May 8, 2009
Star Trek – A Brief Review
I just came back from seeing the new Star Trek movie. It’s the first time in a while that I’ve left the theater totally satisfied with the movie experience. Either I’ve seen a lot of mediocre movies lately (true), or the new ST movie is good (also true).
I’d be willing to put this new movie up in the top 3 of the franchise, with Wrath of Kahn and First Contact. In fact, I have very little problems with the movie at all. The casting was excellent – each of the actors fit the roles perfectly, yet didn’t just seem like replacements for the previous generation. They made the roles their own.
The plot wasn’t flawless, but it worked. Nero, the movie’s villian, could have been developed a little further, so I can see where some of the criticism came from. However, being the geek that I am, I had read the offical comic book prequel, so I knew the backstory and wasn’t left wondering what was going on.
I think the movie works both as a movie and as a Star Trek movie. You don’t need to be a Trek fan to enjoy it, but if you ARE, there are enough tidbits to satisfy the inner fan.
All in all, I highly recommend paying a visit to the theaters in the near future. I myself will be seeing it again tomorrow, this time with family (tonight was with a friend). I look forward to catching all the bits and pieces I didn’t catch the first time around.
Why taiko?
Recently I’ve been getting this question a lot, both by Americans and by Japanese. Why am I studying taiko? To be honest, I hadn’t really thought about it until recently. Still, it’s a valid question, so I thought I’d use this blog to think out loud. Figuratively speaking.
May 4, 2009
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to my blog. I created this in advance of my summer travels. If all goes as planned – which, of course, never happens – I’ll update this as I make my way across the United States and, eventually, the Pacific Ocean. I figured it’d be a nice way for family and friends to see what I’m up to. Of course, I hope to continue this after my summer travels. It’ll probably become an all-purpose blog at that point, a place for me to post random things, reflect on happenings, etc.
So, thanks for visiting, and stay tuned!
The Road Goes Ever On and On... 