J.J. Abrams

TV News: Premiere Date Announced For ABC’s ‘Lost’

BrianTT — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:54:55 -0700

CHICAGO – The sixth and final season of the J.J. Abrams hit television series “Lost” will premiere with a special all-night event on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2009. The recap special will start at 7pm CST followed by the highly anticipated sixth season two-hour premiere at 8pm CST on ABC.

Lost.
Photo credit: ABC

The series will then regularly air in its new Tuesday night timeslot starting February 9 at 8pm CST.

“Lost” stars Naveen Andrews as Sayid, Nestor Carbonell as Richard Alpert, Emilie de Ravin as Claire, Michael Emerson as Ben, Jeff Fahey as Frank Lapidus, Matthew Fox as Jack, Jorge Garcia as Hurley, Josh Holloway as Sawyer, Daniel Dae Kim as Jin, Yunjin Kim as Sun, Ken Leung as Miles, Evangeline Lilly as Kate, Terry O’Quinn as Locke and Zuleikha Robinson as Ilana.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com

Blu-Ray, TV Review: ‘Fringe’ Returns With Riveting Episode, Great Season Set

BrianTT — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:45:57 -0600

CHICAGO – If any show is going to go from mildly popular to breakout hit in its second season, I expect it will be “Fringe”. Why? Well, every element of the series has improved over the course of the first season and the finale of that initial chapter was such a stunner that it created a buzz that should carry into the second season premiere and beyond. If there’s a new “Lost” or “24” in 2010, don’t be surprised if it’s “Fringe”.

Television Rating: 4.0/5.0

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

I’ll admit to not being a big fan of the premiere of “Fringe”. I thought it was a little cluttered, unfocused, and unsure of whether or not it was “The X-Files,” “Lost,” or something else. Joshua Jackson didn’t feel right, Anna Torv was miscast, and I worried that John Noble would become tiring quickly.

Unexplained phenomena and terrifying occurrences continue in the second thrilling season of FRINGE premiering Thursday, Sept. 17 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Pictured L-R: Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson and John Noble.
Photo credit: Justin Stephens/FOX

Those concerns quickly dissipated as I worked through the excellent first season Blu-Ray release of “Fringe”. Jackson almost immediately became a truly charismatic lead, Torv matched him scene for scene, Noble gave one of the best supporting performances of last season on any show, and Lance Reddick and Blair Brown stole many episodes in great supporting roles.

Walter (John Noble, L) examines Olivia (Anna Torv, R) in the FRINGE Season Two premiere episode “A New Day in the Old Town” airing Thursday, September 17 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
Photo credit: Liane Hentscher/FOX

And then there’s the finale. If you’re going to rent or buy the first season of “Fringe” (and you should for reasons I’ll get to more later), somehow haven’t heard about the final shot back in May, and want to stay unspoiled, then bookmark this page and come back later.

Most of you probably saw or heard about the shot that hinted that the action in “Fringe” is now taking place in an alternate universe. Why? Maybe the standing World Trade Center towers gave it away.

For the last three months, that excellent final episode and its jaw-dropper of a closing scene created more buzz than any returning freshman show. So, how have the creators of “Fringe” rewarded that buzz? With a spectacular season two premiere that opens with a scene nearly as jaw-dropping as the one that ended last season.

Naturally, a show like “Fringe” lives and dies on shattering audience expectations. It’s the kind of show that works when it stays one step ahead of its audience. The season premiere does exactly that, playing with what people usually expect to see in the first episode of a season.

Of course, a show like “Fringe” that thrives on unpredictability is one that only a heartless critic would spoil but let me say that “A New Day in an Old Town” contains perhaps the best opening scene in the history of the show, features the death of more than one character, details the disbanding of the Fringe Division, and, I believe, reaffirms that the “alternate universe” plot arc that ended last season will be a major part of this one.

Fringe: Season One was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 8th, 2009.
Photo credit: Warner Bros. Home Video

If it sounds like a lot for a premiere, it is and “New Day” can get a little cluttered. The amazing opening and shocking ending make it must-see TV on their own, but the material in the middle is a bit messy, as if the writers and cast are so excited to be back and on the verge of breakthrough popularity that they can’t contain themselves, but the opening and closing acts make up for a lot of flaws in the middle.

The press release for the season premiere of “Fringe” promises “more action, more mystery, romance, comedy, and, of course, science”. Based on the premiere, I believe all of that will happen but they forgot one - “more viewers”.

As for the Blu-Ray release of “Fringe,” it’s a beauty. All shows should have HD transfers of the flawless variety provided by Warner Brothers. The show looks absolutely amazing in 1080p and the audio is particularly perfect with an expertly mixed Dolby 5.1 track that really enhances the show. The fact is that “Fringe” has feature film quality production values, making it a perfect fit for Blu-Ray.

The Blu-Ray release includes exclusive special features - “Fringe Pattern Analysis: Take a Closer Look at 6 Select Scenes with Experts Who Evaluate with Notes, Photos, and Diagrams,” and BD-Live Enhanced features including exclusive writer/producer commentary.

Features on both the Blu-Ray and DVD include featurettes on the show’s genesis and casting, the real science behind it and the remarkable visual effects. Other featurettes include “Deciphering the Scene” on every episode, “Dissected Files/Unaired Scenes” and “The Massive Undertacking Docupods” on select episodes, “Unusual Side Effects: Gag Reel,” “Roberto Orci’s Production Diary,” and “Gene the Cow”. The episode-related featurettes are interesting but very, very brief and it can be kind of annoying bouncing between menu and talking-head footage over and over again. But it’s a minor complaint for a thorough, excellent Blu-Ray release for what could be the hottest show of the year.

The second season premiere of ‘Fringe,’ which airs on FOX, stars Anna Torv, Joshua Jackson, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Blair Brown, and Kirk Acevedo. The show was created by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, & Alex Kurtzman. The series returns on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 8PM CST.

‘Fringe: Season One’ is released by Warner Brothers Home Video. It was released on September 8th, 2009. It is not rated.

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

Blu-Ray Review: First Two Seasons of ‘Lost’ Finally Available in HD

BrianTT — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:00:00 -0600

CHICAGO – A majority of people who watch television in HD would cite ABC’s “Lost” as having the highest quality broadcast on television from a technical level but the first two seasons were only available in standard definition. Until now. J.J. Abrams’ mysterious island and its residents look absolutely amazing in HD and now fans can catch up with the first two seasons of “Lost”.

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0

There are a few franchises that simply do TV on DVD better than others - “The Simpsons,” “24,” and, of course, “Lost” stand among the best. With fantastic special features and gorgeous transfers, these shows aren’t just documents of a program’s original broadcast, they stand on their own and enhance the show instead of just giving viewers an opportunity to watch it again.

The first four season releases of “Lost” have been among the most acclaimed in the history of standard DVD and seasons three and four proved that Buena Vista Home Video was going to bring the same craftsmanship in designing a single set to Blu-Ray. Instead of making fans wait, before the final season airs early in 2010, viewers can watch all five seasons that came before in HD.

If you already own the first two seasons of “Lost,” should you upgrade? Well, HD really is the way to go for a show like this one but a few more interesting new special features would have been a nice addition for fans tempted to open their wallet for a majority of material they already own (although buyers ARE given a $20 mail-in certificate if they own the complete first or second season already, which is a nice incentive).

The first two seasons of “Lost” are already some of the most influential television of the ’00s. I can still remember the first time I saw the amazing pilot and, like a lot of fans, I’m sure that I will one day work my way through all six seasons of this great show.

The technical details and special features:

Lost: The Complete First Season was released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista Home Video

“Lost: The Complete First Season”

The 25 episodes (1,068 minutes) of “Lost: The Complete First Season” are presented in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The video is close to flawless and the audio mix, in English 5.1 Uncompressed (48kHz/16-bit) Audio (with a French 5.1 and Spanish 2.0 track also available), is significantly better than the original broadcast. Sound design has always been a significant part of Lost, and the Blu-Ray audio track places the appropriate emphasis on that element of the show.

Like all “Lost” seasons, the first comes with hours of special features:

“The Lost Flashbacks” - All-New, Unseen Flashbacks Reveal Additional Secrets
“Welcome to Oahu: The Making Of The Pilot’ - Behind-the-Scenes Featurette on Lost’s Premiere Episode
“The Genesis of Lost” - Series’ Creators Tell How the Show Was Conceived
“Designing a Disaster” - Exciting Insights Into the Look of Lost
“Commentaries” - Observations From The Cast and Creators
“Before They Were Lost” - Audition Tapes and Personal Stories From the Cast
“Deleted Scenes and Bloopers”
Exclusive to Blu-Ray - “SeasonPlay, Seamless Menus, And Much More”

Lost: The Complete Second Season was released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.
Photo credit: Buena Vista Home Video

“Lost: The Complete Second Season”

The 24 episodes (1,056 minutes) of “Lost: The Complete Second Season” are presented in 1080p High Definition with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The audio mix is an English 5.1 Uncompressed (48kHz/16-bit) Audio (with a French 5.1 and Spanish 2.0 track also available) track.

Over eight hours of original bonus material includes:

“Lost Flashbacks” - Secrets Revealed in All-New, Never-Before-Seen Flashbacks
“The Official Lost Connections’ - Shocking Character Connections Are Uncovered in This Exclusive Immersive Experience
“Secrets From the Hatch” - Go Inside To Discover “The Swan”
“Mysteries, Theories And Conspiracies” - The Virgin Mary Statues, Alvar Hanso And Snow Globes - The Truth Revealed
“Lost on Location” - An All-Access Pass To The Set
“Fire + Water” - An Episode From Concept to Completion
“Audio Commentaries”
“Deleted Scenes and Bloopers”
Exclusive to Blu-Ray - “SeasonPlay, Seamless Menus, And Much More”

‘Lost: The Complete First Season’ & ‘Lost: The Complete Second Season’ are released by Buena Vista Home Video and star Matthew Fox, Evangeline Lilly, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Yunjin Kim, Daniel Dae Kim, Naveen Andrews, Terry O’Quinn, Dominic Monaghan, Harold Perrineau, and Emilie de Ravin. The show was created by J.J. Abrams, Jeffrey Lieber, and Damon Lindelof. The first two seasons were released on Blu-Ray on June 16th, 2009.

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: Trailer of J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’ With Chris Pine, Eric Bana

BrianTT — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:51:17 -0600

CHICAGO – We’re continuing to fill our video player with Summer 2009 movie previews and today’s entry is the highly-anticipated “Star Trek” from director J.J. Abrams. The film stars 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. “Star Trek” 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!”

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

Slideshow: 11-Image Gallery For Paramount Summer 2009: ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Transformers 2’

BrianTT — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:44:12 -0600

CHICAGO – This 11-image slideshow contains the official images provided by Paramount for their exciting Summer 2009 slate including “Star Trek,” “Dance Flick,” “Imagine That,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” and “The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard”.

“Star Trek” opens May 8th, 2009 and has the following official synopsis: “Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment Present a Bad Robot Production “Star Trek” starring John Cho, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana and Leonard Nimoy. The film is directed by J.J. Abrams (“Mission Impossible III,” “Lost,” “Alias”), written by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (“MI: III,” “Transformers”). Based upon “Star Trek” Created by Gene Roddenberry. The film is produced by J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof. The executive producers are Bryan Burk, Jeffrey Chernov, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. This film has been rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content.”

“Dance Flick” opens on May 22nd, 2009 and has the following official snyopsis: “Paramount Pictures and MTV Films Present A Wayans Brothers Production “Dance Flick” starring Damon Wayans Jr., Craig Wayans, Shoshana Bush, Essence Atkins and Affion Crockett. The film is directed by Damien Dante Wayans. Written by Keenen Ivory Wayans & Shawn Wayans & Marlon Wayans & Craig Wayans & Damien Dante Wayans. Produced by Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez. The executive producers are Richard Vane, Craig Wayans and Damien Dante Wayans. This film has been rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout and language.”

“Imagine That” opens on June 12th, 2009 and has the following official synopsis: “Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present A di Bonaventura Pictures Production “Imagine That” starring Eddie Murphy, Thomas Haden Church, Nicole Ari Parker, Ronny Cox and Martin Sheen. The film is directed by Karey Kirkpatrick and written by Ed Solomon & Chris Matheson. The producers are Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ed Solomon. The executive producer is Ric Kidney. This film has been rated PG for some mild language and brief questionable behavior.”

“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” opens on June 26th, 2009 and the following official synopsis: “DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures Present In Association with Hasbro A di Bonaventura Pictures Production A Tom DeSanto/Don Murphy Production A Michael Bay Film “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro. The film is directed by Michael Bay from a screenplay written by Ehren Kruger & Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman. Based on Hasbro’s Transformers(TM) Action Figures. Produced by Don Murphy & Tom DeSanto, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Ian Bryce. Executive producers are Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, Brian Goldner and Mark Vahradian. This film has not yet been rated.”

“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” opens on August 7th, 2009 and has the following official synopsis: “Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment Present, In Association With Hasbro, A di Bonaventura Pictures Production of A Stephen Sommers Film: “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” starring Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Byung Hun Lee, Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Said Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans and Dennis Quaid. The film is directed by Stephen Sommers. The story is by Michael B. Gordon and Stuart Beattie & Stephen Sommers. The screenplay is by Stuart Beattie and David Elliot & Paul Lovett. Based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe® Characters. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner and Bob Ducsay. The executive producers are Stephen Sommers, David Womark, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum and Erik Howsam. This film has not yet been rated.”

“The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” opens on August 21st, 2009 and has the following official synopsis: “Paramount Vantage Presents A Gary Sanchez Production A Kevin Messick Production “The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” starring Jeremy Piven, Ving Rhames, James Brolin, David Koechner, Kathryn Hahn and Jordana Spiro. The film is directed by Neal Brennan. Written by Adam Stock & Rick Stempson. The producers are Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Kevin Messick and Chris Henchy. The executive producer is Louise Rosner.”

You can click “Next” and “Previous” to scan through this slideshow or jump directly to individual photos with the captioned links below. All photos have individual credits on their captions when needed and are courtesy of Paramount.

dance_flick: Charity (Essence Atkins, left) and her Baby Daddy (Shawn Wayans, right) have all the right moves on the dance floor in the comic spoof Dance Flick. Credit: Glen Wilson.
GI-JOE-Duke-3md: Channing Tatum stars as Duke in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.
imagine_that_1: Yara Shahidi (left) stars as Olivia Danielson, the imaginative daughter of businessman Evan Danielson (Eddie Murphy, right), in the family comedy Imagine That. Credit: Bruce McBroom.
imagine_that_2: Eddie Murphy (left) stars as businessman Evan Danielson and Yara Shahidi (right) stars as his imaginative daughter, Olivia Danielson, in the family comedy Imagine That. Credit: Bruce McBroom.
star_trek_1: Chris Pine (left) stars as James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto (right) stars as Spock in Star Trek. Credit: ILM.
star_trek_2: Eric Bana stars as Nero in Star Trek. Credit: ILM.
star_trek_3: Chris Pine stars as James T. Kirk in Star Trek. Credit: ILM.
the_goods_1: Jibby Newsome (Ving Rhames), Brent Gage (David Koechner) and Babs Merrick (Kathryn Hahn) all ride shotgun to the best used-car salesman in the business, Don Ready (Jeremy Piven, center front) in the comedy The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard. Credit: Sam Emerson.
the_goods_2: Rival car dealers Paxton Harding (Ed Helms) and his father Stu Harding (Alan Thicke) propose buying out Ben Selleck’s (James Brolin) business, until Don Ready (Jeremy Piven) makes them an offer they can’t refuse in the comedy The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard. Credit: Sam Emerson.
transformers2_1: Starscream® (rear) and Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf, front) in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Credit: DW Studios.
transformers2_2: Mikaela Banes (Megan Fox, left) and Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf, right) are once again caught up in a battle between the Autobots® and the Decepticons® in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Credit: Jaimie Trueblood.

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