Revelation #1: The New Star Trek trailer — Feels Like Any Other Sci Fi Movie, With Pointy Ears

I’ll admit, I’m no Trekkie. I used to watch the The Next Generation, I like Wrath of Khan just like everyone else, and I really enjoyed First Contact. Beyond that, I don’t get too fired up about the endless iterations of TV shows and decreasingly entertaining films. So it’s no surprise that when I saw the new trailer for JJ Abrams’ Star Trek, I was underwhelmed. I’m sure the movie will be entertaining, and kick this franchise back into gear, but I have no emotional attachment to the images I was seeing. There’s a young Kirk. There’s a young Spock looking exactly like Leonard Nimoy. There’s Simon Pegg with some wacky hair. But it feels like a standard Sci Fi movie, not a cornerstone of the Sci Fi genre. And why does young Kirk drive a car into a canyon, then say his full name to a robot? That’s the first image that’s supposed to pull us in?

Revelation #2: Go Rent Kung Fu Panda!

Wow, what a surprise. I was expecting Kung Fu Panda to be entertaining, but I didn’t realize how kick ass this movie actually would be. It doesn’t pander to kids, tells a good story that unfolds in fun, unexpected ways, and has a real heart to it. On top of that, the voice acting is pretty solid, even though the the Furious Five are underused (who knew a combo of Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, Angelina Jolie, and Lucy Liu could be so unasumming?). That’s okay though. This is Jack Black’s movie all the way, and he manages to make Po both sympathetic and hilarious. If you’re a fan of JB, you’ll love the way he makes the character his own. And how he says Spladoosh.

Revelation #3: Leatherheads is Every Bit as Exciting as the Trailers Suggest. (Translation: It’s Not.)

A screwball movie about the beginning of professional football doesn’t even seem like a thrilling idea on paper. And maybe if this movie was made 50 years ago, it would be considered a classic of sorts, but it wasn’t. It was made this year. I understand what George Clooney was going for, making a period piece that feels like it came straight from the era, with verbal sparring between Renee Zellweger and bar fights where the piano player keeps on playing. Unfortunately, it’s just not engaging. The big climax is supposed to happen during the big final matchup between Clooney and Jim from “The Office.” Supposed to happen. What happens? The announcers declare the game is “boring.” BORING! You know there’s a problem when even the people inside the movie are sick of its shenanigans.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 at 8:29 am and is filed under Film, Weekend Revelations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Revelation #1: The New Star Trek trailer — Feels Like Any Other Sci Fi Movie, With Pointy Ears

I’ll admit, I’m no Trekkie. I used to watch the The Next Generation, I like Wrath of Khan just like everyone else, and I really enjoyed First Contact. Beyond that, I don’t get too fired up about the endless iterations of TV shows and decreasingly entertaining films. So it’s no surprise that when I saw the new trailer for JJ Abrams’ Star Trek, I was underwhelmed. I’m sure the movie will be entertaining, and kick this franchise back into gear, but I have no emotional attachment to the images I was seeing. There’s a young Kirk. There’s a young Spock looking exactly like Leonard Nimoy. There’s Simon Pegg with some wacky hair. But it feels like a standard Sci Fi movie, not a cornerstone of the Sci Fi genre. And why does young Kirk drive a car into a canyon, then say his full name to a robot? That’s the first image that’s supposed to pull us in?

Revelation #2: Go Rent Kung Fu Panda!

Wow, what a surprise. I was expecting Kung Fu Panda to be entertaining, but I didn’t realize how kick ass this movie actually would be. It doesn’t pander to kids, tells a good story that unfolds in fun, unexpected ways, and has a real heart to it. On top of that, the voice acting is pretty solid, even though the the Furious Five are underused (who knew a combo of Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan, David Cross, Angelina Jolie, and Lucy Liu could be so unasumming?). That’s okay though. This is Jack Black’s movie all the way, and he manages to make Po both sympathetic and hilarious. If you’re a fan of JB, you’ll love the way he makes the character his own. And how he says Spladoosh.

Revelation #3: Leatherheads is Every Bit as Exciting as the Trailers Suggest. (Translation: It’s Not.)

A screwball movie about the beginning of professional football doesn’t even seem like a thrilling idea on paper. And maybe if this movie was made 50 years ago, it would be considered a classic of sorts, but it wasn’t. It was made this year. I understand what George Clooney was going for, making a period piece that feels like it came straight from the era, with verbal sparring between Renee Zellweger and bar fights where the piano player keeps on playing. Unfortunately, it’s just not engaging. The big climax is supposed to happen during the big final matchup between Clooney and Jim from “The Office.” Supposed to happen. What happens? The announcers declare the game is “boring.” BORING! You know there’s a problem when even the people inside the movie are sick of its shenanigans.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 at 8:29 am and is filed under Film, Weekend Revelations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.