Final trailer for Star Trek: Into Darkness

For those frustrated that Abrams films are too action oriented, not enough diplomacy and exploration, please read this.

Basically it works as follows. Star Trek was Paramount's golden goose for twenty years until Brannon Braga killed off the franchise. Paramount misses that dearly. Abrams has succeeded in restoring public interest in Star Trek. He did this by making a widely accessible action movie. Paramount saw great profits with the reboot, and if they see enough of the same with this one, I'm willing to bet the title to the Enterprise that they will put a series on the air. Then you will get lots of diplomacy, exploratory story arcs and philosophical heaviness, simply because there's not enough budget in a TV series to sustain constant sci-fi action. They've got to fill the time with other stuff, like quality story.

So if you want to see Star Trek like it used to be, your best bet is to buy a ticket to this movie. Paramount is just as greedy as every other studio. And if these films make enough money, the studio will likely produce a series to capitalize on them.

Also, I can't wait till May!

Die Hard (1988)

So I watched Die Hard for the first time in years in preparation for going to see the new one on Tuesday. Man, it seems pretty dated now. Compared to the action films of today it's paced pretty slow and is awful quiet in a lot of parts. Still a classic though. 8/10.

The Three Burials Of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Tommy Lee Jones' directorial pacing was a little terse, and the non-linear narrative of the first half was pointless. But he sure coached some damn fine performances out of his cast. Barry Pepper was phenomenal, and even the usually dead January Jones emoted well. 7/10.

Sling Blade (1996)

This was only the second time I've seen this movie... I think. The first being in the theater in 1997. It made such an impact on me from the first viewing that I remembered everything in the movie pretty accurately. It's still unique in it's force.

Also, I don't think I've ever seen the part of the abusive white trash boyfriend/stepfather character written and portrayed as accurately as Dwight Yoakam's Doyle.

9/10.

Predator (1987)

So it had been years since I actually sat and watched PREDATOR. At least five years or more. For some reason I was inclined to rent it on Blu-ray today at Hastings.

It was awesome.

I remember first seeing this movie when I was like 9 or 10 years old. I was over at a friends house one night and his dad had rented it on VHS (this was like 88 or 89). I was terrified. It was the first bloody action/horror movie I'd seen. And it was the first one I'd seen with a scary alien. Basically I lost my R rated movie virginity to this flick. I had nightmares for days afterwords. But it was totally worth it.

And it still stands the test of time. I think largely because it's such a basic, primal story: hunters must survive being the prey of a monster. It goes way back to caveman times. And it's all put together in a way that's visceral and terrifying.

Now I'll admit that it's impact has been tamed by too many syndicated viewings on Saturday afternoon TV, complete with commercial interruptions. I'm sure many of you are like me and probably quit changing the channels when it comes on, cause it's always good to watch. So I suggest you try this. Get your copy off the shelf, or rent it, wait till dark and watch it alone, with no lights and with no interruptions. It's like seeing a totally different and far better film than the one they play on TV. Even if you don't get nostalgic terrors like I did, you'll treat yourself to one of the greatest action movies ever made.

10/10.

P.S. To wet your appetite, here's Alan Silvestri's theme from the movie. There's no mistaking it for any other piece of music.

Up In The Air (2009)

This is a practically perfect film. George Clooney doesn't act condescendingly didactic, Jason Reitman isn't chained to a set of irritatingly affected Diablo Cody characters and is able to set just the right airy tone, and Sam Elliot makes a cameo appearance. Touching script too. Wonderful! 10/10.

Robin Hood (2010)

I have no idea why this bombed in the theaters. It was fantastic! I love Medieval settings and this had the perfect mix of adventure and history. So much fun to watch. 8/10.

House Of Cards (2013) [TV Series]

I don't write about television on my blog, but I'm making an exception.

House Of Cards is now available on Netflix to stream. It's their self produced series starring Kevin Spacey, part of their foray into original content. It's Amazing! Spacey plays Congressman Francis Underwood, and the series is about sausage making... or rather the inner workings of our federal government's leadership. I'm talking Congress, The Executive Branch; likely the Judicial Branch will even come into play at some point. It's dark, it's gritty, and it relishes the sadism of power. This is how DC works. The backstabbing, the power plays, the vengeance. It's the government as rotting corpse, draped with the American flag.

Cleverly written with subtle double meanings, foreshadowing, and character revelations, not to mention Kevin Spacey occasionally breaking the fourth wall to great effect. And that's just the pilot episode! David Fincher's black eye truly lends itself to the subject matter. Old Monk hand Jeff Beal turns in a perfectly toned score. The acting? Unspeakably good. They even threw in a reference to Alfred Hitchcock's Witness For The Prosecution, simply to allude to .

Brilliant. Watch it. Now. 10/10.

Dredd (2012)

Dredd was awesome but I didn't like it. Let me elaborate.

Awesome: The most honest single comic book adaptation I've ever seen. This film was completely accurate to the source material. Unlike the 90's Stallone adaptation where Hollywoodization abounded, I couldn't pinpoint a single thing in this film that wouldn't have happened in the comics. It was dark, ultraviolent, and unapologetic. We never see Dredd's face. His dialogue is to-the-point, almost monosyllabic. The sets, the non-distracting camera work. I could go on.

I didn't like: The ultraviolence. A sure sign I'm getting old is I just can't stomach the unrelenting violence in action and emotion abounding in this film. This is a personal taste, a subjective one. The only thing is, that's the essence of the comics. The unapologetic, impersonal, unrelenting execution of the law of Mega-City One. So bravo for the filmmakers in their unflinching translation.

Now for the sake of disclosure, while I am logging this in my list as 4/10 for personal subjective reasons. In an objective light, such as when discussing the merits or demerits of a work of adaptation, I will give it a resounding 10/10. If you read the Judge Dredd comics and recall wondering what it would be like to actually see it? You're in luck.

The fact that someone finally made a movie based on a comic book and yet restrained themselves from changing whatever they damn well pleased... it pleases me.

Cosmopolis (2012)

Based on a novel by Don Delillo concerning a billionaire businessman's trek through New York City in a limousine, this David Cronenberg adaptation was very good. I liked what I could grasp of it. However, all the existential stream-of-consciousness metaphors would have been easier to take with more Cronenbergian body horror involved. I guess he's graduated from that side of his filmmaking. Too bad, as it was my favorite aspect of his auterism.

I could decipher some of the dialogue and actions of the characters, but I'm afraid I'm too often lost with these kinds of writings. As far as film adaptations of idealistic novels go, I prefer non-figurative styles like Cloud Atlas. Nothing preachy, just a series of events and interactions that have higher related meaning. Too often novels/films like Cosmopolis simply seem pretentiously didactic. However I did finish the film feeling mentally stimulated.

Robert Pattinson surprised me by proving he's not a totally awful actor. He managed to not look completely out of his league with the other heavy hitters, though he still seemed to struggle on occasion.

Overall I liked it, which I primarily credit to Cronenberg.

 7/10.