Star Trek Into Darkness ★★★★

BOLDLY GOING WHERE IT’S GONE BEFORE

Opens in Australia: 9^th May 2013; USA 15^th May; UK 9^th May

Other Countries: Release Information  

 

In forty-seven years since the launch of the original three-season series, ‘Star Trek’ has sparked five television series including an animation, eleven motion pictures and a fan base that continues to grow.  

 I grew up a trekkie. As a child of the sixties it was one of my favorite  shows. Then, oh joy, oh bliss, came ‘Star Trek Next Generation’ and all the fabulous follow-on series after and then the series of eighties and nineties movies.  In my previous life the company I owned even sponsored the eleven p.m. Thursday night series of ‘Star Trek Voyager.’  It was pretty cheap to run ads at that time of night.  So, this reboot was always on my must see list. 

The 2009 J.J. Abrams first ‘Star Trek’ reboot film was a hoot and despite my concerns after Abram’s ‘Lost’ series finale letdown, he managed to deliver a great start to the new series.  Also, too, was the fun of watching the new younger versions step into their iconic sixties characters. That guy who plays Doc really looks like the original doesn’t he?  So, I was bouncing in my seat for ‘Into Darkness’. 

In this voyage we are immediately thrown into a mission going wrong when, in order to save Spock, the crew must expose their existence to the primitive inhabitants of a planet; a no, no on the prime directive.  This sets up the exploration of the complex friendship between Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto).

Subsequently, Kirk is relieved of his duty and demoted to first officer on another ship and Spock (Zachary Quinto) is also re-assigned.  However, during a Star Fleet headquarters meeting they are attacked by a new super nemesis, mysterious intergalactic terrorist John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch).  Kirk is re-commissioned by Star Fleet Admiral (Peter Weller) to gather his original crew to take off in pursuit of the terrorist who has wreaked havoc and killed some of the nearest and dearest of Star Fleet.  The truth they discover when they find Harrison is not what they are expecting.

Returning to The Enterprise is the crew that brought it so viscerally to life in the original, Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy, Simon Pegg as Chief Engineer “Scotty” Scott, Zoe Saldana as Communications Officer Uhura, John Cho as Helmsman Hikaru Sulu, Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov and Bruce Greenwood as Admiral Christopher Pike.

Whilst it is an enjoyable blockbuster, it didn’t beam me up as I’d hoped.  Some of it felt like a bunch of scenes we have seen before mashed together; one I think taken from the 1982 ‘Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan’ but with a reversal of characters.

Gene Rodenberry’s (the original creator of Star Trek) vision of the future was one of optimism and hope.  He created Star Trek to explore charged political topics such as racism, greed, and violence and as an exemplar of how much is achieved when we work together for the betterment of all and not just expansion of power. He had an unusual optimism of the future considering the cold-war, nuclear fearful era in which he lived.

I think it is the lack of optimism where the problem lies for me in ‘Into Darkness’.  Whilst there is much to enjoy here and most Trekkies and sci-fi buffs will revel in it, for me it is missing that special ingredient.  However, regardless it’s still a must see because let’s face it any Star Trek is better than no Star Trek. 

 Are you a trekkie and what do you think of the reboot franchise?

Weekly Review Round Up 11th May 2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

This week a smart romance I loved in A PLACE FOR ME, we go disappointingly where we’ve gone before with STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS, a laughable thriller in THE CALL and an English family drama that’s almost there in BROKEN

 (My movie Pick of the week)

A PLACE FOR ME (aka STUCK IN LOVE)
★★★★^½
Opens in Australia: 16^th May
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

Sometimes you are watching a film, and it’s a small film (no explosions, CGI) with actors just portraying everyday people enduring everyday struggles like divorce, teenagers, failures in career, and instead of watching, you are drawn into something special. That is this film.

There are moments, especially with the young leads where you hold your breath the performances and script are that good.  You are inside their heads without them saying a word.  My sister and my cousin came with me to this and both loved it too.  It’s funny but not hilarious, moving but not over-sentimental. Choose this one if you want to see master storytellers make magic.

STUDIO BLURB

Three years past his divorce, veteran novelist Bill Borgens (Academy Award (R) nominee Greg Kinnear) can't stop obsessing over, let alone spying on, his ex-wife Erica (Academy Award (R) winner Jennifer Connelly), who ignominiously left him for another man. Even as his neighbor-with-benefits, Tricia (Kristen Bell) tries to push him back into the dating pool, he remains blind to anyone else's charms. Meanwhile, his fiercely independent collegiate daughter Samantha (Lily Collins) is publishing her  first novel while recoiling at the very thought of first love with a diehard romantic (Logan Lerman); and his teen son Rusty (Nat Wolff) is trying to find his voice, both as a fantasy writer and as the unexpected boyfriend of a dream girl with unsettlingly real problems. As each of these situations mounts into a tangled trio of romantic holiday crises, it brings the Borgens to surprising revelations about how endings become beginnings. (c) Millenium

STAR TREK: INTO DARKNESS ★★★★

Opens in Australia: 9th May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

OUR THOUGHTS

Let me say up from I am a trekkie. One of my fave shows in the sixties was Star Trek and then, oh joy, oh bliss, came Star Trek Next Generation and all the fab follow on series after that and the series of eighties and nineties movies.  In my previous life my company even sponsored the 11pm Thursday night series of Star Trek Voyager.  It was pretty cheap to run ads at that time of night.  So, this reboot was always on my must see list. 

The 2009 J.J. Abrams first Star Trek was such a thrill and despite my concerns after Abrams LOST series finale letdown, he managed to deliver a great start to the new series.  It was such great fun watching the new younger versions step into their iconic sixties characters. That guy who plays Doc really looks like the original doesn't he?

So, I was bouncing in my seat for Into Darkness.  And it was good but it wasn't beaming me up as I’d hoped.  It felt like a bunch of scenes I had seen before mashed together.  I think one of the scenes was even taken from the 1982 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan but with a reversal of the characters.

Gene Rodenberry the original creator of Star Trek’s vision of the future was one of optimism and hope.  He created Star Trek as the perfect example of how much can be achieved when beings come together for the betterment of everyone and not just expansion of power. And I think it is the lack of optimism where the problem lies for me in INTO DARKNESS.  Whilst there is much to enjoy here and I am sure most Trekkies will love it and most Sci-fi buffs will revel, for me it is missing that special ingredient.  I’ve rated it high though because lets face it any Star Trek is better than no Star Trek. 

STUDIO BLURB

  J.J. Abrams delivers an explosive action thriller that takes 'Star Trek Into Darkness.' When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew. (c) Paramount

The Call ★

Opens in Australia: 16th May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  

OUR THOUGHTS

The first fifteen minutes of this are tense whilst they set up the plot.  You will think I don’t want to sleep alone tonight.  But by the end you will be laughing into your popcorn bucket.   The preview audience was killing themselves laughing and guffawing at the outrageous behaviour of the characters which became progressively ludicrous. The serial killer was insanely overplayed and somehow they managed to make Halle Berry look most unattractive. What on earth were they thinking?

The Director Brad Anderson has actually directed some very good television series episodes of some of my favourite shows (The Killing, Boardwalk Empire, Fringe), so I can only imagine that he directed this via Skype and the actor’s simply misunderstood.

Please hang up on this one.  You will be wasting your dime.

STUDIO BLURB

When veteran 911 operator, Jordan (Halle Berry), takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl (Abigail Breslin) who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl's life. (c) Sony

Broken   ★★★
Opens in Australia: 16^th May
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

A great premise, that one random lie and the reaction to that lie, can begin a domino effect that changes everything for three families living in an English cul-de-sac.  The acting is spot on and the little girl who plays Skunk the main character, Eloise Lawrence, is simply amazing.  The end is shocking when all the threads are brought together, however it just didn’t pack the punch it promised. Still an interesting indie film but maybe a DVD watch, unless you are a massive Tim Roth fan.  He’s always so good isn’t he?

STUDIO BLURB

Skunk is 11, diabetic, and pretty cool. The summer holidays have just begun and her days are full of easy hopes. Then Mr. Oswald, the ugly man who lives opposite, beats up Rick, the sweet, but unstable boy next door and Skunk's innocence begins to be drained away at a speed and in a way she cannot control. Her home, her neighborhood, her school - all become treacherous environments where the happy certainties of childhood give way to a fear-filled doubt, and a complex, broken world fills her future. Skunk seeks solace in the last remaining place where she knows she can find it - the unspoken friendship with sweet, damaged Rick - and falls into a chaos where suddenly, joyfully, she has choice thrust back into her hands. The choice to remain in this place she was never promised, or to leave it entirely - to live or to die

Weekly Film Review Round-Up 4th May 2013

THIS WEEK'S PREVIEWS

This week the best drama you will see this year, an Aussie surfie flick with great heart, a moral drama that fails to ignite my morals and I get my Ryan Gosling fix.

(My movie Pick of the week)

The Hunt ★★★★★
Opens in Australia: 2^nd May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

You will watch this film with your hand covering your mouth. This could happen to anyone and that makes it a horror film.  Mads Mikkelsen who gives a thrilling performance in everything (catch him at the moment in the Hannibal TV series) is extraordinary as the innocent teacher accused of paedophilia.  The blurb about this film is correct—it is the best drama you will see this year at the cinema.  The Danes certainly know how to craft their films.  My suggestion is don’t miss it.  It will frighten you forever how easily your life can be stripped from you. 

STUDIO BLURB

        Mads Mikkelsen (NBC's Hannibal, A ROYAL AFFAIR, CASINO ROYALE) won the Best Actor Award at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival for his penetrating portrayal of Lucas, a former school teacher who has been forced to start over having overcome a tough divorce and the loss of his job. Just as things are starting to go his way, his life is shattered when an untruthful remark throws his small community into a collective state of hysteria. As the lie spreads, Lucas is forced to fight a lonely fight for his life and dignity. (c) Magnolia

DRIFT ★★★^½
Opens in Australia: 2^nd May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information

OUR THOUGHTS

I wasn’t going to see DRIFT. Surfie Culture was something I dabbled in (I lived near the Gold Coast so it was compulsory) when I was seventeen but I have long moved on from that. But a reviewer friend whispered in my ear that it really was worth getting off my comfy couch to see. And he was right.  It is indeed a film with heart considering it’s a debut for the filmmakers. Very much a quintessential Aussie story, it was good to see big name stars like Sam Worthington grace our humble WA shores to bring this one to the screen.  The surfing shots are quite incredible.  If you love surfing and the culture, then this one is a no-brainer.  If you don’t enjoy sand in your hair but love a good little story with some great acting check it out.  West Australian talent shows the Hollywood studios how to do it.

STUDIO BLURB

Australia. 1970s. The Kelly brothers Andy and Jimmy, both in their twenties, have one great passion: riding big waves. They’ve honed their surfing skills in the sleepy WA town of Seacliffe near Margaret River, which hosts some of the world’s most challenging and dangerous waves. Knowing how to shape the perfect board and encouraged by new friends, the brothers quit their jobs and launch a backyard surf gear business.  They rethink traditional design, craft homemade wetsuits and sell their wares out of the back of their van. But their new found success is threatened when Jimmy gets mixed up with a local biker gang. Set in breathtaking locations and inspired by the true story of Australia’s legendary surfwear companies, Drift inspiringly charts the transformation of surfing’s laidback lifestyle into a global phenomenon. It’s a story told through a personal tale of passion, courage, friendship and fractured loyalties.

Promised Land ★★★

Opens in Australia: 2^nd May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information  
IN Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

A few years ago I saw the documentary, GASLAND (and if you haven’t seen it, do catch it on DVD or pay TV). It made me so angry.  These poor farmers’ livelihoods are destroyed by this crazy mining practice, Fracking.  Fracking has come to Australia too, even to WA. So, I expected to feel the same way with this dramatization of that story.  However, whilst it was a reasonable film, it just didn’t grab me by the jugular and make me want to march in a parade to Parliament House.  The Director Gus Van Sant’s previous work, MILK, did so that made it more of a disappointment.  It’s more of a tele-movie and  a bit of a waste of some of my favourite actors. Whilst watching Frances McDormand on screen I kept wishing I was re-watching the fabulous FARGO instead.  Didn't deliver on its promise.

STUDIO BLURB

Promised Land is the new contemporary drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate salesman who is sent along with his partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company's expansion plans. With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company's offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (John Krasinski), as well as the interest of a local woman (Rosemarie DeWitt). Promised Land explores America at the crossroads where big business and the strength of small-town community converge.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES  ★★★^½ 
Opens in Australia: 9^th May 2013
Other Countries: Release Information
Perth, Australia: See at Luna Cinemas

OUR THOUGHTS

First up let me say that I am partial to the Gosling.  He cannot do anything wrong in my books. I’ll tolerate the worst movie just to watch him because he lifts anything out of the quagmire of average and elevates it to watchable.  And that may be the problem here.  It’s a good movie and it will no doubt haunt viewers long afterwards with the idea that the mistakes of any parent may be visited upon the children.  However, Gosling is so good that he leaves a big gap to fill for Bradley Cooper in the second half of the film, and I don’t think Cooper is quite up to the job.  Still, it’s a solid—if not a little too long—drama.   

STUDIO BLURB

The highly anticipated new drama from director Derek Cianfrance ("Blue Valentine") powerfully explores the consequences of motorcycle rider Luke's (Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling) fateful decision to commit a crime to support his child. The incident renders him targeted by policeman Avery (Golden Globe Award nominee Bradley Cooper), and the two men become locked on a tense collision course which will have a devastating impact on both of their families in the years following. (c) Focus

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