TRON: Legacy Official Trailer Released
July 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Fellow geeks, rejoice… Disney unveiled the trailer for their hotly anticipated reboot/sequel TRON: Legacy at Comic-Con today, and let me tell you, it looks awesome. Not only do we get to see more of the light saber-esque motorcycle trails, glow-in-the-dark techno Frisbees, and sleek grid-filled sets, but the clip sets up the central relationship between father and son that TRON: Legacy will explore. It reminds me of last year’s perfectly cut Star Trek trailer…
It’s got everything: the slow build, the dramatic character set-up, the focus on relationship, and then WHOA! WHAT? HOLY CRAP! effects sequences and fight scenes. Between the upside-down battle that had shades of Inception, the pixel-producing impaling, Jeff Bridges’ worried composure, and the intriguing lookalike father/villain, the clip’s got enough to keep fanboys salivating for days, and, probably, months. I was already sold on TRON: Legacy after the stylish teaser trailer, but it’s nice to see that this blockbuster is trying to be more than the typical, dumb-and-proud-of-it video game movie. Dig it:
Avatar
December 29, 2009 | Leave a Comment
If you haven’t seen Avatar, you’ve probably heard of it and heard a lot about it from every possible media outlet imaginable. However, this is how the Titanic worship started, only to have rising backlash in the next 12 years, so you never know where this current juggernaut will go. Despite all the hype and good and bad press, I went to see it with my wife and was pleasantly surprised. What the hell does that mean? Here’s the skinny…
The plot goes something like this: Paraplegic war veteran, Jake Sully is brought to a distant planet called Pandora in place of his brother with the promise of getting his legs back if he helps the government on a mission. Pandora is inhabited by a primitive race called the Na’vi and Jake is sent in to learn their ways so that he can help relocate them and the humans can take over to rape the planet for it’s rich natural resources.
Avatar takes us to a spectacular, unseen world beyond imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on an epic adventure, ultimately fighting to save the alien world he has learned to call home. James Cameron, the Oscar-winning director of “Titanic,” first conceived the film 15 years ago, when the means to realize his vision did not exist yet. Now, after four years of production, Avatar, a live action film with a new generation of special effects, delivers a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story. I couldn’t help but think of Apocalypse Now as I watched the very Vietnam-era inspired aircraft of the human invaders and my guess is that the similarities there and in the base story aren’t exactly coincidental.
As many reviews have said, Avatar leans heavily on the Dances with Wolves storyline, but the sheer visual feast James Cameron delivers makes the similarities a non-issue. Seriously, the SFX are impeccable and he uses them well. Instead of just shoving them in your face, he weaves them into the story beautifully, and they come off effortlessly as he moves between live and CG actors. Aside from the obvious CG awesomeness and thinly veiled plot lines, Avatar was truly an original and included some very innovative aspects never before seen in a feature film. I highly doubt that Avatar will ever be lauded as a landmark film, though perhaps it will be the new benchmark for all CG work on all films that follow it. Oh and BTW, if you do go see Avatar in the theater, definitely spend a few extra bucks and see it in IMAX 3D as the 3D effect is nothing short of amazing.
Alien: Resurrection (1997)
November 27, 2009 | Leave a Comment
If nothing else, Alien Resurrection emphasizes something that became apparent five years ago with Alien 3 — the series hasn’t only run out of steam, it’s getting thin on new ideas. No one seems willing to take any chances with the franchise, so we keep seeing the same basic story over and over again. There’s very little in Alien Resurrection that wasn’t done better in either of the first two films. And, on those occasions when the latest entry offers a fresh twist on old material, the script’s underdevelopment fails to make it special.
Alien, Ridley Scott’s brilliant 1979 science fiction/horror film, took the concept of the haunted house and transported it to outer space, where a creature of unimaginable, deadly fury roamed the darkened corridors of a spaceship, picking off crewmembers one-by-one. The movie was a tour de force, not only for its top-notch special effects work, but for the manner in which it developed and maintained tension. Six years later, James Cameron elevated the premise to a new level, creating a white-knuckle adventure that was every bit as thrilling as his Terminator. Ripley’s character remained intact, there was an emotional subtext, and the creatures were even more frightening than ever. Cameron did the almost-unthinkable of improving upon the original.
Unfortunately, Alien 3 proved unable to continue the trend. With its weak, confused script and poorly-developed characters, it was the series’ undoing. Alien 3 was an obvious rehash of the first film, and even the shocking climax, which featured Ripley’s death, was unable to generate much energy or involvement. For years, it looked as if there would be no further Aliens. Then, in 1996, preproduction started on Alien Resurrection, and, sadly, although this picture is an improvement over its immediate predecessor, it doesn’t come close to either Alien or Aliens.
The setup will be familiar to Alien fans — a dark, lonely spaceship traveling through the depths of space. It’s two-hundred years beyond Alien 3, yet little appears to have changed. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is long dead, but a group of determined scientists who want to study the alien that she carried within her at the time of her demise have been working to clone her. Their latest attempt, #8, is successful, and a new Ripley is born. However, this copy has several notable differences from the original. Because her DNA has become entwined with that of the alien, she shows amazing strength and dexterity. Her blood burns like acid. And, most importantly, Ripley’s obsessive desire to commit genocide is gone. Now, she’s out for herself.
A cargo ship named The Betty docks with the larger vessel carrying Ripley and her recently-extracted alien child. On board is a group of cryogenically-frozen human beings: fodder for the alien’s spawn. The crew of The Betty, including the captain, Elgyn (Michael Wincott); the “muscle”, Johner (Ron Perlman); the paraplegic chief mechanic, Vriess (Dominique Pinon); and a newcomer, Call (Winona Ryder), disembark from their ship to spend a few days in less-cramped quarters. Their vacation quickly turns into a nightmare, however, when several newly-grown aliens escape from their cells and begin to systematically exterminate all human life.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Alien Resurrection is the way in which Ripley’s character has been re-invented. This gives actress Sigourney Weaver (who is quite good here) a chance to change her approach. It also has the unfortunate affect of reducing the previously- multidimensional heroine into a rather sinister, unsympathetic figure. Many of the subtle aspects of Ripley’s personality have been wiped away. She’s tough, amoral, and fond of uttering one- liners. Only on one occasion, when she meets her “siblings”, do we get a sense of who this Ripley truly is.
That particular scene is Alien Resurrection’s crowing achievement — it’s creepy, emotionally-wrenching, and horrifying. Unlike many of the stock chase sequences, it works. For a brief time, I was living the adventure rather than watching it. Alas, the quick return to the familiar Alien formula reminded me that originality is not high on the film’s priority list. Soon, we’re once again being subjected to variations of episodes from the original movie and its first sequel. And, as the film charges towards a silly conclusion featuring a nasty human who doesn’t believe in the phrase “team spirit” and an alien that looks like a refugee from some second-rate monster movie, plot elements become increasingly difficult to swallow.
With one exception, the supporting characters are generic and lifeless. That exception is Ron Perlman’s Johner, who is a delightfully crass and unflappable soldier of fortune. His attitude and demeanor reminded me a little of Bill Paxton’s Hudson in Aliens. Perlman’s contribution to Alien Resurrection is both memorable and enjoyable. The same cannot be said of Winona Ryder, who is stiff and unconvincing as Call. Ryder may be good in Generation X comedies, but she’s a complete failure here. Other recognizable faces, like Michael Wincott and Dan Hedaya, are on screen for such a brief period that it’s almost difficult to recall who they play.
One thing that Alien Resurrection has going for it is a strong visual sense. Jean-Paul Jeunet, who previously co-directed Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children (with Marc Caro), understands what it takes for a movie to look good, and he has applied that knowledge here (check out the great underwater sequence). Alien Resurrection has a bold, inventive style that occasionally compensates for story weaknesses. And, admittedly, there’s a certain visceral appeal to the action sequences. The problem is that the tension they generate is obligatory, not unique. The aliens aren’t scary any more. Their ability to shock and frighten has been taken away, and no amount of gore can compensate for that. So, if all you’re looking for is a routine science fiction “bug hunt”, Alien Resurrection will probably suffice. Just don’t expect anything spectacular. If you consider Alien and Aliens to be the main course, then Alien Resurrection is leftovers.
Stargate Blu-ray 15th Anniversary Edition
October 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment
From Director Roland Emmerich (The Day After Tomorrow, The Patriot, and Godzilla) comes the cult classic Stargate in High Definition 1080p picture. Haled as ‘a must-see sci-fi classic’, Stargate grew into something bigger with the expansion of the franchise to the world of television and direct-to-DVD movies.
Fans will want to revisit the film that started the Stargate franchise. The picture holds up well, and the special features make it worth the money. This anniversary edition has over four hours of extras.
For the purists out there, you can view the movie in its original 1994 theatrical version, but if you like a little something extra to go with the popcorn and a relaxing Friday night, you can view the unrated extended version.
In addition to the two film versions, other special features include several featurettes that will make any fan happy: Deciphering the Gate, Opening the Gate, and Passing Through the Gate. There is also a never before seen gag reel, a feature entitled ‘Is There a Stargate?’, and a documentary of the making of the film.
There is also the option of audio commentary with writer/director Emmerich and writer/producer Dean Davlin.
The two biggest stars are Kurt Russell (Grindhouse, Poseidon) and James Spader (Boston Legal and The Practice). Russell plays Colonel Jack O’Neil who leads his team through the Stargate, a “door” that is opened between our world and an alien world. He is a straightforward soldier who follows orders without question. He is also a damaged character following the accidental death of his son – something that would continue to haunt him on another world.
Spader plays Dr. Daniel Jackson, the archaeologist and linguist, or appropriately named ‘Egyptologist’, who translates the hieroglyphics needed to complete his assignment. He is brought to an underground government base to decode stones, which ultimately lead to the discovery of another planet and the Stargate that gets them there. He is also as far from Russell’s character as you could possibly get.
The Stargate is basically a teleportation device that allows the team to walk from our world into another. No spaceships needed, the transformation from our world to theirs is indeed speedy. Sci-fi geeks rejoice! This neat little trick is called a quantum leap. The idea is to bend time and/ or space or both to make traveling very fast, like walking through a door into the next room, except the room just happens to be across the universe (and no, that’s is not a Beatle’s song I am referring to).
Once through the Stargate and on the alien planet, the team discovers another culture that is ruled by a being that calls himself Ra. Whether or not he is the Egyptian sun god is debatable, but the blending of Egyptian cultures and alien is pure genius.
From that point, the team, led by Col. O’Neil, must find a way to get back to our world, as the Stargate seems to work only one way without the proper equipment. There is also the problem of the nuclear device that Jack and team brought along with them – very foresighted indeed, as the idea was to blow the place to kingdom come if they met any hostile aliens.
Ra, played by Jaye Davidson (The Crying Game), takes the team captive, and he is a piece of work. He has been using the bodies of human slaves to give himself immortality and just possibly to make himself pretty. Maybe a little of both. In any case, he is a very unique cinematic villain.
Boxed in a nice case with a light-catching, eye-catching slip cover, fans will want this. The special features, plus two versions of the film, make it well worth the money. If you haven’t had the chance to become a fan, this would be a great edition to make your debut.
Stargate: 15th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is now available at Amazon.
Alien³ (1992)
September 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment
“In 1979, we discovered in space no one can hear you scream. In 1992, we will discover, on Earth, EVERYONE can hear you scream.”
First-time director David Fincher’s (Fight Club, Panic Room) debut proves to be a daunting, if not impossible task, not only because it would be highly impractical to match or best two of the most acclaimed and popular science fiction films of all time his first time out, but because this sequel also wipes away virtually everything the first two entries, Alien and Aliens, had built up so well. Without the atmospheric chills of Alien or the supercharged action of Aliens, Alien 3 seems like an inferior effort all around. Given that the events that transpire within are already something fans vehemently did not want to happen, the fact that this is a work by David Fincher proves to be its one saving grace. While many fans of the Alien series disown it, fans of Fincher regard it as the first of his tour-de-force directorial efforts.
The film opens with Ellen Ripley (Weaver, Working Girl) jettisoning the ship carrying her and the remaining crew from the previous film, landing them near a penal colony inhabited by an all-male inmate population of murderers and rapists. Ripley learns the tragic news that she is the only survivor, and worse, she finds evidence that one of the alien creatures may have stowed away along with her. Her suspicions are right, as the alien facehugger attaches itself to the prison’s dog, and becomes a smaller, more agile form than we’ve seen previously. Meanwhile, Ripley’s presence becomes a major distraction for these men who’ve vowed celibacy, many who have not seen a woman for many years, if ever. The distractions soon pass, as members of the colony begin dying in grisly fashion one by one, but things seem ominous, as the prison has no weapons or much protection, leaving the men almost defenseless. A call for help will only meet with potential disaster, as Ripley is aware that the humans are expendable; the corporation has a primary interest in a live specimen to incorporate into its bio-weapons program.
Many potential scripts for the third Alien film were written and scrapped, including drafts from such heavyweights as William Gibson, David Twohy, and others. In fact, the finished script by David Giler (Undisputed, The Money Pit) and Walter Hill (48 Hrs., The Getaway), the team who produced Alien and co-wrote Aliens, was constantly revised with the help of screenwriter Larry Ferguson (Highlander, Rollerball), with directions in the plot changing on a constant basis during the shoot, mostly prompted by studio meddling. Evidence of this exists in the Special Edition DVD release of the film (dubbed the “Assembly Cut”; it is not a Director’s Cut — only an approximation of Fincher’s original workprint), which bolsters the run time by another half hour, while key elements of the plot are drastically different, including the alien host being an ox, cosmetic variances to the alien’s appearance, and the events of the final scenes of the film deviating visually (a key “birth” scene is not shown, as it is in the theatrical release). While the scenes of the alien in puppet or costume form are still impressive, the CGI development was rushed, causing some of the external shots and scenes of the alien in full-view to appear less than convincing.
An early draft of the story centered on a monastery, subsequently changed to a quasi-monastic group of prisoners who form their own pseudo-religious credo to live by. The shaved heads are in keeping with the original “monk” look (a lice problem in the finished film). A common complaint is that it is difficult at times to tell the many characters apart, as they have similar looks and very little character build-up. However, good performances do abound where it counts, with Charles S. Dutton (Cat’s Eye, The Distinguished Gentleman) adding a voice of soundness amid the mania, and Charles Dance (Last Action Hero, Hilary and Jackie) providing a well-conceived early conduit of background story information between Ripley and the nature of the mining prison.
Compared to the previous entries, the action in Alien 3 is fairly minimal, with the alien attacks coming more out of shock than suspense this time out. The climax of the film, involving a tunnel chase sequence as seen through a first-person alien perspective, is visually exciting, but too prolonged. By comparison, Ripley’s final stand with the members of the Weyland-Yutani rescue team is short and confusing. The ending of the film is (understandably) extremely dissatisfying to series fans, and while the emptiness of the final shot does have a sense of the respect to it, for those who’ve been riveted in Ripley’s story since Alien, there appears to have been nothing gained from a story or theme standpoint. For all of the production problems, Fincher’s vision is still eye-catching, with a roving camera, claustrophobic environs, gothic stylistics, and an overriding tone of bleakness and despair. It may not be a film that raises pulse levels, but the visual impact is often gut-wrenching, as if Ripley were tossed into purgatory to fight along side lost sinners and miscreants who are trying to find a way to redemption.
Judging the film is difficult, but here’s the bottom line (as I see it): Alien 3 is pretty good as its own movie (this explains the positive rating I’ve bestowed upon it), but as a sequel, it’s an utter failure — in fact, speaking as an avid fan of the previous films, I completely repudiate it. As a standalone piece, separate from the Alien franchise, this film could have met with applause from fans of somber science fiction, instead of the sneers of those who love the characters and direction as delivered through Aliens. Alas, it is, and always will be, an Alien film, and as such, it begins dubiously by killing off the considerable momentum of Aliens within the first few minutes, and attains near-disastrous status by killing off all future momentum within the last few. This is as dour and disappointing a potential series conclusion as one could ever (or should I say, never) have hoped for.
With all of the changes, the creative tugs of war, problems with the production schedule (shut down altogether for a months-long period), re-shoots, and Fincher completely washing his hands of the film before the editing phase, it’s a credit that they were still able turn in a respectable, cohesive effort. Sadly, it still wouldn’t amount to much, as the film barely broke even at the box office, and the only reason fans wanted to see another sequel would be to restore some semblance of the vital essence of the first two films, and a happier conclusion to the Ripley saga. Too little, too late, as the spirit and momentum of the series had been permanently dismantled by this third entry, as well as most of the fan interest. Like the criminals at the heart of the film, repentance and rehabilitation might still be viable penance for the grave sins committed, but there’s no hope for revitalizing a soul that has already been shattered.
Push
August 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Simply put, Push is an entertaining sci-fi thriller that has a complex, fast moving story and pretty decent acting. It was much deeper than I had anticipated and while in the vein of Jumper, it’s complex storyline required your full attention or you were lost. Seriously, put down the Blackberry and close your laptop or you will be rewinding in now time – I speak from experience. The story is that of a group of people with special abilities, not unlike NBC’s Heroes, and their attempt to escape the evil government corporation that wants to leverage their abilities for evil. Dakota Fanning was actually pretty good in this movie as were the other key players. The concept and the effects were pretty original and the cinematography was just killer. Those Hong Kong/Kowloon locations were just amazing and a picture perfect vision of high-density living and chaos. We watched this one on Blu-ray and surprisingly, it would have been just as worthy of the ticket price had we seen it in the theater.
District 9
August 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment
So I saw District 9 yesterday and I’ve got to admit, it pretty much blew me away on multiple levels. I went into it assuming the absolute worst, mostly due to Peter Jackson’s involvement, but the ginormous hovering mothership and bug-like aliens from the previews got the best of me. Directed by Neil Blomkampf and produced by Peter Jackson, District 9 is about aliens who end up stranded on Earth when their ship runs out of gas above Johannesburg and are basically rescued, put in internment camps, and prevented from returning home, even though that’s all they want to do. The narrative is told in a documentary/news coverage format that really added to the overall sense of urgency and prevented many from taking a restroom break during this nearly two-hour movie, present company included (yep, I danced with uromysitisis).
Quite simply, this film is a powerful piece of work that is far deeper than anyone anticipated. At its core the film tells the story of how a member of the socially dominant group becomes conscious of the injustices that keep him in his place and the aliens in theirs - not too far from the struggles of modern South Africa. The price he pays for his awakening is severe, given the dreadful contours of the system he has been charged with enabling. The film’s view of the world is bleak, though not entirely nihilistic. It suggests that sometimes the only way to become fully human is to be completely alienated, the ultimate walk in another man’s shoes.
Bottom line: District 9 is a must see. It’s too bad it received an R rating though, as the multitude of topics it covers would benefit teens with it’s gritty social commentary and no-holds barred look at humanity.
Aliens (1986)
July 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment
James Cameron’s “Aliens” is, in my humble opinion, the definitive Humans vs. Aliens movie. As far as I’m concern, every film that has come after “Aliens” are inferior clones. Even the animated “Final Fantasy”, for all of its cinematic breakthroughs, was nothing more than a rich man’s “Aliens.” It’s no surprise then that “Aliens” is the film by which I measure all Humans vs. Aliens movies.
What makes “Aliens” a classic is how it brilliantly lulls you into its world with a sense of security before assaulting your senses with a barrage of American firepower, acid-spewing aliens, and claustrophobic tension. In fact, the movie doesn’t even kick into high gear until well after the 50-minute mark, but as soon as that happens, the film never relents. The way the film manages to sustain its high-octane power, while never compromising on its quiet, personal moments, is just incredible.
“Aliens” is James Cameron’s sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 “Alien”, a cerebral experience that attempted to scare with atmosphere and paranoia. “Aliens,” on the other hand, is content to thrill with firepower. The film brings back Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the only survivor from the first film, who has been frozen in cryo sleep for the last half century or so. Awaken into a new world she is ill-prepared for, Ripley is informed that the alien planet where the alien creature that terrorized her commercial vessel (from the first film) came from has since been colonized by humans. Oh, and it just so happens that said colony has gone off the radar, and the colonists are believed…in trouble.
Ripley is asked to return to the alien planet as a guide to check up on the colonists. She is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees out of a need to resolve unfinished business (of the personal and alien-killing variety, natch). The bulk of the rescue crew consists of Marines, including the easygoing Hicks (Michael Biehn), the loudmouth Hudson (Bill Paxton), and the inexperienced commander, Gorman (William Hope). No sooner does the crew land on the planet that it becomes apparent things have gone terribly wrong. In fact the colonists are either all dead, fed on, or are being used as breeding apparatus by the aliens!
“Aliens” is the perfect title for this movie. Whereas part one was called “Alien”, properly denoting the single alien creature in that movie, “Aliens” is literally crawling with the alien creatures. They are everywhere — on the ceiling, along the walls, and in the shadows. Under Cameron’s direction, the aliens are frighteningly real, physical, and in your face. They move with the speed of snakes and kills with the ferocity of tigers, but what really makes them a formidable foe is their cunning. These bastards are smart, has mastered organization, and there are a lot of them.
Once the first mini-gun opens fire, “Aliens” shifts into action mode. At nearly two hours and 20 minutes, the movie lives up to the original film and, in my opinion, surpasses it. This is no cerebral experience, this is full-tilt action at its finest. Best of all, Cameron and his crew has the cast and the budget to pull off everything they wanted. Even more impressive is that this is only Cameron’s second movie, the first being “The Terminator”. (Cameron actually shot, edited, and released “The Terminator” and “Aliens” back-to-back. He was also the writer of 1986′s “First Blood,” the first “Rambo” movie. How’s that for a banner year?)
Besides making a star out of Sigourney Weaver as one of the first woman in cinematic history to kick ass and take names on an epic scale, the film features perhaps the finest and most memorable character to sci-fi fans everywhere. Bill Paxton (“Frailty”) is Hudson, the loudmouth who utters some of the most memorable lines in all of sci-fi, including but not limited to his mantra of, “Game over, man! Game over!” after the alien army has all but destroyed his unit.
“Aliens” is good stuff. No, let me rephrase that. “Aliens” is great stuff.
Alien (1979) “In space no one can hear you scream.”
May 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment
This Memorial Day will mark the 30th Anniversary of Ridley Scott’s landmark science fiction and horror film, Alien. This masterpiece arrived in 1979 between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back as a stylishly malevolent alternative to George Lucas’s space fantasy. Partially inspired by 1958′s It! The Terror from Beyond Space, this instant classic set a tone of its own, offering richly detailed sets, ominous atmosphere, relentless suspense, and a flawless ensemble cast as the crew of the space freighter Nostromo fall prey to a vicious creature (designed by Swiss artist H.R. Giger) that had gestated inside one of the ill-fated crew members. — Amazon.com
Science fiction is a handy genre: it is possible for people who doesn’t really know much about it to transpose another genre (western, horror, detective) unto it, look cool in the process and make a bundle at the box office.
It is seldom that a “pure” science fiction movie gets made without all kinds of genres transposed unto it – take Star Wars for example, which is a pastiche of every movie genre known to mankind. It is not one movie, but all movies, thus falling perfectly under egghead Umberto Eco’s definition of a cult movie.
” Despite the plot’s limitations, director Ridley Scott pulls it all off with amazing visual aplomb . . .”
Alien is a horror flick set in outer space. The old haunted house is the giant space ship Nostromo. The monster is a vicious (a truly original) alien designed by Swiss artist HR Giger.
The teenagers in the old house are the ship’s crew: Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, et al. Predictably the alien kills them all off until only a lone female crew member remains.
Much has been made of the Alien movies being feminist. This is true to an extent, in that its female protagonist Ripley (Weaver) doesn’t wait and hang around to be rescued by a male. Instead she does the Rambo thing herself – particularly in the first sequel (Aliens) – and blow away those alien mothers herself! But the plot device in the first Alien movie is one that has been done the year before by Jamie Lee Curtis in Carpenter’s Halloween horror movie and every subsequent slasher movie from Friday the 13th to Nightmare on Elm Street.
However, despite the plot’s limitations, director Ridley Scott pulls it all off with amazing visual aplomb – having made his debut in the advertising business, Scott has got that 1980s “look” to all his movies.
This film is no exception: first there is the stunning designs by Swiss artist HR Giger. His stuff is like the Surrealists on a really very bad day.
Giger and Scott creates a sense of unease by placing human protagonists against an alien and surreal backdrop – one of the basic ingredients of sci-fi.
Both the Nostromo and the alien world where the alien gets picked up are strange and unforgettably original. Claustrophobic, the Nostromo is grimy and dark – continuing the tradition set by Star Wars and 2001 of giving the viewing public space ships that look like they might actually work!
Add to this stunning special effects and an alien brought to life by special effects wiz Carlos Rambaldi (who later designed E.T.!), brooding music by Jerry Goldsmith (Oscar winner for The Omen) and it is not difficult to see why the movie has achieved both the cult status and box office success it did . . . a hit with both horror and sci-fi fans, it spawned three sequels: Aliens (in 1986), Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997).
(The screenplay is by Dan O’Bannon. As a student O’Bannon also collaborated with Carpenter on the cult classic Dark Star – from which he borrowed liberally for Alien. O’Bannon later wrote Total Recall and Screamers – both based on Philip K. Dick short stories. Sometimes he appears to be the only person in Hollywood who actually reads sci-fi in his spare time!)
Star Trek 2009 – The future begins.
May 15, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Few filmmakers have so boldly placed their necks upon the chopping block of radical, fanatical nerddom. Maybe Peter Jackson did when he bit off all three Lord of the Rings movies at once, but that franchise, adorned binders aside, had no agreed upon visual and aural blueprint. The words Star Trek instantly conjure 726 hours of episodic television, ten feature films, crates of comics and some halfway decent video games.
You’ve got to have nacelles of steel to think you can come in and make “not your Father’s Star Trek” without burning down the house you are trying to construct. J.J. Abrams, much like James T. Kirk, doesn’t believe in the no-win situation. His Star Trek is a triumph. It is truly the dawn of a new era – multiple films, tv shows and books could and should spawn from this new, “the early years” iteration. Any sane person will love this flick and only those most hardcore of convention-going Trekkies (of which I am one) will find even a hint of something negative to say about the movie.
Star Trek opens with a marvelous pre-title sequence that lets you get up-close-and-personal with its large budget, exquisite cinematography and dense sound design. DP Daniel Mindel, who never met a lens flare he didn’t like, goes “mugato” with refracted light, color saturation and, basically, making sure every ship, planet and photon torpedo pops off the screen. These are the ships we know, just with a little more pep in the right places. Same goes for the sound effects. Bubbling up from the mix are the bleeps, twirls and whistles that instantly take you back to watching Trek on a Sunday afternoon on channel 9… but only for a moment until a new cascade of audio comes in.
What goes for the audio works for the characters, too. Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy says, “Good God, man!” and it is a riot, but the story zooms along so quickly there’s no time to get caught up in nostalgia. The official running time is 126 minutes, but it felt about twelve. I applaud the film for going easy on the backstory and plunging us straight into the movie.
If the backstory is light that’s because, let’s face it, the whole movie is backstory. Only upon reflection do I realize that, truly, not a lot happens in Star Trek. This is not to say there isn’t spectacle. There are ample portions of spectacle. But, at it’s most base level, the movie is about a bunch of guys who travel to a place, get there late, then travel to a second place and get there on time. But it’s okay. It’s fine. It needs to be this way, in fact. It’s the first rule of show business: always leave them wanting more.
And there’s so much more I want to see. I want to see more of the ship! Chekov and Scotty kill every time they open their mouths, but they hardly get enough screen time. I want to see other races, other planets. Because what we do see is fantastic. I now know what a Vulcan school looks like. AND IT IS AWESOME!
But I mentioned negatives. What are they? What is it that’s gnawing at me that keeps Star Trek from being a perfect film? Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman devised an unbreakable defense against any claims of canonical heresy. The entire movie exists in an alternate universe to every other moment of Star Trek you’ve seen before. And try as you might to find something to gripe about, the (correct) response is: sorry, new timeline. Kirk (Chris Pine) is acting in an un-Kirk manner? That’s because his childhood was radically altered by baddie Nero (Eric Bana) and his destruction of the USS Kelvin in the pre-title sequence. An Orion female sharing a room with Starfleet Cadet Uhura, implying that Orion is part of the United Federation of Planets? Hey, some dude who died on the Kelvin may’ve resulted in some other dude getting an Ambassadorship and radically changing Terran/Orion relations. It’s possible! And, in just one cute (and appreciated) bit of fan service, the script flat out says so. I forget the exact line, but it goes bluntly to the tune of “everything that has ever happened to us has been in an alternate reality.” So, yes, Messers. Orci & Kurtzman, your hands are clean. But. . . .still. . . .if I may. . .
I can not, and will not, be at peace with seeing James T. Kirk working as an equal to (or, heavens no, subservient to) some of his future compliment on the Enterprise. He can’t be going to Uhura or Chekov or Sulu for help. During their further adventures Kirk, to me, has to be esteemed as a near God to these crewmates. Seeing Kirk not on top, as it were, was very, very unsettling. I fully recognize this is a little nuts but, hey, it is how I feel.
But I suppose one has to experience those lows if one wants to experience the enormous highs. I beamed from ear to pointed ear throughout the entire screening but on multiple occasions I actually gasped in glee. Once I went so far as to make the universal symbol for “my head is exploding,” to which my accompanying friend and fellow Trek nerd whispered, “I know!!” Shall I spoil this for you? Read the next paragraph at your own peril.
Spock and Uhura hook up! I know! It’s insane! And it can totally be explained by “different timeline,” so it works. Also, the “Ceti Eel” from Wrath of Khan shows up! Nero calls it something else, but that’s what it was! I totally didn’t mean to shout (because it is rude) but it was totally against my will. Yes, I full on shouted “OH SH*T!!!” at the site of a rubber space-worm prop in a movie. That’s who I am. Another highlight of fan service is Pike in a wheelchair sporting a TMP uniform. (If you don’t know what TMP stands for, you won’t care that that’s what Pike is wearing.) Lastly, Leonard Nimoy’s Spock (or Spock Prime, if you will) doesn’t die. I thought for sure he would. I thought he would have to ram his ship or detonate something in order to save the day. Not only doesn’t he die, he doesn’t wander off to live out the rest of his days as a monk-like hermit. He all but says, “see ya in the sequel.” And for that, I soiled myself.
After five years of no new Trek, we now have a seriously enjoyable film on our hands. Odd that I haven’t said much about the two best things about the movie, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. Both are fantastic. They do exactly what you want: pay respect to Shatner and Nimoy, but make the characters their own. (More Spoilers: Pine’s shirt doesn’t rip, nor does he Kirk-chop and Quinto seems to take to humor a little sooner than “Spock Prime” ever did. But it works. Trust me.) Fans of K/S will have a lot to think about as these two handsome men get face to face quite a bit. Eric Bana is great as Nero, but I am afraid he is given a little bit of the short end of the stick. I urge everyone to read the 4-issue comic “Countdown,” the official Orci/Kurtzman sanctioned prequel to Star Trek. It will give you much greater insight into why Nero behaves the way he does, the origin of “Original” Spock’s crazy fish-lookin’ ship and the curious substance “red matter.” If you don’t read it, though, I guess it’s not so bad. For most people, this is a popcorn flick and, as such, everything just sings. Sings a new variation of a highly recognizable and pleasant melody.
