The new crew of the Enterprise
Personal Log Stardate: May 8, 2009
When I heard that Star Trek was going to be on the big screen again, I was excited at first. Unfortunately, when I heard that J.J. Abrams was going to direct it, I was completely stunned. Abrams has given us such wonderful television shows such as “Lost”, “Alias”, and “Fringe”. When it came to his directorial debut with another television series turned movie series, “Mission: Impossible III”, the third movie had lost its luster. So, you can say that I was less than enthusiatic about Abrams making the same mistake with a much more larger fan base such as Star Trek. That was strike one in my book.
Strike two came about when I found out that the new Trek movie was to be a prequel/reboot of the franchise. I was divided between Hollywood remaking the movies that stand the test of time and reimagining the same movies and TV Series to bring in a whole new audience. Keep in mind that Trek has a long history and and legions of fans that span the globe. After 43 years with ten films, five television series, and one Emmy-winning animated series under its belt, the question, “Will Star Trek thrive again?,” remains on the minds of Trek fans. Since the black sheep of Trek left the airwaves in 2005, fans seeked more from the Trek universe in the form of independent productions. Two productions that stood out from the rest are Star Trek: Phase II and Starship Farragut. I highly recommend them both if you want to experience true Trek.
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Tags:
Movie Reviews,
Movies,
Star Trek
When J.J. Abrams (creator of Lost) announced that he’d be taking up the reigns of the famed Star Trek franchise with a reboot showcasing the original characters, there was a universal mix from future audiences made up of about 50% excitement and 50% trepidation. If you were in the worried category, let me put your fears to rest. Star Trek is amazing.
I should start with this- the 2009 Star Trek film does not demand in any way that you know anything about the previous films or the universe in general. That being said, if you are familiar with the characters, their quirks and a little bit about their history (specifically plot points and dialogue from the second movie, Wrath of Khan), this experience is going to be all the more gratifying and fun.
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Tags:
J.J. Abrams,
Star Trek,
Star Trek Movie
The eleventh Star Trek film, simply entitled Star Trek, is a genuine experience. Saying that they got it right is like saying that the sky is blue. Star Trek is the best Trek film – but that’s only half the story. It is a blockbuster in all the right ways: fascinating characters; robust action sequences; a relatable villain; stuff that gets blowed up real good [and yet, not gratuitously], and even some romance [between two of the least likely characters – one of the film’s bigger risks...].
Director J.J. Abrams and writers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci have produced a film that is set up in such a way that it does not need to navigate through forty-plus years of continuity – a film that can [and does] take chances. Instead of having to worry that any situation might rile Trekkers by flagrantly violating Trek continuity, Star Trek shuffles the deck with a unique twist on time travel paradoxes that allow fresh adventures within the positive core of creator Gene Roddenberry’s original concept. That it is “real” cannot be denied. It has the blessing of the Roddenberry family and Leonard Nimoy – and if Spock says it’s Trek, then it’s Trek. Plus, there’s no Big Red Reset Button [though there is the traditional red-shirted casualty-in-waiting...].
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Tags:
Chris Pine,
J.J. Abrams,
Paramount Pictures,
Sci-Fi,
Star Trek,
Trek,
Zachary Quinto
J.J. Abrams is a man who I’ve always thought was way overrated – I’ve hated just about everything that he’s been involved in including Alias, Felicity, Mission Impossible III and that god awful Cloverfield. I’m also not a Trekkie, I’ll watch Star Trek the original series on occasion and Voyager whenever it’s on but I hated the Picard crew with a passion. So for these reasons and more I wasn’t really feeling the new Star Trek prequel movie. I wanted to be the one who comes out hating this movie, but I can’t. Abrams has knocked this one completely out of the park. This is an almost flawless movie. The acting, plot, pacing, cinematography, SFX is almost perfect.
Beyond the reasons listed above I thought all the trailers for this movie were, “Meh” and the casting really awful. But a funny thing happens as you watch, it soaks in that I was completely wrong, this cast is absolutely perfect and spot on. I started to have double vision, I could easily imagine these people 20 or 30 years older with their big stomachs and years of experience being together as a crew. I always say how much I hate prequels, but it’s time to say that when done well they can be a lot of fun. It’s just very rare that it’s done well. Prequels should be more than just “how the big things came to be,” they should be about the characters themselves and the little moments, things and character “ticks” that fans of any given show come to love.
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Tags:
2009 Summer Movies,
Chris Pine,
J.J. Abrams,
Movie Reviews,
Simon Pegg,
Star Trek,
Zachary Quinto
Today isn’t the last day of spring – at least, not according to the calendar. For movies, though, it’s another story. I’m not exactly certain when May became “spring” for movies, but it’s a fairly recent development. What marks the season is the first in an onslaught of blockbuster, tentpole movies that all the major studios have scheduled to make the most of their favored demographic’s spring break/summer vacations.
Most movie writers/critics have already listed the films they especially want to see, or expect to do boffo box office – and last week, our own Michelle Alexandria went against the grain by listing the movies she was least desirous of screening. After much consideration, I’ve decided to split the difference and have compiled a list of the five films I am most looking forward to – and the five I most wish to avoid at all costs [not that I necessarily will – such is life for film writers...].
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Tags:
2009 Summer Movies,
Bruno,
Harry Potter and the Halfblood Prince,
Star Trek,
Terminator Salvation,
The Hangover,
Trasnformers Revenge of the Fallen,
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Star Trek is nothing if not a franchise—the most popular genre franchise in American pop cultural history. The original TV series ran from 1966 to 1969, encompassing 80 episodes and revolutionizing science fiction with its cult status on syndicated TV in the 1970s. Demand was so great for more Star Trek, it led to a series of 10 films and four additional spin-off TV series. But a strange thing happened to Star Trek in the new millennium. The coolest sci-fi franchise suddenly became uncool. In the era of The Matrix, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings, Star Trek seemed tired and old.
Enter J.J. Abrams, the creator of TV’s Felicity, Lost and Alias, and director of the third Mission: Impossible film. He was handed the Star Trek reins for a new self-titled film in the form of a prequel to the original series. With Abrams’ requisite amplitude and new imagining of the franchise, it seemed Star Trek was re-energized for a new generation. Youth and enthusiasm were injected into cast and crew, and Abrams’ high-octane style was the perfect antidote to the doldrums of an entity now over 40 years old.
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Tags:
2009 Summer Movies,
Movie News,
Paramount,
Star Trek
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