I just don’t understand. Where are the seat belts? People getting thrown all over the main bridge of the ship every time a space torpedo hits. You’d think someone would come up with a space restraint that protects without chafing… The USS Enterprise doesn’t have any space restraints, but director J.J. Abrams does an incredible job of protecting the series without chafing fans by paying homage to Gene Roddenberry’s original vision even as he blows up your father’s Star Trek.

If you loved the original Star Trek, you’re going to love the relaunch of your favorite characters in a fresh perspective. If you’ve never seen any Star Trek before, you’re going to love a summer blockbuster that delivers across the board.

This movie is a two hour, jam packed, epic that doesn’t waste a minute with anything frivolous. When you’ve got the birth of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) with the childhood of Spock (Zachary Quinto -Heroes) and the back-story of Dr. ‘Bones’ McCoy’s (Karl Urban) sour attitude, on top of a time-traveling space baddy Romulan named Nero (Eric Bana), mixed in with new perspective on the size of the Enterprise, spaceship fighting and black holes – well, you better buckle up! I came out of the theater overstimulated. Between the IMAX screen and the amount of story told so masterfully, you won’t need coffee to keep you awake long into the night talking about your favorite scene.

The majority of the movie focuses in on the destruction of a planet and the attempts by the USS Enterprise to keep the same thing from happening to Earth. Unfortunately, there’s a gigantic Romulan mining ship that’s been retrofitted with enough firepower to take out as much of the fleet as the Federation is willing to throw at them. Nero’s been nursing a grudge against Spock since before this Spock was born and wants his revenge. But James Kirk and company are fresh from the Federation Academy and looking to test the capabilities of their Constitution-class ship. Getting there is going to require friendship to overcome the disdain and antagonism between Spock and Kirk.

This is a giant prequel that gets everything right. The supporting characters are fantastic. From some great action with a not-so-subdued Sulu (John Cho) to a smart and sexy Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and her love interests, engineer Scotty (Simon Pegg) says it all, in his deep Scottish accent, with the line “this ship is excitin!” But – his accent is second fiddle to navigator Chekov’s (Anton Yelchin) hilarious accent woes. Seriously, it gets me laughing every time I think about that scene.

The other character that needs to be mentioned is the future/original Spock played by the erstwhile Leonard Nimoy. This is some great writing that pulls everything together. When you hear his line to the new Spock, “Put aside logic, and do what feels right,” you almost wonder if it’s more of a blessing on this new adaptation than merely wise words to a young protege’.

If there’s anything to pick on at all, for me it was the scenes on Hoth, er, I mean, Delta Vega. That was the only time I felt the movie veered from ‘everything essential’ to ‘we need to add a monster chase scene for the kids.’ It’s not bad. And it sets up the encounter that ties it all together. But, my 13 year old son, who’s never seen Star Trek, looked at me and said, ‘Oh, it’s the old big monster gets eaten by a bigger monster chase scene.’

Despite that hiccup, I think this movie is going to be hard to top this summer. If it does, I guess it will be just another example of one big monster of a movie getting eaten by a bigger monster of a movie. And really, if that happens…we all win.

Rating: ★★★★½ 

Star Trek is the anti-Watchmen. Most of you will scratch your heads, but the two share much in common. Both were handled by directors whom the fans were either against or didn’t think could do it. Each property is hard science fiction that isn’t as accessible to the common folk as would be Batman or Star Wars. Where they begin to differ (aside from one being a comic and another a television show) is how Zack Snyder and J.J. Abrams approached their respective material. Snyder chose to honor the Watchmen novel as best he could without trying to alienate people who never read it. My thoughts on his masterpiece aside, the general audience didn’t take well to it. Enter J.J. Abrams who went for the opposite, and has crafted a Trek film made clearly with a Star Wars mentality but hoping to keep what was so loved about The Original Series.

As a film, J.J.’s Star Trek is one of the most entertaining films of the year. It’s thrilling, exciting and the cast gels perfectly together. Those afraid that something would be lost due to Abrams’ modernization of the material need not fear. There are some liberties taken (more later) but overall they honor what worked about the original series to craft a film that’s sure to get people watching the original crew’s adventures. The biggest reason Star Trek works is due to its leading man and, dare I say, Chris Pine is James Kirk to a T. His performance isn’t as comical as Shatner’s (no “we…must…GET over there”), in fact he makes the role his own. It’s a wonderful thing to watch as Pine battles wits with Spock or has his way with a certain green alien. I expected Simon Pegg to steal the show when in fact, this is Chris… no, KIRK’s film. There’s no denying Shatner will always be Captain James T. Kirk, but Pine deserves to be in the conversation with him. It’s tough coming up with words to describe how great he is so I’ll leave it to the audience to discover his brilliance this weekend.

Zachary Quinto’s Spock is another matter altogether. He was my biggest concern coming in after hearing reports he was dull but that’s not the case. He honors Spock well and while he doesn’t do what Pine does with Kirk, Quinto is far from dreadful. His take is a little different than Nimoy’s which rings especially true toward the end of the flick. Whereas Nimoy’s was laid back and had a sense of cool about him, this Spock is quiet, a stickler for logic, and more feminine. Some things don’t work but overall he’s serviceable and hopefully will grow into the role with the later installments. Maybe it’s not his fault though because along with Pine, Karl Urban fits like a glove into Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy. He’s essentially channeling DeForest Kelley but you can tell he’s enjoying the part. He’s probably the second best to enjoy next to Chris Pine. Much was made of Simon Pegg playing Montgomery Scott and he, like always, delivers. He’s the opposite of the laid-back Scotty we all know and love but it’s barely noticeable. If James Doohan was alive, he’d be proud of what Pegg does here. He also gets one of the most memorable lines in the film. Zoe Saldana is decent as Uhura, but for a good part of the film she feels like just another plot device. She’s independent, sure, but they sort of take that away from her when she they show her relationship with Spock (again, more later.) Anton Yelchin is just as good as Chekov while John Cho is pretty nice as Sulu although not as memorable as George Takei. What helps us remember who these people are, though, is that every character is given a moment to shine but in a different way. Yes, it’s the Kirk/Spock show for most of it but the film allows enough time for Sulu to show off his skills or Chekov to make the save in the nick of time. Special mention has to be given to Leonard Nimoy who still proves that he has been, and always shall be Spock. It’s one of the best moments of the film to see him light up the screen once more with that bowl cut and those pointy ears.

Star Trek’s action has always been more naval to Star Wars‘ air force action and that rings true here. It’s faster paced and understandably so, but the Enterprise can’t move like an X-Wing. The action is classic Trek complete with ship-to-ship communication and photon torpedoes being fired to finish off a ship. In fact most of the hyper action takes place away from Enterprise rather than on it. None of it feels like it’s too much but it’s just enough to keep both classic and new fans happy. The real treat are the visual effects which are some of the best I’ve seen in a film. Every dollar of their budget is spent on the screen as everything looks like it was shot in space using the real Enterprise. I don’t know if it’s set the new standard like Transformers was, but I do know if this doesn’t get the Best Visuals award then shame on the Academy again. Also, I’d like to know where J.J. is hiding the Enterprise so I can take her out for a spin. As for the references to the original show, they are in there but none of them feel forced. I geeked out a couple of times for some (notably a couple of Wrath of Khan ones) and I appreciated how organic most of them feel.

Star Trek has always been about the characters first and while the actors do a fine job, the story that’s around them isn’t half bad. Nero is a sort of one-note villain but Bana raises him above being one of the worst Trek villains. His plan isn’t that illogical in the grand scheme and he is sort of an interesting character. There are some things that don’t work, starting with Spock being the programmer behind the Kobiyashi Maru test. As much as I loved seeing Kirk beat the test, I felt indifferent to Spock being the one who designed it. It feels like it’s there just to give more tension to Kirk and Spock’s relationship and not because it’s an interesting idea (which it’s not.) Things are also fumbled with having Spock and Uhura in a relationship which just happens. It’s hinted at so quickly as things get underway that it feels random and out of place when the two engage in a kiss. They also have a golden opportunity to utilize the chemistry Pine and Saldana have together and instead pair her with a fire extinguisher. It’s not that Spock is devoid of all emotion, it’s that there is no sparking from the actors. There are other things I want to get into, but as to not reveal spoilers, I shall remain silent. The other distracting thing in this film are the lens flares. I’m not too sure why J.J. or cinematographer Daniel Mindel decided this was a good idea but it gets really distracting, really quick. A friend turned to me and said you could make a drinking game out of how many lens flares are in this movie and he’s right. I’m all for a director using a gimmick as long as it makes sense within the film he’s trying to tell. Here, I don’t see the purpose or need other than to blind the audience.

Overall this Star Trek works largely due to it’s leading cast and especially Chris Pine. The real captain, though, is J.J. who did a tremendous job of updating this franchise for new fans while keeping everything we love about The Original Series intact. I’ve seen the film twice now (once on IMAX) and at the end my feelings largely remained unchanged. It’s one of the best times I’ve had at the theater all year and is really enjoyable to watch unfold on the screen. In my book, the summer movie season starts here and kicks off with a bang. There are problems, yes, but the film is simply too fun to let those bog down an otherwise entertaining flick. Beam me up for the sequel, J.J.

Rating: ★★★★☆ 

Utter the words Indiana Jones and immediately everybody knows what you’re talking about.  You’re talking about fast-paced, globe-trotting quests for long-lost artifacts, ancient deathtraps and amazing action sequences.  But most importantly, you’re talking about a cinematic icon who has become a household name for any film buff.  From the fedora hat to the bullwhip, Indiana Jones the character is one whom almost everybody loves.

This year, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was released after a 19 year-long wait, and the results were for the most part a mixed bag for everyone.  Of course there were those (myself included) who continued to be thrilled and fascinated by everything, however there were also those who were disappointed by it.  All I have to say to those people is were you watching the same movie I was?  Because the “Indy 4″ I’ve now seen a total of five times retains everything that made the original three so great, making for yet another solid entry in the franchise.  Yes, i agree that sometimes it does stretch the boundaries of logic even by Indy standards (i.e. the whole refrigerator scene and a piece of the jungle sequence), but overall it’s a very fun ride that returns us to the world of a hero missing from the big screen for too long.

Without going into great detail about the plot, the fourth film involves a hunt for an ancient artifact that may contain clues to extraterrestrials.  Yes, aliens actually made an appearance in an Indy movie, although they’re commonly referred to as ‘interdimensional beings’ in the movie.  Along for the ride is Indy’s long-lost son, Mutt Williams (Shia LaBeouf), a double-crossing friend (Ray Winstone), and old flame Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen).  This time, the Russians are the bad guys and they’re led by the cold Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett).  Everyone’s after the Crystal Skull, which has a mystery surrounding it that has to do ith the mythical Lost City of Gold.

This 2-Disc Limited  Edition is loaded with behind-the-scenes features that detail every step of the filmmaking process.  Along with the film itself on the first disc are two short featurettes:  “The Return Of A Legend” and “Pre-Production”.  “Pre-Production”, of course, gives a brief glimpse into how Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and the others went about developing the idea for “Kingdom” and “Return Of A Legend” pretty much does the same thing, only it focuses more on the collaborative team behind Indy talking about how the dream of a fourth Indiana Jones movie finally became a reality.  The second disc includes more behind-the-scenes goodness, with a detailed 12-part look at the creation of the film.  With this multi-part documentary as well as the one featured on the “Iron Man” Special Edition gives me a renewed faith in the “Making-Of” features for blockbuster DVDs in the future.  Also included are Pre-Visualization Sequences that show exactly how three of the film’s most exciting sequences were conceived, prepped and executed AS WELL AS Galleries, Trailers and a Game Demo for the LEGO Indiana Jones XBOX 360 game.

All in all, this is a must-buy for anyone who enjoyed the film, or any Indy fan period.

He’s hungover when we first meet him. With two empty bottles of alcohol rolling in the wind slightly underneath the public bench he’s sleeping on, and another bottle hanging loosely from one of his hands, his ragged and dirty clothes give him the appearance of a homeless man. Nobody seems to be paying him much attention, but it’s more like they don’t care about him. His wool cap is pulled down over his eyes, the image of an eagle stitched into it. He has days’ worth of unshaven facial hair masking his skin and his snoring is loud and obnoxious, further solidifying his appearance as a bum. Then, all of a sudden, a young boy walks up to him, slapping his arm to wake him, proclaiming his name: “Hancock!” Hancock awakens grumpily, the kid points out news coverage of a high-speed pursuit (“Bad guys!”), and Hancock tells the boy to get the hell out of his face. After cricking his neck, putting on a pair of sunglasses and making a face, Hancock blasts off into the Los Angeles skyline with a fresh bottle of booze, leaving the debris of the demolished bench in his wake. Not exactly the first impression a superhero should make, wouldn’t you say?

Then again, Hancock isn’t your average superhero. As the tagline for the film says: there are heroes, superheroes…and then there’s Hancock. Hancock is a sarcastic, uncaring and widely hated superhero who always leaves a trail of destruction behind him whenever he “helps out”. Hancock is played by Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster provider, Will Smith, whose performance here is not as emotionally intense as the one he gave in “I Am Legend” last year, but is still pretty good. The movie “Hancock” is certainly more entertaining than the mediocre “I Am Lame”, oh sorry, “I Am Legend” from last December, mainly because of its interesting setup. Here it is: a superhero who is the polar opposite of idols such as Superman, possessing pretty much the same powers as The Man of Steel, but not doing a good job of using those powers properly. This causes him to become an encumbrance to the police and an inconvenience to the public, mainly due to Hancock’s lack of concern when it comes to the well-being and safety of others.

What Hancock needs is an image consultant, or someone working in the field of Public Relations to help him become the superhero of comic book charisma. He conveniently gets just that after he saves the life of PR man Ray Embrey (Jason Bateman) from a speeding train. After being saved, Ray does something that no other civilian has done before; he thanks Hancock for saving his life. Ray even goes so far as to invite Hancock over to his house for dinner. There, Hancock meets Ray’s son and his wife (Charlize Theron), and it instantly becomes clear to us that she and Hancock know each other from somewhere after the first of many penetrating looks Theron gives him throughout the night – only problem is Hancock doesn’t remember that much about his past. So naturally, he wouldn’t remember ever meeting Theron’s character before. Ray complains that people don’t like Hancock primarily because of his overall attitude, and to that Hancock responds, “Do I look like I care what people think?” Ray suggests that Hancock should willingly let himself be arrested and spend some time in jail so that crime can escalate and people can start to desire his help. While Hancock is behind bars, Ray coaches him on some of his techniques, such as landing.

“Landing is like your superhero handshake. You can’t come in too hard, but don’t come in too boozy. And don’t land on the $100,000 Mercedes.” Just as Hancock becomes fed up with prison life, he gets that phone call from the Chief of Police telling him to come back because the police need his help. After shaving off his stubble with his fingernails and donning a custom-made black and gold suit emblazoned with the eagle, Hancock leaps into action by taking down a group of bank robbers who seem like they’ve watched “Heat” one too many times. Now, Hancock has to deal with all the publicity and burdens that come with the job while delving deep into his past to figure out his ties to Charlize Theron’s character.

Will Smith has now become such a big star, it was just inevitable for him to star in a superhero movie. And while it may not be based off anything from DC or Marvel, “Hancock” still feels like it came from some sort of comic book or graphic novel. The screenwriters have come up with an origin for Hancock’s character that is admittedly interesting, but at the same time it feels like they should have gone into just a bit more detail with it. This explanation of how Hancock became who and what he is obviously gives us some insight to the character’s past, but again, I feel that the writers could have spent just a little bit more time developng that because while this explanation may be interesting, it could have been explored more.

But I guess the rushed feeling that character development has is owed to the fact that “Hancock” clocks in at a mere 92 minutes. That’s right, 1 hour and 32 minutes; one hour less than the upcoming “The Dark Knight”. It’s said that about 20 minutes of the original cut had to be dropped, mainly because those 20 minutes made the film R-rated, and Columbia Pictures definitely didn’t want their big Will Smith vehicle of the summer to run the risk of losing money to that R rating. But here’s a tip: people will flock to see Will Smith’s latest film, no matter what the rating is. Now, despite those missing 20 minutes, “Hancock” still has some pretty mature themes even with a PG-13 rating. The climax especially treads that line between PG-13 and R. “Hancock” is certainly an adult’s superhero film, but we’ll see how it holds up against “The Dark Knight” next week.

So, how are the the acting and action in “Hancock”? Well, as I said before, Will Smith perfectly captures that crusty and sarcastic demeanor of the title character that makes us recognize him as the jerk he really is, but at the same time makes us love him. As we follow his transformation from an ***hole into a serviceable superhero, we can believe his journey. Jason Bateman brings a good amount of optimism to his role that makes a great contrast to Hancock’s cynicism. Charlize Theron does a pretty fair job and even though she may seem to not have that important of a role at first, her character turns out to have a great impact on Hancock’s past. The action is entertaining to say the least, but of course, what else do you expect from a big blockbuster courtesy of Will Smith?

Also, people should take note of a serious tonal shift in the middle of the film. At first, the film starts out with a comical tone, putting a lighter spin on the story than the film’s second half, which becomes darker and more moody. Some people who’ve seen it have said that they preferred the first half to the second half, but I have to part ways here. I sat there for a while as the film began, thinking that it started off at sort of a plodding pace, but once Hancock and Ray meet each other, everything starts to pick up. The second half puts an interesting spin on the story, while providing some pretty good drama. It’s almost as if “Hancock” is made up of two different films, each of them good.

Bottom line, “Hancock” may not quite be up to today’s superhero standards, but thanks to some good performances, entertaining elements and natural tone transitions it winds up being a very entertaining summer flick.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ 

So I have been stewing on the idea of movie trailers possibly spoiling a movie. What really bothers me are the ones that some dumb ass at the studios allow to reach us. The ones with to much information or to long of a cut on something that should of been left for the big screen. Is viral marketing getting out of hand?

Vic over at ScreenRant gave in and finally said no to The Dark Knight viral marketing and will not post any more news on the film until after its release. I don’t blame him. Look at our featured articles. The ones that garner the most hits are about The Dark Knight or the latest upcoming blockbuster.

Here are some raw estimated numbers for you.

The Dark Knight has around 30 trailers to its name and is almost 2 weeks out from release.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army has around 20 trailers.

Iron Man had over 30 trailers.

Are the studios and their trailers killing the movies before they even come out? And this doesn’t include all of the viral marketing that is happening these days. I think that the barrage of scenes, trailers, teasers and such are killing the anticipation of fans who look forward to a little surprise every once in a while.

While the above 3 films did or will do well at the box office no matter what, its hard for us folks to avoid all contact with these goodies. You have to make a conscience effort to avoid all the trailers, photos, leaked footage to really enjoy the movies that come out. I think we saw most of Iron Man prior to it coming out with that many damn trailers.

What do you all think. In this day and age of instant gratification in many realms, are trailers killing our movies? Let me know what you all think. I would be interested in such a conversation.

My buddy Vic over at Screen Rant is throwing a huge Iron Man contest. Swing by and sign up to win one of the two AWESOME movie posters.

Iron Man is really shaping up to become a Blockbuster for 08.

Tell Vic I say hey if you swing by. Link to the contest can be found here.