Tagged: into the darkness
Black Trekkies, I’m Looking For You!
We just turned 1 year old! Woot! Hosting the blog has been a fun, creative outlet so far. It turns out that “Black Trekkies” is the top search term that is leading people to find the Black Trekkie blog. I knew we were out there! And, it appears that we are searching for one another. It’s been a fun year and we have bigger and better things planned for the future.
SO…if you happen onto this blog and find it funny and/or interesting, become a guest poster. If you just want to hang, leave a comment and subscribe.
I’d love to have more activity on the blog and offering alternative insights into the Trek would be great. And, please post comments and follow Black Trekkie. Every click gets us a little closer to the Delta Quadrant. Just kidding, it just lessens the distance between us.
We can even have an awesome Gorn/Kirk-style play fight. We’ll figure out what the fight was about later. Keep checking in, I’m looking to hear from you!
Reasons Why You Need to Go See Star Trek Into Darkness, Even if You’re Not a Trekkie
So, the numbers are in on “Star Trek Into Darkness” and they aren’t as good as the opening for Iron Man 3. Come on, y’all. Was I the only one who saw the dreck that was Iron Man 3? It was like cold pizza; in fact, it was like cold, 10 for $10 pizza. And, Iron Man didn’t even do half of the upfront trailers and promotion that Star Trek did! Iron Man couldn’t have been more accessible to the masses than this Star Trek. Maybe, it was because people love Robert Downey, Jr? But, let’s face it; for all my critique of “Star Trek Into Darkness,” it was still a muuuuuuuch better movie.
Did Paramount get it wrong by doing all these sneak previews and opening internationally first? I think so. The international opening is less of an issue than the sneak previews. It seemed like people were seeing the movie a week before it opened and I think that made people forget what weekend it actually opened. After seeing all these reviews pop up, I had to check to see whether I had missed the opening. Yes, ME, Captain Jackson. So, you know if I almost missed it, people who didn’t care definitely missed it. I think the studio also screwed up on basic playground psychology– people like to be first and, if they can’t be first, they lose interest. After seeing all these reviews and feeling like they weren’t in the in-crowd, a lot of people who were looking forward to the movie probably said, “Eh, I’ll get around to it.”
We can’t discount the fact that, despite having the same rating, Iron Man seems like a much more family friendly movie. Do you want to have to explain death to your children after seeing Star Trek or do you want to explain all of Tony Stark’s sexual innuendos to the kiddos? Toss up. I hadn’t thought about it, but does anyone actually die in Iron Man? The reboot of Star Trek didn’t have to be like this, but I guess that was a calculated decision by the studio. I wonder if they regret it a bit now. Here’s why you have to see Star Trek anyway:
Nerds lose. And, we have to win. Arguably, Tony Stark is one of the smartest people alive, but his persona is much about self-interest, bling, and glitz. He doesn’t really know how to work in a team. Even though he has renounced his ‘lord of war’ ways, he still has all the treasure that came from that life. Star Trek is about teamwork. The team is ordinary, not of any extraordinary superpower or superintellect; they work harder. That’s the secret sauce in the Star Trek Universe and real life.
The Onion Review of Star Trek Into Darkness
Ok, read my review below and, then, watch this video. Black Trekkie has a good sense of humor and I totally resemble the Onion’s remarks.
http://v.theonion.com/onionmedia/videos/videometa/206/zen_webm.webm
Spoiler kinda, but you’ll want to know.
I have been debating whether to share this or not, but I decided to go ahead and put this out there.
*If you have seen the trailers, you have basically seen “Into Darkness”.*
I was actually pretty shocked by this when I saw the entire movie. I wish they hadn’t shown quite so much and they weren’t as much trailers as they were entire snips of the movie.
I’m listing them below, BUT, if you haven’t seen a trailer for a few weeks, then don’t watch them before going to see the movie. Ok?
Spoiler-Free Star Trek Into Darkness Review: I came, I saw, I conquered
Truth is, Captain Jackson is getting a little long in the tooth. Yes, kiddos, I can’t hang for the midnight shows anymore. The last midnight show I went to see was the Avengers and I was drrraaaaaaaaaagggggin’ (onomatopoeia, I’ve been dying to use that word). So, I posed this question to my fellow Geek friend; we’ll call her Java since she’s in the Trekness Protection Program. The convo went like this:
Captain: Should I go to the midnight showing of Star Trek? Java: I don’t know. Captain: I can’t hang like I used to, but I want to be around real fans and they go to the midnight show. Java: Well, I’ve met this new guy and we’re going out of town this weekend. I have two passes to a screening tonight. Captain: That’s great about the new guy! Are you saying you’re not going to the screening? Java: Yes, I’m not. I’ve got to start getting ready for this trip. Do you want them? Captain: Hell yes (read: whatchu talkin’ bout, Willis) Java: Ok. Here’s the code. Captain: I just called to say I love you!Now, as you can see, there were a few problems with this conversation. We were halfway in before she mentioned having passes. lol. But, she came through and I was so stoked to go! Thanks, Java!
So, on to the movie. I counted 18 black people and lots of other people of color (and a bunch of aliens)! Good job, J.J.! Not many speaking roles, but much better than the last movie and loads better than the previous movies.
Captain’s Log: Wayment, how did I not see this coming?!?
How did I never think of this? So, the latest rumor about Benedict Cumberbatch’s John Harrison is that he is actually Khaaaaaan! But, reading some of the reviews coming out, I am starting to think that he might actually be a Klingon augment!
If you’ll remember the DS9 send-up to the Original Series, Trials and Tribble-ations, Worf was asked why Klingons in the Original Series didn’t have cranial ridges. He said they did not speak of it with outsiders. So, maybe, John Harrison is the beginning of the enmity between Klingons and the Federation?
I’m not big time enough to get special screening tickets, but we will know if a few days! Can’t wait!
EDIT: Well, that was fast. I just checked the IMDB page for the film. John Harrison is playing my favorite villain!
Captain’s Log: Saw the first 9 minutes of Star Trek Into Darkness
Spoiler alert: But, you’re so smart that you already knew that…
So, my dear friend paid for us to go see The Hobbit in IMAX 3D. I am terribly appreciative because I nearly pulled out an old Chris Rock skit when I saw how much it was. “Good Lawd! Can I just get one 3D lens and pay $7.50.” I wear glasses and wearing two pair at once is terribly uncomfortable and 3D makes the film darker. IMHO, the only reason to go see The Hobbit in IMAX 3D is to see the Star Trek preview. So, here’s my take on it:
First, any follower of this blog knows that I want to see more diversity in these reboots. The future is surely going to have more black and brown people in it than we see in the shows and movies. Star Trek has been such a progressive force for good in our collective psyche, so my hope is that these reboots will continue to blaze trails. I was pleased to see the long-form trailer begin with the gentleman below. I have no idea who he is or what his role will be in the movie, but I was glad to see him and his wife.
Color me a little worried about the movie from what I saw in the trailer, I’m just not getting it yet- we have the love story between Uhura and Spock clearly taking a more important role, the crew clearly gets into some Prime Directive mess on Nibiru, Admiral Pike dresses down Kirk over some risky action, and it appears San Francisco takes a beating. Because Dr. Carol Marcus is in the movie, we know that there is some sort of connection to the Wrath of Khan. We know Benedict Cumberbatch is playing a terrorist of epic proportions and he has said that he hopes the audience will empathize with the character somehow. I’m anticipating a whole backstory on Eugenics and augments. How the heck is Damon Lindelof going to fit all of that into one good screenplay and how will J.J. edit it down? I just don’t know. But, ooh, I hope they don’t mess up. I personally lightweight hated Lost and found the storytelling in Alias to get quite clumsy, so I just don’t want them to try to do too much at once.
Here’s hoping!?!
Oh and what was with Spock striking the “accepting death with open arms” pose in the volcano?!? Melo0000000000drama, anyone? I was glad it was dark in the theater so no one could see the mean side-eye I gave. My Spock wouldn’t do this:
- Photo credit: ONTD-Star Trek.
Captain’s Log: Update- Benedict Cumberbatch is not Khan…
So, anytime I mention the name, Benedict Cumberbatch, people say, “Daaaaamn!” It’s such an impressive name. You better be good at whatever you do with a name like that. The word on the street is that he’s just that, so I’m looking forward to seeing him in this film.
Anyways, he debunked the rumor that he is going to play Khan in the May 17, 2013 film Star Trek Into the Darkness. I’m fine with that; I honestly don’t think anyone could deliver as iconic a performance as Ricardo Montalban did in the original. Cumberbatch will play a character named John Harrison, no backstory on the character yet.
Update: There’s the scene in which Spock makes the vulcan salute to someone on the other side of a glass. This is an obvious sendup to Wrath of Khan, but I actually think that it is the villain on the other side of the glass. Whether Spock and the villain develop some sort of friendship during the movie or had some sort of prior relationship, I don’t know yet. We’ll see.
Photo Credit: NY Daily News.
Captain’s Log:The New Star Trek Trailer Is Up!!!!
So, I held my breath for 1.06 minutes while the official trailer was playing! Squeee! I’m so excited, but I must calm down because we have a few months to go yet. I have been hearing that Benedict Cumberbatch is a great actor and the bee’s knees over in the UK, so I am excited to see him as the villain in this movie. It appears that he has some sort of augmented strength or other ability and some very big weapons. Some people think he will play Gary Mitchell and some think that he will be playing Khan. I can’t tell yet, but I’m leaning toward Mitchell. Who knows, he may be a completely new character.
I’ve seen some other critical reviews of the trailer that are concerned that the new Star Trek movie will be action-heavy and villain-focused. That is precisely why I enjoyed TOS and TNG and disliked DS9 and Voyager’s later seasons. I want action and a complex villain that I can dissect! There was no reasoning with Nero (Eric Bana) in the first film; he was relentless and that was his strength. Come to think of it, maybe Eric Bana should have been Bane in TKDR instead of Tom Hardy.
Chris Pine just doesn’t age–you know, I think he has done a very good job as a young Kirk. I wasn’t convinced at first.
Oh and the future doesn’t look very diverse in J.J. Abrams view. I counted 3 brown faces after watching again; Uhura, Sulu, and a screaming unnamed extra. Reading the Star Trek wiki, I just learned that J.J. Abrams was concerned about casting a Korean person as Sulu (a Japanese person), but George Takei gave him the go ahead. I wish someone would have asked me about casting Zoe Saldana as Uhura. I still think that casting was pretty wrong, but she has done an alright job in the role. Kerry Washington would have been truer to form, but oh well.
Alas, here’s hoping that the actual movie is a bit more diverse. J.J., I hope you’re listening. You have a real opportunity here.
Captain’s Log: New Star Trek Movie Update!
It’s been a long time, I shouldn’t have left you… If you’re anything like me, and I know you are, you hate when things come out of the gate strong and then fizzle. So sorry, I’m still trying to decide the direction of this blog. Keep checking.
So, you guys know how excited I am about the upcoming Star Trek movie? Well, I have an update with the official synopsis for the movie (via IMDB):
In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness.
When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis.
With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.
As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.
And, it gets even better! J.J. Abrams is going to release 9 minutes of the film to whet your appetite before the Hobbit film. It appears this will only be available for IMAX 3D, so ante up and pay extra.
Woot!
Here’s a hilarious interview of J.J. Abrams on Conan O’Brien. He shows three frames of the movie.
Black Trekkie 