Super 8

OPENING: 06/10/2011

STUDIO: Paramount Pictures

RUN TIME: 112 min

ACCOMPLICES:
Trailer, Official Site

The Charge
From J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg.

Opening Statement
After adding a solid installment to the popular Mission: Impossible franchise and successfully re-booting the Star Trek franchise, writer/director/producer/generally beloved media figure J.J. Abrams finally gets to tackle an original story with Super 8. Steven Spielberg is the film’s executive producer, and it quickly becomes clear that Super 8 is a love letter to the kind of films Spielberg was producing and directing during the early 1980s (E.T. and The Goonies immediately come to mind, though there are a host of other influences). While Abrams doesn’t quite match the best of the films it imitates, it nonetheless proves an engaging, touching cinematic homage.

Facts of the Case
The year is 1979, and the place is a small town in Ohio. Our central figure is Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney), a small-town middle school student whose mother passed away just a few months ago. Joe’s father Jackson (Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights) has become emotionally distant and buried himself in work since the accident, so Joe spends most of his time hanging out with his best friend Charles (Riley Griffiths). Charles is working on creating a low-budget zombie movie for a short film festival, and Joe is in charge of the make-up and special effects. The cast and crew is almost entirely comprised of boys, though Charles somehow talked the popular Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning, Somewhere) into playing the film’s love interest.

On one night of filming, two important things happen. The first is that Joe begins to make a connection with Alice and starts to develop feelings for her. The second is that a massive train wreck occurs nearby during the middle of filming. It quickly becomes apparent that this was no ordinary accident; the military swoops into town and refuses to give anyone even the most basic bits of information. Unusual things start happening: power outages occur all over town, dogs disappear and then people start to go missing. Joe, Charles, Alice and the gang are understandably eager to figure out what’s going on. What they don’t realize that they already have a remarkable piece of evidenced captured on film.

The Evidence
I think that’s enough information on the film’s plot. Many reviews have revealed even more than that, but the true nature of the train wreck is best left a surprise, I think. What makes Super 8 an unexpected pleasure is not the sci-fi wildness Abrams has up his sleeve, but the simple fact that this is the rare summer blockbuster which actually emphasizes character and story over action set pieces and special effects. While it doesn’t offer the same sort of gleeful adrenaline rush Abrams’ Star Trek offered, it does muster up some of that distinctly Spielbergian warmth and emotional intensity which doesn’t appear frequently enough these days.

The film’s best scenes are those which simply allow the young protagonists to interact with each other, as there’s a wonderful sense of group chemistry that’s far more thrilling than any special effect the film has to offer. Seeing this tale unfold through the eyes of these kids brings refreshing perspective to a plot that sometimes seems like an ungainly patchwork quilt of other sci-fi films. When Abrams checks in on the adults (not too frequently, I’m glad to report), we suddenly realize what a dull movie this could have been if it had been centered on a grim, no-nonsense local hero like the character Kyle Chandler plays. An adult looks at the train wreck and thinks, “This is a horrible tragedy.” The kids look at the train wreck and think the same thing, but the next day they conclude that the wrecked train would make a spectacular background for that zombie movie they’re working on. You get the idea.

There are moments between Joe and Alice which approach greatness, as Abrams offers an achingly tender portrait of adolescent longing. Consider the scene in which Joe sees Alice in zombie make-up, and Alice playfully shuffles towards him in a zombie-like fashion. Sure, she’s pretending she wants to eat him, but Joe is simply thrilled by the notion that Alice is offering such a blatant display of interest in him. Some of the young cast members have no significant previous experience, but there’s never an inauthentic moment or forced line reading during the scenes with the youngsters (most of them run circles around grown-up pros like Chandler and Noah Emmerich, but that’s partially because Abrams puts so much work into the characterization of the kids and so little into the adults).

The film starts to disappoint in its second half, as Abrams’ story starts to slip into more conventional territory (it’s handled well enough and is still engaging, but the sense of freshness that dominates the first half starts to fade considerably). It would be a solid slam-bang second half to many films, but it disappoints in this case due to the remarkable nature of the film’s first half. There are plenty of splendid moments throughout the entire film, but less of them once the characters really start running, jumping, chasing and shooting. At least things end on a strong note, as Abrams builds to a finale that ranks as his most explicit homage to Mr. Spielberg (interestingly enough, another film released earlier this year paid homage to Spielberg in a very similar but vastly less effective manner). The genius of Abrams’ conclusion is that it takes familiar imagery and turns it upside down; this has happened before but the context has changed dramatically. It’s also during these closing moments that Abrams indulges in his riskiest moments of emotional manipulation. Fortunately, they pay off due to the work Abrams has put into the build-up to them.

Closing Statement
While Super 8 isn’t quite the masterpiece it flirts with being on occasion, it’s an exceptional film which proves far more emotionally involving than the usual popcorn movie fare. Don’t miss it.

The Verdict
8/10

Star Trek

OPENING: 05/08/2009

STUDIO: Paramount

RUN TIME: 127 min

TRAILER: Trailer

ACCOMPLICES: Official Site

SOUNDTRACK:

The Charge
To boldly go where no reboot has gone before!

Opening Statement
I never dreamt I would say this is as a film critic: Star Trek is a masterpiece, destined to go down as the one of the great adventures of all time.

Facts of the Case
Two young men are growing up with a similar destiny, choosing between two paths, one of which will ultimately define them. Half-human, half-Vulcan Spock (Zachary Quinto, Heroes) has learned to mentally lock away emotions in lieu of logic. Though committed to his home planet and his family, he is asked to attend Starfleet Academy on Earth to become a space-travelling officer. Meanwhile, in the fields of Iowa, a reckless, swaggering kid named James Tiberious Kirk (Chris Pine, Just My Luck) is hitting on women, drinking heavily, and getting bruised in bar brawls. When he’s approached by Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood, Thirteen Days) with the truth about his heroic father (and how the unborn Kirk barely survived the attack on the USS Kelvin), he’s given the invitation to tap into his potential by enlisting in Starfleet.

Kirk meets and becomes good friends with Leonard McCoy (Karl Urban, The Bourne Supremacy), a cantankerous medical-officer-to-be who’s not enthusiastic about space travel; sleeps with the green-skinned roommate of Uhura (Zoe Saldana, Guess Who), who is repulsed by his actions; and comes to odds with Spock after “cheating” the Kobayashi Maru scenario. As a result, Kirk is put on academic suspension, while Spock and McCoy are ordered to serve on the USS Enterprise. However, the clever doctor manages to get his friend onboard the ship at the same time Spock’s home planet is being violently attacked by Romulan madman Nero (Eric Bana, Hulk). Piloting a mining ship capable of creating massive black holes, Nero’s intentions are to exact revenge against not only the Vulcans but Spock himself who, 120 years in the future, will attempt to rescue Nero’s homeworld. Now, with Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) lost in the past, he must recruit an old friend to stop Nero’s destructive path.

The Evidence
It’s been only an hour since I left the cinema, and I’m still stunned. Quite simply, producer-director J.J. Abrams (creator of such popular television series as Alias and Lost) has pulled off the impossible. Along with screenwriters Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman, he has not only succeeded in rekindling a practically dead franchise, but fueling it with thunder, awe, and compassion. The result is nothing short of a blazing inferno full of edge-of-your-seat adventure, white-knuckle thrills, and a genuine sense of wonder and excitement. And this is coming from someone who’s never been a “Trekkie.”

Over the course of two hours and six minutes, we see creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision enhanced and amped up, but still respected at every angle. There is a fine line being walked here, between satisfying the most staunch Trek purists and those who’ve never given a Klingon’s ass about the canon. In other words, there are a substantial number of winks and insider references, but they aren’t done in a way which would intimidate or scare off newcomers. Practically every previous Star Trek film was grounded in the overused universe of photon torpedoes and phasers on stun. They would expand upon themes and characterizations introduced in the series, which may have kept fans entertained but left everyone else out in the cold, shaking their heads in disbelief at the cult following. This new Trek should change all that, since this reboot/prequel has been specifically designed to appeal to a much wider audience. We’re talking the size of say, Star Wars or James Bond. It may not achieve that goal, but it comes close.

When Roddenberry passed away in 1991, Trek‘s popularity was arguably at its peak, thanks to the theatrical films and The Next Generation television series. Soon, however, the facade would fracture to a paralyzing point. Whether the damage had begun with the Next Gen movies or the TV series to follow, it was clear Trek fandom was waning to the point of Red Alert. With the cancellation of Enterprise (the fifth show of the franchise) and Paramount selling off all their Trek models and memorabilia, the party seemed to be over. When this “reboot” was first announced, some Trekkies got fired up, expressing their belief that Trek should be moving forward, not backward. Since Paramount tried both routes and failed, something had to be done, if the series was to continue exploring strange new worlds.

The first step was mending and polishing up this tired, scarred universe. The second was utilizing visual effects which were light years beyond what had been previously seen. Abrams’ world has the spirit and sensibilities of Roddenberry, with a shot of much-needed, heart-pumping adrenaline. The action is fast and furious. The space battles are eye-popping and exhilirating. The technology is still advanced but also feels transitional from our time. The comedy is hip and lively, never compromising the emotional drama. And even a romantic angle is brilliantly included. Best of all, the tics, tricks, and mannerisms of these beloved characters are familiar, but never slide into cringing imitations. Once we meet Kirk, as a boy cruising wildly (to a Beastie Boys song!) in the fields of Iowa, we accept him as Kirk. When we meet Spock, not letting his emotions compromise his way of thinking, we know he’s Spock. As soon as McCoy emphasizes how he’s a doctor and nothing else, he and the rest of the crew fall into place the same way. The trinity may merely be in their development stage, but it solidifies the origins of how they come together and will eventually grow.

Those who are still skeptical about the director’s casting choices should be relieved once they leave the theater. It’s a tough call as to who among them stands out the most, but it would be almost unfair to do so, as each character is given an equal chance to introduce themselves to audiences. To start, Chris Pine exquisitely channels Kirk’s arrogance and risk fetish, becoming even more compelling and layered than William Shatner was in the very first episodes of the ’60s series. Strongly matching him is Quinto, who’s impressive in his feature debut as the green-blooded, pointy-eared Vulcan. His intrepration is perhaps the most reverent and courteous. Saldana, never better, is set to become a memorable, sensual Uhura, hopefully never to be dumbed down by fan dances. Arguably the most delightful is Simon Pegg (Shaun Of The Dead) as “beam-me-up” Scotty, whose liveliness is infectious to the point of serenity. Rounding out the roster is John (Harold & Kumar) Cho’s riviting Hikaro Sulu, Anton (Charlie Bartlett) Yelchin’s realistically green Pavel Chekov, and a tender turn by the actress who plays Spock’s mother, who I shall leave to the viewer as a surprise.

Yet, Star Trek‘s most notable accomplishment is miraculously going back to its roots, without entirely dismissing the established history. This is an alternate universe, to be sure, but one which fits inside a 40-year-old glove carefully and comfortably. The amount of research Abrams & Co. did is noticeable in every frame, yeilding storytelling at its most organic. The film earns its thrills, unlike others which are more concerned about blowing stuff up. Star Trek mixes intelligence and action in a startlingly fresh way, even though motifs and quirks can be recognized from the franchise all the way back to Horatio Hornblower, which served as a major inspiration to Roddenberry’s sci-fi spectacle. Abrams achieves the same spectacle, but turns it into an unforgettable juggernaut, with a dramatic power reminiscient of the operatic 2001: A Space Odyssey. The difference being the narrative is continuosly at warp speed, never letting up for a single second. And this is exactly why Star Trek will attract freshman audiences, the ones who could care less what a Vulcan or a Romulan is, but will remain transfixed anyway at a glorious entertainment package which will garner universal acceptance.

Closing Statement
Make sure your local theater is equipped with seatbelts. This is surely one Summer blockbuster that demands repeated rides. Terminator and Transformers will surely try their best, but it’s going to take more than just crushed metal to blast down this sensational, souped-up Enterprise. As Scotty jovially announces after a key dramatic moment, “I like this ship! This is exciting!”

The Verdict
10/10