"Jurassic Park" released 1993

Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Jurassic Park was released in US theaters June 11, 1993 and set box-office records across the world. Based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, the movie follows a billionaire's attempt to regenerate dinosaurs on an isolated island.  

What could possibly go wrong?

Jurassic Park starred Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jeff Goldblum.  It became the highest grossing film at that time.  It reached $100M in a record nine days. It was the first film to gross over $500M overseas.

Jurassic Park won three Academy Awards: Bet Sound, Best Sound Effects, and Best Visual Effects.  Since it was a mix of science fiction and horror, it could not be nominated for Best Picture or any of the acting awards.  Spielberg won Best Directing but for Schindler's List, a drama film.  

Jurassic Park did not receive any Golden Globe awards because the science fiction adventure did not align "with the types of films that were often nominated" for Golden Globes.

It won four Saturn Awards: Steven Spielberg for Best Direction, Best Science Fiction Film, Best Special Effects, and Best Writing.  Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Wayne Knight, Joseph Mazzello, and Arian Richards were nominated for their work.  John Williams was nominated for Best Music, and Jurassic Park received a nomination for Best Costumes. 

John Williams was also nominated for a Grammy Award for his original score. 

"Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi" released 2017

The second installment of the third Star Wars trilogy, episode 8 The Last Jedi opened across the US December 15, 2017, after its premiere in Los Angeles December 9.  It opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.  

I enjoyed the movie as well and will watch it again, but I had some issues with it.  First and foremost was the god-awful wig Laura Dern wore throughout the film.  It was so off-putting and I hate the hair style, the purple color notwithstanding.  

The second problem was the secondary plot of Finn (John Boyega) and Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) trying to disable the First Order's tracking device. Although they had many exciting adventures, their secret mission failed and did nothing to continue the plot. 

Unfortunately, many racists had problems with John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, both people of color, having major roles in the Star Wars saga.  The problem was so bad that Tran left social media. 

Come on, guys!

The Last Jedi was nominated for four Academy Awards, it won three Saturn Awards (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films): Best Writing: Rian Johnson, Best Actor: Mark Hamill, and Best Editing for Bob Ducsay.  It was nominated for 10 more Saturns.

John Williams' soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy.

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Linda Park, Star Trek actress

Lovely actress Linda Park, July 9, 1978 born in Seoul, South Korea, is best known and beloved as Ensign Hoshi Sato, and later as Lt. Sato on Star Trek: Voyager.  She was raised in San Jose, California and graduated from Boston University's BFA Acting program.  Her first movie role was a brief appearance in Jurassic Park III with Laura Dern. 

Happy birthday, Patricia Tallman!

Actress/stuntwoman Patricia Tallman, born September 4, 1957 in Pontiac, Illinois, is beloved by many sci-fi fans as the rogue telepath Lyta Alexander on the TV series Babylon 5.  I didn't realize this until reading her bio on imdb.com, that she was Laura Dern's stunt double in Jurassic Park.  According to the web-site, you can see her face after Dern's character falls off the T-Rex skeleton and the camera closes in on her face for a second.  I remember the scene and thought it was Laura Dern all the time!

I was upset when Andrea Thompson (Talia Winters) left Babylon 5 and held a grudge against Lyta Alexander as being responsible for her leaving, but got to appreciate her. 

"Jurassic Park III" released 2001

The third installment of Steven Spielberg's awesome dinosaur movies, Jurassic Park III opened in theaters July 18, 2001.  It seems to be universally considered to be the worst of all the Jurassic Park movies, but it still did well at the box office, being the eighth-highest-grossing movie of 2001.

I find it interesting that it was released on the anniversary of Aliens (1986) because to me JPIII had a  similar plot.  People going into a hostile environment to save a child. 

Sam Neill reprised his role as Dr. Alan Grant and Laura Dern as Ellie, even though she had little more than a cameo.  William H. Macy and Tea Leoni starred as the Kirbys (from Enid, Oklahoma!), whose son has gone missing on Isla Sorna.  Despite the lame story line, the dinosaurs are cool!  The Spinosaurus and the Pteranodon get their time in the limelight.