Rebooting of Old Franchises I'm rarely a purist. So when Christopher Nolan took to reinventing Batman I was not bothered. The previous evolution of the franchise relied heavily on the cartoonish and campy aspects of the TV series. It's either your cup of tea or not, but the whole thing quickly degenerated into silliness. After Batman and Robin it seemed to be over for good. Then came Batman Begins and pulled it all back from death and ridicule, with its darkly menacing interpretation, and Christian Bale in the title role, dark and sleek like the movie itself. Then came Bond. The moth-eaten suave of yesteryears was replaced Daniel Craig prowling and pouncing like a jungle cat. And now it's Star Trek's turn. JJ Abrams' version is nothing like the previous Trekkie movies. It's spiffy shiny new and kicks the dust and the mothballs out of the old franchise.
I don't envy Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, the writers charged with the script of Star Trek. They had to (re)introduce the entire crew, give them all something to do, give at least the two main characters some back story, and even have an actual plot, and have it all moving at such a rip-roaring pace that they viewer doesn't have the chance to ponder over the inevitable plot holes, leaps of logic, and junk science. Star Trek could have easily gone horribly wrong, but instead it all falls neatly in place; the plot is suspenseful and moves along briskly, the special effects do their job admirably and without drawing undue attention to themselves, and it's all jolly good fun. There are only a few fumbles and they are easily forgivable. While the movie has a general prequel quality due to the crew being mcuh younger than their TV series counterparts at their start, in actuality it is taking place in an alternate time line, created by unintended time travel at the start of the movie. This clever ploy gives the creators just enough freedom. Instead of having to maneuver precariously around previously established events, they can focus on the primal essence of their universe. One of the main elements that remain in place is the personalities of the crew, and the casting is remarkably successful. Chris Pine delivers Kirk's trademark swagger, but he also manages to infuse it with a bit of boyish charm. There are also subtle hints that his bravado might be part concealment, and that he is not entirely without humility. Perhaps we'll see some character development from him in the next movie.
Not surprisingly however, the real star of the show is Zachary Quinto's Spock. Lot has been made of Spock's newfound sexyness, declaring it as a sign of "geek cool," but the truth is that Spock has always been the more alluring of the two. In contrast to Kirk's naked machismo, he is the archetypal romantic male lead. Let's face it, Spock is Mr. Darcy - seemingly cold and unfeeling, but revealed to be deep and passionate. Watching Quinto as Spock is a deeply satisfying experience. The rest of the crew also fit in their roles nicely, doing what they can to distinguish themselves in the limited screen time they have. At one point Karl Urban hams it up just a bit too much, as McCoy, but Simon Pegg as Scotty shines a bit brighter than the others. All in all, Star Trek is jolly good escapist fun.
Life In Pink...
(June 30, 2007) made about her. Piaf is not that well known in the States these days, but in France she is, even now, almost half a century dead, a national icon. It's a daunting challenge to make movies about the lives of such figures. Dahan chose to forego the the conventional linear narrative, the picture book type of biography that is so liable to suffer from sagging narrative. Instead he gives us a whirlwind of flashbacks and flashforwards through the short, but tumultuous life of Piaf. The film moves at a brisk pace and leaves out many parts and lovers of Piaf's life, skipping over even WWII. It really doesn't serve at all as retelling the story of Piaf's life, rather distilling it, just as furiously alternating between highs and lows as she did. It is dramatic and emotional, and is likely to sweep up the viewer. Cotillard brilliantly portrays the petite, fragile singer with big personality, brash temperament and immense voice. Her Piaf is gawky, passionate and explosive. Her immersing performance alone makes the film worth watching.
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