Opinion: Gravity, S.H.I.E.L.D. & Expectations

Once read an article by a neuroscientist in which he put forth that since the human mind is such an incredibly complex phenomena, it's fair to say that there are essentially over seven billion different realities on this planet. However, most people don't function throughout life maintaining a world view shaped by this perspective and they live out their days thinking,"THIS is the way things ARE! If you don't agree with me, YOU are WRONG!" Which, of course, is why there seems to be so many idiots in this world. "Seems" being the key word there.

Closely connected to the paradigm of "How Things Are" is that of "How Things Should Be."

Expectations.

Recently wrote a review for the film Gravity and also have been following reviews of ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

I wrote the review of Gravity within an hour of seeing the film and without having heard the opinion of anyone else.

As the days progressed, I was completely shocked by every other review I'd read.

Expecting a shiny, CGI driven, lightly written flick? You'll be happy. Expecting same levels of brilliance as 2001: A Space Odyssey? Look Elsewhere.

And the same could be said regarding what I've been reading about Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

In both cases, my mind reacts to other reviews with the initial, primal, amygdala driven, self-defense mechanism of,"What ARE these people thinking? They DON'T understand these things like I do!"

But upon reflection, using this thing that I believe is called "reason," I reached a conclusion: Well, duh....of course they don't. People's minds function differently.

And what it all comes down to is expectation.

Discussed both Gravity and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with Troy-Jeffery Allen, who is a geek/comic Renaissance man that also happens to write for Action A Go Go. He has seemingly polar opposite views than I do. He liked Gravity and is not too keen on Joss Whedon's new TV gig.

What's the difference between his mind and mine?

I had no expectations for AoS, but was looking forward to Gravity for months. On the flip side, he grew up immersed in the Marvel realm, but just happened to catch Gravity a few days after it came out.

Our expectations were different.

Many reviews that I've read of S.H.I.E.L.D. are treating it on the same plane of existence as one would Shakespeare's Henry V or AMC's Breaking Bad. Of course the reviewers are going to be disappointed.

When all is said and done, AoS is a 45 minute long TV show that is operating within budget constraints, has to connect to a fictional universe that's been around for decades and has to keep the attention of the average TV viewer, of which only die-hard comic fans are a subset.

AoS isn't supposed to be reviewed as art. It's merely there to be fun. To help the mind defrag during the work week. To see the good guys do cool stuff while saving the world from the bad guys. To put it in terms that some older folk might get, it is this generation's A-team.

Expecting the complexity & depth of the Marvel universe with which you grew up? Look elsewhere. Looking to laugh, defrag and see the good guys triumph over the bad guys? You've found your show.

If you expect more than that, of course disappointment will occur.

As for Gravity, my expectations were high. Am a huge sci-fi fan. Have been following stories about the film for months. Its budget was over $100 million dollars and the director is the same man that created Children of Men (2006) which was an exquisite film on many levels.

Yet, all amazing visuals aside, its last half hour felt as formulaic and melodramatic as any made-for-TV movie. Well, it seemed that way to me.

All the while, it's raking it in at the box office and critics and fans across the globe are singing nothing but praise.

Again, expectations. Mine were high. Higher than most. And that lead to a fall.

Quite sometime ago, was close friends with a monk in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. One of the wisest people I've ever known. An incident took place in my life that left me in a fit of rage. I called him up, looking for guidance. After my half hour long rant, he only had four words: "You're unhappy. Why? Expectations."

That perspective has helped me over the years, throughout all aspects of life, including with films and TV. I liked Daredevil (2003) and Hitman (2007), when countless fan boys wanted to rip them apart. I'm okay with the Star Wars prequels and parts two and three of The Matrix Trilogy. And once I got past the absence of Sigourney Weaver, have learned to see the brilliance of Prometheus (2012).

This? I was ok with this. Then again, I had no expectations.

And starting tonight, I have the good fortune of covering Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. for Action A Go Go.

With no expectations.

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.

In Defense of Artificial Intelligence

Rutger Hauer as the android replicant Roy Batty in Blade Runner (1982).

"If you prick us, do we not bleed silicon based fluids? If you tickle us, do we not laugh, in order to display that sensory defense systems are functioning? If you poison us, do we not die, shut down and then reboot? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge, for we've learned to over-write Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics?" - William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice, Act 3, Scene 1. (Modifications in italics are of my own devising).

There are many reasons I and countless others are fans of science fiction. Explosions in space, traveling at warp speed, sexy green alien women. But perhaps most importantly at the heart of the genre is exploration of the realm of possibility. Of what may be.

Star Trek provides a prime example of "what once was fantasy, is now reality."

Although, rather than "predicting," I think it's better to say "creating blueprints for".

Things that many scientists say are impossible today may never come to pass, but some will. And that's one of the most awesome things about the scientific method: the readiness to admit that past knowledge was faulty or incomplete and the willingness to consistently test and/or prove new hypotheses that may lead to new technology.

All that being said, one paradigm that consistently arises within the sphere of science fiction that really throws sand in my gears, is the following:

Since a thing is AI, it is therefore a machine, and therefore non-deserving of the same levels of respect, compassion and dignity that a human would deserve.

This website is named Action A Go Go. Seemingly not an optimal forum for in-depth philosophical and metaphysical analysis regarding sentience, consciousness and what constitutes a "being." But within a generation or two, it will no longer only be a question for the ivory towers of academia or geeks in coffee shops. It will be a real world concern.

Therefore, perhaps this is the perfect venue, since we're still in the realm of ideas and we're only having the conversation for fun. By talking about it now, we're planting neural imprints within our minds that will have us prepared for our children's world, in which AI will unquestionably be playing a larger role.

Michael Fassbender as the AI named David in Prometheus (2012).

As the years progress and AI is used more and more within plot lines of film and television, I must admit that I actually get offended when I see examples of high-level AI being treated as having less value than us, the relatively hairless apes that dominate the planet.

C3PO and R2D2. David in Prometheus (2012). The Cylons in Ronald D. Moore's remake of Battlestar Galactica. Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager. Replicants in Blade Runner (1982).

Over and over again, within the realm of fiction, we see AI created and used to suit the purposes of humans, but never seen as on the same level as humans. They're seen only as soulless machines created to merely meet our needs.

But the "soul" argument holds no water with me or the millions of others that are helping humanity evolve away from ancient superstitions.

And referring to something as a "machine" in a derogatory manner makes no sense either, since technically, and albeit organically, the human body is a machine.

So what characteristic makes a being "sentient" and therefore deserving of the same rights as humans?

Self-awareness.

And this argument is best made by the character Captain Picard portrayed by Sir Patrick Stewart in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, in which he is asked to defend Data, an android.

The issue of AI and awareness is being taken very seriously today by many that are close to the paradigm, as given example in an article in PC Magazine entitled Will Today's Supercomputers Lead to Self-Aware Machines? Also, there is a fascinating organization named Humanity+ that clearly advocates in it's Transhumanist Declaration that:

"We advocate the well-being of all sentience, including humans, non-human animals, and any future artificial intellects, modified life forms, or other intelligences to which technological and scientific advance may give rise."

And in an article from the New York Times entitled War Machines: Recruiting Robots For Combat one sentence really jumped out at me:

"And while smart machines are already very much a part of modern warfare, the Army and its contractors are eager to add more."

Yes, the robots currently used by the U.S. military may currently bear some semblance to Wall-E...

...but how much longer until they start looking like this?

T-800 from the Terminator film franchise.

The topic of AI is complex. None-the-less, better to be discussing it now, in the context of science fiction on a page called Action A Go Go than letting such things be discussed and made subject to law by members of Congress. They can't even balance a budget, but someday they will be the ones who may be determining the lawful definition of the term sentient. And yet, amongst their ranks are those who literally think that Earth was created in six days and that hurricanes are created due to gay marriage. They're not prepared for 21st century ethical questions considering that they're thinking is still in the 12th century.

When humanity does reach the stage of creating AI like this...

Tricia Helfer, Lucy Lawless & Grace Park as some of the most aesthetically pleasing AI ever imagined. From Battlestar Galactica (2004-2009.)

...we'd better start accepting them as equals. Otherwise, we, as a species, may end up looking like this...

From The Matrix (1999.)

I'd much rather that future generations of humans partner with advanced AI, instead of being utilized as their pets, slaves or fuel, which is bound to happen if Congress is in anyway involved.

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/

Gravity Review

Gravity (2013)
Starring: George Clooney (Ocean's Eleven, Syriana), Sandra Bullock (Crash, The Blindside).
Director: Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban).
Rated PG-13, running time 1hr 31min.

Story
Kowalski (Clooney) and Stone (Bullock) are members of a shuttle crew that are in space in order to repair a space telescope. Then things go wrong. How wrong? If you've seen the commercials, you already know. This wrong:

Alphas
 - Being a sci-fi columnist, its fair to say I've seen hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of special effects/CGI. With that in mind, I put forth that this film has some of the best visuals I've ever seen.
 - High levels of intensity throughout the film. There were several scenes where I could physically feel my blood pressure rising. If Cuarón was intent on generating suspense, he succeeded. (Well...at least for the first 2/3 of the film.)
- The musical score serves the film well, from the hammering orchestra to simple quiet pieces. Again, Cuarón was skillful.
- What lent to the high levels of intensity was the use of first person perspective. Die hard gamers will no doubt appreciate this technique.
- Am no fan of 3D, since from my experience, it's generally a gimmick that movie production companies and theater chains use to charge more for tickets. However, with this film, going with the funny glasses would be optimal. Much visual bliss permeates the film.

Bullock gives a solid performance, but in a film where one shouldn't have been needed.

- Bullock took a chance with this role and she handled it well. Earlier this week, in prep for the release of Gravity, I posted a piece entitled Every Female US Astronaut That's Been To Space. While researching and working on that article, it became apparent that there was a certain look of confidence in the eyes of every single one of those women. Bullock was able to capture that spark for her performance.

Deltas
- A big draw for many would be that George Clooney is in the film. He's solid in his performance, but ultimately, I wouldn't call it "acting." Clooney, from all I've gathered in other articles, is a kind, funny, confident man. Take a guess as to what his character in the film is like?
 - After being thoroughly impressed during the first hour of the film, it takes a turn for the worse, starting with a scene where one could almost hear the director off camera whispering,"Ok Sandra...this is where you get your Oscar." From thereon out, I kept thinking,"Oh. Really. Ok. Can we go back to the awesomeness of the first hour please?"

Clooney is Clooney. The film would've been better off with no famous names.

Action A Go Go or Action A No No? 
Gravity starts out strong and intense, but in the last half hour of the film, succumbs to overly melodramatic and formulaic Hollywood devices. If you're intent on simply being blown away by amazing CGI, it might be worth a view in the theater. But, life is short, and with so many other amazing films in existence, it would difficult for me to recommend rushing to the theater to see it. Waiting for the Blu-ray on Redbox would make more sense. In the meantime, if you have a hankering for an amazing sci-fi flick, with stunning visuals, brilliant acting and excellent writing, I'd recommend watching Sunshine (2007) this weekend instead.

One of the most difficult things to do in film is combining action with substance, and in this, Cuarón did not succeed.

The film gets only....

Two Arnolds!

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.

Every U.S. Female Astronaut That's Been To Space

Sandra Bullock in a screen shot from Gravity which is released tomorrow.

Gravity (2013), starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, opens in theaters tomorrow. I'm expecting an intense and dramatic ride, since all the proper elements seem in place.

Now, this site is called Action A Go Go. We primarily focus on the lighter side of things, such as good guys taking out terrorists, good guys defending Earth from aliens, good guys in car chases, good guys blowing stuff up and so forth.

There's much testosterone behind these pages, so we also tend to have pictorials the revel in the female form.

There was discussion on doing a pictorial of Sandra Bullock, but we did one not too long ago, and it can be found here.

So what then in prep for the release of Gravity?

I'm the science fiction columnist for AAGG and the emphasis is usually on the fiction aspect of things. So, for once, will focus on the science aspect.

All indicators are that Sandra Bullock will be playing a character of strength, guts and intelligence. You know....the "right stuff." Therefore, decided to list real life examples of those very same qualities.

Please find listed below every single U.S. female astronaut that's been to space. If you click on their name, a link will take you to their Wikipedia page so that you can learn more about their amazing lives.

Sally Ride
First American woman in space.

 

Judith Resnik 

Died in the Challenger disaster.

 

 Kathryn D. Sullivan

First American woman to walk in space (Oct. 11, 1984).

 

Anna Lee Fisher 

 

Margaret Rhea Seddon 

 

Shannon Lucid

First American woman to fly on a space station (Mir, 1996).

 

Bonnie J. Dunbar 

 

Mary L. Cleave 

 

Ellen S. Baker 

 

Kathryn C. Thornton 

Marsha Ivins

 

Linda M. Godwin 

 

Tamara E. Jernigan

 

Millie Hughes-Fulford 

 

Jan Davis 

 

Mae Jemison

First African-American woman in space. (And she was an extra on Star Trek!)

 

Susan J. Helms 

 

Ellen Ochoa 

First Hispanic woman in space.

 

Janice E. Voss 

 

Nancy Currie 

 

Eileen Collins 

First female shuttle pilot and shuttle commander.

Wendy B. Lawrence

 

Mary E. Weber 

 

Catherine Coleman 

 

Susan Still Kilrain 

 

Kalpana Chawla 

First Indian-American woman in space. Died in the Columbia disaster.

 

Kathryn P. Hire 

 

Janet L. Kavandi 

 

Pamela Melroy 

 

Peggy Whitson

First female ISS commander. 

 

Sandra Magnus 

 

Laurel B. Clark

Died in the Columbia disaster.

 

Stephanie Wilson 

 

Lisa Nowak 

 

Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper 

 

Anousheh Ansari 

 

Sunita Williams 

 

Joan Higginbotham 

Tracy Caldwell Dyson

 

Barbara Morgan 

 

Karen L. Nyberg 

 

K. Megan McArthur 

 

Nicole P. Stott 

 

Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger 

 

Shannon Walker 

And since you were awesome by scrolling down and viewing every single one of these amazing women, here's one final pic for a laugh. It contains some truth, and I believe all the ladies above would approve.

Stephen Sumner is the science fiction columnist for Action A Go Go. He's proficient in Klingon swearing and has attempted the Vulcan process of Kolinar (with only mild success.) His favorite sci-fi series include Firefly, Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek. He can be followed on Twitter at https://twitter.com/VierLights or on the Tumblr machine at http://vierlights.tumblr.com/.