My Workout For Thursday January 16

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Film Review

An act.  A simple, defiant act from one person.  The intent was to call one man's bluff.  The result is the beginning of something far larger than one could have imagined, something that could change the world but leave a path of devastation in the process.  Can that person live with himself/herself knowing what the consequences of his/her decision will be?  Can he/she become the hero the larger picture desperately wants him/her to be? This idea is explored in the film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence's adaptation of the second book in Suzanne Collins' massively popular The Hunger Games trilogy, and while it does suffer from "middle film syndrome," the stronger story, excellent acting, and thematic focus make it an improvement over the very good first film. In the 74th Hunger Games, Panem's District 12 tributes Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark challenged the gamemakers and the Capitol by threatening to kill themselves and yield no winner.  The authorities acquiesced and let both live.  However, this act of defiance, coupled with Katniss' compassion toward a tribute from District 11, planted the seeds of insurrection that has been met with equally violent suppression.  President Snow, ruler of Panem, makes a deal with Katniss - sell the idea that her defiance was an act of love for Peeta and aid in quelling the burgeoning rebellious atmosphere or see her and Peeta's loved ones die. Katniss, loyal to her family above all, decides to continue the charade of love, but as the victory lap across the other Districts commences, she witnesses the oppressive state in action, and the charade collapses.  Snow decides that for the 75th Hunger Games, the third Quarter Quell, tributes that survived the previous Games are the only eligible tributes. putting Katniss and Peeta back into the Games.  However, this time isn't just about survival --- revolution is in the air, and Katniss has to decide if she can bring things back to the status quo or if she can become symbol of the revolution that is desired of her. The first film only hinted at the thematic elements that come into play throughout the entire story.  In Catching Fire, the exploration of violence and revolution and the personal cost of each comes to the forefront. Katniss, Peeta, and their mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, all are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Katniss is explicitly suffering from nightmares and emotional triggers, Peeta is struggling to move forward with his life, and Haymitch is severely self-medicating with alcohol.  Haymitch reiterates to Katniss several times that there are no winners of The Hunger Games, just survivors, and there is no end to the involvement in the Games as now they must be mentors to other tributes from District 12, reliving the horrors the Games gave them.  Compound that with having to keep up the show that Katniss put on involving falling for Peeta, and Katniss sees how the Games have eternally forced her to live a lie, crushing whatever spirit she has left. The first half of the film compares and contrasts this with the unrest and oppression of the Districts and the mindless disconnect of the Capitol.  The second half becomes more plot-driven as the 75th Hunger Games gets underway, causing the film to have a split personality, but the thematic focus is constant, and the brutality of the story's universe is felt with major impact. The screenplay drafted by Simon Beaufoy and rewritten by Michael Arndt (credited as Michael deBruyn) does a great job highlighting the thematic points without making them obvious, and the editing work by Alan Edward Bell as well as the cinematography by Jo Willems fix the incoherence of the action sequences in the first film, making a solid story worth watching.  James Newton Howard's film score accentuates the tonal shifts of the film without becoming overbearing. The strong acting that was the main reason to watch the first film is also much improved. Jennifer Lawrence has been nothing but a high-quality actress since her breakthrough in Winter's Bone, and her winning a well-deserved Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook has not caused her to settle.  The weariness and loss of innocence in Katniss' eyes and her struggles with PTSD draw the audience into the story more than before.  Her chemistry with everyone is natural, and her physicality balances her emotional frailty.  Jennifer Lawrence is still the number one reason why this film series has been successful.  Her talent seems limitless, and with how incredible she is at playing a wide range of roles, she may be this generation's Meryl Streep. Josh Hutcherson improves significantly in this film, not only holding his own against Jennifer Lawrence but also giving the film a counterbalance to Katniss.  While Katniss is struggling with nightmares, Peeta is simply stuck in neutral.  He knows he shouldn't have won the Hunger Games, and he's aware that Katniss' affections were a ruse, but his existence is a lonely one, and his only wish is to form some connection to the one person who is the reason he is still alive.  Josh Hutcherson stil exudes the same charm as before, but he now gives Peeta more gravitas, more baggage, more of what we wanted him to be in the first film - someone about whom the audience truly cares. Woody Harrelson evolves the darkly comic relief of Haymitch Abernathy in the first film to something more tragic --- a man who is eternally haunted by "winning" a Hunger Game.  He is who Katniss could become.  His alcoholism and sardonic demeanor is still played for laughs from time to time, but Haymitch now imbues that humor with melancholy and provide a reason for Haymitch to be the smart-ass that he is.  Woody Harrelson is just fantastic. Elizabeth Banks takes Effie Trinket, the symbol of Capitol disconnect, and gives her humanity, showing that her fashion and eloquence has become a facade for her compassion.  Lenny Kravitz continues to emanate charm, charisma, and style as Cinna.  Stanley Tucci and Doug Jones provide the necessary jovial counterpoint to the seriousness of the film as the co-hosts of the Hunger Games proceedings.  Donald Sutherland takes President Snow from the imposing father figure in the first film to the great manipulator in this film, and his calm demeanor accentuates the danger of his threats. The newcomers all hold their own against the series' veterans.  Jena Malone is exciting as tribute Johanna Mason, portraying pure id with her deliberate undressing in the presence of Katniss, Peeta, and Haymitch, her unfiltered voice, and her unhinged actions and reactions throughout the Quarter Quell  Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer get to play superego as eccentric, intelligent tributes Beetee and Wiress, respectively, who carefully plan out how to utilize the environment to their advantage, and both shine in their roles.  Sam Claflin is wonderful as tribute Finnick Odair, the ego who helps Katniss and Peeta stay alive while understanding the long-term goal and reminding Katniss of "who the real enemy is."  Philip Seymour Hoffman is in reliably top form as new head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, and although his appearance is brief, his presence is felt, and it will be a pleasure to he him more in the next installment. The film does suffer a case of "middle film syndrome," mostly due to the nature of the story and how the first book was adapted.   The first film barely hinted at the burgeoning revolution, only showing one riot --- in District 11, and through its focus on the people of the Capitol as the primary viewership, a group that is isolated from the oppression.  The oppression was present, but the unrest was more of an afterthought --- the people of each District had found ways to live within the confines of Panem.  It makes transitioning to the second film jarring as now the oppression and unrest are felt in every frame.  This film succeeds in reintroducing everything and everyone without excessive exposition.  If one was to start watching the series with this entry, he/she would be able to follow the story pretty well with few questions. The ending leaves a bit to be desired emotionally and hangs the story at an ellipses than a defined period.  Many second films, or at least a film prior to the end, hang at an ellipses without completing its own arc --- the implied sole purpose is to set up the next film.  Even great and successful films such as The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers couldn't circumvent this.  The Empire Strikes Back had a plot-related ellipses, but that film had a complete emotional arc that was independent yet integral to the entire series.  With Catching Fire, by being more literal in its adaptation, the ending introduces new ideas and plot points just to set up the next film, and it makes the film feel incomplete. However, it could be recommended to start with this entry due to it being a different director.  Gary Ross did a successful job with the first film, but Francis Lawrence fleshes out the universe with impressive details and allows the actors to drive the story forward.  Aside from the exposition heavy ending, Francis Lawrence succeeds greatly at the "show, don't tell" approach. The best moment in the film, and the scene that is the one to beat in the entire series, is a brief but powerful sequence involving the announcement that the Quarter Quell will draw its tributes from only the surviving victors of every Game.  It starts with the emotional devastation of Katniss' family, followed by an angry and distressed Haymitch screaming and throwing an empty bottle at the screen, then a stunned and frightened Peeta having the gravity of the announcement push him into his chair, ending with Katniss, emotionally destroyed, running into the woods, gasping for air while screaming in dismay.  This reads like it's melodrama, but the way the director lets the actors play this moment, it's the most human, most emotionally devastating moment in the entire film.  The hope that Katniss accidentally instilled in the Districts after winning the last Game has left these three people in that moment, and it ultimately sets everything in motion for the rest of the story. This moment gives hope that Francis Lawrence will make the next films in the series better and better.  His touch has upped the ante of the series, and while it may be nothing more than the middle film of the series, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is a great adaptation, a very good film with powerful moments, and a sign that the series is in good hands.

Movie Rating: 8.5/10 A tense and thought-provoking first half gives way to a thrilling second half that don't gel together ideally but are wonderfully executed halves.

Film Rating: 8.5/10 The themes of violence from the first film evolve into revolution and reluctant heroism; even an open-ended conclusion doesn't diminish from overall

Hunger Games Film Rating: 9/10 The efficiency of the first film is traded for a fuller experience, one that is emotionally rewarding and viscerally entertaining.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones Review

    The hype and anticipation of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace gave way soon after May 19, 1999 to frustration and disappointment.  What could have been the revitalization of a dormant series instead was a cumbersome movie mired in boring politics, forced performances, ruined mythology, and distant action - a far cry from what Star Wars is.  The main question from the fanbase now was "Is the worst over?  Does it get better from here?"     On May 16, 2002, George Lucas provided a response for the fans with the release of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones: "Yes.  No.  Maybe?"     Set ten years after the the events of Episode I, Episode II begins with an attack on Padme Amidala, now a Senator representing Naboo in the Galactic Republic Senate.  This attack results in the Jedi Council calling on Obi-Wan Kenobi, now a Jedi Knight, and his padawan Anakin Skywalker to act as her temporary bodyguards while they find out who was behind the attack.  A pursuit of the assassin eventually leads Obi-Wan to the planet Kamino, a planet that has been contracted to create a clone army for the Republic to fight the Trade Federation, now in alliance with fallen Jedi Master Count Dooku.  The pursuit also forces Padme to flee to Naboo with Anakin as her bodyguard.  Their time together brings about feelings between the two and leads Anakin to reunite with is mother on Tatooine.  Everything comes to a head on the planet Geonosis, with Padme, Anakin, and Obi-Wan captured and the new clone army and the Trade Federation clashing in the first major battle of the Clone Wars.     Like Episode I paralleling the original Star Wars, Episode II parallels The Empire Strikes Back - The heroes are split apart, two of the heroes develop feelings, one of the heroes goes on a discovery quest, the central character gets tempted by the Dark Side of the Force and loses an arm, and the ending, one with significant complications, sets up the pieces for the next film.  However, like Episode I, the results are by-the-numbers instead of inspired.     All of the actors struggle to make the material work again, but unlike the last film, there are improvements.  The highlight of the actors is Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  His emulation of Sir Alec Guinness is impressive, making the only earned connection of this film to the original trilogy.  Samuel L. Jackson plays Samuel L. Jackson, but he adds some fun to the film's second half that the first film lacked.  Newcomer Christopher Lee has more menace and stature as Count Dooku than Darth Maul had all of Episode I, making him at least a more thrilling villain.     However, Natalie Portman and newcomer Hayden Christensen have no chemistry together as Padme and Anakin, making every scene they have together an endurance test.  Portman can do fragile and tender, but her line reading lacks passion.  Christensen comes off whiny and helpless, never inhabiting Anakin the way the audience would have imagined.  He is outclassed by everyone else in the film.     The music by John Williams is more uninspired this time around.  It may well represent his worst work in a Star Wars film - the love theme is a partial rip-off of his work on Hook, and other than random revivals of previous pieces, there are no memorable themes or motifs like in the other films.  The cinematography by David Tattersall is just as faceless as before.  The visual effects are an improvement over Episode I, but the universe looks too clean and crisp to feel real, especially the overly sterile and artificial representation of the clone planet of Kamino.     Again, though, these aren't the main problems.  George Lucas makes the same mistakes he made in the previous film as screenwriter and director.      The introduction to the film tries to provide excitement with the assassination attempt, but all of it plays too obvious and poorly sets up the instability in the galaxy.  Worse, it yields to more of the political discourse that sunk Episode I before it got started.  Once the heroes arrive, it becomes obvious how the trajectory of the film will go.  Instead of anticipating where the film will go next, the audience only anticipates when the film will end.     The love story is forced and inert, becoming unintentionally funny in its moments of awfulness.  The audience knows Anakin and Padme will fall in love because there is no other significant female character with whom Anakin is emotionally close.  The worst scene of the film, and arguably the worst scene in the film series, features the two of them fighting with their "developing" feelings for each other near a fireplace.  It's as if Lucas wanted to emphasize how they had a fiery passion for each other that they couldn't control but couldn't get the actors to do it themselves.  This scene and this plot thread is just a representation of an ongoing problem with the prequels - the characters are there to serve the plot, not the other way around.     The protracted third act on Geonosis is awkwardly structured.  It begins with a somewhat inspired survival fight within a coliseum - a way to one-up the podrace sequence from Episode I, though unsuccessfully.  It becomes a visual spectacular once the Jedi arrive and become warriors.  Once Yoda and the clones arrive, though, the fun vanishes and the boredome commences.  The majority of this portion are clones fighting robots - beings with which the audience has no emotional connection. This is the closest Lucas comes to being Michael Bay as he indulges in the visuals without once pondering what it all means.     However, the saving grace of the third act is the lightsaber duel toward the end of this sequence.  Although it is as stylized, choreographed, and overdone as the duel from Episode I - the red and blue lighting and Anakin losing his arm especially - the focus is solely on the duelists and nothing else.  We care about the duelists.  We want to see what happens next.  The reward for this anticipation - the introduction of Yoda the master fighter.  It's the most thrilling sequence of the film, full of visual splendor.  However, in the grand scheme of the series, it's a double-edged sword - it may be exciting, but instead of the simple pleasure of an old Muppet walking around with a cane waxing poetic about the Force, it takes every ounce of visual effects and acrobatics to create the excitement.     This is indicative of the prequels in general.  Instead of  taking, in the words of Han Solo, "simple tricks and nonsense," George Lucas thinks it will take the the most complex sequences to make the film thrilling.  Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones is two steps forward, two steps back for the series - it's more genuinely exciting, but more emotionally distant. Blu-Ray Observations Compared to Episode I, the Blu-Ray presentation is a significant improvement.  The visuals are sharp, but there is a softness to the image that can't be avoided.  Part of the problem is that this was the first major film shot and released completely digitally.  The technology was still in the early stages, and the Blu-Ray shows it clearly.  The contrast is a bit off as well, especially in the scenes in Kamino.  The audio is as excellent as all of the other discs, especially the reference quality of the seismic charges.  Overall, the presentation of Episode II is good but not great. Movie Rating: 5/10 Exposition dominates the proceedings, and the effects are still too sterile.  However, the surprising focus during the duel yields to the most exciting scene in the film. Film Rating: 2/10 All of the previous issues are still prevalent, and the love story is additionally terrible due to the lack of chemistry between two leads involved in that story.  Star Wars Film Rating: 4/10 It tries and fails gloriously to parallel The Empire Strikes Back, but Ewan McGregor's emulation of Sir Alec Guiness and the lightsaber duel in the third act are highlights of what otherwise is another frustrating installment in the series. Blu-Ray Rating: 7/10 Much better than Episode I but the flaws of 2002 digital film transferring are apparent.  The audio is fantastic, especially the seismic charges.

A tree in the Schaumburg winter.

Struggles with writing

I must admit something to everyone --- I have been attempting to write a screenplay for quite some time now.

The idea came to me while I was recollecting my film reviews and thinking about how most film critics haven't had a produced screenplay or actively participated in the filmmaking process (the notable exception to this is Roger Ebert and his script for Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. My educational background is in engineering, but one of my passions since high school was watching movies and films and becoming an amateur critic and cinephile. I love seeing the disparate genres and techniques, the history of American and international cinema informing and influencing specific artists and works, and evolving my idea of what makes a film or movie "good" or "bad."

However, I believed that my critiques would be limited in quality and understanding if I didn't at least attempt to participate in some part of the filmmaking process. In the film adaptation of High Fidelity, Rob Gordon, purveyor of "high pop culture," decides to try his hand at the music business by helping some local skater punks put out a record they recorded and he liked. As Laura, his girlfriend, highlights, he is now a part of the culture that he and his friends have observed and critiqued from a bird's eye view. With High Fidelity being one of my favorite films and with wanting to hone my critical eye, I was partly inspired by that plot development to participate in the filmmaking process by writing a draft script.

However, there have been several issues that have popped up throughout the process. The first and most important issue is that I haven't written fiction since junior high for assignments. I haven't lost my sense of imagination --- I've had several ideas for stories appear in my thoughts, and I can come up with a couple of big scenes that I feel would make a major impact. The problem is that I can't fill in the blanks when it comes to those thoughts. Since the beginning of college, I have been a glorified essayist as an amateur critic. Nonfiction has been my writing field. Writing critiques and essays come more naturally to me because the audience is me. The thoughts are mine. Everything said is what I want to say.

This informs of my second major issue --- Who is my audience?

Writing critiques and essays does require understanding of who the author wants to read his/her work, but the tailoring process, at least to me, is easier with these works because the end result is still clearly in the author's control. Compromises are made in the flow and diction, but the thoughts are pure.

When I write critiques or essays, my idea of the audience is people who want to read the "hows" and "whys" or for people who want to learn to read the "hows" and "whys." My critiques are never "cut-to-the-chase" works. I want to lay out what I thought was good and bad and then show why the structure is strengthened or weakened due to those proficiencies and deficiencies. Ideally, I want the "cut-to-the-chase" readers to read my critiques and become more inquisitive about the idea of "good" and "bad." Understandably, this is a flawed hope due to my writing approach being static and wanting more people to become elastic when it usually takes the approach to become more elastic to get the static readers. I still hold to my ideals, though, and it is why I see writing critiques and essays as a less compromising form.

My attempt at writing fiction stalls because my definition of the audience has now increased in size. I don't want to write a script that only caters to me (i.e. Michael Scott from The Office and his script for Threat Level Midnight). I want to write something that will keep someone's interest yet be authentic with the characters and their motivations. It's easy to write characters with my voice and thoughts, but I obviously can't make every character that way. It worked for Kevin Smith for a decade, but then it stopped working for Kevin Smith (one can only write so many permutations of Clerks before the idea loses traction). Once I think about the audience, I start to lose grasp of the idea, gaps begin to enlarge, and it all iterates until I have hit the point of overthinking.

My final major issue, and one that is specific to screenwriting, is this --- how the hell do I write something that is interesting for at least 90 minutes?

This issue is due to how the logical part of my mind works. I look at my ideas and develop a very basic plot. While looking at the plot, I fill in the blanks and realize that the plot could be completed in 15 to 30 minutes (if one thinks this is how writing for a television show works, that's only part of the battle --- a American season is at least 13 episodes, and coming up with a good story arc for several episodes is no easy task, so good luck coming up with the other 12+ episodes). Then I start thinking of subplots, but they start to appear arbitrary to the general plot, and the whole structure collapses in my head. The unwritten rule for a feature film is at least 90 minutes. If I can't come up with something that will hold for a third of that, then how will I be able to develop something for more?

I haven't even gotten to the actual writing part and have seen how difficult the process is. I have a deep respect for those who can write fiction in any medium. It takes a great deal of effort and focus just to get through the initial steps. Maybe I should focus on developing a short-film idea, maybe I'll never finish that screenplay or am not meant for fiction, or maybe the mental breakthrough will happen some ways down the road.

The goal of writing a screenplay is currently out of reach. It's frustrating as hell, but maybe I'll learn something from this journey to expand my horizons.

My Workout For Friday February 07

I earned 783 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Upright Barbell Row +92 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 11 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 8 reps (+23 pts)

Dumbbell Shrug +80 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+19 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

45 lb x 10 reps (+21 pts)

Reverse Crunch +90 pts

20 reps (+26 pts)

18 reps (+23 pts)

17 reps (+22 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

Plank +22 pts

35 sec (+12 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +102 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 10 reps (+27 pts)

25 lb x 7 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 5 reps (+23 pts)

Side Plank +38 pts

30 sec (+21 pts)

25 sec (+17 pts)

Pull-Up +26 pts

1 reps (+13 pts)

1 reps (+13 pts)

Not one complete one, but 8 of them getting my chin just at the bottom of the bar. I am getting closer...

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Bent Over Barbell Row +125 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+28 pts)

85 lb x 12 reps (+32 pts)

95 lb x 10 reps (+33 pts)

95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)

Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift +206 pts

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

75 lb x 12 reps (+53 pts)

85 lb x 9 reps (+54 pts)

85 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

Think you can beat me, or want to comment?

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The endeavor continues...

As of last night, I've begun writing my critique of Star Wars. It'll be some time before it's ready, but be prepared for amazing news...

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Review

    It was the most unexpected of situations.  George Lucas returned to the Star Wars universe by telling the backstory of the famed villain Darth Vader, born Anakin Skywalker, as a new trilogy.  The first film of this new series, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, had an unprecedented wave of hype surrounding it.  After its release, it was as if someone let the air out of the room.  While a significant financial success, the overall result was a tarnishing to the saga loved worldwide.  Its follow-up, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones, tarnished the saga further.  What should have been a triumphant moment for American cinema became a textbook example of screwing with mythology.  Suddenly, everyone was wondering how the man who built a story that has become ingrained in many cultures could be the same man who made Episode I and Episode II.      As the inevitable conclusion to the trilogy approached, the anticipation was more muted.  Audiences wanted to see the next installment but not in the way Lucas intended - people expected the film to pale in comparison to the Original Trilogy, so now they were wondering if it was going to be the trainwreck in mediocrity its two predecessors were.     On May 19, 2005, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith was released, and while the audiences were right in expecting it to pale to the Original Trilogy, they were surprised that the film was good - in some moments, very good.     Set three years after the end of Episode II, Episode III begins with the final battle of the Clone Wars - the Battle of Coruscant.  Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the leader of the Galactic Republic, has been kidnapped by the Trade Federation, now under military leadership by General Grevious and Count Dooku.  Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker are sent to rescue Palpatine in the midst of the massive space battle.  After the rescue, Anakin is given the honor of being a part of the Jedi Council but without the title of Master.  Furthering his seeds of discontent, he has recurring nightmares that his wife, Padme Amidala, will die in childbirth, pushing him to find power over the Force that the Jedi perceivably lack.  As Kenobi, Anakin's mentor and friend, is sent after Grevious alone, Anakin begins his descent to the Dark Side of the Force, eventually becoming Darth Vader and turning on the people he once considered allies.     Episode III paralells Return of the Jedi less in its structure and more in its nature - it has dual personality of being light-hearted and fun in some moments and dark and heavy in others.  Its duality is both a strength and a weakness, but the overall result is much better than its predecessors.     The acting is more natural than in Episode I and Episode II.  There are still moments of stiff line-reading, but they are not as prevalent as before.  Ewan McGregor continues to be a highlight, fully emulating what made Sir Alec Guinness iconic as Obi-Wan Kenobi while adding enough of his own vigor to make a mark fully on the character.  Natalie Portman finally gives Padme Amidala the personality she needed all this time, and while she still could have done a bit more with her, she at least seems like she's enjoying being in a Star Wars film.  Hayden Christensen still has no chemistry with Portman - just see the apartment balcony scene toward the end of the first act, the worst scene in the film, as an example.  However, he bounces off McGregor very well, showing the tight bond master and apprentice have and how tragic the breaking of the bond is after the turn to the Dark Side.  Christensen may never be physically imposing as Vader was in the Original Trilogy, but he knows how to be deadly and threatening when it counts.     The best role in the film, though, goes to Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine, the once and future Emperor.  He is what the prequels lacked - a thoroughly engaging and imposing villain.  He hams it up once his nature is exposed, but he allows Palpatine to be felt even when he is not on screen.  Ian McDiarmid breathes life into the prequels, showing what they could have been.     Everything in the film is more inspired.  The music by John Williams is alive again, mixing themes and motifs from all of the films to emphasize the emotional journey.  The cinematography by David Tattersall is more fluid, showcasing the action in all of its glory.  The technology has finally caught up with the vision, allowing the visual effects to shine in obvious ways such as the opening battle but also in subtle ways, namely the details in the wonderfully constructed features of the computer-generated Yoda.     Of the whole prequel trilogy storyline, Anakin's downfall and rebirth as Darth Vader is the most interesting and exciting plot point due to its nature.  There's no more meandering around to get to this point in the story.  We've had two films of build-up, most of it unnecessary.  This is when all of the action happens.  This is when all of the tragedy strikes.  This is when the audience cares.  This alone would make it a better film than Episode I and Episode II.     What makes it much better, and what is the biggest surprise, is that George Lucas fully flexes his screenwriting and directing muscles.     First is the surprising focus prevalent throughout the film.  The focus begins at the introduction with Anakin and Obi-Wan flying into the Battle of Coruscant.  Once their ships appear on-screen, the camera follows them into the battle, showing the scope of the battle without focusing on other random individuals for too long.  This focus also allows us to see how brotherly Obi-Wan and Anakin have become.  The audience has a connection.  Their banter becomes hokey, sometimes too hokey, but we are having fun with them.      In fact, about the first half of the film is mostly fun with a little foreboding menace.  About the second half is all menace.  Both halves work very well on their own, with one half not taking itself too seriously and allowing us to enjoy the ride while the other half becoming the depths of the Dark Side it needs to be and allowing us to feel for these characters.     Emphasizing the dark foreboding is Lucas borrowing the cross-cutting technique his close friend Francis Ford Coppola mastered.  Palpatine's formation of the Galactic Empire is cross-cut with Anakin's assassination of the leaders of the Trade Federation.  The birth of Luke and Leia is cross-cut with the birth of Darth Vader.  Both are done well, and both show the director Lucas was and still can be.     However, while the overall results are good to very good, its the details that hold the film back from greatness.     The lightsaber duels are well executed, but some moments devolve into pure visual splendor instead of maintaining emotional resonance.  This happens early on in the Anakin/Obi-Wan duel and is prevalent in the Palpatine/Yoda duel.  The music saves the latter duel, and the former has several intense moments that help keep it grounded overall.     The duality of the film becomes a struggle in the second act.  Everything involving Obi-Wan is fun and exciting, while everything involving Anakin is increasingly dark.  At times, the feeling is schizophrenic, throwing the audience in too many emotional directions to make sense.     The moment of Anakin's turn to the Dark Side could never reach the legend fans made it to be, but the moment becomes almost unintentionally funny due to stiff line-readings and poorly placed sound effects.  This is the most important moment in the entire saga to date, yet it doesn't resonate the way it should.  If the third act wasn't as strong as it is, this scene could have ruined the entire film.     The scene involving the birth of the Darth Vader we all know is well done until the end.  In a moment now immortalized as "FrankenVader," Lucas decided to pay homage to Frankenstein at the worst possible moment, ruining another resonating moment with something unintentionally funny, capping it off with a misguided scream from Vader.     Lucas also tries too hard to bridge the Original Trilogy and the prequels together with this film, either relying heavily on fan service without really getting into a better understanding of things or only providing half-explanations due to bridging the films being more important than making the ideas work on their own.     The maximum enjoyment factor in Episode III is found when watching with context provided from the Original Trilogy, but unlike Episode I and Episode II, there's a story worth telling within its runtime, and it tells it well.  It doesn't reach the quality of the Original Trilogy, but Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is everything audiences wanted the entire prequel trilogy to be - good sci-fi fantasy. Blu-Ray Observations With technology catching up to how Lucas wanted to present his films, the Blu-Ray for Episode III is near-reference quality.  The visuals are balanced very well, and the colors are vivid.  Because of the digital nature of the production, the sterility of the computer-generated atmospheres Lucas inadvertently created come in full force, emphasizing how far away the film is visually from the Original Trilogy.  The audio, again, is superb, this time represented by how the hum and clashes of the lightsabers are crisp, clear, and impactful.  Overall, a great presentation. Movie Rating: 7.5/10 One-half light-hearted action and one-half journey into darkness, the two halves don't gel perfectly together but result in an exciting story. Film Rating: 7/10 What should be the key moments don't resonate, but the music emphasizes the heart of the matter, and what surrounds those missed opportunities carries surprising depth and craft. Star Wars Film Rating: 7/10 This is the prequel audiences wanted the other two to be.  It's not on par with the Original Trilogy, but unlike the other two prequels, this one is worth seeing at least once. Blu-Ray Rating: 8.5/10 Finally, the technology catches up with Lucas' vision, and the Blu-Ray presents it in full splendor.  However, it also shows how flawed that vision was with how sterile some of the environments are.

My Workout For Tuesday January 07

I earned 614 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Reverse Crunch +53 pts

15 reps (+19 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

12 reps (+15 pts)

Plank +30 pts

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

30 sec (+10 pts)

Side Plank +42 pts

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

20 sec (+14 pts)

Chin-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

5 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

4 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +165 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

30 lb x 8 reps (+41 pts)

30 lb x 7 reps (+40 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +208 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+55 pts)

40 lb x 8 reps (+53 pts)

40 lb x 7 reps (+51 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +98 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

20 lb x 8 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 7 reps (+25 pts)

20 lb x 5 reps (+22 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

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My Workout For Sunday February 02

I earned 731 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Plank +18 pts

30 sec (+10 pts)

25 sec (+8 pts)

Dumbbell Shrug +80 pts

25 lb x 12 reps (+19 pts)

35 lb x 12 reps (+20 pts)

40 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

40 lb x 10 reps (+20 pts)

Dumbbell Bicep Curl +104 pts

15 lb x 12 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 8 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 7 reps (+26 pts)

25 lb x 8 reps (+26 pts)

Reverse Crunch +83 pts

18 reps (+23 pts)

17 reps (+22 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

15 reps (+19 pts)

Upright Barbell Row +93 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+24 pts)

Bent Over Barbell Row +124 pts

65 lb x 12 reps (+28 pts)

85 lb x 12 reps (+32 pts)

95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)

95 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)

Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift +202 pts

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)

75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)

75 lb x 10 reps (+52 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Pull-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

7 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

3 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Side Plank +17 pts

25 sec (+17 pts)

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My Workout For Sunday January 12

I earned 877 points for my workout on Fitocracy!

Cycling (stationary) +70 pts

0:10:00 || 2.7 mi || 7 % (+70 pts)

Dips - Triceps Version +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

7 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 115 lb (+2 pts)

Chin-Up +8 pts

12 reps || assisted || 145 lb (+2 pts)

8 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

6 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

5 reps || assisted || 130 lb (+2 pts)

Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row +169 pts

20 lb x 12 reps (+41 pts)

25 lb x 12 reps (+42 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

30 lb x 10 reps (+43 pts)

Dumbbell Bench Press +199 pts

30 lb x 12 reps (+49 pts)

35 lb x 12 reps (+52 pts)

35 lb x 9 reps (+50 pts)

35 lb x 7 reps (+48 pts)

Barbell Squat +185 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+43 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+46 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+48 pts)

65 lb x 10 reps (+48 pts)

Romanian Deadlift +149 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+34 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+36 pts)

65 lb x 12 reps (+39 pts)

75 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)

Stretching +2 pts

0:10:00 (+2 pts)

Upright Barbell Row +87 pts

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

45 lb x 12 reps (+21 pts)

55 lb x 12 reps (+23 pts)

55 lb x 10 reps (+22 pts)

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Fitocracy is the social fitness community that has helped hundreds of thousands level up their fitness. Start your fitness transformation today!

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