Captain's Log, Stardate I don't know and I don't care anymore. We now have a new Star Trek movie, Star Trek Beyond, which now makes thirteen in this 50 year old franchise. It's a good present for the anniversary.
Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is halfway through his famous Five-Year Mission to explore the universe. The Enterprise sets port on the elaborate space station Yorktown. There, Kirk hopes to find some purpose in his life now that he's outlived his father, who died in Star Trek's opening scene. Meanwhile, Mr. Spock (Zachary Qunito) mourns himself from the future (Leonard Nimoy). That's when Kalara (Lydia Wilson) shows up.
Kalara's crew is stranded on planet Altamid, so the Enterprise sets out to help. They're greeted by the evil Krall (Idris Elba), who wrecks the Enterprise and takes a good chunk of the crew prisoner. The main crew is scattered across the planet they now want off. Mr. Scott (newly promoted co-writer Simon Pegg) meets Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), who has a way off the planet, the wrecked USS Franklin. They'll have to get going to stop Krall from using a MacGuffin weapon to wreck Yorktown.
As JJ Abrams left this Sci-Fi galaxy for another, Justin Lin sits in the director's chair. This couldn't be more different from the The Fast and the Furious franchise, but the results are still good. Pegg and co-writer Doug Jung give the Enterprise crew some time in the limelight and a formidable villain to face. Krall turns out to have more depth than he appears; you'll easily understand his motivations and goals. There were some issues with the story (Why does Krall need the MacGuffin when he has nigh-invincible ships?), but they were minor. The rapport between the crew made it worthwhile.
The visual aesthetic makes it another fun trip across the universe. The visual highlight is Yorktown, which is what a space-station by Escher would look like. That's the best I can describe it. It looks like a nice place to live. Meanwhile, Jaylah's hologram generator had several great uses, including camouflage and an army of Kirks. The starships, from the Enterprise to Krall's swarm, were great designs. And space hasn't looked this colorful since the poster to Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
There's a wide variety of exotic Aliens created by Makeup man Joel Harlow. Krall's makeup takes him across three different appearances, each progressively less Alien. One of the best designs was a redshirt (in blue) with crab-legs on the back of her head. The shriveled corpses of Krall's victims were also convincing. This is the kind of work that makes me wish Oscar's makeup category would expand to five nominees.
Star Trek Beyond is another great adventure with the classic crew. It's got a nice balance of action, humor, pathos and logic in one space-adventure. I definitely want to see this crew again, but it'll be weird without Anton Yelchin (Chekov), who died in a freak accident last month. Hopefully, they'll make a smooth transition in the next installment. What'll that be like?
About Me
- Jethrotcat
- This is the blog where I talk about the latest movies I've seen. These are my two Schnauzers, Rufus (left) and Marley (right, RIP). As of now, the Double Hollywood Strikes are officially over. May the next strikes not last as long as these ones did.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Friday, July 15, 2016
Ghostbusters
Ghostbusters is and forever one of the 80's greatest cinematic legacies. Its sequel, Ghostbusters II, was less so, but that didn't stop fans from wanting more. A video game reunited the Busters in 2009 and come 2014, such a reunion ain't possible anymore. Apparently, neither was recasting, which is why Columbia and Director Paul Feig started the franchise anew with a new team. This cinematic restart is also called Ghostbusters.
Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is a respected professor at Columbia University approaching tenure. But when a book she co-wrote, Ghosts from our Past, resurfaces, her academic future goes bleak. She gets asked to check out a haunted house thanks to the book, so Erin drags her co-author Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and Yates' tech savvy colleague Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) along. The trio get laughed out of their jobs, so they go into the paranormal investigation business. They get a fourth Buster, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), and a handsome doofus named Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) as their receptionist.
A janitor named Rowan North (Neil Casey) decides to bring on the apocalypse. His endgame is to draw in malevolent spirits to wreck New York and bully its people. Only the Ghostbusters, publicly dismissed by frauds by the Mayor (Andy Garcia), have the tools and the talent to postpone doomsday.
Let's get some issues out of the way. If they're dismissed as frauds, how are they supposed to have a business? Will they end up as Men in Black, shutting away the supernatural from public eyes? Or are they Spider-Man, hated by the media but loved by the public? What're they supposed to do? They didn't even have a plan to contain captured ghosts. A minor character from the start was funny, but grew annoying as his scene went on. Maybe the sequel will improve things.
Its cast keeps it from being "a disaster of biblical proportions." Wiig and McCarthy are likable as unlikely scientists; their arc to overcome their insecurities was a engrossing one. Jones, as Patty Tolan, isn't as loud as the advertisements suggest, and is instead, a formidable Buster. McKinnon makes for a fine scene-stealer as the giddy and eccentric Holtzmann. Casey, as Rowan, makes for a perfectly creepy villain. Hemsworth stands out best as the stupendously too dumb to live Kevin. There were even fun cameos by certain stars of the original film.
The technical department also delivered the goods. The Ghostbusters' equipment, whether redesigned classics or new gear, was pretty awesome. Their proton streams looked cool now as they did in 1984. The ghosts, who were created with or enhanced by CGI, were legitimately creepy. They can make a scene creepy by not being there, something the opening scene establishes. Slimer, the franchise's signature ghost, was the best of the bunch. Rowan's final ghost form was cool, especially the smaller cel-shaded version he assumes before going large. Those looking for a supernatural spectacular will get it.
Ghostbusters stands on its feet alongside the classic original. It's not perfect, but it's still funny and exciting on its own merits. It's not a chore to sit through; I never checked my phone clock once. It makes Bustin feel good.
Dr. Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) is a respected professor at Columbia University approaching tenure. But when a book she co-wrote, Ghosts from our Past, resurfaces, her academic future goes bleak. She gets asked to check out a haunted house thanks to the book, so Erin drags her co-author Dr. Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and Yates' tech savvy colleague Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon) along. The trio get laughed out of their jobs, so they go into the paranormal investigation business. They get a fourth Buster, Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones), and a handsome doofus named Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) as their receptionist.
A janitor named Rowan North (Neil Casey) decides to bring on the apocalypse. His endgame is to draw in malevolent spirits to wreck New York and bully its people. Only the Ghostbusters, publicly dismissed by frauds by the Mayor (Andy Garcia), have the tools and the talent to postpone doomsday.
Let's get some issues out of the way. If they're dismissed as frauds, how are they supposed to have a business? Will they end up as Men in Black, shutting away the supernatural from public eyes? Or are they Spider-Man, hated by the media but loved by the public? What're they supposed to do? They didn't even have a plan to contain captured ghosts. A minor character from the start was funny, but grew annoying as his scene went on. Maybe the sequel will improve things.
Its cast keeps it from being "a disaster of biblical proportions." Wiig and McCarthy are likable as unlikely scientists; their arc to overcome their insecurities was a engrossing one. Jones, as Patty Tolan, isn't as loud as the advertisements suggest, and is instead, a formidable Buster. McKinnon makes for a fine scene-stealer as the giddy and eccentric Holtzmann. Casey, as Rowan, makes for a perfectly creepy villain. Hemsworth stands out best as the stupendously too dumb to live Kevin. There were even fun cameos by certain stars of the original film.
The technical department also delivered the goods. The Ghostbusters' equipment, whether redesigned classics or new gear, was pretty awesome. Their proton streams looked cool now as they did in 1984. The ghosts, who were created with or enhanced by CGI, were legitimately creepy. They can make a scene creepy by not being there, something the opening scene establishes. Slimer, the franchise's signature ghost, was the best of the bunch. Rowan's final ghost form was cool, especially the smaller cel-shaded version he assumes before going large. Those looking for a supernatural spectacular will get it.
Ghostbusters stands on its feet alongside the classic original. It's not perfect, but it's still funny and exciting on its own merits. It's not a chore to sit through; I never checked my phone clock once. It makes Bustin feel good.
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
The Secret Life of Pets
I first saw the trailer for The Secret Life of Pets a year ago and saw it again throughout the year. Did I see the movie already? That's what it felt like. When the second trailer hit, I thought maybe I did. But let's see why that is...
Max the Dog loves his human, Katie. But Katie brings home Duke the big mutt. Max doesn't like Duke and Duke doesn't like that Max hates him. The next day, Duke drags Max into an alleyway, where mean cats steal their collars. Duke and Max get snatched by Animal Control and are saved by Snowball the Rabbit. Snowball is an abandoned pet who seeks to conquer the world with his Army of Misfit Pets.
Max and Duke quickly make enemies of Team Snowball and go on the run. They go to Brooklyn and bond during their incredible journey. Meanwhile, Max and Duke's pet neighbors, led by Gidget the White Pomeranian, set out to find them.
The premise, particularly Duke and Max's rivalry, makes it sound like Toy Story with Pets, and I thought it was once I saw the second trailer. But The Secret Life of Pets is not a direct copy of the older film. The characters and situations are developed differently in both films. Duke, as we find out, has a rough backstory hiding behind his lovable face. Buzz Lightyear didn't know he was a toy at first but Duke knew what would happen if he went back to the pound. So he is desperate to stay.
The film breezes along nicely during its 90 minutes. It's barely under the ten minute mark before Duke shows up. Max and Duke's adventures are quick and fun escapades for the kids. Snowball and his Pets aren't the threats they want to be, though they do impede Max twice during the climax. Still, there is a greater threat on the horizon: the possibility our heroes' owners will come home before them. What then?
The movie is set in an appealing rendition of New York City: bright, colorful and clean. I was surprised to find out the decent score was by Alexandre Desplat; I didn't recognize his musical style. The supporting animals come in many fun shapes and sizes. Their antics will certainly entertain the kids. As for me, Leonard the rocking poodle was awesome (too bad he doesn't speak). The film would've been better if we didn't first see many gags a year in advance.
The Secret Life of Pets is an appealing matinee for kids and fine for adults. There's no bite in their bark. Let's be grateful their bark wasn't any quieter. The fun starts off with Despicable Me's Minions in an amusing new short, Mower Minions. The film itself has a sneak-in ad for Illumination's next feature, Sing. That's on top of the more overt trailer you'll inevitably see.
Max the Dog loves his human, Katie. But Katie brings home Duke the big mutt. Max doesn't like Duke and Duke doesn't like that Max hates him. The next day, Duke drags Max into an alleyway, where mean cats steal their collars. Duke and Max get snatched by Animal Control and are saved by Snowball the Rabbit. Snowball is an abandoned pet who seeks to conquer the world with his Army of Misfit Pets.
Max and Duke quickly make enemies of Team Snowball and go on the run. They go to Brooklyn and bond during their incredible journey. Meanwhile, Max and Duke's pet neighbors, led by Gidget the White Pomeranian, set out to find them.
The premise, particularly Duke and Max's rivalry, makes it sound like Toy Story with Pets, and I thought it was once I saw the second trailer. But The Secret Life of Pets is not a direct copy of the older film. The characters and situations are developed differently in both films. Duke, as we find out, has a rough backstory hiding behind his lovable face. Buzz Lightyear didn't know he was a toy at first but Duke knew what would happen if he went back to the pound. So he is desperate to stay.
The film breezes along nicely during its 90 minutes. It's barely under the ten minute mark before Duke shows up. Max and Duke's adventures are quick and fun escapades for the kids. Snowball and his Pets aren't the threats they want to be, though they do impede Max twice during the climax. Still, there is a greater threat on the horizon: the possibility our heroes' owners will come home before them. What then?
The movie is set in an appealing rendition of New York City: bright, colorful and clean. I was surprised to find out the decent score was by Alexandre Desplat; I didn't recognize his musical style. The supporting animals come in many fun shapes and sizes. Their antics will certainly entertain the kids. As for me, Leonard the rocking poodle was awesome (too bad he doesn't speak). The film would've been better if we didn't first see many gags a year in advance.
The Secret Life of Pets is an appealing matinee for kids and fine for adults. There's no bite in their bark. Let's be grateful their bark wasn't any quieter. The fun starts off with Despicable Me's Minions in an amusing new short, Mower Minions. The film itself has a sneak-in ad for Illumination's next feature, Sing. That's on top of the more overt trailer you'll inevitably see.
Friday, July 8, 2016
The BFG
Roald Dahl had a way with words. Such words included Nibbleswicke, Gobblefunk, and the all important Scrumdidlyumptious. Dahl wrote books of these words, one of which was The BFG. It already received visual life in 1989 with an animated TV-movie. Now, it's received cinematic 3D life courtesy of Steven Spielberg.
Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is a London orphan under the barely-there Mrs. Clonker's thumb. One night, just after three, she stays up and sees a giant. The giant snatches her up and takes her to Giant Country. The Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance), aka The BFG, gives dreams to people. His neighbors, who have such appealing names as Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement), Bloodbottler, Bonecruncher, Gizzardgulper, Manhugger, Childchewer, Meatdripper, Maidmasher, and Butcher Boy, are much bigger than him. Therefore, they bully him.
The neighbor Giants smell Sophie, a "human bean," around the BFG. They eat "beans," so that's bad news for Sophie. Sophie implores the BFG to stand up to the bullies, but he won't. Perhaps some royal assistance is required...
The screenplay marks the final work of Melissa Mathison (ET: The Extra-Terrestrial), to whom the film is dedicated to. The sentimental mood is there, emphasized by an appropriate John Williams score. The plot is slow and questionable. The Giant took Sophie because she saw him. Even if someone believed her about Giants, she didn't know where they lived. Sophie was right. The story establishes the Neighbor giants as bullies, but their "bean eating" is regulated to offscreen villainy. That kind of lowers the threat level.
What makes the film work are its protagonists. Sophie knows what to do even if odds are against her. The BFG is a likable fellow full of amusing malapropisms, compassion and shyness. Their interactions bring out the best in them. It helps that a capable crew blended them together. The Giants were created with motion-capture; they look and feel as real as CGI humanoids can be. Production designers Rick Carter and Robert Stomberg created sets which convincingly blend real and CGI elements. You'd think the BFG's home was all CGI until you see otherwise. Anything less would've made Sophie and BFG's rapport fall apart at the seams.
The most amusing bits come when our heroes meet Queen Elizabeth II (Penelope Wilton) herself. The Queen's dry humor was most welcome and her breakfast with Sophie and the BFG was a great character set-piece. The Corgis were great just for being there.
The BFG is a good blend of Spielberg's sentimentality and Dahl's quirky humor. You won't be overwhelmed by either aspect during its 117 minutes. The characters will help you get through the slow pace. It's a real Whoopsey-splunkers time at the movies.
Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is a London orphan under the barely-there Mrs. Clonker's thumb. One night, just after three, she stays up and sees a giant. The giant snatches her up and takes her to Giant Country. The Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance), aka The BFG, gives dreams to people. His neighbors, who have such appealing names as Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement), Bloodbottler, Bonecruncher, Gizzardgulper, Manhugger, Childchewer, Meatdripper, Maidmasher, and Butcher Boy, are much bigger than him. Therefore, they bully him.
The neighbor Giants smell Sophie, a "human bean," around the BFG. They eat "beans," so that's bad news for Sophie. Sophie implores the BFG to stand up to the bullies, but he won't. Perhaps some royal assistance is required...
The screenplay marks the final work of Melissa Mathison (ET: The Extra-Terrestrial), to whom the film is dedicated to. The sentimental mood is there, emphasized by an appropriate John Williams score. The plot is slow and questionable. The Giant took Sophie because she saw him. Even if someone believed her about Giants, she didn't know where they lived. Sophie was right. The story establishes the Neighbor giants as bullies, but their "bean eating" is regulated to offscreen villainy. That kind of lowers the threat level.
What makes the film work are its protagonists. Sophie knows what to do even if odds are against her. The BFG is a likable fellow full of amusing malapropisms, compassion and shyness. Their interactions bring out the best in them. It helps that a capable crew blended them together. The Giants were created with motion-capture; they look and feel as real as CGI humanoids can be. Production designers Rick Carter and Robert Stomberg created sets which convincingly blend real and CGI elements. You'd think the BFG's home was all CGI until you see otherwise. Anything less would've made Sophie and BFG's rapport fall apart at the seams.
The most amusing bits come when our heroes meet Queen Elizabeth II (Penelope Wilton) herself. The Queen's dry humor was most welcome and her breakfast with Sophie and the BFG was a great character set-piece. The Corgis were great just for being there.
The BFG is a good blend of Spielberg's sentimentality and Dahl's quirky humor. You won't be overwhelmed by either aspect during its 117 minutes. The characters will help you get through the slow pace. It's a real Whoopsey-splunkers time at the movies.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
The Legend of Tarzan
I already looked at Edgar Rice Borough's second most-endearing creation, so now it's time for his most-endearing creation. Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, cinema star for almost 100 years. Here he is again with The Legend of Tarzan.
Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) was the Lord of the Apes, but now he's John Clayton, Earl of Greystoke. King Leopol of Belgium invites John to check out his "colony" in the Congo. George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson), sharpshooter and doctor, convinces John to say yes. Jane (Margot Robbie), Lady Greystoke, comes along too.
The King's invitation is a trap. The evil Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) wants to bring Tarzan to Chief Mbonga (Djimon Hounsou) who wants Tarzan's head. In exchange, Rom will get all the diamonds he wants. But Rom also wants slaves, something Williams wants to thwart. Lord Greystoke himself can thwart the villains if he becomes Lord of the Jungle once again.
David Yates, of the last four Harry Potter movies and its forthcoming prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, occupies the director's chair here. There's plenty of swinging and jumping across the Jungle by the apes and Tarzan. The cinematography by Henry Braham includes some formidable shots of Rom's opening confrontation with Mbonga's tribe. The apes are pretty good CGI creatures. The climactic stampede was a cool sequence.
But standing in its way is its development. It tells Tarzan's familiar origin in flashbacks spread across its 110 minutes. The Apes aren't given much development, except for his adoptive mother Kala and brother Akut. They're just there. Chief Mbonga and his tribe could've used more scenes to develop their grudge against Tarzan. Their first scene is their meeting with Rom, the second is where Tarzan fights Mbonga and tells them Rom is bad. The film's pacing is slow and its plot is thin. And I swear I could see the seems in some green-screen shots. It was hard to stay invested in all the tree-swinging.
The Legend of Tarzan tries to update its character to the 21st century, but this results in a typical blockbuster with style over substance. Everything old is still old in this installment. But I hope Fantastic Beasts will do better; at least JK Rowling herself did its screenplay.
Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) was the Lord of the Apes, but now he's John Clayton, Earl of Greystoke. King Leopol of Belgium invites John to check out his "colony" in the Congo. George Washington Williams (Samuel L. Jackson), sharpshooter and doctor, convinces John to say yes. Jane (Margot Robbie), Lady Greystoke, comes along too.
The King's invitation is a trap. The evil Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) wants to bring Tarzan to Chief Mbonga (Djimon Hounsou) who wants Tarzan's head. In exchange, Rom will get all the diamonds he wants. But Rom also wants slaves, something Williams wants to thwart. Lord Greystoke himself can thwart the villains if he becomes Lord of the Jungle once again.
David Yates, of the last four Harry Potter movies and its forthcoming prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, occupies the director's chair here. There's plenty of swinging and jumping across the Jungle by the apes and Tarzan. The cinematography by Henry Braham includes some formidable shots of Rom's opening confrontation with Mbonga's tribe. The apes are pretty good CGI creatures. The climactic stampede was a cool sequence.
But standing in its way is its development. It tells Tarzan's familiar origin in flashbacks spread across its 110 minutes. The Apes aren't given much development, except for his adoptive mother Kala and brother Akut. They're just there. Chief Mbonga and his tribe could've used more scenes to develop their grudge against Tarzan. Their first scene is their meeting with Rom, the second is where Tarzan fights Mbonga and tells them Rom is bad. The film's pacing is slow and its plot is thin. And I swear I could see the seems in some green-screen shots. It was hard to stay invested in all the tree-swinging.
The Legend of Tarzan tries to update its character to the 21st century, but this results in a typical blockbuster with style over substance. Everything old is still old in this installment. But I hope Fantastic Beasts will do better; at least JK Rowling herself did its screenplay.
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