Inside a Jon

Wedding Update

2011-03-20T14:54:00.001-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted on my blog! I wanted to give everyone an update on what's been going on with the wedding plans for Maggie and me. We've been very busy in recent months going to various venues, trying to find a good place to have our reception. It's not easy having a wedding in the Washington D.C. area because most of the venues are very expensive!

Maggie and I have our eyes set on a venue and are just waiting for information (Baptism papers and such) to be transferred from the church where Maggie had her Baptism and everything to the one where she attends now. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the church won't release the documents until 6 months prior to the date of our wedding, so we're having to wait for things to fall into place there.

All that said, we have a tentative date, which is Saturday, October 8th. This is both Columbus Day and Canadian Thanksgiving Day weekend. Considering it will be a long weekend for families in both Canada and the U.S., it seemed like the perfect date. We're waiting for things to finalize on the church's end, but we will be able to make an official announcement of our wedding date in the next couple of weeks!

Maggie and I are very excited! We can't wait for October to get here! It's been a long time coming, but we're finally going to be able to start the rest of our lives together!

Star Wars: In Concert

2010-07-30T23:23:00.000-07:00

On June 14th, Maggie and I celebrated the 3-year anniversary of our first date. Hard to believe it's already been 3 years!

Anyway, for our anniversary Maggie wanted to know what to get me. I had been considering a BlueTooth for my phone, but then I saw an ad online for Star Wars: In Concert at the Verizon Center.

I knew what I wanted!

So on July 17th, Maggie and I braved the streets and traffic of Washington D.C. (no small feat for me, considering all the bad luck I've had in the past) and went to the concert. It was incredible! We heard music from all six movies against the backdrop of scenes from each of the movies as Anthony Daniels (C3PO) narrated the storyline of the movies.

The music from the first half was excellent, after all, any Star Wars music is better then most movie music out there. But if got even better once we reached the second half and the music from the original trilogy was pulled out.

Music we heard included:

Star Wars Main Theme
Duel of the Fates (Phantom Menace)
Anakin's Theme (Phantom Menace)
The Little People (Star Wars)
The Flag Parade (Phantom Menace)
Across the Stars (Attack of the Clones)
Battle of the Heroes (Revenge of the Sith)
The Imperial March (Empire Strikes Back)
The Asteroid Belt (Empire Strikes Back)
May the Force Be With You/Cantina Band (Star Wars)
Princess Leia's Theme (Star Wars)
Here They Come! (Star Wars)
Yoda's Theme (Empire Strikes Back)
Luke and Leia (Return of the Jedi)
The Forest Battle (Return of the Jedi)
Light of the Force (Return of the Jedi)
The Throne Room and Finale (Star Wars)

Keeping Up with Ally...Some More

2010-07-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last blogged, but I thought I would post a few more pics of our girl, Ally!

Keeping Up with Ally

2009-11-03T11:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from the summer of Ally! She weighs in at 46.2 pounds and is a fireball of energy! She has quite a funny personality and is a real clown! I'll need to post some videos of her so you can see just how crazy and "clowny" she is!

That's a Big Bird!

2009-10-26T06:40:00.001-07:00

I found this video online and thought I'd share! Talk about a big bird!

"The Show Must Go On."...Or Does It?

2009-07-28T22:55:00.001-07:00

Back in May I posted my thoughts on Jon & Kate Plus Eight, and that considering the severe marriage problems that were taking place between Jon and Kate, the show should be canceled.

Since that post, the show's fifth season premiered on Memorial Day to record ratings in an episode that really didn't answer any questions but showed the severity of the marriage problems of Jon and Kate. In the episode, Jon and Kate interviewed separately, with only a brief 30 second interview segment (that was aired) where they appeared together. Even during the televised 5th birthday party of the kids, Jon and Kate barely interacted with each other, and when they did, the tension was very apparent.

After a half dozen episodes or so, TLC broadcast a 1-hour episode on June 23rd. The episode was originally to be half an hour, but then was quickly re-edited to one hour to fit in a "major" announcement from Jon and Kate. The announcement in the episode was that Jon and Kate were getting divorced.

Since then, Jon has been associated with at least two different women, one of whom he was rumored to have been engaged to, while Kate has been photographed at home with her obviously unhappy 8 children. Since that episode, TLC has not aired any new episodes due to the show being put on hiatus.

As Maggie and I like to watch other shows that are on TLC, we have not seen any previews for any more episodes of this continuously dismal show.

Until tonight. As of August 3rd, new episodes of Jon & Kate + 8 are being aired on TLC at their usual time, with another one-hour special. Despite the collapse of their marriage, Jon and Kate Gosselin have chosen to continue their participation in this show that is leading to the end of their marriage. Even if it was just a question of when their marriage would collapse (which Kate openly admitted in one of her interviews, much to my disgust), it was still probably going to happen. This show only accelerated the dismiss of that marriage, something that Kate will not admit to, even though she admitted it probably would have happened eventually anyway.

My anger over this entire situation is too strong to adequately convey through these means, but all I can say is that Maggie and I have agreed that we are done with this show. Ever since the premiere, each episode was becoming less and less about the kids and the things that they did as episodes in the past had shown and more and more about the destruction of this family.

For that reason, in addition to Jon and Kate continuing the show to make money to "support" their family (or Jon's trips to France with his girlfriends), Maggie and I will no longer be watching this monstrosity.

Some Inspiration for the Day

2009-07-27T19:33:00.000-07:00

I found some inspirational posters that I thought you might enjoy!

The Health Care Debate

2009-07-25T14:40:00.000-07:00

There are two things that have dominated the news lately that, if you've been paying any kind of attention, you couldn't possibly miss. The first of these is the recent death of Michael Jackson. As tragic as that is, I think it's dominated the news headlines long enough. The second news item is the continuing debate on health care, which I feel is definitely news-worthy and should draw more attention from both the media and every American.

The health care debate is a very major one and one that will have impact on the lives of almost every American. There are very strong feelings on this issue, and I feel that it is time for a major overhaul of the American health care system. The system is very flawed, especially when it is hard for so many Americans to get health insurance because they have an existing condition that the health insurance company does not want to cover, or because the costs are too great.

Health insurance in this country grows more and more expensive every year, but wages have not. This is a serious problem that needs serious addressing, and it's frustrating when you have people saying to sink the Democratic health care bill so that it can be Obama's "Waterloo". This is an issue that affects every American, especially 47 million uninsured Americans, and you want to use it to destroy the President's re-election? While that's a discussion for another blog, let me just point out health care sank in 1994 for the Clintons, and he was re-elected in '96.

I was listening to the radio earlier today and I heard something interesting that got me thinking about my own feelings on the issue. I don't know who said it, but I heard someone on the radio say that "health is not a right, it's a privilege".

I disagree with that statement. You mean to say that every American has the right to own a gun that can do harm to another individual, but every American does not have the right to medicine for better health? I do believe that every American should work hard to make a living and not just mooch off the system, but some times no matter how hard you work, it's not enough.

A former co-worker of mine made around $1,000 a month. Her husband was laid off do to cut backs and so they lost their family health care plan. This left her to cover her entire family. The health care plan provided by her job was $700 a month! That's right! That left $300 for bills and anything else until her husband could find a job! She could not afford health care coverage! It wasn't her husband's fault that he got laid off, they were just cutting jobs! They were barely making it by, and who knows what would happen if they had some huge car expense or anything else happen.

I think a fundamental flaw is that the health care industry is all about profit. They make money from the monthly insurance payments, but every time they have to cover an operation or other medical expense, that's less many they get to pocket. They're interested in making profit, so what are they going to do? Find ways, a loophole or anything else, to deny coverage of a costly medical operation so that they can keep the money. They want to make a profit, like any other business.

I don't claim to have all the answers, but I think it would definitely be a great help to take the profit out of the health care industry. That would require quite a lot of reform, and it would be really difficult to accomplish, but I believe the health care industry should be non-profit. If it's non-profit, it removes the need for the health care industry to worry about their investors.

My personal feeling is that health care is a right to everyone, if you choose to accept it. I hope that Obama succeeds in reforming the health care industry, but it will probably take a lot more work then what is going on right now. It's not going to be an overnight fix, but hopefully this will be a start.

I look forward to hearing your opinions on this issue.

Stargate: Universe

2009-07-24T09:47:00.000-07:00

On the side of my blog I've a list of my favorite TV shows. One of the shows I've been debating on whether or not to put on that list is Stargate: SG-1, starring Richard Dean Anderson. I've been slowly making my way through the 1st season and I've seen a number of episodes from the rest of the series. It's been hard for me to make it through the entire first season because it hasn't quite come together for me yet, but there are a number of really good episodes that I've seen from the rest of the series that have pulled me in.

SG-1 ran for (I believe) 10 seasons, lasting longer and airing more episodes then any of the five Star Trek series. It spawned a spin-off series called Stargate: Atlantis that last somewhere around five or six seasons. I've seen episodes of Atlantis as well, and I've enjoyed it very much. I haven't listed either series yet because I don't feel I've seen enough to really say it's one of my favorite shows.

Over the last few weeks, I've seen and heard bits and pieces about another Stargate series that is to start airing in October called Stargate: Universe, and I recently discovered this trailer online.

I'm rather impressed with how this series looks. However, I do have a couple of reservations. One of those reservations is that it looks like a hybrid of several previously down TV shows. One, the concept sounds a lot like Star Trek: Voyager, my least favorite of all the Star Trek series. That concept is not original to Voyager though, because I know that it goes back to Lost in Space. My concern is that this could go very much like Voyager did, although from what I've seen and read, that might not happen. However, things do and happen behind the scenes, so you never know what direction it could go.

My other reservation is that it looks like it might be a copy of Battlestar Galactica. BSG is one of my favorite TV shows and is, I feel, one of the best shows on TV in recent years. While following the tone of BSG isn't necessarily a bad thing, my concern is that it might come across as more of a copy of BSG then as its own series. I hope that isn't the case, because I'd like to see this show do well.

Stargate: Universe definitely has my interest. I'd like to see it not copy Battlestar Galactica, and I hope it becomes the show that Star Trek: Voyager should have been. Time will tell, and I hope I'll be able to watch it regularly!

edited in after I posted
*Ironically, when I first tested to make sure the video did link, the "message from our sponsor" video that ran before the actual preview itself was for the new DVD set for Battlestar Galactica! I don't know if you will all see that, but if you do, you'll get the irony as much as I do, and hopefully see how similar in tone it looks to BSG!

Are You Serious?

2009-07-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many people are aware of it or not, but during the 2008 Presidential election, there were groups of people on both sides of the political spectrum who tried to disprove that either John McCain and Barack Obama were not eligible to be President of the United States. For anyone not familiar with the American Constitution, Article Two lays out the role of the executive branch of the U.S. government, which includes the requirements to be President:

No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

Basically, the Constitution says that in order to be President, you need to be 35-years-old, lived in the United States for fourteen years, and have been born on American soil, making you a natural born citizen.

I'm not an expert on elections of the past, but I believe this past election of 2008 was a first for Presidential politics; where neither candidate was born on the mainland of the United States. John McCain was born at the Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, Panama, which was considered United States territory. This made him a natural born citizen. Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

However, there are people at both extremes of both parties who claimed and some who continue to claim that neither McCain or Obama are natural born citizens. The argument for McCain was that he was not born inside the United States. The argument for Obama is much slimmer; that he was born, I believe, in Kenya, meaning that he is a natural born citizen.

Even though Obama produced a Hawaiian birth certificate during last year's election, his critics claim that it is either a fake or has been altered. If you ask me, this is a little extreme. It got to the point where these critics took their argument all the way to the Supreme Court. The Court did not hear the challenge. Even after Obama has served six months as President, there are stil those who claim he is not legitimate!

It has gotten to the point where I recently discovered this news story!

Whether this is an attempt to question Obama's citizenship or not, if this law were to be passed (and I doubt it) you can bet that there will be people in 3 years who will argue that Barack Obama is not eligible to run for re-election. Yes, that's right. The President is not eligible to be President!

I find this bill unnecessary. In fact, I find it redundant since the Constitution of the United States already lays out the requirements for this bill. Shouldn't proof that one meets those requirements be implied already? Why go through the process of writing a bill and passing it into a law when the things it requires are already required in the Constitution?

To be honest, I believe Obama's citizenship is legit. And I believe that those in Congress who are trying to get this bill passed are only fanning the flames, with the unlikely (but not impossible) intention of challenging Obama's right to run for re-election in 2012! It's more evidence of the various methods that those on both political extremes will take to win.

I'm disgusted at how increasingly divided this country has become, especially over the last 8 years. When you have Republicans saying that they hope health care reform fails so that it will sink Obama, when you have people hoping that the President fails at his job just because he's not of your party, it's a sign that more and more politicians and biased political pundits are putting political victory ahead of the well-being of everybody.

I was not a fan of George W. Bush. I didn't think he was a very good President, and I'll never understand how he could be re-elected, let alone elected as President, but the matter of the fact is that for 8 years he was the President. Like it or not, he was. But I never wanted the man to fail, because I knew that if he failed, the nation and its citizens would suffer. I didn't agree with Bush on a lot of things, but I never wanted him to fail at doing his job to defend the citizens of this country.

I want Barack Obama to succeed. If he fails, the nation suffers, and during these tough economic times, can we afford his failure? His failure is our failure. In 2012, I will do more then just look at whether or not Barack Obama was able to keep his word. I will take a look at why he failed. If it was his own doing, I will certainly voted against him. However, if it was the fault of others, then Obama will earn my vote and I will vote against those who are responsible for his failure.

It's time for everyone, whether Democrat or Republican, to set aside differences and try to work together for the improvement of the country and its citizens. Nothing else should matter.

And to those who continue to ride the Obama-is-not-a-citizen bandwagon; wake up! He's the President!

It Was Too Good To Be True

2009-07-10T13:13:00.000-07:00

It was too good to be true, unfortunately. Anyone who has been paying attention to the side of my blog has noticed that I have the current baseball standings on display. And anyone who has read my blog in the last couple months knows that back before Memorial Day the Toronto Blue Jays sat in first place in the American League East by 3 and a half games with a record of 27-14.

Wow, how that seems so long ago. Now coming up on the All Star game, the Blue Jays now reside safely in 4th place (or 3rd, depending on how you view that 1st place tie) a full nine games behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox (tied for the 1st) with a record of 43-44. Since that blog back in May, the Blue Jays has gone 16-30.

As Maggie said, I should've not paid attention until the World Series!

Just a Couple Projects of Mine

2009-07-07T12:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last blogged. Between taking care of Ally, starting a new job, going on vacation for a week, my two-year anniversary with Maggie (June 14th, btw), and starting a summer program at work, it's been a busy couple of months.

While I've been busy the last couple of weeks, I've still found the time to do some composing. I thought I'd share some of the things I've been working on with you. While I've mostly been working on these for the better part of two or three years, I've been able to sit down and add some finishing touches and am ready to try to move them on to the next step.

Of course, since I don't have an live recordings, I can only post the midi files. Please note that because of the funkiness of my composition program, I don't have any percussion audio. There is a part, but if it were played in the midi, it would sound like really bad whistles, bangs and other weird noices. My percussion parts might not be great, but they're not that bad!

Army of Servants
This was originally written two years ago for the Fairfax Corps Band. It was originally just for a six- or seven-piece band, but I've been spending time expanding it to Triumph series scoring. It's a collection of several different hymn tunes and worship choruses. The tunes featured are Joy in the Salvation Army, Onward Christian Soldiers, Make Me a Servant, On We March in the Blood and the Fire and concludes with God's Soldier. Don't worry, it's only a four minute piece!

The Potter's Hand
Based on Darlene Zschech's worship chorus, I wrote this arrangement in February 2007 for the joint Good Friday Service for the Arlington, VA and Fairfax Corps. It actually turned out pretty good and was well received by both those in the band and the congregation. It's scored for the American Band Journal. I plan on sending it to THQ in New York to see if it can be published.

Call to Praise
This is the big project I've been working on over the last three or four years. It's gone through countless drafts, many different forms in all sorts of different styles, until I finally have ended up with how it is presented here. It is arranged for General series, in other words, a full brass band. I took this with me to the composer's conference several years ago and had it looked at by both James Curnow and Stephen Bulla, who both provided me with valuable input. The tune featured is To God Be the Glory, which is the Fairfax Gospel Arts Clubs' motto, and if you listen carefully enough, you might catch parts of a popular Disney tune in there

I hope you enjoy these tunes, in their midi form, at least, and any input you have!

Toronto Blue Jays: So Far So Good...

2009-05-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Now, I know that this is a post that will likely be somewhat divisive. On one side of the family there are New York Yankee fans, and on the other side of the family there are Toronto Blue Jays fans. Let me just say right now, if you don't already know, I'm a Toronto Blue Jays fan! I have been all my life.

Coming up on Memorial Day weekend and so far so good for the Blue Jays. You may have noticed I added the baseball standings as one of my little sidebar gadgets. Right up front at 27-14 and 3.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox are the Toronto Blue Jays! And, I must add, they have one of the best records in all of Major League Baseball at the moment, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Now it's still very early in the season and the Blue Jays have been known to falter near the middle of the season, while teams like the Red Sox and the Yankees are well known for their second-half turnarounds that result in post-season births. No offense to offense to my Yankee fan family members, but I hope that this season isn't one of them. The Red Sox and Yankees have dominated the American League East for far too long, and just like last year was the year for the Tampa Bay Rays to get their shot, it's time for the Blue Jays to get their first shot at the post-season since their World Series victory in 1993. That's a very long time, if you ask me.

Will history repeat itself and the Blue Jays falter and finish in 3rd yet again, with the Red Sox and Yankees charging forward and battling it out for 1st place? Or will the Blue Jays' strong start hold through the season and we see them head into the playoffs?

Let's sit back and watch!

My Take on Jon & Kate + 8

2009-05-18T12:51:00.001-07:00

Over the last year or so, Maggie and I have closely followed the life of Jon and Kate Gosselin and their family of 8 children. For those of you who are not familiar with the Gosselin bunch, they are a family of twins and sextuplets whose lives are filmed frequently and air weekly on TLC in half hour episodes. Each episode varies from trips to Disney World, to the bakery, and to life around the house. By the way, each of these trips to Disney World and any other special resort are all paid for by the resort, essentially giving this family of ten a free ride to a place they otherwise could not afford.

Without going into too much of a history, the show is about to enter its fifth season, with the twin girls around age nine and the sextuplets (three boys and three girls) having recently turned five. The show has seen the family launch to stardom, with the mother, Kate, having written two books (that I'm aware of) and frequently traveling around the country to do book signings and lectures on parenting.

Since Maggie and I first started watching, we have seen a dramatic change in this family. And I'm not talking about the kids growing up. While, yes, the kids have grown up and appear to be wonderful kids, we have also seen the toll that it has taken on the marriage of Jon and Kate. Kate's appearance has drastically changed over the last few years since the start of the show, and recently I discovered that she has her own bodyguard (more on that in a minute), which I find somewhat ridiculous. While I don't know what kind of reception that Kate receives when she is on her tours around the country, I personally find it hard to believe that she would be welcomed by hoards of screaming fans who merit the protection of a bodyguard. But, who knows? There are times where it feels like Kate has allowed this "celebrity" status to go to her head, and even carries herself as though she is a full-blown Hollywood celebrity instead of an average parent.

One of the other changes we've noticed is in the interaction between Jon and Kate. Even at the beginning, I've never seen much chemistry between them. There are times where I've found myself wondering if they are even in love. There are times where it's seemed more like a partnership then anything else. Maggie and I have also been shocked at the way Kate treats her husband. She frequently cuts him off in their interview segments, demeans him and insults him, and even mocks him. There was one interview where she even said:

"Stop breathing so loud, I can't hear myself talk."

There is frequent arguing and bickering during filming. While this is natural in any marriage, the amount that they do is somewhat disturbing, especially when it takes place in public. I have even fallen under the impression that Jon does not like her. Kate frequently does what she can to be the center of the attention, even appearing uninterested in anything that does not involve or is not instigated by her.

Near the end of this past season, it was openly stated that Jon does not like the show, does not want to continue the show, and wants to be able to live his life normally. He is not able to do this with cameras frequently around, and wants to be able to go to the store and not worry about people recognizing him. Kate, on the other hand, wants to continue the show, feeling that it is great for her family and that it has no impact on the children or their marriage.

I disagree. Especially when, this past week, Jon and Kate have been the cover story of every major magazine. The topic; their marriage troubles. With rumors and gossip circling that Jon has cheated on Kate and Kate has cheated on Jon with her bodyguard, it definitely appears that their is trouble in paradise. Despite what Kate is saying, the show about their lives appears to be taking its toll on their marriage, and will most likely devastate their children, because if their marriage falls apart, it will be done on television, documented for their children to watch for the rest of their lives.

Yet, Kate does not want to end the show. In fact, there are rumors that if they were to separate or divorce, the show would continue as simply Kate + 8, documenting how this single mom is raising 8 children all by herself. Honestly, I would not watch anymore. I feel that this is bordering on exploitation of the children, if it has not already. This family has made millions off of this show and all the book deals and tours that they have secured. And yet, their family is falling apart because they have allowed the entire world into their lives to witness their day-to-day lives.

The upcoming fifth season will no likely be a ratings bonanza for TLC. But it will also come under serious scrutiny. Will we witness the fall of Jon and Kate's marriage? Or will it be glossed over, ignored and treated as though it is not taking place? If their marriage troubles are ignored, then the show loses its credibility as accurately depicting their lives openly and honestly. If it depicts the collapse of their marriage, there will be calls for the show to end so that this family can pull themselves together.

I feel the show should end now. This show has taken its toll on this family, and these children will be scarred for the rest of their lives, especially if they are able to pop in a DVD and watch their parents' marriage fall apart. This family needs to given room to fix their marriage, if it is at all fixable. And if it cannot be fixed, they need to be allowed the privacy they deserve, and spared the humiliation of going through divorce on national television. As it is, that probably will not happen anyway, with or without the show.

Very few families can survive the rigors of having their lives broadcast openly on national television, and the Gosselin family is another one of those families who cannot escape that fate. I wish them all the best and hope that they can resolve their differences, but I cannot see that happening as long as their house is filled with cameras.

I implore Jon and Kate to ditch this show and to focus not on the celebrity that they have acquired, but to focus on their kids. They've already gone through abnormal lives, and it's time that they be allowed to grow up like normal kids. They need to save their family and tough it out like any normal family would.

Soundtrack Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith)

2009-05-15T06:00:00.001-07:00

Despite the film itself being a disappointment, Jerry Goldsmith's score is not, going on to become known as the definitive Star Trek movie score. Goldsmith's score is completely memorable, establishing timeless themes, including a main theme that would not only represent the Enterprise, but also be later used a the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation, cementing its place as the definitive Star Trek theme.

Goldsmith's score is very diverse and innovative, as it is heard in many different forms from majestic and stately (Track 2 - Main Title & Track 4 - Total Logic) to romantic (Track 6 - The Enterprise). In addition to a main theme, he always created two other very memorable leitmotifs for the film. The first we are introduced to is the theme to represent the Deltan navigator Ilia and her romance with Will Decker (Track 1 - Ilia's Theme). The theme remains Star Trek's only love theme. Goldsmith spreads it throughout his score, particularly at the film's climax (Track 15 - Vejur Speaks & Track 16 - The Meld). It remains a highlight of the score.

The second theme is the Klingon theme (Track 3 - Klingon Battle). The theme perfectly represents Star Trek's most popular alien villains, and would later be used to represent the herocis of Lt. Worf in Goldsmith's TNG scores. While composers for both later movies and later series would try to create a theme of their own for the Klingons, no theme remains as successful or popular as the theme originally crafted by Goldsmith.

Goldsmith's score for the longer, effects-driven sections of the movie are some of his finest writing, mixing the right amount of suspense, mystery and drama that was otherwise lacking in the movie itself. Goldsmith's innovation of what would become known as the "Blaster Beam" (heard at the beginning of Track 3 - Klingon Battle and most of "the Cloud" portions of the score) is a trademark of Goldsmith's ability to come up with new and different sounds to enhance the universes he has been assigned to musically represent.

Goldsmith's theme is a classic, and while it was nominated for an Academy Award in 1979, it's a shame that it did not receive the Oscar itself as it truly deserved. Jerry Goldsmith set a very high standard that would not be easy to live up to. This is truly a great, epic score that unfortunately was far superior to the movie it represented. Whether it's fair or not, every Star Trek score to-date is compared to this Goldsmith gem.

(of 5)

Track Listing
1. Ilia's Theme (3:03)
2. Main Title (1:24)
3. Klingon Battle (5:28)
4. Total Logic (3:44)
5. Floating Office (1:04)
6. The Enterprise (6:00)
7. Leaving Drydock (3:31)
8. Spock's Arrival (2:01)
9. The Cloud (5:00)
10. Vejur Flyover (4:59)
11. The Force Field (5:04)
12. Games (3:42)
13. Spock Walk (4:21)
14. Inner Workings (3:03)
15. Vejur Speaks (3:51)
16. The Meld (3:10)
17. A Good Start (2:27)
18. End Title (3:16)

$80 Million and Counting

2009-05-12T08:10:00.001-07:00

Star Trek's finally been released. And not only do I find it be an absolutely spectacular movie, apparently so do a lot of other people. As of this morning, Star Trek's rating on RottenTomatoes was at 95%, with 226 positive reviews, and only 11 negative reviews. This makes it probably one of the most well reviewed movies I've ever seen on the website. While Metacritic.com lists it at 83% based on 37 reviews, that's still considered "Universal Acclaim" by that website.

So it's been well reviewed, and I wouldn't be surprised to see some technical acknowledgment by the Academy Awards next year, but does that translate to financial success? The answer is yes!

As of Monday night, from pre-midnight screenings on Thursday night through the end of the weekend, Star Trek has brought in $79.2 million! This is extraordinary for a Star Trek movie, considering the most successful opening weekend any Trek movie has had was First Contact's $30.7 million in 1996. Star Trek smashed that, and in its first weekend has already grossed more then Nemesis ($43.4mil), The Final Frontier ($52.2mil), Insurrection ($70.2mil), The Undiscovered Country ($74.9mil), Generations ($75.7mil), The Search for Spock ($76.5mil), and The Wrath of Khan ($78.9mil). It will more then likely become the biggest success of any Star Trek movie, considering the highest grossing film was The Voyage Home, at $109.7 million.

I encourage everyone to not only see it, but feel free to share your thoughts and feelings by commenting under my review of the film, and vote on my poll on what you feel is your favorite Star Trek movie! I have to be honest, I haven't yet voted because I'm waiting to take Maggie to see it so that I can get a better feel of how well it holds up on second viewing before I decide on what I feel my favorite film is. But I encourage you to vote on it! And if you can, see it in IMAX! Josh and I saw it in IMAX and it was quite an experience! That is the only way to see a movie! The picture was perfect and the sound was crystal clear! It was awesome!

All I can say is bring on the sequel!

Review: Star Trek

2009-05-08T10:52:00.000-07:00

Directed by: J.J. Abrams
Produced by: J.J. Abrams & Damon Lindelof
Written by: Robert Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Executive Producers: Bryan Burk, Jeffre Chernov, Alex Kurtzman & Robert Orci
Cinematography by: Daniel Mindel
Edited by: Maryann Brandon & Mary Jo Markey
Production Designed by: Scott Chambliss
Costumes by: Michael Kaplan
Music by: Michhael Giacchino

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Winona Ryder, Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy

2009 / 126min / Rated PG-13 (for sci-fi action and violence, and brief sexual content)

Young James T. Kirk and Spock must overcome their own personal differences to battle a vengeful Romulan from the future who is bent on the destruction of the Federation.

If you want to make a prequel that not only successfully reboots a classic franchise but also honors that same franchise, this is the movie to look at. JJ Abrams' vision for the 23rd century changes everything we know about the universe of Star Trek (yet stays the same) and manages to tell a thrilling, epic adventure story.

As a long-time Trek fan, I had my reservations about this movie and what it was setting out to do. It's hard to craft a prequel where you feel suspense because you know how things will turn out in the end. That's not the case here, as writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman deliver a story with enough twists and turns that you quickly realize that this Star Trek universe is different from the one we've known for the last 43 years. With the shocks that take place here, you know that anything can happen. There are some real gutsy changes made to the Star Trek universe, but that's okay, because they're told with so much confidence and conviction that you believe in them and want to know where they're taking them.

There is so much to praise about this movie that it's hard to find a place to begin. Might as well start with the script. Orci and Kurtzman's script is smart. It's one of the first movies in a long time where I can remember not feeling like a scene or a line was wasted. Everything that takes place on screen is relevant. Nothing is filler, it all matters and plays a part in the bigger picture. The dialog is fresh and witty, yet familiar. Orci and Kurtzman brilliantly found the voices for each of these characters, as though they were involved in the original series themselves. At the same time, they manage to weave in trademark phrases from the series that would normally be eye-rolling, yet in the context in which they're used, they work. A fun little bit is the nice homage that is paid to the series red shirts with this movie's own red shirt character (you'll know him when you see him), and his outcome is quite fitting and somewhat amusing.

Their screenplay has all the perfect elements that make a great Star Trek movie. A great villain, plenty of action and adventure, thrills and excitement, an unexpected romance, and plenty of humor. In fact, this is easily the funniest Star Trek movie I've ever seen, even funnier then, yes, The Voyage Home.

My one issue with the script is how neatly everyone falls into place by the end of the movie. While it strains credibility, the nature of the movie and just how fun a ride it is makes it easy to forgive this minor nitpick.

The special effects are amazing. From the get go, this movie's visual design is amazing. These are the bests effects I've seen in a long time. The look and sound of this new universe is absolutely incredible and it sweeps you up in the atmosphere that is trying to be established. I was sold on the look of the Enterprise. This ship looks beautiful and its glory shots are quite a sight to behold. And the interiors of the ship are magnificent, from the bridge to the transporter room, corridors, sickbay. Even the inner workings of the ship in the engineering section, while different, were quite good and fit in. This is a grittier, more worn-looking universe, much along the lines of Star Wars, but it's a welcome change.

Michael Giacchino's score is top notch, with a brilliant theme that is so flexible it can be used in many different ways, from romantic, suspenseful to heroic. His score for the action is some of the most pulse-pounding action music I've heard in a while. His score is never distracting or overpowering. It completely enhances the film.

The pace never lets up. JJ Abrams' direction grabs you from the very beginning and never lets go until the very end. The pace is so good, the story so engaging, that the two hour running time flew by. I didn't want this adventure to end, I wanted more! Abrams knows how to grab an audience's attention, and he does with one of the most engaging sequences I've seen in any Star Trek movie. The first ten minutes are so thrilling, powerful and poignant that I had a lump in my throat by the time the main titles appeared onscreen.

One of my biggest worries was in the casting of this movie. For anyone else who is worried, worry no more. They could not have casted this movie any better. All the supporting players from Zoe Saldana as Uhura, Simon Pegg as Scotty, John Cho as Sulu, and Anton Yelchin as Chekov have completely embodied these characters. The make you forget that there was someone else in these roles before them. Saldana really standsout as her take on Uhura is greatly improved over Nichelle Nichols', having been given a more significant role. Simon Pegg is hilarious as Scotty.

Karl Urban holds very true to DeForest Kelley's interpretation of Dr. McCoy, but he nevers veers into parody. Urban is hilarious and while he didn't get as much screen time as I would have liked, he makes the most of the time that he has and becomes this classic character.

Eric Bana does not have a lot of screen time as villain Nero, but he is absolutely brilliant. Filled with menace and power, Bana pulls you right in. He might not be Star Trek's best villain, or even the most dangerous, but he is the perfect villain to test out this freshman crew. Bana does a magnificent job.

Bruce Greenwood brings a sense of credibility to the movie. Greenwood's Christopher Pike is strong and very fatherly, and Greenwood's performance in his limited screen time is quite good.

It's great to see Leonard Nimoy back as Spock in an extended cameo. I must say that his performance is quite good. I had forgotten that Nimoy was in the movie until he first appears on screen, mainly because the movie was so good and so engaging that I thought of nothing else. So when Nimoy first appears on screen, it's quite a thrill and helps to tie this new Trek into old Trek.

Now on to the two standouts; Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. This is their movie, and their performances would make it or break it. They make it. Quinto is very true to Nimoy's performance as Spock, and it must have been quite intimidating to share the scene with the originator of the role, but Quinto nails it. He not only manages to hold true to the original Nimoy performance, but he is able to bring something new to the table that adds a great depth and humanity to the character.

Chris Pine will probably rise to stardom from this role. He is James T. Kirk, to the point that you forget completely about William Shatner. Pine could easily have fallen into an impersonation William Shatner that would've made this seem like an SNL sketch, but he doesn't. Pine embodies Kirk, nailing the arrogant swagger, the cockiness and confidence, while giving him a lot of depth that not even Shatner could give until the movies. I totally bought Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, and when he finally appears as the captain of the Enterprise, you can't help but smile because you know you're watching an old childhood hero take to his rightful place.

Despite what the previews may say, Star Trek is not filled with as much action as you would think. Yes, the action is plenty, but this isn't an action flick. It's a buddy movie, with the attention always on the relationship between Kirk and Spock. Star Trek is a movie not driven by plot or action. It's driven by the characters, and that's incredibly important. The characters make the decisions on where this story goes. Much credit must be given to JJ Abrams would could easily have focused entirely on the spectacle, but he keeps the focus very personal. Watching the relationship between Kirk and Spock grow from disdain and anger is quite a lot of fun to watch, and you see the beginnings of what would become one of television's most endearing friendships.

The foundations for these characters is perfectly laid out without missing a beat. They are established as the movie flies on by without slowing it down. That's great character development; when the development takes place without interrupting the story. These characters grow from the events of the story, while at the same time driving it forward. The writing is brilliant, and JJ Abrams' direction is perfect. I look forward to their plans for these characters in the future. The groundwork has been done, now its time for JJ Abrams and company to play. George Lucas needs to take notes; this is what the Star Wars prequels should have been like.

I mentioned earlier there are big changes made. It's easy to see how many Star Trek fans are going to have problems with this movie because of these changes. But the thing they need to realize that this is a new Star Trek for a new time, and it needs to be different. One of the problems Star Trek suffered from in the past was that it was constrained by the universe it had created. The filmmakers made a wise decision in wiping the slate clean to explore new realms of story telling, but they did it in such a way that while they have created an alternate Star Trek universe, it is built from the universe that was already established. It's too bad many Star Trek fans are going to ignore this attempt, because it's one of the ways that JJ Abrams and company really tried to honor what has come before.

Star Trek is filled with spectacular special effects, breathtaking special effects, a beautiful musical score, perfect casting, and lots of thrills, chills and emotion that one can't help but be found breathless and smiling with glee when it's all over. This is both the most energetic Star Trek movie I've ever seen, as well as one of the most energetic and fun movies I've ever seen period. It's quite a ride! The characters are always the focus, and it makes for a wonderfully delightful movie experience that I can't wait to experience again and again. This could easily be one of the best Star Trek movies, if not the best. Only time will tell. In the meantime, it's a new Star Trek for a new age, and I've been beamed aboard this adventure.

Star Trek is back!

Review: Star Trek: Nemesis

2009-05-07T06:30:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Stuart Baird
Produced by: Rick Berman
Screenplay by: John Logan
Story by: John Logan, Rick Berman & Brent Spiner
Executive Producer: Martin Hornstein
Cinematography by: Jeffrey L. Kimball, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: Dallas Puett, A.C.E.
Costumes by: Bob Ringwood
Co-Producer: Peter Lauritson
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marinia Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Ron Perlman, Dina Meyer, Jude Ciccolella, Shannon Cochran, Michael Owen, Kate Mulgrew

2002 / 116min / Rated PG-13 (Sci-Fi Action Violence and Peril and a Scene of Sexual Content)

When a coup d'etat on Romulus overturns the established government, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, on their final voyage together, are sent to meet with the new praetor, Shinzon. But Captain Picard discovers a surprising connection to Shinzon, in that Shinzon is a younger clone of himself.

Nemesis is not a bad movie, it's only a decent movie. There I said it. Despite it being one of the most hated film by all of fandom (in some circles of fandom, the most), it's biggest faults probably lie in it being the wrong Star Trek movie at the wrong time, which probably is why it is so hated.

Nemesis has plenty of good ideas and has the right goals, but it lacks the heart and soul needed to make it a big success. The plot is filled with holes, but even a plot that is thin or filled with holes can be forgiven if it's got plenty of heart and soul. Look at The Voyage Home; thin on plot, but filled with heart, and one of Trek's best. It also suffers from a story that borrows too many elements from previous Trek entries.

From the beginning, writer John Logan and producer Rick Berman said their example for making Nemesis was The Wrath of Khan. Reasonable, considering The Wrath of Khan is widely considered the definitive Star Trek movie. Unfortunately, instead of using it as an example of how to make Trek movie, Logan and Berman used it as their template. Borrowing peace elements from The Undiscovered Country, an evil twin from TNG itself, a super weapon right out of The Wrath of Khan, a big space battle and the death of a beloved character at the end are all elements that have been used in previous Star Trek entries. Unfortunately, they were done better. Nemesis feels too derivative.

The great thing about the Genesis device in The Wrath of Khan was that it was a means to a better future that could easily be manipulated into a deadly weapon. That's not so in Nemesis. A deadly weapon is used as a deadly weapon. For The Wrath of Khan, producer Harve Bennett wanted something that stayed true to the principals of Star Trek, hence the Genesis device's terraforming properties. In Nemesis, thaleron radiation is a made-up biological weapon that does not try to improve anything, only destroy.

The big battle at the end may be impressive in terms of technical and visual wizardry, but in terms of suspense it doesn't match the duke-out at the end of The Wrath of Khan. Khan's brilliance was in that it was two ships that were blinded trying to battle on another and the outcome was determined by strategy. In Nemesis, there is no strategy; merely whoever scores the most hits wins. It's neither compelling nor inventive, and while it is impressive, it's lacking in creativity and enthusiasm. We've seen plenty of battles in Star Trek, and many have been done better then this.

Some of the lack of heart is a result of very little characterization for the cast of The Next Generation. This is meant to be their final voyage, with several key members of the crew heading off for new careers. It takes risks in its marriage of Riker and Troi, and Riker's promotion and reassignment to captain of another starship. Unfortunately, the attempt at giving a family theme fails because most of the characterization is rumored to have been left on the cutting room floor. Nemesis' first cut was rumored at being 160 minutes, with the theatrical release clocking in at 116 minutes. That's a lot of material that is cut out, and most of it is rumored to be character moments. It's greatly missed. Whether it would've improved the quality of the movie depends on whether it was solid material, but one can only wonder. As it is, Nemesis lacks the heart that should be present for TNG's swan song.

Unfortunately, while it is meant to be TNG's final journey, including the death of Data, there are elements that are present to suggest that they were ready for another film. It almost cheats the audience, especially when concerning the death of Data. It makes Data's death almost meaningless, when really it should be as meaningful and significant as Spock's death in The Wrath of Khan.

The villain is found in Shinzon, a clone of Picard depicted by Tom Hardy. Shinzon is a mixed bag as a character. Hardy delivers a strong performance, but the writing for Shinzon is all over the map. His motives are never really clear, nor is his reasoning to destroy Earth. It's just not clear why he has this obsession with destroying Earth. This makes it all the more frustrating when Earth never really seems in danger. It's mentioned, but we never actually do see Earth in jeopardy. The threat isn't very real to us.

The supporting cast of Ron Pearlman and Dina Meyer are wasted in their respective roles. Pearlman's only purpose seems to give Riker something to do during the big battle at the end, while Meyer could easily have been left out entirely.

The pace is very slow. There's never a sense of urgency, and the first hour drags on. The car chase in the beginning is pointless and could have been left out in favor of character development. Even the climactic battle at the end, which goes on for almost half an hour, moves slowly and never really feels suspenseful. It seems more like an exercise in pyrotechnic and space battle effects then anything else. The ideas for something great are there, but they're never given the chance they needed to reach their potential.

Stuart Baird's direction is very bland, adding to the problems in pace. His lack of knowledge with Star Trek adds to the lack of heart. Someone more familiar with the franchise at the helm could possibly have resulted in a better film.

Performances are mixed. While Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner are strong, with Spiner doubling as the B4 android, the rest of the TNG cast is only going through the motions. Perhaps they've grown a little too comfortable in these roles that they are just coasting through them because of a lack of material.

The special effects are some of the best seen in a Star Trek movie. The production values are top notch, but the material that it's used for just doesn't match. Jeffrey L. Kimball's cinematography covers the sets with shadows, giving Nemesis the look and feel of Star Trek's darkest film outing.

Jerry Goldsmith's score is also rather mixed. His material during the second half with all the action is strong, if uninspired, but it's very weak during the first half. A lack of a standout theme adds to it. It's unfortunately Goldsmith's weakest Trek entry.

This isn't to say Nemesis is entirely bad. There is some good stuff in here, and the attempts to draw parallels between the Picard/Shinzon and Data/B4 plotlines is intriguing, as is the exploration of what makes us who we are. This very inner exploration is what is at the heart of Star Trek. The attempt to move the characters forward with their lives is a bold risk, departing what has been done previously. These characters are given a new direction, and it's definitely more then previous entires attempted, which were too happy in keeping everyone where they were at, just like a weekly episode. It's too bad not enough time was spent on the family and characterizations, because this could've greatly improved Nemesis. The ideas are present, but they're not given the time they need to develop. Nemesis could've used another rewrite or two to favor the characterization instead of the action.

Nemesis had plenty of potential and plenty of good ideas, but it's held back by weak execution and a sense that we've been here before, and have been there better. The results are a film that came at a time when Star Trek needed a big success, but got something weak, almost bringing down the franchise. The worst part about it is that this is the final film for the crew of The Next Generation. Not only is it a disappointing movie, it's an even big disappointment as a swan song. for the beloved crew of TNG. Their final journey should have been much, much more. Just Is it bad? No, not really. It's just not great. It's watchable, but it's lack of heart prevents it from being more, and sees The Next Generation crew retire with a whimper.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek: Insurrection

2009-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Jonathan Frakes
Produced by: Rick Berman
Screenplay by: Michael Piller
Story by: Rick Berman & Michael Piller
Executive Producer: Martin Hornstein
Cinematography by: Matthew F. Leonetti, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: Peter E. Berger, A.C.E.
Costumes by: Sanja Milkovic Hays
Associate Producer: Patrick Stewart
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Donna Murphy, F. Murray Abraham, Anthony Zerbe, Gregg Henry, Daniel Hugh Kelly, Michael Welch, Mark Deakins, Breon Gorman, Stephanie Niznik, Michael Horton, Peggy Miley

1998 / 103min / Rated PG (for sci-fi action violence, mild language and sensuality)

A planet inhabited by the peaceful Ba'Ku turns out to be a veritable Fountain of Youth. When the Son'a and the war-torn Federation seek to exploit the planet in order to rejuvenate themselves, Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise rebel against their own people in order to defend the Ba'Ku.

Following on the heels of Star Trek: First Contact is no easy task. And Insurrection had the unfortunate position of being the follow up to one of Star Trek's best films. Insurrection isn't a bad film per say. It's entertaining and lightweight, but maybe a little too lightweight and too thin on plot and story. Not only does it play things too safe, there's never any feeling that this was a story that needed to be told, at least as a movie, as it feels like an extended episode of the series.

There are things that work about Insurrection, which I must add, is a very overstated title for what takes place here, as there is no real insurrection to be found in the story. Perhaps "rebellion" would have been a more fitting title. There are good ideas that could've been exploited to make a very dramatic film, especially the possibility of a "fountain of youth" that is discovered on the planet of the Ba'Ku, but the drama is played down in favor of lightweight comedy. Unfortunately, comedy was something the crew of The Next Generation wasn't good at.

There are too many attempts to force comedy instead of allowing it to flow naturally from the story. This is TNG's attempt to make their own verision of The Voyage Home, but what made TVH work was it was a fish-out-of-water story (pardon the pun) in which the crew was in an unfamiliar situation. The humor tries to come from the crew being rejuvenated by the fountain of youth, resulting in youthful tendencies. But when Picard, Data and Worf break out into song, Worf developes Klingon acne, Picard breaks out into dance, and Beverly and Deanna discuss the firmness of their boobs much to the puzzlement of Data, it all falls flat.

The performances from the Next Generation crew are fine. They're definitely having fun with what they're being given, and Jonathan Frakes always seems to know how to get the best out of his shipmates. It's the additional cast that is lacking. Patrick Stewart's love interest is found in Donna Murphy's Anij, but Murphy is bland, wooden and seems uninterested. And Anthony Zerbe's Admiral Dougherty is so naive, you can't help but wonder how he reached such a high rank.

F. Murray Abraham delivers a performance that is so over-the-top as the film's villain of Ru'afo that it's too comic book-like. There isn't much depth or dimension to this character. He has motivation, but that motivation is never explored until the closing act, but even then it's touched upon so briefly that it's almost as though it's an after-thought. Ru'afo turns out to be one of Star Trek's weakest villains.

There are worthy attempts at doing things with the crew that weren't done previously, but the attempts are a mixed bag. The Picard-Anij romance is never given room to bloom. It would've been interesting to see Picard with a deeper romance, but that never goes anywhere. The Riker-Troi romance is revisited from the series. I'm a big fan of the Riker-Troi romance, with Imzadi being one of my favorite novels. Unfortunately, it's not given much time here and feels like it's coming out of the blue. If these were another entry into a weekly series, it would be fine. But this is a film where we only see the crew every couple of years. There's not enough revealed here to make it substantial enough to hold any water.

Data's exploration of what it's like to be a child feels too much like we've been there before. Unfortunately, it also ignores the progress Data has made over the last two movies. It's almost as though the filmmakers needed to give Data something to do and couldn't come up with anything else. His story is probably the weakest of all the character threads. And unfortunately, Worf, Geordi, and Beverly are once again very little to do. Worf is used as awkward comic relief, bumping his head and breaking out with zits, while Beverly is almost ignored. Geordi develops natural sight for the first time in his life, but other then dumping the warp core, he's not given anything to do.

There is plenty of action for the mainstream appeal, although seeing Picard, Data, Worf, Troi and Crusher battle robotic drones isn't very interesting, although is technically done well. The best action is the space battles between the Enterprise and the Son'a ships in the midst of the Briar Patch nebula. The battle is fresh and new, departing from the normal TNG battle formula. The ejection of the Enterprise's warp core is fun, and seeing attitude from Riker is a real joy. The Son'a step on his feet, and he's ticked off about it. It's real fun!

For the most part, though, while the special effects aren't bad, they are too cartoony for a Science Fiction film franchise like Star Trek. The best effects are in space, but when placed against the natural vistas, they don't work as well. The climax is real pleasure to watch, though, as the Enterprise races across the exploding hull of the Son'a collector. The effects aren't the strongest in the franchise's history, but they work.

The ever-reliable Jerry Goldsmith delivers another very strong score, with a light, innocent theme for the Ba'Ku, and some of the series' best action music.

Michael Piller's script is a mixed bag. It feels as though there are ideas there, but they are never given time to be explored. Insurrection could've been ripe with deep, heavy drama but too much time is spent trying to make it funny that the movie nevers reaches its full potential. Jonathan Frakes proved himself a strong director in First Contact, and he does well here once again, especially with the action, but the material he has to work with is weaker then he previously got to work with. It's still solid direction, but it fails to rise far above the source material.

Insurrection isn't bad, it's just very mixed. It's entertaining, but it's thin. It has the potential for a great Star Trek movie, with plenty of heart and stays very true to the principals of Star Trek, but too much forced comedy, a weak villain and the story never opening beyond the feeling of an extended TV episode leads this to be not only one of Trek's weakest adventures, but TNG's weakest.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek: First Contact

2009-05-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Jonathan Frakes
Produced by: Rick Berman
Screenplay by: Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore
Story by: Rick Berman, Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore
Executive Producer: Martin Hornstein
Cinematography by: Matthew F. Leonetti, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: John W. Wheeler, A.C.E.
Costumes by: Deborah Everton
Co-Producer: Peter Lauritson
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marinia Sirtis, Alfre Woodard, James Cromwell, Alice Krige, Neal McDonough, Michael Horton

1996 / 113min / Rated PG-13 (for some sci-fi adventure violence)

When their attempt to assimilate Earth fails, the Borg travel back in time to prevent Earth's first contact by stopping its first warp drive flight. Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the new Starship Enterprise-E set out to prevent the Borg from succeeding, while simultaneously trying to keep them from assimilate the Enterprise itself.

Following the crossover venture of Star Trek: Generations, it was time for the crew of The Next Generation to make their first solo big screen event. Many questions arose as to whether or not Captain Picard and his crew could hold their own movie without the presence of William Shatner or anyone of the rest of the original cast. Did they succeed? A very resounding yes! Not only does the cast and crew of TNG deliver a solid movie that would become their strongest outing, First Contact would also be viewed as one of Star Trek's best movies period.

After studio interference helped to sink Generations, much more freedom was given to producer Rick Berman and writers Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga. From the beginning, the best decisions they made were to not only use time travel (something they were not allowed to use in Generations), but to also employ one of Star Trek's deadliest villains; the Borg. While the Borg would go on to become overused and "defanged" in Star Trek: Voyager, here the Borg were still frightening and menacing, adding to their great success here.

The story is fresh and near flawless. The writing by Moore and Braga is very tight, and is only heightened by the directing of freshman movie director Jonathan Frakes (doubling onscreen as Will Riker). The plotting is masterful, with a slick pace that barely lets up to breathe. The main plot aboard the Enterprise, following the action of Picard, Data and Worf battling the Borg, is contrasted with the more comical plot of Riker, Geordi and Troi trying to help Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell) repair his ship for the first warp flight. The writing, editing and directing is very tight and never lets up. Nothing is visited more then it needs to be, and everything is given enough room to be explored.

The action is the most intense and most violent that has been seen in any Trek production. It's well choreographed and you really feel the intensity of every moment. The action is enhanced by the great score of Jerry Goldsmith, who is assisted by son Joel Goldsmith. Goldsmith's main theme that centers on the first contact at the end of the picture is one of Trek's most rousing and poignant themes, and a personal favorite.

Production design is top-notch. The new Enterprise-E is quite a sight, both in and out, and the cinematography is very appropriate, giving the right amount of shadows and lighting to give a creepy feeling as we wonder what lurks around the next corner. The makeup of the Borg is greatly enhanced from where it was at on the series. They are now even scarier then they ever were on the show. Also very creepy is the montage of the Enterprise being overrun and crew assimilated by the Borg. The special effects are very strong, especially during the battle at the beginning as multiple starships fight the lone Borg cube. It's too bad they didn't have this kind of technology during the series to fight the Borg, because it's truly breathtaking. One of my only complaints is that the battle lasts only a couple minutes before we move on to the rest of the movie.

My other complaint is that while it's an improvement over Generations, the screen time for some of the characters is still rather limited. While everyone is given more to do, the focus is still rather obviously on Picard and Data. Troi and Crusher still aren't given much to do. Even though Troi is given a good scene in which she gets drunk with Zefram Cochrane (Marinia Sirtis' performance is priceless), there's not much else she adds to the plot. And once again, while Gates McFadden's screen time is increased, her contribution to the overall plot is limited. While an improvement over Generations, this is an area in which the TNG films needed improving.

The performances are excellent. The cast of TNG is at their best, particularly Patrick Stewart and Brent Spiner. Spiner is given much better material then he was in Generations to fully develop and explore Data's emotions. This is the Data we should have seen in the previous movie. Stewart's Picard is vengeful, but not so much so that we catch on right away. It isn't until he is called out by Michael Dorn's Worf that we realize how angry and bitter Picard is towards the Borg, and it's wonderfully realized by Patrick Stewart. The movie's best scene takes place in the observation lounge between Picard and outsider Lilly (played by Alfre Woodard). It's incredibly powerful, with great writing, acting, direction and music. Everything comes together perfectly to make it one of Star Trek's best scenes.

Praise must also be given to James Cromwell as Zefram Cochrane. Cromwell is able to be funny and serious at the same time. His performance is truly exceptional. His scenes with Jonathan Frakes are also well done, particularly their scene together in which Cochrane expresses his fear and selfishness to Riker. It's well-written and depicts Cochrane as someone who never set out to achieve great things, but ended up accomplishing them anyway. He's the reluctant hero, and Cromwell nails the character.

Alice Krige is frightening as the Borg Queen. While the character turns everything we know about the Borg on its head, here the character works well, especially against Brent Spiner. Their scenes together are electrifying and creepy. Krige is seductive, yet very dangerous and frightening, and her scenes with Brent Spiner's Data are quite enticing, filled with energy and suspense. How she pulls it off is amazing.

First Contact is one of Trek's best outings, especially for the crew of The Next Generation. When the big moment at the finale ends with the highly anticipated first contact, the payoff is earned and powerful. Goldsmith's score shines as the alien ship lands and Cochrane steps forward to meet his destiny. It's easily one of Star Trek's finest moments, which this movie is filled with.

Star Trek: First Contact is the perfect blend of elements that make Star Trek such a success; humor, action, drama, in addition to wonderful characters and great insight into the human condition. It also shows that hope for the future that Gene Roddenberry set out to depict. Every moment is near perfect and is tough competition for The Wrath of Khan. This is a monumental achievement for the Star Trek franchise, and one of its best movies to-date.

(of 4)

Review: Star Trek: Generations

2009-05-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: David Carson
Produced by: Rick Berman
Screenplay by: Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga
Story by: Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore & Brannon Braga
Executive Producer: Bernie Williams
Cinematography by: John A. Alonzo, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: Peter E. Berger, A.C.E.
Costumes by: Robert Blackman
Co-Producer: Peter Lauritson
Music by: Dennis McCarthy

Cast: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Whoopi Goldberg, Alan Ruck, Jacqueline Kim, Barbara March, Gwenyth Walsh

1994 / 117min / Rated PG (for sci-fi action and some mild language)

Seventy-eight years after the apparent death of James T. Kirk during the maiden voyage of the Starship Enterprise-B, Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D must stop an El Aurian scientist named Soran from destroying an entire solar system in his quest to enter the paradise known as the Nexus.

Having just ended a 7 season run of 178 episodes, it was only natural that the cast and crew of the hit series Star Trek: The Next Generation would make the transition onto the big screen. As well as a critically-acclaimed series finale that had viewership of around 20 million, The Next Generation remains to this day the only Star Trek series to be nominated for an Emmy for Best Dramatic Series. TNG's first trip to the big screen would also feature the first meeting between Captain Kirk and Captain Picard. Star Trek was at the height of its popularity, and Star Trek: Generations was the most anticipated Trek film to-date, with so much hype surrounding it that Patrick Stewart and William Shatner both donned the cover of TIME magazine. The question was, would Generations live up to that hype?

Unforunately, it would not. Instead of being a movie that would've cemented Star Trek's popularity, Generations was a mixed bag that did only moderately well at the box office and is rather controversial amongst fans. A lot of that is probably due not only to the inexperienced of move writing by TNG writers Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, but also due to the studio's laundry list of things that needed to be done in such a short period of time. Considering the list of things that Moore and Braga had to accomplish in their script, it's rather impressive that Generations made as much sense as it did.

Generations has great ideas and attempts big ideas. The filmmakers try to take the series and make a big transition to the big screen. There's everything present that there should be for a TV show-turned-movie. An intergalactic energy ribbon, Klingons, Worf being promoted, Data getting emotions, planets exploding, starships exploding and crashing. There's some great ideas present in this script. It's the execution that holds the movie back.

One of Generations' problems is one that became inherent in modern day-Trek; technobabble dialog and solutions. It takes place from the very beginning as we witness the christening and maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B, at which Kirk, Scotty and Chekov are honorary guests. Not only are the characters spatting out "shields at xx percent", they are also using made-up technical jargon which was never used in any incarnation of the original series. Hearing James Doohan as Scotty use this dialog is awkward, since he's never done that before, even when referring to any of the original Enterprise's technical terms, because all those were fairly easy to follow. Not here. Modern day Trek had a way of getting caught up in its own tech and made-up dialog, and with its presence within the opening minutes of Generations, it's obvious that this is a TNG production.

The humor in the opening sequence also falls flat. Something about the humor of the opening sequence feels forced. While the original crew always seemed to have a natural knack for humor, modern Trek always seemed to struggle, including TNG. Something about the attempted humor feels forced and unnatural.

The final solution to defeating the Duras sisters and their bird-of-prey is a miracle tech solution. The crew of the Enterprise-D is only able to win because of made-up technical jargon. While it is really cool to see Jonathan Frakes as Commander Riker given the order to "fire" (Mr. Frakes always had a cool way of giving orders, especially barking out "Rrred alert!"), you can't help but feel cheated as a viewer because the writers cheated in their solution to given the Enterprise ultimate victory.

Generations also suffers from a not-too-great villain. As great an actor as Malcolm McDowell is, his character of Dr. Soran is under-developed. He's not a bad villain, but he's nowhere near being a great villain. Soran is obsessed with reaching the Nexus to rejoin his family. It's as simple as that. In addition to Soran, we find villains in the former of TNG villains Lursa and B'Etor, the Duras sisters, played quite nastily by Barbara March and Gwenyth Walsh. Unfortunately, something that always kept Lursa and B'Etor from becoming great and memorable villains in TNG was that they weren't very developed. That same flaw is found here, and they don't feel very menacing. It's too bad, then, that they are the ones who use a twenty-year-old Klingon bird-of-prey to accomplish what the Borg and multiple Romulan warbirds could not do; destroy the great Enterprise-D.

One of the drawbacks to having a large cast is that there isn't enough time to give everyone something to do. Even though this is a TNG's move, some of the TNG characters not given much to do. Most of the focus is placed on the storylines of Picard and Data, while Riker, Worf and Geordi are given very secondary roles, although they are still given their moment to shine. The TNG characters who suffer the most in screen time and rather insignificant roles are Troi and Crusher. While Troi is given a nice scene with Picard, Crusher is given barely any screen time. It's sad to say, but the movie would not be any different if Troi and Crusher were cut out of it entirely. TNG was always an ensemble series, so the shift to only a couple key characters is startling and rather disappointing.

The movie's best scene is between Picard and Data in Stellar Cartography. The scene perfectly mixes together plot and characterization. It's also probably the only scene where an emotional Data works, as the rest of the movie tries to use Data as comic relief, but he only becomes annoying. But here, the characterization is perfect, and the explanation of how the plot works is spot-on. If every scene were as good as this one, this could easily have been one of Trek's best outings. It's a short but simple scene, and it's incredibly effective in accomplishing its goals.

The visceral highpoint of the movie, comes in the form of the evacuation of the Enterprise, the destruction of the stardrive section in a warp core explosion, and ending in the saucer section crashing on the planet below. From the moment Geordi pronounces the Enterprise's fate, the movie is fast and pulse-pounding and doesn't let up until the saucer comes to a halt. The effects are excellent and the destruction of the Enterprise is painful to watch, yet so thrilling you want it to go on. If you wanted to instruct anyone on how to crash a starship, this is where to look to. It's loud, it's exciting, and it's incredible!

It's downhill from there, unfortunately. This is what happens when you reach the peak of excitement with half an hour to go in the movie. The plot starts to lose credibility once we enter the Nexus, which is supposed to be so incredible that Picard should never want to leave. But he comes to the realization that he needs to head back too easily, and the Nexus turns out to be a disappointment. Also, the Nexus creates a big plot hole. Picard could leave the Nexus to go anywhere at anytime. If he can do this, why not go back to when Dr. Soran was on the Enterprise and just throw him in the brig?

The big first encounter between William Shatner and Patrick Stewart is also very disappointing. What should've been exciting and incredible to watch is dull and boring. While the acting is good from both, William Shatner carries much more charisma then Stewart and is a lot more fun to watch. Unfortunately, their great first meeting is very underwhelming.

The big finale is also underwhelming. The film ultimately boils down to three men fighting on a mountain. And Kirk's ultimate death is rather disappointing, although not as bad as many fans make it out to be. While I feel Kirk deserved a better death, at least he went down saving millions of faceless lives.

Generations is visually a success. The visual effects are top-notch. The sets of the Enterprise-D are updated to fit the scope of the big screen, the lighting darkened, and the bridge has never looked better. This is also probably the most colorful of any Trek film. The production is top-notch. This is the way to update a TV show for a movie.

Generations isn't a bad movie, it's just not an overly good one. All the right ideas are there, it's in the execution that the movie falls short. There are some really good things present, and had the filmmakers been allowed more time and more freedom, it's possible that Generations could've been the grand event it was meant to be. As is, though, Generations is rather lackluster.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

2009-05-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Produced by: Steven-Charles Jaffe & Ralph Winter
Screenplay by: Nicholas Meyer & Denny Martin Flinn
Story by: Leonard Nimoy, Lawrence Konner & Mark Rosenthal
Executive Producer: Leonard Nimoy
Cinematography by: Hiro Narita
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: Ronald Roose
Associate Producer: Brooke Brenton
Co-Producer: Marty Hornstein
Music by: Cliff Eidelman

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Christopher Plummer, Kim Cattral, Rosanna DeSoto, Kurtwood Smith, Brock Peters, Rene Auberjoinois, Leon Russom, Iman, Michael Dorn, John Schuck, Darryl Henriques, Mark Lenard, Grace Lee Whitney, Jeremy Roberts, Paul Rossilli

1991 / 113min/ Rated PG

When a key Klingon energy production facility explodes, leaving the Empire with only 50 years of life, the Klingons pursuit peace negotiations with the Federation. The U.S.S. Enterprise and crew, only three months from retirement, are grudgingly assigned to escort the Klingon Chancellor to Earth for the negotiations. But when the Klingon flagship is attacked and the chancellor assassinated, Kirk and McCoy are arrested as the only two suspects, leaving Spock and the Enterprise crew to prove their innocence while discovering who is behind the plot to begin an interstellar war.

Serving as a swan song for the original cast as well as a 25th anniversary celebration, The Undiscovered Country hits all the right notes for both occasions. It successfully celebrates Star Trek's 25th anniversary with the beginnings of peace with the Klingons and simultaneously provides a very fitting end for the original cast and characters.

The story is not only very appropriate for the anniversary but also for its era. Star Trek VI essentially predicts the fall of the Soviet Union. Quite fitting, considering that the Klingons were Star Trek's Soviet Union in the 60s.

Cliff Eidelman's ominously dark score sets the tone perfectly during the credits, and as the music crescendos and climaxes, the film starts off with a bang. Literally. In just a matter of seconds, the Star Trek universe as we know it is changed forever. Within a matter of minutes, we've learned that the Klingon Empire is dying, that they are seeking peace with the Federation, and that there are many hard feelings on both sides. After all, this is a cold war that has been going on for many, many years. For these characters, especially Kirk and crew, they've only known the Klingons as their enemy. And letting go of that viewpoint is not going to be easy.

From the outset, director Nicholas Meyer (the genius behind the success of The Wrath of Khan) establishes a much darker tone. This is a different kind of Star Trek movie. A lot is at stake here, and Meyer makes it well known right away. At the same time, Meyer skillfully juggles the darker tone with lighthearted zest and tongue-in-cheek dialog that helps to offset the political drama going on. Meyer doesn't miss an opportunity to give the viewer a moment to relax before immediately kicking up the suspense again. While depicting insightful character analysis of Captain Kirk and his feelings about Klingons and the peace, Meyer never takes his eye off the big picture. This is some very skillful direction.

The final act, as the Enterprise races to stop another assassination, is incredibly suspenseful. Aided by Cliff Eidelman's score (inspired by the The Planets symphony) the suspense keeps you on the edge-of-your seat, with excellent editing as we jump back and forth between Chang gleefully shooting up the Enterprise, Spock and McCoy performing "surgery" on a torpedo, and an assassin prepare to take his shot, it's a quite thrilling finale.

While there are some small plot holes, with some answers falling into place a little too neatly, these things are easily overlooked and don't detract from the experience. There's zest and energy here and the performances are wonderful from top to bottom. William Shatner is great, with Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley both able to move back and forth between drama and small comedy. Christopher Plummer is delightful as Klingon General Chang, the villain of the film. He's so over-the-top as he recites Shakespeare while blowing holes in the Enterprise, and yet you believe it all the way because he is such a brilliant actor. Plummer's eyepiece-wearing Chang is easily one of Trek's top villains.

The performances of the main cast are spot on. You know they're having a good time as they deliver tongue-in-cheek dialog, yet we are caught up entirely in their performances. These are very fitting final performances for this cast.

The cinematography is dark and moody, adding to the suspense. Shots during Kirk and McCoy's escape from Rura Penthe are some of the most beautiful scenic images in all of Star Trek. This movie is incredibly well put together.

Cliff Eidelman's score is top notch. It is very different from any previous Trek score, yet remains true to its origins and maintains the suspense throughout.

I normally don't do this, but I can't go without mentioning the poster. It is probably one of the coolest Star Trek posters out there, and I'm waiting for the day when this poster is topped.

Star Trek VI came at the right time, repairing the damage that The Final Frontier did to the franchise's future. It is a fitting 25th anniversary celebration, while serving as a touching and wonderful send-off for the original crew. As William Shatner delivers his final captain's log featuring the Star Trek monologue while we look at these characters, we know that it is for the last time. The applause at the end is well earned, including the Starship Enterprise's final exit as she sails into the sunset.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

2009-05-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: William Shatner
Produced by: Harve Bennett
Screenplay by: David Loughery
Story by: William Shatner, Harve Bennett & David Loghery
Executive Producer: Ralph Winter
Cinematography by: Andrew Laszlo, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Herman Zimmerman
Edited by: Peter E. Berger, A.C.E.
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith
Costumes by: Nilo Rodis-Jamero

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Lawrence Luckinbill, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, David Warner, Charles Cooper, Cynthia Gouw, Todd Bryant, Spice Williams, George Murdock

1989 / 107min / Rated PG

The Enterprise is dispatched to Nimbus III, "the planet of Galactic Peace", where a radical group has taken hostage the representatives of the Federation, Klingon and Romulan Empires. But the hostages are only bait, and the Enterprise is captured by its leader, Sybok, who turns out to not only be Spock's brother, but is on a quest to the center of the galaxy where he hopes to find the planet Sha Ka Ree and God.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is probably the weakest of the Star Trek films, so much so that its events are not only not acknowledged by any other Star Trek production, but nearly sunk the franchise. The only reason a sixth film was approved was because of Star Trek's 25th anniversary two years later. If it's any indication of my opinion, it is the only Star Trek movie that is not part of my DVD collection.

The Final Frontier is, quite frankly, a mess. Its tone is all over the place. There are plenty of attempts to replicate the humor that made The Voyage Home such a success, but whereas that humor flowed naturally from the story, this humor did not and was at the expense of the characters. The characters hardest hit are Scotty and Uhura. The worst example is when Scotty hits his head on a beam after stating he "knows this ship like the back of his hand". Attempts at depicting the new Enterprise's malfunctions fall rather flat.

The less said about the camp fire scene the better.

The first hour of the film meanders, doing nothing but setup for what is to come next. It is essentially an extended first act, establishing the characters, bringing them together, and moving onto the main journey. All this setup is rather misleading, as the viewer is led to believe that this moving is about the hostages. But the hostages are merely a plot device, a means for the central antagonist to get his hands on the Enterprise before moving on to the real story.

While the prospect of Sybok, a Vulcan who has chosen to shed logic in favor of emotion, is rather interesting, and he is performed adeptly by Lawrence Luckinbill, the character is never given any room to grow or develop. He's determined to reach his destination and will go through any means to obtain that goal. Sybok also has the unique ability to help people "release their pain", a concept that is never explained. Once a person's pain is released, they simply fall in line behind Sybok, performing his every deed without question. This includes most of the crew of the Enterprise, who follow Sybok like mindless robots. The crew is not at their finest here.

There is also the threat of a Klingon captain who is determined to battle a Federation starship for glory and honor, and when he learns that it is Kirk and the Enterprise, he is willing to follow Kirk to the center of the galaxy to defeat him. Not only are the Klingons rather dull and uninteresting, they add nothing to the story.

Time is spent trying to build up the threat of the Great Barrier at the center of the galaxy. No ship or probe is said to have ever returned. And yet when we reach the barrier (funny how it takes the Enterprise only a matter of hours to reach the center of the galaxy) not only does the Enterprise easily pass through the barrier, but so does the Klingon ship.

The special effects are also rather bad. The ship effects are rather unconvincing, and the barrier itself looks like a pool of writers ink that was spilled on the film.

Performances are rather bland, particularly from the Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley. It's as though they both knew this was not a good script that would not make a good movie, and were merely going through the actions. Although, to his credit, DeForest Kelley gives an excellent performance during his "pain" scene in which he euthanizes his father. Kelley's performance is great here, but in the rest of the movie he seems rather uninterested.

William Shatner tries to compensate by infusing more energy, but unfortunately with him at the helm this time, there is no one to pull Shatner in. Shatner is uninhibited, giving a hammy and over-the-top performance that, while charismatic, is not very good.

To its credit, The Final Frontier has a rather ambitious goal; the discovery of God. It's so ambitious that the filmmakers walk themselves into an impossible corner. Either this "God" is a fake and some dangerous alien, or it is the real God. If they indeed decide to make this the real God, then the filmmakers have truly discovered the final frontier and the mission is over. Once you've discovered God, what else can you discover and being anywhere near as interesting?

Obviously, the filmmakers have to go with the dangerous alien. The fake god turns out to be rather dangerous, wanting the Enterprise so that he can leave his planet where he's been trapped for a long time. It's never explained when the alien says that Sybok created the planet and pictured this alien "god" in Sybok's own image, it's never fully explained and sounds like the writers don't know what to do with this situation.

Probably the film's one positive is Jerry Goldsmith's score. Back is Goldsmith's Enterprise theme first introduced in The Motion Picture, as well as his fun and very fitting theme for the Klingons, which is given much more time due to the Klingons presence throughout the movie. Goldsmith's secondary themes for the mountain climbing sequence as well as the trek to meet God are powerful. Goldsmith is probably best known for his action music, and his score for the action infuses suspense and thrills that are otherwise missing from the action itself.

While The Final Frontier tries to do more with the core characters then any other film, the attempts fall flat. An attempted romance between Scotty and Uhura comes out of no where, and not enough is done to explore the possibility of a Chekov and Sulu friendship. The best relationship, as always, is that of Kirk, Spock and McCoy who stick together from beginning to end. Their friendship is rather touching and poignant.

Despite a bungled attempt to pose questions on religion and faith, The Final Frontier is the least satisfying Star Trek film, and hopefully will stay that way, because anything worse would surely end the franchise for sure. I rarely watch The Final Frontier and avoid watching it as much as I can, and I would not recommend this movie if you're trying to introduce someone to the franchise. In fact, avoid it altogether.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

2009-05-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Leonard Nimoy
Produced by: Harve Bennett
Screenplay by: Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Harve Bennett & Nicholas Meyer
Story by: Leonard Nimoy & Harve Bennett
Executive Producer: Ralph Winter
Cinematography by: Don Peterman, A.S.C.
Edited by: Peter E. Berger
Music by: Leonard Rosenman

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Catherine Hicks, Mark Lenard, Jane Wyatt, Brock Peters, Robert Ellenstein, John Schuck, Scott DeVenney, Majel Barrett, Robin Curtis

1986 / 119min / Rated PG

The crew of the Enterprise make their way home in their captured Klingon ship to face the consequences of their actions in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. But when an alien probe sends destructive signals to Earth, causing critical damage to the planet, Admiral Kirk, Spock and crew discover that the only way to save Earth is to travel back in time to acquire a pair of humpback whales to bring them back to the 23rd century to communicate with the probe.

Just reading the brief synopsis would make you wonder that, besides being Star Trek, how this movie ever got made. But the results are marvelously fun and hilarious, turning Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home into the franchise's most financial successful and mainstream film.

A lot of that success is that this is a fish-out-of-water story, pardon the pun. The crew of the Enterprise is thrown into situations where they are in way over the heads as they travel the streets of San Francisco, trying to find directions to a naval base, obtain transparent aluminum that hasn't been invented yet, and woo a marine biologist into providing information on the humpback whales under her care.

The crew breaks into groups to find the various materials needed to return to the future successfully. The best of these groups is, quite naturally, Kirk and Spock as they encounter Dr. Gillian Taylor (Catherine Hicks) and two humpback whales, George and Gracie. Shatner and Nimoy are great in their respective roles as Kirk and Spock, with Nimoy able to infuse Spock with more humor than we have previously seen.

Most importantly, however, is the arc Spock has throughout the film. At the film's outset, Spock fails to comprehend why his friends sacrificed everything to save him. He views it as illogical, and the only reason he is traveling to Earth with them is because they are his shipmates and to offer testimony at their court martial. But at film's end, Spock stands beside them because they are his friends and it is the human thing to do. It's the most growth any character has had in any of the Star Trek films to-date. The results are Nimoy's finest performance as Spock, who tries to deal not only with the rebuilding of his mind, trying to find the balance between being Vulcan and human, but also, amusingly, how to handle cursing.

The performances from the entire cast are wonderful, particularly the main cast as they fumble from one awkward moment to another as they try to make by in 1986 San Francisco. It's obvious that these people are having a lot of fun, and it makes for very enjoyable performances.

There is no villain, only an object that serves as a plot device that leads to the characters traveling back in time to solve the problem. There really isn't much in the way of plot, but that's insignificant considering it's the characterizations But the focus isn't on the problem or the solution, it's on the people we have come to know and love over the years.

Leonard Rosenman's score is a mixed bag. While the theme is wonderful, much of his underscore is rather forgettable and does not match previously Trek scores. The highlights of his score are found in both the presentation of the main theme at the beginning and end, but the only cue of note is during the hospital chase scene in the middle of the film. Otherwise, Rosenman's score is rather hard to listen to, despite having been nominated for an Academy Award.

The cinematography, particularly of the whales, is top-notch, and the sequence of the bird-of-prey flying under the Golden Gate bridge and crashing in San Francisco Bay is quite fun to watch.

I can't let the screenplay go without mentioning. The writing is wonderful, and the dialog is fresh and witty. Also of worthy note is Leonard Nimoy's direction. Nimoy's direction of The Search for Spock was strong, but rather uneven at points. By The Voyage Home, it's obvious that Nimoy is very much at home in front of and behind the camera. He infuses the movie with so much fun and energy that it's hard to imagine The Voyage Home being equally good under the helm of someone else.

The Voyage Home might be thin in story, but that doesn't matter. It's the characters who carry this adventure, and the humor and energy that is brought forth is quite remarkable, giving Star Trek it's most light-hearted and fun outing.

1/2 (of 4)

Review: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

2009-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Leonard Nimoy
Written & Produced by: Harve Bennett
Executive Producer: Gary Nardino
Cinematography by: Charles Correll, A.S.C.
Art Director: John E. Chillberg II
Edited by: Robert F. Shugrue
Associate Producer: Ralph Winter
Music by: James Horner

Cast: William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, Christopher Lloyd, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, Merritt Butrick, John Larroquette, Mark Lenard, Robin Curtis

1984 / 105min / Rated PG

The U.S.S. Enterprise heads home, damaged from its battle with Khan, and still mourning the death of Spock. When Ambassador Sarek informs Kirk that Spock's soul is being carried by Dr. McCoy and can be restored to his body, Kirk and his crew steal the Enterprise to return to Genesis to save their friend. But when a Klingon bird-of-prey learns of the Genesis planet, its commander sets out to capture the secret of Genesis for the Klingon Empire.

After getting his wish to be killed off in The Wrath of Khan, Leonard Nimoy had such an enjoyable time making that film that he decided that he wanted to remain associated with Star Trek after all. Nimoy was not only granted his request to return, but also given the opportunity to direct as well. Given Spock's situation at the end of The Wrath of Khan, the only way to go about the sequel was to set out to resurrect him. And unless the filmmakers really wanted to alienate fans, the outcome is rather predictable. So The Search for Spock is meant to be more about the journey then it is the destination.

As far as story goes, The Search for Spock is rather predictable. There is only one way for the movie to end. So what do the filmmakers do to keep the viewer interested in the journey? Thrown into the mix is a Klingon commander (Christopher Lloyd) bent on acquiring the secret of Genesis to use for the glory of the Klingon Empire. Kruge is no Khan and Lloyd is able to make him a passable villain. He isn't a memorable villain, but he is able to get the job done. The final hand-to-hand battle between Kirk and Kruge in the midst of the destruction of the Genesis planet is technically effective, but when it comes to payoff, it doesn't match the satisfaction we get when we see Khan die. Where there was history to the Kirk-Khan rivalry that fueled the satisfaction in seeing Kirk defeat Khan, there isn't enough invested in the Kirk-Kruge rivalry to give any punch to Kruge's eventual death.

Just as the Battle in the Mutara Nebula was the highlight of The Wrath of Khan, the highlight of The Search for Spock is easily the theft of the Enterprise. With the Enterprise being decommissioned and the crew to be reassigned, Kirk is not allowed by Starfleet Command to take the Enterprise to Genesis to recover Spock based upon "Vulcan mysticism", as explained by Ambassador Sarek in a poignant scene in which Sarek mind-melds with Kirk, forcing Kirk to relieve Spock's death.

With no other choice, the crew of the Enterprise steal back their ship in a pulse-pounding scene that is so well played, directed, written and scored that it's the film's high point. This easily stands out as one of the best sequences in not only any of the Star Trek sequences, but the entire franchise as well.

Performances are wonderful, particularly from both William Shatner and DeForest Kelley. Kelley must portray a man in the midst of inner turmoil, struggling with both his own eccentricities and the mind of Spock. Spock and McCoy have been polar opposites from the beginning of the series, with Spock being logical and McCoy emotional. The pairing is quite intriguing and Kelley is excellent. Particularly of note is a short, quiet scene near the end where the crew has just left Genesis on their way to Vulcan, and McCoy tries to wake up an unconscious Spock. It's a small but poignant scene in which McCoy expresses to Spock that he's missed him, despite all their arguing and bickering. It's a great character moment because it shows that no matter their difference, these two are close friends. Kelley's performance is right on the money.

Shatner plays Kirk here as rather subdued and somber, having just lost his best friend, a brother. It's probably Shatner's finest performance as Kirk, portraying his grief and determination wonderfully. Particularly well handled is Kirk's reaction to the death of his son at the hands of the Klingons, immediately followed by Kirk's determination to defeat the Klingons in true Kirk fashion. As McCoy states, Kirk turns "death into a fighting chance to live". Shatner is brilliant.

Two major shocks come within a matter of minutes of each other. When the Klingons reach Genesis, they destroy the U.S.S. Grissom and take Saavik (here portrayed rather blandly by Robin Curtis), David and a young, regenerating Spock captive. When confronted by the Enterprise, the Klingons unknowingly cripple the starship, manned only by Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov and Sulu. In an attempt to get the secret of Genesis, Klingon Commander Kruge orders the execution of one of his hostages, resulting in David's death as he saves Saavik from being executed. As mentioned before, Shatner portrayal of Kirk's grief is wonderful.

Within only a matter of minutes, in a last-ditch attempt to save his crew, rescue his friends from the planet below, and beat the Klingons, Kirk sets the auto-destruct sequence on the Enterprise, destroying the ship and the Klingon boarders. The sequence is suspenseful and shocking, providing the plot twist just as shocking as Spock's death in the previous film. It's rather appropriate, and more on that in a moment.

The Search for Spock is a mirror of The Wrath of Khan. Khan is most definitely a hard act to follow, near impossible really, but The Search for Spock lives up to the challenge by being a companion, if not an equal. While The Search for Spock comes themes that parallel The Wrath of Khan, particularly with life and death. In order to save Spock, Kirk must sacrifice everything for a man who gave his life for everything.

At the end of Khan, Spock dies during the birth of the Genesis planet. In Spock, the Genesis planet dies during the "rebirth" of Spock. Just as Kirk rediscovered his son at the end of Khan, here Kirk regains Spock just as he loses his son. And just as Spock sacrificed his life to save the Enterprise, the Enterprise is sacrificed to save Spock. The parallels to this film's predecessor are quite poignant.

The film ends rather anticlimactically with the resurrection of Spock, but given everything that has happened over the course of this movie and the one before it, it's rather fitting and somber. And the final scene between Kirk and the fully restored Spock (finally portrayed by Leonard Nimoy) is wonderfully written, acted and directed. It makes for a very poignant and touching finale, one that the film deserves. James Horner's score during the return to Vulcan is rather powerful and effective as we witness the approach of the captured Klingon vessel, and

James Horner's score is strongest during the return to Vulcan, the prologue and credits, and the theft of the Enterprise. His Klingon theme is rather forgettable and no where near as strong as Goldsmith's theme for the Klingons. His score is rather derivative of his own score for The Wrath of Khan, but it is still quite strong, if not original.

The special effects are strong, but are limited due to a small budget, but they are still good. The effects are strongest during the destruction of the Enterprise, which remains the film's visual standout.

The film's major setbacks remain a predictable outcome, as well as a lackluster villain who is only passable. Could The Search for Spock have been better? Probably. But given it came on the heels of The Wrath of Khan, it's a strong and worthy sequel, and probably the strongest of all the "odd-numbered" films.

(of 4)

Review: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

2009-04-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Nicholas Meyer
Produced by: Harve Bennett
Screenplay by: Jack B. Sowards (uncredited: Nicholas Meyer)
Story by: Harve Bennett & Jack B. Sowards (uncredited: Samuel Peeples)
Production Designed by: Joseph R. Jennings
Edited by: William P. Dornisch
Music by: James Horner

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Ricardo Montalban, Kirstie Alley, James Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols. Mimi Besch, Merritt Buttrick, Paul Winfield, Judgson Scott

1982 / 116min / Rated PG

Admiral James T. Kirk returns to the U.S.S. Enterprise, which has been turned into a training ship for a group of Starfleet cadets. Unhappy in his new post and not in command of a starship, Kirk struggles with aging and death when an old nemesis, Khan, escapes after fifteen years of imprisonment on a desolate world and seeks revenge on Kirk for the death of his wife.

Despite being a success at the box office, Star Trek: The Motion Picture had been costly and not as big a success as Paramount Pictures would have liked. In an attempt to cut back on costs and increase profit, series creator Gene Roddenberry was forced out of production and Harve Bennett was brought in to produce a less expensive film. Bringing a young Nicholas Meyer on board who evoked a sense of swashbuckling adventure that matched the atmosphere of the original series, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan has become the definitive Star Trek movie.

The space battles are wonderful. From the first suspenseful buildup to attack to the grand finale in the heart of the Mutara Nebula, the battles are tense, thrilling and wonderfully realized, playing out like two sea ships duking it out on the high seas. What's even greater about the battles is that they are not won by strength, they are won by wit and knowledge. Kirk doesn't defeat Khan by being stronger or smarter, after all, Khan is a genetically enhanced being. Any direction confrontation would certainly result in Khan's victory. But in the end it is Kirk's experience as a starship captain that allows him to conquer Khan in the end. What's great about this is that it plays back to the character element of age touched upon in the beginning. Were it not for Kirk's age and experience, it's most likely Khan would've won. Which is why Kirk ends up instructing a young Kirstie Alley as Lt. Saavik on the importance of knowledge and strategy. To-date, no Trek battle has out-done what is done here.

The characters and performances are wonderful all across the board. The original cast are at their best here, particularly Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley. They are comfortable in their roles and don't seem as awkward or lifeless as they did in The Motion Picture. One of my big complaints about The Motion Picture was the lack of interaction between The Trio (Kirk, Spock and McCoy). While that interaction is limited here as well, it is beautifully handled. Nimoy and Kelley are wonderful as they bicker about the implications of the Genesis device, while Shatner is amusing as he sits back and watches, exasperated. The chemistry is best at the climax, but more on that in a minute.

Khan is wonderfully written and portrayed by Ricardo Montalban. You know what he wants and why he wants it, and you really do believe in his anger and vengeance as he sets out to kill Kirk. Montalban's performance has become the definitive Star Trek villain. He's grand, over-the-top and yet not so much that he hams it up. Montalban has yet to be topped by any villain in any Trek incarnation.

Kirstie Alley is instantly loveable as Lt. Saavik, the half-Vulcan/half-Romulan protege to Spock. This was the performance that made people notice Alley, and it's too made she was not brought back to continue the character in the next sequel.

The key to Wrath of Khan's success is that it managed to capture the fun and adventure of the original series. The characterization that was missing from The Motion Picture is presented perfectly here. Probably the best decision that Nicholas Meyer made (Meyer wrote the screenplay in 12 days from a collection of previous drafts) was to give Kirk glasses. This one small gesture shows that these characters are in a different place from where they were when the series ended, something The Motion Picture did not accomplish. They humanized them, made them mortal, and increased the emotional impact of the grand finale.

Khan's emotional payoff does not come from his defeat and death, but instead in the best death of and Star Trek character. Adding to that impact is that it is also Trek's most popular and beloved character, Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock. It is one of the most touching and poignant moments of any of the Trek films. The performances are perfect, from Kelley's McCoy trying to stop Spock, to Shatner's portrayal of Kirk's grief both in the death scene and the funeral, to Nimoy's portrayal of Spock's death. The writing hits all the right notes, with all the right things being said. It's not how much is said, but what is being said. This probably would not have been so emotional or touching had it not been for the buildup and characterization established throughout the film. This is why characterization and development are so important, and this film really hits a grand slam.

At the heart of the film is Nicholas Meyer's focus on the cycle of life and death. Kirk's constant attempts to cheat death, to the discovery of new life in Kirk's long-lost son, Spock's death intercut with the birth of a new world are wonderfully handled by Meyer. It brings it all into focus. It's not just a movie where things happen, it's a movie that is about something. Spock's death, as tragic and heartbreaking as it is, off-sets the discovery of Kirk's son. Meyer handles the movie's themes so wonderfully you barely notice them as they're happening at all.

The Wrath of Khan is the definitive Star Trek movie. Each film, in some way, has tried to capture that same magic, but to varying degrees of success and none anywhere near the magic that is captured here. Everything is perfect, the writing, Nicholas Meyer's flawless direction, James Horner's swashbuckling score, the effects, the performances. The Wrath of Khan established how to make a Star Trek movie and launched the franchise into a bold new direction. If you want to make a Star Trek movie, this is the one to look to as the perfect example.

(of 4)

Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture

2009-04-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Directed by: Robert Wise
Produced by: Gene Roddenberry
Screenplay by: Harold Livingston
Story by: Alan Dean Foster
Cinematography by: Richard H. Kline, A.S.C.
Production Designed by: Harold Michelson
Edited by: Todd Ramsay
Music by: Jerry Goldsmith

Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Stephen Collins, Persis Khambatta, James Doohan, George Takei, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols

1979 / 136min. / Rated PG (Sci-Fi Action and mild language)

Ten years after its cancellation from television, Star Trek: The Motion Picture marked the first voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise on the big screen. Even though it launched a film franchise of eleven motion pictures (each of varying success), Captain Kirk and company's first motion picture journey was to mixed results.

When a mysterious cloud plots a destructive path through the Klingon Empire into the heart of the Federation, destroying anything in its path and threatening Earth, the newly-refitted Starship Enterprise is launched before she is ready. Kirk resumes command of the Enterprise, removing it from the young Wilard Decker, who holds a grudge against Kirk for demoting him from his rightful position of command.

As much as it was a result of Paramount trying to capitalize on the success of Star Wars and the renewed interest in Science Fiction, The Motion Picture is more like 2001: A Space Oddysey then it is Star Wars. The Motion Picture is overly long and dull. Too much time is spent on special effects sequences that go on for endless spans of time. While the director's cut (released on DVD in 2001) is able to tighten the pacing, it is not enough to keep it from becoming a snooze-fest. While the special effects are impressive (although some do not hold up to the test of time) and the first fly-by of the refitted Enterprise is glorious, all of this could have been trimmed significantly. Too much emphasis is placed on the visual effects then on the actual story and character interactions.

Another of the film's problems is that this lays the groundwork for some what would lead to Trek's eventual "falling out"; it's becomes caught up in its own tech. Much of the first half hour is spent showing off the new Enterprise. While impressive as the sets appear (for 1979, that is) and are significantly improved over the television sets that look like they could fall over at any moment, too much time is spent showing them off. It's as though the filmmakers are screaming "look how cool this thing looks"! At the same time, the improved look of the Enterprise is a big improvement over the series model.

Much of the first part of the movie is spent on technical jargon and focuses on tech problems that add nothing of significance to the plot. While the initial transporter incident allows for the return of Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy), there are things that really could have been left on the cutting room floor. The entire wormhole sequence was completely unnecessary, and resulted in nearly ten minutes of screen time being wasted. This could have been cut and never have been missed.

What adds to the film's dullness is that it lacks real heart. The characters feel flat and dull. It's hard to really care about them. As much fun as it is to see the original characters return, they're dull and not given much growth. We aren't really given a chance to catch up because of all the focus given to the look of the film. While we care about them, it's only because we know who they are. Whereas the new characters of Decker (Stephen Collins) and Ilia (Persis Khambatta) are given no time to develop. While it is told they have a history, it really isn't shown, even though that history and the "feelings" they have for one another play significantly into the conclusion. And unfortunately because of a lack of material to work with, the entire cast almost seems uninterested and are only going through the motions.

DeForest Kelley is strongest as the lovable Dr. McCoy, but he's not given much to work with, walking on and off the bridge at random. There's is one scene where he walks in, watches for a couple minutes, then walks off without anything to contribute. His best moments are when he first boards the ship with the trademark McCoy rant, and later in the captain's cabin when he chews Kirk out, calling him out on his obsession with the Enterprise and that he has no intention of returning the ship to Decker. Unfortunately, Kelley isn't given enough to do.

One of the biggest disappointments is the lack of interaction between Kirk, Spock and McCoy. One of the things that made Star Trek so wonderful was the wonderful chemistry, bickering and dialogue between these three. Shatner, Nimoy and Kelley had such great chemistry in the series, chemistry that is present here, but is so brief that you'll miss it if you blink. Had this interaction and their chemistry been played up a little more, The Motion Picture might truly have had a little more heart.

The Motion Picture does get some things right. Jerry Goldsmith's score is grand and majestic, probably the best Trek score to-date. The main theme (the Enterprise theme) is not only my favorite Trek theme, but probably one of my favorite movie themes of all-time. It is so dynamic it can be used almost any instance. It's so great that Gene Roddenberry chose to use it as the main theme for The Next Generation. Goldsmith's love theme for Ilia is one Trek's most romantic theme and is unforgettable. It's a real shame that Goldsmith, who was nominated for an Oscar for his work, did not get what he deserved.

One of my biggest complaints about the Star Trek movies is that they feel small. They don't feel like big space epics. A lot of that is because of Paramount's desire to keep the budget under control. The Motion Picture, though, has that grand and epic feel. It feels like a big event movie and doesn't feel like it could've been told in a TV series. It's this feeling that helps improve The Motion Picture.

The Motion Picture is also probably the only Trek film that is most like the series in its attempt to be cerebral. It doesn't try to to be exciting, it tries to make you think, particularly with its examination of the question Spock poses, "Who am I? Is there nothing more?" While this is what Star Trek has always attempted (make people think), the lack of heart and engagement detracts from the significance of the finale.

Speaking of the conclusion, almost two hours of the movie is spent building up to a big encounter with V'Ger. The question is pondered throughout, "Who is at the heart of this cloud?" and "Can they be reasoned with?" Unfortunately the payoff is rather disappointing and anticlimactic as we discover just who (or what) V'Ger really is, its origins, and why it is on a quest to reach Earth. It's really these questions that question that keeps the viewer interested in an overly long and dull movie. Had the conclusion been more fulfilling, The Motion Picture most likely would've been a much stronger movie.

The Motion Picture might be a mixed bag of a movie, but it does have its moments and was a big enough success to launch off the Star Trek franchise. With a little more editing both in script and in the editing room, a little bit more character and heart, The Motion Picture could've become a great Sci-Fi classic and the definitive Trek film. As is, though, despite its attempts to be thought-provoking and significant, The Motion Picture is overly long, dull and unengaging, much to its detriment.

(of 4)

Is This a Good Sign?

2009-04-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

I for one don't view box office receipts as being a way to measure the quality of a movie. After all, The Phantom Menace made over $400 million but was not a good movie. It is, in fact, the only Star Wars movie that is not a part of my DVD collection. However, I do know that in order for there to be further incarnations of a favorite film/TV franchise, there must be success in the box office.

As much as I'd like to say I don't care whether or not Star Trek is successful just as long as it's good, I want to see more! So I care about both.

A year ago, a little movie called Iron Man opened to almost $100 million its opening weekend and went on to gross $318 million domestically, second in 2008 only to another little movie called The Dark Knight. A lot of that success was to due advanced ticket sales. So is this article any indication of good things to come?

Which Character Are You?

2009-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last hour or so trying to figure out which character I am from various shows/series. Let's just say, it produced interesting results.

Star Trek
Your results:
You are An Expendable Character (Redshirt)

An Expendable Character (Redshirt)		70%
Deanna Troi		55%
Spock		52%
Chekov		45%
James T. Kirk (Captain)		45%
Geordi LaForge		40%
Jean-Luc Picard		40%
Mr. Scott		30%
Worf		30%
Data		27%
Uhura		25%
Will Riker		25%
Leonard McCoy (Bones)		20%
Beverly Crusher		15%
Mr. Sulu		5%

Since your accomplishments are seldom noticed,
and you are rarely thought of, you are expendable.
That doesn't mean your job isn't important but if you
were in Star Trek you would be killed off in the first
episode you appeared in.

Click here to take the Star Trek Personality Quiz

Take the Star Trek Quiz

Sci-Fi Character in General (explain this one!)

Harry Potter

Which HP Kid Are You?

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
And considering what happened in the movie, is this really a good thing?

You Scored as Anakin Skywalker

Anakin Skywalker

75%

Clone Trooper

58%

Yoda

56%

R2-D2

53%

Obi Wan Kenobi

50%

Padme Amidala

42%

General Grievous

39%

Mace Windu

39%

C-3PO

33%

Darth Vader

33%

Chewbacca

31%

Emperor Palpatine

25%

Keeping Up with Ally

2009-04-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post some pics of Ally that no one has seen. She's growing into a beautiful young dog! She pictures so well and Maggie and I have seriously considered if we should try to submit pictures of her to see if they can be published or put on dog food or something. Who knows? It could work!

We've just recently began to notice something in Ally's behavior. Whenever I come over to Maggie's, Ally also gets so excited to see me, jumping up and down, back and forth, onto me, onto Maggie, just smiling away! Maggie says that while Ally is excited to see her, she never gets that excited. But then last night, I got back to Maggie's house before she did and so when I went in, Ally was excited to see me, but not as excited as she normally is. But the moment Maggie got home, Ally broke out into this huge ball of excitement! We've come to realize that Ally is always excited to see us, but she is more excited to see us when we're together! It's as though she's shouting out, "We're all here together!"

I think it's so wonderful how Ally is excited when she's with both Maggie and me!

Star Trek: The Mandatory Upcoming Premiere Post (the 1st one, anyway)

2009-04-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Before today, I have made 30 posts since starting this blog almost a year ago, 31 if you count today's post. Of those prior 30, five have been in regards to Star Trek, and three of those have been about the upcoming movie due to hit theaters May 8th (see local listings for showtimes). Make this post 31, six about Star Trek, and four about the movie!

As anyone can tell, I am quite excited about the upcoming movie. After the letdown that was 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis (good in concept, so-so in execution) and the huge disappointment that was Star Trek: Enterprise (canceled after only four seasons on TV), I was beginning to wonder whether or not Star Trek could be truly great again.

When it was announced in mid-2006 that J.J. Abrams (the genius behind Alias, Lost and the director of the recent Mission: Impossible movie) would be producing and subsequently directing, there was a glimmer of hope. Along with him he brought Alex Kurtzman and Robert Orci, writers from his previous projects and the ones who also scrippted M:i:III. Abrams' team consisted of a good mix of longtime Trek fans, casual Trek fans, and people who didn't know a whole lot about it. This meant insight from people who not only knew what Trek fans liked, but also who would know what it would take for Star Trek to appeal to the casual moviegoer.

Star Trek has spent too much time being the "poor Sci-Fi cousin" (so-to-speak) of Star Wars. With seven trips to the big screen (I unfortunately include the dreaded animated flick from last summer), Star Wars has made roughyl $1.9 billion in box office receipts! Its highest grossing movie was 1999's Episode I: The Phantom Menace, which brought in $431.1 million! Each of Star Wars' installments has had an average income of $274.0 million in the box office!

And Star Trek? The franchise has taken ten trips to the silver screen since 1979's Star Trek: The Motion Picture, with a grand total of $755.6 million in box office totals. Trek's most successful film was 1986's Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (the one with the whales, for those who aren't completely familiar with the franchise) which brought in $109.7 million, and remains to-date the first and only Star Trek movie to bring in over $100 million in the box office. The closest any other film came was 1996's First Contact (the one with the time traveling Borg) and that reached $92 million. The average Star Trek film has made $75.6 million.

The last figures for the new Star Trek (no subtitle) movie placed the budget somewhere near $130 million, and that doesn't include the big marketing plan Paramount is putting behind this movie. Paramount must like what they see if they put this much money behind it. Then again, I remember hearing great things about the last flick and look where that ended up: Number 2 opening weekend ($18.5 million) behind a Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy and a box office intake of $43.3 million.

What's the difference?

Star Trek has been Paramount's "golden cow", so to speak. It's been around since 1966, one of the longest running film and television franchises there is. Paramount can't allow it to die, what franchise does that leave them? So in an attempt to jump-start the franchise, J.J. Abrams was called upon and the decision was made to go back to the beginning. Star Trek is the origin story of Kirk and Spock and how they came to be aboard the Enterprise. Paramount is banking on the success of recent origin story/reboots like Batman Begins and Casino Royale to be duplicated with Star Trek.

It's an awfully big risk to take, because if you look for people who played Batman before Christian Bale, you'll find Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer and George Clooney. If you look for people who played James Bond before Daniel Craig, you'll discover Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan. If you look at who played James Kirk before Chris Pine, you'll discover William Shatner.

That's a big difference. This is the first time in the 43-year history of the Star Trek franchise that the original characters have been recast. Star Trek fans are well-known for being extremely touchy, sensitive and very picky about their Star Trek. Why do you think the franchise has lost so much of its fanbase over the last 15 years? Because it became fragmented because you had those who preferred the original series, TNG, DS9, Voyager or Enterprise. There are fans who loved DS9 but hate Voyager, and vice-versa. There are fans who love Enterprise but hate the original series. There are fans of the original series who want this movie to fail because William Shatner's not playing Captain Kirk!

J.J. Abrams and Paramount Pictures are taking a huge risk in taking the franchise in this direction. To be honest, I don't care who plays Jim Kirk as long as they are convincing and don't make me pine (pardon the pun) for the days of Shatner as Kirk. In an attempt to try to link this new vision of Star Trek to the original, Leonard Nimoy returns as an older version of Spock. And if Leonard Nimoy's involved (remember he walked away from doing Star Trek: Generations because the script wasn't good enough) then there must be promise, right?

My big question is, what does Star Trek need to not only be fresh and original again, but to also be appealing enough to be successful?

Paramount has kicked their marketing campaign into full drive, because I have read a remarkable story about the "premiere" of the movie.

According to TrekMovie.com, tonight fans in Austin, TX were actually shown the entire new Star Trek movie instead of The Wrath of Khan and a 10 minute preview of new footage (a secret US premiere hours ahead of the gala world premiere in Sydney, Australia).

Two minutes in to the showing of Star Trek II, the film appeared to have ‘melted' and Star Trek star Leonard Nimoy came out in front of the audience holding a film can.

Nimoy asked them "wouldn't you rather see the new movie?" And apparently the crowd went wild. Nimoy stayed for the entire screening as did Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof.

The full report (including photos of the event and various reviews) can be found at TrekMovie.

Talk about a surprise! And reviews are starting to come out as well!

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Putting a much-loved but over-the-hill vehicle back in shape takes more than a new battery and a lick of paint. It demands a full-bore refit, and that's exactly what J.J. Abrams has given "Star Trek."

Paced at warp speed with spectacular action sequences rendered brilliantly and with a cast so expert that all the familiar characters are instantly identifiable, the film gives Paramount Pictures a new lease of life on its franchise.
The full review can be found here.

Lewis Bazley for the In the News UK

Remakes, reboots, reimaginings - whatever you want to call return visits to oft-explored franchise, JJ Abrams' take on Star Trek is hardly a journey into the final frontier. Yet in handing the Lost creator the reins to overhaul a landmark, 40-year-old TV series with ten film spin-offs, Paramount Studios have not just kicked off an inevitably lucrative new movie saga, but also managed to give a much-parodied source new life and devotees. Abrams has more than proved his dramatic and comedic credentials in the likes of Felicity, Alias and - before it went a bit mad - Lost and revealed a surprising talent for action direction in 2006's Mission: Impossible III but in Star Trek, he is now confirmed as the one of the most talented filmmakers of his generation. The pulse-raising, balls-to-the-wall action filmmaking on show here shows he is able to breathe new life into a potentially stagnant source, to find humanity in a profoundly absurd situation and to satisfy the fanboys while attracting new converts.

Nick Curtis for the Evening Standard

Abrams's version of Gene Roddenberry's idealistic space western isn't perfect. But it is confident, clever and above all spectacular enough to please die-hard fans and newcomers alike.

Debra Craine for The Times

Just when you thought that the Star Trek phenomenon had truly run its course, along comes J. J. Abrams's stunning prequel to resuscitate the most enduring franchise in sci-fi history. The past five decades have produced five television series and ten films - not all of them successful - so veteran Trekkers had no right to expect such a dazzling and beautiful rebirth.

Kev Geoghegan for the BBC

Star Trek is a decent film that does exactly what it says on the tin. It's big, flashy and action packed with impressive special effects. Kids will enjoy it and the snappy dialogue provides enough laughs for mum and dad.

Chris Tookey for the Daily Mail

J.J. Abrams had come up with a tremendous idea, inspired no doubt by the success of Batman Begins and Casino Royale, both of which had reinvigorated tired franchises by recasting and going back to basics.

The result is not only by far the best of the 11 Star Trek movies, it must rank as the outstanding prequel of all time.

So far every review is gushing positive about this movie. For a fan who was worried about whether this would be good (after all, the same writers behind this script wrote 2007's Transformers, a movie I really didn't like), this is excellent news. And considering I've read multiple reviews stating how this movie is what the Star Wars prequels should've been, that's saying something!

But will it be enough? In order to be a success, Star Trek not only needs that big opening weekend, it's going to need staying power, and it's going to have some stiff competition this summer.

May 1: X-Men Origins: Wolverine
May 15: Angels & Demons
May 21: Terminator: Salvation
May 22: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
June 24: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
July 1: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
July 15: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Aug. 7: G.I. Joe

And somewhere in there is Pixar's latest, Up.

So despite the nothing-but-good reviews Star Trek is getting, will it be enough to be a success and keep the franchise alive?

Just a quick aside, Paramount commissioned a script for a sequel two weeks ago, so I guess they're banking on big success, but only time will tell. Opening weekend is still two weeks away.

Splish Splash

2009-04-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while since I last posted, so I thought I'd share this video that I found online this morning. I actually first saw it a few years ago and didn't rediscover it until now! Enjoy!

Warning: May be slightly "graphic".

Star Trek Super Bowl Commercial

2009-02-05T09:47:00.000-08:00

While watching the Super Bowl the other night (and it was a very exciting 4th quarter, I might add), this commercial aired. Of course, everyone knows that I probably cannot help but post it online for all to see!

Inauguration Day Coverage

2009-01-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Any posts I would've made concerning this week's inauguration and my thoughts and feelings on now-President Barack Obama have unfortunately been delayed due to a really bad stomach flu that hit me mid-week. I hope to be able to share my thoughts and feelings soon.

In the meantime, I'm a big fan of Jon Stewart and The Daily Show and his ability to point out the obvious in such a humorous, yet honest way. Everyone knows that CNN is probably the most ridiculous cable news network when it comes to new "methods" of hi-tech news wizardry. MSNBC is very left-wing and pro-Obama, and Fox News is the complete opposite of MSNBC in that it is so far right-wing...well, let's just say this video speaks for itself.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Inauguration Media Coverage

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Rare Moment in History

2009-01-08T12:00:00.000-08:00

It's not often, especially today, to get a moment like this; five (well, four plus the incoming) living Presidents all in one room together. At a time where this country needs leadership, it's nice to know that whether you're Democrat or Republican and whether or not the incoming guy is not of your party, that there are people willing enough to stand together to say that they want a better future for our country.

I have been alive through four Presidential transitions (Reagan/Bush, Bush/Clinton, Clinton/Bush, Bush/Obama) and I can really only remember the last two. I must say that I am quite impressed with the way that this transition has been handled. It's nice to see that President Bush is doing what he can to help make a smooth and successful transition for Barack Obama into the Oval Office. I think that says a lot about the kind of man that Bush is. Whether or not you think he's a good leader or a good President, it does seem like he is a man of character.

I also think that it says a lot about Obama's character and his willingness to look to his predecessors for tips on how to run the White House. Obama could've come in and tried to learn things as he went, but instead he has not only turned to both Bush and Clinton, but also George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter to get their perspectives on life in the White House and how to effectively run the country. It's really encouraging to see someone who is open-minded in the White House, especially during such trying times.

Oh Come On!

2009-01-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, it's official! It is now absolutely ridiculous how much attention this guy gets. I once again speak of the "political celebrity" Joe the Plumber. His latest headline news maker is that he is headed to the Middle East. That's right! Joe the Plumber's going to the Middle East, and his trip his making headlines on CNN!

He is going to be a news correspondent for pjtv.com to cover the Israeli perspective of the violence in Gaza. And according to him, it's "tragic, I mean it really is...I don't say that in any little way." And according to Joe's publicist, the Israelis are "very excited" to have him coming!

Can someone stick a fork in this guy's "celebrity" and be done with it! Let's just move on already! What's with the media and this obscure obsession with every little thing that is done by Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin? Has anyone else noticed that John McCain has been in the headlines maybe once or twice since the election? Let's take a break from election-related coverage and focus on some actually news!

Review: The Reader

2009-01-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

Based upon the 1995 novel by Bernhard Schlink, The Reader is the story of a young German teen, Michael Berg (David Kross), who falls in love with an older woman, Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet). After a passionate affair, the two break-up and go their separate ways, but the affect that the two have on each other changes their lives forever. A few years later, while attending a Nazi war crimes trial with his law school class, Michael discovers that Hanna is one of the defendants. Through the course of the trial, Michael realizes a secret that Hanna has held all her life and will go to any length to protect, even if it costs her life.

The premise of The Reader is very promising. It makes one wonder how they would feel if they learned that someone they loved was on trial for the atrocities Hanna is accused of, and how anyone would go to such lengths to keep a secret about themselves even if it meant the difference between guilt and innocence. Unfortunately the execution does not follow through.

While the performances of Kate Winslet (always reliable) and young David Kross are quite good, they're not enough to rescue the story. The pacing is slow and the first half hour in which the initial affair takes place is slow and very repetitive to the point where you begin to lose interest. While it picks up once Hanna is revealed as a former Nazi, it still moves quite slow. The story is told in flashback, jumping back and forth between past events and scenes depicting an older Michael's guilt, as portrayed by Ralph Fiennes. Whether this is how it was scripted or was edited to keep Fiennes in throughout the picture, the film might have been better had they allowed the story to be told completely in order instead of the frequent jumps back and forth. Unfortunately, Fiennes' performance is rather bland and average, leaving one to wonder if they would've been better off casting another less-known actor for the part.

The premise is good, but the direction and editing come across as forced, given the impression that the filmmakers knew they had a strong concept that could be a major awards winner if done right. Unfortunately, it tries too hard to be good. It feels too aware of itself and the power behind the story, and unfortunately the big emotional payoff that you know is coming at the end simply falls flat. Instead of allowing the story to be itself and to allow the emotion to fall into place, too much effort is put into trying to make it a powerful tear-jerker. When the climax is finally reached, the movie's run out of gas.

As mentioned before, the pacing is long and slow and unforunately it leads to the movie feeling long and drawn-out. Even just over 2 hours, The Reader feels a lot longer. I found myself checking my watch frequently after the hour mark!

Even though there are strong performances from Winslet and Kross, it's not enough to keep one interested in a movie that feels like it knows it has a strong premise but just wants to force the emotion into our face.

(of 4)

STAR TREK

2009-01-03T08:17:00.001-08:00

Best of 2008

2009-01-03T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have updated my Favorite Movies list to 2008. Strangely enough, I haven't written a review for any of the movies on this list! But don't worry, I plan on writing reviews for some of these in the coming weeks, such as Get Smart, Tropic Thunder, Burn After Reading and a review for a movie that Maggie and I went to see on Christmas, The Reader. Stay tuned!

Favorite Movies of 2008
Burn After Reading (4/4)
Cloverfield (3/4)
Get Smart (3/4)
Ghost Town (3.5/4)
In Bruges (3.5/4)
Iron Man (3/4)
The Dark Knight (3/4)
Tropic Thunder (3.5/4)
WALL-E (3/4)

Who Cares?

2009-01-01T10:04:00.001-08:00

In an interview with PEOPLE, Sarah Palin informed the interviewer that her oldest daughter and her fiance are "hard at work and keeping up with school". Palin's oldest daughter, Bristol, gave birth to her baby, Tripp, on Saturday and said that she intends to finish high school and get her diploma, even though she is now a teenage mother.

I congratulate Bristol and her fiance on the birth of their newborn baby and wish them all the best as they strive to raise him, and that Bristol intends to finish high school. This will surely be a daunting task for her as I can only imagine how the new few years will be as she tries to raise a baby and finish high school!

However, this is not the point of my post. What I found curious about the article is what Governor Palin (former Republican vice-presidential candidate) said to the interviewer. "You need to know that both Levi and Bristol are working their butts off to parent and going to school and working at the same time." She goes on to say that she wants to make sure that is made clear because "any suggestion otherwise 'harms Bristol's reputation and Levi's reputation and their chances for good work opportunities."

First of all, I don't need to know. I haven't given the subject of Palin's pregnant teen daughter any thought in a couple of months, especially since it's been out of the news. There's just no need for Palin to raise it once again, especially when I don't remember seeing any articles this past week (outside of the linked PEOPLE article) announcing the birth of her grandson. There is not much of a desire in the public to know about this aspect of the governor's life, or there shouldn't be anyway, unless you're a die-hard Palin fan or a die-hard Palin critic. Everyone else in between could care less. Me? I could care less. But it's that statement that we "need to know" that assumes that everyone must know.

Second, while apparently Levi has left high school to pursuit training to become an electrician, Bristol is continuing high school. Governor Palin seems to think that if Bristol's intentions aren't made clear, her chances for future opportunities will be damaged. I don't know where Bristol is at in her high school career, but given she is 17 or 18, I assume that she is a senior and due to graduate this spring. If that's the case, when she finishes school this year she will receive her high school diploma. Thus, where is the damage to her reputation? If anything, it will show that she has the strength and determination and the willingness to not only work hard to finish school, but do so while raising a newborn baby. If anything, that will help Bristol's reputation! Bristol probably should not be looking for work anytime soon anyway if she's both raising a newborn and finishing high school. So how will it hurt her chances for future opportunities? Bristol shouldn't need her mother to go out there and assure the public that she is going to work hard so that her opportunities won't be hindered. Bristol's work and own personal accomplishments should speak for themselves.

Truth be told, I view it nothing more than Sarah Palin's continuing quest to repair her reputation and to start preparing for the 2012 election. The reason we "need" to know is because Palin wants to assure the public that family values are a high priority in her family. While as uncovered as it was, the birth of a grandson out of wedlock for Governor Palin would have people scoffing and shaking their heads and criticizing her as a parent, so Governor Palin wants people to know and she wants to change so that people say, "Oh, that's good of them to do!"

The way I see it, it's all about damage control, even though I thought the baby had been born weeks ago, to be honest! While I think it's great that Bristol is working hard at school (though I find the way the statement is worded puzzling; would Bristol already be back in school and don't Alaskan schools have Christmas break?), Governor Palin really doesn't need to get out there and be the voice for her daughter. Politican and future Presidential candidate or not, Governor Palin should still be a mother first and recognize that she doesn't need to discuss her family's personal lives in the public domain, even if it is to help prevent "damage" to their reptuations.

Governor Palin, just let your daughter work hard the way she says she's going to. Have faith that she will be able to handle the responsibilities of parenting and high school education at the same time without needing mom to vouch for her. I think you'll find that, in the end, if she finishes high school while being a teenage mother, she should have plenty of opportunities on her own. Besides, she will still have the advantage of being the daughter of Sarah Palin's daughter. That couldn't hurt too much either, couldn't it?

Keepin' Up with Ally #1

2009-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Maggie and I have been the proud owners of Ally for almost two weeks now, and I must say she has changed a lot! It seems like only yesterday she was really small, and while she's still quite small, she has grown a lot since we first got her!

Ally's energy level has multiplied by an unimaginable factor, she is teething like you would not believe, which means that she is nibbling and biting anything she can get in her mouth, and she's eating and pooping like there's no tomorrow! And sure enough, Molly is still scared of Ally!

I have yet to catch her in the act on camera, but rumor has it that Ally is quite taken with the dog she sees in the mirror, to the point where she's pawing and licking at her, trying to get her to play! I've yet to get a picture of it happening, but don't worry, one is on its way! Although, I did get a couple pictures of Ally trying to play with one of those electronic toy dogs that moves and barks when you play with it. Ally was quite surprised when the toy dog started barking at her!

Product Placement

2008-12-31T13:15:00.000-08:00

Monday afternoon, I took my class of 6- to 12-year-olds from my job to the Udvar-Hazy Air & Space Museum in Dulles, Va. This was not my first trip to this museum, but it is the first where I took pictures.

There museum is not far from the Dulles Airport and features a mock air traffic control tower that allows you to watch airplanes as they land and take-off from the airport.

While there are a number of impressive exhibits and displays throughout the museum...

...I was most impressed by the very subtle product placement and advertisements found throughout the museum.

Yes, Bud Light gets two planes and a flight suit!

So that's why the museum is free! I always wondered where they got their funding!

By the way, this post meets my dad's challenge of 20 posts by the New Year, and not a moment too soon!

Our New Baby: Ally

2008-12-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

Maggie and I have an announcement to make; Just in time for Christmas we received our first baby...Ally.

We'd been wanting a dog for a good while now. I haven't had a dog (Fred) since Winnipeg almost thirteen years ago, and Maggie hasn't had a dog (Cinnamon) in almost five years, and we both felt like it was time for us to get a dog. So as a Christmas gift, Maggie's parents gave us money find a dog, and after a long, strenuous search, we came across Ally in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a good two hour drive away. But I must say, the drive was worth it.

Ally's a five-week golden retriever puppy who was born on November 15th, 2008. She's very affectionate and playful, and is at that age where she's teething, so she nibbles quite a lot. We got her last Saturday night, and in the first week, we've seen her grow already. Her daily routines consists of rotations of sleep, eat, pee, poop and a little bit of play. We're working on potty training, and she's already slowly starting to pick up on that. Just yesterday, she went to the back door at Maggie's house (where we've been taking her outside) and started sniffing around, knowing that's the area for her to go at. The first night we had her she settled right into her little puppy bed! She's a very brave, curious dog. Maggie's sister has a miniature schnauzer who is normally a bully, but Molly (the mini-schnauzer) is scared of Ally! At one point, Ally was chasing Molly around the living room!

Ally is absolutely CAP (cute, adorable and precious) and she's brought a lot of joy into the lives of Maggie and me. While she is quite a handful, we love her very much and everyone who has met Ally in both our families has fallen in love with her.

We look forward to many years of love and joy with Ally!

The Not-So-Smart Smart Car

2008-12-14T00:11:00.000-08:00

I can across this funny video of an attempt by a "Smart" car driver to parallel park. I guess it doesn't matter what the size of your car is, parallel parking is tough!

William Shatner's Tribute to George Lucas

2008-12-10T22:04:00.000-08:00

I came across this video a good while back and it didn't occur to me to post it until now. I've always gotten a kick out of this as William Shatner delivers in a way that only Shatner can! I love the looks on the faces of Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford as Shatner walks onto the stage! They're trying to figure out just what in the world is going on!

Also, all I can say is; dancing stormtroopers!

A Star Trek IV Blooper Reel

2008-12-07T22:16:00.000-08:00

I just watched Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home this afternoon and while surfing on youtube I came across this video! Enjoy!

2012 Presidential Polls: The Race Begins

2008-12-06T13:35:00.001-08:00

Barack Obama isn't sworn in for his first term as President for another six weeks and there is already polling out for the 2012 election. I came across this story while on the Internet and couldn't help but shake my head in disgust.

We've just been through the longest election in history and already the next one is beginning! For anyone keeping track, it started the week after Obama won when Palin starting making the media rounds to repair her reputation, and as my mom posted a few weeks ago, Rudy Guliani has already opened his fundraising website for a 2012 run. It's really sad that this is the state of American politics; a nonstop campaign.

Nothing will ever be accomplished if all people ever do is look to the next election four years from now and spend that entire time campaigning. While I understand that it's all about getting your message out fastest to gain that "front-runner" status, in the end it doesn't matter who the front-runner is. If you look at this election that ended only a month ago, neither of this year's candidates were their party's front-runner a year ago!

It's my honest hope that this constant campaign-mode backfires and forces these people to actually try to get things done and work to solve the problems of their people before they worry about their own political ambitions.

The Christmas Quiz

2008-12-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

Time to add my answers to the latest questionnaire floating about the family blogs.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper, but if it's a really small gift or one that is awkward to wrap, I go with the gift bag.

2. Real tree or artificial?
I prefer artificial. The real ones smell.

3. When do you put up the tree?
Whenever Mom and Dad say it's time.

4. When do you take the tree down?
Whenever Mom and Dad say it's time.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I've never really tried it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hard to say really.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Normally my dad, but also some times that Secret Santa from work you get sucked into.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Maggie; she always says exactly what she wants.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
According to my mom, two.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I just get cards and hand them to people.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A CD player I got from Corps Officers a few years back; it was the third year in a row I'd gotten one from them.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Hard to say, but I really like The Christmas Story.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Anytime before Christmas when I have the money to do it.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Mashed potatoes.

16. Lights on the tree.
Yes.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer! Also, like several versions of Jingle Bells.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home.
Whatever my parents say we're doing.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen...but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all? Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer!

20. An angel or a star on top of the tree?
Angel.

21. Open the presents on Christmas eve or Christmas morning?
Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Anything to do with shopping; the congested malls, the traffic, the crazy dis-respectful maniac-like shoppers...

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Whatever the color of our tree is.

24. Favorite dessert for Christmas dinner?
Ice cream.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
A GPS and some money.

26. Any special Christmas traditions?
Opening presents.

What Have You Done?

2008-11-11T06:41:00.001-08:00

Here is my contribution to the list of things that I have done. Everything I've done is in bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower / Watched the Northern Lights
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train / Slept overnight in an airport
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when youʼre not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse (solar and lunar)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on an overnight cruise (does Newfoundland count?)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangeloʼs David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt / Seen the wheat fields of the Prairies
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie / Been on television / Been on the radio
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies/ Sold Boy Scout Apples
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (do you mean bought someone else?)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter / Flown in a plane that took off and/or landed on water
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial / Toured Parliament Hill / Toured Capitol Hill
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt / Changed our car’s oil
73. Stood in Times Square / Visited Old Queen City
74. Toured the Everglades / Gone Shopping at West Edmonton Mall / Gone Shopping at the Mall of America in Minneapolis
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London / Watched the Rose Parade in person (been in the Rose Parade)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book / Recorded are record or CD
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House / Visited inside the White House / Visited Ann of Green Gables
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating / Eaten Moose or Deer / Eaten Squid / Eaten Allegator
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someoneʼs life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake / Swam in all five Great Lakes
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

What Has Hollywood Come To?

2008-11-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

Death at a Funeral is a British comedy that came out in mid-2007. While it got mostly good reviews, it did not fair well at the box office in the United States. Of course, it is very rare for a British comedy or any kind of foreign movie period to do well in the United States box office. I went to see Death at a Funeral last September, and I must say that it is a pretty good movie.

British comedies are different from comedies made in America. They tend to be more subtle and well-acted, and overall just more funny. In America, you get the sense that everything is overacted because the actor onscreen knows that they're in a comedy so they are trying to be funny instead of just letting the humor be natural. Half the time I expect the actor to look at us through the screen, wink and say "Watch this" before embarking on their next over-the-top "hilarious" escapade. I've found that most comedies these days just aren't that funny. The ones that work are the ones where the actors just let the humor fall naturally and play their part as if they're not the funny one, but funny things are just happening to them. You get the occasional over-the-top performance that is great and funny, but those are rare.

The actors in Death at a Funeral played their roles straight and let the humor arise out of the situation. They did not overreact and did not "wink" every time something was about to happen. They reacted like any normal person would in their given situation. Well...sort of. If you've seen the movie, I wonder how many of us would allow us to behave in such a manner, but you never know. The point is, Death at a Funeral is a funny, entertaining movie that was well-received by critics, but just not seen by very many people.

So what does Hollywood do? They decide to remake Death at a Funeral with American actors in American settings. That's right! The movie that came out in 2007 is already being remade or "re-imagined" by Hollywood. (see the link below)

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=50343

As someone who has seen the movie and can find nothing wrong with it the way it is, I am left with one question; Why? Why must Hollywood insist upon doing this? It's one thing to "re-imagine" a 30- or 40-year-old movie that could still be relevant in modern times (although a lot of remakes these days are unnecessary if the original was good enough), but to remake a movie that will barely be 2-years-old by the time its remake comes out?

Now I suppose it can be considered "flattering" for American filmmakers to want to take a British concept and Americanize it for American audiences, but I have two big problems with that. The first is already touched upon above in the difference between American and British comedies and why American comedies these days simply do not work, for the most part! The second is, what does the original gain from being remade? It's not being updated for modern times, because it already came out in modern times. It's being updated because...well, someone likes the idea and what's to give their take. And that's when the slapstick kicks in when they can't come up with anything overly different to do from the original.

Now, maybe I'm being overly harsh and critical of a movie that hasn't already been written or made...excuse me, rewritten or remade...but I'm sure you can understand my puzzlement and frustration with this situation. There really just is no need for this. All this really does is display just how bankrupt and desperate Hollywood has become for fresh and new ideas. Instead of paying writers to actually come up with their own ideas, we are being forced to watch remake after remake of movies that perfectly fine the first time (i.e, Psycho and The Omen) and do not need to be remade.

Oh, I also read that there's a case where a foreign movie was remade but the remake is going to hit theaters before the original even does! What!?!

Election Aftermath

2008-11-02T10:31:00.001-08:00

On Tuesday, the long and grueling 2-year U.S. 2008 election will finally come to an end, and on Wednesday the next one will begin. Or at least, if we're lucky it'll wait that long before it starts. But the big question that will be voiced by all the pundits after the results are declared Tuesday will be: What went wrong for the loser?

What if John McCain Wins?
Political polling will never be the same again. In 2004, the polls should John Kerry beating George W. Bush by several points, and yet George W. Bush won by 3% of the vote. Pollsters stopped and took a look at the way they did polls and tried to revamp their system. While polling will never be perfect nor entirely accurate, it gives a general idea of the way the election is going. Or so we're lead to believe. Ever since this economic crisis began, polls have shown Barack OBama to be as much as 10 points ahead of John McCain. While that number has shrunk in recent days, he still has a small but somewhat distinct lead of McCain. So if McCain is elected 44th President of the United States, many pollsters will probably find themselves without a job.

Many people, especially Obama supporters, will turn their blame to the Clintons. The Democratic Primaries went on endlessly and it was a brutal fight in which many harsh feelings arose, particularly between Obama and the Clintons. While Hillary Clinton was quick to jump aboard the Obama Express, Bill Clinton was slow to climb aboard. It wasn't until the Democratic National Convention that Bill Clinton finally threw his full, public support behind Barack Obama, and it hasn't been until recent weeks that Clinton has finally been seen on the campaign trail. In one interview, Clinton called John McCain a "good and honorable person", but was hesitant to say the same about Obama. Even though Hillary Clinton was been campaigning hard in key swing states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia and others in declaring her support of Obama, many people will stay ask the question, "Was it enough?"

People will also looked to the list of Barack Obama's associations. Reverend Wright was a major issue in the primaries, and I believe that he will be an issue once again in the closing 2 days of the election as the ultimate McCain Trump card. Associations with William Ayers could also be viewed as an issue, because such associations will have raised questions about Obama's judgement.

Experience will also be a factor. Obama was only elected to the United States senate in 2004, and he announced his candidacy in February 2007 after spending just over 2 years in the Senate. He has indeed spent nearly half of his term-to-date in the Senate campaigning for President. Is Barack Obama simply too inexperienced?

Then there will be the ultimate question of race. Is America just not ready for an African American to be President? Could people be telling pollsters they will vote for Obama simply because they don't want to say they're going to vote against a black man? Is racism and prejudice stil so prevalant in American culture that we are still not ready to accept a minority our national leader? A co-worker of mine said a year ago that, even though she is African American, she wasn't sure if she would vote for Obama because she would be afraid that he would be assassinated. Could this also be a factor for some people? Could it be more then just an issue of racial prejudice but also fear of the prejudices and racial animosity of others to the point where they fear for the life of Barack Obama should he be elected President?

In a year where Democrats should have the election in the bag, especially with the recent economic upheaval, the question will remain for years to come as to how Democrats could have blown their best and clearest opportunity since Franklin Delano Roosevelt ousted Herbert Hoover in 1932 in the midst of an economic depression. The political climate is ripe for Democrats to grab victory. A lose now would be utterly devastating for the party.

What if Barack Obama Wins?
Needless to say, John McCain has done better then any candidate the Republican party could have hoped for. Ever since 2000, McCain has been a national figure who has earned the reputation of being an Independent Republican. Bill Clinton said it best when he said that if any Republican had any chance of winning in this political climate, it was John McCain. So if McCain loses, some of the contributing factors will be quite obvious.

It's hard to be the Presidential candidate of the incumbant party when the sitting President has approval ratings in the 20s, the lowest since Harry Truman. Americans are increasingly unhappy with the way George W. Bush has run the country over the last 8 years, and for 4 of those years Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate, meaning that they view Republicans in general as being the ones to run the U.S. into the ground. Hence why Democrats swept back into power in 2006. And despite best efforts to place blame on Democrats who have controlled both House and Senate for 2 years, it's hard to keep the blame off the Republican President. Indeed George W. Bush has rarely been seen on the campaign trail, only publicly attending fund-raisers. Outside of his endorsement of John McCain back in March, neither McCain nor Bush have been seen publicly together during the course of the campaign. It says quite a lot when Bush didn't even show up at the Republican National Convention, and addressed the delegates via satellite for only a matter of minutes. And it has only in recent weeks that John McCain has really come out swinging at Bush, trying to really define himself separately from his colleague. But it's hard to say you're different from George W. Bush when you vote in line with him 90% of the time. If he loses, will it be because John McCain simply could not distance himself enough from the sitting President.

Barack Obama has shattered campaign fund-raising levels. He has been outspending John McCain dramaticly, and it is only in recent days where McCain has been able to match Obama's television ad spending dollar-for-dollar. For years McCain was an advocate for campaign finance reform and agreed to accept Public Financing, while Obama chose not to. Consider it ironic if it's McCain's own finance limitations that contribute to his defeat.

There will always be the question of the way McCain has run his campaign. McCain has been all over the map for nearly the entire campaign. At one point a year ago, his campaign was nearly bankrupt. If not for a vital win in New Hampshire, McCain would not have been able to continue forward in his campaign to be President. He has changed the staffing of his campaign many times, had to dismiss many because of public gaffes, and he has been unable to keep a clear, consistent message for longer then a few days. A campaign staffer even admitted that as far back as June 2008, they could not find a reason to elect John McCain. And the campaign has even had trouble laying out one clear strategy. McCain's campaign has become more well-known for its tactical plays (the Palin pick, the "suspension" of his campaign) instead of strategic plays. It hasn't been until recent weeks that the campaign has been able to stay on-message and consistent with their new mascot Joe the Plumber. If Joe the Plumber did anything, it was bring focus to an unfocused campaign. But was it too little too late?

McCain has been known for his temper, and often during the debates he came across as rude, stand-offish, and even angry and annoyed whenever Obama spoke. There are numerous clips from the third debate of McCain rolling his eyes and overreacting whenever Obama spoke. Is this the kind of temperament Americans want their President to have when he's sitting face-to-face with international leaders?

McCain's age could also be a factor. If he elected, he will be the oldest man to ever be elected President. Many questions have arisen over his health and judgment. He has had a couple fights with cancer in recent years, raising concerns amongst many voters. And his handling of the recent economic crisis also brings doubt to his judgment. While McCain might have trouble keeping his own campaign on message, it doesn't help that McCain had trouble keeping himself on message during that awful week in September. McCain was literally all over the map during that week.

In the spring of 2008, McCain vowed to run a "clean and honorable" campaign. This campaign has been anything but. I was disgusted by the Republican convention and how ugly and negative the tone was. And things just kept on getting worse. This has become one of the worst campaigns for smear tactics that I ever recall. I thought 2004 was bad, but 2008 was worse. Indeed, McCain broke one of his first campaign promises in favor of Karl Rove (or Rovian) tactics, the same tactics that sank his 2000 campaign against G.W. Bush. Ironic, though, that those same tactics that were used against him then could also sink him now, but not because they are used against him, but because he is the one using them! Rovian tactics might have worked in 2000 and 2004, but the climate in 2008 is different. Now you have instant-fact checks and numerous websites that fact check every claim that is made. Even YouTube has numerous videos showing candidates (especially McCain) contradicting themselves. The simple matter is, not only are Americans tired of these smear tactics that brought us 8 years of Bush presidency, but they simple are not falling for them anymore because a claim can be fact-checked or google-ed in a matter of minutes. The Rovian tactics worked once, but not anymore.

One of the most appealing aspects of John McCain had always been his ability to appeal to independent voters and even many Democrats because he was not afraid to take on his own party. There were in fact many issues that McCain disagreed with his own party about. But over the last year, those positions have gradually shifted so that McCain could align himself more with the party base. While this may have helped him to gain the Republican nomination, it may have ended up hurting him in the general election. McCain always appealed to independents, and it has been no secret that many base Republicans have not been enthused by the McCain candidacy. When McCain was trying to shore up the base, he should have been trying to continue to appeal to moderates and independents because of how much disgust there is right now with the Republican brand. McCain had for a long time been running away from his maverick label so that he could appeal to the base. But in doing so, McCain has lost his appeal with the very people he needed to win the election. While running a base campaign might have worked for George W. Bush in 2004, the Republican base has shrunk quite a bit over the last few years to the point where no Republican can win without winning over independents. Unfortunately, in running a campaign to try to appeal to his own party, McCain has disenfranchised the very independents and conservative Democrats that he needs to win the presidency.

To go hand-in-hand with my last point, I turn to his selection of Vice-President. McCain has had trouble shoring up the Republican base from the beginning. Republicans simply were not enthused by John McCain's candidacy for president. I recently heard a poll that stated that over 70% over Obama supporters are enthusastic about him, while around 23% of McCain supporters can say the same about him. Ouch! I firmly believe that McCain's best bet to win the presidency would've been to run away from the Republican party and go as far to the middle as he could. Indeed, there are many rumors that this indeed was what McCain's instincts were telling him when he was wanting to ask Independent Senator (and former 2000 Vice-Presidential candidate) Joe Lieberman to be his running mate. What a blow that would have been! In fact, I was expecting this to happen, because I knew that this would be a difficult ticket for Obama to beat. In fact, I believe this would've been McCain's best chance to win. But instead of running to the center, McCain chose to run to the right to not only avoid a floor fight at the convention, but to also shore up his own base. In doing so, McCain pulled another tactical maneuver (one that came out of nowhere) and picked Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. This was a blatant attempt to try to pick off Hillary Clinton voters, especially after Democrats appeared united at their own convention despite a long and brutal primary fight. Many Clinton supporters saw through it and ran even further for Obama. While the maneuver failed at grabbining many Clinton supporters, it did help McCain reinforce the Republican base.

But this was probably his biggest mistake. While Palin might have energized the base and even grabbed independents, the more we learned about Palin, the more people were turned off by her. Claims that she has more executive experience then Obama and Biden combined because of her being a mayor for 6 years and being governor for just under 2 have come across as ridiculous. It should be noted that if you use that argument, she should be at the top of the Republican ticket because she indeed also has more executive experience then John McCain! Claims that she has foreign policy experience because she can see Russia are laughable! That should mean that governors of states that border Canada and Mexico can make the same claims! And now polls show Palin to be the biggest factor that is pulling down the McCain campaign. From botched interviews to contradictory remarks, the Palin candidacy has been a disaster for the McCain campaign. And in recent weeks, it has looked like Palin has even been trying to distance herself from McCain to set herself up for 2012 Presidential bid should they lose. While Palin may have energized the Republican base for McCain, it also turned off everyone else, the very same people who used to respect and admire John McCain and might have voted for him.

Indeed, that will probably be one of the iceberg that sank McCain's ship; instead of trying to appeal to the middle of the country, John McCain worked too hard to appeal to his own party.

Pundits will spending days, even weeks if not months interviewing "experts" and strategists trying to determine what went wrong for the candidate who loses. Indeed, there will be many contributing factors if Obama loses, whether it be racism or his "inexperience" or even the Clintons not trying hard enough. The same can be said of McCain if he loses, from age to a poorly run campaign, to a bad climate for Republicans to even his own running mate.

In the end, all we can do is hope that the media will be too caught up in trying to figure out what went wrong to even start figuring out who is next for 2012. Oh, wait, too late!

How should "Generations" Have Ended?

2008-11-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

While surfing the net today, I discovered some alternate endings to 1994 Star Trek: Generations. Now, while the film certainly has its flaws, I don't find it to be all that bad. For me the films starts to lose it once Picard enters "the Nexus", a type of fantasy dimension where time has now meaning.

In the original ending, Picard's attempt to stop Soran from destroying a star to enter the Nexus fails and Picard is sucked into the Nexus. There he seeks the help of James T. Kirk (pulled into the Nexus at the start of the movie) in exiting the Nexus to stop Soran.

But what many people do not know is that there are alternate endings to this movie. Take a look and vote on your favorite!

Ending One

Ending Two

I'm Joe the Plumber

2008-10-27T10:07:00.001-07:00

I have commented before on the McCain campaign's new unofficial mascot of "Joe the Plumber". Well, I recently just saw a new TV ad by the McCain campaign in which multiple people look into the camera and say, "I'm Joe the Plumber". This has been a recurring theme in the McCain campaign since the third presidential debate, and I'm growing quite tired of it. The list of Joe the Plumbers has grown to include (in addition to the ones I've mentioned before):
- Molly the Engineer,
- Jane the Dental Hygenist,
- Doug the Barber,
- Chuck the Teacher,
- Phil the Bricklayer,
- Rose the Teacher,
- Jack the Hunter,
- Vicky the Realtor,
- Christine the Florist,
- Cindy the Citizen,
- and Tito the Builder.

They are supposed to represent the working Americans that McCain is trying to "fight" for. They are also the people that the McCain/Palin ticket is using to launch their new line of attack that Obama's policies represent socialism, and that it is wrong to "spread the wealth". Palin has consistently said, that it is wrong for the government to take the money of "hard-working Americans" and use it where they see fit.

Isn't the point of taxes to give the government money to spend where it sees fit? Did John McCain (and Barack Obama) not vote for the $700 billion economic rescue plan that is taking tax payer money and giving it to large corporations?

The policies of Franklin Roosevelt not only led to an economic recovery for the U.S. out of the Great Depression of the 1930s, but also brought sweeping changes to the way the government is run. In fact, many of Roosevelt's programs can be considered socialist programs. FDR's greatest achievement, which lasts to even today, is Social Security. According to the new McCain/Palin rhetoric, these programs (including Social Security) are bad for America. In order to stay consistent on their message, McCain and Palin need to outright say that Social Security is socialism and that it should be abolished! But, not only do I think they will never say that, I think that they will be hard-pressed to find very many Americans who belive Social Security should be ended.

Interestingly enough, Social Security was a very prominent issue in the 2000 election between Bush and Gore. Bush attempted reforms of Social Security, but they failed. So it is interesting that 8 years later in this 2008 election, even though Social Security has not been fixed, it has rarely been spoken of by either candidate on the campaign trail.

The ridiculousness of this "Joe the Plumber" business reached a new point at Palin rally in which during the middle of her speech a group in the crowd started chanting "I AM JOE" while holding up cards that spelled out that very phrase!

Honestly, where's Joe the Unemployed? Next up on the McCain/Palin list of working-class heroes?

BOB THE BUILDER!!!

Did "The West Wing" Predict the Election?

2008-10-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan of The West Wing, especially the first four seasons under the guidance of writer/producer Aaron Sorkin. I felt that after Sorkin left the show lost a lot of its witty dialogue and its focus. It was still good, but it wasn't the same show that I loved. Anyone familiar with the show knows that the last two seasons of the show focused heavily on the election to replace fictional-President Jed Bartlett (Martin Sheen), and the series finale featured the inauguration of that new president.

What's interesting is the eerie parallels between that West Wing election storyline and the way our own 2008 presidential election has played out. I came across this video online today and found it quite intriguing. And just to put things into perspective, the show's sixth and seventh seasons in which the election storyline took place aired from fall 2004 to spring 2006, long before the American election began and anyone announced their candidacy.

From www.tmz.com

Film Review: W.

2008-10-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

The Presidency of George Walker Bush hasn't even finished yet, and for most Americans (and apparently many citizens from around the world) the next 90 days can't end soon enough. And yet with three months to go until the end of the 43rd President's tenure, director Oliver Stone has already come out with a film that not only takes a look at the life and rise to power of George W. Bush, but also much of his term in the build-up and aftermath of the War in Iraq. Despite Stone's liberal leanings, it is surprising how generous it is in its portrayal of Bush Jr., whether intentional or not, but the film overall is uneven.

Not much needs to be said about the storyline as the life George W. Bush is fairly well-known. While Oliver Stone is a very capable director, the narrative felt overly repetitive, shifting too frequently between Bush's past and his presidency. I understand the intent, which was to keep things fresh so that the movie doesn't feel like its trudging from one scene to the next. Unfortunately, it happened so much that I inevitably felt that it happened way too much. Pacing was also an issue, with too many things feeling overlooked. As mentioned above, Stone is a very skilled director, unfortunately it felt like he was too aware of the clock and was trying to move things along in the interest of time. And yet, while it felt like things were missing (I'm interested in seeing what was left on the cutting room floor) the movie also felt like it extended its welcome by a good 30 minutes.

In general, the acting is top notch and the dialogue fairy believable. You can believe that you are watching and listening to George W. Bush, a nod to both screenwriter Stanley Weiser and especially actor Josh Brolin who gives the performance of a lifetime. Watch for Brolin during the award season. Also believable are Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell and Toby Jones as Karl Rove, whose portrayals are spot-on. Scott Gleen and other administration officials blend into the background and their portrayals are somewhat hard to judge, though they seem to do well.

However, there are a couple performances that feel uneven or out-of-place. Elizabath Banks may certainly have the look of Laura Bush down, but the character felt lifeless and one-dimensional. Whether that is due to Laura Bush not being the public eye nearly as much as former-First Lady Hilary Clinton was during her husband's presidency or simply a lack of interest on the part of writer Weiser (or both), there was neither life nor substance to this pivotal person in the titular character's life. And unfortunately, this feels like a big piece of the puzzle that was greatly overlooked, as it is stated in the first scene between W. and Laura that she votes Democratic, despite W.'s Republican party affiliations. How the two overcame different viewpoints and political standings to marry and have two daughters is something that is completely overlooked. And while I mention it, there is a passing mention of the Bush twins, nothing more. We don't even get any insight into what it is like for George W. Bush to be a father.

Next, is James Cromwell. There is nothing wrong with his performance. Actually, Cromwell is one of the most reliable character actors today. But in a movie that is so focused on charactures, you never get the feeling that Cromwell is actually George Bush Sr. While you have Brolin, Dreyfuss, Jones and company delivering in such ways that you believe they are the real thing, Cromwell's portrayal of Bush Sr. feels out of place.

And finally, Thandie Newton as Condoleeza Rice is plain insulting. Her performance is characture to the extreme in such a way that it is laughable! The look is there, but the mannerisms are played to such an extreme that not only are they laughable, they are distracting. Every time Newton is onscreen, you can't help but snicker because it is so bad and out-of-place. This is one instance where less definitely would've been better. Newton was trying way too hard!

I felt like there many missed opportunities in the film. Less time should've been spent on the buildup to the war in Iraq and more on the things that made George W. Bush who he is. As mentioned before, the relationship between Bush and wife Laura is barely touched upon. One moment, they're flirting. The next, they're dating. The next, they're married. In getting from point A to C to E, B and D were skipped. Also, it quickly becomes apparent that Karl Rove played a large part in making George W. Bush the politican that he is today. And yet, it is never touched upon how they met. Suddenly, Rove is there as one of Bush's most trusted advisors, with no explanation of how he got there nor how he gained such a prominent place in the Bush presidency. A deeper look into the Bush/Rove beginners would've been interesting.

And last, the conflict between Bush Sr. and Bush Jr. At the heart of the Bush family tension is the competition between George W. and brother Jeb, who seems to be the favorite of father and mother Bush. And yet, Jeb Bush barely gets any screentime, and whether the favoritism caused any tension between the two brothers was not even addressed. Nor was it really touched upon why Jeb was much more highly favored by their parents. Was Jeb more responsible then George? Was he a better student? Was he smarter? In the end, these are questions that are left unanswered.

In the end, the film felt 30 minutes too long, yet with pieces left on the cutting room floor that would've made a better movie. It seems that the wrong parts were cut. Yet, nothing about the movie felt new. It is something that most people already knew. Stone seems more interested in depicting the events in a constantly shifting narrative rather then providing any new insight into the life of George W. Bush. However, whether it was Stone's intention or not, Bush comes across as sympathetic.

Whatever your believe of George W. Bush, W. helped affirm to me what I have long been trying to understand; George W. Bush might not be the brightest man, nor the most qualified to ever hold the highest office in America, but he really isn't a bad man. I might not have ever voted for the guy, and nor will I ever, but I do believe that he is a good, caring man who holds strong convictions, whether they be right or wrong. While he probably will never go down as one of America's greatest presidents, in some ways, you can't help but feel sorry for the guy. At the end of W., that's exactly what I felt for him; sorry.

(of 4)

Meet (insert name)_ the (insert profession)!

2008-10-21T10:59:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has been following the U.S. presidential election lately knows that in the last month-and-a-half, the global economic crisis has seen a large shift in the poll numbers in favor of Senator Barack Obama in his quest for the White house. John McCain's handling of the economic crisis saw his worst week in the campaign as he jumped from one message to the next from day-to-day, and in one case just a matter of hours!

Watching the way both candidates handled their approach to the situation (and the whole campaign in general) has been quite revealing to me. McCain's campaign is all over the map, with every day bringing a different message, and the overall tone is growing more and more negative and they are hitting the "fear" button whenever they can, even going as far as saying that Barack Obama "pals around with terrorists" and that his tax policies are "socialist". As we have seen, the more they hit the fear button, the worse things get and while it might appeal to far-right supporters, everyone closer to the middle and off to the left are getting turned off by this tactic. If McCain had the base that George W. Bush had in 2004, he wouldn't have to worry about Democrat or Independent voters. Bush lost both in the 2004 election, yet because of the size of his base took the election. But the size of the Republican base is much smaller then it was in 2004, and McCain now needs both his base and Independents to win the election. The problem is his tactics might be appeasing the base he needs, but they're also turning away the Independents he needs even more. Even watching John McCain in the debates, you see just how much he reacts to everything that is said, and at times there have been glimmers of the temper that has become infamous around the country.

I've been impressed by Obama's handling of the campaign and of the economic crisis as well. While McCain is saying that there needs to be swift and decisive action, had McCain been President when this crisis took place, I think we would not be better off. Obama chose to watch the way things were going and listen to economic advisors to try to determine the best course of action in a market that was simply all over the place. This showed an attempt at problem solving and critical thinking in a volatile situation where the wrong move at the wrong time could have disastrous implications.

I've also been impressed with how the Obama campaign has been run. He has a massive ground game all across the country the likes of which, many political pundits say, has never been seen. And when you watch the Obama campaign on TV in interviews they are very well coordinated and all have the same message and use the same phrase or terminology. It shows that his campaign is a well-oiled machine. And watching Obama on the debates he was always respectful, giving McCain is undivided attention, even smiling at him while McCain was speaking. Meanwhile, McCain spent the first two debates barely looking at Obama, and the third debate rolling his eyes half the time. Obama meanwhile was cool and thoughtful.

The question I face as I prepare to vote in two weeks is this: Which campaign do I want in the White House? The one that is erratic with many different messages, some of which try to divide instead of unite, with a candidate who is emotional and often times angry? Or do I want the one that is well-oiled, well-coordinated and almost-always on message, with a candidate who is cool, calm, respectful and thoughtful, assessing the situation before acting?

I've been quite amused by the way things have been since the third debate when a new star emerged onto the national scene. If you've paid attention, you know of whom I speak. Yes, I refer to Joe the Plumber.

Joe the Plumber was referenced 26 times in the last debate, something that eventually became laughable and ridiculous and fodder for late night comedians. Jon Stewart, David Letterman and the likes no doubt had a riot! Well, the McCain/Palin Campaign has taken it to such new heights that not only is Joe the Plumber their new mascot-apparent, but also given him a band of followers! In recent days, Joe the Plumber has been joined by...

Phil the Bricklayer
Rose the Teacher
and Tito the Builder

No, I am not making those up. Just look it up.

Oh...and they've also decided to pull Barack Obama into the fray: Barach the Wealth Spreader. Wow, how an already very nasty and ridiculous election is only going to get worse in the next fourteen days.

In 2012, we should take a hint from Canada and condense our 20-month election cycle into 37 days.

Don't Let This Be Your Wedding!

2008-10-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

Maggie and I found this online earlier today! I sure hope this doesn't happen at our wedding!

Worst Best Man Ever @ Yahoo! Video

The Return of Star Trek

2008-10-16T22:27:00.000-07:00

Anton Yelchin, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho and Zoe Saldana star as the new incarnations of Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Chekov, Sulu and Uhura in the new J.J. Abrams Star Trek.

Most people who know me know that I have been and always shall be a Star Trek fan. For as long as I can remember, I have loved Star Trek. I grew up watching first-run episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ever since I lived in St. Mary's, where I also remember watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture for the first time and loving it so much I wanted to watch again! Of course, little did I know that it was two-and-a-half hour movie!

I have so many memories of loving Star Trek, from seeing Star Trek V in the movie theater (today, I cringe at how bad it was) to seeing the best cliffhanger of all-time at the end of Best of Both Worlds TNG's season 3 ender ("Mr. Worf...fire!" is all I can say)! I've seen every movie since The Final Frontier (the 5th) in the movie theater. Star Trek helped flourish my young imagination and gave me the desire to write my own little Star Trek stories! I have countless Trek novels and comic books, still have a number of my action figures, and own 9 of the 10 movies and four seasons of Deep Space 9 on DVD.

I've seen Star Trek during its glory days and I've seen its unfortunate decline during the late-90s. Say what you will about what contributed to Star Trek's fall from grace. Many fans blame it on producer Rick Berman for just running out of ideas. Can you blame him? He was associated with Star Trek from its re-introduction to television in 1987 all the way to May 2005! Can't you blame him for being creatively bankrupt?

For me Star Trek topped out with the 8th film and my personal favorite Star Trek: First Contact in 1996 and the final three seasons of Deep Space 9 which finished in May 1999. I admit that Voyager was entertaining for me during its 7-year run, but I have a hard time watching most rerun episodes, and while Star Trek: Enterprise had promise and potential, it was evident that Star Trek in today's society was not what it used to be. Star Trek didn't have the appeal that it used to, and it showed not only in the ratings for Enterprise, but also Star Trek: Nemesis's (2002) box office intake of $43 million!

When it was announced in February 2005 that Enterprise would be ending that May and Star Trek would be taking a break, I felt that it was necessary. Not only did it need a break, it needed fresh hands to direct it. How quickly things moved because in early- to mid-2006 it was announced that J.J. Abrams would be producing a new Star Trek movie!

While it's been going through the various stages of production since then, they finished filming in the spring and the new film is set to be released in May 2009. J.J. Abrams has run a pretty tight ship, keeping leaks and information to a minimum. In fact, many members of the cast have joked at the secrecy involved in the production!

While not much is known about the film, it is well-known by now that this is an origin story of the original crew of the Enterprise. While many fans are cautious, there is much excitement in knowing that Abrams and his team of writers are huge Trek fans and the biggest vote of confidence comes from one of its stars: Leonard Nimoy. While the characters have been recast and the look has been updated, Leonard Nimoy has agreed to come out of retirement to play an older Mr. Spock because he loved the script! For those of you who do not know, Leonard Nimoy was offered the chance to direct 1994's Star Trek: Generations but turned it down because he felt it was too weak and pointed out many of the script's flaws. For many fans, Nimoy knows what is good for Trek, especially since he is the only member of the very original cast (I mean, the first pilot pre-Shatner) to survivor into what we all know now as Star Trek.

In the last couple of days, the first photos have arisen of the new crew and various shots of the new bridge set. I can't help but feel kind of giddy at what I am seeing and I'm very excited about the possibilities for this new film! My one disappointment? So far there are no images of the new look for the Enterprise! Ah well...guess I'll just have to wait for the trailer attached to Quantum of Solace, the new Bond flick!

Don't be surprised to hear a lot from me on Star Trek over the next nine months while I wait for opening day!

Zachary Quinto is the younger Spock.

The bridge of the original U.S.S. Enterprise has never looked better!

The Clumsy Stormtrooper

2008-09-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

I was watching Star Wars (the original) just the other night when I saw something that I had never seen before! Watch the stormtrooper on the right side of the screen just as they pass under the door!

If that wasn't intentional, I really don't know how that made it into the final cut of the movie!

Also, here's another little video (an oldie, but a goodie) that I really like!

Film Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

There is a point in the latest Indiana Jones movie where Indiana Jones and ex-girlfriend Marion Ravenwood are sinking in quick sand and are shouting for companions Mutt Williams and Professor Oxley to help them get out of the sinking sand. This shouting takes place despite the fact that they are in the midst of trying to escape from their Russian captors. While they manage to survive the jungle death trap, they fall right back into the hands of their Russian captors for the third time (out of four total) in the movie, and this is barely passed the one hour point!

It was at this point that my enjoyment for the fourth Indiana Jones movie (subtitled the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) was doing something that Dr. Jones himself was having trouble doing; escaping.

The Plot
We pick up in 1957; 19 years after Indiana Jones embarked on The Last Crusade. Indiana Jones is “recruited” by Russian spies to break into a secret American warehouse (one that should appear familiar to most Indy fans) to find a mysterious mummy that Indy helped recover 10 years prior. After a heroic escape, Indiana Jones is accused of being a Communist and is about to lose his job at the university.

Indy is informed by Mutt Williams that Indy’s old friend Professor Oxley and Mutt’s mother Marion have been kidnapped by the Russians in a plot involving the search for a crystal skull linked to Mayan legend. With Mutt at his side, Indy embarks on a journey to find the crystal skull and rescue his friends before the Russians are able to use the skull to unlock a mystical power that will help tip the balance of the Cold War in their favor.

The Good
First off, I’m a huge Indiana Jones fan. I’ve grown up with Indiana Jones, have made a couple Indiana Jones videos as projects for school and have my own fedora. For me Raiders of the Lost Ark remains a classic masterpiece with excellent writing, direction, music and acting. It’s almost perfect in every way. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom while not as good as the original is still able to hold its own and is by no means bad. And The Last Crusade is an absolute delight, not only for the story and adventure themselves but also for the wonderful interactions between Harrison Ford and Sean Connery as father and son. When rumors started circulating several years ago about a fourth installment, I remained skeptical given the amount of time that had passed since The Last Crusade. Harrison Ford was, by no means, young anymore.

However, Harrison Ford remains the movie’s strongest element. Not only does Harrison Ford easily slip back into the role of Indiana Jones and is an absolute delight to watch, he is also believable in the action sequences. Mr. Ford is 65 looking like he’s only 55! It is probably the strongest performance from Harrison Ford, that I can recall, in years. He looks like he is having a blast and is still able to kick butt and take numbers as he goes along. Considering whether or not Harrison Ford could still play Indiana Jones believably was one of my gravest concerns, my concerns were laid quickly to rest.

Surprisingly, Shia LaBeouf is able to hold himself well against Ford. While he seems a bit awkward in his opening scenes and, at times, seems to try too hard to act “tough”, he plays the rebellious 50’s greaser quite well. However, I still don’t quite buy the young Mr. LaBeouf being able to sustain his own spin-off from the franchise as it appears to be what they are attempting to setup.

The first half of the movie is pretty decent. While it drags a little, it manages to establish the plot quite well. The opening chase and shootout in the warehouse is done very well, and together with the bike chase a few minutes later, these two sequences make the film’s finest moments. The bike chase through the university campus is done quite well and effectively mixes humor and action, including a moment I found especially amusing as a throwback to The Last Crusade; at a particular moment, while Mutt is amused by a certain incident, Indy is not, giving Mutt a scornful scowl, reminding quite a lot of the looks that Connery often gave Ford in The Last Crusade.

The humor is ramped up throughout and I found it to be quite effective, from the brawl in the 50’s café, to the bike chase, to the aforementioned quicksand scene which (while not logical) is still quite amusing to watch unfold.

The Not-So-Good
Now to get to the major weaknesses of the movie.

What was so good about the action in the first half of the movie was that it was done practically. One of the great strengths about the Indiana Jones movies is that all the action was done with the actors themselves or stuntmen. You felt the thrill of someone performing the stunts and actually doing what was seen onscreen. Unfortunately, much of the action in the last half, including the jungle chase, relies too heavily on CG. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford was actually being dragged by a truck after passing underneath it! What made it so fun and so thrilling is that it happened and that there was risk and thrill involved. That’s what made it so thrilling. In the jungle chase, all the thrills are gone because there’s no sense of danger because you know the actors are standing in front of a green screen. And unfortunately, given Steven Spielberg’s statements that there would be very little done in the way of CGI, the amount that is done is rather disappointing.

Also, my other big gripe about the action in the last half is that it felt like Indiana Jones was largely absent from the center of it. What made Indiana Jones so special in previous outings was that his sidekicks and ladies always stood on the sidelines and watched as Indiana got beaten to a pulp and yet always managed to come out on top. Only Indiana Jones could slide underneath a movie truck, then come back and throw the driver out the front windshield and escape with the Ark. Only Indiana Jones could cut a rope bridge in half and live to tell about it. Only Indiana Jones could fight the Nazis on top of a movie tank as it fell off a cliff and walk away to retrieve the Holy Grail. These things made Indiana Jones so special because he was always so lucky! But the only point that Indiana Jones felt lucky was when he climbed into a fridge (you’ll understand when you see it). This time, it felt like it was everyone else who was getting lucky while Indiana Jones was the one on the sidelines. You know there is something missing when you can’t recall a single triumphant rendition of the Raider’s March in the last half of the film because Indiana Jones didn’t do anything particularly heroic.

Next, there are moments that come across as way over-the-top and are just unnecessary. Such moments include gags involving Mutt being repeatedly hit in the groin while standing between two jeeps as they speed through the jungle, while at the same time taking part in a sword fight with Cate Blanchett. Another moment is Mutt finds himself trapped in some fines with monkeys, and before you know it is swinging through jungle from vine-to-vine like Tarzan! I couldn’t help but wonder just what was going on!

While Harrison Ford is back in top shape and Shia LeBeouf does an admirable job as Mutt Williams, the rest of the characters are not well-written at all. Unfortunately, great actors like Cate Blanchett (as top villainess Irina Spalko), William Hurt and Jim Broadbent are wasted in worthless roles. While they do what they can with the underwritten material, you can’t help but feel that their time was wasted. Also, what was the point of having Marion return? Aside from the fact that she is there to deliver the crucial line that Mutt is Indy’s son, there is very little reason for her to be in this movie. Not even the closing scene between her and Indy is able to makeup for that, especially since at no point did it feel like that was where the characters were leading up to. Not only did Marion return out of nowhere, the closing outcome between her and Indy felt like it came out of nowhere because nothing took place to lead up to that! It doesn’t help that Marion is nowhere near the same character that she was in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Where Marion was able to drink a grown man under the table and still manage to fight in a burning bar moments later, this Marion feels defanged and like the only bite she has left in her is to bicker with Indiana Jones.

The Nazis were wonderful adversaries for Dr. Jones in the previous films, but unfortunately, the Russians don’t quite measure up to them. There is nothing menacing about the Russians, nor is there anything menacing about the top henchmen nor even Irina Spalko herself. You know the top henchmen Dovchenko doesn’t pose much of a threat to Indy because Indy just about kicks his butt at the outset of the film. And there is nothing threatening about Blanchett’s Spalko. She is nowhere near the same level as previous Indy villains. She is neither spooky nor seems particularly menacing, nor do we completely understand her motivation for pursuing the crystal skulls.

Spoilers ahead! This brings me to the story. While there is nothing wrong with using the crystal skulls as the film’s Magoffin considering there is actually a myth surrounding them, the ultimate revelation at the movie’s climax is rather disappointing and ultimately mind-boggling. All I can say is that this is truly the work of George Lucas, who is not the magical filmmaker that he was in the 70s and early-80s. The origins of the skulls and the influence those origins had on Aztec society seem extremely out-of-place in an Indiana Jones movie. As soon as I saw where the movie was heading halfway through, I couldn’t believe it and kept saying there had to be someway of getting around what they were setting up. Unfortunately, it quickly became clear that that was exactly where they were taking it. I found myself extremely disappointed.

The movie’s climax felt like a mix of three different movies. One element felt like a throwback to the melting Nazis from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Another element felt like a throwback to the attempt to save Elsa at the end of The Last Crusade. And the final element felt like a throwback to, yes I’ll say it, The X-Files. Unfortunately, where The X-Files succeeded, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull fails. At least that element had a place in that movie.

Anyone who has followed the progress of this movie over the years will know that it has taken years to get this movie off the ground and that many, many drafts were thrown out because one of the three major parties needed to sign-off on it (Ford, Spielberg and Lucas) were not happy with it. And much was made not too long ago about Ford and Spielberg being happy with a script but Lucas was not. All I can say is; this is the script it took 19 years and many drafts to finally film? It feels like this script was a mish-mash of previous drafts, taking elements from each one, to hopefully make an acceptable collage of what everybody liked. This could've used a few more rewrites and an all-new payoff, because the movie's climax felt very lacking.

The Final Rundown
For me, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade remain the two best films in the series, while The Temple of Doom and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull are the weakest. It seems Indiana Jones has his own version of Star Trek’s odd-even curse; the even-numbered films are the weakest.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is exactly a bad movie; it’s just not exactly a necessary one. As I left the theater, I found myself having been entertained, and at the same time very disappointed and wondering what the point of it was. While Harrison Ford was able to successfully able to slip right back into the fedora, it doesn’t seem like Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were able to do the same. Kingdom of the Crystal Skull doesn’t have the same fun feeling to it of its predecessors, nor does it have the same magic.

1/2 (of 4)

Time to Join the Fun!

2008-05-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

Well my family has been blogging for a couple years now. Both my parents have their own blogs, my aunts and uncles have blogs, a few of my cousins have blogs, so I thought I would finally join in on all the fun!

Don't know why I finally decided to do this. Maybe it was because I have too much time on my hands to finally devote the time needed to run my own blog? Maybe I was just getting bored? Maybe I have so lots of things on my mind that I wish to share? Or maybe it's been months since my dad last hounded me to start my own blog, so I finally decided to do it?

Or all of the above, you take your pick.

Really I don't know the point of my blog or why I'm doing this, but I was sitting bored this morning playing Game Cube in the Youth Center at work trying to pass the time away before the second part of my split-shift started thinking about lots of things. I was thinking about the movie I saw last night with my girlfriend Maggie and formulating a review for the movie in my head. I was thinking about the mess that has become the Presidential election here in the United States with five months to go, and we haven't even reached the "general" election yet! Mostly, I was thinking about how my 17-year-old brother will be leaving next weekend to go to the Crossmen for two-and-a-half months and then heading straight to college at Louisiana State University, meaning that I won't see him again until later this year!

I realized that this would be a good way for me to communicate with Josh while he is away at college so that we're not playing phone tag, since I'm regularly out late into the evening and might miss any phone calls he might make home just to say hi. So that was my finally motivation to start blogging; to keep up with my little brother while he's away at college.

I don't know how regularly I'll post, but I plan on posting my thoughts and feelings on things such as the election and anything else that goes on in the world of politics, things that go on at work, a funny story that might have taken place during the day, a joke I might have heard, a review on a new music CD or soundtrack, or a review of a movie that I've just seen. In fact, count on plenty of reviews, because I went to the movie theater almost 40 times in 2007! While I'm nowhere close to that count this year (I'm only at 7 trips) you can still count on plenty of reviews, even if it's not a recent release. It could be something that's been out for a while or something that I've just recently decided to revisit and post my comments on it.

So what's up-and-coming? Well, I'm currently working on a review for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, so if you're interested in that, feel free to come back and check in. As for that, I really don't know. That's all I have for now.

By the way, I struggled with the name for my blog before finally settling on something that will hopefully demonstrate my quirky sense of humor!

Inside a Jon

Wedding Update

Star Wars: In Concert

Keeping Up with Ally...Some More

Keeping Up with Ally

That's a Big Bird!

"The Show Must Go On."...Or Does It?

Some Inspiration for the Day

The Health Care Debate

Stargate: Universe

Are You Serious?

It Was Too Good To Be True

Just a Couple Projects of Mine

Toronto Blue Jays: So Far So Good...

My Take on Jon & Kate + 8

Soundtrack Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture (Jerry Goldsmith)

$80 Million and Counting

Review: Star Trek

Review: Star Trek: Nemesis

Review: Star Trek: Insurrection

Review: Star Trek: First Contact

Review: Star Trek: Generations

Review: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Review: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Review: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Review: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Review: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Review: Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Is This a Good Sign?

Which Character Are You?

Keeping Up with Ally

Star Trek: The Mandatory Upcoming Premiere Post (the 1st one, anyway)

Splish Splash

Star Trek Super Bowl Commercial

Inauguration Day Coverage

Rare Moment in History

Oh Come On!

Review: The Reader

STAR TREK

Best of 2008

Who Cares?

Keepin' Up with Ally #1

Product Placement

Our New Baby: Ally

The Not-So-Smart Smart Car

William Shatner's Tribute to George Lucas

A Star Trek IV Blooper Reel

2012 Presidential Polls: The Race Begins

The Christmas Quiz

What Have You Done?

What Has Hollywood Come To?

Election Aftermath

How should "Generations" Have Ended?

I'm Joe the Plumber

Did "The West Wing" Predict the Election?

Film Review: W.

Meet __(insert name)___ the __(insert profession)__!

Don't Let This Be Your Wedding!

The Return of Star Trek

The Clumsy Stormtrooper

Film Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Time to Join the Fun!

Meet (insert name)_ the (insert profession)!