You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Great Acting
b. Great Special Effects
c. Zippy Action
This is a tough one. This JJ Abrams production is a well-scripted slam-bang action film that fits perfectly in the box office sweepstakes the way it is played today. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto stride through their portrayals of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock with gusto and verve. Just like the first Abrams’ pass at Star Trek, this movie is a casting triumph. The villain is terrific. There’s snappy dialogue that perfectly weaves the various relationships. It’s entertaining and the casual movie goer will enjoy it.
But…
I’m a Trekkie. When I think of the 60’s I think of the Beatles, Star Trek, and girls who said “no.”
I’ve watched every episode of the original series more times than I care to admit and those stories are embedded in my head the way “you can’t handle the truth” is embedded in yours. For 50 years episodes like “City on the Edge of Forever,” “The Space Seed,” and “The Trouble with Tribbles” have crowded more important information out of my brain.
Along comes the immensely talented Abrams and his “alternate reality” which he thinks gives him license to rewrite television history. Amazing stories are discarded like they never happened. The emotional depth of the legendary 2 part episode “The Menagerie” is cancelled with one death. They rewrite the background of a legendary villain from the series. The last part of the movie is practically a reimagining of a previous one. Could we get an original script next time? If I say anymore I’d need to do a spoiler alert. Forgive me for being a trek traditionalist. This is an excellent movie perfectly aligned with today’s standards of productions. But, it could have been much more. It could have enhanced the legend instead of rewriting it.
So here’s my ranking of the Star Trek movies:
Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan. Had this one not been so good, it may have all stopped, but what a classic story.
Star Trek – the reboot was terrific
Star Trek IV: The Journey Home - Whales
Star Trek Into Darkness – Trying to keep things going
Star Trek: The Motion Picture – the first, and fortunately they got better.
Star Trek V: The Undiscovered Country – Shatner’s swan song
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – Shouldn’t have jettisoned the body
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier – Spock has a brother and he’s cuckoo
Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan. Had this one not been so good, it may have all stopped, but what a classic story.
Star Trek – the reboot was terrific
Star Trek IV: The Journey Home - Whales
Star Trek Into Darkness – Trying to keep things going
Star Trek: The Motion Picture – the first, and fortunately they got better.
Star Trek V: The Undiscovered Country – Shatner’s swan song
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – Shouldn’t have jettisoned the body
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier – Spock has a brother and he’s cuckoo
Mud – 8
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Matthew McConaughey
b. Arkansas
c. Characters
This is a gentle and well-paced movie set in rural Arkansas. McConaughey plays the title character, an on-the-lam redneck living in seclusion in a boat in a tree, yes a boat in a tree. Somehow, he has a plentiful supply of cigarettes. He befriends two teenagers who live on the river. Elllis and his buddy Neckbone discover Mud while exploring the little island on which he’s hiding. Mud is determined to reunite with his true-love Juniper played by Reese Witherspoon, who may or may not be worthy of his devotion.
There’s a lot of wisdom about life and love that will be passed between Mud and his two young friends as the drama slowly unfolds. Despite some unnecessary violence to conclude the movie, this is a nice movie that meanders along like a trip down the Mississippi.
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Matthew McConaughey
b. Arkansas
c. Characters
This is a gentle and well-paced movie set in rural Arkansas. McConaughey plays the title character, an on-the-lam redneck living in seclusion in a boat in a tree, yes a boat in a tree. Somehow, he has a plentiful supply of cigarettes. He befriends two teenagers who live on the river. Elllis and his buddy Neckbone discover Mud while exploring the little island on which he’s hiding. Mud is determined to reunite with his true-love Juniper played by Reese Witherspoon, who may or may not be worthy of his devotion.
There’s a lot of wisdom about life and love that will be passed between Mud and his two young friends as the drama slowly unfolds. Despite some unnecessary violence to conclude the movie, this is a nice movie that meanders along like a trip down the Mississippi.
The Great Gatsby – 6
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Opulence
b. Spectacle
c. Glitz & Glamour
I have no idea what to make of this movie. As usual, I guess I’m the only person alive who hasn’t read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, published in 1925, which didn’t become a must-read until after his death in 1940.
It’s a side by side portrait of old money and new money in the jazz age, and what they both think they can get away with in love, crime and decadence. The themes and the story were undoubtedly daring for the first half of the last century, but seem to be old hat in the first half of this century. We’ve seen and heard stories way better than this in the last 90 years.
Director Baz Luhrman, who last modernized Moulin Rouge, applies all the modern movie-making techniques, from 3-D to rap music in an attempt to dazzle us into submission. You either buy a movie’s magic or you don’t and I didn’t buy this anymore than I’d buy a rap cd.
You’ll like this movie if you like
a. Opulence
b. Spectacle
c. Glitz & Glamour
I have no idea what to make of this movie. As usual, I guess I’m the only person alive who hasn’t read F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, published in 1925, which didn’t become a must-read until after his death in 1940.
It’s a side by side portrait of old money and new money in the jazz age, and what they both think they can get away with in love, crime and decadence. The themes and the story were undoubtedly daring for the first half of the last century, but seem to be old hat in the first half of this century. We’ve seen and heard stories way better than this in the last 90 years.
Director Baz Luhrman, who last modernized Moulin Rouge, applies all the modern movie-making techniques, from 3-D to rap music in an attempt to dazzle us into submission. You either buy a movie’s magic or you don’t and I didn’t buy this anymore than I’d buy a rap cd.
Leonardo DiCaprio is as earnest as ever as the mysterious
Jay Gatsby, and Carey Mulligan shines as Daisy Buchanan. They’re not the problem. The problem is that one can’t help feeling
the incredible over-indulgence portrayed on the screen was in fact present in
the over-production of the movie. Lovely
to look at, but nothing to hold.
Scanning the Satellite
Manhunt: The Search
For Bin Laden – 9
This is the HBO documentary that chronicles the two decade
hunt for Osama Bin Laden – the real Zero Dark Thirty. It is an engrossing account of how Al Qaeda
grew, and how much the CIA knew prior to both twin tower attacks. It describes how the analysts built leads
that they sometimes couldn’t capitalize on for years. It is a fascinating tale of detailed persistence
with revelations by many of the participating CIA players. Terrific stuff.
Phil Spector – 7
Al Pacino stars as Phil Spector in this made for HBO movie. Helen Mirren is the attorney trying to defend him. Phil Spector was always considered wildly eccentric, but if he was this nuts, they should have put him away a long time ago. It would’ve saved a life.
Al Pacino stars as Phil Spector in this made for HBO movie. Helen Mirren is the attorney trying to defend him. Phil Spector was always considered wildly eccentric, but if he was this nuts, they should have put him away a long time ago. It would’ve saved a life.
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