The force will be with you, always

I picked up the Star Wars DVD's this week (on Tuesday even) and have been watching bits and pieces of them in the evenings. I've watched them on both my regular TV and big projector and I've just been astounded by their visual quality. The transfers on these DVDs are beautiful. Like most home theater nuts I notice when movies on DVD look really good. Then I remember them, partially so I know what to watch when I really want to see what my stuff can do, but mostly it's so I know what to pop in when I want to show off to some friends. Off the top of my head movies that are really good for this are Finding Nemo, Step Into Liquid, and Winged Migration. I know there are others, but those are the ones I've been using recently. The key is there is lots of color, and differences in lighting in dramatically different environemnts. These new Star Wars DVD's have earned themselves a permanent spot on those lists.

Star Wars is great because it has all the major cool shot types. It has big landscape shots, big special effects scenes (like Star Destroyers in front of planet backdrops), slower thoughtful scenes (In Empire mostly) and lots of action shots. Action shots are good because thats where visual equipment is most likely to show quality differences, and where the transfers are most likely to be poor.

True Star Wars geeks will know that the prequels (Episodes I and II) also had stunning transfers and were quite pretty. Unfortunately I believe that only true Star Wars geeks can appreciate those movies. The positives I see in the prequels are mostly around epic story background. The characters themselves aren't interesting enough to make me care, but it's fun to see the structure of the republic, how the clone wars came about, and how the Emperor took control and created the Empire. I sort of view them as decent fan fiction, interesting for me but overall not a good work. I only get angry at them when I think of the potential they had to be truly great, then I get pissed at Lucas for being too egomaniacal to hire a real screenwriter and a director that actually knows how to work with actors.

So I now finally have the original trilogy on DVD and I'm super happy about it. These are great movies and ones I'll enjoy watching in their digital beauty. I've also heard good things about the special features which I haven't gotten to yet. If they're as good as others say expect me to talk about them some more here soon.

Side note: Anyone want a cheap copy of the box set VHS tapes?

You Can't Win Them All

I've become a Seattle Storm fan this year (the Storm is the WNBA team in Seattle.) As I've written about before I've really enjoyed the games I go to, and watching the Women's performance in the Olympics just solidified that for me as well.

Last night I had a really cool experience and got to go see the Storm game and sit courtside. And I'm not talking just a little courtside here, I'm talking my shoes were on the hardwood floor courtside and there was only occasionally a ref or the maskot between me and the players.

It ended up not being the best night for the Storm. They didn't have Lauren Jackson, who had to leave on short notice to visit with an ill relative, and then their other team leader, Sue Bird, and their coach had been away in Athens for a month. They looked flat and got absolutely killed inside. I guess when you have someone on the short list for best player in the world on your team you get in the habbit of using her a lot, and when she's gone it really shows. To be honest by the stats and difference in play on the floor between the two teams I was really impressed the Storm kept it within 10.

This whole stretch this summer has made me realize how important I think women's sports is. I noted yesterday that I think it's terrible the WUSA folded, and if there was a team locally I'd pledge my support. Unfortunately there isn't, but I decided I should pony up and support the women's pro team that is here. In turn I signed up for season tickets last night and come next year I'll be a Storm season ticket holder (this is a big deal, I've never had season tickets before - or even seriously considered them.)

Now I just have to decide if I want to be irresponsible and spring for very nice season tickets. I'm tempted, and just might do it.

There are few times in your life where you get to write the final chapter the way you want things.

-Mia Hamm

As many of you know, I'm a huge women's soccer fan. After my wonderful experiences at the Women's World cup last year (see here and here) I've been following more international soccer, and especially my friends on the German team. The Olympics was great because their games were on TV, so I got to watch them play again.

Once again I was rooting for Germany, even when they played the US Women. But I must admit that this time I wasn't rooting nearly as hard for them. While I consider many of the players on the German team to be my friends, the US women were playing for something special this time around. Several of the true pioneers of the sport were retiring, and deep down I wanted to see them get a gold medal (and their first major tournament win since '99.) Yes, I watched the game live, and yes I was wearing my German jersey in support - but my heart wasn't in it like it was during the US-Germany Semi at the World Cup. In the end I think what happened was the perfect result. Germany pulled it together and forced the US into extra time. They made a respectable showing and still got to stand on a medal stand.

I think the story of Mia Hamm and the other '91 World Cup players in fantastic. These women started when Women's Soccer was essentially a hobby, and have grown it into a real life international competition. They got this country interested in Soccer during the Olympics in '96 and the World Cup in '99. They created a professional league that allowed players from all over the world to dramatically improve their skills. They were so good at encouraging women's soccer that now the quality level of teams around the world is rising. Germany is now a legitmate power, and Brazil was amazing at these Olympics. It used to be there were just 2-3 elite women's teams - that number grows every year now with lots of countries knocking on the door.

Watching Germany again was great as well. Birgit Prinze gets a lot of press, but after seeing her in person I now have an understand for how big and powerful she is and that comes across on TV if you know what to look for (Abby Wambach is the same.) It was great to see Conny Pohlers play, since she was mostly a sub during the World Cup - and incredibly excited to be there, her video camera went everywhere with her. I got to check out Silke Rottenberg's new hairstyle, which makes her look like a California surfer (mental note: must write her a congratulations letter.) And I got to see Sonja Fuss play for the first time, since she never came off the bench in the games I saw at the World Cup (she did great vs. the US too - especially since she had more time then expected with the 30 minutes of extended time.)

I've even kicked around going to Europe this fall for a match the German's are playing in Berlin. I haven't been out of the country in a few years, but It's looking like that won't fit into my schedule. I'm certainly going to try to go to Europe sometime soon and watch them play on their home turf. Then they'll be playing in Vancouver in September 2005, and I'll definitely be at that game.

Overall, well done to all the players. It was a hard fought tournament, and everyone played their hearts out. That's all I ask as a spectator and fan.

Side note: The WUSA is trying to make a comeback. I wish there was a Seattle team, I'd pledge my support in a heartbeat. If you're a Women's Soccer fan and live in one of their markets go check out their pledge program.

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