Raymond Padilla

Random Thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness is easily the best movie I’ve seen in theaters this year. Granted, the other films I’ve seen for review were Iron Man 3, Pain & Gain, Oblivion, and GI Joe: Retaliation (hardly a cinematic murderers’ row). I loved the movie and can’t wait to see it again, but I understand why certain people have issues with it. As a summer blockbuster, it has everything you could want — thrilling action, fantastic special effects, witty dialogue, and half-naked Alice Eve. If you’re looking for high-budget filmic fun then it doesn’t get any better than this.

That said, there are two types of moviegoers will have problems with this film. First are the hardcore Trekkers that hate the changes JJ Abrams introduced in Star Trek. They’ll have even more to hate in the new film. Additionally, the movie has several nods, references, and parallels to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. While they’re meant as a tribute to that great movie, some fans feel that Abrams was trying to be too clever at best and flat-out copying at worst. While I’ve enjoyed numerous Star Trek movies and TV shows, I’m not a stringent Trekker and I’ve enjoyed Abrams’ take on the franchise, but understand why some fans dislike it.

Then there are people looking for great sci-fi. Star Trek Into Darkness is more space-action-opera than science-fiction. The heady science that can be found in numerous Star Trek movies and episodes isn’t in this movie. Instead, there are several instances of fictionalized science that don’t make much sense. This criticism I understand more than obstinate Trekkers refusing to enjoy something new, but it’s sadly what Hollywood has become and what the majority of moviegoers want.

Like I said, I’m not a Star Trek or sci-fi purist. With that in mind, I loved this movie’s action, effects, writing, and half-naked Alice Eve. Here are some random thoughts on Star Trek Into Darkness. Spoiler shields on!

The Crew: As expected, the movie focuses on the Kirk/Spock bromance, but the other crew members get some time to shine. Scotty and Bones had a bit more time than the others, and they made the most out of it. Scotty had a few scenes that completely owned, while Bones had several lines that killed. Sulu had one bad-ass scene that almost made me forget that he was the uptight stoner from Harold and Kumar. His scenes also foreshadowed his eventual captaincy. Uhura’s moments were slightly disappointing; some of her scenes made her seem like Spock’s emotional accessory, while one action sequence required the boys to bail her out. As far as I can tell, Chekhov exists to frantically run around while frazzled and to mispronounce the letter V.

Khan II: As many of you have learned, Khan Noonien Singh is this movie’s baddy. I thought that Benjamin Cumberbatch did a great job as Khan and was a fantastic villain — much better than Eric Bana’s Nero from the first film. To me, Cumberbatch was smart and intimidating. I felt a sense of danger every time he was onscreen. The character’s weakness had more to do with the writing than the performance. I know that Khan is supposed to kick all kinds of ass, but those unfamiliar with the character probably didn’t get the full sense of his badassery due to limited backstory.

The Pace: The movie’s runtime is 132 minutes, but it’s likely the zippiest 132-minute movie you’ll ever see. The vast majority of the movie is fast. Conversations, space chases, foot chases, and fight sequences happen at a mercurial pace. Many moviegoers will love the constant edge-of-your-seat excitement, but I understand people that feel that the movie could have used a few more breathers. There is such a thing as action fatigue and the movie could have used a bit more backstory for newcomers.

The Effects: This movie has so much eye candy. The special effects are glorious. I was particularly fond of the new warp sequence. I loved how the shape of the ship distorts prior to warp. I loved the new “warp line” effects. I loved the trail of star dust (at least, that’s what I think it is) left by ships post-warp. The sequence happened a few times in the movie and I marked out every time. The set pieces were phenomenal and the aliens looked fantastic. The 3D was good, but not great. From what I understand, Abrams wanted to shoot in anamorphic, which doesn’t allow 3D filming, so the 3D effects were tacked on in post production.

The Writing: As many of you know, I gravitate towards writers of comics, TV shows, and movies. I enjoyed what Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman did with the script from the first movie. The two, along with Damon Lindelof, did a stellar job with the dialogue in Star Trek Into Darkness. I really love the new versions of the classic Star Trek characters these guys created and especially love how they interact with each other. The conversations are fast, funny, and full of heart. When I think of fast-paced dialogue with heart, Aaron Sorkin and Kevin Smith come to mind. The former is probably the best known writer of this style, while the latter has been called a dumber and raunchier version of Sorkin. I guess Orci and Kurtzman combine to form Nerd Sorkin. That totally works for me.

Alice Eve: Honestly, Alice Eve’s character didn’t do much in this movie, but she had a scene that will definitely be one of the most remembered because she’s half naked! I’ve always adored this woman. Obviously she’s extremely attractive on a physical level. More importantly, she’s crazy smart (Oxford educated). Most importantly, she has heterochromia iridium, which is incredibly sexy (see Yuna). Any movie that features a gorgeous half-naked women with heterochromia iridium and a St. Catz education should win an award. Dozens really.

Bottom Line: This movie is super-nerd fun, as long as you’re not on the extreme fringes of nerdom. Normals will love the action, special effects, and half-naked Alice Eve. Light to moderate nerds will love all of those things too, as well as the dialogue. The people that are bashing the movie are hardcore Star Trek and sci-fi fans, and while I understand their issues, I think they’re preventing themselves from enjoying one of the most entertaining films released in 2013.

Vaping Diaries #64: A Visit to Viper Vapor Los Angeles

Yesterday, I dropped by the newest vape shop in Los Angeles — Viper Vapor LA. Located in Koreatown, the store has been opened for a few weeks and is off to a promising start.

Mod choices include the venerable ProVape ProVari, the Joyetech eVic, and the Kamry K100, as well as various eGo models for those looking for “standard” e-cigs. The sexy and sturdy Vape Affinity glass tanks are available for carto/tank fans. The store will be adding additional hardware, including rebuildable atomizers, in the near future.

The store’s e-liquid choices include juices from Black Label Vape, Illusion, Caterpillar, and White Rhino. The store will stock Pink Spot Vapor juices in the near future. Similar to my experiences with the other LA vape shops that have opened in 2013, there was a lack of good tobbaco e-liquids. The Vapor-Mart has a pair of naturally-extracted tobacco juices, while Vaping Ape LA and Viper Vapor LA have none.

Amenities include a comfy sofa, a pair of tables, and several chairs. A water cooler — a must for any vape shop — is on the way and free WiFi will be available soon. The environment is fun and relaxed, while the owners are friendly, young entrepreneurs. I dig the vibe there and will definitely spend more time at the shop in the future (full disclosure: it’s a few blocks from where I live, so it’s the easiest vape shop for me to hit up).

The Los Angeles vape scene is thriving and I’m jazzed that another vape shop has opened this year. I’m excited to see how Viper Vapor LA will differentiate itself from the competition (one super-exciting idea was thrown around yesterday) and I hope that the store grows into another vaping success story.

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Kingdom Come Live-Action Trailer (Fan Film)

Kingdom Come is one of my all-time favorite comic books. Mark Waid wrote a spectacular story that was complemented by Alex Ross’ unforgettable art. Many consider it the pinnacle of both mens’ careers. With all of that in mind, I was curious when a fellow fanboy (thanks Dan!) sent me a link to this Kingdom Come fan film trailer. While some of the costumes aren’t the best, the tone is spot-on and some of the scenes look just like the comic book panels.

Ideally, I would love an animated movie based on Kingdom Come, since Ross’ painted art could mimicked. However, I was impressed with Andrew List’s live-action trailer. Kindly give it a watch and let me know what you think (please!).

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Okay. My heel pain has been downgraded to heel soreness. That nasty surprise attack from food poisoning has been vanquished. I still have some remnants of a cold, but it’s not as bad as it was earlier in the week. That means it’s time to play Packing II! Yeah, moving a few weeks before E3 2013…isn’t the best, but it’s time to leave lovely Wilshire Vermont Station and the silly rent hikes. Despite my weakened condition, I’ve managed to get a lot done. Most of my games and CDs have been packed. I’m going to trade in a bunch of DVDs, simply so they won’t take up space in my new apartment. I’m going to move my consoles, coffee gear, and vaping gear myself (priorities). Packing clothes and swag is going to be this weekend’s challenge. The kitchen stuff…I’ll leave that to the movers. Doesn’t this sound like a fun game?

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Sanctum 2 Interview With Executive Producer Ted Lange

Here’s an interview with Reverb Publishing executive producer Ted Lange on Sanctum 2. The game was developed by Coffee Stain Studios for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It combines tower-defense strategy and first-person shooter action. Lange talks about improvements made over the original Steam-only game, the different types of levels, the various characters and classes, and more. Check out the interview and let me know if Sanctum 2 is something that interests you!

On a side note, I think this is the first videogame interview I’ve done that incorporates vaping. I’ve known Ted for a few years (I think we first met when he was working on the first Guitar Hero games) and I’m thrilled that he has made the switch from smoking to vaping.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda! and the Perils of Crowdfunding

My friend and socio-political crush Tara Reed wrote an excellent and insightful blog post on the perils of crowdfunding. She has been using indiegogo to acquire funds for her book Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: A Novel Approach to Dating. Her first experience with indiegogo…wasn’t the best. While some of the company’s practices are clearly stated, some of them are vague and a potential roadblock for creators trying to get funding for a book, game, project, etc. Tara’s story will help creators understand indiegogo’s system, help them understand how to game it, and hopefully help assist some crowdfunding successes.

I highly recommend reading Tara’s blog post. It’s an informative, interesting, and personal story about how crowdfunding can go wrong. I also recommend checking out Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. It’s like a Choose Your Own Adventure book with romantic comedy and dating advice elements. As a complete sucker for rom-coms, of course I’m going to dig it!

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Coffee Talk #585: Austin Aries, Christy Hemme, and Fines

TNA Wrestling’s Austin Aries has been fined for an on-air incident with announcer Christy Hemme. On the last episode of Impact Wrestling, Hemme announced the wrong tag-team while Aries and partner Bobby Roode were making their way to the ring. A-Double played up his heel persona by getting in Hemme’s face, telling her to announce the correct team, and eventually putting his crotch in her face. TNA president Dixie Carter tweeted that the company “has ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior.” According to TMZ, Aries has been…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the dreaded triumvirate of physical pain, flu, and stomach problems, Koreatown’s new vape shop, or Google I/O happenings, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

TNA Wrestling’s Austin Aries has been fined for an on-air incident with announcer Christy Hemme. On the last episode of Impact Wrestling, Hemme announced the wrong tag-team while Aries and partner Bobby Roode were making their way to the ring. A-Double played up his heel persona by getting in Hemme’s face, telling her to announce the correct team, and putting his crotch in her face. TNA president Dixie Carter tweeted that the company “has ZERO tolerance for inappropriate behavior.” According to TMZ, Aries has been slapped with a “severe fine.”

Some of the Internet reactions have been harsh. Some have accused Aries of bullying and sexual harassment. That seems ridiculous to me. Aries is a heel — a pro-wrestler that’s acts like a villain. He’s playing a part. This is, after all, a character that refers to himself as, “The greatest man that has ever lived.” Of course he’s going to get annoyed and act like a dick when the announcer botches his entrance. Hemme’s mistake was insulting, so Austin Aries — the character — insulted her in retribution.

A few people have compared the situation to Bryan Danielson (Daniel Bryan) getting fired from the WWE for choking announcer Justin Roberts with a necktie. Certainly there are similarities, but ultimately both punishments were stupid. That said, I understand WWE’s stance more than I do TNA’s. WWE has been upfront about making its programming “PG.” Danielson crossed a (vague) line and was unemployed for a short time before being rehired by WWE. As far as I know, TNA doesn’t have the self-imposed restrictions that the WWE has.

While Aries’ actions were improved, a crotch to the face isn’t the worse thing wrestling fans have seen. Triple H once simulated necrophilia. Kane covered Jim Ross in gasoline and set him on fire. Paul Bearer was buried alive. From that standpoint, I don’t see what the big deal is here. Some are claiming that Hemme was put in an uncomfortable situation. I would completely agree with that…if Aries and Hemme weren’t characters that were part of a show. While I don’t condone men shoving their crotches in women’s faces, the act made sense for the Austin Aries persona. They’re actors on a stage, not accountants in an office.

Obviously I’m biased. Some of you are aware that I know and like Dan Solwold, the gentleman that portrays Austin Aries. As a friend, I’m supposed to stand by him when he’s wrong. The thing is, I really don’t think he did anything wrong. Of course, I’d love to hear your take on the matter. Do you think that Austin Aries crossed a line? Was the alleged “severe fine” by TNA appropriate? Or do you agree with me and think that it’s ridiculous that an actor is being punished for playing his part? Do you think this is all an elaborate angle that will help TNA, Aries, and Hemme get some mainstream press? Am I part of the angle? Shout it out in the comments section (please), but don’t put your crotch in my face or I will fine you.

Rihanna Buys Razer Naga Hex, Chris Brown Jokes Wanted

Pop superstar Rihanna was recently spotted buying a Razer Naga Hex Wraith Red gaming mouse and Razer promptly sent out a press blast on the purchase. Here’s a clip:

Rihanna, the undisputed queen of pop, has set her sights on getting a leg up in hardcore gaming with Razer’s best-in-class Naga Hex Wraith Red edition gaming mouse. The pop songstress was spotted picking up the hardcore gaming mouse with her younger brother in a NYC BestBuy over the weekend.

Being the inventive lot that you are, I know you guys and gals have some inappropriate Chris Brown jokes in you. It’s not that I want to make light of the heinous crimes he committed against the Barbadian beauty, but this is a fine opportunity to point out what a horrid piece of crap the he is. Fire away (please)!

Coffee Talk #584: Xbox Infinity, Good Name or Bad?

Sorry for the late start today, guys and gals. On top of my busted heel, I’ve caught a cold. I’m going to blame it on the weather shifting from 70F to 90F in a week. Anyway, one of the latest rumors on Microsoft’s next console is that it will be called Xbox Infinity. A few of my sources said that the name is legit, while a few have said that it’s not. Let’s forget about that for now and judge the name Xbox Infinity. Do you love it or hate it?…more

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the joys of siphon-brewed coffee, the fascinating Silicon Knights shell game, or E3 2013 judges week, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

On one hand, it’s a dynamic name that should make for some cool branding. There’s also that built-in Buzz Lightyear marketing. On the other hand, some tech pundits believe that Xbox Infinity is too close to Comcast’s Xfinity brand. Additionally, the name kind of boxes Microsoft in, no? Where does the company take it from here? Xbox Infinity + 1? Xbox Infinity and Beyond?

As a fan of the Scott Pilgrim books and movie, I immediately thought of the scene pictured above when I heard the name Xbox Infinity. It’s not that I think the name is bad (it does nothing for me either way), but rather I’m going enjoy reading about Sony fanboys going off on the name (should it pan out).

What do you think? Xbox Infinity — yay or nay?

Mike Tyson Mysteries Coming to Adult Swim

Former boxing heavyweight champion “Iron” Mike Tyson is headed to Adult Swim in Mike Tyson Mysteries. Armed with a magical tattoo and a pigeon, Tyson will be featured in weekly 15-minute episodes later this year. Here’s the official description from the press release:

Mike Tyson Mysteries — In the new animated comedy series Mike Tyson Mysteries, Mike Tyson is taking the fight from the boxing ring to the streets…by solving mysteries! Armed with a magical tattoo on his face and a trusty associate by his side — a talking pigeon — if you have a problem that needs solving, Iron Mike is in your corner. The series incorporates live-action appearances featuring Mighty Mike himself, and the gloves come off as the former heavyweight champ and his fowl-mouthed partner gear up for weekly adventures as they put unsolved mysteries — like how to defeat a super computer at chess or why a famous author/werewolf can’t finish his novel — down for the count. Animated quarter-hour from Warner Bros Animation.

This show sounds like all kinds of awesome. It places one of the biggest sports icons of the ’80s and ’90s in an animated adventure that pays homage to his trademark tattoo, love of pigeons, and Batman-like detective skills. While I’ve had some fun debates with RPadholics over Tyson’s place in boxing history, there’s no denying that he’s one of the most fascinating and interesting athletes the world has seen in the last 30 years. Mike Tyson Mysteries adds to his cult of personality and amazing reinvention.

Tyson started out as a fierce young heavyweight, went onto become a controversial boxer known for biting off ear pieces and making threats to eat opponents’ babies, and later cracked people up in The Hangover movies. And here he is in 2013, as a lovable mystery-solving cartoon character with a pigeon sidekick. Remarkable.

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