We kick off a new arc in which each of us choose one media object that had a significant effect on our development as a young geek. Up this week is Audra, who takes us on a tour of Flight of the Navigator. And we run down the week in geek, including the awesome Big Bang Theory wedding, news on the upcoming Fast Six flick, and some killer Mass Effect 3 buried dialog.
On the physical vs. digital book debate.
I’ve always been a collector of books. Recently, people have been giving me their old books collections. They’ve decided to go digital. I do have a Nook, I do enjoy reading on it and carry it with me pretty much everywhere.
However, I’m wary about trusting a company to keep my library. I’m reminded of the incident Amazon had with the book 1984 where they clicked a button and deleted every copy on every Kindle. Granted , the customers were credited for their purchase, but I don’t like that kind of control.
James Camron doing just Avatar… I can see it but I’m a little disappointed. I would have loved to see Camron do some other movies. He is one of the great sci-fi action directors, and it too bad he will not be doing any more original ideas. Also, I would have loved to see what another Director could do with an Avatar movie.
Chuck mentioned on the cast that there were 100 shows/movies (at least 25 on the cast) that he originally hated then grew to think they were awesome. While the list is probably impressive, I agree with Sean and I doubt it is that extensive to reach 100. Here are the ones he mentioned during this cast:
-Pulp Fiction
-The Matrix
-Big Bang Theory
-Enterprise
-Stargate
-Stargate Atlantis
-Eureka
In the past I have heard him mention dislike for the following shows:
-Star Trek Voyager (season 1)
-Warehouse 13
Can anyone chime in with anything else? If not, I’d say Sean is right. Chuck hasn’t done this to 25+ shows/movies and definitely not 100 of them.
~Shooter Out
I’m not trying to be obstinate or blithe when I say this, : I honestly don’t find myself experiencing that phenomenon of not thinking I’d like something and then liking it, and certainly never swung from “hate” to “awesome”.
Yes, there are things I’ve watched cuz of GWC that I would not have otherwise watched like The Big Lebowski and Transformers 1984 Animated, and enjoyed. But I had no negative thots about them beforehand (I had no thots about them at all).
But I’ve a pretty clear idea of the kinds of shows, books, movies I would like. And …when I try stuff I don’t think I’d like…I’m usually confirmed in my original instinct.
Am I some kinda freak?
Anyway, my Growing Up Geek media object: Gotta go with Star Trek TOS.
Macrovision was the copy protection on most VHS tapes in the 80’s and 90’s…and I have a neat little device from Israel that I got off eBay for about $20 to bypass it to dupe tapes. 
Arrrrrhhhhh!
I’m usually the guy trying to convince others that the things they think suck are actually good or at least okay, be it original Doctor Who, Farscape, Stargate, or even movies like Transformers 2. I tend to have positive thoughts on things before I see them, and expect to find them to be better than most others think they are. I am rarely wrong; I must just be more forgiving.
However, there have been a few things I’ve gone into expecting to be bad, that were proven bad. the most obvious two were Avatar and Twilight. I went in to Twilight thinking it would suck, but thinking “well, Harry Potter was awesome.” I was not surprised and my mind was not changed. I wrote the series off and moved on. Avatar wasn’t bad but it’s sad that they spent 200 bajillion dollars making it (or whatever) and nobody thought to hire a writer. The movie was beautiful, but I’d have rather watched a half hour of flythrough shots than sit through that story. In fact, cut out the story and just splice all the establishing shots and that’d make a pretty awesome slideshow.
Nope. I roll like that also.
Anyway, my Growing Up Geek media object: Gotta go with Star Trek TOS.
Geek High Five. Vulcan salute slap
Can anyone chime in with anything else? If not, I’d say Sean is right. Chuck hasn’t done this to 25+ shows/movies and definitely not 100 of them.
Defying Gravity
About the Star Trek spoiler. From the moment the credits rolled on nuTrek, I was very vocal about not doing this particular spoiler story line. I felt it was lazy and grandstanding. By doing it, the producers wanted to irk the fanbois and get the community fired up. yawn
But I’m not a business person. This is great marketing. It excites the writers and production staff to bring their A game. I’m sure they are having an incredible burst of creativity making the film. They are also probably giggling to themselves as the trolls flame.
That being said, I’m not going to get all excited or excitable about it. It is what it is. I have no control over the decision, etc. I’ve voiced plenty elsewhere on the Forum. At this point, I’m going to hold off my judgment until I actually see the film.
P.S. Dear JJ, I will be counting lens flares
Love Flight of the Navigator, surprised myself when I realised I didn’t have a copy on DVD but discovered that Germany had a Blu-ray release so imported that into the UK, nice disk for the movies vintage but maybe not worth double dipping. If Hollywood is looking for a property for a scifi family feature which could benefit from an upgrade but retaining it’s values it’s worth considering and I’m not overly fond of remakes until they prove themselves:D
I had almost forgotten about Flight of the Navigator I did really enjoy this film when growing up must have seen it 4 or 5 times and really glad you guys talked about it, gonna have to check it out again soon i think. I remember that each time i watched it i might have understood some of the story line or jokes a little more like when they are going into the water and Max says " I do not leak, you leak!" I didn’t realise it was referencing to when David had to take a wizz. It was one of the first experiences i can remember when i could actually pinpoint that as i grew up i could understand more etc…
If i was to make a list of films i enjoyed over and over growing up i think it would be something like
- Explorers: I loved the idea of building a space craft i used to sketch the craft they made over and over
- Wargames: I though it would be really cool to use computers to hack into places etc i really wanted to be able to do that
- Flight of the Navigator: Spaceship, Time Travel, NASA, AI and Aliens from the view point of a young boy whats better?
- Top Gun: No not because of the volleyball scene its the aeroplanes I swear!
- Starwars: Starwars
Looking forward to Wargames nect 
Always enjoyable
As proof that movies are better than real life … I submit this :
OB
PS Audra … yes the Great Lakes in the summer ( and three other seasons) are awesome
*edit … seems Universal Studios took down BTTF link … so here’s some talented young ladies … hopefully none of their fathers are litegators ( the worst kind of lawyer)
The side discussion of California Raisins being an entry into mo’town music was … disconcerting.
After a week of being in a funk over it, my wife did point out that we had a friend sing The Penguin’s "Earth Angel " at our wedding mostly due to its Back to the Future linkage
PS … I realize The Penguins weren’t from Detroit … but I prefer The Temptation’s rendition
I was dead-set against seeing/liking the original Matrix… despite the entire geek staff of the videogame company I worked at raving about it and seeing it multiple times. Almost a month later, I went because a friend INSISTED, hauling me to it AND paying my ticket price.
Needless to say, I regretted waiting so long to watch it.
My predisposition towards both Firefly & Deadwood were the same… everyone in the office raving about it… me going “Cowboys? Bleh. Cowyboys in SPACE?! Double BLEH”
My youngest daughters, twins, are named Trinity & Serenity. #True
Anyway, my Growing Up Geek media object: Gotta go with Star Trek TOS.
Geek media object for me HAS to be seeing the 2nd moon landing as a 2-3 year old, and having my Grandfather point out the window to the Moon, saying “That’s happening up there… right now.” Changed me forever. Closely followed by Star Trek TOS, Logan’s Run, & Planet of the Apes.
On the digital vs physical book debate : Joshua Foër in his book, “Moonwalking with Einstein” talked about how humanity has been “outsourcing” memories - and thus knowledge & wisdom - ever since Socrates was ranting against the invention of papyrii.
It’s nothing really new, except that with Google there is a sense that we’re getting resource-rich with readily available content, but dumber in the sense of applicable intelligence (dare I say, common sense?)
I think Audra put it aptly in the latest GWC #325 “Growing up - Wargames” 'cast about kids who are smart but wouldn’t know squat about fruits(?)