Re: Star Trek XI

602
I don't much care for the design either. However, it was the official poster art, and as such, I approve of its use on the video. It's so common any more to keep coming up with an endless parade of images to huckster people into buying it.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

605
Will he ever see it? From TrekMovie:
Time.com Interview – Shat says no to Abrams Star Trek screening
Reporter M.J. Stephey interviews the Shat for Time Magazine Online, with behind the scene information on his recent Conan O’Brien appearances and he shares this when asked if he has seen the new Star Trek film yet: I haven’t. Abrams sent me a message through the Web — what was it, Twittered me? No. YouTubed me? No, what has he done? E-mailed me. He e-mailed me saying he heard that I hadn’t seen the movie and he’d set up a private screening, and I declined the private screening and told him I’d buy him dinner
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

607
I guess at least he doesn't have hard feelings, or terminally hard feelings, or at least doesn't want to seem like he has hard feelings, since he offered to buy Abrams dinner.

I wonder if he'd be any happier about this if they had approached him about, and he had done, the birthday greeting scene.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

608
Well, this is more like it, as gift sets go. More pix at http://trekmovie.com/2009/08/28/amazon- ... e-replica/ (our *&$#@! software kept telling me I was limited to posting 4 pix, which I already knew, and which I had limited the post to, but also told me I had 6 pix!) Anyway:

Amazon Limited Exclusive Star Trek Movie Blu-ray Set To Include USS Enterprise Replica

In November JJ Abrams new Star Trek movie comes out on DVD and Blu-ray, but there will also be additional special editions. We have already announced the Best Buy Blu-ray Gift set with badges and today it was announced Amazon will have a special limited edition Blu-ray set which comes with an Enterprise replica model. TrekMovie has exclusive details and high res images below.


Amazon Exclusive Star Trek Blu-ray set with Enterprise Replica
The new Amazon exclusive Blu-ray set is now the ultimate collectible for the Fall, with only 5000 of the limited sets being sold. With your three disk Blu-ray set with digital copy, you get an 8.5 inch replica USS Enterprise made of solid metal with chrome, textured steel and pewter finishes. The replica contains no plastic and weighs over a pound.

Image
The replica is being made by QMx, who are also making the Artisan Studio-scale replicas of the Enterprise. They designed the Amazon exclusive replica from the same digital effects files used for the movie. QMx’s Andy Gore tells TrekMovie "we wanted to really raise the bar on metal work for this one, and we turned everything up to 11."
The Star Trek Limited Edition Replica Gift Set (Three-Disc + Digital Copy) (Amazon Exclusive) [Blu-ray] will be released on November 17th and costs $90.99. It comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by QMx and ILM’s Roger Guyett, as well as some other bonus materials. You can pre-order it now at Amazon.
Image
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

609
US-centric of course, though they do e xp lain why. However, Canada is not mentioned though it doesn't bother me because I wouldn't waste time going to see it anyway. Looks like people overseas have more sense, judging by the numbers posted:

Star Trek" Gets US IMAX Re-Release


Image
Paramount's "Star Trek" will be re-released in nearly 100 Imax locations on Friday reports Variety.
The reboot of the classic franchise has pulled together nearly $260 million since its opening in early May, making it the fifth highest grossing film of the year thus far domestically.
However its standard month-long IMAX run was cut in half due to IMAX's commitment to screen Fox's "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian."
With 'Museum', 'Transformers' and 'Harry Potter' having finished their IMAX runs, the schedule is now clear for 'Trek' to have two weeks of IMAX play. The film's DVD/Blu-ray release is scheduled for November.
Though it fared a lot better than previous 'Trek' films have, the movie's foreign box-office tally sits at $126 million - one of the lowest tallies of this Summer's tentpoles.
As a comparison "Harry Potter" and "Ice Age 3" made four times as much overseas, "Transformers 2" more than three times as much, "Angels and Demons" nearly three times as much, and "Terminator Salvation" twice as much.
Thus sadly those of us living outside the US shouldn't e xp ect an IMAX re-release in our territories (although Hong Kong may be doing such a release).
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

610
[quote=""Valkrist""] Looks like people overseas have more sense, judging by the numbers posted.[/quote]

I wouldn't draw too many conclusions from those numbers. Trek has never done all that well outside the US. Apparently there's just something too American about the concept for it to translate well. And of the movies mentioned that did better this summer, Angels and Demons was completely forgettable except for silliness, and Terminator Salvation was the weakest of the T movies this far.

We can gripe that it wasn't really Star Trek (and I'm with you there) but purely as entertainment it was head and shoulders above A&D or TS. Just IMHO, of course! ;)
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

611
Not seen A&D yet, but honestly, I enjoyed and much prefer TS over this last Trek. By a mile. And though it is a topic for another thread, I would place TS in third place in the Terminator movies, above T3.

Just my two cents. ;)

Back to Trek itself though, what does that say for the concept of an united humanity e xp loring space in the future, when the international community disassociates itself so much with Trek throughout its history?

For all its attempts to embrace a multicultural and unified ideal, and disregarding for a moment the fact that it is an merican production, what is it about Trek that makes it fail overseas? Is there too much 'americanism' in it? TOS just about beat you over the head with some American concepts, but they steered away from that in the latter shows, thankfully. Yet, even now, with all the 'JJ is god' hoopla, history repeats itself. Why?
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

612
[quote=""Valkrist""] Back to Trek itself though, what does that say for the concept of an united humanity e xp loring space in the future, when the international community disassociates itself so much with Trek throughout its history?

For all its attempts to embrace a multicultural and unified ideal, and disregarding for a moment the fact that it is an merican production, what is it about Trek that makes it fail overseas? Is there too much 'americanism' in it? TOS just about beat you over the head with some American concepts, but they steered away from that in the latter shows, thankfully. Yet, even now, with all the 'JJ is god' hoopla, history repeats itself. Why?[/quote]

Good questions. One possibility is that part of Trek's vision was different races pulling together under one banner for the greater good. Sort of a galactic UN. And overseas, there's a certain measure of sentiment that the UN is nothing more than a tool of the US. That of course is very ironic, because here, at least among the right-wingers, the UN is viewed as a tool of interests that want to destroy the US.

Also, there are still plenty of places in the world where people don't live under any semblance of democracy, and don't understand it. That probably also makes Trek play poorly.

You grew up in Portugal. What was the perception of Trek there? Was it even on anyone's radar?
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

613
[quote=""Valkrist""]I enjoyed and much prefer TS over this last Trek. By a mile. And though it is a topic for another thread, I would place TS in third place in the Terminator movies, above T3. ;) [/quote]

I suppose that my e xp ectations for Terminator were higher than they were for the new Star Trek. We had pretty much pre-analyzed to death the prospects for Trek's quality and decided it would not be "our" Star Trek, but against my better judgment, I still had high e xp ectations for Terminator.

Based on just a single viewing of each, I think I would say that Terminator was better. However, I subsequently saw Star Trek a couple more times, and e xp ectations suitably adjusted, I liked it much better than my first viewing, and I guess better than Terminator.

Make no mistake. When I first came out of Star Trek, I was shell-shocked and not in a good way. We had figured the story would rub us the wrong way, and I thought I was prepared to accept it for what it was...and to some extent, I did. But what got me, that I wasn't anticipating, was how just everything else about it was not "my" Star Trek. The look was totally different from all previous Treks, and not just because Abrams used that lens flare gimmick ad nauseum. They threw basic science out the window (the Delta Vega thing), and like just about every Trek movie since V, it relied too heavily on some pretty low-brow humor.

That said, because it was Star Trek, I was willing to give it another chance. I mean, I saw V more than once in the theater, for example. So I saw it a second time, that time at an IMAX. Between the fact that this time I knew what to e xp ect, plus the fact that the e xp erience at IMAX was so much better, I enjoyed it much much better.

I should have gone to see Terminator a second time, but just never got around to it. I thought it lacked the soul of the earlier Terminator movies, and plus it compared rather poorly to the TV show, which had so well re-captured T2 and built on it in so many ways. So my reaction to the movie was pretty much "meh." But since it is Terminator, it also deserves a second chance. I will definitely be getting the BluRay (there's going to be an unrated version, incidentally, which will feature a bit more violence plus Moon Bloodgood's topless scene, supposedly).
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

614
I first caught TOS on tv when I lived in Edmonton for a year at about age 5. This was back in 1973. Being so young, I don't think it made a lasting impression, but I do recall my earliest memory of Star Trek vividly, that of Mr. Spock standing by his science station, e xp laining some point or other to Kirk.

I wouldn't run across Star Trek until about three or four years later, when it played once a week on the one single channel that Portuguese tv had back in the 70's. Coupled with Space:1999, Star Trek quickly captured my imagination and I became a lifelong fan.

To answer your question on a personal level, Trek resonated with me because it appealed to my love of science fiction, e xp loration, and the unknown. On a cultural level, I can only say that Trek was mildly popular among my schoolmates, and we sometimes talked about the week's episode at school. It was all exciting action and fun, and at that age, none of us gave any thought to political overtones or deeper thematic issues. How it fared with the older generation, I can't say because I never bothered to observe. My mother didn't watch it, and my sister didn't go for that sort of thing. I never heard adults discussing it with any degree of depth, but back then media coverage, especially in Europe on an American show, was very sparse.

When ST:TMP came out in theatres, I remember going to see it, and it was a pretty big event. I can't be certain if the cinema was absolutely full for days due to the fact that it was Star Trek returning, or if it was simply a big budget sci-fi action movie for an entertainment starved country in a time before video games, computers, satellite tv, etc. There was lot of buzz about it, and people seemed to like it a lot, but again, I can only give my personal reasons for liking it and guess at others'.

Interestingly enough, back then there was a one year to six-month gap between the release of a movie in North America and its opening date in most of Europe. As such, I was still living in Portugal when Wrath of Khan was released here, but left to live in Canada while the movie was in transition and it had already left movies here when I arrived. Therefore, I was too late to see it here, and left Portugal too early to see it there. Due to this, I sadly never watched the theatrical release of one of my all-time favourite movies, though I have since caught it on the big screen as a special event.

Sorry for the digression and not really answering your question per se, but there you have it. :P
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

615
[quote=""Valkrist""] Sorry for the digression and not really answering your question per se, but there you have it. :P [/quote]

It was the only answer you had available, so no apology necessary. But even though it didn't answer the broader question, it was still interesting.

And what a bummer to miss ST II due to your move!
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

616
TrekMovie had a preview of the DVD and BD, so here it is:
First Impressions Of Star Trek Movie Blu-Ray (+ Navigation Screenshots) October 11, 2009

This week Paramount held a press event promoting their upcoming releases for the fall, including Q&A’s with Star Trek director JJ Abrams (see report), and writers Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman (see report). Paramount Home Entertainment also gave a demo of some of the features on the Star Trek Blu-ray release. See below for first thoughts and some iPhone snaps of the navigation screens.
FIRST THOUGHTS on Star Trek 2009 Home Video Release
Navigation
Paramount showed off the navigation for Disk 2 of the Blu-ray set, which will be very similar to Disk 2 for the DVD set, but has some additional features. The menus were very nice with a diagram of the USS Enterprise in the background and a e xp anding tree style of navigation options that was very easy to use.
Image

Star Trek Blu-ray Disk 2 Navigation
The featurettes on the Blu-ray and DVD are the same, but the Blu-ray has additional ‘branching pods’ which can be accessed while you are watching the feature (when a little logo appears), or from the main menu.
Image

Navigation showing branching pods for ‘To Boldly Go’
Featurettes
There are a ton of new featurettes, all done in HD. We were only able to see a couple of them, but they were exquisitely produced and filled with interviews of all the major players on the film and the entire cast. One thing that was surprising was the amount of footage from The Original Series that is interspersed with the features, especially the "Casting" segment. The interviews seemed very candid and entertaining, giving good insights into life behind the scenes. For example, in opening "Boldly Go" featurette, there is a ‘branching pod’ dedicated to the "Shatner Conundrum" where the team (primarily JJ Abrams and Roberto Orci) talked openly about the controversy and about how they tried to find a way to get Shatner into the film. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Deleted Scenes
The set contains a large number of deleted scenes (both DVD and Blu-ray), and you can watch them with or without audio commentary from JJ Abrams, Bryan Burk, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof. At the event we only watched the two Klingon special features (Klingons Take over Narada and Prison Interrogation and Breakout). The Klingons looked fantastic, although the special effects for the Klingon ships surrounding the Narada were never finished. The interrogation scene is one that goes a long way in e xp osition as to who Nero is, and why the Klingons want his knowledge of the future so badly, but it can be seen how it might confuse a general audience who would wonder who the bad guys were.
Image

Deleted scenes navigation
Starfleet Vessel Simulator
One of the cooler features available only on the Blu-ray is the vessel simulator. You can choose to get a close-up look of either the Enterprise or the Narada, which shows you a beautifully rendered image of the ship, based on the models from ILM. You can zoom in on various parts of the ship (phasers, torpedo launchers, bridge, etc). Some areas let you even do things like fire phasers. All the sections have additional information (like the Borg shielding on the Narada, taken from the "Countdown" comic books). These features really let you get a good look at these ships in a way you never got in the film with things moving around so much. You may even spot things you didn’t see before, like how the fins the back of the nacelles of the Enterprise lift up and glow when it goes into warp.
Bottom line
With just a few minutes of playing around with this set, it is clear that in November we have hours of fun ahead learning more about this new Star Trek movie. This could easily be the best Star Trek home video release ever.
STAR TREK DISK DETAILS
DVD:
The STAR TREK two-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. Special features are as follows:
Disc 1:
  • Commentary — By director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk.
  • A New Vision — J.J. Abrams’ vision was not only to create a Star Trek that was a bigger, more action-packed spectacle, but also to make the spectacle feel real. Every aspect of production — from unique locations to the use of classic Hollywood camera tricks — was guided by this overall objective.
  • Gag Reel — Bloopers featuring the entire principal cast.
Disc 2:
  • Digital Copy
  • Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary
    • Spock Birth
    • Klingons Take Over Narada
    • Young Kirk, Johnny and Uncle Frank
    • Amanda and Sarek Argue After Spock Fights
    • Prison Interrogation and Breakout
    • Sarek Gets Amanda
    • Dorm Room and Kobayashi Maru (original version)
    • Kirk Apologizes to the Green Girl
    • Sarek Sees Spock
  • To Boldly Go — Taking on the world’s most beloved science fiction franchise was no small mission. Director J.J. Abrams, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof, and executive producer Bryan Burk talk about the many challenges they faced and their strategy for success.
  • Casting — The producers knew their greatest task was finding the right cast to reprise these epic roles. The cast, for their part, talk about the e xp erience of trying to capture the essence of these mythic characters. The piece concludes with a moving tribute to Leonard Nimoy.
  • Aliens — Designers Neville Page and Joel Harlow talk about the hurdles they faced creating new alien species, recreating the Romulans and Vulcans, and designing the terrifying creatures on Delta Vega for the new Star Trek.
  • Score — As a fan of the original series, composer Michael Giacchino embraced the challenge of creating new music for Star Trek while preserving the spirit of Alexander Courage’s celebrated theme.
  • DVD-Rom:
    • STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360
    • Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PC
    • Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PlayStation Network

The STAR TREK single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround with English, French and Spanish subtitles. The single-disc DVD includes the commentary, “A New Vision” and the gag reel.
BLU-RAY
The STAR TREK three-disc Blu-ray is presented in 1080p High Definition with English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital with English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. Special features are as follows:
Disc 1:
  • Commentary — By director J.J. Abrams, writers Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman, producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Bryan Burk.
  • NASA News — This BD-Live feature gives viewers access to the latest NASA news about real space e xp loration. Learn about new mission developments and check out featured imagery from around the universe.
Disc 2:
  • To Boldly Go — See description above.
    • Branching Pods:
      • The Shatner Conundrum
      • Red Shirt Guy
      • The Green Girl
      • Trekker Alert!
  • Casting — See description above.
  • A New Vision — See description above.
    • Branching Pods:
      • Savage Pressure
  • Starships — Abrams and production designer Scott Chambliss were careful to pay tribute to the design of the original Enterprise, but they also wanted to make it futuristic and cool for a modern audience. This chapter focuses on the unique stories behind the creation of the film’s starships.
    • Branching Pods:
      • Warp E xp lained
      • Paint Job
      • Bridge Construction Accelerated
      • The Captain’s Chair
      • Button Acting 101
      • Shuttle Shuffle
      • Narada Construction Accelerated
  • Aliens — See description above.
    • Branching Pods:
      • The Alien Paradox
      • Big-Eyed Girl
      • Big Bro Quinto
      • Klingons
      • Drakoulias Anatomy 101
  • Planets — From the frozen landscape of Delta Vega to the desert plains of Vulcan, Scott Chambliss and the art department had a number of radically different planets to create. Abrams’ desire to shoot on real locations whenever possible led the production team to a number of strange and surprising locations.
    • Branching Pods:
      • Extra Business
      • Confidentiality
  • Props and Costumes — Property master Russell Bobbitt had the unique challenge of designing props that were both true to the original series and pertinent to today’s technology. Likewise, costume designer Michael Kaplan talks about how he designed costumes that paid homage to what came before yet were relevant and timeless.
    • Branching Pods:
      • Klingon Wardrobe
  • Ben Burtt and the Sounds of Star Trek — When famed sound designer Ben Burtt was hired to create sounds for the first Star Wars film, he took his inspiration from the original “Star Trek” series. Burtt jumped at the opportunity to pay tribute to the sounds that sparked his career with the sounds he created for the new Star Trek.
  • Score — See description above.
  • Gene Roddenberry’s Vision — J.J. Abrams, Leonard Nimoy, previous Star Trek writers and producers, and scientific consultant Carolyn Porco describe and commend the optimistic and enduring vision of Gene Roddenberry.
  • Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary — See details above.
  • Starfleet Vessel Simulator — E xp lore extensive data on the U.S.S. Enterprise and the Romulan ship, the Narada. Submerse yourself in breathtaking 360° views and close-ups and review detailed tech information.
  • Gag Reel — See description above.
Disc 3:
  • Digital Copy
  • STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for XBOX 360
  • Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PC
  • Weblink to the STAR TREK D-A-C Free Trial Game for PlayStation Network

PREORDERS
Star Trek home video releases are coming November 17th. You can pre-order your copy or copies below.
Title Blu-ray DVD Star Trek 2009 3-disk set
3-disk set w/ replica

3-disk set w/ badges
Image

Best Buy gift set $39.99
2-disk
1-disk

"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

617
Sounds pretty awesome! Im ready to get the 3 disc BD set... I just wish they would do what they have been doing with some movies, is have a set that has the BD and DVD in one set. That way I could have BD and everyone else, can get the DVD :) ... Thats how Wolverine was.

Re: Star Trek XI

621
Sorry Sed, though I share your sentiment 100%, I have to edit out your masked e xp letive. ;)

Bleh.

Count me out of this franchise. I can guess the next Jack Ryan movie is going to be all about striking good looks, five thousand e xp losions, and zero plot. All this on the heels of Harrison Ford e xp ressing interest in playing the character again. Just goes to show where Hollywood's obsessions lie these days.

A big 'whatever.' Best of luck, Pine.
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

622
[quote=""Sedhal""]zomg.........[/quote]

What does that mean?

[quote=""Valkrist""]Count me out of this franchise. I can guess the next Jack Ryan movie is going to be all about striking good looks, five thousand e xp losions, and zero plot. All this on the heels of Harrison Ford e xp ressing interest in playing the character again. Just goes to show where Hollywood's obsessions lie these days.

A big 'whatever.' Best of luck, Pine.[/quote]

I'm guessing you weren't thrilled with the rumor a few years back that Orlando Bloom would be the new James Bond? ;)

I take it you didn't care for Ben Affleck as Ryan either. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't crazy about him. I think his acting is OK, but he just didn't have the gravitas to play that character, especially in a story where Baltimore is blown up by a nuclear bomb. It was also unavoidable that he'd be compared to Ford. Ford is a very hard act to follow.

That said, Tom Clancy never liked Ford in the part and applauded the choice of Affleck. Part of that may be because he felt Ford was too old. And as far as that goes, I don't know what sort of role the Ryan character has in the remaining Clancy novels, but I might be inclined to agree that Ford is too old, even if he is belatedly showing interest again.

Re: Chris Pine, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for a role that isn't nearly so iconic as Kirk (for which part I thought he acquitted himself perfectly well, incidentally). Jeri Taylor, one of the producers of Voyager, once said of Jeri Ryan, aka Seven of Nine, that just because she was young and beautiful didn't mean they weren't going to put her in a tight uniform. Along those lines, I'd have to say about Pine that just because he's young and beautiful doesn't mean he should be restricted to pretty-boy roles. He'll be the fourth person to play Ryan, after all, so in some sense it's not like Ford owns the part, however good his two turns at it were.

Speaking of James Bond, I see that Roger Moore is--OMG--82 years old today.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

624
Well, I think the thing that sets me off about Affleck is that the celebrity media just could not talk about anything except him and whoever he was dating. And as if that wasn't bad enough, those wretchedly cloying little name contractions bestowed upon couple-of-the-moment, like "Bennifer," made me want to hurl.

Bottom line for me, probably, is that once an actor's celebrity becomes too big, he can't disappear into the part, and I can't suspend disbelief without a lot more effort. That's why LOTR was so well cast--most of those people were essentially unknown.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

626
[quote=""Valkrist""]
Bleh.

Count me out of this franchise. I can guess the next Jack Ryan movie is going to be all about striking good looks, five thousand e xp losions, and zero plot. All this on the heels of Harrison Ford e xp ressing interest in playing the character again. Just goes to show where Hollywood's obsessions lie these days.

A big 'whatever.' Best of luck, Pine.[/quote]


If a UC Forums post could kill a man's career... then Chris Pine would be flipping burgers at the local McDonald's

And ZOMG... is an overexcited, yet more sarcastic version of OMG... as in so excited you hit the "z" instead of a shift key type thing... but now more sarcastic
Last edited by BladeCollector on Wed Oct 14, 2009 4:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Star Trek XI

628
You just dissed Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, and Rick Deckard, all in one breath. I'm going to have send some men to your house, Sed. Bad men... :angry:

Alec was great. Ford was my fave. Affleck did a passable job. Like Olorin said though, when the name becomes bigger than the person, and for all the wrong reasons, you're going to sour your audience very fast, and Affleck did just that.

Problem for me with Pine and a lot of these up-and-comers is that they are being touted as the greatest thing since sliced bread without really having proved themselves. There have been many actors in the past with excellent looks, but how many movies did they have to make before becoming household names and drawing huge audiences? Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise anyone? These guys were not overnight successes; they earned their right to be at the top of what they do. Along come guys like Pine who land a job playing James T. Kirk and suddenly Hollywood treats the guy like royalty and unrolls the red carpet with a move like this. Why? Because he makes teenage girls' heads spin? Because he starred in ONE movie that grossed millions and let's just now conveniently ignore the fact that the movie had the name 'Star trek' on it?

He did a good job playing Kirk, to be fair. As horrible as I thought many things about that movie were, Pine as Kirk was one of the few bright spots, but he didn't blow my socks off. The character was iconic. His performance wasn't. Big shoes to fill, yes, and he did his best, but I fail to see how this suddenly makes him Hollywood's next hottest commodity. Oh, I know, it's only Jack Ryan, and the character has been dormant on the screen for years, but you know it won't stop there. I can see a superhero movie in the cards for this guy soon also. When stars get manufactured like this though, without a decent body of work that says: 'hey, this guy really earned this role,' I remain very dubious of the staying power and acting worth of someone like him.

Out of curiosity, I would like to know what other actors were possibly in contention for the role of Jack Ryan. I would be willing to bet there were one or two better qualified candidates in there based on their work to date, but because Pine is so red hot right now, they feel these golden boys can do no wrong and are instant $ kaaaa-ching $.

Again, whatever.
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

629
Don't get me wrong, I like Ford. But he's not that great of an actor, truthfully. Deckard is by far my favorite role of his. He acted well in Witness and stuff also, but I don't buy the whole guy's guy persona everyone seems to see him as. Indy rocks, Solo rules, Ford is cool, but I still think he's overrated. I know it's not saying a lot, but he's my second favorite Jack Ryan :laugh: (I prefer him in Patriot Games over C&PD).
-_-

Re: Star Trek XI

630
Harrison Ford may not be Ian McKellen or John Noble, but he's definitely more than passable, and he brings a charisma to most of his parts that's just palpable. Which is ironic, because he comes off as pretty cold and calculating in real life.

People who have read the Clancy books have told me they thought Alec Baldwin captured the character of Jack Ryan very well. I haven' read the books and so I much preferred Ford's older, more seasoned Ryan.

As far as Chris Pine compared to Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise, both of those guys got a lot of notice early in their careers, "Thelma & Louise" in Pitt's case and "Endless Love" in Cruise's case, among more standard new-actor fare. They weren't overnight superstars, but those respective pics definitely got them noticed and on their way. I'd say Pine is in about the same spot. He's had a number of much lower profile parts and has now had a big starring role. I guess we'll soon find out if he's got what it takes to become a huge star. Ryan may be just a really good next thing for him, an established character in a successfull--but dormant--franchise. If he can pull it off, he's on his way. If he flounders, well, maybe he'll be Orlando Bloom, LOL (not everyone makes it on looks alone ;) ).
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

631
Although i don't dislike Orlando Bloom, I've yet to be impressed by him. I enjoyed ELIZABETHTOWN, but I think for the subject matter, not for the lead actor (Bloom).

Tom Cruise, I enjoyed him in Vanilla Sky, Interview with a Vampire, and Minority Report. The rest of his stuff generally turns me off.

I also like Harrison Ford... i think he's one of those iconic guys that you kind of always enjoy seeing onscreen. :thumbs_up

Re: Star Trek XI

632
[quote=""Curunir""]
Tom Cruise, I enjoyed him in Vanilla Sky, Interview with a Vampire, and Minority Report. The rest of his stuff generally turns me off.

[/quote]


Collateral? :huh: While I agree with the others, Collateral is number one as far as Cruise is concerned for me. And of course, TAPS.
-_-

Re: Star Trek XI

635
Here's the Digital Bits' review of the new BluRay. Be warned: the guy is far too worshipful of the movie for my liking (and I think Val will drip acid and bile if he posts on this ;) ). I'm posting it mostly for his commentary on the quality of the BD and its features.
[font=arial, helvetica, courier, *]Blu-ray Review[/font]
[font=arial, helvetica, courier, *]Blu-ray Disc review by Bill Hunt of The Digital Bits[/font]

Image


Image

[font=arial, helvetica, courier, *]STAR TREK
2009 (2009) - Bad Robot/Paramount (Paramount)
Released on Blu-ray Disc on November 17th, 2009
Also available on DVD and Amazon-exclusive BD box

Image


Film Rating: A
Video (1-20): 19.5
Audio (1-20): 19.5
Extras: A


I'm going to be completely honest: When I first heard this film was being made, I really thought the idea of re-booting or re-imagining the Star Trek franchise was just a terrible idea. Having seen Paramount release one mediocre Trek movie after another, and then basically abandon the Star Trek: Enterprise TV series, I just had no hope for this new incarnation whatsoever.
[/font]
[font=arial, helvetica, courier, *] I mean, sure... I'd enjoyed some of director J.J. Abrams' work in the past, but none of it really excited me or gave me confidence that he and his team were up to the task of re-launching Trek. I just feared this film would be an utter disaster, and I say that having been a fan of Star Trek since the very early 70s - not quite the beginning, but close.

And then I saw that third preview trailer. The one where Bruce Greenwood starts out "I couldn't believe it when the bartender told me who you are..." What I saw stirred something in me - a spark of hope that maybe they'd actually gotten it right. Hope that I hadn't dared to e xp ect. So I actually began to feel real excitement... and managed to go into an early press screening with a largely open mind. The film BLEW ME AWAY. The opening sequence alone had me hooked. It's one of the best 5 minutes of film I've seen in years - gripping, emotional, poetic and filled with the spirit of Trek at its best. I was really stunned. Abrams and company just nailed it. The audience - jaded movie geeks and/or movie critics all - were left cheering by the end of it. Boy had I been wrong to doubt. And BOY am I glad I was wrong!

What's clever about this Star Trek, is that it's both a reboot AND it manages to respect all the Trek continuity that's come before. Everything that's good and pure about the franchise has been retained, while all of the techno baggage ("Quick, flux the deflector dish with anti-thalaron particles to reverse the field matrix!") has been left back at the Spacedock. The actors are all spot on as their characters - Pine, Quinto and Urban make you BELIEVE they're the younger Kirk, Spock and McCoy. The other cast members are good too, especially Greenwood as Captain Pike (inspired casting, if I may say so, and one of my favorite roles in the film) and Eric Bana as the film's villain, Nero. The production design is spectacular and ILM's CG effects are absolutely top-notch. This is definitely Trek on a more epic scale that we've never quite seen before.

There are a couple things you longtime Trek fans will just have to go with... like the fact that it seems to take only ten minutes to warp from Earth to Vulcan, and the Enterprise's engine room looks like a boiler room. But there's so much that's good here - so much that's fun - that you can easily forgive those things. The film is exciting, action packed, occasionally funny, occasionally poignant. It's even very slightly campy, in keeping with the tone of the classic show. This definitely FEELS like Star Trek - no doubt about it. But I'll tell you... this film managed to do something that Trek hasn't done in a long time: Truly surprise me. This Trek is a whole different ball game. What's even cooler about this is that, because this is a reboot of sorts, many of the events that longtime fans know happen in the Trek universe can happen again... but in a whole different way. So somewhere out there, there's a Doomsday Machine destroying planets. Somewhere out in deep space, Khan and his army of genetic supermen lie sleeping in the S.S. Botany Bay, waiting to be discovered again. All those possibilities have me very excited for what might come next.

The A/V quality of Paramount's Blu-ray version is spectacular. It's one of those discs you'll definitely want to use to dazzle guests in your home theatre. The colors are rich and vibrant - from the cool hues of the new Bridge to the ruddy earth tones of Vulcan. There's abundant detail and fine texture in the image, without it ever feeling edgy or overly filtered. And yet it retains all those gritty, glinty and occasionally soft tones offered by the use of the anamorphic optical process. Contrast is superb, with dark blacks and yet the brightest areas of the image are never blown out. Sonically, the disc's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix delivers an appropriately wide, e xp ansive sound field, with natural staging, deep bass and highly active surrounds. Clarity is excellent, and there's just a rich tapestry of background sounds layered into the mix that draw you right into the film's fictional environments. A perfect example is the firefight that erupts when Kirk and Spock beam over to the Narada - the ping and sizzle of phaser bolts zip all around you. Sound designer Ben Burtt has even managed to honor The Original Series in the almost musical quality of computer sounds, equipment noises and the like. Best of all, Michael Giacchino's thrilling score is woven perfectly throughout film. When his new "Kirk/Enterprise" theme crashes over the film's opening titles, you'll have chills running down your spine.

And here's a surprise: The extras on this Blu-ray aren't the typical cheesy fare we usually get on these Star Trek film discs. The special features team (led by producer Mark Herzog) have crafted the kind of bonus material you'd actually WANT to see! For one thing, they don't pander to Trekkies as though they'll be excited by any old geeky thing. They've actually created a thorough look at the making of this film, both for film fans in general and fans of THIS film in particular. Through multiple, in-depth featurettes, you learn about the difficulties in rebooting the Trek universe, and the challenge of re-casting characters that are so beloved. You'll learn how the writers and producers approached the story, how the production design team worked to update everything from the Enterprise itself to the iconic props and uniforms. (I have GOT to get me one of those Starfleet badges, man!) There's a cool piece here on Ben Burtt's effort to research how the sounds for the original show were made, and another piece on the score. The alien races, the various planets - even Gene Roddenberry's original vision gets documentary attention here. You even see Leonard Nimoy's first and last moments on the production, and a couple of the other original actors visiting the set. Each of the documentaries have branching sub-featurettes of their own that e xp and on the overall topic. As a whole, the documentaries offer great attention to detail, without ever feeling weighed down or taking themselves too seriously. And yet as a Trek fan, you get see a ton of the stuff you WANT to see, like up-close looks at the new phaser, tricorder and communicator props in action (you barely get a look at them in the actual film), as well as the new Enterprise's Bridge dedication plaque! (It's quick, but in HD you can pause and read the text!) One of the only things that's not here that I wanted was a better look at the other Starship designs in the film. There are 3 or 4 other designs (other than the Enterprise and the Kelvin) that you see only very briefly as the fleet departs for Vulcan. And I would also have liked to see the script pages for the unused Shatner/Kirk scene that was briefly considered for the end of the film. But those are really about my only complaints, and they're nitpicks at that.

On top of the documentaries, you get some 13-minutes worth of deleted scenes in full HD, a gag reel, the film's trailers and more. There's well over three hours worth of behind-the-scenes video material here, and that doesn't even include the excellent commentary with Abrams, writers Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman, and producers Damon Lindelof and Bryan Burk. Not enough for you? You also get BD-Live access (which so far includes NASA RSS news feeds - a nice touch), a Digital Copy, an Xbox 360 demo for the Star Trek D.A.C. game, and the ability to interact with the Enterprise on your computer screen via webcam (much like the Optimus Prime E xp erience on the recent Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Blu-ray).

STILL not enough for you? Okay... how about this: You also get the best BD-Java feature I've seen yet on a Blu-ray. It's called the Starship Vessel Simulator, and it lets you get a MUCH more detailed look at both the Enterprise and Narada. You can navigate around the ships, and go up close to different parts. You can fire the phasers and torpedoes, and even take the ships to warp! And all of this is in FULL HD, using the original ILM CG models from the film. I only wish it was even more detailed, and there were more ships! But as it is, it's still completely badass. I hope the producers e xp and on this idea for the sequel BD. Taken as a whole, these Blu-ray extras are a blast - almost everything you'd want them to be. My hats off to the whole team involved in creating them.

For my money at least, this new Star Trek is just a completely fun movie. I can't begin to tell you the pure joy I feel in the idea that this vision and these ideas, that so inspired me as a kid, are fresh and bold and new again! But you don't have to be a Trekker to watch this film. ANYONE off the street can thoroughly enjoy themselves. It's just a rip-roaring good time at the movies - a classic summer blockbuster that transcends its genre while managing to honor and respect the franchise. It's also easily one of the best Blu-ray releases of the year. If you buy only one new film on the format in 2009, Star Trek is definitely the one to get!
[/font]
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

636
And for the opposing viewpoint, here's a review from DVDFile. I'll just post the link because the review is on 4 interlinked pages and it would be a bit of a pain to post the whole thing.

http://www.dvdfile.com/reviews/article/ ... k-bd-89883

The short version is, he hated the movie, but the BD is technical perfection. His take on the movie is much closer to my take than the digital bits guy's, though I did not hate this movie. I only thought it was a missed opportunity.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

637
Mike Restaino is my new hero. :thumbs_up

Hatred issues aside, its refreshing to hear one (brief) review of this movie that doesn't put it on a pedestal and demands that you abase yourself before statues of the new deities: Abrams, Orci, and Kurtzman.
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

638
Ha ha, I knew you'd get a kick out of that and only barely restrained myself from commenting thusly when I posted it.

But it is good to see someone not commending those guys for what was their cardinal sin: ignoring continuity.

On a different note, the forum software is not acting right for me. It is sometimes failing to show me whether there are new posts when I click the "new posts" link.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

639
[quote=""Olorin""]On a different note, the forum software is not acting right for me. It is sometimes failing to show me whether there are new posts when I click the "new posts" link.[/quote]

I don't use that link, so I can't comment. I just find new posts by looking at the different coloured icons, or with the new feature at the bottom of the page that lists all the threads that have new posts.
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

641
Well, we've all heard many times what the shapes of the Enterprise are symbolic for. Whether you buy into that imagery or not, this is definitely Abrams' way of saying "mine is bigger than yours" to the old Enterprise, if you catch my drift.

So glad to see that this juvenile crap is still so prevalent in adult men. Way to go, JJ. :huh:
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

646
[quote=""Curunir""]StarTrek came out on BluRay two weeks ago... :huh: [/quote]

In what country? Typically, movies that are north american in origin get released here first on disc, which is Region 1, and the date for the release is, and has been for a long time, November 17.

Olorin, I had to watch that clip three times while trying to spot the Gorn until I had to come to the conclusion that it was actually the very first alien they show. Green and somewhat reptilian? Yes. A Gorn? Debatable, even for an updated look.
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

647
[quote=""Valkrist""]Olorin, I had to watch that clip three times while trying to spot the Gorn until I had to come to the conclusion that it was actually the very first alien they show. Green and somewhat reptilian? Yes. A Gorn? Debatable, even for an updated look.[/quote]

Yeah, me too. Obviously these so-called Star Trek fans had never bothered to check and learn that there was a very cool updated Gorn on Enterprise. That Salt Vampire redesign was pretty far from the original too. I'm not sure what a design that was good and just needed better implementation was so heavily modified. All in all, I'm glad these aliens never made it into the film.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

648
From TrekMovie, here is what is supposedly the scripted Shatner scene that was not filmed. Very touching....
Exclusive: Read The Star Trek 2009 Scene Written For William Shatner

Image
Most fans can remember that one of the biggest debates around JJ Abrams Star Trek movie was about if it would (or should) include William Shatner. The film makers spoke of how they tried to find a way, but in the end felt it wouldn’t work. However, JJ Abrams revealed that Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman did write a scene for Shatner, and today we have that scene for you to read.

Putting Shatner into Star Trek (2009)
TrekMovie received the scene below from one of our trusted sources and it has been verified to be the scene written for Shatner (but never shown to Shatner). The “Alternate Scene B” actually creates alternative versions two scenes from the end of the movie: the moment between Spock Prime (Nimoy) and Spock (Quinto) in the hangar, plus the award ceremony with Kirk (Pine), Pike (Greenwood) and the Commandant (Tyler Perry).


Image

Image

Including Shatner would have made alternatives to these ending scenes

Shatner would have played Kirk, but would have appeared as a recording. The timing of the recording is not stated, but would have have been before Star Trek Generations and therefore not violate the canon that Kirk was killed in Generations. JJ Abrams has often noted that dealing with Kirk’s death was one of the hindrances of including him in the new Star Trek.

Image

Shatner in "Star Trek Generations" (1994), his last time in the chair

The Scene
Here it is…
—————————
ALTERNATE SCENE B
SPOCK PRIME
Then I ask that you do yourself a
favor… put away logic, and do what
feels right. The world you’ve inherited
lives in the shadow of incalculable
devastation… but there’s no reason you
must face it alone.



And from around his neck, he removes the PENDANT that
until now, we’ve only caught glimpses of. Places it on
the table beside his younger self. The feeling in his
eyes is profound…



SPOCK PRIME (CONT’D)This was a gift to me. Representing…
a dream. One we were unable to fulfill.
(softly)
The way you can now.


And moves to the door. Stops. Offers the VULCAN SALUTE:


SPOCK PRIME (CONT’D)
As my customary farewell would appear
oddly self serving, I will simply say…
good luck.


Their eyes hold. Spock turns, disappearing into the
corridor. Young Spock stares at the empty doorway a
beat, his mind a jumble of thoughts. Looks to the
pendant… and realizes it’s a HOLO-EMITTER. After
considering a beat, he hits an activation button and a
MOVING HOLOGRAPHIC MESSAGE materializes before him:
CAPTAIN JAMES T. KIRK. WILLIAM SHATNER. As always,
brash, wry, confident — and SINGING:


KIRK/ SHATNER
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to
you…
(stops, grins)
I know I know, it’s illogical to
celebrate something you had nothing to do
with, but I haven’t had the chance to
congratulate you on your appointment to
the ambassadorship so I thought I’d seize
the occasion… Bravo, Spock — they tell
me your first mission may take you away
for awhile, so I’ll be the first to wish
you luck… and to say…
(beat, emotional)
I miss you, old friend.



… and we’re PUSHING IN on Young Spock, taking in the
image of Kirk’s future self, the message, but above all —
the clear, unquestionable friendship these two men had…


INT. CORRIDOR – CONTINUOUS
As Spock Prime walks off down the corridor, he passes
right by a man conferring with a nurse — the man pauses,
turns… it’s SAREK. Suddenly overcome by a feeling that
the stranger who’s just passed him is… oddly familiar.


KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I suppose I’d always imagined us…
outgrowing Starfleet together. Watching
life swing us into our Emeritus years…



INT. STARBASE ONE – HANGAR – ETERNAL NIGHT
MUSIC BUILDING — glass walls reveal THE ENTERPRISE at
dock, UTILITY CRAFTS floating around it, repairing.
Standing at attention in rows, THE ENTERPRISE CREW —
over four hundred of them wearing DRESS UNIFORMS — TRACK
DOWN the faces, all proud:



KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I look around at the new cadets now and
can’t help thinking… has it really been
so long? Wasn’t it only yesterday we
stepped onto the Enterprise as boys?
That I had to prove to the crew I
deserved command… and their respect?


And we STOP ON YOUNG KIRK. Composed, focused, proud. A
man. And to every fan’s delight, finally wearing his
YELLOW SHIRT
. The FEDERATION COMMANDANT stands at a
podium:
COMMANDANT
This assembly calls Captain James
Tiberius Kirk…


Kirk breaks from formation, pivots, marches down the
hangar — past UHURA… SULU… CHEKOV… SCOTTY. All
Beaming. Notably absent, is Spock. Kirk ascends the
stairs, snaps to attention:


COMMANDANT (CONT’D)Your inspirational valor and supreme
dedication to your comrades are in
keeping with the highest traditions of
service and reflect utmost credit to
yourself, your crew, and the Federation.
By Starfleet Order 28455, you are hereby
directed to report to Commanding Officer,
USS Enterprise, for duty as his relief.


Kirk turns. Walks to… PIKE. In a wheelchair now,
wearing an ADMIRAL’S UNIFORM. Overnight, his hair’s
turned totally grey — but despite his trauma, his
pride’s overwhelming. They SALUTE each other:


KIRK
I relieve you, Sir.

PIKE
… I am relieved.
He opens a BOX in his lap — glorious in repose, a MEDAL:
PIKE (CONT’D)And as Fleet Admiral, for your… unique
solution to the Kobayashi Maru, it’s my
honor to award you with a commendation
for original thinking.


Pike containing a smirk, pins the medal to Kirk’s
chest…
PIKE (CONT’D)
(a touch choked)
Congratulations, Captain.
KIRK
Thank you, Sir.


Kirk turns to the crowd. Eyes shining. WILD APPLAUSE.
OUR MUSIC SOARS. Bones leans in to Sulu, rolling his
eyes:
BONES
… Same ship, different day.


As Kirk rejoins his crew for hugs and congratulations, we
go to the BACK of the hangar… SPOCK PRIME. Watching.
Moved beyond words. He turns and leaves them to it… as
he goes…



KIRK/SHATNER (V.O.)
I know what you’d say — ‘It’s their turn
now, Jim…’ And of course you’re
right… but it got me thinking:

INT. STARFLEET HOSPITAL – EARTH – DAY
Our montage comes full circle as we END on Kirk’s
transmission:


KIRK/SHATNER
Who’s to say we can’t go one more round?
By the last tally, only twenty five
percent of the galaxy’s been chartered…
I’d call that negligent. Criminal even —
an invitation. You once said being a
starship captain was my first, best
destiny… if that’s true, then yours is
to be by my side. If there’s any true
logic to the universe… we’ll end up on
that bridge again someday.


Stops, grins. Because this is the part he needs to say
most…



KIRK/SHATNER
Admit it, Spock. For people like us, the
journey itself… is home.




Young Spock’s face. Lost in feelings that flood through
him.

—————————
But would Bill have done it?
Even if the Abrams team had decided to go ahead with this scene, there is no guarantee that Shatner would have done it. He had stated he “does not do cameos” and the above scene appears to fall into the cameo category. Abrams had also stated that this “no cameos” position of Shatner’s was part of their decision process not to include him in the film. Now that the scene is public, maybe Bill will make another one of his video blogs about it. One thing is for sure, this is not the last word on Shatner and the new Star Trek…there is still the sequel.
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Re: Star Trek XI

649
Indeed, touching. :'(

While I commend the writers for writing such a wonderful scene, which displays a lot of thoughtfulness and respect for us old fans, I do find it somewhat disingenuous that Abrams never bothered to at least propose it to Shatner.

Yes, he did say the 'no cameos' comment was like a closed door to him, but what would it have hurt to try? Who knows? In a highly emotional moment after reading the scene, Shatner may have just said yes.

I can't help but feel, after reading this, that Abrams really didn't want Shatner in the movie and simply had this scene written to appease those who wanted to see the old captain one last time. Call it an insurance clause, if you will. This way he can say that he made the effort by having the scene written, when in truth he never bothered to complete that effort and inform Shatner of it. :|
This Space for Rent

Re: Star Trek XI

650
[quote=""Valkrist""]I can't help but feel, after reading this, that Abrams really didn't want Shatner in the movie and simply had this scene written to appease those who wanted to see the old captain one last time. Call it an insurance clause, if you will. This way he can say that he made the effort by having the scene written, when in truth he never bothered to complete that effort and inform Shatner of it. :| [/quote]

You really don't like Abrams, do you? ;)

I don't think he's actually that Machiavellian. I just think that he's a bit tone-deaf when it comes to what really made Star Trek tick. Plus, he doesn't really know Shatner and so he may have interpreted "no cameos" to mean "no cameos, period." It's too bad they couldn't have shown the scene to Nimoy and had Nimoy approach Shatner with it.

As the article points out, now that the scene is out in the open, Shatner is likely to read it (unless he boycotts it or won't admit to reading it) and may just comment on it. If he likes it, they could always shoot it for a future special edition or work it into the next movie somehow. Shatner really only needs to put on a uniform (or not--they could just do it as a head shot) and stand in front of a green screen. If there's any chance he would do it, they should do it soon, as Shatner might not be around when they start filming the next one. :'(
"Olorin I was in the West that is forgotten...."

Return to “Star Trek & Star Wars”