Another Star Trek movie?!!

[AthleticsInBritain]

I was discussing the movie with some of my students the other day. One of them asked me "Who's Leonard Nimoy?"...

I had a similar experience around Obama's inauguration when a 14 year old (who lives in a house where soul and jazz are played continuously) asked me who Aretha Franklin was. I had to sit down. Mind you, I have the horrible feeling I asked my dad the same question about Johnny Cash at the same age and he's a C&W nut.

I'm starting to look forward to this and I'm not even a Star Trek fan! Well, not of the TV series although I did love the tribbles when I was a kid. I prefer the movies, even the one where they fly back in time to San Francisco to fetch a pair of whales! I can hear trekkies (or is it trekkers?) groaning already. :lol:

[Marlow]

Just saw it.

Absofreakinlutely brilliant! Everything about it.

I won’t spoil any of the fun (and it is great fun), but suffice it to say, Paramount has managed to have their cake and eat it too – it is true to the original TV series, but through the inherent paradoxes of time-travel, they have re-invented the franchise in a satisfying and gratifying way. I went in skeptical of the ‘alternate universe’ premise, but I see now the sheer genius they have effected – it will please Trekkies and Newbies alike.

The best part for old fans are the dozens of inside jokes imbedded in the script, right down to the sultry green alien girl Kirk had a thing for. Plus, throughout the movie, Kirk is not a Shatner clone, but in the film’s final scene he has acquired the Kirk swagger we know so well and the actor absolutely channels Shatner as the credits begin to roll and the old theme song plays (totally absent DURING the movie).

New fans will love the action, adventure, and fun also, but miss the vital allusions that give this such great depth for us geezers who were teens when the original aired.

I’ll be going again this weekend, which is a rare compliment from me.

JRM – I PROMISE you’ll love it.

[Marlow]

In today's paper there is a feature on The Debate that Trekkies are having in this 'reinventing' of the Star Trek mythos. Some die-hards (those addressed by William Shatner in his infamous 'Get a life' skit) contend that ANY revisionist history of the franchise is heresy, punishable by death by Klingon Bat'leth (i looked it up - I am not one of them! ). Others (myself included) think that the franchise has become moribund through its slavish devotion to 'what has been'. This version can be a renaissance of all things ST, which should please all its fans.

[marknhj]

The Times gave it 5 out of 5:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ ... 235274.ece

[gh]

The best & worst of Star Trek (movies) all-time (surprise! Khan wins best villain!)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 010&sc=347

[JRM]

The best & worst of Star Trek (movies) all-time (surprise! Khan wins best villain!)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... 010&sc=347

Have to agree with most of those, although I question how one can count Kirstie Alley and Kim Cattrall as "cameos" (since they were major characters). STII was Alley's acting debut, by the way.

For worst movie and worst villain, I'd also give honorable mention to Star Trek: Nemesis, where they figured the best way to create a hit film was to completely copy the premise and storyline of Star Trek II.

[Marlow]

The wife and I will be seeing the 2:35 show on Friday

Damage Report!

[Dietmar239]

I enjoyed the movie immensely. J.J. Abrams is really an outstanding movie producer and it shows in his variety of work.

[JRM]

The wife and I will be seeing the 2:35 show on Friday

Damage Report!

Very enjoyable! As you suggested, TONS of nods to the original series (some very, very subtle) while developing a new mythos for the characters. The sound effects of the ships, transporters, communicators, etc..., were all "authentic". If my eyes were closed, I would have sworn that DeForest Kelley was back as McCoy. I thought it was great that it authenticated the Franz Joseph "Technical Manual" from the mid-1970s (the replica ship Kirk is holding in the bar, the design of the starbase, so on).

I only had two major complaints: (1) the story wasn't necessarily as developed as it could have been (it ended rather abruptly), and (2) the theater in which I saw the film had too rounded a screen! It was very distracting for the first 20 minutes. I shall see it again on a flat screen.

Otherwise, thrusters ahead full! LL&P!

[jeremyp]

While I enjoyed the movie I have to admit to some dissapointment. It certainly did not boldly go where no ST movie has gone before. It reminded me of the same old same old, with new faces. It allows for a new series, and new fans, but I was hoping for a quantum leap away from the same old story lines and, by now, CGI ho-hum. It was sort of like a reunion of old high school buddies, full of zip but little depth. I suspect the older of us may like it less than the younger set, or perhaps I am just getting too curmudgeony.

[Marlow]

full of zip but little depth.

I can agree with that assessment. I'd just say it never intended to explore the interpersonal dynamics that Roddenberry enjoyed so much.

[Marlow]

I saw it in IMAX last night, and it was just as good the second time because I could focus on periphery issues such as set design, music and special effects. I also got a few more of the inside jokes. I also saw a few more mannerisms of the actors, showing how they incorporated the original leads without just resorting to mimicry. The Bones and Scotty characters really stand out the second time, whereas the new Spock dominated the first viewing. The young Kirk is also wittier than I had previously noted.

. . . oh dear, am I becoming a full-fledged Trekkie?! :shock: 8-) :roll: :wink:

[Vince]

I saw it at an IMAX theater. Great experience and I highly recommend it at this type of theater.

[Halfmiler2]

By the way, they just came out with a 10th anniversary edition of Galaxy Quest which was a pretty good Trek parody if you have never seen it.

[Marlow]

OK, I have been contradicted in a statement I made after I saw it. I told my family that no one who voluntarily went to see it, i.e., went expecting to like it, would be disappointed. A lady at work said she was looking forward to seeing it, got BORED in the first 20 minutes and thought all the major roles had been miscast! :shock: I'm stunned.