I have just come back from the theatre (I watched it together with 12 friends) and I can only put it that way: I had an incredible fun time.

I went into that movie with exactly the expectations that I believe were necessary: To see a new interpretation of Star Trek TOS. The time travel was a bridge to the old Star Trek world but it was a metaphorical bridge, not a canonical.

Thus I didn’t see it as constructed that the crew came together they way they came together. The fact that it were the same people as in the original TOS was fate – the same fate that always brought the same characters together in the mirror universe – in TOS, DS9 and ENT. If we had never seen a TOS series or a TOS movie nobody would have found it curious that these people took the seats they had taken.

I also couldn’t find large logic holes – I didn’t look for them but there also wasn’t one that jumped me right into the face.

What they have overdone at some points was the silliness of the characters. There were some scenes which weren’t necessary, where they slid into a absurdity. Since much of this goofiness was expressed by voice, I will re-watch the movie in its original language and check how much of it is due to the dubbing. The original series had also a “funny” dubbing because the dubbers thought it would be “better” that way. Of the crew it was only Chekov who was overplayed, he seemed like a bad imitation of Michael Mittermeier’s (a german comedian) Chekov imitation.

In regards to audio and video I was once again disappointed of the theatre. There were vertical lines in the picture at all times that were either black or green as well as some bad transitions from one film reel to the next, including audio breaks. The general audio was also flat when there should have been some serious basses. One could as well watch a bad internet copy.

Summa summarum: This movie is definitively different from all other Trek movies and he wanted it to be. He combines the easiness of The Voyage Home with the action of First Contact and the characters are    likeable. I also liked the visual appearance, including the “brewery engine room”.

Original audio track, here I come!

Categories: Cinema
Tags: Star Trek · Star Trek TOS
Comments: No comments

Deutsche Version | “Battlestar Galactica” Marathon (1978-2009) | Galactica 1980

Disc 1

Saga of a Star World

Synopsis: For a thousand yahren the war with the Cylons has lasted. The Cylons are machines and their creators – the original race called “Cylons” – have died out long ago. But now an armistice was negotiated by Baltar and the fleet of the Twelve Colonies of Man meets with the Cylons to sign a peace treaty. But Baltar has betrayed his own species to seize power and the Cylons launch a large-scale attack on the colonial fleets and the colonies. Only one Battlestar – the Galactica – and a few refugees survive that holocaust. But there’s a myth about a thirteenth colony of Kobol. Commander Adama and his fleet of 220 ships leave the colonies behind to find that legendary colony: Earth. But it won’t be an easy journey and there are still those who believe that mankind should lay down its weapons and seek peace with the Cylons.

My Opinion: The show begins with an epic three-parter which was re-cut and re-published as a movie. The designs of that show are still great. The Galactica, the Cylons (“walking chrome toasters”), the Cylon Raiders, the Basestars. Although the deception of mankind and the destruction of the fleet was a bit too easy, it was a decent start for the story and it showed that Adama is an astute commander and that he has the best pilots in the fleet. I also liked their sense of humour: One of the ships had an advertisement printed on the side: “Colonial Movers – We Move Anywhere”. The characters are also good. They may not have the depth of nowadays’s characters, but they have charm: Adama, Apollo, Starbuck, Athena, Cassiopeia, Serina, … and of course the diabolical Baltar.

Lost Planet of the Gods

Synopsis: Starbuck and Apollo detect a vast electromagnetic void on one of their patrols. Once inside it, there are no more stars, no more anything. But Galactica hasn’t much choice because Jolly and Boomer have detected a cylon outpost on their patrol. And there’s another problem: Jolly and Boomer have brought some kind of disease with them and they have infected most of the fighter pilots during Apollo’s bachelor party. Now the shuttle pilots have to learn how to fly a Viper. Amongst them: Athena and Serina, Apollo’s fiancé.

My Opinion: It sounds a bit harsh but it would have been more realistic if they had killed at least one of the cadets. They’re sitting in a Viper for the first time and yet they destroy an antire squadron of Cylon Raiders. But I really liked it that they made no (verbal) issue about them being woman, just rookies. But one could see that Starbuck and Apollo felt a bit uncomfortable because “things had changed”.
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Categories: BSG Marathon, DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon
Tags: Babylon 5 · Battlestar Galactica · Knight Rider · Star Trek TOS
Comments: 2 Comments

Deutsche Version

It wasn’t planned as such, but in the last few weeks I have watched quite a number of Science-Fiction movies and a good part of them were “Doomsday” movies, so I might as well write a few words about them. Most of these movies are very, very US-patriotic but when you can accept that and when you can ignore the scientific “inaccuracies” you can have a lot of fun with them.

Independence Day

Will Smith   …    Captain Steven Hiller
Bill Pullman   …    President Thomas J. Whitmore
Jeff Goldblum   …    David Levinson
Mary McDonnell   …    First Lady Marilyn Whitmore
Judd Hirsch   …    Julius Levinson
Robert Loggia   …    General William Grey
Randy Quaid   …    Russell Casse
Margaret Colin   …    Constance Spano
Vivica A. Fox   …    Jasmine Dubrow
Adam Baldwin   …    Major Mitchell
Brent Spiner   …    Dr. Brackish Okun

Synopsis: July, 2nd. Some aliens come in a huge ship. They place their UFOs all over the world and blow everything apart. July, 3rd. We try to strike back and fail miserably. July, 4th. We give them a cold and blow them apart.

My Opinion: Great movie. Love it. It’s so cheesy that falls out of the bottom of the scale and comes back from the top of it. The characters are so overdrawn that you can’t take them seriously and that saves the movie. Imagine you would have to look at this movie with a serious eye. The president that fights in the final battle, the drunken pilot that saves the day, the scientist that writes a computer virus for an alien computer and Will Smith in the middle of it.
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Categories: DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon, Mini Marathon
Tags: A Knight's Tale · Armageddon · Daylight · Deep Impact · Demolition Man · Firefly · Galaxy Quest · I Robot · Independence Day · Star Trek · Star Trek TOS · The Day After Tomorrow · The Island · War of the Worlds
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Deutsche Version

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

William Shatner … Admiral James T. Kirk
Leonard Nimoy … Mr. Spock
DeForest Kelley … Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy
James Doohan … Cmdr. Montgomery ‘Scotty’ Scott
George Takei … Lt. Cmdr. Hikaru Sulu
Majel Barrett … Dr. Christine Chapel
Walter Koenig … Lt. Pavel Chekov
Nichelle Nichols … Lt. Cmdr. Uhura
Persis Khambatta … Lt. Ilia
Stephen Collins … Cmdr. Willard Decker
Grace Lee Whitney … CPO Janice Rand

A huge cloud travels through Klingon and Federation space. Who or what that cloud is, is unclear, but nothing seems to be able to stop it. What is certain, is its course: It’s directly heading for Earth. Admiral Kirk takes once again the command over the Enterprise, which has just been refit for 18 monts. Because another thing is certain: The Enterprise is the only ship that can reach the cloud before it comes to Earth.

My opinion:
“The only ship available” is a running gag which goes through all shows and movies. But when the Enterprise is in the orbit of Earth it becomes a bit implausible. That aside I think the refitting of the Enterprise worked very well, it’s a very elegant ship. And one thing is a given: this movie dwells in its pictures, in great panoramic views of the Enterprise, the universe and V’Ger. I also liked that not everything was sunshine and sparkles. I liked it when McCoy told Kirk off for being arrogant and that Kirk wasn’t infallable. BTW: Have you ever registered the fact that the two movies where the final solution was not a gun fight were both TOS movies?
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Categories: DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon, Mini Marathon
Tags: Star Trek · Star Trek TNG · Star Trek TOS
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Deutsche Version | Part 2 | Part 4

Thunder in Paradise

What’s the show about?
R.J. “Hurricance” Spencer has built a very special boat. It is very fast, specially armored and has a lot of special features. He and his partner Brubaker go on special missions for their country.

“Thunder in Paradise”
Spencer is in financial trouble because of the boat he’s built. And the hotel owner Megan Whitaker has the problem of finding a husband within two days. So they make a deal…

My Opinion
Of all the “super machine” series I’ve watched (and I watched them all [Knight Rider, Airwolf, Street Hawk, The Highwayman, Viper, ...]) this one is the cheesiest. The internal measurements of the boat are way larger than the external measurements and the acting is not very good. Ok, what do we expect from a wrestler. It’s definitivly more a fun series than anything else.
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Categories: DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon, Pilot Marathon
Tags: Battlestar Galactica · Home Improvement · LOST · M*A*S*H · Married with Children · Sledge Hammer · Star Trek · Star Trek DS9 · Star Trek TOS · The Simpsons · Thunder in Paradise
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Season 2 | Season 4

Point of No Return

Disc 1

Matters of Honor

Synopsis: A Ranger training post is sealed of with mines and one ranger who could escape asks Babylon 5 for help. Meanwhile Londo tries to cut his connections to Mr. Morden and his associates. Also a representative of Earth comes to Babylon 5 to investigate about the Shadow vessel that destroyed Lt. Keffer’s Starfury.

My opinion: I always liked Marcus and I sure love the White Star. But Sheridan has to be a bit mad to try a stunt like the one in this episode. Good introduction to the next step of the story.

Convictions

Synopsis: A series of bombings shake Babylon 5. Bombs planted by a person who has no political agenda but to spread fear. And when Lennier tries to save Londo he gets badly hurt.

My opinion: While I never really understood the motives of the bomber I really liked the tube scene between Londo and G’Kar. I also liked the arrival of the monks around brother Theo who will stay for a while on the station.

A Day in the Strife

Synopsis: A probe approaches Babylon 5 and transmits a message: When Babylon 5 can answer a series of highly complicated questions, they will receive important knowledge in return. If not, the probe will explode and take B5 with it.

My opinion: Another average episode, there’s not really much to say about it.

Passing Through Gethsemane

Synopsis: Again we see the monks. But one of them is troubled because he gets flashes of memories but he can’t remember the events. Meanwhile Lyta Alexander return to the station on a Vorlon(!) transprt ship. She has been to the Vorlon homeworld but is forbidden to tell about it. She now works for the Vorlons and must hide from the Psi Corps.

My opninion: Great episode about crime and punishment. To see the life of a mind-wiped person and how the victims of a crime can’t let go. I really liked the acting of Brad Dourif (Dune, Deadwood) and the actions of brother Theo at the end of the episode.
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Categories: B5 Marathon, DVD / Blu-ray, DVD Marathon
Tags: Babylon 5 · Back to the Future · Highlander · Sliders · Star Trek · Star Trek DS9 · Star Trek TNG · Star Trek TOS · Terminator · The Last Samurai
Comments: No comments