2010 (1984) has always been an unfairly maligned film. Sure, it pales in comparison to the perfect 2001: A Space Odyssey but, as a standalone film, 2010 is not without merits. Despite the overall unevenness of its plot, it’s immaculately paced and stunning to look at. For a film that used a combination of practical effects and CGI (shot on 65mm film as opposed to the 35mm film used for live-action shots), the editing seems almost seamless. Maybe it’s because I watched this movie after years and that too, on Blu-Ray but there are shots in this film that took my breath away. Case in point, this shot of the Leonov approaching the Jovian atmosphere.

There are also a couple of beautiful shots reminiscent of 2001.

If there was ever an underrated sci-fi classic, this is it.

Ars Technica’s Ben Kuchera on Mass Effect 3.

The game isn’t just about fighting, though: the social aspects of the game and the story are still there in force, and now you’ll be able to find workbenches to modify and upgrade your weapons and armor. “From Mass 1 toMass 2 there were huge changes, such as the removal of inventory, and the battle was polished, but we feel that maybe that pendulum swung too far the other way, and not far enough in others,” Houston said. “From a combat perspective, it was about turning a very static combat into more of a cover-based shooter, and now it’s about adding more control and more fluidity, and way better AI. Our enemies have much better control of the battlefield this time.”

The problem was that the first game had a clunky inventory system, and in the second game the developers focused on keeping you in the action by simply removing it. Now you have the option of working on your equipment, but if you choose to skip it, you can still play and excel at the game. “It’s deep, it’s going to be very fluid, and we’ll get you in and out of that screen quickly,” Houston said. Hopefully, we’ll see the best of both worlds.

…

The game is much more than the overt story with Commander Shepard and the Reapers. There are many story threads running through the game. Will the Genophage ever come to an end? Will we ever see the Rachni again? I asked Houston how many of those lower-level stories will be resolved. “A lot,” he said, laughing, “A lot.” He explained that all the stories were built knowing they would be resolved in the final game. The plotlines will be resolved, and things will come to a definite end. Even what Houston referred to as “C-level” plots will come back and be closed.

I can’t even begin to describe how much I loved Mass Effect 1 and 2. Having never been a fan of RPGs, I was amazed at how a compelling science fiction arc can grab you and keep you engaged for nearly 75 hours.

March 6, 2012  can’t get here soon enough.

Continued. I used Wolfram Alpha for the equations and Scilab for simulations.

Klein bottle

Cross Cap

Whitney Umbrella

Torus

[Code]

I’m seriously considering revisiting my project from college; pretty sure I can iron out some kinks now.

Possibly the best book I’ve read in a very long time, graphic novel or otherwise. 362 splendid pages detailing the epic quest for the Foundations of Mathematics, the insanity therein and the price a few had to pay in an attempt to get the ‘House of Mathematics in order’. Insanely brilliant.

Crossposted on The Original Poseur.

I’m more of a first person/third person slasher/shooter fan myself but Limbo is unlike any other game I’ve played. Most of the indie platform titles I’ve come across (on a Mac) have been unimaginative and forgettable. Limbo, on the other hand, is dark, ambiguous, atmospheric and surprisingly moving.

A boy wakes up at the ‘edge of hell’ and encounters bear traps, giant spiders and a girl. The player gets to control the boy’s movements and perform some basic actions like jumping, climbing and interacting with objects. As the (very short) game progresses, things get darker and creepier;  you die many times before you figure out what to do. And the deaths are gruesome – plenty of decapitating and impaling. The puzzles get progressively harder and the deaths, more horrifying.

The developers were spot-on in recreating the noir look and feel reminiscent of Fritz Lang’s M, Metropolis and other German Expressionist films. The story is weird and uncomfortable and the ending is open to interpretation (or perhaps, no interpretation at all). Sadly the game clocks in at less than 5 hours and costs 1200 points if you’re on XBox Live.

For me, this is the closest a video game gets to being a work of art.

Shots from the incredible live show by U2.

Inception was everything I hoped it’d be.  It was sufficiently complex (though nowhere near as complicated as Primer or even, Memento) and despite the 148 minute running time, very very engaging.

(Spoilers)

Then again, like all great films, Inception has its flaws and it’s not just the false narrative or the plot holes. Christopher Nolan has a set of rules for his world – rules that are essential in moving the plot forward; call it cinematic license, but it does feel like Nolan gets away with a little too much. I might be nitpicking but that’s what happens when you go in with great expectations.

Critics who’ve compared it to 2001: ASO or Blade Runner are only kidding themselves. Inception is more than just another great science fiction film – it’s about mathematics and engineering. The narrative is so tightly constructed that when scenes flit across the three (or four) ‘dream levels’, you cannot help but marvel at the genius behind it especially since time is supposed to be relative in all levels. A couple of years ago, the brother suggested I read Douglas R. Hofstadter’s wonderful book, Godel, Escher, Bach and after Inception, I find myself comparing the two. The film’s production design is certainly inspired by M.C. Escher’s art and some of the themes have been explored in other films. In fact, for a much more accurate interpretation of lucid dreams and more specifically, the concept of limbo, I’d recommend Richard Linklater’s underrated Waking Life.

Despite my reservations, I loved Inception. I find it oddly comforting that amidst all the crap that finds its way into cinemas, we can still count on someone to deliver a truly original blockbuster that you don’t have to switch your brain off for. And yes, I’ll be watching it again.

9/10

Design obsolescence has always puzzled me. How does something that’s aesthetically appealing one day become an eyesore the next? Remember back in 1998, when the translucent candy-like iMac came out and everyone and their grandmother soiled their pants over it? It really hasn’t stood the test of time. Now compare that with the set-design for Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey; 41 years and it still gives off that futuristic vibe.

Gary Hustwit’s Objectified tries to tackle this dissonance but never quite succeeds. Despite that, Objectified is a very engaging documentary on industrial design. There are some very insightful interviews with leading designers including the reclusive Jonathan Ive and the brilliant Mark Newson. Contrary to what you might expect from a documentary on design, Objectified is never boring.

If there’s one thing you learn from the film, it’s that most designers share a singular albeit abstract design philosophy – “I want things I can’t have yet”.

Highly recommended.

= awesomeness.

This BSG video set to the Beastie Boys track, Sabotage has already gone viral. But to really appreciate its brilliance, you need to compare the original Spike Jonze video and the mashup.

Genius.

Face it, Avatar was never really going to live up to the hype.

Granted, James Cameron’s return to screen is every bit a visual spectacle as they say; Pandora is unlike anything we’ve ever been subjected to especially in 3D. The environments are lush and Pandora’s inhabitants are stunningly rendered. Visually, the film is brilliant and deserves every bit of praise it gets.

Sadly, the script is overwrought with cliches bordering on heavy handedness. It would’ve been enough if it were simply an allegory for civilizations and their misplaced sense of entitlement. Turns out, it’s also about the environment. Thankfully, the last 40 minutes made up for all the preachiness.

It’s interesting that Cameron never strays from the basics – there’s the three-act narrative, James Horner’s pounding orchestral score and a voice-over. For all the technical wizardry involved, Avatar is a very conventional film and a very good one at that.