MOVIE REVIEW: STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more as Rey, Finn and Poe Dameron's journey continues. With the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the final battle commences.

Director: J.J. Abrams

Cast: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams

Release Date: December 13, 2019

Genres: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action

Runtime: 2h 21min

Review:

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a hefty checklist of things it needs to accomplish while closing out the Star Wars franchise at least the Skywalker saga.  For some reason, J.J. Abrams decides to do it in the most perfunctory way possible.  Massive reveals, which come out of left field with regularity, occur throughout but none of it is particularly engaging.   It would have been nice if there was some sort of mystery or intrigue but Abrams and the screenwriters seem strangely disinterested creating any sort of tension at any point during the proceedings.  As such, we move from set piece after set piece where we get some well choreographed Star Wars action, rinse and repeat for 2 and half hours.  Sadly, after this happens a few times you really just don’t care anymore.  The dialogue shuffles between believable to outright corny leaving the characters feeling more artificial than organic.  The cast does what it can with the characters delivering infrequent moments of life.  Daisy Ridley who seems continuously sweaty leads the film as best she can.  Her character has always been a bit of cipher mainly because she never feels like anything more than rehash of Luke’s story line, something compounded by story choices here.  Ultimately she’s nothing more than a Luke clone in Capri pants and space Uggs.  Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is even more uninteresting this go around.  The insistence on having his angry emo boy be the primary menace in this trilogy has always left me confused.  There’s never been much intrigue in his character much less any sort of palpable sense menace or real threat.  John Boyega and Oscar Isaac do what they can with their screen time but suffer from poor writing that never let them develop memorable characters.  You can sense Isaac trying bring a spark of life to Poe in this film but it’s never maintained for a sustained amount of time.  As such, we watch everyone go through the motions and move the plot from one spot to another with a sense of inevitability as opposed to wonder. Sure it’s great to see the late Carrie Fisher on screen one last time but even her scenes aren’t nearly as moving as they should be, possibly because you can feels Abrams building story around these bits of old footage for the sake of inclusion.  All this should have been moving but it never hits with the emotional impact much like this final entry overall. 

C-

Cindy Prascik's Review of Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Dearest Blog: yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas to see--you guessed it!--Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers. 

 

In a post-Empire galaxy far, far away, the resistance fights the tyrannical rule of the First Order. Dear Reader(s): Is there anything quite so magical as being in a dark theatre when that crawl starts and the iconic Star Wars theme kicks on? 

 

I think not. Fortunately, Star Wars: The Force Awakens is extraordinary from the theme's opening note to the end credits' final line. The Force Awakens is littered with enough nostalgia to keep the die-hards happy, but it's far from just a stroll down memory lane. 

 

The new story and new characters fit the universe with nary a hiccup, well crafted enough to stand on their own without upsetting the whole galactic applecart. New leads Daisy Ridley and John Boyega (Attack the Block...YEAH!) are so terrific the naysayers will be forced to come 'round, if they haven't already, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a little teary through the biggest smiles ever when my old favorites appeared. 

 

The Force Awakens has terrific effects that seem to come right off the screen, even in 2D, and it goes without saying the score is majestic. 

 

The movie's a hair on the long side, but that's a minor quibble with a picture that manages to please old and new fans alike, garner nearly universal support for a very polarizing director, and effectively redefine Hollywood's definition of "blockbuster." Star Wars: The Force Awakens runs 135 minutes and is rated PG13 for "sci-fi action violence." 

 

That rare item that lives up to the hype, of a possible nine Weasleys, Star Wars: The Force Awakens gets eight and a half. (Small bonus for having an actual Weasley in the cast!) Also, I want a BB-8!! 

 

Until next time... 

 

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKEN

In this continuation of the epic space opera, a downed stormtrooper (John Boyega) goes on a journey that brings him face-to-face with heroes from the past (Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill). Directed by J.J. Abrams. ~ Violet LeVoit, Rovi

Director: J.J. Abrams

Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Harrison Ford, 

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher

Release Date: Dec 17, 2015

Rated PG-13

Runtime: 2 hr. 16 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is probably one of the most hyped movies in recent memory and the question quickly arises, can it possibly live up to the hype.  It does to a certain extent but it’s far from a perfect delivery.  The good news is that J.J. Abrams brings back the sense of fun and wonderment to the series that was sorely lacking from the prequels.  Abrams has a clear affection for the franchise, countless youtube videos will soon be dedicated to dissecting shots that reference the original trilogy, and it shines through the screen and through the plot.  It’s both a love letter to Star Wars: A New Hope and a redux of it.  Even if the nostalgia is a bit much at times, Abrams knows how to keep the film fun with plenty of space battles and adventure.  The new and old characters mesh surprisingly well even if the Daisy Ridley and John Boyega scale closer to Luke Skywalker than Han Solo.  Boyega does stand out with his comedic timing which is used throughout the film.  A persistently sweaty Ridley does a solid if unremarkable job.  Oscar Isaac on the other hand plays the most intriguing new character in the film.  He’s so impressive that you can’t help but wish that he was the main character instead of a supporting one.  The returning cast does well as expected with Harrison Ford impressively easing back into his Solo character and providing a solid center to the whole film.  Adam Driver on the other hand is a mixed bag as the new baddie Kylo Ren.  He’s world more effective when he’s in full character.  The mystique they work to create during the first two acts is kind thrown to the wayside when he’s unmasked and we’re left with an all too familiar whiny child with Driver’s face.  This is part of the persistent problem with the film, it lack any real surprise because it telegraphs “surprises” from miles away.  The only way you’d really not see them coming would be if you showed up late or fell asleep for some reason.  That’s not even to mention the Death Star, hey lets make it huge this time that’ll work, device that used again.  Still, even with it’s faults The Force Awakens delivers what people expected from the prequels, a fun adventure back in this universe.

B+

Cindy Prascik’s Review of Star Trek Into Darkness

Dearest Blog, today I set out for the cinema to see the much-anticipated sequel Star Trek Into Darkness.
An attack on Starfleet HQ sends Kirk and company after the terrifying culprit and into peril...erm...darkness.
Spoiler level here will be mild.

First, dear reader(s), a couple disclaimers. Been awhile since I've needed a review disclaimer, so here are two to make up for lost time.

1.) I am not deeply invested in Star Trek lore. The series was always on at my house when we were growing up, and I love the 2009 reboot with the fire of a thousand suns, but there's...uh...let's say a 90% chance that anything non-canon would go right over my head, and there's a 100% chance that it wouldn't bother me even if I noticed.

2.) The cast of the 2009 Star Trek flick is one of my top five movie casts of all time. I stalk red carpet footage, watch hour upon hour of interviews, and use their photocall shots as my desktop wallpaper. I love them as I love my dearest friends, and there's no doubt that affection colors my opinion of their movies.
That out of the way, I loooooooooooved Star Trek Into Darkness!

My beloved cast does not let me down. There's screen chemistry to spare between Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, and both have ample opportunity to showcase their dramatic and comedic chops. Simon Pegg has a bit more to do this time 'round, and more Simon Pegg is always better than less Simon Pegg. Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin are once again solid, exceedingly likeable, and exceedingly easy on the eyes. If I resent having to put up with Alice Eve and Aisha Hinds, it's more than outweighed by the awesomeness that is Benedict Cumberbatch. His performance is magnetic. Those who aren't yet fans (what's wrong with you???) surely will be by the end of 2013!

Star Trek Into Darkness has big, loud effects that, at times, had me jumping out of my seat. Per usual, I did a 2D show, but I'm confident several scenes must be absolutely stunning in 3D, almost certainly worth the upcharge and stupid-glasses headache.

What really makes this film special is the relationships among the characters. Sure, it's a wild ride, complete with terrific effects, amazing ships, shootouts, mortal peril, and crazy, futuristic weapons, but it's the great affection among the crew, and their faith in one another, that gives Star Trek Into Darkness its heart, and makes it better than your average summer sci-fi blockbuster.

Star Trek Into Darkness clocks in at 132 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence." I'm always complaining about movies being too long, but I could easily have sat through another two hours of this one.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, I'm giving Star Trek Into Darkness eight and a half, and officially naming it the best film of 2013 so far.

Until next time...




Perfect cast is perfect.

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

The Star Trek franchise continues with this follow-up to 2009's J.J. Abrams-directed reboot. Abrams returns to direct from a script by Damon Lindelof and the writing team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. The crew of the Enterprise engages in an epic battle of good versus evil after being summoned home, only to discover Starfleet in ruins, and they venture into a war zone to find the powerful villain (Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch) responsible for the devastation. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: J.J. Abrams

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zoe Saldana.

Release Date: May 16, 2013

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence.

Runtime: 2 hr. 12 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

4 years ago J.J. Abrams restarted the Trek universe by moving it into an alternate time in order remove the burden of years of mythology to deal with. His new version was fun and had a certain pop while removing most of the subtext in most of the classic Trek shows and movies. As a long time fan of Star Trek I’ve had a weird relationship with the reboot because I like it but never warmed up to it as much as new fans. Still, I was interested in seeing where Abrams would take the franchise with the opportunity to blaze his own trail and tell his own stories. Star Trek Into Darkness delivers all the visual spectacle and massive action set pieces (a duel space flight and the Enterprise’s out of control decent to Earth in particular stand) to appease the summer blockbuster hordes. The story this go around is darker, duh, and more nuanced with plenty of real world parallels readily evident. Long time fans will have plenty to geek out over like redesigned Klingons, Birds of Prey and if you look carefully the Enterprise NX-01 and Zefram Cochrane's warp ship. Needless to say, there’s plenty of fan service throughout the film. Unfortunately, there are a multitude of issues with the film. While the over all plot is better the script itself is a disappointment. A large chunk of the dialogue sounds incredibly clunky with some of the speeches sounding kind of silly. Chris Pine, who did a solid job in the original film, is rather wooden this time around. There are times where his line delivery just comes off as disinterested. Zachary Quinto fares much better but it’s not on the same level as his debut as Spock. Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Simon Pegg and to a smaller extent Anton Yelchin get moments to shine but they are in the background more often than not. Benedict Cumberbatch delivers the best performance of the bunch with his bellowing voice used to maximum villainous effect here. His character is the crux of a major twist. Sadly, said twist is so obvious that most people should be able to figure it out in the first act if not earlier. It’s a common theme as there are numerous moments that the filmmakers clearly expect to make a huge impact but they fail because it’s all so obvious. For a reboot series that tried so hard to tear itself away from it’s past, a lot of this feels incredibly familiar. I could go through a list of films that it borrows from but I’d spoil most of the plot. New fans should find plenty to enjoy and I did like it more often than not but not nearly as much as I did the first time around.

C+

[Trailer] Star Trek Into Darkness

We get our first glimpse of the upcoming reboot sequel via this "announcement" trailer, as a life long Trek fan I’m still not sure what to make of it. I enjoyed the reboot but it lacked a true Trek feel, we’ll see if this one can capture that as of right now it looks like a big action tent pole film….

The Star Trek franchise continues with this follow-up to 2009's J.J. Abrams-directed reboot. Abrams returns to direct from a script by Damon Lindelof and the writing team of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. The crew of the Enterprise engages in an epic battle of good versus evil after being summoned home to discover Starfleet in ruins, and venturing into a war zone to find the powerful villain (Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch) responsible for the devastation. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi





Japanese trailer below has a bit of extra footage which hints that they might be doing a version of a classic Trek film…



Full new trailer

Movie Reviews: STAR TREK

Friday, May 08, 2009
Movie Reviews: STAR TREK
IN THEATERS
STAR TREK

From director J.J. Abrams ("Mission: Impossible III," "Lost" and "Alias"), producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk and screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman ("Transformers," "MI: III") comes a new vision of the greatest space adventure of all time, "Star Trek," featuring a young, new crew venturing boldly where no one has gone before.

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban

Director: J.J. Abrams

Opened May 7, 2009

Runtime: 2 hr. 6 min.

Rated PG-13 for violence, sci-fi action and brief sexual content

Genres: Space Adventure, Science Fiction

Review:

First let me preface this review that I’ve been a Trek fan since I was kid and started watching ST: The Next Generation in 87’. Since then I’ve watched any and every incarnation of Trek that’s come out, good or bad. Needless to say I may be a bit biased in my view of J.J. Abrams redux. Regardless I’ll give it my best shot. J.J. Abrams has created a new “version” of classic Trek which now comes in an easy to swallow pill for the uninitiated. First off it’s not a reboot in the truest sense as the script uses a few of Trek’s biggest crutches, time traveling and alternate realities, to give us this fresh version of Star Trek. From the opening sequence we get a great sense of what’s in store. An impressive space battle filled with the type of frenzied combat that has rarely been seen in Trek before. The action is well choreographed and briskly paced. The classic phaser beams from the starships have been replaced with pulse shots which resemble Star Wars a tad more. As a result, the space battles are quicker and more like dog fights as opposed to the classic submarine feel. Its effect and engaging, grabbling the audience from the start. J.J. Abrams makes it clear from the start that his version of Trek would have a higher focus on action as opposed to the cerebral aspect of Roddenberry’s original concept. In this version we don’t get long philosophical monologues about the prime directive or any high sounding concepts. In doing so Abrams streamlines the overall concept and make the film a more visceral experience as opposed to a cerebral one. The space battles are massive set pieces clearly benefiting from the greatly improved budget, when compared to the previous Trek films. The technical aspects are deftly handled giving the audience all it can handle in each engagement. Needless to say, Abram’s does a great job at the helm giving the general audience something fun and easily digestible throughout. Scripting from his long time collaborators Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman does a fine job of giving hardcore fans plenty of tidbits and throwaway lines that’ll make them grin while never folding too deeply into Trek’s massive mythology. That being said, the script is a weak point as it relies on very traditional Star Trek devices and antagonist. The overall plot is a rehash from countless other Trek stories from the movies and shows. The villain and his motivations are just as familiar. The fresh faced cast gives the script a much needed lift and most turn in very impressive performances considering the task at hand. Chris Pine was tasked with the toughest task of turning in a fresh approach to Shatner’s Kirk. Pine turns in a solid if slightly uneven performance. There are moments were channels Shatner’s charisma and charm and other times he just misses the mark. Thankfully he succeeds more than he fails and makes a fine Kirk and never falls into parody. Zachary Quinto delivers a measured performance, his younger version of Spock brims with emotions ready to bubble up at any moment. Karl Urban truly channels the late Deforest Kelly in his turn as Doctor McCoy. It’s a fun performance that recalls all of Kelly’s fine work but avoids strict imitation. Zoe Saldana gives Uhura a strong sense of self and purpose in limited screen time. Simon Pegg, John Cho & Anton Yelchin are all clearly having fun in their supporting turns as Scotty, Sulu and Chekov. Bruce Greenwood’s turn as Captain Pine, the Enterprise’s first captain, is appropriately serious and fatherly. Ben Cross as Sarek, Spock’s father, misses the mark especially when compared to Mark Lenard’s previous interpretation. He doesn’t do anything new with the role and is mildly forgettable. Eric Bana is straddled with a very traditional Star Trek villain and he does the best he can with it. Bana gives Nero a decent amount of rage but the script doesn’t really allow for much more. Leonard Nimoy’s extended cameo is great giving longtime Trek fans a nice link to this new iteration. Cameo’s by Winona Ryder and Tyler Perry (?) are non invasive and ultimately pointless. As a whole this entire endeavor is a fine example of properly rebooting long running franchises much like the recent James Bond and Batman redux. J.J. Abram’s film walks that fine line, keeping hardcore fandom and the general public happy.

A