20 years ago, Transformers the Movie came out, and after the opening credits, the ominous voice of Victor Caroli says “It is the year 2005. The treacherous Decepticons have conquered the Autobots’ home planet of Cybertron.” I remember thinking then that 2005 was so far away, and I wondered what life would be like then. Would we have robots running and flying around? Ever since the birth of science fiction films in the mid 20th century (boy, referring to the “20th century” like it’s some far away place feels weird, too) I think we consistently set ourselves up for disappointment when The Future arrives. Even the one film that was regarded as a reasonable depiction of the future, 2001: A Space Odyssey turned out to be overly optimistic. We can barely keep a rustbucket International Space Station open for business, much less commercial flights to the moon.
I’m beginning to wonder if, in general, we gorge ourselves on films (high quality, artistic films mind you) that set us up for disappointment. I’m reminded of the first chapter of Chuck Klosterman’s Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs in which the author points out that very often movies set us up for an ideal of what love and life is supposed to be like, a standard that inevitably our messy lives continually fail to reach.
But here I am starting off the new year on a down note. Actually 2005 looks very promising. Superflux will be doing some recording this month, so I’ll have something creative of my own to point to. I’ll be putting together a new computer for home recording soon. I’ve got a ton of great DVDs to watch (such as Garden State and De-Lovely). John and Susan want me to work on a website for their London-based art consulting business. Last but not least, I’m inviting Jamie to come visit for a few weeks at the end of the month. So to quote the immortal poet Ethel Merman, “everything is coming up roses.”
Oh yeah…and there’s a new plog.