually way too long, but was a bit of an experiment for me here and remains a work in progress. You will find updates on that post periodically.



I finally delivered on the second portion of Battlestar Galactica: Saga Of A Star World (here). As much as I love the original series it has been a slog to get something posted for it. I assure you Saga Of A Star World Part 3 is headed your way this year.



Another classic to hail from overseas which had its origins around the same time as Battlestar Galactica was George Miller’s Mad Max (here). So we offered a look back at Mad Max 3 as well as the newly invigorated and revitalized Mad Max: Fury Road.



In keeping with the Mad Max aesthetic (just add zombies), it was a good time to finally get around to Resident Evil: Extinction (here).



But Predestination (here) was one of the best science fiction films I had the chance to see in 2015. It was definitely one of my favorites enjoyed on Blu-Ray.



I only managed to analyze just three episodes of the sorely underrated Stargate Universe (here) in 2015 but hope to return to the Destiny for 2016. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this sci-fi series. It's very much in keeping with current genre classics in the making, Dark Matter and The Expanse, and seemingly less connected with its other franchise arms. It's a refreshing detour that genuinely confused or caught a lot of Stargate fans off guard.



The last summer saw me get hooked on Defiance (here) too. Though cancelled in 2015 after being addicted, it remains something of a minor little sci-fi classic in my mind and will always have a special place. Returning to that world is an easy one.



On the other hand V (here) is one world I will never return to as I finally discovered for myself. It was a truly dismal effort. Well, the effort and intentions were clearly there, but the end result was abysmal.



But the good news is we have glimpsed the future with The Expanse (here) and the excitement mounts for that series to continue.



So what will 2016 bring?

All I can do is offer my best estimation of what I’d like to cover and/or bring to you here at Musings Of A Sci-Fi Fanatic in the given confines of a finite year. I try my best to deliver, but I’m imperfect as robots go.



Expectations for the new year include returns to Battle Of The Planets (1978), Stargate Universe (2009-2011), Knights Of Sidonia (2014-2015), Battlestar Galactica classic (1978-1979) as well as the new Moore version. We will also have a look at the single season of Caprica (2010). I’m optimistic we will jump into two SyFy mini-series in Ascension (2014) as well as the adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood’s End (2015) when that is released on Blu-Ray in the first half of the year.



My hope is to have a look at a few highlights from the now cancelled Defiance (2013-2015) and definitely Dark Matter (2015-present). If The Expanse (2015-present) hits Blu-Ray in the new year you can be sure I will bring it your way here.

Obviously there were will be some unexpected surprises even to me. That's what keeps things fresh for all of us. There will likely be a few films to look more closely at and one that is high on my agenda will be a formative classic covered in great detail, Ridley Scott's Blade Runner (1982) adapted from Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? (1968) I have a great many musings to offer on that one and look forward to it. I've been a little intimidated about how to approach a film I hold in such high regard, but I think I have my arms around it now.

Fingers crossed we can make it all happen and that everyone stays healthy throughout the new year to enjoy it.



As far as new films in 2016. Sadly, I couldn’t care a lick for most of them. For me people, most of these films have become special effects nightmares. All style with little substance. And where there is substance the love for computer generated effects have sometimes become almost distracting to me. My expectations and my standards are much higher and fortunately there is plenty from television and film, past and present, to explore. Trailers for WarCraft, Tarzan (another digital apes film), anything from Marvel including Deadpool (and anything from Ryan Reynolds), X-Men: Apocalypse, Captain America: Civil War (I feel like I’ve seen that film already), Dr. Strange (never dug the comic either), anything Star Wars and, good grief, Star Trek: Beyond. These films have become mindless entertainment monstrosities. I don’t mean to be a killjoy on these matters. It’s just where I am at the moment and I require something more to fill my time.



I am looking forward to The Revenant and apart from that film I suspect there will be others, but 2016 does not look impressive at a glance. Star Wars can make all the money in the world, but that doesn’t mean great filmmaking.

I wish I could be as positive about the state of film (or politics) as I am about the state of television (Longmire, Hannibal, Fargo and the list goes on) nevertheless we will cover what has meaning to me here.



I hope things improve regarding the nation's security in the new year, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Those disenchanted by the current administration's policies might be wise to give HBO's John Adams (2008) a look. If you aren't inclined to read, there are some good lessons about liberty, faith, resolve, God and country, to be discovered there, lessons entirely absent from the complete vacuum of leadership in this country today.

So look out for your neighbors and each other and cover your rears in the new year. When you get right down to it the difference you make is in your own community.

Strap in folks! More science fiction coverage on the way!