Dom DeLuise died on the 4th. My first exposure to him was in _An American Tale_. And I spell “dead” “D-E-D” as an homage to his cameo in _Men in Tights_. He, too, shall be missed.
_Dollhouse_ seems to have been canceled- tonight’s is the “season finale,” even though it’s not the last episode filmed, right? I guess we won’t know for certain about it (and _Castle_ AAAAAGH!!!) until everyone starts announcing stuff officially until the end of the month.
Dom DeLuise was one of those guys who seemed like he’d be around forever, because he’d been around forever. Basically, he seemed like an immortal presence on the American landscape. It’s sad that he’s proven all too mortal.
I want to see Star Trek, which is odd for me because I’m more of a Star Wars guy in the great philisophical debate. But the trailer makes it look wicked cool. And George Lucas is persona non grata after the prequel triology and the “Greedo shot first” snafu.
It’s pretty decent. I’d recommend it over the X-men prequel.
I’ve heard that they’ve already confirmed the sequel will be made.
The time travel element has allowed them to totally reboot the franchise. And they went out of their way to explain that this is an alternate reality. I half expected Doc Brown to show up.
The action sequences were pretty good but I thought that at times the movie played a bit too comic booky, if that makes sense.
It looks like they’re going for the X-men dollar. Which shouldn’t be too difficult ’cause the Wolverine movie was crap.
The opening sequence was surprisingly emotional for me.
All in all, I liked it and would happily watch it again.
That being said (it’s important here), this movie was great!! I’m familiar with the mannerisms of the original crew of the Enterprise, and these new iterations are all fairly spot-on, especially McCoy (Karl Urban FTW)
My wife knows nothing about Trek, and yet she really enjoyed it as well! So it’s definitely worth watching, as long as you’re not someone who lives in their parents’ basement struggling to choose between Kirk and Picard…because they do “dumb” the movie down a bit.
That being said, this is the guy who created Alias, Lost and Fringe for crying out loud; the story works and the direction is fun ;)
Jonathan’s comment about people living in their parents’ basement reminds me of an interesting trend I’ve been noticing over the last week. Certainly there has been some backlash of the film by the old-school Trekkies, but I have to imagine those people on the online message boards who are hating on this reboot are a very small but somewhat vocal minority. I would bet there are a lot of people out there like me. I love old-school Star Trek, and I loved the new movie. From this week’s (great) podcast, I also know that the writers on this blog each like at least one of the old series, and they loved the new movie. I haven’t done a full-scale study yet, but I’m going to assume that most people (Trekkies or not) enjoyed the new movie on some level. Because most of us aren’t haters.
Yet this past week I’ve been seeing reviews, articles, Facebook statuses, OTI comments, and that one Onion video all riffing off the same tired joke: “People who like Star Trek are lame nerdy virgins who suck.”
Honestly, I thought we were over this stereotype. Isn’t the fact that 98%+ of the universe enjoyed the Star Trek movie proof that Star Trek as a concept is something almost anyone can enjoy?
You’d think all the Trek newbies or casual fans who saw this new film and loved it would say, “Oh, old-school Trekkies! I understand your fandom now! I know I used to beat you up in high school, but let’s be friends now and talk about how awesome Leonard Nimoy is!” But, instead, I read things like this: “The Star Trek movie was great! You should see it! Don’t let all those nerdy fanboys who live in their parents’ basements and who have never kissed a girl fool you! Star Trek is for the football team captains and cheerleaders now! Those nerds can suck it! NERRRDSSSSS!!!!!!”
Star Trek is about harmony and equality, friends! Can’t we all just get along? Can’t we all agree the new movie was super-sweet without using the opportunity to bash those old-school fans, without whom such a film would not be made?
mlawski: an interesting gauge of the movie’s reception is searching Twitter. In a non-scientific sampling of reactions, I paged through dozens of tweets on the new movie and found only 3 or so who expressed a negative opinion of the new movie.
Also, re: Trek fans as nerds, I think the film’s marketing played along with this in order to get the non-Trekkie audience comfortable with the idea of going to see this. “Not your father’s Star Trek.” “Forget everything you know about Trek.” Etc. Which is a factual recognition of both the forked timeline and the very different feel of this film compared to past Trek stories, but the subtext is definitely, “not just for nerds/hard core fans.”
Mlwaski, I think what you’re talking about has to do with marketability. The old stigmas and stereotypes need to be broken down or made irrelevant in order for something like _Star Trek_ to appeal to a mass audience. Previous fans will see something like it because they’re fans, yes. But why would a non-fan see it if the previous notion of someone that watches the series is specifically what you mention, an antisocial nerdboy (or girl!)? Non-fans needed to be assured beyond a reasonable doubt that a jury of their peer wouldn’t laugh at them for seeing it before going to the theater. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just saying it is what it is.
And a tangential kernel: The impression I got from the Onion thing wasn’t necessarily that the hardcore fans are nerdy and antisocial, but that there is no way to please everybody. When anything gets adapted, you’re always going to have at least a small group that decries it for being so terrible and unfaithful to the original, oh em gee his hair is the wrong color, etc. There is always going to be that tiny yet vocal minority you mention that is extremely nit-picky and, really, just looking for stuff to complain about because of some self-appointed position of “authority” (and in some senses, *moral* authority) on the subject matter. They’re the *true* fans, right? They, at least, like to think so. They’re the same fans that will get really, really pissed (not just annoyed, but genuinely angry) when hipster T-shirts with various logos associated with the _Star Trek_ universe start popping up (if they haven’t already). (I think I’ll stop here before this gets even longer.)
I would *hope* so. But I don’t think the trailers are going to change much when it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray. They’ll still have the same, “You don’t have to be a virginal fanboy to watch!” attitude, since it already worked once. Even if they say something implying that “all these people” went to see it when it was in theaters, the implication will still be “all these *normal* people” went.
I haven’t yet. Very, very sad pandas.
Dom DeLuise died on the 4th. My first exposure to him was in _An American Tale_. And I spell “dead” “D-E-D” as an homage to his cameo in _Men in Tights_. He, too, shall be missed.
_Dollhouse_ seems to have been canceled- tonight’s is the “season finale,” even though it’s not the last episode filmed, right? I guess we won’t know for certain about it (and _Castle_ AAAAAGH!!!) until everyone starts announcing stuff officially until the end of the month.
And I was right: Reid is a moron.
This made me chuckle:
http://www.theonion.com/content/video/trekkies_bash_new_star_trek_film
Dom DeLuise was one of those guys who seemed like he’d be around forever, because he’d been around forever. Basically, he seemed like an immortal presence on the American landscape. It’s sad that he’s proven all too mortal.
I want to see Star Trek, which is odd for me because I’m more of a Star Wars guy in the great philisophical debate. But the trailer makes it look wicked cool. And George Lucas is persona non grata after the prequel triology and the “Greedo shot first” snafu.
I saw Star Trek (possible spoilers ahead).
It’s pretty decent. I’d recommend it over the X-men prequel.
I’ve heard that they’ve already confirmed the sequel will be made.
The time travel element has allowed them to totally reboot the franchise. And they went out of their way to explain that this is an alternate reality. I half expected Doc Brown to show up.
The action sequences were pretty good but I thought that at times the movie played a bit too comic booky, if that makes sense.
It looks like they’re going for the X-men dollar. Which shouldn’t be too difficult ’cause the Wolverine movie was crap.
The opening sequence was surprisingly emotional for me.
All in all, I liked it and would happily watch it again.
I am not a Star Trek: The Original Series fan!
That being said (it’s important here), this movie was great!! I’m familiar with the mannerisms of the original crew of the Enterprise, and these new iterations are all fairly spot-on, especially McCoy (Karl Urban FTW)
My wife knows nothing about Trek, and yet she really enjoyed it as well! So it’s definitely worth watching, as long as you’re not someone who lives in their parents’ basement struggling to choose between Kirk and Picard…because they do “dumb” the movie down a bit.
That being said, this is the guy who created Alias, Lost and Fringe for crying out loud; the story works and the direction is fun ;)
Jonathan’s comment about people living in their parents’ basement reminds me of an interesting trend I’ve been noticing over the last week. Certainly there has been some backlash of the film by the old-school Trekkies, but I have to imagine those people on the online message boards who are hating on this reboot are a very small but somewhat vocal minority. I would bet there are a lot of people out there like me. I love old-school Star Trek, and I loved the new movie. From this week’s (great) podcast, I also know that the writers on this blog each like at least one of the old series, and they loved the new movie. I haven’t done a full-scale study yet, but I’m going to assume that most people (Trekkies or not) enjoyed the new movie on some level. Because most of us aren’t haters.
Yet this past week I’ve been seeing reviews, articles, Facebook statuses, OTI comments, and that one Onion video all riffing off the same tired joke: “People who like Star Trek are lame nerdy virgins who suck.”
Honestly, I thought we were over this stereotype. Isn’t the fact that 98%+ of the universe enjoyed the Star Trek movie proof that Star Trek as a concept is something almost anyone can enjoy?
You’d think all the Trek newbies or casual fans who saw this new film and loved it would say, “Oh, old-school Trekkies! I understand your fandom now! I know I used to beat you up in high school, but let’s be friends now and talk about how awesome Leonard Nimoy is!” But, instead, I read things like this: “The Star Trek movie was great! You should see it! Don’t let all those nerdy fanboys who live in their parents’ basements and who have never kissed a girl fool you! Star Trek is for the football team captains and cheerleaders now! Those nerds can suck it! NERRRDSSSSS!!!!!!”
Star Trek is about harmony and equality, friends! Can’t we all just get along? Can’t we all agree the new movie was super-sweet without using the opportunity to bash those old-school fans, without whom such a film would not be made?
mlawski: an interesting gauge of the movie’s reception is searching Twitter. In a non-scientific sampling of reactions, I paged through dozens of tweets on the new movie and found only 3 or so who expressed a negative opinion of the new movie.
Also, re: Trek fans as nerds, I think the film’s marketing played along with this in order to get the non-Trekkie audience comfortable with the idea of going to see this. “Not your father’s Star Trek.” “Forget everything you know about Trek.” Etc. Which is a factual recognition of both the forked timeline and the very different feel of this film compared to past Trek stories, but the subtext is definitely, “not just for nerds/hard core fans.”
Mlwaski, I think what you’re talking about has to do with marketability. The old stigmas and stereotypes need to be broken down or made irrelevant in order for something like _Star Trek_ to appeal to a mass audience. Previous fans will see something like it because they’re fans, yes. But why would a non-fan see it if the previous notion of someone that watches the series is specifically what you mention, an antisocial nerdboy (or girl!)? Non-fans needed to be assured beyond a reasonable doubt that a jury of their peer wouldn’t laugh at them for seeing it before going to the theater. I’m not saying it’s right, I’m just saying it is what it is.
And a tangential kernel: The impression I got from the Onion thing wasn’t necessarily that the hardcore fans are nerdy and antisocial, but that there is no way to please everybody. When anything gets adapted, you’re always going to have at least a small group that decries it for being so terrible and unfaithful to the original, oh em gee his hair is the wrong color, etc. There is always going to be that tiny yet vocal minority you mention that is extremely nit-picky and, really, just looking for stuff to complain about because of some self-appointed position of “authority” (and in some senses, *moral* authority) on the subject matter. They’re the *true* fans, right? They, at least, like to think so. They’re the same fans that will get really, really pissed (not just annoyed, but genuinely angry) when hipster T-shirts with various logos associated with the _Star Trek_ universe start popping up (if they haven’t already). (I think I’ll stop here before this gets even longer.)
Hmmm. At $75M+, they seem to have solved the marketability problem.
I would *hope* so. But I don’t think the trailers are going to change much when it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray. They’ll still have the same, “You don’t have to be a virginal fanboy to watch!” attitude, since it already worked once. Even if they say something implying that “all these people” went to see it when it was in theaters, the implication will still be “all these *normal* people” went.
Hiya all of youz!..
How are yaz doing?