Star Trek and JJ Abrams

I don't normally like reading Harry Knowles' stuff over at Ain't It Cool News. It may seem odd; even though I run a film review site, I don't normally read reviews. I hate spoilers, too.

Today, Harry posted something I had to read. Recently, he was in Los Angeles and had a chance to meet JJ Abrams and get a peek at the new Star Trek movie.

For years, I've been concerned about the direction of the franchise. I used to love Star Trek: The Next Generation, but in recent years, the shows and the movies left me cold. I would categorize myself with Harry's description as a "lapsed Trekkie." Even so, I have had hopes for the new film and the reboot of the franchise.

If you're worried about Abrams' direction for Star Trek, you need to read this article. Though there are no photos, Harry paints a good word picture. It has me excited about the future of Star Trek. It's enough to give me hope, and I'm eager to see more.

Read it all here: Harry has seen some of JJ Abrams' STAR TREK!!!

Film Review: The Incredible Hulk

My apologies for taking almost two weeks to post this. Work and home life have been crazy busy lately, and I haven't had much time in the evenings to watch movies, let alone post reviews. Enjoy!

While most people will tell you that The Incredible Hulk is a far superior movie to Ang Lee's version Hulk (2003), I have a horrible secret to tell. I liked the first one. If you read my review of Lee's film, you'll see that I called it a "thought-provoking ... serious story." But that film didn't satisfy my appetite for action and comic book geek detail. It took director Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk to make me see what was missing.

Read the full review of The Incredible Hulk.

Quantum of Solace Trailer

Moviegoers eager for their first look at Quantum of Solace, the highly anticipated new James Bond adventure, will be able to catch the theatrical trailer on television and the Internet Monday, June 30th. The trailer will make its debut on AOL.com (domestic) and MSN.com (international) in an exclusive two-hour window Monday morning, 9:00am - 11:00am PDT.

It debuts in theaters on July 2, when it is attached to the Will Smith superhero film Hancock.

Quantum of Solace continues the high octane adventures of James Bond (Daniel Craig) that began in Casino Royale.

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and M (Judi Dench) interrogate Mr. White (Jesper Christensen) who reveals the organization that blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined.

In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel a sinister plan and stop the mysterious organization.

Quantum of Solace will be released in the U.K. on October 31, 2008, in the U.S. on November 7, 2008, and around the world in November.

Film Review: The Happening

For years, I have been one of M. Night Shyamalan's biggest supporters. After being blown away by The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, I weathered the derision of my friends who thought his subsequent films were pointless or laughable. Now, after standing by him through some tough times, I'm finally giving up. The Happening is a low-point in Shyamalan's work, an utterly laughable plot with so many problems compounded by poor acting and dull direction.

Read the full review of The Happening.

AFI Misses the Mark - Again!

The compilers of irrelevant top ten lists over at the American Film Institute (AFI) have released their latest blog fodder. This is a milestone of sorts, as they have released a Top 10 list for ten different categories. A Top 10 of Top 10s, as it were.

In this case, the subject is "Classic Genres." The genres represented here are: Science Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Gangster, Epic, Sports, Western, Animation, Courtroom Drama, Mystery and Fantasy. Each genre received it's own Top 10. The winners in each category are:

• 2001: A Space Odyssey (Science Fiction)
• City Lights (Romantic Comedy)
• The Godfather (Gangster)
• Lawrence of Arabia (Epic)
• Raging Bull (Sports)
• The Searchers (Western)
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Animation)
• To Kill a Mockingbird (Courtroom Drama)
• Vertigo (Mystery)
• The Wizard of Oz (Fantasy)

I have often argued in the past that these lists are at best superfluous. At worst, they fail to reach the true scope of cinematic history. (Many of the voters seem to be stuck in the late '60s and early '70s.) This time around, I found the selections debatable on another level. Who decided what constituted a genre?

The last time I checked, Courtroom Drama wasn't a genre. I understand what they were going for here, but genres are very vague to begin with and the lines can be drawn in many different ways. For instance, Courtroom Drama is probably a sub-genre of the Drama category. Who decided to make it a genre? Same goes with Romantic Comedy, a sub-genre of the Comedy category.

More disappointing are the number of genres left off this list. Where is the Musical genre? What about Action, Horror, War, or Silent films? It seems that if you are going to do Science Fiction and Fantasy as two separate categories, Horror should get its own.

And what happened to genres based on cinematic style, like Film Noir or French New Wave? Have we abandoned recognizing artistic form in favor of categorizing films by the simplest terms for consumer convenience at the local video store?

Then there's the categorizing of films. Who decided that Caddyshack (a screwball comedy) and Jerry Maguire (a romantic drama) were Sports films? Yes, there are sports in both, but only as a peg on which to hang the plot. It's like categorizing Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds under "Nature Film."

As always, I was also disappointed to see that films without a long track record were considered for voting. No offense to the great films of 1988 through the present, but if a film is less than 20 years old it hasn't stood the test of time. No matter how great Finding Nemo or The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring may be, they don't deserve to be on a list recognizing great film until they have been around for awhile.

Let me know your thoughts on the subject.

See the complete list of Top 10 Top 10s over at AFI.com.

F/X Wizard Stan Winston Dead

Stan Winston, whose makeup and visual effects have made monsters and aliens come alive, is dead at the age of 62.

For seven years, Winston had struggled with multiple myeloma, according to a representative from Stan Winston Studio. He died at his home Sunday, surrounded by his family.

Winston won four Academy Awards. In addition to sharing Oscars for visual effects on Aliens (1986), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) and Jurassic Park (1994), he also shared the award for makeup on Terminator 2: Judgment Day. He was nominated six other times.

Most recently, Winston had worked on popular films Iron Man and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In May, he had been enlisted by director McG to begin work on the upcoming sequel to the Terminator series, Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins.

DC Screening of Bunker Hill

ACLU to Host Washington, DC Screening of Kevin Willmott's New Feature Film Bunker Hill

6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 12, 2008 -- University of the District of Columbia Auditorium

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius to Introduce the Film
Panel Discussion on Civil Liberties in Post-9/11 America to Follow

WASHINGTON, DC -- Bunker Hill, the new, politically-charged independent feature film from director Kevin Willmott (CSA: Confederate States of America) will have an exclusive screening at the University of the District of Columbia s Main Auditorium on Thursday, June 12, 2008, hosted by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of the National Capital Area. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will appear, and a panel discussion on Civil Liberties in Post-9/11 America will follow the screening.

The film stars Emmy and Peabody Award winner James McDaniel (NYPD Blue, Sunshine State); Saeed Jaffrey the legendary actor from India who has starred in more than 150 films including Gandhi, Passage to India, My Beautiful Launderette and The Man Who Would Be King; and Laura Kirk, star and co-writer of the acclaimed feature film Lisa Picard is Famous, which premiered at The Cannes Film Festival.

Bunker Hill is the story of a former Wall Street executive who leaves prison and heads for the small town of Bunker Hill, Kansas, where his ex-wife and their children have started a new life. Soon after he arrives, an apparent massive terrorist attack against America darkens the town. Cut off from the world, the town s militant past is reawakened and forces coalesce to protect citizens from an unseen enemy. The town s fear leads to the creation of a posse of gunmen, resulting in torture, illegal searches and eventually, murder.

"The America we live in today is very different from the America we lived in on September 11, 2001. The differences I speak of are the things Americans are doing to themselves, not the terrible things done by those wanting to do harm to this Country. We can rebuild the icons of democracy --- the Twin Towers are being reconstructed; the Pentagon has been restored; the grass on the side of that Hill in Pennsylvania has grown back --- yet, democracy itself is far more fragile. It is not easily rebuilt and restored. Democracy and freedom must not become casualties in the War on Terror. This great film reminds us of that," said Johnny Barnes, executive director of the ACLU of the National Capital Area.

When writing fiction, you always hope that you re on to something that reflects what is actually going on in the world, says Willmott. Bunker Hill tells a pretty wild story that is amazingly close to what has really happened to us since 9/11, right up to the current presidential election campaign.

For information on the screening:
http://www.aclu-nca.org/boxSub.asp?id=163

Free admission, but seating is limited.  To confirm a ticket:
Johnny.Barnes@ACLU-NCA.org  or  Beverly@ACLU-NCA.org
202-457-0800

For information about the film:
ScottRichardson@Sunflower.com  or  GregHurd@Sunflower.com
785-865-3439       785-550-3605

www.BunkerHillTheFilm.com

Want of a Nail Wins Best Fan Film

For Want of a Nail, the second production by independent film project Starship Farragut, won "Best Fan Film of 2008" at the Wrath of Con science fiction conference and film festival in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Based on the original Star Trek television series, the episode features Captain Jack Carter, played by John Broughton, and his valiant crew flung back in time to witness a crucial moment in America's history. From the Starship Farragut website:

The Starship Farragut has been dispatched on a diplomatic mission to Solon Prime to make first contact with a race of ancient scholars. What could possibly go wrong?
Shortly after entering the transporter room and beaming down, the landing party finds itself not in the Solonai Council chambers, but in America's past.

"We are so pleased to have been selected as Best Fan Film of 2008," said Mark Hildebrand, director of the episode. "We wanted to create an adventure that would be enjoyed by fans and non-fans alike. I believe that any story in the Star Trek universe should be thought-provoking and fun. I think we have achieved that goal."

Farragut's 85-minute episode competed against six other fan films at the three-day Wrath of Con convention. Conference organizer Rick Albritton of BrightStar Productions praised Farragut's production. "For Want of a Nail sets a high standard for fan films, with solid writing, acting and high production values," Albritton said. "The Starship Farragut team produced a compelling tale that is truly in a league of its own."

The film may be downloaded free at www.starshipfarragut.com.

Heroes Update

E! News is reporting that NBC's hit television show Heroes will have a new villain when the show returns this fall. Francis Capra will be featured in a three-episode arc. Capra plays Jesse Murphy, a criminal who runs a gang. He's more than he seems, though. He does have a power, although the writers and Capra haven't said what it is or how it will manifest.

Capra co-stared as Eli "Weevil" Navarro on Veronica Mars with Kristen Bell, whose character Elle debuted in the second season of Heroes. This will be the first reunion for the two actors since the show went off the air in 2007.

The third season of Heroes (titled "Villains") will debut on Monday, September 22. The network will air a clip show at 7:00 p.m. CST, followed by a two-hour premiere at 8:00 p.m.

Heroes: Season Two will be available on DVD and Blu-ray beginning August 26, 2008.

Why Geeks Won't Go See Sex and the City

An Open Letter to Sex and the City fans from a Random Geek:

So, you think Sex and the City was a delightful film and that I should go see it. But I never watched the show. Okay, I'll admit there was one night when nothing else was on television and I turned on HBO in the hopes that I might see some female nudity (which, by the way, didn't happen). But other than the fact that there was a distinct lack of sex in the episode I watched, I know nothing about the series.

Why would a geek like me want to watch this movie?

"It's fun," you say. "It's charming," you say. "You'll love it, and then you'll want to watch the whole series on DVD!"

But you never did the same thing for us.

Sorry, but you dug this grave. And now... you must face the consequences. For all the guys out there who tried (and failed) to get you to do the same, I now present you with the case against any geek going to see Sex and the City.

Exhibit A: The X-Files Movie (1998) After only barely tolerating our love of Mulder and Scully on television, you wouldn't even consider going to see the movie with us. Not even the possible romantic entanglement of the principle characters was enough to get you to put down your copy of Vanity Fair and spend two hours indulging our love of the arcane and an alien conspiracy.

Exhibit B: Serenity (2005) If your argument against The X-Files was that it involved too much back story, your case against Serenity was laughable. With barely over a dozen episodes (available on DVD) the television show Firefly was a short investment of your time. You could easily have caught up on the series before Serenity came out in theaters. And you still don't know the difference, do you? Firefly is the name of the series. Serenity is the name of the film (and the ship).

Exhibit C: Star Trek I-X (1979-2002) This is the granddaddy of every geek vs. girl argument. You never understood our love for the Enterprise. You didn't try to grasp the subtle differences in command between Kirk and Picard. Even worse, you continually confuse the franchise with Star Wars. And every time we point out the difference, you dismiss us with an indifferent "Whatever!"

Are you ready to concede yet? 'Cause, baby, I can do this all night.

Meatloaf said it best, "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that." Sex and the City? No, I won't do that.

Soundtrack: The Love Guru

If you haven't seen the trailers for the upcoming film The Love Guru, you're missing out on one of this summer's most frightening train wrecks. In the film, comedian Mike Myers portrays Pitka, an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. The story revolves around Pitka's move back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality. The film, which has been protested by several groups for being offensive to the Hindu religion, appears to be a cross between Myers' own Austin Powers and Mickey Rooney's portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

What could be more offensive than Myers dressing up as a Hindu guru and spouting nonsense in a bad Indian accent? How about a soundtrack that features old 1970s pop hits covered by Myers in his Pitka character? Yes, that's right. You haven't heard Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" until you've heard it done with traditional Indian musical instruments. And don't get me started on his remake of "The Joker." It almost made my ears bleed to hear Myers croon, "Some people call me the Space Cowboy, some call me the Gangster of Love."

The horrible soundtrack also includes a bizarre collection of songs by their original artists, from Robbie Nevil's "C'est La Vie" to Celine Dion (seriously?) singing "I Drove All Night."

If you're a fan of good soundtracks, whether you prefer film scores or compilations, you should avoid this one. Don't just walk away from it. Run!

Fire at Universal Studios

For those who haven't heard, a fire broke out at Universal Studios on Sunday. The fire destroyed a set from Back to the Future, a King Kong exhibit and a streetscape seen frequently in movies and TV shows.

To read the whole story, check out Yahoo! News: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080601/ap_en_mo/studio_fire

Short Film Review: I F*cking Hate You

When I started to watch the short film by director Zak Forsman, I imagined all types of sophomoric angst that could be behind a film called I F*cking Hate You. The title seemed pulled from the notebook of a first year student who thinks "offensive" is synonymous with "edgy." Nevertheless, I grit my teeth and watched it; waiting for the spew of expletives that I was sure would follow.

Read the full review of I F*cking Hate You.