Graduation

Alex has graduated from Grade 8 and will be off to high school next year. What a long way he's come!

Reflections On France

So of course I’m not happy about the collision; on the one hand, Vettel had locked up, but on the other hand Bottas came down on him. The rules generally are inconsistent — does the driver on the racing line have priority, or does the other car have to give the passing car room? — but overall the five second penalty was nothing.

Vettel’s recovery drive wasn’t so special when you realize that A) he pretty much kept his gap to the leaders from the back of the grid to him making 5th and B) all it does is emphasize the advantage that the top six have over the rest of the field. Make no mistake, that’s better than some years when the top x cars was 2 cars or 4 cars, but this series isn’t as neck-and-neck competitive as some are.

Everyone seemed to be surprised by the number of passes that happened today. Long straights with tight turns at the end of them are a recipie for passing for these cars and one can only hope that either future tracks play more into that or the formula is more suitably adjusted to permit otherwise close racing.

Jurasic World: Fallen Kingdom

If what you want is dinosaurs eating people, this movie delivers. Needs more Goldblum. And full credit to whomever cut the trailer, we get to the volcano explosion sharply faster than the trailer would have you predict. After that the middle and ending are a bit saggy, but honestly no worse than the beginning is. So yes: dinosaurs eating people. Sold.

The Incredibles II

A lot has happened in the last 14 years, and I think this Incredibles story fits in well with the world we find it in. Unfortunately there’s nothing particularly compelling about this particular story that requires the use of The Incredibles, and as the first movie was just so so good this movie diminishes the body of work that is The Incredibles. It is a fairly good movie on its own, but in my opinion didn’t need to be made.

Ocean’s 8

”Ocean’s Eleven” except with women. Unfortunately a lot of the beats play straight front the “inspiration”. The ones that don’t, work very well and I think that there should have been less direct “inspiration” going on. In the absence of the source, very good; however I watch the original relatively frequently so to me it comes across as a bit of an earnest echo, one that maybe I didn’t need to see.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

So remember my thought about time travel in TV shows from fall 2016? I bet that either Timeless or Travellers (or both!) would be cancelled before renewal time came up.

Well I tripped over that 'blog entry today, and it occurs to me that all four shows I listed there are still going.

Who knew.

Solo

Took Nathan to see Solo on Saturday. Worth seeing. At times I thought the easter-egg-slash-fanboy-nods were a little too on point -- perhaps most grating example to me was found in the soundtrack of all places. In any case, characters like Han Solo don't become fully formed over one afternoon. Chewbacca's decision to run with Han rather than with his other options was a bit flimsy -- the second one especially so. The Big Reveal at the end is confusing unless you are up on the Correct Star Wars Canon No Not That Correct Canon The Other One. And their way of reconciling the "12 parsecs is a unit of distance, not time!" to Han's brag in A New Hope is not the most flimsy thing in this movie. But a heist movie in this universe is fun. Overall: would watch again; not sure it needs the inevitable sequels I'm sure it's gonna get.