STAR TREK
DIR. J.J. ABRAMS
RUNTIME: 127 MIN
I really hope that everyone sees the new Star Trek movie and loves it as much as I did so that I will not have the heart-breaking feeling of suddenly realizing I’m the only sucker in the room (i.e. like after I saw the movie “Shortbus
Themes to consider:
- 1. Spock = Barack Obama (biracial, diplomatic)
- 2. Obvious visual themes of light vs. dark
- 3. New Star Trek differentiating itself from the current tone of bleak-palletted blockbuster films which we have come to know as part and parcel of a post-Abu Ghraib world (i.e. the The Dark Knight
) with wonderful haloes of lens flare and light, a virtually blinding proclamation of America’s new utopian ideals (arguably similar to the political climate of 60s America)
Audiences flocked to see the grinding nihilism of the Dark Knight when the US was still mired in Bush’s america, but now this amazing old-timey optimism is similarly block-busting our theaters! IT LOOKED SO GOOD, so interesting and powerful! I have never liked Star Trek (except for Next Gen, of which I was a huge fan) or any of the former Star Trek movies.
Also, for the ladies, prepare to get a boner of the soul for Mr. Spock:
I was initially disappointed that Spock was played by the terrible actor from Heroes. “Can Zachary Quinto pull off Spock?”, I asked myself. (I think he’s terrible in Heroes, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because the writing on Heroes is pretty bad.)
After seeing the film I consider this new Spock to be VERY worthy of our consideration. Admittedly, every character in the new Star Trek movie has a little bit of this naive Starship Troopers vibe — fresh-faced, optimistic, fresh out of Starfleet academy, not quite yet attenuated to the harrowing reality of life keeping the peace in the Universe. It’s a little Muppet Babies
Beautiful
Also, I have been trying to rationalize my crush on Spock and this is what I think it’s about.
Cardboard sets aside, what dates the original Star Trek series for me is Captain Kirk’s imperialistic sexuality (sleeping with alien babes as a way of dominating the Earth/American power dynamic over the Universe); Kirk was presented as a kind of cowboy type, unconcerned with rules, a womanizer, brave, but a real lug, which is what women were led to believe for all of history is part of what constitutes a “sexy” guy. I however believe that it’s an inspired decision on JJ Abrams’ part to make Spock the sex object, because he’s representative of a more modern understanding of attractiveness: the warrior-diplomat (again, Obama) who doesn’t need to colonize other people in order to have power (i.e. Vulcan death grip).
Finally! A space action hero I can dream about!
Also he’s a little bit like Edward Cullen (Twilight): steely, exotic, alien, perpetually battling inscrutable impulses (emotions), which girls love… Let’s just be frank, Spock is actually PRESENTED as the sex object! THAT IS SO AWESOME. (I realize it’s very Vulcan of me to try and intellectualize my boner.)
More on the Spock = Obama concept from Salon.
I liked this movie a lot. I was totally hooked with the opening scenes. I got so EMO when I realized that my relationships with these characters were much more intense than my relationships with key family members. I felt George’s last moments so deeply. And then a nostalgic Beasties track. I was sobbing. (Big movie crier, if you didn’t know already!)
Then the movie goes along and gets along in a most enjoyable and loving Classic Trek remix way. A most awesome Mothers Day movie, I must say. Much major mother action.
Classic Trek is my deep Trek. It has been around me my whole life. I’ve probably studied it more that any other literature. I’d estimate that 15% of the spirit animating my personality is an expression of Trek. I’m not sure I knew this until today.
Very respectable addition to the series.
Really dislike the modern action directing style where the camera is just whipping around the whole time and everything is a blur. But I can look past that.
Q: How much do you think they spent on rendering lens flare?
A: $0.00. The lens flares are real!
J.J. Abrams on the lens flares: “They were all done live, they weren’t added later.” (J.J. Abrams Admits Star Trek Lens Flares Are “Ridiculous“.)
Ironically I was just at the Las Vegas Hilton for RailsConf last week, which was, until recently, the Star Trek hotel. However, it is no longer. They must have lost the tie-in deal or something, because all the Star Trek-specific stuff, logos and whatnot, were taken down or painted over it. And the Start Trek Experience had just been completely filled in with slot machines although the cheesy “space ship” themed wall plastic was all still there. There was a big hole in the front sign where they’d just taken down the starfleet insignia thingy…
I saw Star Trek! I liked it!
It maybe was a little unfair, being that the characters, in a sense, where already completely developed before the movie even started, but I thought that overall it was a very entertaining, engrossing movie watching experience.
And the lens flares were totally amazing! Great subconscious tie-in with the original series. It plays the audience like it was ringing a bell! I totally loved it! Totally unfair advantage against other movies who don’t have 40 year old American myths at their backs. But J.J. put his time in. Somebody had to.
Teenagers whooping it up behind me, a pair of true-fan trenchcoaters in front, talking sophisticated shop and loving it too. Very good time.
The story felt like it hadn’t really ever gotten started. But it looked good and it was lots of fun and it didn’t take itself too seriously or insult my intelligence. It’s like OST and Starship Troopers and awesome all mixed into one spectacular film. I will see it again and again. Nimoy is a rad dude for getting back into this role after 18 years.
HUGE SPOCK BONER!!!
HATED KIRK VERY MUCH!
LOVED SIMON PEGG!
WISH THERE WERE WOMEN WHO DID SOMETHING IN THE FILM!!
My main complaint is that I wish it had presented this whole other alternate reality caused by the break in the space-time continuum, such that Spock is actually captain of the Enterprise, and everybody’s destiny is changed. As things stood, I did not want Kirk to be captain, because he was a huge idiot, and Spock was clearly the superior leader, and Leonard Nimoy saying it’s somebody’s destiny was very meaningless to me.
Did not like the forced utterance of catch-phrases.
Loved the lens flares!
Loved Eric Bana hamming it up! “SPOOOOOCKKKKK!!!!!!” HA HA HA! Good!
My Spock boner is the biggest boner I’ve had since Y Tu Mama Tambien.
