Off-topic: I am Paul

I'm hardly a music critic, but I know how music can define a pivotal moment in your life.

We all have albums that conjure up a childhood memory, a summer road trip or a painful breakup. But there are rare occasions when an album seems to understand how you're feeling and sympathizes with you, letting you know that you're not completely alone.

Tonight, I spun "Stereo" by my musical hero, Paul Westerberg. When I bought this disc five years ago, I instantly liked it. It's a raw, off-the-cuff affair. In the liner notes, Paul justifies the production value this way: "Unprofessional? Perhaps. Real? Unquestionably."

Even though I know "Stereo" inside and out, when I play it now, I'm hearing it with different ears. I experience a deeper connection with this album more than ever before. Every song deconstructs layers upon layers of confusion and frustration and eleganty repackages those feelings in a poigniant three-minute burst. The brutally honest lyrics, combined with the bare, stripped-down music, boil down mixed feelings into a simple, unfiltered -- and unquestionably real -- message. And you know what? It makes me feel better.

It's fitting that this happens soon after I finished reading a novel called "This Song Is You."

Right now, I am every song on this album.

"Let the Bad Times Roll"

"Boring Enormous"

"Don't Want Never"

Review: 'Star Trek'

First, let me get this out of the way: I did enjoy this movie. And I'd even see it again.

I'm hard on Star Trek because it is part of the fabric of my childhood. (You're looking at the guy who read the Star Fleet Technical Manual two times in middle school.) And even though I'm far from being among the hard-core Trekkies, I hold tremendous passion for the franchise.

And I'm hard on this particular movie because this it is the make-or-break point for the future of Star Trek. After the horrifying abomination that was "Enterprise," Star Trek hit rock bottom as a franchise. Even members of the original cast suggested that Trek should go away for a few years. Plus, the series had explored just about every corner of its vast timeline -- except the early days of Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the crew of the Enterprise.

So when J.J. Abrams was given the keys to Gene Rodenberry's space wagon, every Trek nerd depended on him to save Star Trek from being a perpetual punchline. So how did he do?

Reboot successful

As a reboot, Abrams did brilliantly. Instead of saying what most critics have said -- "This isn't your father's 'Star Trek' " -- I'll describe this movie as a hip, updated version of a classic. It breathes new life without losing its core characteristics. It pleases the old fans, and it's a fantastic introduction to newbies.

However, "Star Trek" didn't get back on its feet and kick you in the nuts. But it is standing tall again, after years of being on life support. (And speaking of being hit in the nuts, I still think "Casino Royale" was a far better reboot of an ailing franchise.)

But the newest Trek film is not just a reboot -- it's also an origin story. And this is where "Star Trek" runs into a few problems.

Something's missing

Kirk, Spock and McCoy are the heart and soul of the series, and even though Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine and Karl Urban were superb casting choices, there's no way they can re-create the chemistry of Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner and DeForest Kelley. Nevertheless, I was excited to see this movie just to witness the genesis of the relationship among these three core characters -- Spock representing logic; McCoy representing passion; and Kirk being the one to resolve the two sides.

Trouble is, you don't really get a good taste of that. "Star Trek" is an ensemble cast, and since this is an origin story, you need to touch on the origins of all the other characters (Sulu, Scotty, Uhura, Chekov, et al). Granted, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman's  script spends a lot of pages on Kirk and Spock, but most of it covers their individual pasts, not the relationship between them. As for McCoy, his entire back story is given in a single line! And that's sad because Karl Urban is freakin' Doctor McCoy. He absolutely nailed the role.

Another problem is the revelation of a ship romance that comes out of left field and is hardly even explained. I don't mind J.J. and his talented crew exercising some creative license with Star Trek. In fact, I was hoping he would surprise me with something unexpected and cool. But this romance left me scratching my head, asking myself, "Where did this come from? I don't get it. Should this be important? Should I care? I'm not offended as a fan, but I don't understand why this is in the movie other than to add a romantic element to the script."

But the point of any origin story is to introduce the characters and lay the foundation for a richer sequel. In this regard, "Star Trek" moderately lives up to that promise. There is potential that a sequel -- assuming there will be a sequel -- could be on par with "The Empire Strikes Back." But given that the Kirk-Spock-McCoy relationship was virtually non-existent in this film, I'm not getting my hopes up. The seed was planted; I was hoping for a sprout by the end.

The story

Now let's get into the story. The plot is dull and at times hard to follow. Without getting into spoilers, let's just say that this plot seems to be contrived only to preserve the canon of the series (and to bring Nimoy into the film). And it's here that I wished the writers raised the middle finger to the Trekkies who are hell-bent and obsessed with preserving the continuity of all of Trek's incarnations.

This is not a story that reinforces the values of the main characters, which is something that J.J. and Co. have done so well with "Lost." This is a story that gives the Trek franchise breathing room to go in different directions without disturbing the events of original series.

I recall one reviewer who said the way the story preserved the Trek continuity was "ingenious." I call it convenient. The story is hardly interesting, but it's sufficient for Trek fans at least.

The acting

The acting is superb. Not a single actor or actress drops the ball. I've already mentioned that Urban is phenomenal, but Pine, Quinto, Simon Pegg (as Scotty) and Zoe Saldana (as Uhura) measure up to -- and in some cases, exceed -- the original cast.

Some critics have compared Pine's performance to a young Harrison Ford, but I didn't see so much of that. He tries to show some Kirk-like swagger, but most of the time it feels a bit forced. (I blame the writing, not the acting, though.) But Pine portrays the kind of charisma and recklessness that we would expect from a young James T. Kirk.

Quinto was cast perfectly, though before the movie started, I had a hard time trying to imagine how a younger Spock would be any different from the Spock we all know. The movie attempts to explore his inner conflict of whether to lead a human or Vulcan life, but it doesn't pay off in a fullfilling way. Perhaps "Battlestar Galactica" has spoiled me when it comes to issues dealing with humanity.

Behind the lens

The cinematography, the colors, the hand-held camera shots, set designs and battle sequences were absolutely stunning. This is where "Star Trek" truly shined. From this standpoint, this is the Star Trek film fans have been dreaming of for decades. Even though the interior of the Enterprise looks like an Apple Store with corridors, it works. The battle scenes seemed to steal a few pages from Battlestar, and that is a good thing. I initially feared that the Enterprise would bank and turn corners like a viper; thank God it still moves like a sailing vessel, albeit a very fast and massive vessel.

J.J. Abrams was the right pick to helm this movie. Like "Mission: Impossible III," he beautifully blended humanizing elements into an action movie. If "Star Trek" were put in the hands of any other director, it would have been a heartless CGI movie. Even though I missed having the Enterprise be a sort of "character" in the film like in previous Trek films, I thought it was a smart move.

Abrams also surgically removed all the pieces that have turned off mainstream audiences from Star Trek. He limited the use of technobable (transwarp drive seemed to be the only real instance), and he made the movie move at a brisk pace. This movie glides compared with previous Trek films. There's no interstellar diplomacy and no long dialogues on the viewscreen. I didn't miss any of that.

The musical score didn't win me over that much. Same with the sound effects.

Bottom line: After reading this, you might think I hated this film. Truth is, I don't. It's a great thrill ride, and as a fan, I think it restores my faith that Star Trek still has some life in it. It's a success in my book.

I wish I were a Shady.

My pal Justin was lucky enough to attend the "Star Trek" premiere in Los Angeles. That punk.

Read about his enlightening account of the evening here.

I got my ticket for 7 p.m. Thursday. I'm going it Han solo.

Review: 'Caprica'

What do you get when you remove the space elements from "Battlestar Galactica" and replace it with a family drama? You get "Caprica."

It's the ultimate test of any BSG fan: There's no war. No sexy female androids who want nothing more than to have sex with humans. No adrenaline-pumping space battles. 

So what's left? Plenty. "Caprica" retains all the key pieces that made BSG great. It's dark, it's character-driven and, most importantly, it's about flawed characters who confront -- and cross -- their personal ethics.

As a pilot, "Caprica" does everything it needs to do: introduce interesting characters, lay the framework of the series and leave you begging for more. (Unexpected nudity helps, too.) It's everything the "Dollhouse" pilot wasn't. 

"Caprica" takes place 58 years before the Ron Moore's rebooted BSG series. It's a tale of two family patriarchs -- wealthy industrialist Daniel Graystone and bootstrap lawyer Joseph Adama -- who have opposing sets of values. The two men are drawn together by the tragic death of their tween daughters. But Daniel's daughter, Zoe, didn't perish without leaving something behind -- turns out she created the equivalent of Cylonic "Eve" within a virtual world. 

Daniel promises Joe he can "bring back" his daughter, but not without a key piece of hardware that must be stolen from one of Daniel's business competitors. Joe, who has ties to the mob, can't agree to help Daniel without getting his hands bloody.

"Caprica" tries to blend your classic mobster movie with Frankenstein. If you think those two wouldn't mix well, you're partly right. I found the Graystones far more interesting than the Adamas. (Then again, I think the former had way more screen time than the latter.) Even though Daniel and Joe share a common loss, they don't seem like two people who would become best buddies. When the series officially kicks off next year, we'll have to wait and see how their worlds collide.

The acting, however, makes up for it. Eric Stoltz (as Graystone) and Esai Morales (as Joseph Adama) put in quality performances, and the younger actresses (Alessandra Toreson and Magda Apanowicz) were solid, playing characters who are far younger than they are.

Even though director Jeffrey Reiner has never had anything to do with Battlestar, "Caprica" still has a slight docu-style feel, but without the shaky camera and haphazard zooming.

Like BSG, "Caprica" is a think piece. You need to read between the scenes to fully appreciate the larger picture and understand the message. There are plenty of layers, and this time they won't be obstructed by space battles, mutinies or crazy Cylon theories.

If you haven't been converted into a BSG fan -- or if you're looking to convert a curious friend -- "Caprica" could be a good prescription. The addiction will come later.

N3rdtastic weekend!

After weekends of packing, driving and unpacking, I had a weekend to do whatever I want, whenever I want. And I took full advantage of it.

Welcome back, Boxee

I reinstalled Boxee on my Apple TV. For those of you out of the loop, Boxee is a third-party software app that acts as a streaming media center for your PC, but it also aggregates online video feeds from multiple sources, including Hulu. Hook up Boxee to an Apple TV, and you can watch streaming video on a TV from the comforts of your couch instead of being hunched over at your desk in front of a computer monitor.

The latest Apple TV software update erased Boxee, so I reinstalled the software with the latest version, which adds Hulu feeds back into the Boxee suite of features. (It was removed last month at Hulu's request.)

I also downloaded the new Boxee iPhone application, and it works like a dream. Have a look:

'Battlestar Galactica' finale

I watched the BSG series finale (all three hours of it) a second time. I thought I would appreciate the episode more this time around, but instead I got the opposite: I found more reasons to feel a little bit disapointed.

In fact, this final season as a whole was lackluster. And I'll go back even a little further (customary spoiler alert here): When the final four Cylons were revealed at the end of season three, the show fundamentally changed. It went from a show that could cultivate legions of fans to a show that pleased only the hardcore loyalists. As a result, the fourth season became more "inside baseball" than the first two seasons, which were outstanding.

The fourth season seemed to be plagued by plot lines that were written into a corner and inelegantly resolved. If Tyrol is a Cylon, isn't his child a human-Cylon hybrid? Nope, turns out it wasn't Tyrol's kid after all. What about Caprica Six's baby? Her father is one of the final five. Oh, it conveniently died.

But the biggest plot line -- Starbuck returning from the dead -- also turned out to be the one written into the worst corner. And the resolution of Starbuck's character in the series finale left many fans angry, asserting that Ron Moore copped out by having her vanish out of thin air. No explanation of who or what she is exactly, how she returned to the fleet in a brand-new viper, no answer to how her father (not to mention "All Along the Watchtower) fits into the grand scheme of things.

I do believe Moore took the easy way out, but providing a tangible answer to Starbuck's mysteries might have come off as contrived or unbelievable in a bad way. Letting her disappear was the lesser of two evils, in my opinion.

This reimagined BSG had a reputation of introducing plot turns that are highly unexpected and intriguing. I was expecting the finale to wow and amaze me, something like, "Oh wow, that's ingenious. I never would have thought of that in a million years. That knocked my socks off." There was none of that in the finale. Instead, Moore and the writers decided to focus on the characters, not the story lines. And even though what they gave us looked a lot like an episode of "Lost," they did a fine job of wrapping up each character's story arc by looking to the past. It's just not original thinking.

'Doctor Who' Easter special

The seond of four DW specials, "Planet of the Dead" was a treat to watch. The Doctor hops a ride on a London bus that goes through a wormhole to a barren, desolate desert planet. The Doctor teams up with an international jewel thief (played by Michelle Ryan of "Bionic Woman" temporary fame) to get everyone back to Earth. But as you can guess, danger is not too far away.

Thanks to someone in cyberspace who posted the episode on YouTube. If you're new to the series, it's not a bad place to start:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Ryan plays Lady Christina, a bold, confident and fearless woman who is the Doctor's pseudo-companion in this episode. That's a change from the Doctor's first two companions (Rose Tyler and Martha Jones), who sported some degree of helplessness and were romantically lost or hung up in the Doctor's time lordish charisma. The writers tried to switch gears with Donna Noble (the Doctor's most recently departed companion), giving her a more platonic relationship. But it came off as more indifferent than platonic. And she was annoying throughout most of the series.

Christina, however, walks toe-to-toe with the Doc, and she thrives on adventure the danger that goes with it. She might as well be Lara Croft, minus the, uh, assets. There's no word on whether Ryan will become the new companion when the series resumes in full force in 2010, but I sure hope that's the case. It would be nice to see the Doctor with a companion who can hold her own in the face of danger.

But then again, I can see why the writers wouldn't want to go that route. The viewers are supposed to experience the world of Who through the companion's eyes. Make her some kind of superhero, and you ruin the show's foundation. And you also take some limelight away from the Doctor.

Re-Kindled

TV shows aside, I spent more time with my Kindle 2. The more time I spend with it, the more I love this thing.

I started reading a book about personal finance for people in their 20s and 30s. I consider it part of my "training" for my new job. But I'm generally bad when it comes to managing my money, so it helps me as well as my employer.

The only bad part: Buying books is just too damn easy. Amazon is the father of one-click shopping, and it's no different with the Kindle. But reading on the Kindle is more enjoyable to me than leafing through pages. It's hard to explain ... call it "gadget allure." Heck, I just bought a book that I already own in print!

Don't underestimate the power of the Kindle.

N3rd run

I went for my first jog since November. Well, I wouldn't call it a jog; it was 40 percent jogging, 60 percent walking. But the Florida weather was spectacular, so I didn't care so much.

I bought a pair of Nike+ shoes last summer, and it's cool how it can track your stats. Here is Saturday's run. (You can also look at my previous four).

 And the rest ...

In between all that, I caught up on podcasts, watched an episode of Top Gear (I strongly recommend you watch it, even if you're not a gear head) and started playing "Star Ocean: The Last Hope."

Can't wait for next weekend already!