With it's DVD release today i have just seen the movie Taken for the first time. Almost every review I've seen has said that it has horrible plot lines and is hard to follow because of this. For those people I will just say one thing, "fucking morons". This movie is fantastic. It shows Liam Neeson basically being the best father in the world. He goes across the ocean to save his daughter from being kidnapped. Without giving anything away, I will just say that the movie has tremendous acting from both Liam and the people he beats the shit out of. He is a man on a mission. His mission is to basically beat the hell out of everyone in Europe until he finds his daughter. And within this movie he basically does beat the hell out of everyone in Europe. I recommend this movie to anyone that likes action, or Liam Neeson, or just anyone wanting to see someone get the shit kicked out of them in creative ways.
Star Trek. One of the most beloved Science Fiction franchises and the bane of countless nerds the world over. And I mean that in the best way possible. Gene Roddenberry's vision of a future has been taken to a new high. The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise, as well as the numerous movies, have passed the torch. With the release of JJ Abrams radically different vision for Star Trek there is most definitely a change in the guard. And I for one like it.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a true blue Trekkie, although not nearly as hardcore as some, but I thoroughly enjoyed the new movie.
WARNING: HERE BE SPOILERS!!! Although I'll try not to reveal anything to terrible, I figured I'd put that up just in case.
The plot had a number of problems, but they were small and easily ignored. But it wasn't so much the plot, as the acting that really made the movie shine. Chris Pine managed to channel all the swagger and arrogance that made Kirk. While he didn't quite have that same appeal that Shatner brought to the role, he is more than qualified to continue the legacy of Kirk. Acting opposite of Chris Pine, was Zachary Quinto as Spock. I haven't been a big fan of Heroes, in fact I have not seen a single episode, so I'm not going to try to compare his character on that show to his portrayal as Spock, but by my reckoning he did an excellent job. Once again, not quite the Spock that Leonard Nimoy made famous, but I would not complain if he took the job again.
Now comes one of the odd divergences from Roddenberry's original vision. Zoe Saldana plays Uhura, but unlike the Original Series, this Uhura seems to have a pretty steamy relationship with Spock. Although it seemed a bit odd at first, especially since the commercials hinted at a Kirk/Uhura relationship, I think it brought a little something extra to the film. It allowed Abrams to play with Spock's emotions just a little bit more, and show that his human side does have effect him. My favorite performance in the entire film was that of Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. Urban does an amazing job of channeling the spirit of Deforest Kelley. Without a doubt his performance is the most spot on of all the new characters. If only he had gotten a little bit more screen time.
Simon Pegg as Scotty was a hoot. While the original Montgomery Scott, played by the venerable James Doohan, did not have quite the attitude that Pegg brought to the character, I feel that his performance was second only to Urban's as McCoy. Sadly his character seems to be regulated to the background a little too much, but he's in there enough to establish the character. Sulu and Chekov are the two characters that are given the least amount of screen time. Don't misunderstand me, they are both featured significantly, but compared to Spock and Kirk (obviously the stars) and even McCoy, they are little more than homages to the original characters.
Two of the coolest cameos, if you can call it that, was Jennifer Morrison as Kirk's mother and Winona Ryder as Amanda Grayson, Spock's mother. I giggled like a little school girl when I saw those two in there as I could not picture either of them doing something quite like this.
The most radical change that JJ Abrams made toward the franchise was the design of the ships and cities. While the basic design for the NCC-1701 USS Enterprise has not changed, the look and feel of the ship has. Abrams has taken all of the old designs and updated them to the new 21st century. While it does not detract from the film, for those old school Trekkies it takes a bit of getting used too.
The biggest thing about the movie is the time traveling aspect. While not an unusual concept for a Star Trek movie, the way it's executed is quite good. Without giving away the entire plot, Abrams uses the time traveling concept to set this movie up as a alternate reality from that established by Roddenberry. To me this was an ingenious move because now it allows Abrams, and anyone following him, to muck around in this newly created universe without destroying the canon as established by the previous movies and series.
Overall this was an excellent movie, and despite what hardcore Trekkies may say about the film, it is well worth the price of a movie ticket. Abrams has taken Roddenberry's vision and moved in a completely different direction without stepping on any toes. He has crafted a movie that will, and should, be considered a new chapter in the ongoing Star Trek saga. I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this movie while it's still in theatres.
As a little aside, here's a quick little clip of SNL featuring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Leonard Nimoy. Enjoy.
Starting this Sunday, May 11 (Mother's Day), I am going to try and post up a trailer or two of movies being released in theatres over the next couple of months. First up we have an awesome trailer from the latest Tim Burton film, 9. It takes place in a post apocalyptic world. Humans are either in danger of becoming extinct or they already are, but a plot this standard is not what makes this movie awesome looking. Instead it is the visuals and the character designs that I feel make it worth your time. The landscapes look amazing, but the visuals are not the only arresting part of this trailer. It is the dark, ominous look pervading the world in which the characters live that makes it compelling. Of course with Tim Burton producing it, there is not a chance in hell that it would be all buttercups and sunshine. Take a look at the trailer and make a decision for yourself, but I for one can not wait until September 9.
- Peter
Hi guys. This is my first post on here and certainly not the last. I am going to write a review for a movie that everyone should see here each week starting today with one of my all time favorites.
Shaun of the Dead
This movie is awesome. There are a lot of reasons to see this movie here are a few:
1. Tagline:The tagline for this movie is "A romantic comedy. With zombies". This alone is reason to see the movie
2. Zombies: And I am not talking about cheesy zombie stuff either here. This is legit and looks good, not something done with some ketchup and your mother's makeup kit.
3. British Slang: Words that are only funny once you know the meaning. Words like ballocks and wanker. Bollocks means bullshit and wanker is an insult amongst friends, and actually mean jerkoff.
4. Rewatch: Even if you have already seen this movie, watch it again. Look and listen closely to everything lots a little things that you might not have caught the first time through. Like that Shaun and Liz met at a rave. Check it out. Also if you have seen this I recommend Simon Pegg's show on BBC that he did before this "Spaced". It features his pal Nick Frost and Jessica Hynes (Yvonne in Shaun of the Dead) as his new flat mate. Check it out and look for other cast from Shaun of the Dead.
Recently I saw Seth Rogen's new movie Observe and Report. I thought it was pretty damn funny. This mall cop movie was different from others in the genre (Paul Blart: Mall Cop) with its crazy dialogue, over the top violence and full frontal male nudity! The movie itself was very funny, but you have to get used to Seth Rogen playing a new type of character. In this movie, he isn't the dumb stoner. He is a lonely guy that seems to take his job too seriously! I would reccommend this film to anyone that enjoys Seth Rogen's movie, but just have an open mind about him in a different type of role.
