"...Vulcan philosophy acknowledged grief as a valid response to loss. 'I grieve with thee' was an ancient formula which Surak himself had refused to renounce. While Surak had cautioned against succumbing to the debilitating emotional effects of grief, and most especially against the tendency to transform grief into a desire for vengeance and violence, he had nonetheless taught that even the most logical, dispassionate civilization must cherish life and the ties of family and community and must acknowledge and reflect upon the great cost incurred when a life, particularly that of a kinsman, was lost. Otherwise, he had written, that dispassion would become callous self-absorption, nullifying the bonds that enabled individuals to function as part of a greater whole."
~ Star Trek Titan - Over a Torrent Sea, pg. 8-9
Yeah, this is kind of bothered me in the new Star Trek, how Spock was encouraged to take revenge and didn't want to offer the Romulans any help. That's not the Spock that i know and love, the kissing on the transporter pad bothers me far less because i'm used to emotional exchanges happening their on TOS, TNG and Voyager. In many ways, i just feel that Abrams and the rest of TPTB just didn't really... get what Star Trek is about. There were far too many moments where it felt like they were trying to copy Star Wars. Star Trek is so much better than that.
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star Wars. Show all posts
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
i went to the 7:30 show
Still haven't gotten to see Wolverine (though i hear it's great), no i went to the movie that is destined to be the #1 show of the weekend: Star Trek. i went to WoW Insider last night and it was hilarious, just about all of the people over there had cleared their weekend for it. Well my sister Katie and i went tonight, after i had babysat while my mom and her sister went to a matinee. She's watched most of Voyager and all of TNG, but she's yet to see any of TOS or the old movies (i must remedy this soon). i was surprised how much she actually knew about TOS and dredged a lot of old memories out of the depths of my mind (i haven't been actively watching any Star Trek in so long, except for occasionally sitting in on my mom's recent Netflix rentals of TNG... i still haven't managed to buy a single movie or season of Star Trek on DVD, though i do have a bunch of overpriced Voyager videos somewhere on the other side of the attic...).
First off, let me just say WOW. i am totally crushing on Zach Quinto, i wouldn't call him my type at all, but his love scenes just get under my skin a little bit. The only thing i can figure is that he's got a young Julian McMahon/Leonard Nimoy thing going on, cuz WOW. This year he has slowly become one of my favorite actors.
Second off, i was trying to avoid spoilers, so the movie totally threw me for a loop. i expected the bad guys to be Klingons, not Romulans from the future sans hair and foreheads (you know the Romulan foreheads had a thing going on in TNG). My biggest issue with this... well i have many. Don't get me wrong, i loved the movie except for the Star Wars animal chase thing that was going on and the fact that it took so long to bring in the theme music, but at this point in Federation history it is my understanding that Starfleet really does not know much of anything about the Romulans (as i recall they had heard of them but never met one face to face--in person or via viewscreen--and no one knew of their cousin genetic relationship with the Vulcans). And there's the big thing about where said Romulans came from because: (spoiler warning)
not only is Kirk's father dead, changing his history, but Vulcan is dead as well, completely changing the historical course of the Alpha Quadrant. This means that characters like Saavik, Tuvok, and other lesser--but no less beloved--Vulcan characters are very likely never to be born. Simply put it changes the entire face of TNG, DS9, and Voyager because all of its characters are likely to be affected like Kirk was in unknown ways (Kirk's father wasn't the only person to die in that conflict, remember the anonymous woman that got sucked into space?). So basically all the TV shows have been erased. It would have been really easy to fix things when the red matter and Romulan ship caused the white nova (what the heck is red matter anyway? i had never heard of it), for it to have caused a reset, or it would have been nice for Kirk and Spock to go forward in time and fix things, but we didn't get that. We get a new universe with the old one most likely so largely changed that it has basically been erased, which is the problem with the new Terminator TV show: they are rewriting history and rendering beloved characters and storylines completely defunct). For instance, this totally erases bringing back Spock in Star Trek III because they can't take him back to Vulcan for that ceremony.
Also, does anyone else find it weird that Vulcan has no colonies already for their people to settle in? They had ALL of their eggs in one basket when they've had warp capability far longer than Humans did? How long is Spock supposed to stay alive and rebuild the Vulcan culture? Is Spock going to find a Vulcan female and do his part or stay with Uhura? Is his intended (T'Pring) dead?
So i guess that's all i have to say about that, i'm still trying to process this, and the movie raised a lot of questions. Winona Ryder as Spock's mom was just wrong. Of course, as soon as i saw the engineer in a red spacesuit... well we all know how that's going to turn out. They took way too long to bring in Scotty, and that little alien: i just kept expecting him to break into dance like an Oompa Loompa. There were a lot of unidentifiable alien races sprinkled throughout this movie, i think there were lots of things in here that were too close to Star Wars for my liking, such as warp looking like hyperspeed and working like jumps in Battlestar Gallactica and Wing Commander. i also don't think that Orion slave women are so liberated this early in the timeline (read Imzadi: the chick in the beginning of that book is strange for her species, and that's like two hundred years later or more).
Incidentally, saw the new Transformers preview, it looks awesome, and the G.I. Joe preview. Once again, Starship Troopers came to mind and how much they royally botched that movie by neglecting to give the grunts the suits they had in the book. It also occurred to me: what movie are they going to make next from an 80's cartoon, Rainbow Brite? Of course, as soon as i said that to Katie, and explained to her what Rainbow Brite was, it occurred to me that the next movie will probably be He-Man, and it's probably already in the works (which is rumored to be the case.
First off, let me just say WOW. i am totally crushing on Zach Quinto, i wouldn't call him my type at all, but his love scenes just get under my skin a little bit. The only thing i can figure is that he's got a young Julian McMahon/Leonard Nimoy thing going on, cuz WOW. This year he has slowly become one of my favorite actors.
Second off, i was trying to avoid spoilers, so the movie totally threw me for a loop. i expected the bad guys to be Klingons, not Romulans from the future sans hair and foreheads (you know the Romulan foreheads had a thing going on in TNG). My biggest issue with this... well i have many. Don't get me wrong, i loved the movie except for the Star Wars animal chase thing that was going on and the fact that it took so long to bring in the theme music, but at this point in Federation history it is my understanding that Starfleet really does not know much of anything about the Romulans (as i recall they had heard of them but never met one face to face--in person or via viewscreen--and no one knew of their cousin genetic relationship with the Vulcans). And there's the big thing about where said Romulans came from because: (spoiler warning)
not only is Kirk's father dead, changing his history, but Vulcan is dead as well, completely changing the historical course of the Alpha Quadrant. This means that characters like Saavik, Tuvok, and other lesser--but no less beloved--Vulcan characters are very likely never to be born. Simply put it changes the entire face of TNG, DS9, and Voyager because all of its characters are likely to be affected like Kirk was in unknown ways (Kirk's father wasn't the only person to die in that conflict, remember the anonymous woman that got sucked into space?). So basically all the TV shows have been erased. It would have been really easy to fix things when the red matter and Romulan ship caused the white nova (what the heck is red matter anyway? i had never heard of it), for it to have caused a reset, or it would have been nice for Kirk and Spock to go forward in time and fix things, but we didn't get that. We get a new universe with the old one most likely so largely changed that it has basically been erased, which is the problem with the new Terminator TV show: they are rewriting history and rendering beloved characters and storylines completely defunct). For instance, this totally erases bringing back Spock in Star Trek III because they can't take him back to Vulcan for that ceremony.
Also, does anyone else find it weird that Vulcan has no colonies already for their people to settle in? They had ALL of their eggs in one basket when they've had warp capability far longer than Humans did? How long is Spock supposed to stay alive and rebuild the Vulcan culture? Is Spock going to find a Vulcan female and do his part or stay with Uhura? Is his intended (T'Pring) dead?
So i guess that's all i have to say about that, i'm still trying to process this, and the movie raised a lot of questions. Winona Ryder as Spock's mom was just wrong. Of course, as soon as i saw the engineer in a red spacesuit... well we all know how that's going to turn out. They took way too long to bring in Scotty, and that little alien: i just kept expecting him to break into dance like an Oompa Loompa. There were a lot of unidentifiable alien races sprinkled throughout this movie, i think there were lots of things in here that were too close to Star Wars for my liking, such as warp looking like hyperspeed and working like jumps in Battlestar Gallactica and Wing Commander. i also don't think that Orion slave women are so liberated this early in the timeline (read Imzadi: the chick in the beginning of that book is strange for her species, and that's like two hundred years later or more).
Incidentally, saw the new Transformers preview, it looks awesome, and the G.I. Joe preview. Once again, Starship Troopers came to mind and how much they royally botched that movie by neglecting to give the grunts the suits they had in the book. It also occurred to me: what movie are they going to make next from an 80's cartoon, Rainbow Brite? Of course, as soon as i said that to Katie, and explained to her what Rainbow Brite was, it occurred to me that the next movie will probably be He-Man, and it's probably already in the works (which is rumored to be the case.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Twilight reviewed
Well i finally saw Twilight at the theater on Thanksgiving Day. It was a bit distracting because of who was sitting behind me and down the row on my right. Both groups were very vocal. The women beside me were bemoaning the fact that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is so far away, and were prone to make appreciative noises while Edward was gracing the screen. The guys behind me were less appreciative (lol), most noticeably when Bella is freaking out about Edward leaving her at the hospital, and is rendered heart wrenchingly speechless as a result.
Let me start by saying that the music and casting in this film was for the most part excellent. I have no major complaints about the movie, but the book is sooooooo much better. In fact, my biggest complaint about the film is that they condensed it too much, leaving out really, really good dialogue and handling the exposition poorly as a result. The movie felt like it was on fastforward, and probably slightly confuses people who don't know the books in some ways.
So i guess i feel compelled to list what my complaints are, along with what i liked about the movie. In a very minor way, Bella's house, father, and the Cullen's house is nothing like what i pictured, which isn't necessarily bad, it's just different. James was very weak, and also annoying. The scene in the ballet studio was too short, and also a bit campy with the dancing around the fire. There were many things that were slightly changed, that left me feeling wrong, such as the way Bella's leg is broken, how James doesn't feel any bloodlust when Bella is bleeding, and how he bites her on the forearm, not her hand. Carlisle having to order Edward to stop because Bella's blood is clean and he's killing her was also just wrong. There are lots of little things in the film like this that they just did not need to change and weakened the film. In fact, the movie ended up feeling like a rough draft with large parts left out, nowhere near ready to be filmed, let alone on the screen.
My biggest complaint, i think, is the accident in the school parking lot. TPTB didn't make it obvious that Tyler's van had slid on ice and Charlie was sort of over the top with how hostile he was. More importantly, they changed details far too much; in the book, Edward not only stopped the van, he lifted it off Bella and adjusted her position so it wouldn't pin her beneath it. She also hit her head, and he didn't abandon her. As the scene stands in the movie, it is completely inexplicable how she could have survived from the perspective of a bystander, because Edward didn't "push her out of the way;" the van apparently miraculously stopped just short of hitting her and inexplicably acquired a dent in the process. In other words, movie Edward majorly botched things, while book Edward actually handled things more smoothly.
That said, there were things from the movie that i enjoyed, and of course wanted to see more of. The Cullen household is a good example, despite campy repeatings of "we'll tear him apart and burn the pieces." Alice, in particular, was awesome, from start to finish: dancing with Jasper in the cafeteria, walking on the branch and stepping into the kitchen, pitching the baseball, seeing the vision in the hotel and fighting the urge to drink Bella's blood in the ballet studio. Ashley Greene is perfect in Alice's shoes, i really regret that they totally cut large parts of her story out, though i will admit that her backstory wasn't integral to the plot. i definitely would have loved to see more of the Cullens.
There was so little character development in the film that i'm afraid that people who haven't read the book aren't going to understand at all the depth of the bond between Edward and Bella, or his bloodlust, nor Carlisle's full history. The biggest complaint i have read from reviewers is of course the usual one, that the Cullens are too perfect to identify with (rather like complaints i have heard in the past about Lost in Space). i do not struggle with this at all... i mean, if i was by some "accident" turned into a vampire, would i just surrender to my "nature" (as most vampires do in vampire stories)? No, i would be like Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens, i would be at odds with and fight against those urges. Which is why i don't generally like the vampire genre, to be perfectly honest: Van Hellsing stunk for the most part and MSC's production of Dracula was horrible, i was so glad after seeing it that i hadn't been cast in it, i would have been so embarrassed to be in such a lame play. i guess the trouble is that most people don't fight against their sinful nature anymore, but from a Christian (or Mormon) standpoint, the Cullens are much more realistic than any other vampires we've ever read about or seen. That's in part why i like the Underworld series as well, Selene is not a mindless killer, she doesn't want to murder humans, she quenches her thirst by visiting a blood bank, etc.
The whole diner bit was annoying, but i liked Stephenie Meyer's cameo. i hadn't been expecting it at all. i have no idea why they made Bella go in that stupid bookstore (again, not what happened in the book) instead of letting Jacob tell her that the Cullens are vampires like he was supposed to. Edward revealed far too much to Bella far too early as a result, it makes much more sense in the book when she knows what Edward is when she gets in the car and guesses that he can read minds, etc. For some reason TPTB forgot that Edward and Bella were supposed to be tucked into a secluded corner of the restaurant, left them smack dab in the middle, and cut out lots and lots of character development that really would have helped the film so very much. The meadow scene, while okay, just turned out to be a bit lame as a result. In fact, Bella's angry walk into the woods, when Edward cannot read her mind, just doesn't really make sense. The planned date to the meadow (in the book) does... in fact, it is perhaps the most integral scene in the book because it was Stephenie's dream of said scene that inspired her to write Twilight.
They did capture Edward's self loathing, but he just seemed a little too much of a whiner. i was really relieved that they didn't cast Hayden Christensen but it still felt like Rob Patterson was trying to channel him (a la Ani in Star Wars II and III). Ugh, my review is coming across really harsh. So... in conclusion, great casting for the most part, sub par script, slightly jarring cinematography, excellent music, overall it was okay, but could have been so, so much better.
It doesn't surprise me that people who haven't read the books think that the movie stinks, i would too, would shrug it off as yet another lame teen chick flick. Stephenie Meyer's is such a better writer than that, she doesn't deserve her incredible book being hacked up like this. i'll write more if i see the movie again, but right now i'm just feeling a bit let down and complained more than i meant to as a result.
Let me start by saying that the music and casting in this film was for the most part excellent. I have no major complaints about the movie, but the book is sooooooo much better. In fact, my biggest complaint about the film is that they condensed it too much, leaving out really, really good dialogue and handling the exposition poorly as a result. The movie felt like it was on fastforward, and probably slightly confuses people who don't know the books in some ways.
So i guess i feel compelled to list what my complaints are, along with what i liked about the movie. In a very minor way, Bella's house, father, and the Cullen's house is nothing like what i pictured, which isn't necessarily bad, it's just different. James was very weak, and also annoying. The scene in the ballet studio was too short, and also a bit campy with the dancing around the fire. There were many things that were slightly changed, that left me feeling wrong, such as the way Bella's leg is broken, how James doesn't feel any bloodlust when Bella is bleeding, and how he bites her on the forearm, not her hand. Carlisle having to order Edward to stop because Bella's blood is clean and he's killing her was also just wrong. There are lots of little things in the film like this that they just did not need to change and weakened the film. In fact, the movie ended up feeling like a rough draft with large parts left out, nowhere near ready to be filmed, let alone on the screen.
My biggest complaint, i think, is the accident in the school parking lot. TPTB didn't make it obvious that Tyler's van had slid on ice and Charlie was sort of over the top with how hostile he was. More importantly, they changed details far too much; in the book, Edward not only stopped the van, he lifted it off Bella and adjusted her position so it wouldn't pin her beneath it. She also hit her head, and he didn't abandon her. As the scene stands in the movie, it is completely inexplicable how she could have survived from the perspective of a bystander, because Edward didn't "push her out of the way;" the van apparently miraculously stopped just short of hitting her and inexplicably acquired a dent in the process. In other words, movie Edward majorly botched things, while book Edward actually handled things more smoothly.
That said, there were things from the movie that i enjoyed, and of course wanted to see more of. The Cullen household is a good example, despite campy repeatings of "we'll tear him apart and burn the pieces." Alice, in particular, was awesome, from start to finish: dancing with Jasper in the cafeteria, walking on the branch and stepping into the kitchen, pitching the baseball, seeing the vision in the hotel and fighting the urge to drink Bella's blood in the ballet studio. Ashley Greene is perfect in Alice's shoes, i really regret that they totally cut large parts of her story out, though i will admit that her backstory wasn't integral to the plot. i definitely would have loved to see more of the Cullens.
There was so little character development in the film that i'm afraid that people who haven't read the book aren't going to understand at all the depth of the bond between Edward and Bella, or his bloodlust, nor Carlisle's full history. The biggest complaint i have read from reviewers is of course the usual one, that the Cullens are too perfect to identify with (rather like complaints i have heard in the past about Lost in Space). i do not struggle with this at all... i mean, if i was by some "accident" turned into a vampire, would i just surrender to my "nature" (as most vampires do in vampire stories)? No, i would be like Carlisle and the rest of the Cullens, i would be at odds with and fight against those urges. Which is why i don't generally like the vampire genre, to be perfectly honest: Van Hellsing stunk for the most part and MSC's production of Dracula was horrible, i was so glad after seeing it that i hadn't been cast in it, i would have been so embarrassed to be in such a lame play. i guess the trouble is that most people don't fight against their sinful nature anymore, but from a Christian (or Mormon) standpoint, the Cullens are much more realistic than any other vampires we've ever read about or seen. That's in part why i like the Underworld series as well, Selene is not a mindless killer, she doesn't want to murder humans, she quenches her thirst by visiting a blood bank, etc.
The whole diner bit was annoying, but i liked Stephenie Meyer's cameo. i hadn't been expecting it at all. i have no idea why they made Bella go in that stupid bookstore (again, not what happened in the book) instead of letting Jacob tell her that the Cullens are vampires like he was supposed to. Edward revealed far too much to Bella far too early as a result, it makes much more sense in the book when she knows what Edward is when she gets in the car and guesses that he can read minds, etc. For some reason TPTB forgot that Edward and Bella were supposed to be tucked into a secluded corner of the restaurant, left them smack dab in the middle, and cut out lots and lots of character development that really would have helped the film so very much. The meadow scene, while okay, just turned out to be a bit lame as a result. In fact, Bella's angry walk into the woods, when Edward cannot read her mind, just doesn't really make sense. The planned date to the meadow (in the book) does... in fact, it is perhaps the most integral scene in the book because it was Stephenie's dream of said scene that inspired her to write Twilight.
They did capture Edward's self loathing, but he just seemed a little too much of a whiner. i was really relieved that they didn't cast Hayden Christensen but it still felt like Rob Patterson was trying to channel him (a la Ani in Star Wars II and III). Ugh, my review is coming across really harsh. So... in conclusion, great casting for the most part, sub par script, slightly jarring cinematography, excellent music, overall it was okay, but could have been so, so much better.
It doesn't surprise me that people who haven't read the books think that the movie stinks, i would too, would shrug it off as yet another lame teen chick flick. Stephenie Meyer's is such a better writer than that, she doesn't deserve her incredible book being hacked up like this. i'll write more if i see the movie again, but right now i'm just feeling a bit let down and complained more than i meant to as a result.
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