Captain's Log, Stardate 20169.7 - the Enterprise is headed back to Earth after a three-month
survey mission of the "Star Trek" film - but I still have one movie left to watch, so I've
requested time in stellar cartography to take advantage of its big screen.
Computer, I'd like to watch "Star Trek".
Program loaded and ready.
On screen.
"Star Trek: TOS" Wait...
no, wrong "Star Trek".
Specify parameters.
The movie.
Altering search parameters.
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" No, we reviewed this movie already - show
me the newer "Star Trek".
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" Okay, clearly you don't understand me at all.
That is not a valid question.
Argh!
Show me the one from stardate 20095.1.
"Star Trek (2009) - Review" No, not my review; the film itself...
the one with all the lens flares.
That program is not available.
Oh for Cochrane's sake!
Can't you do anything right?
Please do not address this unit in that manner.
Just start the damn show already!
"Star Trek Into Darkness - Review" Eh... close enough.
This is Movie Night.
This is Movie Night!
Hello, and welcome to Movie Night - I'm your host, Jonathan Paula.
Tonight, after many delays - we'll finally be reviewing, and re-reviewing the three "reboots"
in our third episode dedicated to the "Star Trek" film franchise - so let's begin with
my completely update thoughts on "Star Trek".
An explosive reimagining of the future.
This simplistically - and perhaps confusingly - titled science-fiction action film from
acclaimed director J.J.
Abrams was released in May of 2009 - and would be the first canonical entry for the franchise
since the TV series "Enterprise" went off the air four years prior.
Its $385 million dollar box office cume (against a $150 million dollar budget) would be instrumental
in reinvigorating the dormant sci-fi series.
The ambitious two-hour and seven minute narrative was one of the first films to pioneer the
concept of what I like to call a 'requel' - movies which reboot their story and actors
by way of an in-universe explanation.
So while there is some continuing continuity from the so-called "prime" timeline, this
PG-13 rated movie essentially gave the "Trek" franchise a bold new start.
A group of young and undisciplined Starfleet officers must overcome their interpersonal
conflicts, and take command of the Enterprise to defeat a time-traveling Romulan seeking
to destroy entire planets.
This impeccably cast collection of attractive and resourceful officers are dead-ringers
for their "Original Series" counter-parts.
Each actor doing a phenomenal job maintaining the developed characteristics of their namesakes,
while still infusing some of their own unique personality into the roles.
This talented ensemble are led by Chris Pine as Kirk, and Zachary Quinto as Spock - who
share amazing - albeit often adversarial chemistry.
This is not the hunky dory utopia that Gene Roddenberry cooked up in the late '60s, but
a contentious relationship born from tragic circumstances.
But they're so fantastic arguing with, and later respecting each other, that they're
- dare I say, more compelling than William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy ever were.
Attempting to rationalize the temporal mystery before them, Quinto logically posits, "If
you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."
A famous Sherlock Holmes line that immediately invokes Star Trek's ambitious story-telling
roots.
Earlier, Kirk's uniquely inventive solution to the famed Kobayashi Maru test - which challenges
Starfleet cadets in a no win scenario - allows Pine to flex his arrogance in a truly amusing
and great character-building scene.
Karl Urban is perfectly sarcastic and grumpy as Doctor McCoy, Zoe Saldana is sexy and authoritative
as Uhura, Anton Yelchin is charming with his fake Russian accent as Chekov, John Cho has
a steadfast calm to his portrayal of Sulu, while Simon Pegg provides excellent comic
relief as the plucky engineer, Scotty.
Elsewhere, we have the distinguished Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross and Winona Ryder as Spock's
parents - Eric Bana as the Romulan foe - who portrays the violent antagonist like an
impatient petulant child, while Chris Hemsworth (in his feature debut) provides emotional
resonance to a thrilling prologue.
And last, but not least, 78-year-old Nimoy appears in a small, but extremely crucial
role - giving the film much needed continuity and authenticity, while doling out plenty
of complicated exposition.
His screen time may be brief - but the veteran actor brings so much weight and presence to
the character, it instantly elevates the rest of the story to a better level.
Unlike the static and conventional style of its predecessors, the cinematography here
is extremely kinetic - everything, and everyone is constantly in motion.
Speaking of which, the visual style used for 'jumping to warp' seems to differ in every
movie, but the bullet-like iteration here is definitely my favorite, and certainly the
most satisfying sound-effect.
Much has been said about the lens flares, and deservedly so.
In moderation, the stylistic choice is a sleek looking way to create dynamic movement within
the anamorphic frame; but in larger, almost overbearing doses, like J.J.
applies here - the result is a distracting overkill.
It's honestly quite obnoxious - but fortunately, Abrams heeded the feedback, and drastically
reduced its usage in the sequel.
Otherwise, the visuals and aesthetics here are stupendous.
From the modernized interiors of the famous starship, to updated uniforms - everything
looks futuristic and flashy, but still familiar enough for old fans.
After iconic work from Jerry Goldsmith and James Horner - the yet unproven Michael Giacchino
had his work cut out for him, but his score here is a remarkable blend of classic 'Trek'
themes with inspiring crescendos of quick strings and heavy drums.
This 44-minute album is one of my favorite scores of the 21st century.
It's an audacious effort that invokes memories of the sweeping, string-heavy scores of the
70s and 80s.
The film also won an Academy Award for "Best Makeup" - making it the only movie in the
13-picture series that took home an Oscar.
The subtly and intellect —commonplace with the movie's namesake — is stripped away,
in favor of appealing to a mainstream audience.
So while more stringent fans might be at-odds with the action-heavy approach, or some of
the creatively liberties taken with the characters' relationships - "Star Trek" succeeds thanks
to its outstanding action and fascinating story.
A fast-paced and enjoyable adventure with familiar characters, this is one odd-numbered
Trek film worth watching again and again.
Now let's see what you had to say.
This movie really has everything you'd want in a big-budget summer blockbuster - and we
both agreed, it's an AWESOME movie.
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These quick promotions help make "Movie Night" possible, so thank you for listening - now,
a heavily reworked version of my original "Star Trek: Into Darkness" review.
A fatal flaw prevents perfection.
Released worldwide in May of 2013 - this $185-million dollar science-fiction action film, the twelfth
entry in the illustrious "Star Trek" franchise took home nearly $470 million.
Helmed by returning director J.J.
Abrams, this PG-13 rated space adventure, is an effective blend of everything we go
to the movies for; action, humor, visuals, story; and "Into Darkness" is a tremendously
enjoyable time because of it.
We re-join the crew of the Enterprise in the middle of precarious away-mission, as they
frantically attempt to save a primitive planet from a deadly volcano.
This fantastic cold-open is perfect encapsulation of entertaining cinema.
When I hook up a new TV for the first time, this is the Blu-Ray I pop in to test the colors,
and sound... but I always get distracted by the adventure itself.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin,
and Bruce Greenwood all return to the roles they were so perfectly cast-in for 2009's
"Star Trek".
Thankfully, every player's unique, and often amusing personality quirks are able to shine
in the 133-minute film.
This is especially true for Pine and Quinto, whom once again showcase impeccable and believable
chemistry.
Facing insurmountable stakes, Pine confesses to his Vulcan first officer, "I have no idea
what I'm supposed to do.
I only know what I can do."
This is a more vulnerable version of Kirk than we've ever seen before - and he's far
more compelling as a result.
Despite only having one other film under their belt, it's honestly hard not to have an emotional
connection to these well-defined characters.
Joining the group is Alice Eve as a sexy science officer — ostensibly introduced as a eye-candy
— but provocatively featured for but a mere second; Peter "Robocop" Weller as a Federation
admiral whose curious motivation and unenthusiastic delivery make him mostly an afterthought;
and Benedict Cumberbatch who positively steals the show as the enigmatic "John Harrison":
a fiercely intelligent, well-spoken, and cut-throat adversary who challenges our heroes to their
deadliest showdown yet.
When he taunts the Enterprise crew by maniacally asking, "Shall we begin?"
- the tension and anxiety are ramped up considerably.
To explain — or perhaps appropriately, complain — about my biggest gripe with the twelfth
"Star Trek" film, I must spoil a major twist.
Cumberbatch is fantastic as the bad guy - but he turns out to be a very familiar villain;
Khan Noonien Singh - the augmented superhuman originally portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán
in the original TV series, and second feature film.
As I've strongly argued before, outside-media and source material should never be used as
a comparison or exposition.
In other words, if I have to read a book to understand a movie, the movie is poorly written.
Unless it's a direct-sequel, each film should stand on its own.
So when Cumberbatch dramatically reveals his true identity to be Khan, it's a completely
meaningless moment.
Through the "single-film" prism, this major plot-twist makes absolutely no sense, and
has zero impact on the story itself.
In this rebooted 'Kelvin' timeline, Kirk and Khan have no history together, let alone an
adversarial relationship.
The only in-universe purpose for this name-switch is to shoehorn in a Skype call from Leonard
Nimoy.
The all-too-brief appearance from the aging actor — functioning merely as an expositional
mouthpiece — only cheapens the wonderful integration his "Spock Prime" character had
in the previous film.
Realistically, the only thing either of these scenes accomplish is highlighting the drastic
alterations to Khan's appearance and continuity.
Even worse, Nimoy's quick cameo would be his last acting credit.
And what's most upsetting is how easily fixable these mistakes are; keep Cumberbatch as a
new villain, and remove Nimoy's part completely.
Without the shameless fan-service that drastically retcons a classic character, the movie is
a unqualified success.
That gigantic and inescapable mistake notwithstanding, "Into Darkness" effortlessly slides from light-hearted
action to its dramatic conclusion with break-neck pacing.
Michael Giacchino's wonderful score provides a deep backbone, the sharp and witty writing
help keep the material accessible to all audiences, ILM's incredible visual effects sell the futuristic
and exotic settings, while Easter-eggs give throwback glimpses to past entries in the
series.
Although it relies a bit too heavily on tired ticking-clock mechanisms to maintain tension,
a hectic space jump sequence, that sees Pine slaloming between space debris is undeniably
thrilling - especially the way it finishes.
The final minutes are gripping, emotional, and wonderful to watch unfold, as the picture
plays homage to the original series.
Sure, there are a myriad of plot-holes and scientific conveniences, but if you're able
to overlook the ways it dishonors its namesake, it's actually an thoroughly entertaining film
on many viewings.
Perhaps the franchise's strongest entry, "Star Trek Into Darkness" is a gripping adventure
with blockbuster thrills and laughs.
Now lets hear your thoughts from the YouTube comments.
Critical of the rehashed elements central to the plot, the "Movie Night" audience was
very undecided on this picture, with your scores averaging to a SEVEN out of ten.
If not for the foolishly pointless twist - this movie becomes one of my favorite sci-fi action
movies.
But, they screwed it up - so while it's still a supremely entertaining flick, I can only
rate this an AWESOME.
Well, you just heard what I think is the best "Star Trek" film - but for tonight's poll
question - what's yours?
Leave your response as comment below.
Finally tonight my review of "Star Trek Beyond".
Classic futurism.
The thirteenth entry in the 'Star Trek' film franchise, and third in the newer requel series,
this sci-fi adventure was released in July of 2016, just weeks shy of the franchise's
50th anniversary.
Although well-received, the $185 million dollar effort only earned back $333 million, which
Paramount viewed as a disappointment.
After making a name for himself in the "Fast And Furious" franchise, director Justin Lin
takes over the reigns from J.J.
Abrams (who stayed on as a producer) - and really captures the spirit and pathos of what
'Star Trek' is all about.
This is largely thanks to the excellent script, penned by series regular Simon Pegg and Doug
Jung.
966 days into their five year mission, the crew of the USS Enterprise encounters a ruthless
enemy who strands them on a dangerous planet.
As Captain Kirk and Commander Spock, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto lead the ensemble
with ease.
Returning alongside them is Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin.
It's only the group's third outing together, but their relationships and history feel just
as real and lived-in as if they'd done seven seasons of TV together.
Trying to inspire hope amongst his defeated crew, Pine reminds everyone, "There's no such
thing as the unknown.
Only the temporarily hidden."
A inspirational, if semantic outlook.
Fellow crewmate Alive Eve is nowhere to be found, and her absence is sadly unexplained.
But new for this installment is Sofia Boutella as a feisty alien scavenger inspired by Jennifer
Lawrence, and the always formidable Idris Elba as a mutated villain hell-bent on revenge
against the Federation.
The PG-13 rated film is littered with wonderful references to earlier versions of 'Trek',
like Pine lamenting during his opening Captain's log narration that their journey "started
to feel a little episodic."
After returning from an away-mission gone wrong, he complains that he "ripped his shirt
again" - a hilarious nod to William Shatner's constant wardrobe malfunctions.
Plus, a large portion of the picture resolves around an older NX-class starship, which fans
will recognize from the "Enterprise" TV show.
An early visit to Starbase Yorktown is worth the price of admission alone.
An awe-inspiring display of visual effects and inventive designs - beautifully rendering
humanity's possibilities.
I wanted to spend the entire 122-minute runtime just exploring this giant and complex city
in space.
Series creator Gene Roddenberry would be proud.
Later, Kirk and company find themselves marooned on a strange alien world - which is as gorgeous
as it is exotic.
Couple that with the stylish new uniforms and jackets everyone is wearing, and someone
in Bad Robot's art department needs to be nominated for Oscar.
The art direction and set design for "Star Trek Beyond" is phenomenal.
Besides the predictably excellent work from composer Michael Giacchino - the crew's final
defiant stand against Elba incorporates the "classical" sounds of The Beastie Boys' "Sabotage"
with absolutely incredible results.
If you're not smiling ear-to-ear during this scene, than movies just aren't your thing.
The passing of the late great Leonard Nimoy is touchingly addressed within the film, with
Quinto reflecting on the death of his character's older counterpart.
It's a small, tangential moment - but an undeniably powerful one.
"Beyond" also has the unfortunate distinction of being released just weeks after the tragic
and untimely death of the young Yelchin.
He was a rising talent with undeniable charm - and I am deeply saddened his life was cut
so short.
Both him and Nimoy are briefly honored with a dedication in the credits.
Although it mayn't do enough to truly standout, this is one movie worth seeing again and again,
especially for fans.
Capturing Roddenberry's optimism better than ever before, "Star Trek Beyond", is a tremendously
fun experience - presented with dazzling visuals and a few poignant moments of reflection.
And here's what you thought about it.
You saw this as an improvement over "Into Darkness", calling it GREAT.
Much like it's rebooted-counterparts, I think it's an AWESOME film.
Big thanks to my Producer-level supporters on Patreon; Joshua Moran, Simon Waeraas, Eric
Jones, Scott Sulivan, Kenny Van Gorder, Daniel Epps, and Kevin Martin.
And by the way - I owe you, and the other 72 patrons another episode of my podcast,
so keep an ear open for that later this week!
And for those who haven't pledged your support yet - please visit Patreon.com/JonPaula and
"become a Patron" - the financial support from viewers like you makes "Movie Night"
possible - so thank you very much.
Unfortunately, that does it for tonight's episode, but here's what we'll be watching
next time if you'd like to leave a comment review.
And click this information-icon if you'd like to watch some related videos.
Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula, thanks for watching and have a good Movie Night!