Barco Escape takes Star Trek beyond a normal viewing experience

If you want to see “Star Trek Beyond” you can go to most any movie theater to enjoy it.
If you want to experience the new Star Trek movie in a whole new format, you need to go see it at the Santikos Palladium on the Grand Parkway (or its sister theater in Tomball) in the new Barco Escape three-screen format. The theaters are among only 30 worldwide to already have Barco Escape installed and “Star Trek Beyond” is the third major motion pictures to be presented in the tri-screen format.
Barco Escape has the main screen in the center and adjoining screens on the left and right side of the theater to give you an enormous, curved panoramic perspective. The Barco Escape concept has been in use for years in theme parks but has only recently been adapted for movie theaters.

“This is how we see the world; the world is all around us,” Barco Escape CEO Todd Hoddick told me in a phone interview.

This cutting-edge technology is a milestone in cinematic history ranking up there with the introduction of sound and color, followed by 3-D, surround-sound, giant screen (IMAX) and digital projection.
“We are delivering an experience you can’t get anyplace else,” Hoddick said.
The entire movie is not filmed in the Barco Escape format. In the case of “Star Trek Beyond” there are only a combined 20 minutes of three-screen experience.
“They put them where they believe the format enhances the story,” Hoddick said.
Most of the time you’re watching it like a normal movie. But when big, epic action takes place or there is a need to show a wide expanse, the side screens light up. They can also operate as independent panels to depict scenes happening on the side.
Hoddick told me that there are plans to have Barco Escape in 100 theaters by the end of the year and in 1,000 within three to five years. He said we are fortunate to have the format in our back yard.
“We have a special relationship with Santikos,” he said.
There are four movies being released in the new format this year, eight scheduled for next year and 12 per year after that. In addition, super producer Jerry Bruckheimer is a champion of the format.
“What Jerry wants to do is re-envision one of his early movies in the format,” Hoddick said.
Let me go on record as hoping it’s “Top Gun.”
As for the current theatrical experience, seeing this movie in this format gave me some very mixed feelings. I imagine this is how people in the 1950s felt when seeing 3-D for the first time. It’s an exciting novelty but it has some serious imperfections. First of all, the side images are distorted much in the way a panoramic photo does when taken in a semi-circle. It’s not bad but it is a distraction. Also, the images didn’t line up perfectly. You didn’t notice it during big space battles but when a human moved across the screens it jumped out as an annoyance. Additionally, the side screens were often a flatter contrast than the main screen.
On the other hand, it really draws you into the movie when the action is big and fast. At times it was even overwhelming, leaving you a bit dizzy. That’s the way I felt the first time I saw an IMAX movie. When the format works, it’s mind-blowingly awesome. Having the screens come on and off takes some getting used to, especially if it is only on for a few seconds or so.
I think as the technology improves and filmmakers experiment with it that it will become a standard format that all moviegoers will want and expect to see, but it’s not there yet. Still, if you want to see something cool and cutting-edge, this is it.
As for “Star Trek Beyond” this 50-year Trekker absolutely loves it. Yes, there were some really corny moments and some gaping plot holes but overall the movie kept me on the edge of my seat, made me laugh and also cry with twinge of nostalgia. There is some really good character development that was missing in the earlier Trek reboots.
I’m curious to see it on a regular screen to compare the experiences and to see how well it holds up without the multi-screen enhancements. I think it will do just fine but I’m also very pleased to have been one of the first people in the world to see this movie in this format. I think the future is bright for both Barco Escape and the Star Trek franchise.

We didn’t start the fire but 2016 is burning

It’s hard to know what to say. Here we are just past the halfway point of 2016 and the world has lost its mind.
I’m reminded of the Billy Joel Song “We didn’t start the fire.” Remember that one from 1989 where he belts out a stream of names and events broken up by the chorus?
The chorus went like this:
“We didn’t start the fire.
It was always burning, since the world’s been turning.
We didn’t start the fire.
No, we didn’t light it.
But we tried to fight it.”
I think we could re-write the song around the chorus just using events from this year. Not in any particular order, here are some samples:
• Donald Trump
• Hillary
• Feel the Bern
• Cruz control
• Immigration
• Build a wall
• Fighting over gun control
• Cop killings, killing cops
• Black lives matter
• Baton Rouge
• Dallas, Minnesota
• Transgender bathrooms
• Orlando
• Nice, France
• Turkey coup
• ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State
• Obama won’t blame Muslims
• Pokemon on the go
• Selfie sticks
• Zika virus
• Brazos River over its banks
• Star Wars, Star Trek, Ghostbusters are coming back
• Superhero civil war
• R-rated comic movies
• Black Oscar nominees
• Noah’s got a new ark
• Putin stops evangelists
• Antonin Scalia
• Year in space
• Biden is the cancer czar
• Denver, Pittsburgh, Cleveland , Ohio
• Olympics down in Rio
• Rams are back in L.A., Chargers, Raiders gonna stay
• Tom Brady pays his dues
• Manning, Duncan call it quits
Whew! Certainly that’s not all, but come on – this is only half the year! Who knows what’s to come. The Republican National Convention will take place between the time of this writing and its publication. That alone could add fuel to this fire.
Who would have ever thought just six months ago that this country and our world would be so divided and enraged over differences in race and religion? People please; we are all in this together. We are one species living on the only planet we’ve got. There is no place for hatred and violence.
On Sunday I saw Islamic, Jewish, Christian and Hindu leaders praying on the same stage and holding up hands in unity. It was a beautiful sight to see. As more than one of them mentioned, we have more in common with each other than we do things that divide us.
Let’s focus our efforts on understanding and respecting one another and discard that hate and distrust that is causing so much hurt and pain. We only get one ride on this earth and like it or not, we’re in it together. So let’s make the most of it and see if we can’t enjoy the ride. The alternative isn’t pleasant for anyone.
Remember, we didn’t start the fire, but we can do our part to fight it. I’m ready to do my part if you’re ready to do yours. What do you say, are you with me? Let’s take back 2016 and make it a year to celebrate!

If you want to stop the hate, start the love

The news in recent weeks has been heartbreaking.
From the mass shootings in an Orlando nightclub to shootings of police officers in Dallas, the hate-driven violence in America today is unconscionable. All of these murders are so senseless … so inconceivable.
It seems that every time there is a shooting that people want to talk about gun control. Gun control is not the issue. Let’s talk about hate control. What are the issues going on in this country that cause such deep hatred and anger? Why can’t we all just get along?
Why can’t we stop Muslim extremists from inflicting their reign of hate, terror and mass murder in and against this country? It was a Muslim extremist who killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in Orlando. What fueled his hate? Why are our political leaders more focused on his method of mayhem than its cause?
Why can’t we stop the violence between law enforcement and the black community? Yes, police brutality is a problem that needs to be addressed, but it is not justification for the murder of innocent officers. From Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Darren Goforth last August to the five slain police officers last week in Dallas there is simply no justification for these crimes against cops.
I don’t understand such willful, blind hatred. I don’t understand what would cause such extreme rage in a person. Clearly, this kind of hate has to be taught and nurtured. I suspect it is forged in homes and fueled by the media. The intense desire to murder someone by shooting them in the back because of the color of their skin or the uniform they wear has to well-up from somewhere. How do we find it and how do we stop it?
We find it everywhere. We stop it with love.
Racism is a disease of the mind and heart. It’s spread by fear and ignorance. I would say the same for what I call policism. Policism is a fear and hatred of law enforcement officers akin to racism being fear and hatred of people of another race.
I grew up in lily-white rural Colorado. I didn’t see a black person until I was 7 or 8 years old. I was afraid of black people because I was told they hated whites. I moved to North Carolina in my mid-20s and lived in a city that was roughly half black and half white. I saw rampant racism on both sides. It did nothing to quell my fear of blacks. I did get to make friends with several blacks, but I was also treated quite rudely by some. I was always afraid to make a misstep around black people for fear of being hurt or branded a racist.
When I moved to the Houston area at the end of 2008, one of the first stories I worked on was the corruption case against two black city councilmen in Hempstead. I was very uncomfortable with that, but forged on as fairly and professionally as I could. I worked very deliberately to focus on behavior and not color.
A turning point for me came when my family joined First Colony Church of Christ in Sugar Land and Troop 1000 in Richmond. Both are very ethnically diverse in their membership and have afforded me the opportunity to get to meet and know people of different races in safe and positive environments.
Now, some of my closest and most trusted friends are black. I quit thinking of them in terms of their race or color a long time ago. It took me a year or so to get out of the mindset of having “black friends” versus just having friends. It’s just not blacks either. I am very happy and honored to call lots of people of different races and ethnicities my friend. I pride myself on my colorblindness when it comes to people. It’s very liberating and refreshing to see and experience people as individuals and not by factors they cannot control.
All this hate and violence of late just goes against the grain of everything I’ve learned and discovered about others and myself the past several years. It blows my mind and hurts my heart. It’s so unnecessary, evil and vile. If people would just talk to one another and try to get to know and understand people not like themselves, the world would be a much better place.
It’s hard to dislike someone when you have shared a laugh and discovered common ground with them. When it comes to policism, there are things both sides can do to de-escalate the conflict. It all begins with love. I’ve been hearing a lot lately about how blacks are taught to be extra polite and respectful toward the police if they want to survive. Shouldn’t politeness and respect be shown to everyone anyway? Has anyone stopped to think that rude and disrespectful behavior is at the root of the problem? It goes both ways.
I think this is harder for the police because they are often dealing with the worst of humanity under the worst of conditions. That often results in unpleasant responses and pictures and video on the nightly news and social media that often spin things the wrong way. That further inflames negative attitudes toward the police and it becomes a downward spiral.
I think the Black Lives Matter movement and those who Back the Blue have a common goal in mind, they just come at it from different perspectives. Opening a dialog and working toward that common goal should be an objective of everyone involved.
As for the more complicated matter of radical Islamic extremists, that is going to be much more difficult. You’re talking about the lunatic fringe of an otherwise peaceful religion that is so enveloped in its hate that the ability to come to a peaceful understanding may be beyond their comprehension. You can’t rationalize with someone whose objective is your annihilation.
When it comes to dealing with radical Islam, two famous quotes come to mind. The first from Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly [show love] and carry a big stick.” The second applies not only to radical Muslims, but in dealings with all people.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Of Boy Scouts, summer camp and Old Goats

There’s nothing like a little peer pressure to keep you on your toes.
I spent the last week camping with Troop 1000 at Camp Parsons up near Seattle. It was an amazing adventure to say the least. We had seven dads and 40 boys exploring new territory more than 2,000 miles from home for nine days. Keeping up with the boys was as easy as herding gerbils. Keeping up with my fellow Old Goats was a different story altogether.
Although I have been to many Boy Scout summer camps in my life and even spent four summers on a camp staff, nothing fully prepared me for this experience.
All of the adults in our troop automatically become members of the Old Goat patrol. With this being my first summer camp with the troop, I had a lot to learn about traditions and the Troop 1000 way of doing things. One of the lesser known but most fervently held traditions is the passing of the Old Goat stick.
The hiking stick is passed from the holder to the Old Goat who has done the most “old goatish” thing of the day. The recipient must not only keep the stick with him at all times, but he must adorn it with a new item before passing it along.
The original Old Goat stick did not make the flight from Houston to Seattle, so a new one was acquired at the camp. The holder at the end of the last summer camp was with us, so he made the first presentation. For the first two days I managed to fly under the radar. The stick was justifiably passed from one recipient to the next.
At our Tuesday night pow-wow, the stick was passed to me. My offense? Taking a nap. All of us were regularly guilty of that offense, I just happened to do it at a time of inconvenience for the stick holder, so I got stuck. All Wednesday I got to tote the unwieldy staff with me wherever I went. What I discovered was that a big stick brings great power. All of a sudden these fine gentlemen whom I love and respect suddenly became the biggest brown-nosing suck-ups and cutthroat snitches I have ever seen in my life!
It was a nice bonding experience to have these guys catering to my needs by bringing me coffee, holding things for me while I took pictures and just acting unusually nice. I also received pictures via text of serious Old Goat violations and plenty of remarks on the side about what my companions had done while out of my sight.
At the end of the day as we gathered in our circle of folding camp chairs, I carefully recounted the old goat moments I had observed and/or had brought to my attention. I could have given the stick to anyone for any number of offenses. Instead I awarded it back to myself. Not only had I left the stick behind in our campsite while going to the waterfront to participate in the pier jump (an offense that strangely enough no one but me caught), but I also left my sweatshirt on the pier. Those bonehead moments were far worse than the other violations.
Although it’s rare, I’ve been informed that awarding the Old Goat stick to oneself is not unprecedented. Although I was stuck with the stick for another day, I also got to wield its power and influence over my fellow Old Goats, who continued their brown-nosing and backstabbing ways. I loved it!
At the end of the day I was prepared to award it to our intrepid Scoutmaster for headgear violations in the dining hall. As we gathered for our evening session, one of the dads decided to take a shower and make us wait. It didn’t take me long to change my mind. I was happy to see the stick move on. It changed hands a couple more times before camp came to an end. Our travel arrangements required us to stay an additional night at a VFW hall, hosted by a local Scout troop. Our hosts were very gracious and a real pleasure to be with. As a token of our appreciation, we signed the Old Goat stick and presented it to our host with the hopes he would continue its tradition in his own troop.
As entertaining as it was to keep up with the Old Goats, it was the kids who proved the real challenge. When I said it was like herding gerbils, I wasn’t kidding. The seven of us managed to get them all on a plane, arrive in Seattle, visit the Museum of Flight and arrive at the VFW hall for our first night. We then got them to Camp Parsons and made sure all 40 of them got signed up for their merit badge classes, went to class, made mealtimes, dressed appropriately, showered and did a hundred other things required of campers.
As I said more than once, we Old Goats had clocks and the kids had time. Punctuality was tough but I don’t think we were ever late for anything. The bus service we hired was a different story. When we arrived at the airport, they showed up promptly on time at the VFW hall to pick us up. The next day a bus broke down and they were late getting us to camp. After camp, we had an hour to spend touring Pike’s Place Market in downtown Seattle. Man, talk about herding gerbils! After a very brief tour (most of the time spent in line getting food), we met at the designated place and waited two more hours for the bus to pick us up.
At least the bus was on time for the most important leg of the trip. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare for the return trip.
As I reflect on the week, I will enjoy the memories of watching bald eagles fly, canoeing with seals, brisk swims in the Hood Canal, tall trees, taller tales, lots of singing and cheers and good friends with an old stick. I will always appreciate that we made the trek without suffering major injuries or losing any kids, gear or our minds.

What wonderfully weird things do you collect?

Collections are weird and wonderful things.
Over the years I have written stories about people with unusual collections. Among them are a girl who collected animal skeletons and a friend who collects all things Snoopy (not Peanuts, just Snoopy exclusively). I even wrote a story about a church in Amarillo with an impressive collection of historical Bibles.
When you talk about collections, most people think of the typical things like stamps, coins, comic books and trading cards. Thanks to my grandfather and father-in-law, we have a small but interesting coin collection. It’s not organized or set for display. They’re basically kept stashed in a box. I tend to collect things with more of a packrat mentality than that of a serious collector.
My biggest collection to date has been Lone Ranger memorabilia. I’ve slowly been selling off pieces of it, but some of it I will probably never let go. I also have an action figure collection, a few old magazines and some Super Bowl programs. One of my more interesting collections is the press credentials I’ve accumulated over the years. They tell an interesting story. I’ve also managed to cobble together an impressive collection of autographs. We also have a fairly nice collection of DVDs.
My collection of T-shirts got so big I had to cut them down – literally – so my wife can make a couple T-shirt quilts for me. That project has been on hold so long that I now have enough new T-shirts to make a couple more quilts and still have enough to wear every day.
Here in my office at the Fort Bend Star I have one of my newer collections on display. I have been gathering Sugar Land Skeeters keepsakes for five years and now I have a place to show them off. I still want to get my hands on bobbleheads of Swatson and my friend Deacon Jones, so if you know where I might acquire them, please let me know.
When I was a kid I had a pretty big collection of Mego action figures. I loved them and still do. My friend Mark Magnetti had a bunch and we used to play with them together. Unfortunately, Mark’s family moved to Oklahoma and my collection accidently went with him. I’ve never heard from Mark again. I’ve always remained hopeful but highly doubtful that he still has them and might return them someday. In the meantime I’ve looked at the Mego figures on eBay and have been too horrified by their current prices to buy any more. You can’t get one in decent shape for much less than $40 or $50. That won’t happen on my budget.
Another collection I lament losing is that of my original Star Wars characters. I had them all, including the mail order Boba Fett. I let them go at a garage sale for 50 cents each when in my late teens I thought I had outgrown them. I’m 50 years old now and no, I have not outgrown them. My kids have, but I haven’t.
Collections have always fascinated me. If the Boy Scouts would have had the collections merit badge when I was a boy, I not only would have earned it but I would have learned how to better take care of my stuff. By the way, Boy Scouts really can earn the collections merit badge now.
One of my reasons for writing this column on collections is to help me add to my own collection of stories about people’s unusual collections. If you have an interesting or unusual collection, please let me know. I would love to feature it in this newspaper. Feel free to contact me at jsouthern@fortbendstar.com.