Star Trek

Blu-Ray Review: See ‘Star Trek’ in a New Way With HD Season Two

BrianTT — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:26:07 -0600

CHICAGO – While you count the days until the beloved reboot of “Star Trek” hits Blu-Ray and DVD on November 17th, new and old fans should check back in with the original crew of the Enterprise in Paramount’s excellent 7-disc HD set, bursting with not only dozens of special features but enhanced visual effects and audio. This season of “Star Trek” has never looked like this.

And I’m not sure it ever should have. Before getting into the meat of this excellent set, the main issue surrounding these remastered classic episodes of television is that the effects have been dragged kicking and screaming into the new millenium. Even the opening credits have been enhanced, as the cheap model of the Enterprise has been replaced by, well, kind of cheap CGI of the Enterprise.

Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2 was released on Blu-Ray on September 22nd, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount Home Video

I know it’s mostly a personal thing but I don’t believe in messing with already-filmed (and, especially, already-beloved) film or television. Greedo doesn’t shoot first. No film should ever be colorized. Pan-and-scan is the tool of the devil. It’s just the way I see film and TV - don’t mess with the original.

So, naturally, I’m very happy that Paramount has chosen to include both the original and enhanced visual effects for the second season of “Star Trek” on one disc. Viewers even have the ability to alternate just by hitting the “Angle” button and not bouncing back to a menu screen. You choose your favorite. I’m sticking with the old-fashioned way.

However, old-fashioned effects shouldn’t rule out enjoying gorgeously remastered video and audio and “Star Trek” looks stunning in HD. I grew up watching the show on a little black-and-white television and it may be an overused cliche, but I really had never seen the show like this before. I bet a lot of fans haven’t either.

Just as the second film, “The Wrath of Khan,” is the best original series movie, the second season of “Star Trek: The Original Series” is my favorite single season of any incarnation of the show. Most of what people know and love about this short-lived series is right here in season two. Most of the top-voted, beloved episodes are from this season including the great “Mirror, Mirror,” “The Trouble With Tribbles,” “Journey to Babel,” “The Doomsday Machine,” and “Amok Time”.

“Tribbles” is such a part of TV and Trek history that it gets its own disc, complete with other variations on the legend, including when they appeared on “Star Trek: The Animated Series” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”. Tribble-centric special features are also included.

Other special features include preview trailers for every episode, a few featurettes, and the beloved “Billy Blackburn’s Treasure Chest,” rare home movies shot behind the scenes of the show.

The biggest drawback of the second season of “Star Trek: The Original Series” on Blu-Ray is simple - most real fans already own these episodes and special features, first released on HD-DVD and then a standard DVD set in August of last year. Luckily for Paramount, “Star Trek” fans are more likely than the average buyer to pick up the same thing twice. If you’re replacing a standard or HD version or never owned this important chapter in television history in the first place, “Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2” is definitely a worthwhile pick-up on Blu-Ray.

‘Star Trek: The Original Series: Season 2’ is released by Paramount Home Video. It stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, James Doohan, and Walter Koenig. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry. It was released on Blu-Ray on September 22nd, 2009. It is not rated.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Interview: To the Stars With ‘Moon’ Director Duncan Jones

BrianTT — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – With “Star Trek,” “Terminator: Salvation,” and now Duncan Jones’ “Moon,” it’s been a good season for science fiction fans. Jones’ directorial debut is a stunning piece of psychological sci-fi about a man who is literally being replaced by a younger version of himself.

Sam Rockwell stars (and gives the best performance of the year to date) as Sam, a man who works mining an energy-producing substance on the moon and sends it back to Earth. His three-year assignment with only a robot pal named GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey) to keep him company is finally about to come to an end.

After an accident outside the base, Sam returns to find a younger version of himself who claims to be starting his three-year assignment. Has Sam gone crazy? What is going on? “Moon” is one of the best debuts of the year and it was borne not out of looking at the stars but looking within.

Sam Rockwell, Duncan Jones.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

“Most of the stuff was quite personal, to be honest,” says Jones. “Story-wise, it was really something that I came up with because I wanted to address a few things in my own experience - the idea of being able to meet yourself and talk to a younger version of yourself and maybe give yourself a little slap. Or tell yourself that everything is going to be okay. That was something I found interesting and assumed that everyone has gone through - wanting to be able to tell the younger you that either everything is going to be fine or that you need to change something.”

“Also, while I was writing, I was going through a really painful, horrible, long-distance relationship that was a heartbreaker. I wanted to talk about that - the paranoia and what you go through when you’re trying to maintain a long-distance relationship. So, again, that was a very personal thing that became incorporated into the story.”

Sam Rockwell.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Jones came up with the story, which he wrote specifically for Rockwell, but he handed over screenwriting duties to Nathan Parker. Jones regularly works with a writer named Mike Johnson, but he was busy working on “Sherlock Holmes”. He felt confident that Parker could handle writing duties but also not interfere with what Jones wanted to accomplish as a director. “It was my first feature and it was Nathan’s first feature. It seemed like I was going to get my opportunity as a director and Nathan needed his opportunity as a writer, but it was very much a collaborative work.”

That collaborative work actually stemmed from a meeting with Rockwell about another film. “It was written FOR Sam,” reveals Jones. “I met with Sam about three years ago to discuss another script - one that Mike and I had written together. He loved it but it was slightly too ambitious as a first feature and it wasn’t something that we were going to be able to make. But Sam and I got along very well and we just started talking about the kinds of roles that he wanted to play as an actor and I told him that I would write something for him because I wanted him to be in my first film. ”

Rockwell and Jones got together for a week of rehearsal time with the help of “one of Sam’s actor buddies. We broke the script down and went through it scene by scene. We tried a lot of improv. We tried to get into how differentiate the two Sams. What made Sam #1 and Sam #2 different? Sam had a lot of details about the background of the character that didn’t even make the script. I would either know it or I would make it up in a way that could be cohesive with the rest of it, so we both felt comfortable knowing where things were coming from.”

Unable to shoot Sam #1 and Sam #2 separately, Rockwell had to jump between the two characters. “We did have, in the back of our minds, some rough archetypes,” says Jones. “Sam #1 was kind of a little more hippie-dippie. He’d kind of mellowed out over the years and he was a little bit bumbling in some ways. We didn’t want to play it up too much but it was a way to immediately get into that character and then we could tone it down. Sam #2 was kind of angry, a bit aggressive, but he does actually change over the course of the film and he mellows out and becomes much more sympathetic and almost brotherly to Sam #1. Those were the two types and it was really gauging where they were over the course of the film.”

Sam Rockwell.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

A key element to “Moon” is the design of the base, one that looks like it was pulled straight from sci-fi of the ’70s and ’80s, more than the slick look of today’s genre product. When asked about the design of the base, Jones says, “Our big homage is to science fiction films of the ’70s and ’80s. There’s two homages. There’s the type of film in that it’s about a character, a blue-collar guy, and how the environment affects them as opposed to lantern-jawed heroes going from one set piece to another. That was one homage. The other homage is obviously the aesthetic. That was straight out of films like Outland and Alien. Those were the two touchstones. The work of Ron Kolb, Syd Mead, Douglas Trumbull, Ridley Scott.’

Jones and his team also did something unusual in modern sci-fi, using miniatures instead of just CGI. “Cameron used them for all of the Aliens stuff and it still holds up,” says Jones. “It looks fantastic. And we were lucky that were still a couple of old-timers out there who worked on those films that were willing to come and work with us. I’m not sure we could have done it without them. Bill Pearson, who built our miniatures, built the Nostromo.”

Sam Rockwell.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

To make a movie like “Moon,” a director needs to be a sci-fi fan himself. Jones cites “Silent Running,” “Outland,” and “Alien” as major influences but also cops to seeing two of 2009’s biggest movies, having high praise for J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek”, but also noting, “Watching it, it did sort of remind me of some things about Star Trek that I missed that WEREN’T in the film. But I’m sure that…It was a good starting place for a new franchise and it was a great starting place. If J.J. decides to do a sequel, I’m sure he will venture into the territory that I miss from the TV show - the idea of venturing to new places. That side of it.”

As for “Terminator: Salvation,” Jones merely says, “I think you’re a very, very brave man to try and make a sequel to a James Cameron film. I think Cameron himself is one of the few people to make a successful sequel - Aliens - from the Ridley Scott film. But I wouldn’t try and do that. (Laughs.) You’ve got to have very special chops to do a sequel to a James Cameron film. I can’t wait for James Cameron’s Avatar. That should be really interesting. But other than Avatar, which we’ll have to see, they have been fairly stereotypical Hollywood films. Some work better than others but this is very different from anything else.”

Finally, Jones revealed that he’s working on a companion piece to “Moon” called “Mute”. The film will take place in the same time period and even feature Rockwell in a small role playing the same character from “Moon”.

“It’s the other side of the coin from Moon,” says Jones. “Moon is this small, quiet film about isolation and alienation. Within the same timeline of Moon, I want to tell a city film, a story that takes place in future Berlin and it’s a thriller. It’s very much paying homage to Blade Runner. It’s that vibe. And Sam’s actually agreed to do a little cameo in it and we’ll do a little epilogue about what happened to Sam in the next film. It’s very much the other side of the coin.’

Jones doesn’t want to lock into science fiction for the rest of his career. “Just these first two,” he admits. “I think these work as a companion set. It kind of worked for Ridley Scott and for James Cameron to do a pair of science fiction films first. (Laughs.) Kinda. If I could get anywhere near that, I’d be very happy.”

“Moon” is playing in select cities now and opens around this Friday, June 19th, 2009 in Chicago.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: 16 ‘Star Trek: D-A-C’ Xbox Games

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 13 May 2009 22:59:42 -0600

CHICAGO – We’re riding the critically acclaimed wave of the just-released “Star Trek” film from J.J. Abrams starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Anton Yelchin, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Ben Cross and Winona Ryder with an extremely exciting edition of HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film!

We’re giving away 15 “Star Trek: D-A-C” Xbox 360 games plus one family four-pack grand prize to see the new film at any Kerasotes theatre as well as the Xbox game, too!

To win your very own copy of “Star Trek: D-A-C” for Xbox 360 and Xbox Live as well as for your chance at the grand prize all courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, all you need to do is convince us you’re the biggest Trekkie in the land using this Web-based submission form.

That’s it! Directions to enter this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup and immediately win can be found beneath the graphic below.

The poster for the “Star Trek: D-A-C” video game for Xbox and Xbox Live.
Image credit: Paramount Digital Entertainment

The new “Star Trek” film opened wide on May 7, 2009 and currently has raked in more than $100 million in box-office receipts. Here is the video game synopsis for “Star Trek: D-A-C”:

Star Trek: D-A-C is a fast-paced, top-down space shooter inspired by the new motion picture. This pick-up-and-play game allows you and your friends to choose starships (from a list that includes the all-new U.S.S. Enterprise) and battle it out online!

Enlist in Starfleet or join the Romulan empire as you battle with up to 11 friends in game play modes including solo play, online versus and online cooperative.

Command the powerful flagship, the nimble fighter or the devastating bomber each with their own unique capabilities. Choose your side, fire your weapons and boldly go where no man has gone before!

To secure your free “Star Trek: D-A-C” Xbox game and for your chance at our “Star Trek” grand-prize pack, you must be logged into your HollywoodChicago.com Web site account. If you don’t yet have one, you can quickly register here. Having a free Web site account with a valid e-mail address is required to win this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup.

Next, simply convince us why you’re the biggest Trekkie in the land! You must submit your answer using this confidential, Web-based submission form. Please do not comment in this Hookup. Your entry will be invalid if you only comment here and don’t submit into our Web-based form. Please only submit your answer using this submission form.

You must include your first and last name and e-mail address in your submission. Your personal information, which will be kept strictly confidential and is only for awarding winning entries, will not be sold or shared elsewhere.

Convince us why you’re the biggest Trekkie in the land now!

Like all Hookups here, this HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film is simple: The first 15 people who submit valid entries win our “Star Trek: D-A-C” Xbox games and one person has a chance at winning our grand prize of four movie passes for the new film as well as the Xbox game as well!

The one grand prize winner will be judged by us based on your energy and submission quality. All Xbox winners for this title will be e-mailed a unique code to download and receive the game to it can be stored on your Xbox permanently. Good luck!

Read our review of the new “Star Trek” film from J.J. Abrams.
Read our ranking of the various “Star Trek” films.
Read our “Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy” Blu-ray review.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

DVD Review: ‘The Best of Star Trek’ Continues Hit Movie Experience

BrianTT — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:15:46 -0600

CHICAGO – So you saw J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” this weekend and you’re getting a little tired of arguing about it its greatness or joining in on the growing backlash to the rave reviews and just want to bask in the glow of Gene Roddenberry’s universe. Get started with “The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series” and “The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation,” available tomorrow, May 12th, 2009 on DVD.

DVD Rating: 4.0/5.0

Of course, this diehard Trekker would suggest that you check out the “Star Trek: The Original Series” Season One Blu-Ray release that was sadly unavailable for review or the remastered original series DVD sets that are among the best in TV history, but those are for people who already know that they love “Star Trek”.

The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

Consider these four-episode releases “sampler sets” for the two most popular “Star Trek” series, the two that spawned ten films and, by extension, the new blockbuster starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Karl Urban, Bruce Greenwood and Eric Bana.

The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

As anyone who’s seen it knows, the new film contains a multitude of references to the original series, many of which can be immediately paid off by watching the 201 minutes of “Kirk and Spock’s Greatest Adventures”. In other words, the old show will make your new favorite movie better.

The four episodes included on “The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series” are:

“The City on The Edge of Forever”

Kirk, Spock, and Dr. McCoy enter the “Guardian of Forever” archway and are transported to the 1930s, where Kirk falls in love with a doomed peace activist (Joan Collins). If Kirk saves her, he could alter history, doom the Enterprise and trap himself and his crewmates in the past forever.

“The Trouble With Tribbles”

Fights and furballs! The Enterprise finds itself docked at the same space station as the Klingons and tensions soon escalate into a full-scale barroom brawl. Meanwhile, Lt. Uhura buys a small furry pet called a “Tribble’ and brings it back to the Enterprise, where the creatures rapidly reproduce and threaten to overpopulate the entire Enterprise.

“Balance of Terror”

For the first time, the Enterprise crew battle their enemies the Romulans, who have a cloaking device that renders their ship temporarily invisible. Complicating matters, the Romulans closely resemble Vulcans, causing crew members to distrust Mr. Spock. Kirk must fight two battles - one to save his ship and the other to keep his crew united against the enemy outside the Enterprise.

“Amok Time”

A glimpse into Vulcan culture and the series’ most memorable battle. Mr. Spock must mate or die. To save his friend, Kirk orders the Enterprise to the planet Vulcan. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Spock’s bride chooses Kirk as her champion, pitting the Captain against Spock in a fight to the death.

The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation will be released on DVD on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

Want more “Trek” but you still don’t have the cash flow to dive into the season sets? You could do a lot worse than the four episodes included on “The Best of Star Trek: The Next Generation”:

“The Best of Both Worlds (Part I)”

After a spectacular battle and chase, the Borg cube overtakes the Enterprise and the Borg abduct Captain Picard, taking over his mind and body. A rescue mission to save Picard ensues and the crew of the Enterprise is forced to make a dreadful decision; the opportunity to destroy the Borg and rid the universe of absolute tyranny will also mean annihilating their Captain.

“The Best of Both Worlds (Part II)”

With Riker as Captain, the Enterprise temporarily outwits the Borg, allowing for the rescue of Picard. Back on the Enterprise, the crew is desperately trying to figure out how to stop the Borg from reaching Earth. A still-assimilated Picard utters a single clue: “sleep.” But will it be enough to save the Enterprise…and the planet?

“Yesterday’s Enterprise”

A rift in the space-time continuum brings the Enterprise-C 22 years into the future, where it encounters a transformed Enterprise-D, now at war with the Klingon Empire. As one of only two episodes to feature two versions of the Enterprise, the past and present collide with potentially catastrophic and mind-bending consequences.

“The Measure of a Man”

When the Enterprise docks at a new Starbase, noted robotics specialist Cmdr. Bruce Maddox convinces Starfleet to allow him to disassemble the android Data. Told that Data is merely Starfleet property, Picard calls for a hearing to determine Data’s rights as a sentient being. With Riker as a prosecutor and Picard as Data’s defender, the outcome is literally life or death for Data.

Every episode on both discs is presented in 4:3 full frame and with an English 5.1 audio track.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Blu-Ray Review: See Origins of Kirk, Spock in ‘Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy’

BrianTT — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:36:40 -0600

CHICAGO – It’s a cliched line, but the Blu-Ray release of “Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy” has something for everyone. It’s a release that will satisfy a generation that grew up in the prime theatrical era of this franchise and give young viewers who fall in love wiht J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” more of their new favorite series of films.

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

Buyers unfamiliar with the history of the franchise would naturally assume that “Star Trek: Motion Picture Trilogy” consists of the first three films in the now-eleven film series. Nope. Paramount cuts out the first film, the mediocre “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” and focuses on what is easily the most beloved sub-series in the entire theatrical run of the Enterprise - “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” “Star Trek III: The Search For Spock,” and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Trilogy will be released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

It will make sense to anyone familiar with the films that these three sci-fi adventures make up the “Trilogy,” especially after seeing how much the new film focuses on the Kirk/Spock dynamic. The canon of that relationship was greatly influenced by these three successful ’80s films, three works that make up some of the best “Star Trek” films to date (to see where they rank in the entire series, check out “Not All Treks Are Created Equal”).

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Trilogy will be released on Blu-Ray on May 12th, 2009.
Photo credit: Paramount

All three films have been remastered with brilliant picture and sound quality. Coming from someone who grew up watching these films, especially “Khan,” on small ’80s TV sets and VHS, the movies look amazingly new. When Paramount remasters, they do it very, very well.

The movies also include over 90 minutes of all-new special features plus over 6 hours of previously released content (the formerly available content is in standard definition). The set also includes new interactive content exclusive to Blu-Ray - “Library Computer: Interactive playback mode displays information on the characters, ships and planets that appear on-screen” and “Star Trek I.Q.(BD-Live): Test your Star Trek I.Q. with custom trivia games.”

With the new picture/sound quality and the great “Library Computer” feature, along with all the old bonus content, there’s only reason that fans of these movies or the new one shouldn’t pick up this set and that’s if they’re going to go all the way and buy the six-film Blu-Ray set that also includes “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier,” and “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”. Sadly, that version was not available for review.

All three discs include over 2 hours of previously released content along with “Library Computer” and “Star Trek I.Q.”.

The new special features on “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” include a commentary by director Nicholas Meyer and Manny Coto, “James Horner: Composing Genesis,” “Collecting Star Trek’s Movie Relics,” “A Tribute to Ricardo Montalban,” and “Starfleet Academy: The Mystery Behind Ceti Alpha VI”.

The new special features on “Star Trek III: The Search For Spock” include a commentary by Ronald D. Moore and Michael Taylor, “Industrial Light & Magic: Visual Effectsm,” “Spock: The Early Years,” “Star Trek and the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame,” and “Starfleet Academy: The Vulcan Katra Transfer”.

The new special features on “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” include a commentary by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (writers of the new “Trek” film), “Pavel Chekov’s Screen Moments,” “The Three-Picture Saga,” “Star Trek for a Cause,” and “Starfleet Academy: The Whale Probe”.

‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture Trilogy’ is released by Paramount Home Video and stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, George Takei, Nichelle Nichols, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Christopher Lloyd, and Catherine Hicks. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” was written by Jack B. Sowards and directed by Nicholas Meyer. “Star Trek III: The Search For Spock” was written by Harve Bennett and directed by Nimoy. “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” was written by Steve Meerson & Peter Krikes and Harve Bennett & Nicholas Meyer and directed by Nimoy. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture Trilogy” will be released on May 12th, 2009. All three films are rated PG.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Pure Summer Entertainment Lives on in J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’

BrianTT — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:56:58 -0600

CHICAGO – It will be a stunning surprise if the summer of 2009 produces another slice of movie entertainment as satisfying and well-made as J.J. Abrams rollicking “Star Trek” reboot, a film that not only delivers on high expectations but shatters them by clicking on every single level.

Rating: 5.0/5.0

“Star Trek” features a character travelling through time (not a major spoiler…don’t write hate mail) and that’s exactly what writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and director J.J. Abrams have done with their film, returning to the start but also injecting their own life into a dead franchise.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Star Trek” in our reviews section.

The film opens with an attack on a Federation ship that happens to have among its crew members the man who would be the father of the king of the Trekker world - Kirk. His son James Tiberius is born on an escape pod as his dad crashes into a gigantic Romulan vessel. Years later, a rebellious young Kirk (Chris Pine) is recruited for Starfleet Academy by Captain Pike (Bruce Greenwood), a man who knew his father and sees the same leadership skills in the new cadet.

In the blink of an eye, Kirk is aboard the Enterprise and dealing with a universal crisis that could mean the end of Earth. I wouldn’t dare ruin the surprises of this clever script, but Kirk is, naturally, joined by Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Sulu (John Cho), Chekhov (Anton Yelchin), Bones (Karl Urban) and Scotty (Simon Pegg).

‘Star Trek’ stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Winona Ryder, and Tyler Perry. It was written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and directed by J.J. Abrams. It opens on May 8th, 2009. It is rated PG-13.

Continuing reading for Brian Tallerico’s full “Star Trek” review.

Chekov (Anton Yelchin), James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Bones (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), and Uhura (Zoë Saldana) in "Star Trek."
Photo credit: Paramount

Not All Treks Are Created Equal: Ranking the ‘Star Trek’ Films

BrianTT — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:44:51 -0600

CHICAGO – With the eleventh (and best) “Star Trek” movie landing in theaters today, we thought we’d take a look back at the ten-pack that came before, the films that defined the Trek universe (along with the TV incarnations, of course).

The “Star Trek” filmography is wildly varying in quality, stretching the spectrum from beloved sci-fi classic to total disaster. Which one was the worst? Which was the pre-J.J. Abrams best? Let us guide the way where so many have gone before.

10. “Star Trek V: The Final Frontier”

Easily the worst of the Trek films, original series, or Next Generation cast, it’s honestly surprising that the franchise could survive a film this bad. If “The Next Generation” TV series hadn’t injected life back into the solar system of characters that Gene Roddenberry created and the universe was simply film-based at this point, the series probably would have stopped after five films. After the most successful Trek film, the widely-appealing “The Voyage Home,” Trek producers decided to not only get existential and make a movie about Captain Kirk looking for God in outer space but also to let William Shatner direct. Fifth films in a franchise rarely work but few are as disastrous as “The Final Frontier”.

9. “Star Trek: Nemesis”

While “The Final Frontier” nearly put a nail in the coffin of the “Star Trek” franchise, “Nemesis” actually closed it shut and poured six feet of dirt on it. The most frustrating thing about the final Next Generation film was how much it made true all of the non-Trekker complaints about the mythology. Overly talky, ploddingly paced, and just plain nonsensical, “Nemesis” is, and I’m sorry to use such a hot-button word Trek fans, the “dorkiest” movie that emerged from Roddenberry’s universe. It was remarkable how clearly “Nemesis” slammed the door on what had been a robust franchise for years. There was no doubt that there would never be another TNG film after “Nemesis”. There were a few decent ideas - bringing back the Romulans and playing with Data’s personality like “First Contact” did - but the film made less than any other Trek outing, even the ’80s ones. J.J. Abrams’ version will make more in its opening night than this disaster.

8. “Star Trek: Insurrection”

The Next Generation films showed such promise but we could tell something was wrong by the time the ploddingly-paced “Insurrection” showed up. Whoever thought it was a good idea to follow an action film like “First Contact” with a dull, leaden script like the one for “Insurrection” deserves a lot of the blame for the demise of the TNG incarnation of the franchise. Sure, “Nemesis” may have been the final nail in the coffin but “Insurrection” pounded in more than a few on its way in and out of theaters. Of the three truly bad Trek films, it’s only barely the best. Having said that, there’s at least something to like about all of the top seven.

7. “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”

The director’s cut of “TMP” may be considered superior to the original, but the film is still deeply flawed in whatever incarnation. Originally planned as a TV pilot and rushed into production, the script for the first “Star Trek” film is a cobbled together mess. And it just looks bad. The confidence that the Trek crew would display in films II-IV, the best streak in the Trek franchise, simply isn’t on display in this one. You can feel the nerves and the uncertainty in every element. And it’s just so shockingly predictable and stunningly dated. You may have loved it when you were a kid, but I dare you to sit through it now. It’s almost impossible to do so without getting drowsy. How forgotten is the original “Star Trek”? Paramount is releasing a Blu-Ray box set under the banner “The Motion Picture Trilogy” next week. I naturally assumed it was the first three films. Nope. They skipped one and just included II-IV. You should too.

6. “Star Trek: Generations”

If you think about what “Generations” tried to do - passing the torch from one franchise to the next - a true home run of a film was damn near impossible. It was the kind of project that simply could not make everyone happy. Diehard fans of the original series didn’t give in easily to the idea of handing the reins over to Picard, Data, and the rest of the TNG gang. And the TNG diehards saw the film as more of an obligation, something to get out of the way before their favorite cast could take center stage. With that in mind, “Generations” works better than it should. It’s an entertaining sci-fi film, more memorable for its position as the bridge between the film incarnations than anything else, but not a bad movie on its own merits either.

5. “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”

How good is “The Undiscovered Country”? It made “The Final Frontier” forgivable. Honestly, I think “The Undiscovered Country” is a vastly underrated sci-fi film. Directed by Nicholas Meyer, who not coincidentally worked on two of the most beloved Trek films - “Wrath of Khan” and “The Voyage Home” - “The Undiscovered Country” was co-written by Leonard Nimoy and stands as the final film that will ever feature the original cast. According to some reports, the sixth Trek film was once conceived not unlike Abrams’ reboot, in that it would kick start the franchise with a young cast. That means we would never have had this fitting final epilogue for the original crew and that would have been a travesty. How good is “Undiscovered Country”? It started the whole concept of even-numbered Treks being better than the odd ones.

4. “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”

Here’s where things get tricky. Honestly, 2-4 on this list may fluctuate in my mind depending on the day. But I do think the whole even-number concept did a disservice to one of the first Trek movies I fell in love with as a kid and the middle act of the story arc that connects “Khan” and “Voyage Home,” two of the more beloved sci-fi films ever made, Trek or otherwise. Part of the reason I’m more forgiving of “Spock” than other Trekkers is simple - I’m a huge fan of the title character. Yes, Nimoy’s direction is a little too studied, returning the franchise to the more dull pace of the original film, but I think “Spock” is consistent with the ideas of Roddenberry’s original vision, one in which the humanity of the Enterprise crew always took center stage.

3. “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”

The most financially successful Trek film (until the new one shatters all records) was the family-friendly “The Voyage Home,” a film that I rebelled against as a kid, thinking it wasn’t “cool” enough, but that I recognize is thoroughly enjoyable now. I still think “The Voyage Home” stands out as kind of an unusual sci-fi comedy, more of a fish-out-of-water movie than a Trek film. That’s never what the franchise was for me. But the reason I give in and place “Voyage Home” so high on the list is simple - it made the world of Trek what it is today. Think about it. What if the franchise had gone from “Search for Spock” to something like “The Final Frontier”? Even Abrams wouldn’t have the pull to get a reboot made. “The Voyage Home” is an essential part of the foundation of the entire franchise. Maybe the most essential.

2. “Star Trek: First Contact”

Borg! Easily the best Next Generation Trek film is also quite simply one of the best sci-fi movies of the ’90s. “First Contact” is an expertly paced action movie, a film that works for fans of TNG, fans of the original, and movie goers who hadn’t heard of either. Second only to “Voyage Home” in terms of box office, “First Contact” features a great villainous turn by Alice Krige as the Borg Queen and allows for all of the personalities of the TNG crew to take a turn in the spotlight, but none more than the beloved Data, who gets one of his most memorable story arcs, TV, or film.

1. “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”

What do the top two “Star Trek” films of all time have in common? Memorable villains. The Borg Queen and the legendary Khan proved that while the crew on the bridge of the Enterprise must be a crucial part of any Trek film, they need a worthy adversary. And they got one in Khan, one of the most referenced and beloved sci-fi films ever made. “Wrath of Khan” would go on to influence science fiction for years to come and you can see its fingerprints all over Abrams’ vision. With a dark edge and breakneck pace, “Wrath of Khan” is still converting Trek virgins into diehard fans around the world.

(All posters courtesy of Paramount).

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Video: Clip From ‘Star Trek’ With Zachary Quinto, Chris Pine

BrianTT — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:14:02 -0600

CHICAGO – Before you go see “Star Trek” this weekend, check out this great clip courtesy of Paramount. The film features Chris Pine (Kirk), Zachary Quinto (Spock), Simon Pegg (Scotty), Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Greenwood, Leonard Nimoy, Eric Bana and Winona Ryder and opens in theaters on Thursday, May 7, 2009.

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 22-Image Gallery From ‘Star Trek’ With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto

BrianTT — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:28:22 -0600

CHICAGO – This 22-image slideshow contains the official press images for “Star Trek” starring John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, with Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy. The film, written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman and directed by J.J. Abrams, opens on May 8th, 2009.

Synopsis:

“The greatest adventure of all time begins with “Star Trek,” the incredible story of a young crew’s maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Industrial Light and Magic and Paramount. All Rights Reserved.

Star_Trek_01: James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, left) and Spock (Zachary Quinto, right) quickly form an adversarial relationship.
Star_Trek_02: The drill from the Narada in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_03: Chekov (Anton Yelchin), James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Scotty (Simon Pegg), Bones (Karl Urban), Sulu (John Cho), and Uhura (Zoë Saldana) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_04: Director J.J. Abrams (left) discusses a scene with Zoë Saldana (right, as Uhura) on the set of “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_05: Director J.J. Abrams (center) discusses a scene with actors John Cho (left, as Sulu), Anton Yelchin (center left, as Chekov), Zachary Quinto (center right, as Spock), and Chris Pine (far right, as James T. Kirk) behind-the-scenes of “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_06: Director J.J. Abrams (right) discusses a scene with actor Chris Pine (far left, as James T. Kirk) behind-the-scenes of “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_07: Bruce Greenwood stars as Pike in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_08: Zoë Saldana (center) stars as Uhura in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_09: Uhura (Zoë Saldana, left) gets hit on by James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, right) at a bar in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_10: Spock (Zachary Quinto, left) and James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, right) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_11: Spock (Zachary Quinto, left) and James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, right) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_12: Scotty (Simon Pegg) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_13: Spock (Zachary Quinto) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_14: Eric Bana stars as Nero in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_15: James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, left) and Sulu (John Cho, right) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_16: James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_17: The rebellious James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) decides to enroll in Starfleet Academy in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_18: Chris Pine stars as the headstrong and rebellious James T. Kirk in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_19: Chief Engineer Olson (Greg Ellis, left) James T. Kirk (Chris Pine, center) and Sulu (John Cho, right) embark on their first mission in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_20: Anton Yelchin stars as the 17-year-old Chekov in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_21: Anton Yelchin stars as the 17-year-old Chekov in “Star Trek.”
Star_Trek_22: John Cho stars as Sulu in “Star Trek.”

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

Slideshow: 37-Image Gallery From London Premiere of ‘Star Trek’

BrianTT — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:00:29 -0600

CHICAGO – This 37-image slideshow contains red carpet and press conference photos from the London premiere of “Star Trek,” featuring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and director JJ Abrams. The film opens on May 8th, 2009.

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos credited to Paramount Pictures/Jorge Herrera. All Rights Reserved.

ST_London_01: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_02: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_03: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_04: Zachary Quinto
ST_London_05: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_06: Simon Pegg
ST_London_07: Simon Pegg
ST_London_08: Eric Bana
ST_London_09: Karl Urban
ST_London_10: John Cho
ST_London_11: John Cho
ST_London_12: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_13: Camilla Dallerup
ST_London_14: Claire Merry
ST_London_15: Claire Merry
ST_London_16: Claire and Tom Chambers
ST_London_17: John Cho
ST_London_18: Karl Urban
ST_London_19: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_20: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_21: Zoe Saldana
ST_London_22: J.J. Abrams
ST_London_23: Chris Pine
ST_London_24: Chris Pine
ST_London_25: Chris Pine
ST_London_26: Chris Pine
ST_London_27: Chris Pine
ST_London_28: Simon Pegg
ST_London_29: Simon Pegg
ST_London_30: Simon Pegg
ST_London_31: Simon Pegg
ST_London_32: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto
ST_London_33: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto
ST_London_34: Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg and John Cho
ST_London_35: Eric Bana, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Chis Pine, Director J.J. Abrams, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg and John Cho
ST_London_36: Lorraine Kelly and Zachary Quinto
ST_London_37: Karl Urban, John Cho, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com