Star Trek Into Darkness

 Star Trek Into Darkness: A Fangirl Review

Warning! There are spoilers ahead for Star Trek into Darkness, so if you haven’t seen it yet and plan to, stop reading now.  Come back after you’ve watched it and let me know if you agree with me.

I love the Star Trek universe!  The Next Generation was the first Star Trek series I ever watched, and I’ll admit that I only started to watch it because Will Wheaton was in it, and I had a huge crush on him from the time Stand By Me.  Watching that first episode, and hearing Patrick Stewart as Picard utter those famous opening lines, “Space, the final frontier” hooked me as a Trekker!   I’m not ashamed of it; I embrace it.  I went to conventions, bought T-shirts, figures, models and even a phaser!  Oh, yes, people, I have a phaser replica! I went to see all the Next Generation movies in the theater and eventually tried to get into the original series and movies.  I have to admit that I don’t have the love for the original series as most hardcore Trekkers do, but I respect it because, without it, we would have nothing.

When it was announced that there was a reboot of Star Trek coming to theaters based on the original series, I was over the moon about it, but was also concerned that I might be a bit lost because I wasn’t as familiar with the original series as the Next Generation.  All my worries were put to rest when the 2009 reboot was released.  JJ Abrams made me fall in love with the world all over again and brought a new love to the characters that I didn’t have with the original. 

I couldn’t wait for a sequel.  The first one was so perfectly done that I had high expectations for the second.  I stayed away from any kind of spoilers.  I didn’t want to know who the villain was and what the plot might revolve around.  I just wanted to go into it with an open mind and enjoy it for what it was.

This is your last chance. There will be spoilers ahead. 

Back in December, when I went to see the Hobbit at my local IMAX, we were treated to a 10 minute preview of Into Darkness. I was so blown away by the footage that I forgot I was there for the Hobbit and was a little sad when we went back to middle earth instead of boldly going where no one has gone before.  Finally on Wednesday night, when the theater went black and the movie came on, I was beyond excited. We were going back and I couldn’t have been happier.

The movie opens up with the crew of the Enterprise observing a planet and its inhabitants on the verge of extinction due to the eruption of a Volcano.  They are only supposed to be observing, but with death immnent to the people on the planet, Kirk ignores the prime directive and intervenes with a plan to stop the volcano from erupting.  The first 10 minutes are so exciting and visually stunning that I wondered if JJ could keep it up for the rest of the movie.  The answer is yes, he could!

There are so many great aspects to this movie.  The relationship between Spock and Kirk is hands down the heart of the movie.  Both Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are so believable as Kirk and Spock that you feel all the emotions they go through as the movie progresses.  Every one of the actors embodies their characters and the audience is treated to the rare occasion that makes you believe they are who they say they are.  You are totally immersed in the world and the movie soars for it.

I was thrilled when Benedict Cumberbatch was cast, but when rumors started to swirl as to who he would play, I stopped reading.  The biggest rumor, of course, was that he would be Khan, the end-all, be-all villain of the original Star Trek movie series.  The hardcore Trekkers were not happy with this rumor.  They felt the character had been played to perfection by Ricardo Montalban and that some things in the Star Trek series should be left alone.  My opinion on it was it’s an alternate timeline, and if the villain is Khan, can’t he be different than the one everyone knows and loves?

Cumberbatch’s character is introduced as John Harrison, so for the first act of the movie, I thought the rumors were wrong, that he was no more than a terrorist that had it in for the Federation.  When his true identity was revealed and he said to Kirk and his away team, “I am Khan”, I knew there were a few fanboys who cringed, but I yelled out “I knew it!” lol I thought his take on Khan was fresh and fitting to the plot.  He was amazing and made you fear him as well as root for his cause at the same time.  My advice to the fans that had a hard time with this is to just let it go and go see it again with fresh eyes.  You will always have “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” to watch and love, but now you also have a new version of his character to embrace and love.

The movie is visually stunning!  The color timing applied to the movie was beautiful and it enriched the look of every scene.  There may have been one to many lens flares, but I will forgive JJ because the rest of the movie exceeded all my expectations. 

I’ve read some reviews saying there are plot holes in the movie, but I couldn’t find any.  I think much of that is due to the overall timeline of this version of Star Trek.  I really don’t want to reveal too much—I know I spoiled the villain—but the movie is so much more than that.  I don’t want to give too much else away, but I think it’s unfair to compare it to other movies when this is clearly a new version of Star Trek history.  There are things that happen because, alternate timeline or not, they are fated to happen.  Choices are made and events set in motion that make it so.

My only complaint about this movie is that I want more!  I want the next adventure now! I want a TV series with this exact crew!  The 3^rd installment has been greenlit, but it’s not slated for release until 2016…sigh.

Until then, I will just have to watch this one over and over again, and let Chris Pine as Captain Kirk give me the goose bumps every time he begins the famous lines “Space, the final frontier”! Let’s hope we get to explore this Universe with this crew for many years to come.  Go see this movie. It is truly everything a summer blockbuster should be, and if you’re not a trekker, this may just make you one!

Tell next time!

-Lisa

Robert Downey Jr: The MVP of Marvel - An Iron Man 3 Review

A few weeks ago, I heard a rumor that Robert Downey Jr. may be stepping out of the Iron Man suit and my heart was broken.  In my mind, no one could replace him as Tony Stark; I mean he is Tony Stark!  Then I thought to myself, why would he come out and say something like that...does he not like the movie?  Has he burnt himself out on the character?  Will his performance not be on par with the last two Iron Man movies or the Avengers?  All my worries were put to rest the minute Iron Man 3 started. 

I am a huge fan of the first 2 Iron Man movies.  I love the way Downey portrays Stark. It is his humor, arrogance and heart that truly makes Iron Man the superhero we all know and love.  To me he is the MVP of Marvel because, frankly, without the success of the first Iron Man, would Marvel have the dynasty it has today?

You can always argue that sometimes the third installment of a movie franchise is not a good idea. Storylines are stretched and characters are watered down in order to cash in on fans, e. g. Spiderman 3.  Iron Man 3 does none of that.  It is a fresh, new installment that is completely satisfying to the fans that have been there since the first movie and are faithful followers of the Marvel Universe. 

We pick up right after the battle in New York with the Avengers.  Tony is having a hard time sleeping and seems to be suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder).  Now that he has been exposed to other worldly dangers and survived falling through a wormhole, he’s worried that he can’t protect the one thing he has learned he can’t live without, Pepper.   The threat in Iron Man 3 is not alien, but a terrorist that has his sights set on America and ultimately Iron Man.  I don’t want to give anything away in this review.  You owe it to yourself to stay as spoiler free as you can for this movie.  The reveals and the story are so well done that spoiling it for any viewer would be very un-fangirl-like for me, and I just don’t want to take away an ounce of entertainment from anyone who is going to see this movie.

 

Iron Man 3 was directed and written by Shane Black (director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and writer of Lethal Weapon).   He breathes new life into the series while staying true to what makes it work.  The action sequences are fantastic.  Not only did I hold my breath during the destruction of Tony's home, I had real emotion at some of the scenes as they were playing out.  The movie constantly surprised me and kept me on my toes.  The humor and one-liners were some of the franchise's best and it can be argued that it may have the best one-liners ever uttered in a superhero movie!  I will not spoil it for you, go see the movie and leave your comments to be discussed at a later time.

The rest of the cast does a great job. I particularly loved Ben Kingsley's character, The Mandarin, who portrayed the perfect villain, but, in the end, it is all Downey all the time!   I wish they had kept the name War Machine though; Iron Patriot just didn’t do it for me, perhaps if I was part of the focus group for that one! Lol Inside joke in the movie!

Some of my friends who are comic book fans had a few issues with the villain and some other themes throughout the movie, but overall they said they still enjoyed it.  Sometimes I’m glad I don’t know too much of the back-story of these Marvel characters. I like the movie versions and I wouldn’t want to have the argument with myself of comic Marvel Universe vs. movie Marvel Universe. 

Anyway, it wouldn’t be a Fangirl Adventures review if I didn’t gush a little bit about how handsome Mr. Downey is in every scene of this movie!  The bloodier and more banged up he is, the hotter he gets and Dawn and I loved his dance moves.  Shake what your mama gave you Robert, shake it!!  lol

Overall, I give this movie a 9 out of 10 stars and it restored my faith that Robert is in no way done with the Iron Man character or franchise. He will be back and with a new, clean slate!

Make sure to stay all the way until the end of the credits, you will not be disappointed with the gem that Marvel has left for patient viewers.  :)

Till we meet again,

Lisa

A review of Oblivion through the eye's of a fanboy!

A note from Fangirls.

Our good friend Dan, a fellow movie buff, loved Oblivion so much that he wrote a great review and Fangirl Adventures wanted to share it with you. Check out Oblivion through the eye's of a fanboy!

                                         Oblivion:

 

The Perfect Way to Start off the Summer Movie Season

From the first trailer I saw the look of Oblivion had me hooked.  I will admit, however,  that I was very skeptical at first.  It seems of late that has become my natural reaction to film in general.  I find myself constantly wondering “will this be worth my time and money?”  I feel that the industry is suffering from big budget filler movies that are designed to reap profits more than entertain.  I was so severely disappointed with almost every theatrical release that I saw last year that I have been avoiding the medium altogether.  Oblivion was exactly what I needed to remind myself that magic can still happen in the theaters.

Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) sets up the introduction and give us all the information we need to know as a viewer for the rest of the story to unfold.  I was completely compelled to watch as the events played out.  We almost learn the story in parallel with Jack.  The most refreshing thing about Oblivion is that the story is not overly complex or convoluted.  We are given just enough information to understand the world and it’s rules without being bogged down by technical explanations and plot holes, unlike last year’s Prometheus.  In my mind it was a similar approach to Jurassic Park in which a well placed 3 minute cartoon made me whole heartedly believe that John Hammond could create dinosaurs.  I was completely on board the entire time, straight through to the end credits.    

Visually Oblivion is stunning.  At a time where many films rely heavily on CG (Oz the Great and Powerful), Oblivion manages to create a very believable post apocalyptic world.  I was never once pulled out of the movie due to the CG being to artificial.  Everything looked completely organic, I had to remind myself occasionally that I was not looking at practical effects.  Oblivion in a sense is the yang to Tron: Legacy’s dark and foreboding aesthetic look.  Beautiful landscapes and bright and pristine environments grace the screen the majority of the time.  I personally thought the costumes, weapons, and vehicles were all very unique and believable.  I really wish that Jack’s ship was real.  I haven’t wanted anything that bad since a lightsaber.

I felt that all of the acting was right on.  I’m trying not to divulge too much of the story in this review so I’ll leave the character and their relationships out for the time being. 

It would be a crime not to mention the score which complements the film throughout.  There was no particular theme or overture which stood out, however, I felt like each piece of music was expertly crafted for each scene.  Overall it was very reminiscent of Tron: Legacy, but held onto its own identity.  The electronic instrumentation worked perfectly for this film.

There were moments where I was mesmerized by the beautiful visuals, moments when my jaw dropped during incredibly choreographed action sequences, times when I laughed at perfectly placed humor, and times where my pulse raced with the booming score.  The whole experience left me fearful that the movie was going to end.

Oblivion

Oblivion

 

I’ve been a Tom Cruise fan for as long as I can remember.  The first movie I recall seeing him in was “The Outsiders”, but, like most of his fans, I was hooked once I saw “Top Gun”!  That perfect smile and boyish charm is what got Tom Cruise into the movies, but his acting skills are what made him the mega star he is today.  Even when the movie he’s in is less than stellar, Tom Cruise always gives his best effort and the movie is better for it.

His latest project is a return to sci-fi, directed by Joseph Kosinski (TRON: Legacy). Oblivion follows Jack, a drone repairman, who begins to question himself and the mission he’s been given when strange dreams of a life he never had and a women he never met take over his life.  

 

Tom Cruise shines as Jack.  You can really feel the character’s love and sadness for an Earth that has seen better days. I must say that Tom Cruise has never looked better!  The man at 50 is just as hot as he was back in the day.   He has multiple shirtless scenes-a big thank you to the director for that one-and can still kick ass with the best of them.  If Scientology is the secret to eternal youth then sign me up now!

The movie is visually stunning.  The sky apartment scenes in the beginning of the movie featured perhaps my favorite location. The simple futuristic, yet slightly retro look of it was great and I thought the look of the air ship Jack flew was fresh and innovative.  Like most movies of the day, it is a bit overlong.  I’m sure there are some scenes that could have been cut to make the movie even better.  Overall, Oblivion is a great way to get ready for the coming summer blockbuster season.  It’s definitely worth going to see in the theater, especially if you can experience it at an IMAX theater.

Spring Breakers

Spring Breakers

Spring Breakers is not just about college students heading to a sunny beach to let off some steam from the stress of class and finals.  It really shows how the youth of today can get caught up in their own boredom and inability to find out who they truly are until bad things happen to them.

The movie is broken up into what feels like 3 different acts. Each act ends when one or more of the main characters depart to go back home to the life they thought they hated.  What’s surprising about the movie is how little dialogue is actually in it.  Most of the movie is spent in montage sequences with repeated dialogue over it to drive home the message that “Spring Break” may not be the answer you were hoping for.

The highlight of the film is James Franco.  He’s believable as Alien, the girls thug in shiny, gold-plated mouth armor.  I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to laugh at his dialogue, but some of his lines were hilarious.  When he started singing “Everytime” by Britney Spears at his outdoor piano, well, I couldn’t help myself. 

Overall, the movie is worth watching, but make sure you know what you’re going to see. This isn’t your mom’s beach blanket bingo movie!