Pandorum: Not Exactly Pyscho in Space with Zombies, but Close

It’s a psychological thriller, in space…with zombies.  But it kind of forgets the psychological thrillerness, and in some ways the space…but it’s got tons of zombies. But most of the zombie coolness and action scenes involving the zombies are masked by frantic and sometimes spastic camera movement that makes the movements almost incomprehensible.

The basic premise of Pandorum is Corporal Bower (Ben Foster) is awoken from hypersleep onboard the Elysium, basically humanities last hope since Earth died, and he joins forces with Lt. Payton (Dennis Quaid) when he realizes something is very, very, very wrong on the Elysium. Muaaaahhhhaaahhhaaahh

But anyway. It’s the kind of movies that twists and turns without ever building to something. When Payton sends Bower out into the ship to reconnect the power, so they can open the front door of their hyperbed room, he finds a lord of the flies like world of space zombies hunting the remaining members of the crew, who have naturally turned to solitary lives…with spears.  Despite the craziness outside Payton guides Bower towards the reactor core on an odyssey like journey, recruiting a hot chick and a member of the all blacks to help him fend off the zombies on his travels.

But when Payton starts to experience the symptoms of Pandorum, space crazy, all bets are off.

It’s has some interesting moments and unique plot twists, but it’s not exactly psycho or even Event Horizon. Not very much is explained which makes it difficult to really buy into the concepts or the world which they create. But what’s worse is that the movie still find a way to build tension and establish a level of engagement with the audience that is ultimately cheapened through confusion and predictability.

It’s just one more semi-average horror flick that sci-fi will show for a weekend.

I think John from the movie blog also brings up a cromulent point, and basically embodies what you should think before seeing this movie.

Obama’s Once More Unto the Breach and Winners/Losers

With his Congressional address Wednesday the President took back the issue of health care, while displaying a strength and command which will surly turn around his poll numbers. All in all this was a huge win for the President.

He displayed a President strength and focus on position that has been sorely lacking in his administration over the last several weeks. His administration has looked wandering and over extended on the issues. But a Congressional address like this, in front of the national media, is where this President lives, it’s where his true strengths lie.  

He showed those of us in the middle why we like him and support him, even if we don’t always ideologically agree with him. As a moderate Republican I don’t agree with certain aspects of health care reform, but this speech was more of a call for action then a statement of political ideals. The President was laying the table for good ideas, rooting the debate in substance and throwing aside political calculations.

The ball is now in the Republican’s court. The President welcomed new ideas that constructively move the debate forward, he flat out said his door was always open. It’s up to Republicans to show to the American people that they are more than the party of No and “You lie!”. 

Republican can not be anathema to progress. This is a time for Congressional Republicans to propose solid pragmatic solutions to the many problems that face health care in this country. A bill will be signed by the President before Christmas (before Thanksgiving according to Joe Biden), there is no way it wouldn’t be a better bill, if smart Republican’s sat down with the President and fought for the issues they care about.

That being said there is a significant problem with Democratic leadership in Congress allowing for any level of bipartisanship. The illegal immigration amendment offered by Republicans, is in all honesty a pretty good policy idea. It’s just politically unpalatable for Democrats, but instead of working with Republicans to get them something else they just defeated the measure on a party line vote. All the President’s artful rhetoric and oratorical inspiration aside, the trenches of health care are in the bitterly partisan and politically motivated Congress, does anyone think it will actually live up to any level of balanced reform? Unlikely. Kudos to the Prez though, well done.

 

In case you didn’t know there was intelligent Republican opposition out there:

The Thunder Awards

Winner of the Week: “Too many have used this as an opportunity to score short-term political points, even if it robs the country of our opportunity to solve a long-term challenge.” – with these words the President heralded his entry to victory town. This is the first Thunder Award the President gotten, for something good.

Loser of the Week:  Joe Wilson, Congressman from South Carolina, who yelled “YOU LIE” at the President, in an absolute break parliamentary civility. I mean there is a time honored tradition of minority party grumbling negatively at the President when they disagree, while his (or her) party provides standing ovations. Some Democrats even booed President Bush during a state of the union, but outright name calling just isn’t kosher. Congressman Wilson better watch out or he’s likely to get a Mo Green special courtesy of Rahm Emmanuel.

 Trailer of the Week: Pandorum Starring: Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid opens Sept. 25th