Ultra-Violet, Gattaca & The Science of Humanity

Transhumanism is an international intellectual movement supporting the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics and capacities. The movement regards aspects of the human condition, such as disability, suffering, disease, aging, and involuntary death as unnecessary and undesirable.

In other words, with the help of both science and technology, humans may be able to transform themselves into persons with such expanded abilities as to merit the label "posthuman."

Gattaca and Ultraviolet are two films which discuss the notion of transhumanism in great length, albeit in very different ways. Gattaca (1997), a movie which won both Best Film and Best Original Soundtrack in the Sitges-Catalonian International Film Festival, takes a very direct approach in bringing to light the troublesome debate of the genetic divide. Ultraviolet (2006), on the other hand, which I attribute almost entirely to its' weird comic book-y vibe, chooses the overplayed, slightly supernatural route and dumbs down its' transhumanistic debate by focusing less on the science, and more on the good-vs. evil debate. Still, questions of "What is human?" and "What is not?" are raised and somewhat answered.

Ultraviolet takes place in the year 2078, in the years following a global pandemic of a lab-engineered, blood-borne, highly infectious disease known as hemoglophagia. Those afflicted with the disease are referred to as "hemophages". The disease kills the infected within twelve years, but also gives them super-human abilities as well as elongated fang-like canine teeth, leading the media to call them vampires. Fear overwhelmed the population and led to the rise of the Arch-Ministry, a militant medical establishment which took control of the government and began rounding up and exterminating all infected citizens in order to contain the virus.

Due to virus' transformation of human body, Violet Song jat Shariff (Milla Jovovich), is now a ruthless killing machine with only days left to live due to her terminal-stage hemoglophagia. She is hired by an underground resistance movement of hemophages waging a guerrilla war against the Arch-Ministry. Infiltrating a government laboratory, Violet steals a weapon developed by the Arch-Ministry to exterminate all hemophages on the planet, only to discover the "weapon" is a child named "Six." Six is believed to be a carrier for cultured antigens developed to target hemophages, which Violet's employers want destroyed. Violet breaks ranks with the hemophages and flees with the boy, believing that a cure for the disease can be reverse-engineered from the antigens.

In Gattaca, Ethan Hawke is Vincent, an "In-Valid" or "faith-born" who becomes a

"borrowed-ladder" by assuming the identity of a genetically superior, but crippled man, Jerome (Jude Law), in order to fulfill his dream of space travel. In a world, where genetics, rather than race or social class, determine one's advancement in society, Vincent's dream is impossible without this fraud. A week shy of his launch date, his director is murdered and an errant eyelash may prove his downfall. Marked as a suspect, Vincent must now up his deception and evade both a relentless investigator and a beautiful college (Uma Thurman) in order to keep his mission.

Both these films ask and seem to answer the question of whether or not genetic engineering is positive for society with a resounding no. Gattaca makes it quite clear that it could create a two-tiered society of genetically-engineered "haves" and genetically inferior "have

nots," confering additional power upon the already powerful and wealthy. Ultraviolet warns of the consequences of genetic engineering for the purpose of "supering" the human race--society-wide fear of those considered less than human. And both films deal with the severe loss of rights and privacy in these new world systems.

But enough with the heavy stuff. On the enjoyment side, if you haven't seen these two movies, you're somewhat missing out. What Ultraviolet may lack in plot, it tries to make up for in action. It does okay. Gattaca, however is the true gem. Though not a box office hit, it puts the intellectual back in movies. And with great performances by Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, and Jude Law, you won't be bored.

Luckily, they're both free on Hulu :)

** Information contained in this review comes from a variety of sources including Wikipedia (transhumanism, Gattaca, Ultraviolet), IMDB and Gattaca's official website.

Ok, so I know I'm a little late with this...

But I am wholeheartedly and irrevocably in love with Alicia Key's song, "Un-thinkable" (I'm Ready).

I mean, did you see CHAD MICHAEL MURRAY?!?!?!

And while I almost threw up a little when I saw the mullet (DISGUST), I would be ready to take a step of faith for CMM too, lol.

Plus wasn't Alicia looking AMAZING in the video? I mean, whew! She was freaking gorgeous!

Anyway, not only were the actors good, so was the theme. They couldn't have picked a better subject/storyline/plot. A White/black lovestory-- and not the kind you usually see.

Just amazing.

I want a CMM for my birthday, ya'll. Who can make it happen, lol?
August 23 is right around the corner!

P.S. For those who'll ready this tonight or sometime tomorrow: I'll be in E-town tomorrow afternoon, hanging around downtown. Come join me! Movies, B&N run, anyone? Give me a call!

Funny BP Sketch - "Coffee Spill"

Thought this was just hilarious :)

Graduation!

More to come, but here's a short video for those who couldn't come, and for those who just want to relive it for a sec :)

Congratulations, Graduates! from Northwestern News!

Short Post - AWESOME SONG

This is all I want to post today, this epic love song, a duet with Kat McPhee and hottie ZACHARY LEVI. Can you believe he is a CHRISTIAN?! When does that ever happen in Hollywood these days? Anyway, enjoy :)

Yesterday, I Bought Four Pairs of Shoes

I blame Ary (lol). No seriously, I blame no one, because all of them are fabulous and wonderful. Gosh, I love shoes :)

As I have been telling everyone lately, the last week has been absolutely fabulous. Why? The love of God. There is no other explanation for it. Oh, sure the weather helps, and the time spent around you-know-who definitely adds to the mix, but honestly and most importantly, it's just been amazing to see God in my life. Nothing dramatic has happened and the root of some of my stress is still there, but I've given it to God, plain and simple. It's wonderful. Thank You, Lord!

Quick Updates (in 100 words!):

Can I finish the quarter, please? Schoolwork should be done by now. I still have two classes next week. BLAH! I just want to go sit on the beach.

Dillo Day: AWESOME OUTFIT PLANNED! Don't know why I'm being girly all of a sudden. The onset of summer maybe? You-know-who might have something to do with it too :)

Still need a home for buttons! Know anyone who wants a cat?

Graduating in 3 weeks. Starting real life. Very scary. Very exciting. Loving going home for the summer. Wanna move back to Chicago in the fall... HELP ME FIND A JOB :)


----- OKAY, it's 102 words, but still, pretty impressive. I'll update again after Dillo Day festivities :)


* Oh and an update for those who read this and know what I'm talking about (i.e. this part of the blog is vague on purpose)... Still don't know the official word, on either front. But I sure do act like a girl sometimes and he sure acts like a gentleman. (But I don't want to be a S!)

Untitled (The Battle Against Christianity or This is me rambling/hashing out frustration.)

(The reason why this post was originally untitled is because at the beginning of writing it, I didn't quite know what to say about the following matter.)

Christians are discriminated against/looked down upon.

Yes, I said it. I took off the PC gag and said boldly what others, even some Christians themselves, are reluctant/afraid to say. And I'll say it again.

Christians are looked down upon in society.

Now, the popular (conceived) consensus is that Christians have it made, that the United States continues to run blatantly on Christian values, and that the majority of Americans are Christian and therefore cannot possible discriminate against its own kind. These things in theory are true. The founding fathers did set up a government which had roots in the Christian faith (life, liberty, happiness and all that jazz). According to self-reporting stats, most Americans do identify with some form of Christianity, whether Catholic or Protestant, Evangelical or Methodist.

But lately there has been a distinct shift to the religion of humanism, as I like to call it. [I believe humanism is definitely a religion. And I contrast it sharply with Atheism, which shuns and the idea of God--and a good number of atheists also shun those who believe in God(s).] This shift does bother me on a spiritual level. It does in fact pain me to see people who were once in fear and awe of God, those who once claimed to know the Lord, turn their backs on Him and adopt this new humanist perspective and ultimately put their faith in the once place they shouldn't, the one place God tells them not to-- in man. However, the new religious adherents, humanists, I can understand. These people do not despise the idea of God (the idea of humanism and other traditional religious forms is indeed compatible), they only wish that humans would "step up to the plate." I often wish the same.

I being up the point about Humanism and Humanists to be in direct contrast to Atheism and Atheists, as it has been conceived and as it is lived out in American society. So often Christianity and Atheism are seen at two ends of the spectrum. This is not accidental; Christianity is often seen as "the Big Bad" in modern society, the one religion which oppresses all the others. I disagree. Every religion, with perhaps the exception of Bahi, makes some sort of truth claim, whether it be that their one monotheism is the Truth, or that the earth is the body and soul of the Brahman or primordial man.

Why then is Christianity's truth claim, in particular, treated so harshly?

I cannot answer that question for sure, but my best guess is this: society's conception that Christianity permeates every aspect of our lives, from the religious to the secular, has made us run in the opposite direction of Christianity.

For those who are Christian, this should come as no surprise: we have been biblically warned that our lives will be neither easy nor accepted. But for those who are not, my questions are these: Why treat us like lepers? Are we not human too? Do we not also care for the fate of the physical world, in addition to the spiritual?

There is a place in this world, for both the religious and non-religious alike. While the Christian faith makes its truth claims about one's spiritual soul, it makes other claims too, namely ones about the dignity of persons. Are some of these not the same dignities for which humanists, Atheists, Jews and other religions also fight?

* The following is a response to a blog post I read about one persons "drift towards godlessness" (more aptly called secular humanism!) because of the fallacy of the church and the realization that God is not needed.

I realize that some people, especially those who regard themselves as "post-Christian," the Church (with a capital "C" - meaning the body of Christian believers as a whole) has been a constant source of pain. I am sorry for that-- truly. But it is unfair to maximize that pain onto others' experiences. Your drift towards godlessness is your own, shaped by your own experiences. Don't apply those experiences to the whole of Christianity. And it is unfair to destroy Christianity for one's own ends, to use the failings of the institution to justify to your "Post-Christian" self your reason for becoming, something different. Your negative experiences are the result of people failing you, not Christ. And if the sentence above rings hollow for some, then you do have a problem with Christianity--as religion in and of itself-- and that's fine. But please don't take it out on Christians themselves. Don't discriminate against us as a group. Do not "look on the church with disgust" and don't "pity" us, because we don't pity you.

In my opinion, you deserve as much respect and dignity as any other human being, things that you seem very often, not to afford specifically to Christians.

Legend of the Seeker - Saturday's at 4PM!

So in keeping with the recent trend of books-to-television series obsessions (True Blood, Vampire Diaries, anyone) I have recently (starting with the beginning of the second, current season) become infatuated with Legend of the Seeker. If you're in the Chicagoland area it comes on channel 9 at 4PM on Saturdays (hence the title). It's based on The Sword of Truth novels by Terry Goodkind, (which I have no desire to read-- again much like True Blood and V-Diaries) but changes it up a bit so I've heard.

The first season follows the epic journey of a young woods guide named Richard Cypher, a mysterious woman named Kahlan Amnell and a wizard named Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander to stop Darken Rahl from unleashing an ancient and terrifying power.

The second season follows the three of them (and some others) as they try to stop the Keeper (Lord of the Underworld) from destroying the land of the living.

Here are the character bios, courtesy of Wikipedia with a few changes:

• Richard Cypher – Richard starts out in the series as a young woods guide living in Hartland, a town in Westland and a place where no magic exists. Richard is the adopted son of George Cypher and brother of Michael Cypher, but he does not know who his real parents are or that Zedd is his grandfather. He discovers that he is the first true Seeker in a thousand years - "a hero who arises in the times of trouble and suffering and seeks out evil".Although Richard is reluctant to be the Seeker, he is earnest in fulfilling his role as he is the person prophesied to defeat Darken Rahl. Along the way he becomes closer to Kahlan and falls in love with her. Craig Horner explains Richard's character as someone who is "what you see is what you get" and is "so truthful", adding that "the only thing he's been taught to reserve his whole life is his anger, and he can release that once he starts to get hold of this Sword of Truth."

• Kahlan Amnell –the Mother Confessor and, in contrast to the novels which the show is based on, she is not the last living Confessor, at least until partway into the second season. As a Confessor, she has the power to magnify the love a person has within them for her, allowing her to control the person. This power allows her to serve the people of the Midlands, who respect and fear her. Her mother is deceased and she meets her father later in the series after many years of being estranged. Her sister appeared to have been killed at the beginning of the first episode in the series, but later we learn she has indeed survived, and will give birth to a male confessor. In Kahlan's quest to defeat Rahl, her role is to protect the Seeker with her life. She develops a deep love for Richard, which is torment for them both since her Confessor's powers would be inadvertently unleashed in a moment of intimacy, making it impossible for Richard and Kahlan to act on their feelings for each other. Executive producer Robert Tapert describes Kahlan as "a female action hero for 2009… she's perhaps more feminine at the same time as being as ruthless as Xena was."

UNFORTUNATELY, the Tribune Company has decided not to renew the series as of March 4, 2010. The show's owner, ABC, has announced that while Tribune has decided to drop Seeker, this is not the deciding factor on whether it is cancelled completely. If enough other stations are willing to carry the show, it is possible that a third season will be produced.

I totally want there to be a third season. This show is complete with love and romance, laughter and sorrow, surety and silliness. Check it out-- both seasons are on YouTube.

P.S. The male protagonist is pretty hott too, he's an Aussie with pretty hair :)