Star Trek Movie III – The Search for Spock (1984)–No Wrath of Khan, But Better than I Remembered
Following the awesome Wrath of Khan, 1984’s, the Search For Spock, had a lot to live up to…and didn’t quite reach those lofty goals. Still, after re-watching it for the first time in 25+ years, I have to say that it is better than I remembered.
If you haven’t watched Wrath of Khan then beware, as there will be spoilers, but hell, the movie’s been out for 31 years so tough.
So, in the Wrath of Khan the movie ends with Spock, dead…kind of. They shoot his body off to the newly formed Genesis planet. Soon, McCoy starts acting weird, acting like he’s Spock or something. At the same time, there are some weird things going on on the newly formed Genesis planet, as well as new frictions between the Klingon Empire and the Federation. The Genesis planet, declared off limits to all, holds the key to resurrecting Spock and the crew of the Enterprise needs to get there… They steal Enterprise and head off to the planet. They run into a Klingon Bird of Prey, ready to kick the Enterprise’s ass. A quick battle, a ruse and the death of someone special to Kirk and then a switch-a-roo and the crew of the now wasted enterprise take off in a newly stolen Bird of Prey with a new passenger, (come on, you know the name of the damned movie), a trip to Vulcan and some Psychic surgery.
So, by some considered a crappy Trek movie, and I too used to think this, but after re-watching I have to say it is better than I remember. Also, the great Christopher Lloyd (remember Jim Ignatowski of Taxi or "Doc" Brown from the Back to the Future movies), makes a great Klingon Captain. So, don’t watch this movie expecting greatness, but to be fair I believe it’s not nearly as bad as some think it is. Also – don’t watch this movie as a stand alone movie – watch it if you are going through the movies.
Check out the trailer below:
Star Trek Movie #2: The Wrath of Khan (1982)–More Than Making Up For The First Movie
Okay, after Star Trek – The Motion Picture, I believe that hopes for the second Trek movie, The Wrath of Khan were a little muted: who wants to set themselves up for disappointment. Well, little did we (Star Trek fans), know that we were in for a treat.
Wrath of Khan, the second movie in the Star Trek series of movies, revisits an episode from the original series, “Space Seed” where the enterprise encounters an ancient ship containing the cryogenically frozen bodies of a group of genetically enhanced “Supermen,” banished from Earth in the late 1990s for their crimes against humanity. Doctor McCoy revives the survivors. The e leader of the group of exiled people, Khan Noonien Singh, is a most charming man, and soon attempts to capture Kirk’s ship. Failing, Khan and his crew are exiled to a garden Planet, Ceti Alpha V.
In Wrath of Khan, Khan is encountered accidentally when original series character, Chekov (played by Walter Koenig) beams down with his current captain, Clark Terrell (Paul Winfield) of the USS Reliant, to a planet they believe is Ceti Alpha 6, to investigate some life readings on a planet they believed to be uninhabited. The planet itself was being investigated as a possible test bed for the Genesis device – a device that can transform a dead world into a thriving, living world in almost no time. Shortly after arriving on the planet, Chekov discovers that they are on the scene of what is left of the Botany Bay – the ship,minus the drive components, that was used to exile Khan and his crew years ago. Soon they encounter Khan, who explains that they are actually on Ceti Alpha V, and that Ceti Alpha VI exploded shortly after their being exiled, and that the planet was forced from it’s orbit and had been changed from a garden to the inhospitable wreck that it is now. Khan, finding out that Kirk is still alive, has decided to exact revenge on him for the marooning (and subsequent deaths of many of his original crew), by taking the Reliant and fooling him into a trap. There is some really good space ship to space ship combat. Actually, some of best space combat that I’ve ever seen. You also get to learn a little bit more about Captain Kirk’s life… I won’t tell you anything about that in case there’s a chance you haven’t seen this movie yet. Oh My Gawd…. This movie has it all for a Sci-Fi fan: the acting is better than almost any Trek story, and Khan, played by the late, great Ricardo Montalbán, revising his role from the Original series episode is deliciously over the top. The humour that was missing from the first film is here, and there are some pretty emotional scenes, too. The movie is pretty deep for a Sci-Fi film. Another thing that stands out to me at least, is the orchestral score during the space battles- really awesome stuff. This movie is just good. This is the Star Trek movie I play for friends who don’t understand why I like Star Trek.
If you’ve never watched this film, you should, and if you have why not watch it again. Check out the trailer below:
Star Trek Movie #1 – The Motion Picture (1979) – Like A Super Model: Very Pretty But Quite Vacant
As mentioned in a previous post, I am a fan of Star Trek. I have been a fan since a very small child and I am not ashamed to say that. As a kid I just loved the whole Star Trek universe. I watched the show (in syndication – I’m not quite that old), and had a few of the cool toys. When they announced that a Star Trek movie was coming out I almost lost it, in that way only a nine year old can. After watching the movie, I don’t remember being disappointed, though I do remember being slightly underwhelmed.
Star Trek fans had been waiting for quite a while to see their favourite characters on ANY screen in a new adventure. When Star Trek – The Motion Picture was released, we were ecstatic. It’s just too bad that much of what made Star Trek the fun adventure it was, was missing – the humour. Oh they had the original cast, and a newly rejuvenated Enterprise, but the whole movie was just too antiseptic… too clean. The plot has the crew of the Enterprise rushing to save the Earth from a massive machine based probe that is leaving a path of destruction in it’s wake. A seemingly alien machine with an interesting Earthly origin. There were some big concepts, that make for a good sci-fi movie…just not a great Star Trek movie. I find that there is also a lot of filler: shots of the new Enterprise that go on forever – or as I like to call it: Nerd Porn. Oh: and I think the Uniforms in this movie are the worse Star Fleet uniforms in any Trek show or movie.
I will say one thing for this movie, though: it looks fantastic. This movie was and is (in my opinion), visually stunning.
Don’t get me wrong, as a Sci-Fi and Star Trek fan, I still watch this film once in a while, as it is Star Trek and it is a good looking movie… But It’s just not that great.
Check out the trailer below, and if you are a Star Trek fan (or am interested in the Star Trek movies), I still say watch this… But don’t expect too much.
Check out the trailer below and stay tuned for a review of the best Trek movie.
Westworld (1973)–When Will Mankind Learn That Robots Always Go Rogue and Destroy Their Human Keepers?
Imagine a time when you you can vacation as a gunslinger in the Wild-West, or as a Roman citizen. Imagine being able to indulge in all the vices that a certain age was known for. Want to shoot a man for cheating at cards? Go ahead. Want to take part in a huge Roman orgy in the Emperor’s palace? No problem. Well, the movie 1973 classic Science- Fiction movie, Westworld, takes us to a future where all this and more is possible through the use of complex, very human like robots (well, Androids to be more accurate).
Starring James Brolin and Richard Benjamin as two friends, John Blane and Peter Martin, who have decided to vacation at the Delos Amusement park. For $1000 a day each, they will live as if they are in the Wildwest in Delos’ Westworld, the wild west recreation. John, having been here before, is showing Peter the ropes as he is not convinced of the authenticity or value of the Delos park. Soon Peter is engaging in a shootout in a western bar with an intimidating Gunslinger, dressed all in black and played by the naturally menacing Yul Brenner. Quickly dispatching the gunslinging android, Peter starts getting an feel for the place, though it does take some convincing to make sure he knows he didn’t actually kill a human. An amorous encounter with a female ‘droid later further cements Peter’s buy in to Westworld. Occasionally we see the people overseeing the operations of the park. We hear of little malfunctions here and there, minor at first, but increasing in severity. One of the main operators argues for shutting down the park until the issues are corrected, but is voted down. Eventually the issues become so severe that the safety of the park’s guest is in danger – and eventually people start being killed. Sh… Stuff has hit the fan.
This is a great example of Science Fiction that is smartly written – in fact it’s written and directed by the great Michael Crichton. The movie isn’t perfect, but it is good. One warning: there are quite a few “Porn-stache” moustaches in this movie! lol.
Check out the trailer below, and then head out to your local seller of DVDs/Blu-Rays and get yourself a copy of this Sci-Fi masterpiece.
The Star Trek Movies–My Next Project
Hello hello hello!
So, after recently re-watching the second movie of the Star Trek reboot, Star Trek – Into Darkness, I have decided to revisit the Star Trek Movie Franchise and with up the experience. If you are a fan of the Star Trek universe, and are actually honest to yourself, then you know that there are many bad movies in this series (and of course a few good ones, also).
I am going to review (or whatever we call what I do here on this site) at least the first Trek films (the original series films), and perhaps film seven, Generations as it combines (poorly) The Original Series and The Next Generation. Who knows: I may continue through the entire catalogue of Trek Films… Time will tell.
I am a huge fan of Star Trek, but I am very aware that some of these films are real turkeys, but I am also of the opinion some are not just good Star Trek movies, but good Sci-Fi movies in general. I will try to be fair
– I hope you enjoy – Keep watching!!!
Harold’s Going Stiff (2011)–A Fun, Fresh Zombie Film of Sorts
Harold’s Going Stiff popped up as a suggested watch. I had not heard about the film before last night, and boy was I pleasantly surprised.
Harold’s Gone Stiff is filmed in a documentary style and follows the progress of Harold, the earliest known sufferer of a disease, called Early Rigor that mimics a Zombie outbreak. Harold is getting physical therapy from a nurse, Penny. The film shows Harold’s progress, fighting the stiffening that happens with this disease, It also follows the evolving relationship, from a working to a friendship, between Harold and Penny. Along with there story, we are also shown a small group of three friends, one who is himself suffering from early onset of the Rigor disease, and their hunting of victims of said disease.
Harold’s Going Stiff does something that is rare: it shows the Zombies as victims of a terrible disease. I found myself feeling for the Zombies, and loathing the group of zombie killers. And the movie also creates a touching feeling regarding Penny and Harold. This can’t be easy to do with a subject matter like this,but in my opinion the film makers succeed. If you’ve seen the movie, American Zombie, you might see a bit of a resemblance in the fact that both are pseudo-documentaries, painting the Zombies as people who are sick. Both movies are good, but I liked this one better.
Do yourself a favour and watch this movie. Check out the trailer below:
Evil Dead Fan Film!
So, I was this posted over at the reddit.com horror sub-reddit: an Evil Dead Fan Film… Very funny stuff!!!
Freaked (1993)–Awesome Movie–Why Haven’t I Heard of It Before Now?
Well, this movie was a surprise. Coming out in 1993 and having a pretty damned big cast, I have no idea as to why I’ve never heard of it up until last week.
1993’s Freaked stars William Sadler as Dick Brian, a former child star that, along with a group of compatriots, are turned into mutant freaks by mad scientist/Showman Elijah C. Scruggs (played very well by Randy Quaid), and held captive, along with his other victims turned performers for his own Freak Show. Of course i’s up to them to plot an escape, which leads to a whole new bunch of excitement. Retelling the tale of the incident that left him horribly disfigured and ended his acting career on a daytime talk show hosted by the vacuous Skye Daily (played by Brooke Shields), while in shadow (presumable to hide his horrible disfigurement), the movie is shot as a flashback, and occasionally returning to the present either for a dumb, but funny comment from Skye, or a silly commercial. Quaid’s Scruggs is an awesomely over the top character, and his stable of freaks is truly impressive. I especially enjoyed Mr. T as the Bearded Lady! Special effect makeups are fantastic and completely over the top. The film combines horror with humour very successfully, something that isn’t easy to do.
A silly film that deserves your attention, I heartily suggest this as a watch.
Check out the trailer below:
I Like Bad Movies 