Pirate Journalism

Sailing the High Seas of Words without a Flag

South Carolina’s premier movie critic joins News.SC

Huff

Huff

Writing for Myrtle Beach publications for over 5 years, entertainment writer Christopher Huff is now teaming up with News.SC to bring his unique take on films, television and other entertainment media to South Carolina’s online news source.
“I wanted to be a movie critic since I was 7 years old,” Huff said. “That might sound young, but when I saw Siskel & Ebert give two thumbs down to ‘Star Wars,’ I knew there was something wrong with the ‘professionals.’”
Several years later, Huff finally got the chance. After dozens of years in the journalism industry, with press awards for both his business coverage and op/ed writing, he became the movie critic for the Myrtle Beach Herald.
“When I started this about 5 years ago, I was the only professional movie critic on the East Coast between New York and Orlando,” Huff said. “I was way on the outside. I am nowhere near any city that host early premiers or sneak previews. In addition, I am nowhere near popular enough to get any of the freebies or promo perks sent out to influence the big names. But that is a good thing.”
“Without the need to be buddy-buddy with the big-wigs, insiders and Hollywood culture, I can give an honest, real-person view on movies,” Huff explained. “Not every movie is a ‘Casablanca’ or ‘The Departed.’ That doesn’t mean they are not good. ‘Star Wars’ may not have been a deep, politically correct, artistic statement, but it was a great, fun movie that millions of people loved and changed the movie industry forever. It is that tempered view that I try to get out there.”
In addition to reviews of current movies, Huff also plans to broaden the scope of his writing for News.SC’s entertainment section to include DVD releases, television and other commentary on what entertains us.

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christopher Huff | Movie Reviews, writing | , , | 1 Comment

Good Geek TV

Sure, everyone knows the easy answers to that question—anything on SyFy, anything on the educational channels, and anything on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim, especially if it is made with old toys.

However, it takes more than flashy special effects and big explosions. Star Trek: Enterprise proved that. It takes originality, compelling plots, sex appeal and…well, something geeky.

Here are two of the best TV shows to geek out about on TV now.

TRUE BLOOD (HBO)

True Blood: This show's got bite!

True Blood: This show's got bite!

This show has everything a growing geek needs to become big and strong. Based in a world much like ours, except that Vampires, werewolves, demons, shape shifters and mystical things of all natures live side-by-side with humans.

Unlike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer or other vamp tales, Vampires have come out into the sunlight, so to speak, and thanks to a artificial blood that can allow them to survive without feeding on every lovely neck that tempts them, they are now struggling to overcome prejudice and earn the rights guaranteed in the Constitution.

Of course, not all Vampires want to give up their shadowy scourge-of-the-night lifestyles, and there are a lot of God-fearing people who don’t want to share the supermarkets and suburbs with Count D, Last at and Angel.

Even mild-mannered Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), who has tried to live among humans peacefully for years, has trouble getting by. Converted against his will just after the Civil War, this relatively young vampire has finally returned home in Bonn Temps, La.

There, he falls for a waitress named Sooki (Anna Paquin), who can read everyone’s mind but Bill’s (and other vamps). Of course, a psychic Southern girl dating a vampire brings up all sorts of problems.

And if that isn’t enough get geeky about, being on HBO, the show guarantees a lot of wild sex magic and other naughty parts (including nude scenes of Paquin, who X-men role as Rogue guarantees all the comic book freaks are tuning in).

BURN NOTICE (USA)

Burn Notice: James Bond couldn't handle it this hot!

Burn Notice: James Bond couldn't handle it this hot!

James Bond never had these problems.

Michael Weston (Jeffrey Donovan) worked for the CIA as a highly trained operative, until he got burned. In the spy business, being burned is worse that being declared a traitor. You are dumped in a city, stripped of your rank, clearance and funding, left to fend for yourself—an outcast. For Weston, he is dumped in Miami and warned not to leave or he will be rushed to the top of the Terrorist Watch List.

Despite the beautiful bathing suits and scenery, Miami is not where Michael wants to be. It’s home. His mother (Sharon Gless) still lives in the house he grew up in, and began learning his craft to avoid a bad relationship with his father.

Also in Miami are two friends of Michael’s that he wasn’t ready to hook up with—Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell), a mojito-guzzling ex-SEAL and current gigolo, and Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), an Irish hottie whose turn-ons include C4, Automatic weapons and yogurt-eating ex-CIA operatives.

To make ends meet, Michael and friends help out need causes in a cross between MacGyver, Mission Impossible and James Bond, and Michael proves to be better than all three: He can out build MacGyver, and isn’t afraid to pick up an UZI, He doesn’t need special masks to help him infiltrate the bad guys, and instead of getting his gadgets from Q, he builds them himself. The things that he can do with a cell phone can really make you think before you place that next call.

Throw in Campbell with his Army of Darkness geek-cred and the lushish Anwar, who makes you wish the show was on HBO, and you have geek bait that has made Burn Notice one of the top shows out there for the last couple years.

Christopher Huff is a self-confessed and unrepentant geek who as been living, writing and playing on the Grand Strand for several years. You can learn more about him and his writing at www.piratejournalism.com. Comments can be sent to chris@alternatives.sc.

August 14, 2009 Posted by Christopher Huff | On the Geek Strand | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum

In ancient times, the men would gather in the in village square to discuss philosophy, literature and events of their time.
That is the origin of the forum.
Over the years, it has evolved (or devolved) into different forms, ranging from the Senate floor to the corner bar.
Then the Internet came around and a new level of this ancient tradition was formed. Newsgroups were the first version, letting people from around the world communicate on various subjects—some serious, most not. It was on the newsgroups that I was first exposed to the Internet. The World Wide Web was still a dream and graphic were nearly unheard of. Then came the chaos of chat rooms, then the personalization of instant messaging.
However, people still hungered for a venue to debate their particular interests. E-mail groups like Yahoo Groups and Google Groups came along, but somewhere along the line, the now archaic idea of newsgroups was reborn in the form of forums.
Online forums seem to have become the default discussion forum. Nearly every Web site seems to have one of their own and to get anything done, you have to join. I have encountered products support pages where you have to join the forum to file for a refund. No, you can’t call. No, you can’t fill out an e-mail form. No, you can’t come to our store; you have to join our forum.
Personally, I don’t understand their attraction. First, you have to join, filling out you name, username, password, pick an avatar and all the little details required of you. Then you are not done. You have to wait for an e-mail to confirm your membership.
With e-mail groups, you had your Yahoo or Google ID and you signed up. All the details were there and all the discussion came to you chosen e-mail program.
In forums, you have to go to their web site and log in, check your messages, then scan through hundreds of posts in an attempt to find the conversation threads you are following.
If you are lucky, you have a forum with good software. I have been to lousy forums where the search function didn’t even work, and the most necessary functions, like e-mail notifications for when other members message you or even to warn you of new posts on conversations you have been monitoring.
Even to this day, the bad software for forums still exists and is in use. And it can be all avoided with a simple e-mail group.
Now, I am not saying all forums are bad. Apple.com’s support discussion group is probably the example of forums done right. And PBJunkie.com, the premier forum for paintball players is well  done… and…well, that is about all. I can’t think any other forums that I go to by choice. They are just too clunky and cumbersome for me to carry around in my Internet life.
The De-Evolution of Forums

The De-Evolution of Forums

In ancient times, the men would gather in the in village square to discuss philosophy, literature and events of their time.

That is the origin of the forum.

Over the years, it has evolved (or devolved) into different forms, ranging from the Senate floor to the corner bar.

Then the Internet came around and a new level of this ancient tradition was formed. Newsgroups were the first version, letting people from around the world communicate on various subjects—some serious, most not. It was on the newsgroups that I was first exposed to the Internet. The World Wide Web was still a dream and graphic were nearly unheard of. Then came the chaos of chat rooms, then the personalization of instant messaging.

However, people still hungered for a venue to debate their particular interests. E-mail groups like Yahoo Groups and Google Groups came along, but somewhere along the line, the now archaic idea of newsgroups was reborn in the form of forums.

Online forums seem to have become the default discussion forum. Nearly every Web site seems to have one of their own and to get anything done, you have to join. I have encountered products support pages where you have to join the forum to file for a refund. No, you can’t call. No, you can’t fill out an e-mail form. No, you can’t come to our store; you have to join our forum.

Personally, I don’t understand their attraction. First, you have to join, filling out you name, username, password, pick an avatar and all the little details required of you. Then you are not done. You have to wait for an e-mail to confirm your membership.

With e-mail groups, you had your Yahoo or Google ID and you signed up. All the details were there and all the discussion came to you chosen e-mail program.

In forums, you have to go to their web site and log in, check your messages, then scan through hundreds of posts in an attempt to find the conversation threads you are following.

If you are lucky, you have a forum with good software. I have been to lousy forums where the search function didn’t even work, and the most necessary functions, like e-mail notifications for when other members message you or even to warn you of new posts on conversations you have been monitoring.

Even to this day, the bad software for forums still exists and is in use. And it can be all avoided with a simple e-mail group.

Now, I am not saying all forums are bad. Apple.com’s support discussion group is probably the example of forums done right. And PBJunkie.com, the premier forum for paintball players is well  done… and…well, that is about all. I can’t think any other forums that I go to by choice. They are just too clunky and cumbersome for me to carry around in my Internet life.

June 19, 2009 Posted by Christopher Huff | On the Geek Strand, Technology, geek | , , , | 2 Comments