Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)

Plot: The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father’s legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

JJ Abrams is a fine modern science fiction director.  He’s been behind the success of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Fringe and Armageddon to name only a few. He’s also the creator for Alias (2001-2006), which as I slowly progress through the series impresses me even further. It’s not his best work, but it shows the variety of fields to which he can apply himself to.

2009 feels like yesterday, though it is almost – gasp – ten years ago now. Star Trek was successfully rebooted by JJ, and a clever tactic of combining old with new worked out particularly well. Starring Chris Pine, Chris Hemsworth, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimroy, the reboot is entertaining. I’ll inform you that I’m not as versed in Star Trek as I should be, yet I didn’t feel as if I was lacking information and could follow without too much prior knowledge.

The decision to cast Chris Pine as Captain James T. Kirk is only questionable until you witness him in the role. He is charming, cocky, reckless and brave and he is pivotal in the success of this remake.  Leonard Nimroy provides substantial impact, and seeing him return as an older version of Spock was surely a big moment for established fans. Zachary Quinto embodies what I always imagined of Spock – like I said my knowledge here is rudimentary – but I thought he did a great job. He is also able to portray the level of feelings Spock experience, even though his race is seemly unfeeling. I enjoyed the blatant dislike Spock had in Kirk, and how that changed throughout the film to becoming first a grudging admiration and then a tentative friendship.

The film is quite long, but it also doesn’t feel stretched out. There is naturally a time where they set up the film, and to get everyone on the same page. It provides enough insight into the characters and the events so that the film can progress at a good pace and get to the plot as it should. I wouldn’t call the story a generic one, as it is littered with interesting information, races, visuals and action, but as a Sci-Fi we have all heard the tale of planets being wiped out and its terrestrial force seeking (somewhat uncalled for) vengeance. The end is also just slightly convenient and quick, but overall not something that deducts from the experience of the film. I know it kept me entertained throughout, which is quite the feat these days as everything seems to bore me.

I am ready to venture more deeply into the world of Star Trek, starting with the newer films and someday going back to the older ones.

Rating: 8/10

January 26, 2018January 24, 2018 by Natasha Categories: Movies, movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: Anton Yelchin, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Pin, JJ Abrams, Leonard Nimroy, movie, Movies, Review, Romulan, Sci-Fi, Star Trek, Star Trek 2009, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana 3 Comments

Series Review: Alias Season 1 (2002)

What I liked:

• The pilot episode – so long and intense and comprehensive. It had a lot to cover and managed to get the events in without becoming boring. And that red wig man.
• The relationship dynamic – Sydney and her university friends, with her father, the extremely complex one she develops with Arvin Sloane and the complicated work relationship she finds herself in with Michael Vaughn. Her relationship with her SD 6 partner Dixon is prototype cop/spy partner relationship – extreme faith and support and I really liked that.
• The actors – Jennifer Garner, Michael Vartan, Bradley Cooper, Victor Garber, Carl Lumbly, Kevin Weisman, MerrinDungey
• The story and how heartbreaking it when you sit think it through – Sydney’s loss of her fiancé, the awful reveal of what SD6 is and her turning against them, and the knowledge that most of the people within the ranks of SD6 truly believe that they are working as a clandestine operation for the CIA.

• Can we just talk about the episodes with Quentin Tarantino in? I laughed and laughed despite the desperate situation of the characters. He is SO bad. The man is such an insanely talented director but that where it stops – like keep him of the screen haha.
• The progress Sydney and Jack makes as father and daughter. Sydney has legitimate issues with her father – he can be cold and removed and is terrifying to boot. When she learns that he works for the people that had her fiancé slaughtered, they take another knock. That is not the end to the story and the two learn to trust and rely on each other and become more comfortable with each other as the show goes on.
• Vaughn’s relationship with Eric Weiss. I DO like Eric. He is such a comedic drive to the show and full of quips.
• JJ Abrams is such a champion of women. Sydney Bristow’s is loyal to her friends, sweet, kind, intelligent, kick ass and caring. She’s written as a multi-dimensional character that saves herself and those around her. I really enjoy the character and appreciate how she was written and brought to life by Jennifer Garner.
• It would be easy to be annoyed with Will Trippin – he’s so sweet and kind and totally inlove with Sydney, and a complete spanner in the wheel where certain other people are concerned. Yet he manages to be sweet without being annoying and kind without coming across as insincere. He’s also a good journalist with a nose for a story and I suffered untold horrors about this character. Bradley Cooper is so sweet and young in here.
• I thought Sark (David Anders) made the perfect villain. He is so cold and collected and young at the same time. He’s not that often seen in this season, but his introduction is chilling and mind teasing.

What I didn’t like:

• The Francie stories –don’t get me wrong, I like Francie and her role in Sydney’s life, but Francie’s love life is completely NOT what this show is about.
• Sydney’s mother – this started to irritate me even this early on. I think Alias has enough to deal with without bringing another character into the equation.
• Anna Espinosa – she seemed like a pointless exercise to be the girl-Sydney-must-fight.

Rating: 8.5/10

I really enjoyed this season and it was such a good choice to visit again! I’ve already finished the second season, which was almost as good, and can’t wait to finish it all!

February 21, 2017February 19, 2017 by Natasha Categories: Review, Reviews, Series, UncategorizedTags: Alias, Bradley Cooper, Carl Lumbly, CIA, Jennifer Garner, JJ Abrams, Kevin Wisman, Merrin Dungey, Michael Vartan, Quentin Tarantino, Reviews, Series, Spy, The CIA, Victor Garber 2 Comments

Movie Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

Rating: 8/10

I’m guessing that most posts you’ve had your eyes on tells you that you need to go in blind where 10 Cloverfield Lane is concerned. Because I’m feeling all noble I will tell you that it would be a great disservice to yourself and the quality of the film to spoil it beforehand. I went in blind, and it was the best possible way to go into this. The best I can give you in terms of plot is there a woman who is in an accident and when she awakes she is told by the owner of the bunker she’s in that there has been an attack and she won’t survive outside. Is it for real? Can Michelle live in peace with Howard (John Goodman) and Ben (John Gallagher)?

Things I really liked about this film:

The atmosphere is so tense. John Goodman gives an incredible performance as Howard. The man is so strange, and despite evidence showing you that there are some truths behind his increasingly wild conspiracies, you can never be sure about his intentions.

John Gallagher as Ben – I really liked Ben. He was certainly awkward and provided some chuckles – but it was that an awkward and uncomfortable chuckling. I also enjoyed the development he had – the blind faith in Howard and how it started wavering.

Female lead – I enjoyed her sooo much. I have to say, the couple of thriller/horrors I’ve seen have all had great female leads in, and that makes me supper happy because I really can’t deal with tears and hysteria. Get up and kick some ass!

The end – like WTF hahaha. I did not expect that. It was like “Oh, this is done” and then it was like OH HELL NO, THIS IS SO NOT DONE.

Will there be a real sequel? I hope so. The film and characters deserve it. I would definitely go see it.

October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 by Natasha Categories: 2016, Movies, Review, Reviews, UncategorizedTags: 10 Cloverfield Lane, 2016, JJ Abrams, John Gallagher, John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, thriller 13 Comments