Film News: "Unstoppable" Chris Pine, Silver Screen 50 Cent, and Because There Just Aren't Enough Remakes . . .

- It looks like Chris Pine is ready to capitalize on his newfound Star Trek fame. In addition to treading the boards with Chris Noth in Farragut North at LA's Geffen Playhouse later this month, the new Captain Kirk is in talks to costar with Denzel Washington in a new big screen action drama for Fox. Unstoppable would see Pine playing a rookie train engineer who has to work with with Washington to stop "an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train carrying enough combustible liquids and poisonous gas to wipe out a nearby city." [Hollywood Reporter]

- 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) seems to be taking his crossover to the big screen seriously. In addition to playing opposite Forest Whitaker in an upcoming adaptation of Jekyll and Hyde, 50 Cent is starring in the police corruption drama Caught in the Crossfire with Chris Klein, Adam Rodriguez and Richard T. Jones. 50 Cent "plays a gang-banger who becomes a reluctant informant." 50 and his production partner are also working on a third dramatic film with a starring role for the rapper. [Variety]

[bxA]- Three new costars have been added to the roster of Robert Pattinson's upcoming movie Remember Me, in which he plays a young man traumatized by his brother's suicide and parents' subsequent split. Emilie de Ravin (Lost) will portray a young women who witnessed her mother's death, but uses that trauma as motivation to live life to the fullest. Pierce Brosnan and Chris Cooper have also joined the cast, and Lena Olin is currently in negotiations. [MTV Movies Blog]

- Mary-Kate Olsen has joined the cast of Beastly as the young woman who puts the curse on Alex Pettyfer's character in a contemporary version of Beauty and the Beast. Olsen joins Vanessa Hugdens, whose leading role in the flick was reported on Pop Wenches in April. [E! Online]

- Speaking of contemporary versions, Emile Hirsch will star in an updated version of Hamlet directed by Twilight's Catherine Hardwicke. [Variety]

- Even more movie remakes have entered the pipeline. Columbia Pictures has commissioned a remake of the 1990 sci-fi action film Total Recall which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. Kurt Wimmer, whose credits include The Recruit and Salt (Angelina Jolie's upcoming film), will write the screenplay. Meanwhile, Dimension Films has tapped Robot Chicken and Greg the Bunny's Dan Milano to write the script for a remake of 1986's Short Circuit. Evidently "Johnny Number 5" really is alive. [Monsters and Critics][Variety]

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Movie Review: Star Trek

Warning: this review contains spoilers.

For Radhika's take on the new Star Trek movie, click here.
For Joia's Star Trek movie review, click here.


The creators of the new Star Trek movie had a tall order to fill: reboot and refresh an iconic franchise that seemed to be nearly out of steam, appeal to the notoriously devoted fanbase that put the "fan" in "fanatic," draw in an entirely new audience that hadn't previously been invested in the Trek franchise and produce a summer blockbuster movie. Thankfully J.J. Abrams and company succeeded spectacularly on all fronts!

For the general moviegoer, Star Trek is the full package -- a strong storyline with a balance of intense action sequences and engaging, growing character relationships along with wonderfully executed visual effects that keep you engrossed in the story instead of taking you out of it (yes, I'm looking at you, Wolverine).

I went to two Star Trek screenings — one at a regular theater where you could tell that the audience was comprised mostly of folks who were new to Trek and the second at an IMAX theater where there were a large number of serious Trek fans in the audience. (By the way, just getting to see different trailers for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince made paying extra for the IMAX experience completely worth it.) From the spontaneous cheers during both showings of the film and the applause that started as the end credits rolled across the screen, it was easy to tell that both audiences found a lot to love in the movie.
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Abrams and his cohorts played it smart by focusing on creating a strong story first and letting the action and the moments for the fans fall into place from there. As a longtime fan of the franchise, I appreciated how many Trek references were included and that they fit organically into the scenes and never felt forced. Non-fans might not realize why McCoy's comment that "all he's got left is his bones" is important or know that the color of the suit the crazy, skydiving chief engineer wore was significant, but neither did they have reason to stop and think "why did they just do something that made no sense?"

Even the set-up for the next Trek movie was handled skillfully. Every moviegoer understood that Pike's infection with a slug that attaches itself to the host's brainstem was bad news. Longtime fans who watched the Next Generation series saw that slug, shuddered and then had to pick their jaws up off the floor (while being thankful that creature effects have improved since 1988).

Most of all, I appreciate the conceit the writers used to set up this shiny new Star Trek universe. When handled badly, alternate timelines feel like cheats. By setting this retooled Star Trek in an alternate timeline however, the movie creators avoid dismissing all the Trek television series and movies that came before (a move sure to anger fans) and provide an implied, feasible excuse for the differences between the new Enterprise and its crew and the one that was made famous by Shatner, Nimoy and company.

And speaking of the actors, the new crew couldn't have been more impressive. The only performance that felt a little bit like an imitation of its predecessor came, surprisingly enough, from silver screen veteran Karl Urban. As much as I like Urban onscreen and him as Dr. McCoy, there was something about his line delivery that made me feel like he was playing DeForest Kelly playing Dr. McCoy.

Chris Pine, however, gave Kirk the familiar cocky swagger and eye for the ladies, but successfully made the distinctive, iconic character completely his own. Zachary Quinto absolutely nailed the role of Spock. From the Vulcan's contained, intense energy to the famous eyebrow quirk, Quinto became Spock without ever becoming a caricature of the character. Quinto should also receive special recognition for delivering the line "live long and prosper" and, with the most subtle of inflections, turning it into the biggest bird to ever be flipped at a Vulcan council.

Leonard Nimoy's presence in the film allowed the torch to be passed to the new crew with class and dignity. Hearing the brittleness of the venerable actor's voice made me all too aware that two of the original Trek cast have already passed away and made me even more glad that this film has given us a "new" crew of the Enterprise who seem well equipped to carry on the franchise's legacy.

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Confessions of a Star Trek virgin

Warning: spoilers ahead.

The X-Files, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Star Wars, and (more recently) Doctor Who — these are all the sci-fi TV and movie franchises I've been able to get into over the years. But for some reason, unlike my fellow bloggers here at Pop Wenches, I could never get into Star Trek. For one thing, I didn't know where to begin with all the spin-offs and movies. And frankly, I could never get into the random episodes I caught here and there. I knew enough about Star Trek to understand pop culture references, but I decided to leave it at that.

Then J.J. Abrams, who recently admitted he was never much of a Trekkie, came along and decided to give the series a bit of a reboot with a new movie. And suddenly, I found myself excited about the cast, especially Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, and Karl Urban. When I saw the trailer, I figured I didn't really need to know much more than I did about Star Trek, so I decided that I would check out the movie. And I actually wound up seeing it early this past Friday.

Readers, I have a confession to make: I loved every minute of it. Sure there were some plot holes here and there, and sure aspects of it were a little formulaic. But you know what else? It was fun, and not the crappy kind of fun movies like Wolverine and Constantine have been for me. (What? We all have our guilty pleasures). It was a classic space adventure with a lovely blend of wisecracks and serious moments, and a cast that made me wish I were onboard the Enterprise.[bxA]

Here are some of the things I enjoyed:

• The casting, which excited me the most, did not disappoint. I've been tired of seeing Sylar on Heroes, but I really enjoyed seeing Zachary Quinto play Spock. And I especially enjoyed the interaction between different characters, during both serious and slapstick moments. (I couldn't stop laughing at the "Stop it!" exchange between Kirk and McCoy when the latter kept following Kirk around to give him a shot in the neck every couple of minutes). John Cho's Sulu and Anton Yelchin's Chekov were also a ton of fun to watch. It was also a treat to see Simon Pegg as "Scotty" — you could tell he was enjoying playing the part.

• The action sequences were tons of fun, and the visuals were lovely (lens flares and all). These are just the sorts of things you need for a summertime action flick, and I felt all of this was done so much better than it was in last week's Wolverine. The scenery was lovely too — I really enjoyed what we got to see of Vulcan (until its demise).

• I actually did get emotional over certain aspects of the storyline. I found myself tearing up during Kirk's father's death (early in the film), and I also felt sad for Spock when he saw his mother die in front of his eyes. 

• Interestingly enough, the parts that had me feeling the most verklempt were those featuring Leonard Nimoy. Despite not being an actual Star Trek fan, I have to admit that so much of Star Trek has seeped into pop culture over the years, that it's hard to deny how iconic the original actors were. I actually gasped at Nimoy's first proper appearance, and I cheered on the inside when we finally got to see him stand face to face with Quinto's Spock. It was fun to see the metaphorical torch get passed along...

• ... and it was also fun to see Nimoy's Spock poke a little fun at the whole "rip in the space/time continuum" trope that is so rampant in the sci-fi/comics/fantasy genres. 

As previously mentioned, I will admit that there were some gaps in the plot, and Nero was a bit of an idiot at times. And maybe there were some elements that purists were not happy to see (I've seen some people complain about this alternate timeline even though I have gathered that Star Trek is one of those franchises that has always seemed to mess with different timelines). But as someone new to the franchise, I have to say that it was a successful reboot from my point of view. I actually find myself wanting to sit down and watch some of the original series, while checking out some of the spin-offs as well. In fact, after the movie was over, I found myself curious to learn more about Vulcans, Romulans and the Starfleet Academy.

I also had another thought, and I'm not sure if it's something that has occurred to everyone who watched and enjoyed the movie. But even though I was never a Trekker or a Trekkie to begin with, there was something truly comforting about seeing Star Trek on the big screen in today's world. It's no secret that the world is a mess right now. And in times of distress (such as during the Great Depression), people often find comfort in certain forms of entertainment. Star Trek has been around for decades, and seeing it brought back to life — revitalized with some twists added to an old formula featuring an iconic group of characters — was oddly comforting for someone like me. It was nice to sit in that theater, alongside longtime fans, and bond over a world where someone may bid you to "Live long and prosper."

At this point, I can honestly say that I'm looking forward to whatever may be next for Star Trek.

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Movie Review: A Trekkie's Answered Prayer!

Hailing frequencies open!! Incoming message from the Alpha Quadrant. J.J. Abrams (Lost, Mission Impossible 3) has taken an iconic sci fi series and successfully beamed new life into it with his new Star Trek movie! He has created an innovative, high speed and sexy new Trek all the while keeping true to the essence of the classic one. Not an easy task when trying to please both long time fans (like yours truly) and new comers alike.

Abrams' most notable home run decision was to cast actors based on their star quality and not their star power. By doing this, he maintains two important elements in Trek lore: the main characters and their relationship developments. The most important relationship being the one between James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his counterpart Mr. Spock (Zachary Quinto). Pine shines in his portrayal of the youthful Kirk with his arrogant, skirt-chasing ways one minute to the subtle signs of vulnerability and even fear the next. But never does he deliver a lame imitation of the commander made famous by William Shatner. Quinto, too, gives an amazing performance as the young Spock as one witnesses his struggle with his Vulcan and human sides all the while trying to maintain his own assuredness and authority.

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It is anything but friendship at first sight when these two men meet for the first time at the renowned Starfleet Academy. But friction aside, they team up on the newly built starship Enterprise against the villainous Romulan Nero (Eric Bana), who has traveled from the future to exact revenge on Starfleet and Mr. Spock for the destruction of his home world.

What is a ship without it's crew? Whether as a collective or in their own scene stealing moments, the remaining cast is nothing if not remarkable. Zoe Saldana, as Communications officer Uhura, is not only sassy and strong as a Starfleet cadet but also in her dealings with Kirk and Spock. Karl Urban as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy and Simon Pegg as engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott infuse just the right amount of comic relief without being campy or trite. Urban and Pegg are spot on with not just the vernacular of their alter egos but their mannerisms as well. Even in Abrams' Trek, such things are sacred. Anton Yelchin as fresh-faced, junior officer Russian Pavel Chekov, proves how he earned his seat on the bridge. And John Cho shows everyone that helmsman Hikaru Sulu is more than just a pilot when he and Kirk have a showdown in a fantastic fight sequence with a couple of Romulan baddies. Above all, special recognition must be bestowed upon Leonard Nimoy who reprises his role as the elder Spock. He demonstrates why he was the perfect choice of the original series cast to play the "bridge" that connects the old with the new.

Star Trek will definitely keep the rapt attention of the geek and non-geek viewer. The components most responsible for that are the mind-blowing special effects. Abrams spared no expense with the top notch FX artistry seen in this film. It can hardly be argued that from the opening sequence to the last face off between the Enterprise and Nero's menacing warship Narada, there is a constant visual feast for the eyes. Even when the movie's plot drags, which happens slightly mid-way, the audience is never visually bored. Want to really heighten your viewing experience? Go see this movie in an IMAX theater if you can!

With the assistance of his screen writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, J.J. Abrams has created a movie that not only earns its place in the history of the Star Trek universe, but also ushers the franchise into a new era. With such a hit on his hands, what could Mr. Abrams possibly do next? A sequel to this fascinating prequel, logically. Hailing frequencies closed!

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Star Trek @ WonderCon 2009

The Star Trek movie panel was one of Saturday's highlights at this year's WonderCon. We knew that "a special guest" would be attending for the panel and it was pretty easy to guess that it would probably be J.J. Abrams. It was also pretty easy to guess that some of the cast members would probably be rounding out the panel -- it was just a question of who. After a really energetic intro, J.J. brought out his fellow exec producers/writers Roberto Orci and Bryan Burk and Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock). The fans, of course, were thrilled!

(Apologies for the less-than-stellar video quality -- all the people walking around wreaked havoc on my camera's light sensor during this panel.)

We got to see the brand new trailer for the movie and it was incredible. I wasn't the only one in the audience who got chills watching it. They imploded a planet in the trailer. Imploded a planet in a matter of seconds. They also showed Kirk on the losing end of a bar fight during a clearly misspent time in his youth before he joined Starfleet Academy. The trailer included the moment when Kirk first takes command of the Enterprise. Bones (aka: Dr. McCoy) says that there's no one qualified to take over the captain's role (the context seemed to be that the original Enterprise captain--Captain Christopher Pike, perhaps?-- had been killed during a battle). Kirk replies that yes, there is, and the next shot we see is him taking his place in the "big chair" for the first time.

[Edited to add that the trailer is online now at http://www.startrekmovie.com/]

If the new stars of the Trek franchise were overwhelmed or (not unreasonably) terrified by the thousands of devoted fans who came to see them at WonderCon, they did a great job of hiding those feelings. JJ and Chris were especially appreciative and respectful, with JJ buttering up the audience with a well-worded soundbyte about how he knows Trek fans are smart enough to understand that the movie has to appeal to both them and the uninitiated to successfully reboot the 40+ year old franchise. It might have been a good soundbyte to get out there, but it's also a smart one that makes sense.

More pics and video from the panel below--including JJ and Chris performing a live "Star Trek Rap!"

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