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Star Trek Into Darkness, a review by Dragonfire

Star Trek Into Darkness



I have seen this one twice in the theater and I loved it both times.  I know some people don't like these movies and have complained about things that are different from the original movies and tv show.  I like the reboot and find these movies very entertaining and interesting.  I have seen some of the original movies and tv show episodes, but I don't remember a lot of what happened in those.  I went years without being interested in the movies or tv shows, but that has changed since the reboot and I want to watch the original movies here sometime.

I'm not including any spoilers in this post.

I'm not sure how much time has passed since the end of the first movie.  Kirk and Spock are getting along better, though they still have conflicts.  A mission doesn't go well, and Kirk and his crew have to deal with the fallout.  While that is happening, a terrorist and former member of Star Fleet, John Harrison, attacks Star Fleet.  Kirk and his crew are given a special mission to go after Harrison.

The movie is showing in 2D and 3D.  I saw the 2D version both times I saw the movie, so I have no idea how the 3D looks.  I did notice a few images that might have looked cool if the 3D was taken advantage of.  Abrams once again went over board with the lens flare to the point where it is distracting in some scenes.  He needs to knock that crap off.

The story is entertaining and it works well.  There are things that tie back to the original movies, including one in particular, but things are different enough that it isn't just a retelling of a previous plot.  There is a good amount of action and some violence that works with what is going on.  The characters are familiar, yet they all have little differences here and there - like Scotty standing up to Kirk about something.  There are a few little moments here and there that add humor from things that characters say or do.  Bones does one of his "Dammit man" lines.  In addition to the action and humor, there are also some emotional moments as well.  I read something after I saw the movie that someone called one part hollow and cheap..I don't agree with that at all.  That part worked in my opinion, and it did get to me.

Benedict Cumberbatch is absolutely wonderful as Harrison.  He has his reasons for why he is doing, and he is absolute in his convictions.  He is chilling and makes a very strong villain.  The rest of the cast does a good job with their parts as well, but Cumberbatch is the stand out.

Star Trek Into Darkness is a great movie that is definitely worth seeing. 



I did post a longer review on Epinions - that is spoiler free - after seeing the movie the first time.

Star Trek Into Darkness



(From Star Trek Into Darkness - No Spoilers on June 24th, 2013)

Blade, a review by Hal

Title: Blade: New Line Platinum Series
Year: 1998
Director: Stephen Norrington
Rating: R
Length: 120 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English: Dolby Digital: 5.1, English: Dolby Digital: Dolby Surround, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo, Commentary: Dolby Digital: 2-Channel Stereo
Subtitles: English

Stars:
Wesley Snipes
Stephen Dorff
Kris Kristofferson
N'Bushe Wright
Donal Logue

Plot:
Wesley Snipes stars as the tortured soul Blade - half man, half immortal. Blade sharpens his lethal skills under the guidance of Whistler (Kris Kristofferson), his mentor, guardian and fellow hunter of the night. When the bloodthirsty Immortals' lord, Deacon Frost (Stephen Dorff), declares war on the human race, Blade is humanity's last hope for survival.

Extras:
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Feature Trailers
Featurettes
Production Notes
DVD-ROM Content
Closed Captioned
Isolated Score with Commentary

I quite enjoyed this film.  Lots of action, a decent plot, great effects for the most part, good acting, a decent score and lots of atmosphere.  The blood bath at the beginning was pretty gross.  The serum that caused the vampires to "explode" reminded me a lot of the effects of exposure to Mars atmosphere in Total Recall.  Pretty cool.  Definitely a keeper.

Rating:

(From Hal's 2010 Horror Marathon Reviews on October 11th, 2010)

Pete's Pilots, a review by addicted2dvd

The Dukes of Hazzard
The General Lee is tanked up, revving and ready. Bo Duke is at the wheel. Cousin Luke rides shotgun. And all roads lead to fun when you travel with The Dukes of Hazzard.

One-Armed Bandit
Sheriff Coltrane is hissier then a sack of rattlesnakes! He sets up a slot machine operation to fund his election, but a pair of two-armed bandits - Bo and Luke - find a way to give tha proceeds to charity.

My Thoughts:
While this is one of my favorite shows from when I was a Kid... It took a while for the show to get going. I for one never cared too much for the first season. At this point the characters were not yet set in the way they will be. Especially Cooter who is played more crazy and dumber then he is in the following seasons. But it is still an enjoyable show. Best thing about the pilot episode? Daisy in that bikini of course! 

My Rating:

(From Pete's Pilots on December 29th, 2009)