Ode to Commander Rabb (JAG)

First and foremost I shall admit that all 10 seasons I was sweetly adoring David James Eliott physically, as shallow as some may think, but he's a true masterpiece of the nature and I see noting wrong with admiring that! =)) Take those curvy ears or forehead... Not to mention the purring voice (hell, in the finale he even show some sort of kneading instinct LOL). Even though I realize it's purely biological, but joy is a chemical reaction, so thanks for a ton of it!

Now, onto the character - it's an interesting mix of adrenaline maniac loner and a hearty friend. I still wonder how realistic is this but  inclined to think that it is because the only real life hero I knew was sort of like that, only much less settled in life. That one was a nearly unrealistic "perfect balance" between the two types that different parts of women's brain covet - the provider and the predator.

There is only one thing that is counter-intuitive in this mix. Adrenaline maniacs are never that laid back in life, but well... that's fiction for the very purpose of showing us the best, the rarest and the unique, thus entertaining us.

The most topical part for me was Commander Rabb's relationship with his colleague Mac for 9 seasons (well, that arc didn't start until a fiancée appeared but, judging by his subsequent behaviour, it plausible he didn't show his feelings for 2 years anyhow).

I must admit it irritated me immensely. Perhaps because they reminded me of myself too much - afraid to show their feelings, too shy when they decided to show them, too cold when pushing the other one off. (Only I didn't have 9 years to play this game and kind writers to finally push us finally together in the end). Mac more so.

It was a constant reminder of how stupid I was and every chance they got I understood how they should grab each other and hold tight but they fell apart again (all right, I know this is needed to keep us, viewers wondering but that game is often seen in life too). And every time it happened I was understanding also deeper and deeper that no obstacle that I saw in my life was real but just an excuse, right like here. Although I'm still not sure why I insisted on seeing them. I hope it's a nice sign that now seeing someone acting like this I know exactly what they should do differently at a precise moment to grow closer instead of further. Time is something that never comes back, you know.

Blackhat (2015) - non-trivial crime story

Blackhat (2015) displays the different approaches from the start. Knowing nothing about the movie or the director, at first I thought it was some Korean production by the way things were shown. Then the American part began. The plot and the rest display similar ambiguity but IMO this makes this picture special, adds some depth to it.

Most impressed I was when at 3/4 of the movie most of the established team was wiped out and only the couple was left to deal with the crinimals. This part looks pretty Chinese, or rather Hong Kong, in the best traditions of John Wu or even perhaps a bit less spectacular so more realistic, so to speak. The end is not bad but it's not a triumph.

A worthy movie if you appreciate something a little more deep than the usual sugar and fire.

Very beautfilul actors, especially on Chinese sid. Not to diminish Chris Hemswroth - I did not realize I saw the man before until I ran back through my recent screenshots from Thor LOL

Also some good scape shots of Hong Kong.

More screenshots.

15 things you need (not) know about heroes

Many people like watching or reading stuff about heroes, because it inspires them in some ways – that bad things can be prevented from happening, lives can be saved, odds can be beaten. But not many of them really give a thought to what it means to be a hero. I will tell you.

The first ting you need to understand is that heroes exist in real life. I know for sure because I met one, for better or worse. Fiction authors aren't that good to invent something non-existent, the more that you can basically see all the same traits between them. While most of these traits faithfully describe mandatory hero characteristics, they don’t usually give the whole picture. Due to this heroes are seen in some kind of romantic haze. Well, let me bring you back to earth. Life is always more complicated and interesting but also often much more sad.

Here is what you need to know about heroes, that is usually not part of the icon.

1.     Heroes are abnormal

This should be obvious, since they do all this crazy stuff despite and instead of their best interests unlike everybody else living for their own one and only good.

The reason probably lies somewhere in their childhood where there was no-one appreciating them for the simple reason nobody could match their abilities, and that's the very same reason they feel responsibility for everyone else, their lesser kin.

2.     Heroes are unhappy

How could anyone be happy without having a life of their own? Well, they don't and they are not. Not in a conventional sense. They live for helping others, and draw satisfaction from it, although the receiving party is rarely grateful, why – below.

Of course, they dream of personal happiness but with their conscience, they don't feel like they deserve to be happy while there's any suffering around. And there is always someone to save.

Although this isn't statistical. For some reason they mostly attract (or seek?) troublesome people and situations, much more than any average person.

Psychological dissection says it's because they're unhappy with themselves and thus try to fix everything outside. Although this is apparently due to a totally false sense of fault, probably instilled in them at tender age by emotionally dysfunctional parents, who didn't see the miracle they produced behind the suffering in their own head, instilled by their own parents, and so on.

3.     Heroes are usually poor

Because it’s not a job that pays. And they don’t do it for money. For them it’s about survival. Their own and the lucky ones who got their help.

Even you wouldn’t care about comfort or money when your very life is in question. For them it’s every day. So they get used to disregard their own needs, meaning they can as easily disregard yours when it comes to anything above survival.

That also means they are very low-maintenance people, which is good if you’d be the one to maintain them, otherwise don’t expect much material support if you’re a close one. Their mind is simply on much more crucial matters and menial daily worries are really below them.

4.     Heroes are aggressive

Aggression is what it takes to beat the odds. Heroes don’t accept the situation, they try to change it. And when they encounter resistance, they either break it or find another way.

Aggression is the attribute of expansion. In other terms, you cannot do it your way among people without rebuffing a few expectations, or sometimes the source itself of the most persistent ones. This is why kind people are most often offended – because they take it. Heroes don’t. So you better behave around them ;)

5.     Heroes aren’t fearless

Without fear, providing the sense of danger, necessary to avoid it, nobody can survive for long, just like without pain alarming you of the harm coming to your body.

Moreover, fear is the flip side of anger, fuelled by the same hormones (adrenalin and noradrenalin) differing only in proportions. So they can be mechanically switched by either running or attacking the source of danger - the so-called "run or fight" dichotomy.

Heroes face their fear and are trained to turn it to aggression. Your instinct is run from danger, theirs – towards it, to eliminate. They usually ride the adrenaline waves very well, and in all probability, like it a lot. So when there is no danger, they go out to find some.

6.     Heroes are paranoid

First of all, it’s a prerequisite for jobs like security or police – they constantly scan the area for signs of danger. The resulting habit is called “professional deformation” — occupational hazard. Only hero is not a job but a calling, meaning this is 24/7.

We live in a scary world, just most of us can afford to ignore it most of the time; they can't. One cannot fight evil if he doesn’t see it. So they chose to not close their eyes and saw the dark side of life; moreover they chose to deal with it.

They simply know what can happen, but you would not believe them. You’d be too scared to acknowledge some of this stuff exists at all, let alone in your immediate vicinity. You wouldn’t be able to live with that knowledge. So, protected by you subconscious from ever considering if any of this can be true, you gesture “wacko” and call it paranoia.

Of course, not every their concern turns out to be justified, but if they didn’t have them, it would be too easy to catch them off guard and – boom, dead hero. As it was said somewhere: “If you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean you aren’t being followed”.

7.     Heroes are ruthless

Taking responsibility for other people requires selflessness. But it isn’t kindness. Responsiveness to others people's troubles is necessary to fulfil their heroic purpose, but that’s it. That’s the limit of their sensibility.

Mercy is a virtue they can't afford. Not in action. They may feel sorry for a bad guy they are about to take down, but they cannot let him go, because he'll do more harm. They have to do the right thing, no matter the feelings, theirs or yours.

Their solutions won’t be kind but they will be efficient. They cannot afford to compromise. They cannot take into account everybody’s interests, only rights. And that brings us to justice – not for one person but for all. But you won’t appreciate it because you can't see the whole picture, past a single’s person interests (usually yours). So you will typically call them cruel, even if it’s your right they restore.

There is a Russian saying comparing exaggerated mercy to cutting dog's mutilated tale off by pieces. That’s what you often do without even realising it, say, when you want to break up with someone but avoid telling them so, from fear to invoke anger and suffer some scenes. Heroes don’t have that problem, as they are proficient in making choices between poor and worse and picking the lesser of terrible sacrifices in situations where you would be paralysed by any of the options.

8.     Heroes are despots

They are hyper-responsible. Meaning, normally we should be responsible for our own actions and that’s it. But heroes feel responsibility for people around because they can protect them. So they take responsibility for them and that engenders expectations from their part, even demands – to not complicate their protective efforts, at least, or to appreciate it, at most. But since other people usually didn’t ask for it, they may feel somewhat hijacked.

All the more that, in order to protect, they need to control the circumstances, which means they need to control you – where you are, what you do, what you wear, who do you talk to and how and so on. Many people will find it being an invasion of privacy, violation of personal space, or just plainly annoying (depending on your preferred or available level of putting it). But that's the price you pay for someone else taking care of your safety, which would be plainly stated in a written contract if you were to hire someone for this purpose, or if we’d like to remember our childhood ;)

9.     Heroes are cocky

They are smart. Their instantaneous decisions must take into account most possible options and outcomes, as close to reality as possible, otherwise they wouldn't survive for long in this line of work. And smart people are often either condescending or scornful in everyday talks.

They are quick. They don’t hesitate. It is crucial for them to take decisions quickly and act upon them instantaneously without second-guessing, because their life and sometimes the lives of others depend on it. But it means verbal retaliation will be just as fast and unpleasant. You stand no chance.

They are bold. Tactical advantage is often gained via risky unexpected actions, especially while at disadvantage, which is often the case with heroes and they know how to surprise very well. Obviously they use this skill in everyday life too and may easily take you to the cleaners.

They are successful in achieving their goals. Otherwise they would be dead. And these are no mere shopping goals. Such results add real weight to their self-confidence. If you don’t like presumptuous, they’re your worst nightmare.

10. Heroes are unreachable

They are very sensitive. It is part of intelligence required to quickly build strategies they absolutely need to survive. But it makes them vulnerable, they know it and this is why they usually don't let anyone too close.

This sensitivity makes them able to connect to people directly and deeply – to evaluate them, among other things, and they can show genuine candidness to an almost complete stranger. But make no mistake - the moment you try to set foot on their private territory you will be shut off and none of your usual half-instinctive moves will work because for them it's like undergraduate pick-pocket to a con-artist of the highest class.

The only exception if they really like you and don't mind a shag, they will let you play it, but it's always time limited because - see above - not too interested in usual pleasures of life. They don't mind them, of course, but relationships tend to yield complications and that is a hindrance to their mission, and comparing to their usual level of decisions, even no sacrifice at all.

11. Heroes are lonely

They can rely only on themselves, because they can handle problems better than anyone around. Also because people around look up to them or rely on them. What’s worse – many folks try to use them, make such an excellent resource work for their benefit. They don’t really see the person who hurts no less than anyone, but is just better at handling it, like at everything else…

Nobody from their surroundings can really understand them because nobody matches their abilities and nobody went through the same.

Nobody’s gone that far, had to re-evaluate everything that’s usually taught, adjust it to reality.

Nobody’s taken such responsibilities or decisions, nor lived with the consequences of those.

And nobody has such high standards and principles, so their loyalty gets often repaid with formal betrayal although it’s just people thinking only of themselves. At the very least, even grateful people can never repay them with the same self-sacrifice. That is part of the deal – hero is a giver, not taker.

And even if a good appreciating person comes their way, they often have to rebuff them. Firstly, because they believe they have no right for happiness. Secondly, because they believe they don’t deserve it after all they had to do on their path. Thirdly, because they lead a dangerous life and cannot put someone good in danger via closeness to them. Not to mention creating such a vulnerability as someone they really care about, would be very unwise.

12. Heroes are hated

There are enough reasons for bad feelings listed above but it’s not a complete list.

People fear them because of their power.

People are jealous of their brilliance.

People judge them for sticking out of the crowd and not following general levelling rules.

People curse them for doing the right things correcting their wrong.

Finally, the very people they help sometimes blame them for something ridiculous just because the measure of good done to them surpasses their ability for gratitude and their only choice remains to find any fault which would relieve them from the need to feel grateful (happens a lot!).

13. Heroes will kick your ass

Practice make masters, and they do it a lot. Not because they have a strong will - they have literally nothing better to do than save someone and perfect their skills in the meantime. There is nothing quite as interesting for them.

We, the bystanders, entertain ourselves mostly with games, but they aren't for real. Once you know the taste of real achievements, you can never be satisfied with simulations. That's why.

Since they spend most of their time perfecting their skills, they often achieve performance, which could seem almost supernatural, although it's nothing you and I wouldn't be able to do, had we given it nearly as much time. Many geniuses said it's only 5% talent and 95% hard work. You can figure from that how many chances you stand against them.

14. Heroes will steal your heart

They are more free than you and I coz they get to do all this real stuff at the edge of life and death. Free people better express themselves and it’s like a bright light in a fog of average frogs.

Achievements give power and power attracts people, and the power ‘over death’ – much more than just money or authority. Toss in the integrity of a true hero and that makes an almost inescapable trap.

Why do you think we like so much movies and series about them? Now imagine you met one like this in real life. You're better off, because afterwards normal people will be too pale for you.

15. You cannot become a hero because you wish so

It should be obvious by now that a hero is made by a combination of inborn and suffered factors processed in a certain way plus a lot of hard work. This is a road where only strong motives take you anywhere. And I assure you, none of the real heroes wanted to become one, it is simply a by-product of their personal struggle for ‘higher justice’. This is usually a result of very tough experience you wouldn’t like to have.

For example: you most probably fantasised in youth how are you saving a beautiful princess, and she gratefully becomes your fiancée. But when an opportunity presented itself in real life, either the princess wasn't so beautiful, or the dragons were too big, or just your common sense got the better of you and you didn't see it as such opportunity at all. A hero most probably at the same age suffered from oppression by some bullies, abusive father or some illness and struggled to come to at least ground zero comparing to everyone else. Studying martial arts harder than anyone else in the group due to the topicality of self-defence, he probably achieved better success. A princess was saved by him only because he saw in her a kindred poor soul requiring protection he now could provide. And her love for him was just a typical mix of gratitude and admiration with power… Reality sucks ;)

That said you must also know that becoming your own hero takes as much or as little as dropping conditions (stop expecting anything) and making a decision to shape your life by yourself; you don't let obstacles stand in your way - you find a way around, over or under, or you move them, all while remaining in one piece (maintaining your integrity); you build yourself and your life, not follow its whims as a fallen leaf on the wind. Can you? You have to face it: if you could, you probably would.

So do not try to be a hero – be yourself. A hero too is someone who follows his own course in spite of the general current. He just isn’t one of the crowd driven by mere animal goals - eat, play, fuck…

Conclusion

All in all, heroes are half-grown selfless pure-hearted kids who went through hell and emerged in one piece, like a wood becoming diamond. Don't treat them poorly if you meet one. They are extremely rare and precious.

Transporter the series Season 2 - a long-awaited feast for the holidays!

I loved this show and was stunned it stopped but now it's back and I'm catching up on it on holidays!

 

There are apparent changes. First of all Season 1 was every episode like the last and here you feel a paced calculation and other things added typical for a TV show. First of all, he's got a new "secretary" who doesn't sit at the office but travels with him a lot.

I must admit I didn't realize at first it was a name - translates as "violent peaceful" LOL. After I did, my first thought was of Michele Placido, very popular in our country for La Piovra series, and sure enough, she's his daughter. He probably has a great sense of humour to name a girl like this LOL.

Then I was delighted to see Dieter involved more in episode 1 - he would make a great comic sidekick

but alas it was only to kill him off. To what end and who's repairing the car now I cannot fathom!

Furthermore a personal world for the Transporter is established. We get some insights into his past, friends and feelings.

 

And a lot of 'princple' jobs - either free or too dangerous or for someone... a savior complex, all in all.

This somewhat attenuates the show's brightness but the main is remaining the same. I have to say I love this Frank a lot more than Statham's because he was too grave whereas Vance has this charming and menacing smile assuring his confidence, which makes him akin to James Bond and it's a good thing for me - he's elegant and fun! They do hang a lantern on it in episode 3.

I also enjoy very much this light in Vance's eyes. There is a small percentage of people who have this quality and it's really heart warming and spirit lifting :)

The sidekick girl is fine but she's somehow attenuating Frank. Let's face it, he's not a lone wolf any more. Not sure if it's too good for the picture although surely more typical for a TV show alas.

Obsessed (2009) - it's not a rare thing in real life!

Just watched this movie and surprisingly it wasn't that bad.  Somewhat reminiscent of Splinter and similar stuff only about different deviations.

The main character has a high-paying job, new giant house and an exemplary family with loving wife and an unnaturally quiet little kid (LOL).

All of that is nearly taken away when he becomes subject of sick passion of a temporary replacement co-worker. The gal goes to really great lengths to get him and the personages are surprisingly stupid to not ask for anyone's assistance at first.

Performances are good. The story more or less holds you in place, I was bored only a tiny bit in the middle (while everyone was being stupid). The protagonist is somewhat SharonStone-ish but the wife is tough as well, so you get an extensive girls fight in the finale. With the happy end of course (not for everyone).

What's interesting is how it portrays the delusion which is not so rare to encounter. I had a similar experience, took the police to get the guy away. Of course he wasn't so inventive and only broke a couple of bushes in front of my house but I was scared as hell when he wouldn't leave. Police offered to let him go as the small fine wasn't a big measure but I went for it anyway as it allowed to step up the measures in case he came again (he never did). So this MC was stupid to not report a stalking or harrassment the first time but I guess it takes a burn to start being cautious.

Curious how the theme keeps popping up for me - Stalker series, then this movie... and I had to deal with that kind of deviation twice in the last year. The second time I was already smarter, saw it earlier and cut it harder. They guy still kept calling me for three weeks in series of 5 calls in a row after 1.5 dates despite the blacklist giving him the "busy" signal every time. And that was a quiet one, the first guy called me like 70 times in an hour non-stop!

What can I tell you? If you see any signs of behaviour similar to that gal in this movie (like not reading your "go away" signs and even direct words), remember one thing which is kind of implied but never pronounced in this movie: NEVER TRY TO REASON WITH THEM! Just cut it off and never speak another word, do not even repeat the "Go away and never come back" coz they'll still misinterpret it, the way you can see in here. These are no jokes.

So here, I might even leave it as educational regarding such kind of mental bug.
[IMDB]

Torchwood (2006-2011) TV series - Ravishing!

Looking what to watch after Intelligence I ran into some site with recommendations and after a few links came upon this wonderful show - Torchwood that blew my mind!

First of all, it is sci-fi, action, team-work, everything I like. But it's also much more than that. I found the series completely unusual in many way, perhaps because it is British, but hey! I've seen Bugs and it was OK yet far from this one. So I will so far assume it is Welsh, not English, as they note many times, and it was originally developed by BBC Cymru/Whales (4th season made by BBC World in USA 2 years after the 3rd one, but that's a separate story).

So, what do we have so unusual here?

1. Some secondary characters smoke (not the main but nevertheless noticeable).
2. Main hero (Captain Jack Harkness - in the middle above) - is gay, or, rather bi, but we're shown only the gay part and I must say it was uncomfortable to watch at first but you get used to it, especially with such kind of a charmer.
3. Main characters die. Counting death is not as straightforward in this show, we are left with 3 of 5 by the end of season 2 and 2 of five at the end of season 3. The American story had to be a bit more conventional and I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing - I'm glad to see them alive but it definitely lost its depth.
4. It's dramatic. I mean, every episode contains some kind of tragedy for one or more of the main characters for 2 traditional season (1 story per episode). So, feelings and coping take an important part in the story, which is unusual but very enriching for an action show. I mean, you see people with feelings, not just tin figurines with a set of personal "rules".
5. It's hearty. You get an awful lot of feelings for what one could've expect from a British-made show. I don't know, may be it's English/Welsh thing but the one man from there I ever met in my life was as frozen as the traditional Londoner image. And they change each other with those feelings. Which is the unrealistic but very refreshing part - I mean who gets to show or see so much real feelings expressed in real life nowadays?
6. It's complicated. You get many questions without right answers - a realistic thing, something to relate to, to think about: what would you have done in their place? And the most excellent is that some answers are far from what is traditionally considered right (that's the main difference from the most of this market made by Americans where there is always a way to do it right).
7. Yet it's light. You aren't left with hard feelings after tragedies despite all the tears in the process or perhaps thanks to them. They get through and accept it is they way it is. At least Gwen does it like any other person normally could: rages, grieves, takes actions she believes in or accepts it and emerges enriched like we all should. 
8. It's inspiring. This is not so unique but very rare lately. A certain uniqueness is in combination with "no right answers" or "no making it right" stories. So it inspires you that life goes on despite that. Mainly thanks to Jack Harkness who just doesn't carry any emotional luggage with him (or he'd sure loose his mind in the centuries he lived). He just gets done what needs to be done and that inspires you to do it. Action taken - no regrets, it's pointless. There might be tears, a few good words or a punch to get to work, if needed, but he gets them and us through it. He's their sun and he acts like one professionally, his spirit never fails or gives up.
9. It's crazy. Not a unique quality either but they bring it on the large scale almost approaching later Farscape, whose fans should appreciate this brilliant reference:
   
   No, I really enjoy seeing people doing crazy stuff, unbound by conventional opinion! I mean when thanks to this they get some useful things done, not just to defy common sense :)
10. It tells about different types of love! That is really something I haven't seen a lot anywhere on screen but here it's like a regular thing to describe. You have silent love, gay love, pleasure sex, love-hate, spiritual love, familial love and none of it really interferes with each other! Kinda really broadens your views on the matter. Well, it's a particular cherry on top for me :)

All in all it moves you, not just entertains!

Intelligence (2014) vs Extant (2014) CBS TV Series

A weird way I came about the Intelligence series: read some reviews on Extant, which were all as bad as my opinion (pretty dull for the big names in it), and someone reproached CBS for replacing with it a series they didn't name but defined in a way that caught my attention. After some research I concluded they were talking about Intelligence with Josh Holloway.

I must tell you at once I am not of the latter's fans, I didn't even watch LOST, although they guy is close to my type, but not quite it, yet pleasing they eye indeed. However the kind of action series about a super-agent is definitely my type of show, unless the main hero is really ugly which is not the case, as we have established ;).

And the show did not disappoint from the genre point of view, even disregarding some really stupid medical and technical mistakes. (Mind you, I was comparing it to Extant where they persisted to find the fetus under the belly-button). 

At least it has the main things I always appreciated in this type of shows besides the obvious mystery chase, dynamic plot and cool fights: the team spirit, dedication and commitment + likeable characters, humour and OK special effects (once again unlike Extant - I am not very picky in this regard and generally their effects were cool but the metal net with LED lights as MRI scanner device is the kind of ridiculous which jerks you out of the fictional world into wondering about makers' imagination). 

I mean this is a good classic show (unlike Extant with its unclear ambitions once again). Honestly, I didn't even think they make this kind of shows any more. The world has obviously changed into darker moods and it reflects upon entertainment - it becomes less considerate and more cynical. Even my beloved Continuum, much improved in season 3, lost the charm of utter trust between heroes. 

But at least it has action whereas Extant leaves me like WHF is a sci-fi drama? Not a proper drama as the circumstances are far from anyone's real life, nor a proper science fiction focusing on hypothetical futuristic problems usually connected with the present reality as well. Plus while having an adventure premise, it is action-ish only if you count one-two serious events per episode which is ridiculous comparing to the very Intelligence, where each episode hosts a story probably equivalent to the entire season of this overblown shame on the world-famous sci-fi maître.

This said, I won't be sorry to see Extant go, moreover, I would be glad if I only could hope a better series will come in its stead. But the fact that Intelligence didn't get picked up for the next season leaves me pessimistic. Is there really no audience for this good old nice kind of shows with heroes, loyalty, real action and stuff? Or is it just makers' laziness and budget economy, including on writers, trying to feed us what's easier to make with little efforts for big money on famous names and nothing more?

Now onto the brighter things - the Intelligence series itself. I'm going to do some analysis and probably spoilers below.