Lost in Space Netflix Reboot

I was a kid who grew up watching re-runs of the original Lost in Space. The original series debuted in 1965, so I didn't watch it the first time around (I was born in 1964).  The Robinson family and their misdventures were a staple of after school TV for me. Quickly, the catch phrase, "Danger Will Robinson" became a part of my family's dialog.

I watched a lot of Irwin Allen productions back then, "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Time Tunnel," and "Swiss Family Robinson" were just a few of the fantastical TV shows I fed on as a child. Probably explains my obsession with Star Wars when it came out and then in the years to follow, the Marvel universe.

The Robinson family, John, his wife Maureen, son Will, and daughters Penny and Judy were joined on there adventures by Don West and Dr. Smith and a robot, known simply as Robot. June Lockhart was the typical 60's mom, instead of with Lassie as the backdrop, it was space. Guy Williams was the strong leader, the dad who always knew the right thing to do. The sisters were pretty and typical teens. Will was mischievous but good-hearted. Don was always the hero and Dr. Smith was always getting the team into some kind of trouble.



When heard Netflix was rebooting the series, I was immediately intrigued, but my schedule hadn't afforded me the time to watch it until this weekend.



So, all the favorites were there, but with a modern twist. Now it's Mom who is the rocket scientist and in charge of the mission. She is smart, capable, and doesn't take crap from anyone. Her husband John is a military man, an absentee dad who has been on deployment more than present for his family and wants to make up for lost time. Penny (16) is the artist, the computer expert, and the typical teen. Her older sister Judy is a doctor (at 18) and like her non-biological dad, a lot stubborn and very strong willed. Will (11) is full of self-doubt and fear, not exactly sure he should be on this mission, but smarter than all of them put together, more than likely.  Don West is there, but this version is a bit of a scoundrel with a soft heart. Dr. Smith is not a doctor, but a female sociopathic criminal who takes her sister's place on the voyage. And Robot is there too, and its story is what really makes the excitement of the show.

The cast is strong. Molly Parker (Deadwood, House of Cards)  as Maureen has a mind so sharp and is so focused on her children's survival that sometimes she forgets just to be a mom. Toby Stephens (13 Hours, Black Sails) as John is strong, yet completely aware of his short-comings in this situation. Maxwell Jenkins as Will is a kid who wants to see the best in everyone through his fear and self-doubt. The sisters Penny (Mina Sundwall) and Judy (Taylor Russell) bring both the bond and the conflict of sisterhood to the screen. Don West is played by Ignacio Serricchio who was one of my favorite "squints" in the final seasons of "Bones". He does a great job bringing the likable side through and you can see the beginnings of chemistry between him and Judy. My least favorite character was definitely Dr. Smith, played by Parker Posey, but that was just as it was supposed to be. She does an excellent job as a sociopath, always on the hunt for what she wants but able to hide in plain sight.

The series opens with the Robinsons and many others making the trip to Alpha Centauri. Earth has become inhabitable both physically, politically, and socially. They are chosen with other families to make the trip and begin an new society. But, the space station transporting them is attacked by aliens and they are forced to evacuate. The Robinsons along with others crash land on a planet, and the adventure really begins.

The special effects are awesome. They designed Robot to be able to be both scary as all get out and confidence-building in turn. The landscapes are breathtaking in one moment and frightening in the next. There's a hazard around every turn, and if there's a problem to be overcome, the Robinson's are going to do it, but not without throwing a wrench in it first.

It was a great ride. If you like sci-fi, adventure, and family stories, you will love this. I did.

I'm Just a Ragamuffin

Last evening I traveled with some friends toward Richmond to see "Ragamuffin." The film is the story of Rich Mullins, a prominent Christian musician of the 1980s who met an untimely demise. If you're looking for a film that looks at Christian music with rose colored glasses, then this is not your film.  If you're looking for a life full of hope and peace, this is not your film. If you're looking for a clear picture that we are all broken people who without the love of God are on self-destruct mode, this is your film.

The film is well made overall, it is beautifully shot and has some of the best acting I've seen in a Christian movie, ever. Even though Michael Koch who plays Mullins, looks more like Josh Duhamel than Rich Mullins, I thought he did an admirable job portraying this tortured, tortured musician who was a really quite self-absorbed and could be quite the jerk. His personal musicianship is quite evident, he really did play that piano and guitar and made a great effort to sound like Mullins when he sang. I will say, that I felt like the movie was about an hour too long.  I know they wanted to be true to Mullins story, but I feel like they lost me at one point. I had the idea early on that he was a tortured soul who was trying really hard to work out his relationship with the Lord.  Additionally, there were continuity problems, especially Mullins hair length changed it seemed from scene to scene.

Mullins story is one of disappointment and pain, of a painful and dysfunctional family relationship, and of a heart that only God ever understood. I guess his story isn't that much different than a lot of people's stories.  Aren't we all just one step away from falling flat on our faces?  It's Mullins association with Brennan Manning that brings him face-to-face with the idea that his God isn't afraid of Rich Mullins' flaws and wants to be his healer.  As a quote from Manning illustrates, “To live by grace means to acknowledge my whole life story, the light side and the dark. In admitting my shadow side I learn who I am and what God's grace means.”

This movie is only playing at a few venues, you can find if the tour is coming nearby here:
http://ragamuffinthemovie.com/

The Stand Outs

It snowed a decent amount here yesterday, and I got caught up on some of DVR'ed shows. Here's a couple standouts from the new crop of shows in 2013/2014 that I like.

The Black List (NBC)

A thriller/mystery show that centers around a young FBI profiler named Elizabeth Keane (Megan Boone). One day, one of the FBI's most wanted walks into FBI headquarters and gives himself up. Red Reddington (James Spader) asks to speak to this unassuming young woman. He has information on criminals the FBI doesn't even know exist, but he will only give the information to Elizabeth. Thus begins the trail of intrigue, deception, and dysfunction that keeps the viewer guessing. Boone is likeable enough as Keane and is an acceptable foil for Spader. However, it's Spader who makes this show, he and the writer who scripts his character must be cosmically connected. I honestly think if "Breaking Bad" had its last season earlier, he would wipe up at all the awards shows. He's so horrible, but sometimes the things that he says make you laugh out loud. If you like the "bad guy as good guy" trend, you will love this show.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)

Clark Gregg as Agent Colson.  That's all I should really have to say to anyone who has seen Thor or the Avengers. I love his wry sense of humor, but I think I love the idea that this guy who looks like an accountant could break you in a second. It's another dysfunctional little family, that is fiercely loyal to one another. The thing is, it lacks is a real nemesis, so I am hoping that gets cleared up soon. But, I enjoy the banter, I enjoy the characters discovering who they are, and I love the references to the Marvel movies.

Sleepy Hollow (FOX)

Action/adventure/spiritual warfare/fantasy couched in a crime procedural, not unlike NBC's "Grimm." However, unlike "Grimm" our hero is really, really engaging. (Sorry, David Guintoli). Lt Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie) of the Sleepy Hollow police department has teamed up with Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) to save the world from the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Oh, I am sorry, I did say Ichabod Crane as in the character from Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." Evidently, Crane was married to a witch who placed a spell on him so he did not die.  He is unearthed in 2013 and sets out with Lt. Mills (he calls her "Left-tenant" in the proper English way) to solve a mystery that goes back to the Founding Fathers and rescue his wife from purgatory. Tom Mison is super-engaging as Crane, this man from the 18th century trying to fit in today. The day Abbie buys him a pair of skinny jeans is almost as funny as his rant about needing a smart phone. It is dark and pretty creepy. It does mix Biblical truth with dark elements; I would not recommend it for kids. I can't help but think that the writers are on a search for truth, but can't reconcile all these influences.

Intelligence (CBS)

This is the newest of the shows, it only started in January. This is the story of a former military special ops guy who is implanted with a chip that turns him into a super-computer (can anyone say "Chuck" or I guess more accurately Bryce Larkin). Josh Holloway plays Gabriel Vaughn and Meghan Ory the Secret Service agent brought in to protect Vaughn from himself. He has a tendency to go a little bit rogue in search of his wife, who is presumed dead as a participant in a terror attack in Mumbai. I have to admit, it's the actors in this one that have me hooked.  Holloway played Sawyer in "Lost," and Ory plays Red Riding Hood on "Once Upon a Time." The supporting cast includes Marg Helgenberger of "C.S.I." fame and John Billingsley, whom you have seen in everything from "Star Trek: Enterprise" to "24" to bit parts on "The Mentalist" and "Criminal Minds." While the action is interesting, it's the human story of Holloway's search for his wife that I find engaging.

Jack Ryan's Latest Redux

I grew up in the 1970s.  One of my favorite shows was "CHiPs"; if you were alive back then, you remember Erik Estrada's teeth.  However, one of my favorite characters on the show was Captain Getraer, played  by Robert Pine. 

Robert Pine was that guy you saw all the time, on "Cannon," "Mod Squad," "Magnum P.I.," "Dynasty," "Dallas," "LA Law," "Baywatch," and the list goes on and on.  IMDb has 198 credits listed for this working actor. He never was the leading man, but this handsome man was the dad, the congressman, the police captain, the judge, or the principal.

A couple years ago, I saw this guy in Princess Diaries 2 and thought, "dang he looks like Robert Pine." (I know I'm one of only a few people who would think that...one of my quirks.) Turned out that I was right.  It was his son, Chris Pine. A few years later he landed the role that catapulted him to the stardom that his dad never knew, as James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams redux of "Star Trek."

This weekend, Chris has taken on another iconic role, Jack Ryan; Tom Clancy's American hero played previously by Alec Baldwin, Ben Affleck, and most memorably by Harrison Ford.  Of course, this is the young Jack Ryan, an economics student who joins the Marines after 9/11. He is seriously injured when his helicopter is shot down over Afghanistan.  Despite his injuries, he distinguishes himself by pulling two of his men to safety. While in rehab at Walter Reed, he meets two people who set his life on opposing paths, a young doctor named Cathy (Keira Knightley) and a CIA handler (Kevin Costner).  Fast forward ten years, Jack is planted in NYC as part of the financial industry. He's an analyst, there to watch where the money goes and prevent terrorism. He and Cathy are engaged. He finds some sketchy transactions from the Russians that could mean disaster for the U.S. economy. He goes to Russia to perform an audit (how un-Jack Ryan is that) and meets Vicktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh). From there, the snowball of action rolls, and it kept me on the edge of my seat.

Chris took on Ryan fearlessly. At once he was Marine, CIA agent, brilliant geeky economist, fierce patriot and protector, gentle lover, and broken warrior. The scene with Kevin Costner in the park was a great piece of acting.  I have to say that hearing Keira Knightley without an English accent threw me for a loop. So much so, it had me suspicious of her the entire movie. Perhaps that was the work of Kenneth Branagh, who not only played the villain brilliantly but was also the film's director.  Costner was solid as Ryan's handler and he and Pine had great chemistry.

I am sure that Chris' working actor dad is bubbling with pride in some theater in CA this weekend. "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" is a great addition to the legacy of Jack Ryan and a likely beginning to another franchise of the character. I definitely see Costner, Knightley, and especially Pine in another Jack Ryan movie.

Summer is Here

The days turn longer and warmer. We enter into Daylight Savings Time (kicking and screaming). Typically, people long to head to the beach, hang out in the park, have a backyard barbeque, or have a summer romance. I however long for a darkened room and the smell of popcorn.  Summer is blockbuster movie time and I am so excited. (Though this year my ability to see them may be impeded....just lost my job last week.) Regardless, let me give you the lowdown on some of the summer movies that I am looking forward to.

Iron Man 3 (May 3)
Robert Downey, Jr. reprises his role as the ever-arrogant, ever-brilliant, ever-sleepless Tony Stark. I've already seen this movie, and it did not disappoint. Tony's wit and confidence continue even though they both take a beating. His beautiful counterpart Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) continues to show why she is the perfect partner and foil for Stark. There's plenty of action and a few twists in the storyline to keep a viewer interested.  I went with a friend who had never seen the other two movies and she LOVED it.

The Great Gatsby (May 10)
I don't know that the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic would normally fit into the summer blockbuster category, but under the direction of Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby it promises to look and feel much more like a summer blockbuster than the original Robert Redford/Mia Farrow film. I have a soft spot for Baz Luhrmann, the Australian director is responsible for one of my all time favorite films, "Strictly Ballroom" but is best known for his takes on "Moulin Rouge" and "Romeo and Juliet." It promises to be an amazing vision of the decadence of the 1920's. I am anxious to see how DiCaprio approaches the character of Gatsby in comparison to Redford's iconic performance. Luhrmann's approach to the music is amazing with using the likes of JayZ, Kanye West, Florence and the Machine, Brian Ferry along with Fats Waller, Cole Porter, and George Gershwin.

Star Trek: Into Darkness (May 17)
The reboot of this iconic series has been so much fun.  The casting of Chris Pine (This Means War. It matches him and Tom Hardy...sigh) as Captain Kirk, Zachary Quinto (He will always be Sylar on Heroes to me) as Spock, Simon Pegg (He was awesome in Ghost Protocol) as Scotty, and my personal favorite Karl Urban (If you've not seen Red, he was perfect) as Bones has breathed new life into the characters.  J.J. Abrams direction has balanced homage to the original with a vision of for the future of the series. I loved the first one, and this one should be its equal and may perhaps pass it depending on whether Benedict Cumberpatch (the BBC's latest Sherlock) is as compelling as the villain as I think he's going to be. 

Man of Steel (June 14)
I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love superheroes. They take us out of our every day world and show us what could be. Superman has been done and done again. There's certainly not be any sort of shortage of steel-jawed men to play him. From the beginning of the serial with Kirk Alyn to Christopher Reeve to the latest iteration in Henry Cavill. I am not a comic book reader, so I don't know how close to the actual story this will be to the comic book world.  For me, it looks like it has the potential to be a super appealing story and have portrayals that endear me to characters again that I have seen many times.  Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, and one of my all time favorites Amy Adams as Lois Lane add to the superb casting of Henry Cavill. Cavill brings a manliness to the man of steel that is more than the clean cut Clark Kent we are used to.

Between Star Trek and Man of Steel are several weeks of movies that I hold little or no interest in.  The Hangover Part III, though I love Bradley Cooper, these movies are not my cup of tea. Disney's offering EPIC seems like a reboot of Ferngully. I may grow some interest in Will and Jaden Smith's After Earth, but I am thinking if I'm still unemployed, I'm not wasting my money on that one.

There is one other film before Man of Steel that is a must see for me.  It's Joss Whedon's take on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. (June 7) It's one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. It's done by one of my favorite director/producers, Joss Whedon. (see my earlier posts) It has a great cast that might not be your usual major motion picture cast (Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker are not lead actors usually, but I love them both). I love that the idea for the movie is borne out of the parties Whedon would have at his home to read Shakespeare. And of course, I am super giddy that Nathan Fillion is in it.

I am going to address the other summer films in another post!  Mark your calendars!

Olympus Has Fallen

Saturday I went to see "Olympus Has Fallen." If I were to sum it up in a short sentence it would be "Die Hard takes place in the White House." It was a good action movie. Gerard Butler looked great as a Secret Service agent, square-jawed and clean shaven wearing those aviator sunglasses.

For those of you who haven't seen it yet, the basic premise is this, terrorists take over the White House and Gerard Butler saves the day. Like I said, Die Hard at the White House with Gerard Butler replacing Bruce Willis.

The writer did a great job of nearly immediately endearing the audience to the President (Aaron Eckhart--the guy with the huge dimple in his chin--also known as Harvey Dent), his wife (Ashley Judd) and their young son Connor (Finley Jacobsen).

Now, perhaps it's just the recent news about North Korea, but I have to say that it completely freaked me out to watch how the swiftly and completely the Korean terrorists took out the White House.  (And I say Korean because this terrorist was born in North Korea and grew up in the South.) Lots of of blood, lots of booms, and lots of shooting.  Don't get too attached to any one character in this film, because like an episode of Downton Abbey or The Walking Dead, they'll be dead in a minute.

Like I said, I liked the movie.  I liked the premise.  I liked the performances. Morgan Freeman played the Speaker of the House, for goodness sake. (Who we never see take the oath of office to be the president....they did that on the West Wing when John Goodman became President) Gerard Butler was totally believable and likeable as the super-tough guy Secret Service agent in search of redemption. This is the thing I didn't like. It is my understanding that the Secret Services' job is to protect the President, at all cost. I get that, so while I hated watching them get mowed down, I understand it. It is my understanding that the President's job, and the job of the people who work for him to protect the country, no matter the cost. Now, I realize that the movie has to move forward, but I have to say I got really irritated when the President ordered his subordinates to do things that placed the nation in jeopardy so that he could be the big hero.  "They'll never get it from me." Also, the Speaker of the House caving to terrorists to save the life of the President, didn't sit well with me.

If you're looking for a fun and action packed movie experience, go see this. If you're a student of how our government works and how the succession of power and the protection of the government works, you might want to leave that all at the door.

The Crowd Has Spoken

This week something extraordinary happened. Yeah, yeah, the Catholic Church chose a new Pope. What I am talking about is way more exciting than some white smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel.  They did it! Veronica Mars is going to be a major motion picture!

I was not an original "Marshmallow" as Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell, likes to refer to us. I was converted while laying flat on my back after my cancer surgery. My good friend Deb not only did my laundry during that time, but she gave me the wonderland of Neptune, CA and the sassy Veronica Mars on DVD to help pass the time.

It was there I discovered the UPN/CW Network short-lived series about a high school girl who sidelined as a private detective. Veronica came by her obsession honestly, her dad was the local sheriff. Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) was a single dad to a very unwieldy teenaged girl. Veronica did her best to take care of her dad despite her penchant for trouble. I liken their relationship to that of Molly Ringwald and Harry Dean Stanton in the John Hughes 80's classic Pretty in Pink, except Keith Mars wasn't a loser drunk. Veronica's best friend Lily Kane (Amanda Seyfried) is murdered and Veronica dives in head first into the nefarious doings of her small town to find out who her killer is. All the while, Veronica is still a high school student wending her way through the usual challenges of boys, and classes, and expectations, and well, more boys. There's the bad boy Logan (Jason Dohring), all his smoldering looks and misunderstood ways, Veronica's best friend and fellow investigator, Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III), the resident gang banger Eli (Francis Capra) and many many more. I was truly upset that I never made this show a part of my regular viewing and thereby helped to kill it, perhaps before it's time.

Now, however, I have taken part in breathing life back into this show. You see, this movie isn't being made because the studios thought it would be a good idea. This movie is being made because the people who watch TV and movies thought it would be a good idea. Writer/creator Rob Thomas and Bell took it to the people through the Web site Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a site that does what is referred to as crowd-sourcing. If you have a project, whether it be creative, business, or charitable, Kickstarter allows you to collect funding for the project. The goal to get the movie made was $2 million. The site went active on March 13, 2013, and took all of 11 hours to fully fund the project. At the moment I am writing this 50,312 people have backed the movie and $3,3210,038 has been raised. And every time I toggle over there, it goes up and up. Check it out here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/559914737/the-veronica-mars-movie-project


I know, it seems kind of silly and shallow. Can't that money be given to feed the poor or support something important?  The answer is yes, yes, it could. But, it's also kind of exciting to see we are in era where anything is possible and that the voice of the people can matter. So, if we can raise $2 million to make a movie, then maybe other more important things can be brought to the forefront and funded.

In the meantime, I am waiting patiently for my T-shirt, my shooting script, and my glimpse of what Neptune is like in 2013.