Returning and Rewatching

I’m back. I’ve been dealing with some health issues, but I feel ready to return to writing now.

First, as you might recall, my review of the Star Trek reboot film was mixed. After watching it, I also posted my rankings of all eleven Trek films made to date. Because those rankings were based entirely on memory for the earlier films, and it had been quite awhile since I’d seen some of them, I decided to undertake the mission of rewatching all ten pre-reboot films to see if my rankings were still accurate and to see how the reboot film compared after seeing the earlier films again.

This was helped by the original cast and Next Generation films finally being released on Blu-ray, with the high definition video and audio making it easier to judge the technical merits of each film. So far, I’ve rewatched the first seven films, leaving three left to go. Some of the more debatable films, like the first and fifth, I rewatched more than once. After my initial viewings, I went back and viewed some of the films again, this time with the filmmakers’ commentaries on.

Once I’m finished, I’ll post new evaluations of each film, and then finish with new rankings. It’s been a fascinating process so far, and I’ve already formed some surprising conclusions.

Star Trek: Boldly Going to Blu-Ray

The best thing about Star Trek? Paramount is using the film’s release to essentially declare this Star Trek Year, and is going to treat fans to lots of goodies on Blu-Ray, starting with the release of Star Trek: The Original Series.

They digitally restored the picture and audio for TOS, and by all accounts this is the best that the show has ever looked and sounded, even better in fact then when it was originally broadcast in the 1960s. The TOS box sets include both the original versions of each episode and the recent remastered versions featuring the visual effects redone in CG and surround sound mixes, and you can switch back and forth between each version with the click of a button on your remote. The first season has already been released, with the final two to be released later in the year.

The six TOS films have also just been released as a Blu-Ray box set with new HD masters and digital restoration (which was especially needed for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, whose original negative was in bad shape). The only quibble is that it will have the original cuts of Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan instead of the more recent director’s cuts, but hopefully they’ll release those versions later. The Star Trek: The Motion Picture director’s cut featured new CG effects rendered in standard definition (unlike the television remasters that did the CG work in HD), so I understand the effects would have to be redone in HD first, which Paramount might not want to pay for. A box set featuring the second through fourth films as a trilogy has also just been released.

The Next Generation films will be released as a Blu-Ray box set later in the year. No word on if or when the TNG television series will be released on Blu-Ray, although it would be nice if they could re-do the effects for those episodes, too.

And for those of you who really enjoyed the new film, there could be an extended edition released on DVD and Blu-Ray.

All told, this seems like a good year to be a Star Trek fan.

Star Trek films – my rankings

1. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
2. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
3. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
4. Star Trek: First Contact
5. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
6. Star Trek: The Motion Picture
7. Star Trek
8. Star Trek: Nemesis
9. Star Trek: Generations
10. Star Trek: Insurrection
11. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Film and TV Chatter

You know, Star Trek is getting such rave reviews that I’m going to turn off my inner OCD geek and just enjoy the film as an alternative interpretation of classic characters.

And am I the only one who thinks Chris Pine, the new Captain Kirk, resembles James Dean?

X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the first hit of the summer film season, so a sequel is already being developed. It’ll reportedly be an adaptation of the classic Chris Claremont/Frank Miller Wolverine miniseries from 1982, meaning a Japanese setting, samurai, ninjas, and the Yakuza. Hopefully, the writers will focus more on character development next time.

Ryan Reynolds, who played Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is set to reprise the character in a solo Deadpool film. This has been rumored for quite some time, but the success of X-Men Origins: Wolverine has finally allowed the project to move forward. I think his healing factor may be used to allow him to return to a more recognizable form in the solo film.

Other mutant-related films that may also be moving forward soon are X-Men Origins: Magneto and X-Men: First Class. The former is being written by Dark Knight co-writer David S. Goyer and the latter is being written by Chuck co-creator Josh Schwartz.

Speaking of Chuck, it should be announced by May 19th if it’ll return for a third season. Among other geek-oriented shows, Heroes has been renewed for a fourth season (albeit with a reduction of episodes from the past season’s 25 to only 18) and Fringe has been renewed for a second season. Dollhouse is on life support at this point, but some rumors have gone around that Fox might renew it if it could be paired with a show with stronger ratings as a lead in.

Green Lantern is set to begin filming in Australia in November. Front runners for the title role are rumored to include two J.J. Abrams-associated actors: Chris Pine and former Alias star Bradley Cooper.

Of Claws and Phasers

I’m going to see X-Men Origins: Wolverine on Sunday morning. It’s gotten decidedly mixed reviews, but at the very least there promises to be several scenes with a shirtless Hugh Jackman.

I’ll see Star Trek next weekend. I’ve promised myself that I’ll watch it as if it’s filmed fanfic so I don’t ruin the experience for anyone else by shouting “J.J. Abrams, you bastard! I hope the bloody smoke monster gets you!” at every opportunity.

I actually scared a co-worker a few weeks ago when I started rattling off all the possible violations of canon in the film based on spoilers. He sort of backed away, and said, “I love Star Trek, but not that much.” I’m such an uber-geek that sometimes I frighten the other geeks with my fervor.

And, of course, I’ll write reviews of both films and post them for your reading pleasure.

Review: CSI: Las Vegas, Episode 9.20, “A Space Oddity”

The beloved science fiction show Astro Quest (a thinly disguised Star Trek: The Original Series) is being remade as a dark, violent show called Astro Quest Redux (a thinly veiled New Battlestar Galatica). At an Astro Quest convention, the producer of Astro Quest Redux is found murdered. Could he have been killed by an angry fan of the original show?

This funny episode is written by former New BGS staff writers David Weddle & Bradley Thompson and former Star Trek: The Next Generation and Farscape staff writer Naren Shankar, all of whom are now on the writing staff of this show, and directed by New BSG veteran Michael Nankin. It’s an affectionate satire of science fiction shows and fans wrapped up in a murder mystery. It’s also more of a CSI Lite episode in that it focuses on two of the lab techs rather than the CSIs, allowing cast members Wallace Langham (Hodges) and Liz Vassey (Wendy) a chance to shine.

New BSG creator Ron Moore has a cameo, and he’s given the honor of playing a fan of Astro Quest who upon seeing a promo for the dark remake Astro Quest Redux stands up and shouts at the producer, “you suck!” That’s such an awesome and funny moment, considering how many fans of the original BSG are vocal in their dislike of his remake. New BSG actresses Grace Park and Rekha Sharma have non-speaking cameos, and Kate Vernon has an important speaking role.

This episode is completely made of win, especially if you’re a fan of what it’s satirizing.