Movies I like: Galaxy Quest September 30, 2008

I wrote recently about my Sci-Fi obsession and this movie is perhaps a true testament to that. You need to ‘know’ sci-fi to get this loving parody to this genre.

Jason Nesmith (Tim Allen at his finest) is still living off of his success as commander Peter Quincy Taggart in a successful 1970’s Sci-Fi show (not too dissimilar – i joke, it’s a complete rip off – from Star Trek) and now spends his career, along with his co-stars, signing photos and appearing at conventions. One day he is picked up by aliens who, having seen the ‘historical documents’ of his previous wars against many enemies, ask him and his ‘crew’ to help them defeat the evil Sarris. 

I can not help but smile even just thinking about this film, and there are too many quotes to mention. It does no harm that I have a slight Alan Rickman obsession, and Sam Rockwell is genius as ‘the unnamed crewman’, convinced he will die any minute because that’s all his character ever did…. brilliant.

 

As an added bonus, in honor of all things Star Trek, here is a video of William Shatner being…. himself. Good to see George Lucas getting owned!

Songs I like: Call Me Al September 29, 2008

I first heard Paul Simon’s Graceland album when I watched a video of his historic Zimbabwe concert (which I would give up a limb to be able to go to) in a music lesson at school. I immediately fell in love with what I was hearing, and then discovered my Uncle owned the album and so sat in his living room listening to the whole thing. 

Some more of the songs from that CD may appear on this blog at some point, but Call Me Al is essentially the one I love the most. Add to it the simple but brilliant video (Paul Simon’s the short one by the way…) and I dare you not to smile…

BONUS piece of trivia – the bass solo is actually made up of a riff played forwards and then reversed.