Interstellar Science Fiction Films

Before we begin another reminder that I have been nominated for two UK Blog Awards, my nominations can be found here and here. I would really appreciate your support.

Last week saw the release of Christopher Nolan's new film Interstellar. The latest Science Fiction blockbuster that once again sees humanity seeking a solution to a future blight. As a result some brave space explorers blast into the stars to find the answer.

Image from Interstellar-movie.com

Now I'm going admit something to you, I am not a big fan of films in space (that's films set in space, not that I have an extraterrestrial cinema). I do enjoy Christopher Nolan films, but I don't find Interstellar that appealing. I like my stories in the here and now, not necessarily straight realism, but at least a little grounded.  Before you get ahead of me, yes that does also mean I am not a fan of the fantasy genre either.

No need to check the address bar, you are indeed visiting Geek Boy Babbles. So how can I call myself a geek whilst disliking two of the biggest geek genres?

Well I still get overly excited (and exasperated) of things I do love; many of which are rather childish. So I think I fit some of the criteria of a Geek. Also like many things there are exceptions to the rule.

To demonstrate this here is my top Space-set films, TV shows, games and books.

Fortunately the film is more exciting.

Alien, Aliens and Alien Vs. Predator
The first two shouldn't come as a surprise, you wouldn't find many, geek or otherwise, who aren't a fan of those two. Not only are they brilliant sci-fi examples, but also great pieces of cinema. Some of you may be questioning Alien Vs. Predator. I know it hasn't got great story, cannon or cast. But what it does have is some cool action scenes between two giants of the genre. Who doesn't want to see these two fighting inside a giant underground pyramid?

Serenity
I know, surprise, surprise; yet another Joss Whedon film mentioned on Geek Boy Babbles.  I know I have some serious Whedon love, but you have to admit space-western is pretty different. Plus you can't help but admire its production. After Firefly was cancelled the cast and the fan community raised the funds to create a proper finale. It is a love letter to the fans of Firefly who needed closure. 

Mass Effect
No game series has hooked me in as much as Bioware's Mass Effect series. There isn't one game in the trilogy that doesn't meet the others high standards. I even like Mass Effect 3's ending. It could have been more personal to my choices, but logistics of programming games to an individuals game progress would be nigh on impossible.

War of The Worlds
By this I mean H.G. Well's novel and not the film adaptations. Having said this the story takes place on Earth and it isn't the aliens I enjoy. What I love is the narrative style. The story feels very personal and I almost felt like I was making the journey alongside the main character; rather than just an observer.

Image from Robbierocks

Doctor Who
This refers to when David Tennant played the Doctor (and perhaps Smith's first season). I watched Doctor Who  as a child and still hold those seasons as some of my favorite example of TV. They are fun, frantic and full of nostalgia for me. Unfortunately I have fallen out of love with Doctor Who recently. I can't help but cringe and feel it is slightly childish now. I don't blame the writing wholly for this, most of it is probably due to growing up and leaving Doctor Who behind. 

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
I almost forgot this one, remembering only as I edited. I felt ashamed as the books and radio series (not the film, nor the TV show) are some of my favorite pieces of fiction. The series has helped shaped my humour and was a large part of my childhood. The biggest draw perhaps comes from how grounded it is, despite its space setting. Aliens act like parallels to everyday cliches, for example: the bureaucratic Vogon's who are the galaxy's pencil pushers. This is helped by the main character, Arthur Dent, who upon being introduced to a whole galaxy of wonder takes it all in his stride. Aliens destroy my planet, looks like I can't walk the dog pretty much sums up The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. 

Image from Scriptographer

There we have it some examples that I do enjoy some space-set media. I hope I can warrant the title of geek still. That said I still won't be seeing Interstellar at the cinema, but I will watch it when it is on DVD. If a film I am unsure of is so long, I like to know I can get up and have a wander during it.

Please let me know in the comments your thoughts and opinions.

Alien Vs. Predator image from themanwhonevermissed,

Gone Girl Book Review

This review will be SPOILER FREE.

The latest blockbuster to hit cinema screens in the UK is Gone Girl, a mystery/thriller based on the popular Gillian Flynn novel. After seeing trailers for the film I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the premise, the fact that it stars Neil Patrick Harris also helped. In line with what people describe as my hipster nature (I swear I’m not), I decided to read the novel before I go and see the film (OK maybe I am a bit of a hipster).

The premise of the novel is:

After five years of marriage (which has become progressively hostile), Nick Dunne comes home to discover his wife, Amy, is missing.  With no clues as to what happened other than a battlefield of a living room and the treasure hunt his wife had prepared for their anniversary. Soon Amy’s disappearance attracts the attention of the media, starting a state-wide manhunt that demands answers from Nick, who soon finds himself the prime suspect. Could the treasure hunt be the key to finding his wife, saving his marriage and himself?

Gone Girl (the novel) takes an interesting narrative viewpoint, the chapters alternate between the present from Nick's point of view and Amy’s diary extracts at key points in their past. In this way the reader gets to know both character's inner thoughts and often hear their opinion in very specific detail. We are inside both of their heads which helps create an intimate connection with them. At first having every opinion expressed made it seem rather slow and too hung up on precise detail. I found the first few chapters a bit of a slog, feeling like it was a little unnecessary to know what Nick thought about crepes. Then something clicked, and turned to the books advantage. I began to feel rather uncomfortable as I read. Seeing reflections of my personal relationships within their own, believe me this made me worry, their lives are not not something you want to replicate. However, this is the power Gone Girl has over its reader. By feeling intimately connected with the characters you gain an understanding of why their lives were doomed when they became entwined. It may be too late to save them (not a spoiler), but not yourself.

I did find some reassurance after I finished, and I realised that the sensation I felt was merely an illusion. I had felt a similar feeling when I read Jon Ronson’s The Psychopath Test. In one chapter Ronson described how a psychopath acts, I found myself thinking:

     ‘Oh god I match this profile!’ 

Thankfully, the passage that followed this stated that a key flaw of a psychopath is that they would never imagine themselves to be one. There is a natural response in humans to see ourselves in everything we read. It’s the same thing that makes hypochondriacs thinking they will soon stop ticking.

Gone Girl evoked a very real sense of fear for me. Not a fear constructed from horror, but a much more chilling one. A fear based in reality, the possibility that our lives are beyond our control. The underlining message of the book concerns manipulation of the people by different sources. Characters in the novel are controlled by the pressures they face, whether that be from loved ones, society or the media. It made me start to question my own life, which created a polar response in my mind. Part of me wanted to throw the book down and shut myself away from questioning my life, whilst half of me was hooked in a morbid fascination and hope I could learn how to overcome any threats to myself. Of course these fears are unfounded, and I soon shed their power over me when I reached the conclusion.

Gillian Flynn’s characters are therefore, warrant of praise; rarely do I read a novel which contains such realistic depictions as those in Gone Girl. Even the characters that only appear on the side-lines of the story are fleshed out in just enough detail. The relationships between them are believable too. Its exploration of marriage, blood ties and friendship is brutally honest and doesn’t pull punches. I saw reflections in many of my family ties whilst reading too.

More praise has to be given to the clever narrative, which as I mentioned lets the reader know the inner-most thoughts of Amy and Nick; despite this, the narrators can  also be very unreliable. We may know what they are thinking, but that doesn’t mean we have the full clarity of their intentions. Throughout the book I wanted to believe that Nick was innocent, yet I was in as much doubt as the characters within the novel. At one point Nick checks an unregistered phone with little reference to why he is carrying one or how long he has had it. By withholding the right amount of information to the reader Flynn kept me guessing all the way through.

My only nit-pick with the book is some of the events that lead up to its final act. A few events felt a bit rushed and inconsequential other than to drive the plot forward. That isn’t to say that they aren’t needed and they do serve a purpose. But, any other manner of events could have been used and they felt a bit unrelated to what had come before.

Gone Girl in my opinion is great and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is interested in crime thrillers and mystery. Having said that, I am not a reader of those genres myself and still I was enthralled. I loved the in-depth discussion the book had about relationships and power plays, which kept me hooked and philosophising throughout.  




Cover image from esquire,

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki

It isn't often that a book makes me feel physically sick and I still keep reading. Especially if what is making me feel sick is a harsh truth about the way we live. I read books to escape from reality, so why would I continue with one that highlights the worst aspects of society?

My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozeki showed me uncomfortable truths. The fact that I fought with discomfort to the end demonstrates how compelling the story, or more accurately the characters are. This is the second novel of Ozeki's that I have enjoyed after recently finishing  A Tale for the Time Being; which I read shortly after returning from Tokyo as I pined for the Japanese way of life.

Note: This review contains NO spoilers!

Ozeki was born in America. Her father was American, and her mother was Japanese. This split-cultural background clearly drives her choice of story. Her novels I have read both feature the two cultures coming together. She draws from her own feelings towards heritage to make her characters' behavior believable. One of the characters, Jane, shares the same mixed parentage as Ozeki and I'm sure she has imparted her own personal insecurities. A reoccurring theme within both novels is a struggle to understand yourself and find somewhere that feels like home. Despite my own background being rather straightforward, I share the sense of limbo her characters experience.

Within My Year of Meats, the uncertainty that Ozeki explores is love and integrity. The novel focuses on two very different women; Jane, a documentary filmmaker in America, who struggles with a career that she loves, but one makes her question her beliefs, and Akikko, a Japanese housewife trapped in her marriage.

During the course of making a cookery show, Jane discovers horrible truths about Western food and finds answers to a personal mystery. She battles to show the truth about the meat that the show's producers would rather not be revealed. At the same time, across the globe in Japan another woman, Akikko, watches the show and begins to question her marriage, her society and even her sexuality. Both women become linked by the two sides of the lens and, though their countries are different, the issues they face in life are the same.

The novel interested me on multiple levels. I set out to read it due to my obsession with Japanese culture. Once again, Ozeki doesn't pull punches in her portrayal of Japanese society and this time sheds light on the darker aspects of being a housewife. I genuinely felt trapped like Akikko, as I read her side of the story. Part of this came from my own knowledge of the relationship dynamic in Japan, but it is Ozeki's writing style that brought it into sharp focus.

On another level, the novel revealed more to me about the meat industry. Thankfully I am not a voracious meat-eater anyway; I tend to stick to white meat and fish. My almost vegetarian existence isn't political or down to disgust, simply a matter of taste. But after reading the novel I am glad that I don't like beef anyway. Many parts showing the way in which cattle are bred made me feel ill. I was disgusted at the ways society is desperately trying to feed our escalating population. During these parts it would have been very easy to give up in disgust yet, due to her enticing plot, I read on. It was like coming across a car crash on the motorway: you know you shouldn't want to see it, but curiosity keeps you watching. I am sure that, like me, any reader will come away from reading this with their eyes open.

If I have one criticism of the book it is the ending. Whilst some plot details were wrapped up rather conveniently for my liking, others were left open. Sometimes this isn't a problem and it is rather refreshing when a novel leaves it up to your imagination. However, in this case I felt a little cheated. It really isn't a big point and the rest of the novel far outweighs this gripe.

One aspect I love about the book is how the characters stories are told. The book is split into sections and the point of view switches between the characters. Thankfully, it is clearly shown whose head we are in at all times and it doesn't become confusing. Nor does the switches happen too frequently as to become annoying.

Overall, My Year of Meats is a brilliant read for those who want to dip into another culture. It sheds light on Japanese and American life, as well as death. Along the way it questions relationships, identity, media bias and the food on our plates. I highly recommend both the book and other works by Ruth Ozeki.

Cover image from Madison, beef image from teacher-chef.

Banned Book Week

Apparently this week (Sept 21st-27th) marks the annual event Banned Book Week. Launched in 1982, the event seeks to celebrate the freedom to read and also as a protest against censorship.

I decided that I would check out a list of books that have in the past been banned by governments. I was quite surprised to find that a few of those on the list I had read. A lot of these titles I have also included on my Top Ten books that have had an impact upon me; make of that what you will.

Damn those anthropomorphic animals

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

It was banned in China in 1931 for its portray of intelligent animals. I myself can’t quite see why this was deemed harmful for the reader. Surely the fact that it can be seen as a advertisement for drugs is more concerning.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I wasn’t surprised this one was banned; it was, after all, a clear attack on the USSR political system. What did shock me was that it is still banned, and censored, in some Asian countries. Once again the problem seems to be for its intelligent critters.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

The book was banned in Ireland for its portrayal of sexuality. However, as anyone who has read it will agree, the promiscuous activities aren’t looked on favourably in the novel.

The Canterbury Tales  by  Geoffrey Chauncer

It was banned in the U.S for its ‘filthy’ language. I must say The Miller’s Tale does indeed make me blush.

The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

It was banned in Lebanon for its sympathetic portrayal of Jews.

Not sure if I fancy it myself.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

China banned this beloved childrens’ book for its Marxist ideas. To be honest the Marxism isn’t that obvious, especially to a child, but I agree that persuasive political ideologies should stay out of childrens’ literature.

1984 by George Orwell

Like Animal Farm, this anti-soviet novel was banned. But this time for its political satire, not talking animals.

Overall, I have to say I applaud an event like Banned Book Week that seeks to highlight the dangers of censorship. Thankfully most of these bans have been lifted and we theoretically live in an age where censorship is harder to hide (in this country at least).

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland image from illustrators lounge, Eggs and ham from yeunglei

Top Ten Books to me

Some of you may have already seen the most recent chain campaign currently making the rounds on Facebook. I was quite surprised to see a new one appearing considering the ALS bucket challenge has only just lost momentum. Before you ask, yes I have done that challenge and yes I will be posting it on here in due course; no doubt many of you want to see me drenched.

The latest challenge is to create a list of the ten books that have stuck with you throughout your life. I must admit I was tagged a few weeks ago, but it has taken me a while to decide.
The problem is, as usual, the moment someone asks me to think of anything my mind draws a blank. Suddenly I couldn't remember a single book I have read let alone ones of significance. Which of course was ridiculous, especially considering in the last two weeks I have read five books cover to cover.

1. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy  by Douglas Adams
   The radio adaptation was always played in our car on long journeys throughout my childhood. It never got repetitive or stale. Both this and the book helped shape my humour and personality above other media. 


2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
   I picked this book up as part of my A Level English course and instantly fell in love. This was far from the Hammer Horror cliched story I was expecting. I was drawn into the tragic story, and it blurred the lines between monster, society, good and bad. 


3. Muddle Earth by Terry Pratchett and Chris Riddell
   I read this when I was young, ashamedly not that young. However, it made me laugh even after multiple readings. Rather a guilty pleasure of mine.


4. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Marukami (translation by Jay Rubin)
   The most recent addition, after returning from Tokyo I was pining for the culture. So I gave this a read and finished the 600 pages in little under two days.


5. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
It has always been a tradition of mine to read this around the Christmas season, usually followed by watching The Muppet Christmas Carol.


6. The Shining  by Stephen King
   One of the first books I read that wasn't from the childrens' section. Think I jumped in a the deep end a bit. But I loved it and poured through it's pages at lightening speed, pausing only when the tension got too much. It spooked me in places, but not enough to put it in the fridge like Joey on Friends.


7. Blog INC. by Joy Deangdeelert Cho
   I found this book the week I began blogging; in a TV exhibition of all places. The coincidence made me purchase it and it has been beneficial beyond bounds to me as a blogger. It even covers situations I have yet to come across. I can only dream of the levels of success needed to put some sections into use.


8.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K Rowling
   Whilst not a mere mention of Harry Potter brings out a hipster sigh from me, I can't deny it has had an impact. My parents began the series by reading to me and by the end I was reading to them. The series kick started the fire of reading within me which has yet to even dwindle.


9. Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne
Another series that was read to me as a child and one I hope to read to my own children. I still chuckle at the voice my Dad gave to Eeyore as he floated down the river during a game of Pooh sticks.

    10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

          I read this book on a holiday to France, during the trip we spent a lot of time travelling and I soon had the book finished. I loved it for it's surreal story, one which can be read in multiple ways. Is Alice mad, grieving, in another world or just asleep? You can decide for yourself.

So there we have it. My ten most influential reads. Now I want to hear yours; take this as a tag to anyone and everyone who reads this. If you're a blogger and you do it let me know and I'll link you in the post.

Seventh Son

What type of person are you? Let’s do a little test to find out. I want you to imagine that you have just found out a beloved book or series of books is about to be made into a film. Are you type A, who upon hearing this news buries their head into their arms and silently weeps. Type B, who gets super excited exclaiming that you finally get a chance to enter an exciting land. Or are you type C, who reserves judgement until later. Well reader, which are you?

Right now I am quite firmly type A after seeing the second trailer for Seventh Son; the upcoming film 'inspired' by Joseph Delaney's Spook's Apprentice series of books. I put inspired in quotations because after seeing the trailer I can't imagine much inspiration came from the page.

To start with the main character Tom Ward, in the books, is aged twelve in book one. Seventh Son's Tom is played by Ben Barnes, a man aged thirty-three almost three times the age of his character. The same can be said of Tom's love interest Alice, played by Alicia Vikander who is twenty eight. In my mind these casting choices have been made so that the film can target an older age range. An age range that has had enough pandering to, in my opinion. Twilight, Hunger Games, Divergent, The Mortal Instruments and The Host, films whose central characters end up in an teenage angst-fuelled romance. Yes, Tom and Alice have a romance in the books, but at their age it's a subtle one that doesn't match the audience the film makers are targeting. That audience is rather removed from the original book's, which targeted children aged between nine and fourteen. I have to wonder why the makers are shifting the focus of the viewers, especially when this shift dramatically alters the story.

I will give them credit in casting Jeff Bridges as the Spook. He's tall, gangly and sports an impressive beard. He is a great choice for the role and matches the image in my head. The costume he has doesn't quite match. It has the appearance of a knight from the crusades but with a gothic twist: too much chain mail for my liking. Delaney's Spooks wear a long black cloak that leaves them rather fragile and their greatest defence is their knowledge of the dark. In my opinion plates of armour offer little protection from the magic of a witch or the mental torment of a boggart.

This brings me to my next gripe with the film. The book series fits comfortably in the horror genre, it even states on the back 'Not to be read after dark'. I remember when I first read the books feeling slightly uneasy at some of the horror found in its pages. An unease that came from a very psychological place as the story took advantages of very subtle, yet powerful fears. One part that was rather effective came early in the first instalment and young Tom Ward's training. He was tasked with spending a night alone in a cellar haunted by a ghost known for killing those who dwelled within. Before the task begins Tom is briefed on the ghost and the cellar's history, then the candles blown out and we are left alone with Tom in that cellar. Soon thumps and groans are heard from its darkest corner and Tom slowly begins to investigate. The tension created from the approach to the pile of sacks is almost unbearable with great detail made about the slow walk. I won't ruin it for you by detailing his grim discovery; you'll have to read for yourself.

I say this because I can't imagine the scene will be brought to the big screen. From the looks of the trailer subtlety flew out the window when the four-armed monster opened the blinds. It looks like horror isn't the genre the film sits in; instead it looks like a fantasy/adventure film. So, not only does the film want to get in with the tween romance trend, but also wants to ride The Hobbit 's tail-coat too. If the directors don't have enough confidence to allow the film to stand on its own merits why should the viewers?

Talking of The Hobbit, I can't help but think that it 'inspired' the setting of the film. The books are firmly set in England, specifically around Lancaster. It anchored the plot and made it more believable, which when dealing with the horror genre is very important. Freud's work The Uncanny tells us that when what we find familiar is altered it becomes unfamiliar and a sense of unease is created. Think about the view you get every time you open your front door, it's an image that I'm sure is pretty strong in your mind. Now I want you to imagine something that doesn't belong there, for instance a sinister clown, it would unsettle you to say the least, am I right? By changing the setting to something that looks a lot like Middle Earth shatters any familiarity and horror it may have. 

With his cloak on the Spook does look right I must admit.

Lastly, perhaps most tragically, the film appears to mess with the rich lore that the series created. In the trailer spooks are described as being 'noble knights'. Anyone who has even read the first chapter will know this isn't true. Spooks are seen as a blight on society, omens of death and misfortune, they are an unfortunate necessity. If one has to call a spook in then one would hope it leaves soon. They are seen as anything but noble. The books also utilize Celtic folklore and contain creatures and myths from the British Isles. I can't imagine much of these are included and indeed the monsters in the trailer look rather CGI and far removed from ancient.

It is a shame the film seems to deviate so much from the source material, especially when other films have shown it can be done, and done successfully. Harry Potter did it right, J.K Rowling kept a firm grasp on the treatment the films delivered and it paid off. The films are a gift to the fans of the book and a joy for them to watch. Twilight does this too, mainly because the makers had true passion for the books. If Twilight can get it right, then surely anything can, am I right?

I found this map which illustrates the books locations.

As you can tell I'm rather disappointed in how Seventh Son is shaping up. I have a feeling that Delaney signed away the rights to the film and ran with the money. Researching this post reminded me of a film adaptation being made of another of my favourite childhood series, Artemis Fowl. I then looked that up and it seems that the film will cover book one and two, this news sent my head right back into my arms, and I'm not coming out.

What do you think about film adaptations of beloved books, or perhaps the other way around? Let me know in the comments section.

Back cover image from Bookcrossing, Cast image from Comingsoon, Map from Larissabookgirl. 

Have You Seen This Book?

Okay readers, I have a challenge for you. One that I don't hold out much hope for you solving.

Basically, there is a book from my childhood that I vaguely remember, but do not know the title or author. So, I am going to put a list of details below. If you think you know the book, let me know in the comments.

1. Set in modern day.
2. The last event in the book/series is a retelling of Ragnarok.
3. Main character is an original character.
4. Many side characters are taken from Norse mythology.
5. Loki is key, obviously, and there is a detailed description of his imprisonment.
6. It is probably from the children's fiction area (ages 8-12).
7. I owned the book about eight years ago, and I think it had been released fairly recently.
8. May also have been the last book in a series.
9. I think there is a plot point that it is all a video game, or virtual reality (this is uncertain).
10. An earlier book in the series took inspiration from the Greek Minotaur and labyrinth myth.

That's about all I remember. It isn't Percy Jackson, Ragnarok, Rune Marks, The Gospel of Loki or American Gods; before anyone suggests those.

Please if you have an inclining drop a comment below, it's really bugging me I can't remember the book.

Hyper Japan 2014

Panic stations, Hyper Japan is just around the corner!

'What's the problem? That sounds amazing.' I hear you cry.

Well, yes it is but I have a rather pressing issue ahead of me as a result. No, I haven't forgot to order tickets and it isn't fully booked.

My problem, is what to cosplay as. I have some ideas but all of them come with their own hurdles. Dear reader I beseech your advice, but first here are some guidelines.

                                                  I Have cosplayed before as:

I'm the one on the right, I think.

• Dr. Horrible from Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog
• The Joker from the Death of the Family arc
• L from Deathnote

I don't want to repeat myself. Also as it's Hyper Japan only L really fits the theme. My girlfriend has decided to go as Ponyo, however we are not couple cosplaying. So don't suggest that please.

I have had a few ideas so far:

Me as L who hasn't done his washing.

1. Sora or Riku from KingdomHearts.                                                                                                
2. Oliver from Ni No Kuni.                                                                                                     
3. Professor Layton from the Professor Layton series.                                                               
4. Lloyd from Tales of Symphonia.                                                                                         
5. Wizardmon from Digimon.

That's all I have so far, I'll post a picture of myself below. I'm open to any and all suggests, but remember time is a constraint and money is tight.

Please suggest away in the comments below.