Super Bowl TV Spots

Missed the best part of the Super Bowl? I'm here for you. Except when it comes to making the videos fit in my blog space. That's on you. I'm sure a little right clicking and finagling will do worlds for you:

Cowboys & Aliens
My second favorite spot of the Super Bowl event. It's such an insane idea... it just might work. Harrison Ford hasn't looked this cool in decades. Teaming him with Daniel Craig, in a western that replaces Indians with aliens, sounds like the most fun we'll have this summer.


Thor
We need another superhero flick like I need another bill to pay. So I hope Thor is better than the spot is-- Which simply screams high levels of generic. Over time this film has become less and less interesting to me. Still, I'm curious what Kenneth Branagh brings to the genre. (Assuming Marvel gave him any creative control.)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon
I know. "Why?" Right? But Michael Bay cuts such convincing trailers you have to marvel at how he's able to make such material look like a world changing event. I won't get my hopes up, but this movie looks more like a straight forward invasion flick than a psuedo-war picture. Points for looking different and maintaining Optimus Prime's badassary.

Transformers 'Dark of The Moon' Super Bowl Trailer (720p) from Michael Bay Dot Com on Vimeo.

Captain America: The First Avenger
Honestly? It was one of my favorite spots of the evening. I didn't think a Captain America movie would work. I'm no fan of the character and I don't think he's aged well enough to be relevant. But this holds my interest over Thor. I like the period setting. It should be a fun flick.

Battle: Los Angeles
I don't really understand the hype surrounding this dog. Jonathan Liebesman's resume isn't very impressive and yet some critics/journalists are throwing his name next to Neill Blomkamp, Gareth Edwards and Zack Snyder. Why? Maybe Battle: LA isn't as generic of an action flick as it looks in this spot. I'd like to think Aaron Eckhart only chooses really interesting scripts.


Super 8
My favorite spot of the night. Something original and fresh. Something that doesn't come from a comic book, isn't a sequel, isn't a preexisting material and doesn't come from a cereal box. And yet... it's so familiar. J.J. Abrams' new flick feels so much like a Spielberg movie from the 1980s it's enough to claim as my most anticipated film of the summer. Watch:


There were a few more, but these are all I really care to pass along. If there are any broken links, let me know.

Top 5 Best and Worst of 2009

It’s that time kids. My top five best and worst films of 2009. The list pretty much speaks for itself, so lets roll with it:


TOP 5 BEST OF 2009



5. Public Enemies **** out of ****
Nope it wasn’t nominated for anything. It wasn’t even particularly well received by critics, but that’s their loss. Johnny Depp flexes some of his best acting muscles and Christian Bale is equally impressive. Meanwhile, it’s absolutely criminal that Billy Crudup was not nominated for a supporting actor. Despite the lack of attention given to this fine film, Michael Mann made an excellent comeback with this top notch, suave and thrilling period piece. Gangster films tend to look worse and worse as years go by, but Public Enemies put the “cool” back in it while extending the beautiful merits of digital cinema.

FULL REVIEW



4. Up **** out of ****
A movie I wish I saw earlier in the year. After Pixar proved they could go outside the box with their stories in Wall-E, Up proved that great story telling can be minimalistic, but take different forms—And I’m not talking about the fact it’s a CG animated motion picture. With a gut-wrenching opening, impressively chalked with nearly no lines, and a wonderful reverence to the value of time (and life), Up ranks among Pixar’s very best films.

NOT REVIEWED



3. Inglourious Basterds **** out of ****
Where do I begin? If it’s not Tarantino’s best movie, which I think it is, then it’s at least my favorite. A return to form for the great director, Inglourious Basterds is tiled with memorable characters, great laughs and some of the most fascinating scenes to grace the screen in years. His craft has never looked this perfect and my love for film has seldom been as passionate as it is when I watch this movie.


FULL REVIEW



2. Up in the Air **** out of ****
Jason Reitman knocks another one out of the park. Bringing text-book modernism back to the screen turned out to be a wonderful move. Up in the Air explores the paths of living in the current economic climate and ends at a destination of your choice. Strong and very funny characters carry the audience along for the journey.


FULL REVIEW



1. The Hurt Locker **** out of ****
And this is the one. Kathryn Bigelow’s war tale isn’t so much about war as it is about those who fight them. Focusing on an adrenaline fueled main character, played by the impressive Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker expresses the deepest and darkest fears of those involved in war—Including the love for it. It’s the Saving Private Ryan of our generation and it scares the hell out of me. “Awesome.” Simply put, and you can’t call too many “bests of the year” this, but it is absolutely “awesome.” I’ll be rooting for it Sunday night.

FULL REVIEW


TOP 5 WORST MOVIES OF 2009




5. X-Men Origins: Wolverine *½ out of ****
Though I’ll admit it gets better with repeated viewings, it’s still a mess. What should have been a dark, psychological origin story turns in to a bad X-Men 4, with characters that shouldn’t be involved and some really poor writing. Sure the action is fun, but reducing the title character to survive every suicidal stunt possible makes him a bore. So why care about him?


FULL REVIEW


4. The Men Who Stare At Goats * out of ****
Hippy bullshit for the masses. An all-star cast of some of the world’s best actors slip and fall face first in the dirt clot that is this movie’s script. Incoherent, contrived and contradicting-- Goats had the potential of a great movie. But it’s not a great movie. It’s just a great, big, boring disappointment. What a waste.

FULL REVIEW


3. The Hangover * out of ****
Because there’s not enough stupid, college student targeted Mt. Everests of crap out there. What scares me is that this film, the same EXACT humor we’ve seen in other terrible movies i.e. Wedding Crashers, Superbad, Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin..etc… is what passes off as funny to its target audience: Dumb college students. The future of our world assuring more bad comedy is made! Lets go through the list of predictability: Drunk jokes. Check. Not sure what happened on the “crazy” night before to incite certain [non]humor. Check. Bad Las Vagas clichés. Check. Bad movie. Check and mate.

NOT REVIEWED


2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ½ out of ****
Big, loud and stupid can be fun if the flick has certain charm to it. But this doesn’t. Bay tries way too hard to make it the “ultimate” summer flick, but bigger isn’t always better, and a lack of restraint seems to be dangerous. It’s as if the movie prefers to be as dumb as possible—Such a film makes me wonder how some directors/writers get away with what they do. Then again, what producer okays it?

FULL REVIEW


1. Dragonball: Evolution ½ out of ****
‘Nuff said…

FULL REVIEW

The Shadow of the True X-Men 3

Reading this kind of stuff infuriates me, but at the same time it fascinates me. It’s incredible to see a bad idea come to life and a good idea left in the trash heap. To be fair X-Men: The Last Stand actually had some intriguing ideas, but besides being executed terribly they also paled in comparison to what could have been.

“Huh? What could it have been?” For starters it could have been good, but that’s the obvious answer. During a Slashfilm podcast co-writer of X2, Mike Dougherty, mentioned story ideas for the third movie he had on the drawing board with director Bryan Singer.

For those using the Internet for the first time, Bryan Singer directed the first two X-Men films. When he was asked to direct his dream project, Superman Returns, he left Fox’s X-Men franchise at the mercy of director Brett Ratner-- The man responsible for arguably the worst conclusion to a single franchise: X-Men: The Last Stand.

But before Brett Rat-Fink mutilated the storyline and Dougherty left with Singer for Superman Returns, there was a very solid blueprint for the third movie. Screenrant was nice enough to extract Dougherty’s X-Men 3 story from the podcast.

THE SETUP:

“The idea – you open up with Alkali Lake [where Jean Grey supposedly died in X2] but it’s completely barren and dried up and there are these odd reports of strange phenomena going on around the world accompanied by bright lights in the sky.”

“The idea would be that both the X-Men and the Brotherhood realize that, essentially, a very god-like force had entered their reality and that it was causing disruptions around the world – mutant prisons being decimated. I had pitched an idea about a fleet of cargo ships getting torn apart in the Atlantic and you found out that they were shuttling mutants as slave labor.”

THE MEAT:

“So basically you found out that the Phoenix [Jean Grey] was going ‘round the world taking things into her own hands and that she had basically returned as a god, which they did touch upon in X3. She had viewed herself as above the conflict, that she was here to end things on her terms, she was basically sick of the fighting and she was going to take things into her own hands and she didn’t give a shit what the X-Men or the Brotherhood had to say about it.”

I think Dougherty is giving the actual third movie too much credit. When was comparing the Phoenix to a god touched upon in The Last Stand? Sorry. Minor rant. Dougherty continues…

“The one idea that I loved, that I really wanted to do, was that Cyclops would build the Danger Room. Cyclops felt guilty-- He felt that the X-Men were too weak. They weren’t strong enough; they weren’t fast enough, [and] that was the reason Jean died. If they were a little bit better at fighting, then she might still be alive. It was all about this guilt he had about her death and so he built the Danger Room to train them to be better. But in the end it really was about him not being able to let go of her, so that causes all the chaos and disruption in the movie. But in the end it’s about him letting her go.”

Okay, okay, so wait. Not only was Cyclops going to be front and center in the storyline, like he should’ve been, but it was going to develop him as the true leader of the X-Men? This sounds like the best idea for an X-Men movie yet… Alas, it wasn’t to be… Oh wait. It gets better:

THE END:

“Ultimately she kind of becomes that cosmic force that Phoenix is known to be, she chooses to leave Earth and become a god, or at least a higher level of intelligence, and she goes into the cosmos possibly to kick-start life somewhere else… The final scene for me would have been her telling Cyclops, or her telling the X-Men, ‘I’ll be watching.’ Essentially she becomes a god.”

I love the “I’ll be watching” part echoing the end of the second film. But unlike this story The Last Stand had no regard for what happened in the first two movies. (Like the forgotten allusion that Magneto’s machine on Liberty Island [in the first movie] triggered the Phoenix mutation. Good catch Rat-Punk!) A razor sharp Cyclops sounded so much more interesting than the pitiful, tormented man that served as little more than a cameo in The Last Stand. And actually utilizing the Phoenix as the integral plotline instead of watching her turn to marble as a third tier subplot is *INSERT CLICHÉ GASP AGAIN* far and away more desirable.

So I want to applaud director Brett Rat-Shit for his duties on The Last Stand and taking strides to do the exact opposite of Dougherty’s plan: Deliver a damn good idea. I mean seriously? This is what we could have had? Superman Returns was decent, but not worth this sacrifice. Imagine if you will, the deep fire representing the vengeful Phoenix, scorching the night sky as Cyclops and Wolverine stand battle ready on a crushed Earth below. The stakes are high. Not even Magneto and the Brotherhood are as great of a threat. Why? Because this “god” is the women these two men love. That’s brilliant shit right there!

Now think back to The Last Stand. It’s like self-mutilation isn’t it? If you’re a sadist you’ve gotta’ love this article. With rumors of Bryan Singer possibly returning to the X-Men franchise, these ideas would be beautiful for a strong return to form. I refuse to believe it’s too late to clean up Brett Rat-Fuck’s menstruating curd of bile that is the third X-Men movie. Will someone save this franchise?

Do You Believe in Avatar?

To begin, I want to admit that this won’t be the most thorough look at Avatar. I’m not going to chronicle Avatar from its 1994 conception. But I am going to try and throw down why it’s such a big effing deal—Or not?

I haven’t updated a lot on Avatar over the last couple of years and that’s mostly because so little was known about it. Okay. And I just didn’t think it looked that interesting. Obviously that’s changed otherwise I wouldn’t be embedding the trailer on my blog.

So why am I paying attention to Avatar now? Read closely, because if I find something intriguing you should too. If not you’re a moron. Lets start with the obvious: James Cameron. This is the man that gave us the first two Terminator flicks and a sequel to Alien that was at the very least as good as its predecessor. Though he arguably sold out with Titanic, he did win an Academy Award for it. (Admittedly something that means less and less every year.) He ushered film in to the CGI era with Terminator 2 and The Abyss, and, to end this list of legendary titles, True Lies was funny as hell.

Okay, so enough of the James Cameron blow job. Why else should I be excited for this flick? Remember that small mention of Cameron jumpstarting cinema’s CGI era? Ready for the next big fad? Come now, you didn’t think CGI was the end all of visual effects did you? There will always be something else. In this case Cameron has invented his own Reality Camera System; an arrangement that uses two HD cameras in a single unit. This accomplishes greater depth perception making the 3-D component of the film more interactive with the audience. Couple that with Cameron’s promise of photo-real CGI characters that he’s been tweaking for two years and you have something to chew on.

I know what you’re thinking. We’ve seen a billion CGI characters. What makes this so different? Like King Kong and Lord of the Ring’s Gollum, motion capture is used for the alien creatures, the Na’vi. Old news, but new adjustments. A new skullcap has been constructed to capture 95% of an actor’s facial performance. But what makes all this really cool is Cameron’s visual camera technique. Most motion capture is integrated in to a shot in post-production. Here the director can see what the motion capture footage looks like next to his digital world in real time. This gives Cameron an extreme edge over all the past motion captured CG characters. Can we really say Gollum was that impressive? King Kong looked great, but there were some noticeably weak shots. And Jar-Jar? Scratch that. All of the CG characters in the recent Star Wars flicks looked like they came off Dreamwork Animation’s scrape pile. But the point is directors and visual effects artists can now perfect movements and designs of a digital character by immediately seeing what they’re like in real time. If you didn’t understand any of that, I’ll dumb it down to this: James Cameron has [apparently] developed a way to make photo realistic characters and sets through advanced camera technology and perfected motion capture.

Well this sounds all fine and dandy, in theory, but has Cameron created something truly groundbreaking? Is it what he says it is? Going on trailers alone, it’s hard to say. This is definitely something that must be seen on a large scale. I have a feeling even bluray discs will have a hard time incorporating all the detail this movie promises on the big screen. Ultimately the trailers look rather underwhelming, but watching it on a 19” computer screen on Youtube probably doesn’t do it the nearest hint of justice. I will say the shots look rather impressive and I look forward to experiencing them on the big screen.

The next drawback is Cameron’s idea of “original.” Though he claims to have imagined the whole thing from his little noggin, there has been some nasty talk of *GASP* plagiarism from our favorite Terminator creator. A science fiction novella, written by Poul Anderson, boasts a very similar storyline featuring a character embodying the form of blue, savage-like aliens.

“But wait! Cameron came up with this story in 1994! When was this sorry-ass little ‘novella’ written?” In 1957. “Oh.” Whether Avatar is a loose adaptation of that story or not, I don’t think it takes away from the hype factor. After all, this movie seems to be bent on sending cinema in to a new direction—No matter how good the story is the visual aspect is going to block it out. Or am I speaking too soon? Terminator 2 managed to tell a powerful tale of humanity’s will and value without becoming an over bloated effects orgy. It was new, fun technology, but it didn’t cloud the story. Can Cameron pull it off again?

Another concern I want to address isn’t so much about the quality of the film, but its success. With a reported budget of $230 million, plus other production investments and marketing, Avatar is said to cost an estimated $500 million. Say that out loud. $500 million. One more time. And this time enunciate. $500 million. Yeah, I wish I had $500 million to blow on a movie and make it all ba—Oh… Wait… Avatar hasn’t made a dime back yet has it? So what say you? Is Avatar going to be able to break even? Or will it just break Fox Studios’ executive balls? December 18th kids. December 18th.

Until that anticipated day I will cross my fingers. Because I want to believe in Avatar. I want to believe it will be a masterpiece. I want to believe it will look incredible. I want to believe it will be something I have a desire to make love with. I want to say, “Hey! It’s James! He’s back, he’s got this one guys.” But the internet age tends to hype things above expectation and I pray that’s not the case here.

End Note:
If you’ve finished this little rant and still think about The Last Airbender when this movie is brought up, you should seriously consider removing all sex organs. F—ktards shouldn’t reproduce.

"Chronicling" The Sarah Connor Chronicles: Ode to the Fans

This is a very special post—Aside of my reviews I don’t often take a lot of time to paraphrase my thoughts. (Ala, the two posts beneath this one.) Furthermore, I rarely post anything about television series. And, once again, it has to do with a cancelled show.

I’m fully aware my vain attempt to save “The Dead Zone,” was, at best, half-assed because of a rather unorganized and undedicated fan base. Furthermore, it was clear “The Dead Zone” had run its course and should’ve stopped after its third season.

This series, however, is a very different matter. “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (TSCC) was cancelled far too early. Although some may consider the jaw-dropping, beautiful ending as the prelude for the 1984 film, “The Terminator,” others refuse to accept that as the finale. Because of this attitude, the show has now become a literal symbol of its powerful message of hope.

Fans, far and wide, beyond oceans and through computers, have band together to strive for a continuation of one television’s greatest and most ambitious series. Putting the series’ “no fate” message to the test, the TSCC fan base has grown in to a massive force that has guaranteed being noticed. So, what has taken place? How are they so strong?

To summarize: $3,500 was raised to cart a mobile billboard around Warner Brothers-ville and see if they get a clue. The TSCC-mobile will ride to its mission on September 22nd the day Season 2 comes to DVD/Blu Ray. Another $2,530 was raised to deliver an ad before movies in select theaters. Now I keep saying “raised.” Who raised it? Remarkably, the fans. Fans have been raising money, ordering custom stickers, USB drives that look like a terminator CPU, writing letters…etc… to make it all happen. It really makes me wonder, if the TSCC fan base is this strong, how did the show get cancelled? How accurate were those ratings? Have you been paying attention Fox?

So where is this going? Recently, rumors have surfaced about a possible direct-to-DVD movie. Thomas Dekker, who played John Connor better than any actor before or after him (as much as I love Bale), recently commented on the possibility of a direct-to-DVD flick. This is what I was banking on/hoping for from the beginning. I understand some fans are still hooked on grabbing a season 3 instead of a direct-to-DVD movie, but even if it is the only thing we get would that not still be a success? Can’t we get closure? Now, I am, by no means, saying fans should simply settle for something they don’t want. I respect the TSCC fanbase too much for that and am ever so proud to be a part of such a vastly armored community. But, thinking realistically, I hope more and more fans pursue the idea of a DVD film and fuel more fire behind the rumors to get some Warner Brothers execs’ heads turned. Who knows where it could lead?

Now, for the non-believers: Can it work? I'll make this answer simple. If Star Trek, Firefly, Family Guy, Futurama, Jericho, Arrested Development (movie pending) and Sliders (for the most part) have taught me anything, it's that fan outcry can be quite powerful. Now factor in the absurdly loud demand for TSCC. Case closed.

That said I hope some of the other, few readers I have here will take this series and its possible resurrection to heart. I merely mean this to be a love letter to the “big push” for more TSCC, which starts tomorrow, Sept. 3rd. (See www.savethescc.com for more details.)

“The Sarah Connor Chronicles” was, undoubtedly, one of the most beautiful series I’ve seen come to life. Initially turning my nose up at the show was very premature of me and I was very happy to eat my words and be rewarded with, arguably, the strongest piece in the Terminator franchise. To any and all, thank you for reading. To the fine staff at savethescc.com, the best of luck and I offer my services if any are needed. (Please get in touch.) To the fans of TSCC, keep it up. Keep up the fight, the hope and fun. Truly this series has brought a lot of people together and, working externally, it may have achieved more meaning.

Season 2 of “The Sarah Connor Chronicles” is released September 22nd. Make sure you grab a copy.

And remember. “There is no fate but what we make for ourselves.” This is GMAN. Over and out.

Changing a Few Things

A brief note concerning the content my blog will contain from here on out. As you may have noticed I've grown weary of simply reporting news about different movies. There's plenty of sites where you can get that from. Oh I'll still report new things that strike my fancy, but from here on it'll mostly be a reflection on film and current film bytes. Don't worry, before I dive head first in to rants and commentaries I'll get you up to speed.

When I first started this blog I intended to use it to keep friends and family up to date about things in the world of cinema. I believe that attempt has failed in some form and I've decided to take my blog in a new direction. I promise it won't seem like a drastic change, but it will be a little different.

Until the next post-- See you at the theaters.

Star Trek in Retrospect - Part I: "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982)

With Abrams’ big reboot on the horizon I thought it was about time I take a trek through past films in the nerd-ridden franchise. In memory of the fonder moments of Star Trek I’ll be looking at my favorite, and arguably the best, of the Star Trek films. So if you’re looking for my thoughts on the first and fifth movies, you’ll have to wait. I’m sure I’ll get to thrash them one day. I also won’t be focusing much on any of the series because, frankly, that would take up more time than I’m willing to spend.

So where do I begin? Well not quite the beginning in this case. And, despite the ever-charitable need to save the best for last, it just so happens the best is at the front of the line—At least in this retrospect.


After the first movie, which was based on a 45 minute script for the pilot of the debunked “Star Trek: Phase II,” Paramount decided to go a different direction with the franchise. Putting the Star Trek cast in the hands of director Nicholas Meyer proved to be one of the greatest decisions in the franchise’s history. Loved, spoofed and revered by audiences, fans, film historians and critics all over the world is the U.S.S. Enterprise’s greatest mission—And for that matter, one of science fiction’s greatest films: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”

Based as sequel to the original series episode “Space Seed,” “The Wrath of Khan” made sure prior knowledge of the episode was not a requirement to enjoy the movie. After the genetically engineered renegade Khan escapes from exile he sets course to kill the man who banished him: James T. Kirk. The aging Admiral, unaware of Khan’s return, meanwhile contemplates his life decisions in contempt and juggles his worries with that of the Genesis device—A powerful tool for six-second terraforming, but also a dangerous weapon that could fall in to the hands of Khan.

I try to keep my synopses concise. Sometimes I like how I’ve worded them, other times I roll my eyes at myself, knowing there’s really no way to do a film justice while keeping the summaries short. As I write this I have to roll my eyes a little. I suppose no summary does a great film, like this one, any justice. It simply must be experienced.

Experience is a great deal of what this film is about anyway, so its fits the bill of being a movie. (Rather than some other form of media.) So often will I hear that “Star Trek II” is a great revenge story. This is very true considering Khan’s hunt for Kirk borrows such sensational literary mimicry from “Moby Dick.” But historians have explored that side of the film so many times that it has become an easy target for commentary. I prefer to look at Admiral Kirk’s story, which includes so much more than outwitting Khan’s Captain Ahab persona.

For audiences unfamiliar with the Star Trek cast, watching “Star Trek II” gives the impression that James T. Kirk has always been this well written. For those of us who know Star Trek better, it’s interesting to note that we’ve never dived this far in to Kirk’s character. At long last those late nights with Orion slave girls, duels with expressionless, plastic lizard-men and constant ripping of his command tunic have caught up with Kirk. Going through something one might call a mid-life crisis, Kirk comes face to face with a slowing career, a family he could have been with and the heartbreaking task of handing the Enterprise to a younger generation. When Khan finally enters the picture Kirk begins to wonder what he’s been doing for the last fifteen years since he exiled his nemesis. Is it worth being put through the events in the film?

This is an important aspect of the film to understand because of its chief theme: Life birthed from death. During all the mayhem of Kirk’s life and Khan’s “wrath,” the Genesis device awaits testing. From the beginning it is contemplated as a miracle as well as a threat. Echoes of the atom bomb’s birth ring loudly among the Genesis device’s entrance in the story, but there’s more to it. It plays an intricate roll in the film’s finale, and Kirk’s reunion with life. After a famous “death” happens aboard the Enterprise it ignites the metaphorical “rebirth” of Kirk’s character, breathing new life in to his outlook and his future.

Those who have seen the movie know of the life from death that I speak of. And the excellent contrast of that specific death with the new world being born of the Genesis device is absolutely astounding imagery. I’m writing this review as if to cater to those who have yet to see this movie, but truthfully, if you have not seen “Wrath of Khan” stop reading this and go watch it now. If you’re a friend of mine and have yet to see it, we’ll have chat about how long we’ll remain friends later.

Well now that we’ve looked past “Wrath of Khan’s” more poetic moments it would be criminal not to mention the film’s visual aspects. I’d like to begin saying that I’m a fan of outer space battles, but if they aren’t a lot of fun, then they need to be fresh. My problem with the final film in the original “Star Wars” trilogy was that it recycled so much in terms of space battles. The Star Wars prequels didn’t provide anything new either. That said, while the final showdown in “Star Trek II” is a much slower paced skirmish, its also one of the smartest and most dramatic of the space sci-fi genre. Instead of plowing through the stars, firing all weapons, the Enterprise and its opponent wander aimlessly through a dark nebula trying to outwit each other like two submarines. The result is thrilling and, ultimately, gorgeous, as the nebula makes a beautiful backdrop for these awesome ships.

I must also note the uniform design. Director Nicholas Meyer wanted something that resembled, “Horatio Hornblower in space.” As such, these uniforms have a militaristic, navel look to them. The Star Trek uniforms have never felt so real and as a result of their genius they were used for the next four films. These are easily my favorite uniforms in the Trek universe.

By the end of the film the audience has felt the full wrath of Khan, they have learned more than they ever thought they would about the much beloved James T. Kirk and the beautiful Enterprise, battle worn, is a little bit emptier. I can’t think of a more accessible Trek film (currently) and it’s hard to find much wrong with this movie. If the best science fiction says more about ourselves than it does aliens, or starships or… whatever, then “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” really is one of the best movies out there. It avoids any alien encounters, keeps the techno-babble to a minimum and maintains a great love for the human heart. Space poetry at its best.

**** out of ****

Movies To Be Aware of This Year (2008)

With the severe lack of news going on I thought I'd list a collection of films coming out this year that I find the most interesting and believe should get some attention. Good, bad or ugly, I'm going to try and focus on the positives for each. The list is as follows:

Chapter 27 - March 28
Reasons to be aware of it: Though it wasn't well received at previous film festivals, I felt the material was interesting enough to give a chance. The film's title suggests a continuation of "The Catcher in the Rye" (which ends with chapter 26). The movie is about Mark Steven Chapman and the days leading up to his murder of John Lennon. Chapman attempts to model his life after the character Holden Caulfield and the film looks at why he ended up killing Lennon. I think it's worth a look. Jared Leto stars.




Meet Bill - April 8
Reasons to be aware of it: Aaron Eckhart returns to his smarter comedic roots in this story about a guy who hits an all time low when his wife cheats on him and his job takes a turn for the worst. He reluctantly turns to a young teenager to regain his sense of worth. I'd put this in the "comedy with meaning" category, much like "Thank You for Smoking." Jessica Alba co-stars in this possibly overlooked indie flick.




Street Kings - April 11
Reasons to be aware of it: An indie cop movie staring Keanu Reeves, Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie and Chris Evans. What's not to like? Reeves stars as a cop framed for a murder. He goes rogue to clear his name, but finds some bumps along the way. Reeves is a likable actor, and Whitaker, I'm convinced, can do anything. I'm very pleased to see Laurie and Evans getting more work. Both are fine talents that I wish to see more often.




88 Minutes - April 18
Reasons to be aware of it: Though it sounds a lot like Depp's, "Nick of Time" years back, it does star Al Pacino. The "real time" scenario rarely works on film as well as it does in "24," but as always it shows promise. Pacino plays an unethical forensic psychiatrist who is told he has 88 minutes to live-- Unless he can find out who his killer is first. The idea intrigues me even if similar story lines have been done countless times before. I wonder what the running time on this movie is?




Iron Man - May 2
Reasons to be aware of it: Robert Downey Jr. as a superhero? I'm in. Not only that but this hero has a very dark and intriguing back story. Instead of the tried and true, "someone important to me died and I'm going to be a superhero because of it" story, Downey's character is a jackass. He's a rich, womanizing weapons creator who sees war as an easy win. But when he gets a taste of it himself he turns around and uses his genius to create an armor that will protect the innocent instead of take their money. It looks like a fun, funny and overall enjoyable summer flick. Can't wait.




The Horsemen - May 9 (unconfirmed)
Reasons to be aware of it: Dennis Quaid is back again! While he's reason enough, this movie centers on the life of a recently widowed detective looking in to a case that connects him and the murder(s) with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The story feels like it has a "Seven" vibe to it. Though I doubt it'll be nearly as powerful, it may prove to be a loved cult flick.





Speed Racer - May 9
Reasons to be aware of it: I can already tell this is going to be one that will either be loved or hated. What is there to love though? The visuals look very different, but whether or not they will work is a judgment best reserved after I see it on the big screen. The cast is great and I've enjoyed everything the Wachowski Brothers have done. Yes, even the Matrix Sequels. It looks exciting and Matthew Fox as Racer X is too badass for words. Lets hope it lives up to the sound of its engine.




Midnight Meat Train - May 16 (unconfirmed)
Reasons to be aware of it: For those of you who have seen Ryuhei Kitamura's work ("Versus," "Alive," "Azumi") you might know why this is a movie to go see. Those who aren't fans of Kitamura's stylized work... Don't see it. The man makes his American movie debut with a film based on one of Clive Barker's short stories. A reporter follows a killer on board a train who butchers passengers and reveals a startling purpose as to why. I don't want to spoil much, but it sounds like it has potential to go beyond a normal slasher flick. Slasher or not, Kitamura directed it, thus I will see it. You should too.




The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian - May 16
Reasons to be aware of it: C.S. Lewis's fantasy epic returns to the big screen. Though I wasn't overly impressed with the first film, the crew seems to be learning from their mistakes and the new trailers have been very epic. If the story gets darker, as suggested, and the message becomes more thought provoking, I can see "Narnia" taking off as a bigger franchise. (Which I hope it does.) Very much worth the look.





Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - May 22
Reasons to be aware of it: It's an Indiana Jones movie from the same cast and crew that brought you the other three great Indiana Jones movies. What greater reason do you need? Harrison Ford looks great in every picture for the film and even better in the trailer. It looks fun, exciting and like everything an Indiana Jones movie should be. I'll see you there.




The Happening - June 13
Reasons to be aware of it: M. Night has given us two duds after three amazing gems-- He has a lot to make up for and I think this movie may be his big apology to audiences. Plus Wahlberg knows a decent script when he sees one. It should be pretty interesting. Wahlberg is a family man trying to escape a new "natural" occurrence that threatens the world, including his family. Please come through M. Night! May this be the one to elevate your status from "The Village" idiot.




The Incredible Hulk - June 13
Reasons to be aware of it: I'm a bit hesitant about putting this one up, but there are a few reasons we all might want to check it out. First is the the fact Edward Norton is in it. Next is the hope that this movie is a lot better than Ang Lee's borefest a few years back. This restart of "The Incredible Hulk" has an equally talented cast (maybe even more talented: Liv Tyler, William Hurt) and the Hulk looks a lot better in the trailers. We'll see how incredible it is soon enough...




Get Smart - June 20
Reasons to be aware of it: A few months ago I wouldn't have put this movie on the list, but it's caught my interest. The last trailer I've seen of this movie had some very hysterical moments, I admit. Though I'm not an enormous fan of Steve Carrell and could live perfectly well for the rest of my life if "The Office" was cancelled tomorrow, this update of the classic espionage comedy is looking better and better with each trailer. I hope it keeps the wit of the original and doesn't spiral in to some long Carrell improv, ala, Will Ferrell movies.




Wanted - June 27
Reasons to be aware of it: The film may end up being a total dud, but director Timur Bekmambetov, known for his praised cult films "Night Watch" and "Day Watch," has my interest. He's known for his direction of highly stylized (and beautiful) visuals combined with action sequences. The talent may be there, but the material he has to work with might not be suitable enough to express that. There's a good chance this might as well be "Jumper 2."




Wall-E - June 27
Reasons to be aware of it: Pixar has been planning this one for awhile. Though the latter Pixar flicks are rather disappointing compared to the early days of "Toy Story," "Wall-E" was planned around that golden age of Pixar and has since been waiting to venture to the big screen. Seemingly more original than Pixar's Car and rat movies, "Wall-E" has a lot of potential to be something very special. The story involves a little robot left to clean up the garbage on an abandoned Earth. Lonely from being on the planet for so long, a "friend" finally comes to investigates the planet. It looks cute, quirky and laugh-out-loud funny.




Frost/Nixon - June 30
Reasons to be aware of it: Ron Howard tackles the post-Watergate saga. Based on the interviews that took place between talk show host David Frost and former American President Richard Nixon. This could possibly be an Oscar contender if it doesn't get stuck trying to appeal to ADD summer audiences. The dramatic element would be very important here, of course, and could drive the movie to either greatness, or forgetfulness. Perhaps this year's "Zodiac?" Kevin Bacon stars.




Hancock - July 2
Reasons to be aware of it: For those who are looking for a superhero spoof that might actually be funny, "Superhero Movie" is probably not going to cut it. "Hancock," on the other hand, has the potential to actually make you laugh. Will Smith plays a bum with superpowers that saves the day, but would rather be lazy. His rescue attempts end up making large messes, but at least everyone gets out okay. Or do they? Smith returns to his comedic roots and the special effects look great. It could very well be a dud, but there's a small part of me that says it could be the surprise hit of the summer. Sue if I'm wrong.



Hell Boy II - The Golden Army - July 11
Reasons to be aware of it: Guillermo del Toro, director of the first "Hellboy" and "Pan's Labyrinth," returns to advance the Ron Perlman portrayed character. As a fan of del Toro I'm sure this will be a fun movie, but I hope he doesn't overdo it. "Hellboy" was an appealing, well made (though underrated) little gem because it didn't try to outdo the summer with massive explosions and endless action sequences. (I'm talking about you Michael Bay. "Transformers" sucked.) No, it stayed consistent and developed the characters and storyline like clockwork. As long as "Hellboy II" sticks to the basics, it should prove to be a good little movie.




The Dark Knight - July 18
Reasons to be aware of it: Christopher Nolan, director of masterpieces like "Memento," and "The Prestige," returns with an all-star cast that includes Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal. "Batman Begins" is not only the best Batman film, but the best superhero movie out there. It was one of the best movies of 2005, so you bet "The Dark Knight" will kick it up a notch. Nolan's darker and very appealing direction nails the concept of Batman perfectly. Ledger's Joker is already getting praise and with Nolan's brother writing the script this time, one can imagine this will be a movie to watch closely.




The X-Files 2 - July 25
Reasons to be aware of it: Mulder and Scully return in a series that still seems too young to die, even after nine seasons. The movie is said to return X-Files to its more conventional roots that was so beloved in the early episodes. Series creator Chris Carter is directing; meanwhile David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their legendary characters. I'm looking forward to seeing them again.




The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor - August 1
Reasons to be aware of it: You know those movies like "Crank" and "The Transporter" that are released in the late summer, August to September, and are a lot of fun, but really poor movies? It looks like the new "Mummy" sequel will be one of those. Yes, its sad to see Rachel Weisz replaced, Imhotep is no longer the villain and I have to keep reminding myself that director Rob Cohen did make at least one good movie in the past. ("Dragonheart") But at least Brendan Fraser is back as Rick O'Conell and the series is brave enough to do some different things. Hey, as long as it's fun! It's not like the second film was Shakespeare either, but I enjoyed it! (This could suck much harder though...)




The International - August 15
Reasons to be aware of it: Clive Owen and Naomi Watts star in a drama about an Interpol agent who intends to expose a financial institution's backing of international fraud and arms dealing. German director Tom Tykwer, of renown films such as "Paris, je t'aime" and "Perfume," directs this thriller. Tykwer makes me very confident in the production. It's often the norm to have movies like this released in August; most of them are pretty poor. Though "The International" may have enough substance to be more than most August thrillers, like say... "The Invasion." Bleh.




Righteous Kill - September 12
Reasons to be aware of it: Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro team up once again, but will it be the film event of the year as the poster suggests? I doubt it will be anything Oscar worthy, but I'm hoping for a high brow crime thriller; something as quality as "Collateral." Pacino and DeNiro play cops hunting down a vigilante on the hunt for criminals that are let off easy. The cops then contemplate whether or not their suspect is someone they should arrest or congratulate.




The Express - October 10
Reasons to be aware of it: Must be the year of Dennis Quaid. While I'm not a big football guy, the movies based on them sure make it look better than it really is. "The Express" is a biopic of Ernie Davis, the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. Quaid will play the couch, of course, and Rob Brown ("Stop Loss," "Finding Forrester") will play Ernie, the Heisman winner. Gary Fleder is a fine director who has made some underrated gems such as "Runaway Jury" and the long forgotten "Imposter." It'll probably be a good movie, but it seems like Fleder has the unfortunate luck of making forgotten flicks.




The Time Traveler's Wife - November (TBA)
Reasons to be aware of it: "Flightplan's" director Robert Schwentke spearheads this romantic sci-fi story. Eric Bana plays a librarian with a gene that makes him time travel at any given moment. This occurrence causes a strain on his marriage, (his wife is played by Rachel McAdams) and he must find a way to cope with it. As of late, romance pictures with science fiction elements have proved to be among the best of romantic films. ("The Fountain," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind") So I'm willing to give this a go.




Quantum of Solace - November 7
Reasons to be aware of it: Bond. Is. Back. And coming from a guy who hasn't been an enormous fan of the series, I'm quite excited for his return. "Quantum of Solace" will pick up right where the masterpiece "Casino Royale" left off. Marc Forester, director of masterpieces like "Finding Neverland," "Stranger Than Fiction" and "The Kite Runner," gets to dip his talent in to the Bond series while Daniel Craig returns as the most badass 007 ever. The reasons are clear. Go see "Quantum of Solace."




Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - November 21
Reasons to be aware of it: Harry Potter returns in a series that just gets darker and more serious with each outing-- Things I'm quite happy about. David Yates returns to direct this one. Though there is a majority out there that seems to dislike Yates and his 5th film I for one found it to be one of the very best of the series, and a monstrous leap forward from the pitiful 4th film. I can only hope he delivers the emotional impact this movie should (and must) offer. (And to all those Harry Potter nuts: I'm fully aware this poster is a fake. I simply like it. Get over it.)




The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - December 19
Reasons to be aware of it: David Fincher ("Zodiac," "Se7en," "Fight Club") teams back up with Brad Pitt in a story about a man who ages backwards. Fincher is climbing the ladder as one of cinema's all time great filmmakers. Meanwhile, Brad Pitt is already a credible talent that offers only his best in every role he's given. The premise is very interesting, but putting Fincher's name as the director of any project is enough to get my butt in the seat.



So there you have it. I'm sure other movies will sprout out of nowhere to give us all a surprise, but as far as I can tell these are some movies that will make some sort of great impact this year-- Whether that impact be good or bad is another story. Check the list twice and see if anything you're excited about is on it's way.

Not seeing a movie on the list you thought came out this year? Here's some help. I've got a short list of a few movies that were slated to arrive in theaters this year, but wont be coming out until 2009:

"The Fighter" - Darren Aronofsky's film about boxer Micky Ward was thought to come out late this year, but it actually has not gone in to production yet. It's aiming for a November 2009 release.

"The Wrestler" - Darren Aronofsky's film about professional wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson is currently in post-production, but won't make it in theaters before the end of the year. Often confused with "The Fighter," "The Wrestler" went in to production first. No word on a release date.

"Star Trek" - J.J. Abrams' relaunch of the mighty U.S.S. Enterprise and crew is being pushed back for a more profitable date. Though I still think this to allow Abrams' and crew more time for re-shoots and post-production. It will be released next May.

"Dragonball" - Originally suppose to open in August, "Dragonball" was also pushed back to a more profitable date and to give production more time to finish up. Post-production is given more time as well. The release date for the film will be next April.


Well, now that I've cleared that up... Bye. (For now.)

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