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Star Trek 2009 Movie Review

Time travel is possible - well, it is for me anyway being whisked away to another time and place. As corny as this may sound, I was transported back to the Summer of 1979 when I was 8 years old watching Star Trek : The Motion Picture. As soon as the opening scene began of this Star Trek reboot I remember how I felt sitting in a crowded theater in Texas  bursting with excitement and amazement the first time the U.S.S. Enterprise appeared on screen. I pissed my pants back then and almost let history repeat itself 30 years later. 

I was a fan of the tv series but not a complete " Trekkie", but my brother and I had toy phasers and he built a toy model  replica of the U.S.S. Enterprise that he never let me touch in his presence.  I stealthily managed to get my thrills playing with it when he wasn't around making sure I put it back on the display stand exactly how I found it. (He was never the wiser about it either!) While his phaser was set on "stun", I always kept mine on "kill" or rather "blast big brother to smithereens"! No doubt it is easy to guess who would always win. But I digress...

Even though there were some plot holes in the movie, J.J. Abrams and his team did a marvelous job rebooting the Star Trek franchise. Kudos to all those brilliant people involved. From the get-go the movie races off to a blistering start and never slows down after the first scene. Its easy to get pulled in - the movie in essence (**spoiler alert**) is a magnificent black hole that is un-relenting and keeps your ass glued to your seat at least up until the closing credits. The special effects are amazing albeit reminiscent of Star Wars but contrary to what some movie critics have said, this is not an effects driven film. The story and the acting are what makes this a great movie. The special effects serve only as "the cherry on top" if you will.

The entire Star Trek cast is pitch perfect resulting in great chemistry amongst the actors. From Chris Pine to Anton Yelchin, these actors  channel some of the original actors/characters. Chris Pine ( James Tiberius Kirk), Karl Urban (Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy), and Simon Pegg ( Scotty) are  the most convincing as the young versions of the original cast. Every actor was given their catchphrases but they did not appear silly. Seeing Leonard Nimoy reprise his role as an older Spock (**spoiler alert**) save Kirk from the huge and hungry red snow creature was a real treat. The audience yelped with glee when Nimoy's face first appears on screen.

One thing is certain- JJ Abrams and crew know how to make fun, action packed, highly enjoyable movies and television shows (Alias, Lost, and Fringe). Let us hope they continue to entertain us cinephiles for years to come. I, for one, can not wait for the next Star Trek installment. "Warp speed ahead, Mr. Sulu".

Rating : 3.5 out of 4 stars

Rustlin' up some Oscars

February 8th, 2006
Brooklyn, NY

"C'mon, get a long lil' doggies!" That's what you might have heard John Wayne say in one of his cowboy movies while herding some cattle out to pasture. But could you ever imagine "The Duke" ever say to one of his ol' cowhands after a long days work, " C'mon, pard'ner how bout a lil' doggy style!" Nope. Never. But I am sure the movie "Brokeback Mountain" has turned the world of cowboys upside down. Ahem. Or is it head to toe? Ahem. Yessiree! John Wayne is probably turning over in his grave. Brokeback Mountain is not your father's cowboy movie.
The movie has received critical acclaim, and Ang Lee won Best Director recently at the Director's Guild Awards. Heath Ledger is nominated for Best Actor, Jake Gyllenhal for best supporting actor, Michelle Williams for best supporting actress, and aforementioned Ang Lee for best Director. The movie also garnered nominations for best picture, score, adapted screenplay, and cinematography for the Oscars. Aw, hell I hope the movie sweeps all the categories.
I never thought a "Gay Cowboy Movie" would ever be green lighted by any studio, much less even be popular with the general masses. Which is why this movie took 8 years to be made. I had been hesitant to watch the movie since Brokeback Mountain was saddled, lassoed, and hogtied with the assumption of there being explicit gay love scenes between two very heterosexual and well liked actors. But to my chagrin (and relief) there was only one love scene between Heath and Jake which was not explicit and relatively quick. There were a few other scenes where the sex was implied to have occured offscreen. In actuality, the more explicit sex scenes happened to be between Enos (Heath) and Jack (Jake) with their wives.
The story revolves around Enos (Ledger), a tragically tortured soul, trying to come to grips with the feelings he has for another gay man Jack (Gyllenhall), as well as his own identity. Enos cant be gay, or is he? For most of his life he lives a heterosexual life, he tells Jack early in the movie he will be getting married after their summer of love. So, in essence the experience between them was a one time thing and that is that. Over the course of 20 years though they continue to meet but Enos still continues to tell himself he's not gay At one point in the movie Enos almost beats his ex wife for telling him she knew he was gay . His failure to come to grips with who he is and who he loves more and wants to be with ultimately is his downfall.
Brokeback Mountain is not just a gay cowboy movie, but a love story also.Kudos to both Ledger and Gyllenhall for portraying characters completely opposite of themselves. Both deserve to win Oscars in their respective categories. Heck, I'd give them the Oscar for just having to kiss each other! Must have been both hillarious as well as uncomfortable for them but the audience truly believes in their performances that they are in love.

Movie Review, Walk the Line

November 19, 2005

Brooklyn, NY

WALK THE LINE

The solution to all of Hollywood's studio executive's problems is simple. Stop making cookie cutter, special effects, and CGI driven summer-esque "pseudo anti intellectual block buster movies! " Let it be known to everyone I happen to love summer sci-fi and special effects driven shoot-em-ups and blowing everything up to kingdom come type block busters. But after a summer of carbon copy "popcorn films" I was ready for a good heart warming knee slappin' feel good movie. Walk the Line, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the unforgettable country singer/ songwriter Johnny Cash, and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter-Cash arguably the love of his life,(and a country star in her own right,) was just the right medicine the doctor prescribed. We should encourage studios to put out more Biopics about famous and successful people.

I admit I thoroughly enjoyed last year's Biopic, Ray, but I feel overall Line is a better movie. Both Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix will undoubtedly be nominated for Best Actor and Best Actress, along with a nomination also for James Mangold for best director. While both Ray and Line told a wonderful story of two of the best and most talented musicians of all time, Line is based partly on Johnny Cash's autobigrophy. Ray Charles approved of Jamie Foxx to portray him in the movie as well as Johnny Cash and June Carter- Cash approved of Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon respectively. I give the edge overall to Line, since it really tells the tale of love-at-first sight becoming an all encompassing love for one woman. Many of us can relate to Johnny Cash's unrequited love for June Carter. But very few of us can relate to losing our sight.

The best scenes in the movie occur when we are treated to hear and see both Phoenix and Witherspoon perform on stage and actually sing themselves. Some viewers may come to a conclusion that these fine actors were lipsynching to actual Johnny Cash and June Carter's singing. But what a pleasant surprise to see the end credits scroll that both actors performed the songs themselves. I have never been a fan of Joaquin Phoenix before.Infact, I had my doubts of him capably portraying Cash convincingly. He did a remarkably job. Phoenix turns out to have been a good choice to portray The Man In Black. This time around Joaquin,thankfully, was able to get rid of the stiffness of his acting in other films (i.e. Gladiator) and gave us a character to root for.

The performances by Phoenix and Witherspoon really seemed honest and tangible because together they had good chemistry. The musical duets were dead on as both actors were able to convey their affection for one another. Reese Witherspoon did an incredible job portraying June Carter. She truly is an underrated actress. We can understand Johnny Cash's undeniable attraction to her. June Carter ultimately was Cash's muse and kept him from becoming an all together amphetamine addict.

After watching Walk the Line, I plan on downloading every Johnny Cash/June Carter song onto my Ipod and savoring the music. So let's all email the Hollywood studio executives and demand more Biopics. I will look forward next fall's biopic with eager anticipation. But also am salivating over Indiana Jones IV due next summer!