On Sunday, 30 September 2012, I met Beruk A., Thomas K.Y. & Kai-Yin H. for Looper at the AMC Burlington 10 cineplex. We enjoyed the time-travel drama, which was one of the better genre movies I’ve seen in the theaters so far this year.
Looper
We liked one of director Rian Johnson‘s previous films, Brick, which was a noirish thriller set in a high school. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt, who was also in Brick, plays Joe, an assassin hired by criminals from the future who is confronted with closing his own loop.
Gordon-Leavitt endured makeup and altered his mannerisms to match Bruce Willis (12 Monkeys) as the older version of Joe, who goes on the lam to try to fix history. Of course, with gun-toting thugs, telekinesis, and a dystopian world, nothing goes as planned for any of Looper‘s characters.
The rest of the supporting cast is strong, including Piper Perabo as a dancer, Jeff Daniels as a crimelord, Paul Dano and Garrett Dillahunt (Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles) as fellow “loopers,” Emily Blunt as a secretive farmer, and young Kamden Beauchamp as a creepy child.
Looper alludes to previoustime-travelfilms such as those mentioned above, and it does a decent job of bringing up the questions of paradoxes, free will vs. predestination, and “If you could go back in time and kill Hitler as a child, would you?” Looperdoesn’t resolve all these, but the character development and action scenes keep the story moving.
Overall, I’d give Looper, which is rated R for strong violence, an 8.5 out of 10, four out of five stars, or a B+/A-. I’d put Looper close to the much-maligned John Carter, the blockbuster Avengers, and darkly whimsical ParaNorman and would recommend it to other science fiction fans.
I’ve missed other recent dystopian movies, including Total Recall and Dredd, and I don’t know if I’ll see animated Halloween flicks Hotel Transylvania or Frankenweenie. Before Looper, we sat through numerous previews, and only Argo and Lincoln looked promising. I’m looking forward more to James Bond in Skyfall, Rise of the Guardians, and of course, The Hobbit [1]: An Unexpected Journey!
In one future , humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?
“Hector Chavez“ [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox
“Jasmine“ [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL” with boyfriend Darcy
“Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps. and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird
“Jax“ [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon
The pirates and explorers also got involved in conflict between the Synth Liberation Front (S.L.F.) and the United Ecumenical Movement (U.E.M.) and acquired ship parts. From there, the yacht headed to Jupiter….
Jupiter and one of its many moons
>>”24 to 31 March 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” Hector Chavez double-checks the enhancements taken from the SeaCloud, Maria Chan’s vessel at the Utopia Planitia shipyards in Mars orbit.
Hector also pieces together a manifest of the cargo from the Vatican Museums that the Appomattox had smuggled away from Earth and left in deep space rather than deliver to the arachnid Nolath at Epsilon Eridani. The former spy’s list includes items known to be missing from the archives, as well as relics rumored to be lost to history but that his earlier scans of the shipping containers had found.
In addition to numerous priceless works of art, Hector’s draft manifest includes the diadem of Theodora, the lost tablets of Babylon, and Musashi’s scabbard. The burned op’s information network queries also list a portion of Priam’s hoard and something called a “televalutor.”
Amateur archaeologist Dr. Srinu Pahul wonders about the cargo‘s intended destination, and sniper Chris McKee hopes that some items may be helpful against the approaching Zarkonian Armada.
Jasmine leaves sickbay and talks with Hector, who is also recuperating, about what she missed while under Dr. Pahul and Orion Starchaser’s care. The “Synth” is surprised to learn of Chris and Jax’s armed confrontation while they scrambled to determine who had fallen under the influence of the “Harbingers of the Righteous Order of Submission.”
Srinu and Orion confirm that the nanites (microsocopic robots) radiated psionic suggestions and were emitted by the Zurmiz Krott, biomechanical probes for the crustacean Zarkonians. The former members of the crews of the Blackbird and Appomattox who had encountered these probes — which had created cannibalistic mobs in Ghanki Station and OasisStation — are no longer infected, says Dr. Pahul.
At Hector’s recommendation, Orion cheerfully accompanies Srinu in one of two escape pods as they study the nanites that were disabled by an electromagnetic pulse and retrieved from their comrades. Wary Hector reminds Dr. Pahul to avoid active scans because the Harbingers apparently absorb energy.
The escape pod floats near the Gryphonin orbit around Jupiter, and Orion telepathically senses Srinu’s potentially dangerous curiosity. The blue-furred alien also raises a telekinetic shield to help contain the nanites, which are centuries ahead of Terran technology.
Dr. Pahul eagerly presses on with his experiments, but Orion senses the probes reawakening. They note that heat hinders the nanites’ attempts to form a crystalline structure, escape, and reproduce. Signals from the robots are too weak to analyze.
The daring duo maneuvers the containment unit to the Gryphon‘s maneuvering thrusters, where engineer Hector annihilates it with plasma from the ship’s microfusion generators. Hector and Srinu also hope to devise methods of detection and countermeasures.
Chris agrees to let Orion conduct a more invasive telepathic scan. The alien mystic finds a fractured psyche — his human friend has fragmentary memories of his childhood and military service in the Martian outback, his retraining as an assassin by Black Box Security Co., and later cybernetic modifications.
Fortunately, there are no signs of the Harbingers other than memories of close encounters, and Orion offers to try to help repair the damage to Chris’ memories when they have more time and solitude.
Meanwhile, Jax takes the Slipstream to the “Floating Cove.” The pilot is welcomed by fellow space pirates, and Jax is soon regaling bar patrons with tales of his exploits in the inner Sol system, including a recent encounter with the Satan’s Strumpet and U.S.N. frigates the Repulse and Cheetah. Capt. Will Kleparn of the Silver Sail expresses interest in helping to seize control of a certain pleasure yacht.
Jasmine and her boyfriend Darcy go to Elysium, the orbital habitat capital of the Jovian Commonwealth, to meet old friend Tabitha Hanahi. Tabitha, a lynx-like “Synth” (genetically modified humanoid), takes Jasmine, Darcy, Chris, and Orion to the “Barbed Ring,” where Jasmine once wrestled. They then go rimward to a cafe to talk.
Tabitha says that despite her misadventures in the Mars Confederacy, Jasmine shouldn’t give up on the S.L.F. Since the Union of Solar Nations (U.S.N.) has recognized more civil rights for artificial beings, their political struggles have abated, says Tabitha, even though indentured servitude remains a problem in the outer colonies.
Tabitha refers the tiger-woman to two Delphines (“Uplifted” cetaceans) on the moon of Europa named Shortwave and Quickfin, but Jasmine isn’t happy when she notices Tabitha flirting with Darcy.
Chris watches the Jovian human settlers and a few Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien) visitors in the cafe. Orion chats briefly with Sister Sudra Owens, a United Ecumenical Movement chaplain who asks many questions about extraterrestrials.
Back at the Gryphon, Hector monitors communications while Srinu prepares a report about the Zurmiz Krott. Dr. Pahul plans to personally deliver his results to Lt.Cmdr. Hiroshi Mbenge of the U.S.N. Navy and to Trinoid (trilateral amphibious alien) xenobiologist “Sarbonne,” who are in the Jovian system. He also arranges to deliver the same warning to Dr. Jen Mai at Black Box Security.
At the “Floating Cove,” Jax meets Bonnie Kawagura, a friend of his fan Cassandra. After several rounds of drinks, the hotshot pilot takes Bonnie back to the Gryphon aboard the Slipstream.
Jealous Jasmine makes sure to leave her scent on Darcy and broaches the topic of marriage. Orion pops his head into Jasmine and Jax’s cabins and asks what they are doing with their respective companions. His species apparently has three genders, as do the Trinoids.
Chris receives a message from Lt. Brock Ellis, a fellow soldier who worked for Black Box. Brock invites Agent Prometheus to meet him for drinks to catch up, and cautious Chris agrees on the condition that Orion come along.
Hector contacts his onetime handler Max(ine) to see if there’s any trace of his former crewmates from “MarSoupAiL” (shell company Mars Soup Aid Lenders Ltd.). Max refers him to Annamaria Balzana, a former rival near Jupiter who might know more.
Srinu asks Hector for help arranging meetings with Lt.Cmdr. Mbenge and Sarbonne, and Jasmine and Darcy plan to visit the Delphines on Europa. Hector reminds his crewmates as they leave the Gryphon to be careful and not to take on too many potential missions without consulting one another first….
Note that this teleconferencing game won’t be meeting again until Sunday, Oct. 14, because I’ll be at the Higgins Armory Museum for a dinner this coming weekend. Please try to stay in touch between our virtual “Vortex” sessions!
Like memes, quizzes circulate endlessly online. I’m satisfied with this result, even if I thought I’d be more like Capt. Picard…. You are James T. Kirk (Captain)
James T. Kirk (Captain)
65%
Will Riker
60%
An Expendable Character (Redshirt)
60%
Chekov
55%
Geordi LaForge
55%
Worf
55%
Deanna Troi
55%
Mr. Sulu
50%
Jean-Luc Picard
50%
Spock
49%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)
45%
Uhura
45%
Mr. Scott
40%
Data
36%
Beverly Crusher
30%
You are often exaggerated and over-the-top
in your speech and expressions.
You are a romantic at heart and a natural leader.
In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but environmental degradation, population pressures, and internecine conflict persist. The rediscovery of mystical abilities and open and official First Contact with galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?
“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A.]-male Latin American Terran human, former spy and communications expert/engineer of the Appomattox
“Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter and onetime crewmember of the Appomattox, now apart from the grifters in “MarSoupAiL” and with boyfriend Darcy
“Chris McKee/Agent Prometheus” [Josh C.]-male Terran human cyborg, former sniper for the North American Aerospace Marine Corps. and eugenicists at Black Box Security Co.; onetime crewmember of the scout ship Blackbird
“Jax” [Robin H.]-male human from the Asteroid Belt, vain space pirate and pilot of the Slipstream and Gryphon
“Dr. Srinu Pahul” [Byron V.O.]-male Indian Terran “near-human” (bioengineered) xenobiologist, shadowed by scandal and confident in survival skills
“Jim Delaney” [Robert A.S.]-male Terran “near-human” gambler and psi
Valles Marineris
>>”4 to 10 March to 2195 A.D./C.E. or 1 Terran Galactic Era:” After a shootout at the Red Butterfly Casino in Hellas Park, capital of the Mars Confederacy, the crew of the Gryphon regroups.
Hector Chavez examines a helmet taken from one of the Canids (“Uplifted” canines) and confirms that their gear was better than their tactics. The burned op gives the helmet to Jasmine and Darcy and wonders about who backed the failed robbery.
Jasmine is still annoyed with Jax for his comments about the low status of “Synths” (synthetic humanoids). Fortunately for the hotshot pilot, he is away preparing for an informal canyon race without his companions’ knowledge.
Tiger folk Jasmine and Darcy remind their companions of Garth (“Uplifted” gorilla) Olun Gor’s request for help finding fellow members of the Synth Liberation Front at the United Ecumenical Movement’s temples on the moon Phobos.
Since “nothinggoodcan happenon Mars,” Chris McKee is eager to leave the red planet. The sniper spends time with Asdann Fre’vel, a Gustrall (antlered, orange-furred, raptor-like flightless avian alien) guard at the Hadriaca Paterna terraforming station. They talk about hunting, weapons, and the U.E.M.
Orion Starchaser brings Jim Delaney back to the ship, then goes to watch scientist Taka Shimuza release hardy animals from the terraforming facility into the wild. Dr. Srinu Pahul returns from picking up servant robots and looks into the medical supply needs of the U.E.M. temples as a possible way in.
A day at the races
At Valles Marineris, a network of ravines larger than Earth’s Grand Canyon, Jax meets fellow racers, including the following:
“Lenore” [Sara/Non-Player Character]-female Delphine (“Uplifted” dolphin) pilot with a custom hover sled decorated with a wave and tailfins
“Lt. Bruce Weyland” [Josh/N.P.C.]-male Terran human, naval officer with the Union of Solar Nations (formerly the United Earth Authority), driving a dune buggy with jet-assist jumping
“Kajor” [Geoff/N.P.C.]-male Ru’ulok (heavy gravity reptilian alien) pirate with a fake beard, riding a robotic pterodactyl
“Lt. Kobe Han” [Byron V.O./N.P.C.]-male human Terran sniper with an ultralight ornithopter resembling a bird of prey
A Gustrall [Beruk/N.P.C.] monitors cameras and obstacles and radios reports to spectators. Jax and Kajor take an early lead into the canyons, followed by Lenore, Lt. Han, and Lt. Weyland. Kobe flies to the rim of the rocky walls in an effort to catch an updraft or tailwind.
At “Shredder’s Corner,” Jax expertly squeezes his borrowed hoverbike around a narrow turn, while Lenore calmly traverses the course. Bruce, Kobe, and Kajor are forced to slow down in their larger vehicles.
The trail then forks, with the longer path leading across a dry river bed and a shortcut going onto a rocky plateau. Lenore picks the wadi but falls behind, allowing Lt. Weyland to catch up a little. Kajor pulls ahead on the riverbed, closely followed by Jax, as Lt. Han hits a crosswind.
Flashy Kobe and ruthless Kajor covertly shoot at boulders to hinder their competition, but the Gustrall excitedly observes that “Jax to the max is taking it all the way!”
The racers encounter an area obscured by a dust cloud, forcing them to rely on instinct. Lenore and Kajor maintain their lead, as Bruce slows down. Jax pulls behind Kobe.
At a network of caverns, Jax easily avoids stalactites and stalagmites to pull ahead. Lt. Weyland follows close behind. Kajor scrapes a wing but manages to right himself. Lt. Han makes a corkscrew maneuver and damages his ‘thopter. Lenore doesn’t get lost, but her wide hover sled also gets battered.
A “land whale” belching lava lumbers between the racers and the cave’s exit. Jax guns his motor and rides over the alien transplant. The monster snaps one of Kobe’s wings, and his craft goes down and explodes.
Merciless Kajor shoots at the behemoth and squeaks by, as Bruce’s all-terrain vehicle gets trashed. Lenore almost makes it out unscathed, but the land whale clips her sled, which crashes just outside the cave. The soldiers hope to rescue their mates from the dragon-like creature.
Kajor manages to cross the finish line first, and Jax is the only other racer whose vehicle is mostly intact. The Gustrall, Lt. Max Tevis, and other spectators congratulate the Ru’ulok. Jax accompanies them to a bar near Fort Olympus Mons and later gives Jasmine a bottle of champagne that he got at the party as a peace offering.
Special deliveries
The next morning, Hector says that the team needs to have shared objectives beyond delivering its current cargo and getting off of Mars. He recommends getting a “letter of marque” to be able to both protect Terran interests and seek profit.
Orion hands out feathers from the Martian fauna and says he doesn’t know of any potential patrons. However, the blue alien was asked to contribute to a galactic encyclopedia.
Chris doesn’t think that a charter is needed, and Agent Prometheus says he knows a potential backer from dealings with the mining operation on Tyche. Srinu is most interested in the threat that the Zarkonian Armada poses to the Sol system.
Jasmine and Darcy say their top priority is to find three missing Synths on Phobos. Hector reminds his crewmates that they must soon deliver the terraforming machinery in their hold. The engineer also wants to make sure that enhancements to the Gryphon are done properly and quietly.
Jim, who is still shaken from the casino firefight, declines Hector’s offer to be the “face,” or front man. The gambler explains that he has learned that the recipient of their cargo is William Durstan, a local pit stop magnate. Jim then goes back to Hellas Park, avoiding associates in New Shanghai.
Jax prefers paying gigs over helping the Synths on Phobos, and is curious about Maria Chan, a potential mark building a space yacht in orbit. Orion says he would be content to continue sightseeing on Mars.
At Hector’s request, Dr. Pahul examines the feasibility of using the terraforming gear to accelerate the creation of Earthlike conditions in a Martian cave. The doctor states that the expensive equipment could be used in that way.
Rather than take the Gryphon to the drop site, Srinu and Hector rent an aerodyne from Uruk Services. Jasmine and Darcy go with them as muscle — laborers and guards. They all take along extra guns and grenades.
Chris goes ahead of the others and sets up a sniper’s nest, even though “wheelman” Jax doesn’t think it’s necessary. Jax lands the Slipstream a discreet distance away and keeps communications channels open. Orion wanders the Martian outback.
Two aerodynes eventually arrive, and several four-armed robots emerge. Space-suited Durstan asks to inspect the cargo of terraforming equipment. He then instructs the droids to bring forward cases of cred sticks and ship parts in return.
Hector warily eyes one robot holding a remote control, but it’s to a cargo lifter rather than explosives. Srinu talks with Durstan, asking what his commercial interest would be in terraforming, a process that should take generations. The businessman tacitly confirms that he plans to make a smaller area habitable.
Chris watches the transaction through his rifle scope, and Jax claims that his companions are being needlessly paranoid. Jasmine and Darcy transfer the cargo without incident. Durstan says that Green Gongen wants to avoid sabotage by the Rust Coalition, and Srinu is impressed by the depth of his technical knowledge.
Hector asks Durstan to contact him if he ever needs similar discreet deliveries in the future. The Martian signals to the human pilots of his aerodynes to prepare for takeoff, and the smugglers breathe sighs of relief.
Temple precincts
Back at the Gryphon, furred Jasmine explains that Olun Gor believes that three of his fellow revolutionaries are being held against their will in the U.E.M.’s temples on Phobos (Mars’ other moon, Deimos, is at the top of a space elevator):
Andrei Dyashenko, a male reptilian “Synth” and brother of Jasmine’s onetime crewmate Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko
Zara, a female Garth and girlfriend of Olun Gor
Meson, a male Tauroid (bioengineered bull)
Jax opens a bottle of alcohol, while Hector and Dr. Pahul talk about forging credentials. Jasmine and Darcy reluctantly agree to stay on the ship during the initial round of scouting. Jax then takes the Slipstream to Mars orbit, where the infiltrators see the landing and docking areas of the hollowed-out moon.
Orion, whose species is mostly unknown to humans, doesn’t bother with a disguise. Chris is not surprised to see that many of the locals are armed, but he is less sure about the varied tourists and robed clergy visiting the complex.
Srinu poses as “Dr. Prabhakar Swapan Mullur,” an Indian doctor from Oxford, and Hector is disguised as lab director “Nino Tancredo Bolivar.” They are greeted by Brother Valerius, a Christian monk.
Brother Valerius explains that the United Ecumenical Movement was formed in reaction to massacres in the Middle East back on Earth. U.E.M. chaplains serve alongside U.S.N. troops, and it is also involved in disaster relief, medical care, and archaeological research. “Dr. Mullur” is curious about that last item and requests library access.
Meanwhile, seekers Orion and Chris chat with a Zhang Hu, a Buddhist monk, and Itzik Yevel, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi. Orion talks about the nature of existence and gets a yarmulke, and Chris engages in theological debate with Cliff Conyers, a Mormon. They also admire holographic stained glass and shrines of multiple religions peacefully coexisting in close proximity.
Brother Valerius takes “Prabhakar” and “Nino” to a room with database terminals as well as rare hardcopy books and other historical relics. Srinu looks for evidence of contact between Earthlings and extraterrestrials centuries before recent official First Contact and finds references to the “Vanished Lands.”
Hector manages to hack into U.E.M. systems and obtains passcodes as well as the floor plan of a research level where the Synths are likely being held. Brother Valerius comes back to tell the researchers that they have an appointment with Sister Philippa to visit the biomedical laboratories tomorrow.
The crew of the Gryphon reconvenes to compare notes and get ready to find the missing Synths without fighting U.E.M. security or interplanetary pilgrims….
Please note that each of your Player Characters should now have a total of 27 skill ranks, and your ship has gained one skill slot and one stunt slot to reflect new equipment earned. Update your P.C. records on Obsidian Portal, and let me know about any changes.
Also, let me know if any of you won’t be available for games in the coming weekends. The face-to-face groups have been having difficulty getting quorum to launch the latest “Vanished Lands” fantasy party and Josh’s FATE 3e Dresden Files game. In the meantime, take it easy, -Gene
While I’ve been too busy with work lately to do more than post updates regarding my various role-playing games, I realize that it can be confusing to casual readers of this blog who aren’t in my current groups. Here’s some context.
A motley but fun group of adventurers
Changing venue
Over the past eight years, my face-to-face groups got used to meeting at my apartments in Needham, Mass., because of their spacious basements. It was convenient to have an area dedicated to our games, with large tables, shelves of reference materials, and miniatures and dice all in one place.
Fortunately, Brian W. and Rich C.G. have graciously taken over hosting duties since my move to Waltham, Mass., this past spring. They both live between my office and home and are still relatively central for the rest of the gang. We may not have as much at hand, but the collection of people is more important than rulebooks or battle maps.
Strange new worlds
The eight or so people who meet on Monday nights have also dealt with the usual seasonal shifts in games. After running alternating crews in my “Vortex” homebrew spaceopera (using FATE 3e Starblazer Adventures/Mindjammer and Bulldogs) for the past two years, we’ve been trying one-shots and miniseries through the summer.
We had more ideas than time in which to explore them all! I held off on returning to my “Gaslight Grimoire” steampunk setting, and we didn’t get to Bruce K.’s conversion of the OGLConan to Pathfinder or Rich or James B.’s Call of Cthulhu or Arkham Horror game.
Telecom turnover
My Sunday night teleconferencing group has also endured changes in membership. Just as I had been running “Vortex” for the Boston-area people, the virtual teams had been playing in my “Vanished Lands” heroic fantasy campaign setting.
Because of busy lives and “gamer attention deficit disorder,” I’ve found rules-light systems such as FATE to be easier to deal with for character creation and running via Skype or Google+. On the other hand, after another break, most of us are eager to get back to longer-term stories where we can develop characters and settings.
The new normal?
We’re dealing with end-of-summer schedule snafus, but we know what we’ll be playing this coming autumn. The latest Sunday night telecom team has picked “Vortex,” with a few Player Characters continuing from the previous face-to-face crews.
On Mondays, I’ll be running the “Vanished Lands” at Brian’s place. This time around, the group chose D20 retro-cloneBasic Fantasy Role-Playing and a carnival-themed adventuring party — about the 39th in that world!
I’m sure we’ll also try other tabletop RPGs when we have out-of-town guests or when we can’t get quorum for one of the regular games. Nobody can say that we don’t have a rich fantasy life!
Gene's Worlds 
