Entertainment

The Dark Knight

Brian Lanham — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:29:17 GMT

I saw The Dark Knight last week. I was anticipating this film for some time and it did not disappoint. For those of you who know me, I can't simply give a "thumbs up/down" review. So if you're in a hurry…

I highly recommend this movie but I must warn you that it is dark, unhappy, disturbing, and emotionally exhausting.

If you're not in a hurry…

My general sense of the movie is that it is dark and disturbing. I equate it to disturbing in the sense of Silence of the Lambs. The story is excellent and superbly told. The dialog is fantastic and the pace is probably perfect, especially considering the length of the movie (just a hair shy of 2.5 hours). The movie is probably a solid 20 minutes too long. An interview with Christopher Nolan revealed that extra footage was added to show more of Ledger's performance as this is truly his swan song. Now for some specifics.

Production, Direction, Script, Setting, Cinematography, and Score
As with Batman Begins, this film is expertly delivered. The production is bordering on flawless. Not only are the sets ideal, the film shows the viewers what they want to see. Christopher Nolan continues to prove himself one of the best storytellers available. The script is excellent in that some limited humor is introduced but not forced. The Nolan/Bale combination truly seem to understand not only Batman but also Bruce Wayne. The story is delivered in such a way that these two characters are truly distinct (and I won't say more to avoid spoiling anything).

The cinematography is great. The camera angles and lighting add to each shot appropriately and produce an overall effect that is consistent throughout the film while at the same time adding to each scene the necessary level of emotion (tension, fear, hate, disgust, etc.). Nolan impressed me with filming in Chicago (the original model setting for Gotham). The score is interesting in that it is excellent but not always used. I recall one scene in particular that was so tense and I remember thinking "This is tense and there is no music." That alone impresses me and gives credence to both the score and the direction.

Story & Acting
The story is excellent and excellently told. It is, of course, not very surprising for Batman aficionados. For those of you who think Tim Burton and Joel Shumacher know Batman, please reconsider and watch Nolan (although Burton knows better than Shumacher). As the stories are relatively well-known, you might think the film would be unsurprising and maybe even boring. However, the story is so well delivered that it is tense and exciting yet time is given to breathe and relax. The dialog is probably as perfect as any and is delivered with the kind of acting that only the greats can deliver.

The movie is stacked with great acting including: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Roberts, Cillian Murphy, and Nestor Carbonell. I am disappointed that Gyllenhaal didn't get more dialog. She is a phenomenal actor. The rest of the cast deliver flawless performances. Oldman is so in character again that it is hard for me to remember who he is under that mustache. Bale is superb in playing both characters (Batman and Wayne) and demonstrating the struggles between them. At one point Batman makes a decision and Bruce Wayne must live with the consequences…and it hurts. Aaron Eckhart continues to impress and his transition feels natural instead of forced.

Regarding Heath Ledger's performance, I want to avoid giving it attention for the sake of attention due to his death. However, I simply cannot overlook how impressive his performance is. Everything about his performance shows his dedication and commitment to delivering, consistently, a difficult and complex character who is a chaotic evil homicidal, maniacal terrorist. His voices, mannerisms, even the way he sits are delivered so well that it is disturbing.

So I recommend you see it…and if you have seen it let me know what you think.

BSG - Revision

Brian Lanham — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:39:22 GMT

Apparently I just watched the mid-season finale? I guess I will have to revoke my last statement until the "actual" finale. I have been so out of the loop over the last few months that I can't even keep the eps straight...sad!

Battlestar Galactica - Worst Ending Ever?

Brian Lanham — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:39:44 GMT

So I got behind on Battlestar Galactica. Then I decided since I am going to Toronto on business I will treat myself to a Zune and I will buy Season 4 of BSG from Zune Marketplace. This will give me something to do on the planes and in the airports. That was a big success. I was all caught-up and stuff except for the final episode which I watched yesterday.

Wow.

I can't speak negatively enough about the ending.

The pace for the season was strange. The Lee Adama story was strange and, given the timing, unnecessary. I think re-introducing Romo Lampkin was unnecessary. That time could have been spent actually...oh...I dunno....I'm just spit-balling here...TELLING THE STORY?!?!?!

I am actually somewhat speechless about what to write (oxymoron I know). I mean, it was so underwhelming and rushed that I don't even know how to describe my disappointment. I can't even say "That was it?" because it was so anti-climactic that I find myself wondering "okay so where is the explanation?"

Seriously, Ron and David, what were you thinking? I mean, that was really lame. It's like you just decided you were bored with it and wanted it to end.

My New Zune

Brian Lanham — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:08:46 GMT

I finally broke-down and bought a Zune 80GB Black. The form factor is good. The button is almost as good as the click-wheel. I also bought Battlestar Galactica Season 4 (as I have missed most of it). It turns out to be about $2.00 US per episode which isn't bad at all...especially for no commercials.

I am traveling to Canada on business this week and thought it might be nice to catch-up on BSG while in flight. I struggled for a long time regarding which media player to purchase (iPod, Zune, Sansa, Zen) and which edition of each to consider.

I'll let you know what I think in the coming weeks. In the mean time, if you have an opinion (and I know you do), please share. I'd love to know what you think. I am especially interested in your opinions on Zune accessories.

Required Features <> Requirements

Brian Lanham — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:42:25 GMT

Those of you who know me know that I am a stickler for using the proper word. A shovel and a spade are not the same thing. The term "requirements" is suffering a similar fate. Although requirements have come in many varieties over the decades, the current de facto standard is to capture functional requirements as use cases or some similar mechanism (user stories, for example). Unfortunately, however, I often see a bulleted list of "features" described as "requirements".

Don't get me wrong, feature lists are an important (perhaps even essential) part of the requirements gathering process. They should not, however, be mistaken for "complete requirements". The requirement model is a complex, living organism that consists of significantly more than a simple list of features. The sunny-day scenario is easy (and maybe even boring as a result). You need to expand (GREATLY) on the "feature" to describe the exceptional conditions and situations associated with it.

Use the correct terminology where possible. If you have a list of "things the system ought to do" in Excel(R), do not mistake that list for requirements. On the other hand, don't throw it out either. This feature list is an important part of understanding the features that the system must provide to be effective at automating some business process. But it is only the beginning of understanding.

So, if you were to look at artifacts created as part of a requirement model, consider the following:

Feature List - This can be on a sheet of notebook paper (yes, I wrote "paper").
Vision Document
Use Case Outlines
Use Case Details
Use Case Diagrams
Supplemental (Non-Functional) Requirements

What's that? Activity Diagrams? Oh don't even get me started on business modeling...

Battlestar Galactica Returns

Brian Lanham — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 13:26:51 GMT

I watched the Season 4 Premier of BSG last night (as I am sure many of you did). I must say that I was concerned about the quality of the show given the latter half of season 3. In those episodes, it seemed to me that the show's producers / creators (Eick & Moore) took the following tack:

"Dude! Our show is AWESOME! Fans love it! It is the best show on TV. Now let's change it and start making all those socio-economic and political statements we've been holding!"

Well, obviously, that didn't work so well. However, with the onset of season 4 we are thrust back into the conflict...and I mean thrust. They held nothing back in the season opener. The combat scenes were outstanding (as usual), the drama and interpersonal interactions were back to the engaging, interesting, and well-developed, and the acting was superb as usual.

Michael Hogan, if you are reading this, you are STILL my pick for as many awards as I can give. When you said "I've never felt better, Bill." and smiled I was like WOW!

Tricia Helfer is an amazingly versatile actor. I hope she continues to grow her acting career without being stereotyped (she is extremely beautiful!).

I could write an entry on each cast member. BSG must be one of the most well-acted shows on TV. Katee Sackhoff was superb. Eddie Olmos was practically born to be Papa Bill.

And Galactica...battled, beaten, bruised, but not broken. She is the most beautiful ship in the galaxy. And Mark, if you're reading this...when are you going to cave and help me build a life-sized replica of Galactica?

Loyal Readers - Loyal Listeners

Brian Lanham — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:12:08 GMT

A few weeks ago I learned that some people check my blog every day (or thenabouts). I realized that I do not blog with any consistency or frequently. For you, my loyal readers, I promise to try and do a better job. (but don't count on it! :) ) Anyway...

So today I purchased the brandy-spankin' new R.E.M. CD, "Accelerate". Like you are loyal to my blog, I am loyal to R.E.M. It totally rocks. I don't care how old those guys get, they are still great. It is amazing that they continue to redefine themselves. It is my hope that I can be that active and that contemporary as I continue my career.

I also treated myself to Radiohead "In Rainbows", Stardust Motion Picture Soundtrack, and Dead Can Dance "wake". I like Radiohead but have never heard Dead Can Dance. I'm really looking forward to it.

So I hope to try and post more frequently...but...ya know... ;)

Apparently, I am Papa Bill

Brian Lanham — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 01:27:11 GMT

Which Battlestar Galactica Character Are You?

Created by BuddyTV

Tivo Schmeevo

Brian Lanham — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:35:34 GMT

I guess I am an atypical guy in that I don't have a big screen TV, I don't have an XBox (nor a PS3, not any other game console), I don't have a big stereo system, I don't have a recliner, and I don't own a DVR / Tivo. However, I have considered a DVR / Tivo for some time. I get involved in shows and have to miss episodes because I am at a .NET User Group meeting (or a SharePoint User Group, or other professional association) or some such.

A few months ago I decided to give online TV a try. And now I say "Tivo Schmeevo...we don't need no stinkin' DVR!"

I generally enjoy the online viewing experience. There are a few quirks with some that I've used but overall I really like watching TV on my laptop. I can watch the show anywhere in the world (assuming a broadband connection). So unlike DVR / Tivo, I can be mobile with it. That being said, not all online services are created equally. Here is a quick overview of the online services I have used.

ABC.com (viewing Lost Season 3) - By far my favorite viewing experience. An ActiveX control is installed to control viewing. I have only had a few minor glitches and they seem to be related to the player becoming confused about where it is in the playback. This has only happened once or twice out of over 100 segments.
- Biggest Perk - Playback automatically pauses after each commercial so you can check email, go to the can, get a drink, etc. without the need to rewind, find your place, etc.
- Biggest Ding - I hate the need to scroll through ALL the darn shows to get to "Lost".
SciFi.com (viewing Eureka Season 2) - By far my least favorite viewing experience. I found the user interface kludgy. It was difficult to find the show / episode I wanted to watch. The quality of the video is poor. The playback experience with commercials is unwieldy. Overall I found this to be a bad experience. I'll await the DVD.
NBC.com (viewing Heroes Season 2) - This experience is a close second place to ABC's experience. It did take me a while to find the episodes (they are not directly off of the Heroes sub-site...explain that one). The playback experience is interesting. Instead of an ActiveX control, Flash is used.
- Biggest Ding - When a commercial is on the browser is completey bogged...presumably to get you to watch it. I hate that. I also hate that after the commercials, playback begins immediately. I like the auto-pause feature on ABC.com.

So...are you using Tivo or online viewing (or both)? What do you think? Can you convince me to get DVR / Tivo? Or are you sitting there saying to yourself "HECK YEAH! TIVO SCHMEEVO!"?

Weighing-In on Tin Man

Brian Lanham — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 23:11:35 GMT

I dedicated time to watch Tin Man on the Sci Fi channel. I feel that I absolutely must weigh-in on this mini-series.

The Good

The show was reasonably well written. I enjoyed the re-imagining a lot. The visual effects were really good (arguably the best for a Sci-Fi mini-series outside of Battlestar Galactica). I think the individual stories were good and the overall story was good and the writers tied them together reasonably well. The score is okay and overall I like it. Here is an analysis of the good.

Script & Dialogue (4/5) - I think the script and dialogue is good overall. There are a few moments where it feels forced, mostly when dealing with Toto. There are very few cliche moments and that's good (I hate cliche).
Costume Design (4/5) - The costuming was great. The costumes are original and different without being eclectic.
Setting (5/5) - I really enjoyed the setting. It is a "time that never was" and I always like that. Basically the setting is an alternate 'dimension' (I use that term loosely) that spawned after World War II. They have magic to drive technology but still use old cars alongside new weapons.
Character Development (2.5/5) - I am completely torn on this. On the one hand, some characters (like Tin Man) are well-developed while others (like DG) are poorly developed. I attribute this in large part to the acting.
Acting (2.5/5) - As with character development I am split. So I'll give props where props are due (and pans where pans are due).
- Zooey Deschanel (1/5) - Deschanel's acting is extremely poor. Her performance is flat and two-dimensional. Her facial expressions are non-existent. She attracted more flies than surprises with her open-mouthed flat-eyed gaze, a look that dominates her performance.
- Neal McDonough, Kathleen Robertson, Alan Cumming (5/5) - Offsetting Deschanel's performance are the performances of these three. They had good dialogue, good character development, and, of course, excellent acting. They were all in character throughout the entire series and delivered deep, rich performances.
- Others (3/5) - Other performances were good, especially considering the limited dialogue afforded them. I always like to give props to Callum Keith Rennie (for obvious reasons).

The Bad

In spite of the overall positive rating I give the series, the show had some bad aspects that are so bad they bring the overall experience down. Typically, in my view, one or two bad things don't necessarily ruin the whole experience. In this case though, the bad aspects are so in your face throughout the entire series that they really make it difficult to enjoy the rest of the show. It's like having an earache...it's not that bad but it makes whatever else you're doing seem less enjoyable.

Deschanel's Performance - Her acting really is that bad. I find her acting flat and, actually, one-dimensional (although I wrote 2D above). Since she plays the star of the show, it is hard to not notice it...over....and over...and over again.
Score - Although I wrote above that the score isn't that bad, it is flat. Also, it is repetitive. So when combine, the flat repetitive score isn't that great. It's not horrible by any means but I think it could have been a little better.
DG's Character Development - The DG character realizes who she is without letting the audience know how. I attribute this more to Deschanel's performance than to bad writing (although a little more dialogue when she's learning about herself wouldn't hurt). She goes from talented grease-monkey to all-powerful magical being and the audience has no way of understanding how. Give us some clues as to the 'how' of the most significant character change in the story.

So that's it. Overall I like it okay. I'd really like to see a scene-for-scene remake with someone else in the lead role (Jennifer Garner, Lindsay Shaw, somebody younger and not too...perfect). I hate to pan a professional at their job. I mean, I'm not perfect at my job by any means. What do you think?