Star Trek Into Darkness: Film Review



Star Trek of four years ago proved you didn’t have to be a die-hard Trekkie to enjoy the space-fuelled adventure of Captain Kirk and his crew. Likewise, this 12th Star Trek film allows a broad audience to indulge in lasers and computerised fun.

While some of 2009’s flamboyance and electricity seems to have given way to a more rounded, arguably flatter succession, J.J. Abrams maintains its appeal and fortifies a compelling cast that creates emotional energy and a soldiering composition.

This time, the USS Enterprise journeys home to find the Earth; a menacing force has attacked our wondrous planet and the Starfleet. It is, of course, up to our crew to find out who is behind the devastation and put it right.
Subtexts evolve and the in-craft disputes and relationships yet again bring to the fore the very reason the Star Trek franchise has been so bountiful in cinemas and on television screens. Partnered with a medley of CGI and clever camera work, the film jets forward to a new dimension, conjuring up action and adventure only outer space can bring.

I’m not sure that it plays out as well as in 2009, though the addition of Benedict Cumberbatch as villain and the core crew, including Chris Pine, Simon Pegg and Zoe Saldana reprising their roles means that for many it will tick all the same boxes.

The chemistry, essentially, remains in Star Trek Into Darkness. While it may not have the complete universe sewn up this time, J.J. Adrams and his team have done a pretty good job in providing another starry adventure into the unknown.

Director: J.J. Abrams
Produced by: J.J. Abrams; Bryan Burk; Alex Kurtzman; Damon Lindelof; Roberto Orci
Chris Pine, John Cho, Alice Eve, Benedict Cumberbatch, Simon Pegg, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Peter Weller, Anton Yelchin
Release: 2013
Running time: 133 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


You need to login or register to post comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)

Promised Land – Film Review

Something must be said of the originality of this tale of morality, which behind it has the hugely relevant and controversial topic of ‘fracking’ – the process of making natural gas from shale. In simplistic terms.

Matt Damon, heavily involved in the film from the outset decided against directing too, paving the way for Gus Van Sant to lead the line. Perhaps this was a wise move, with Damon having starred, worked on the screenplay and been one of three producers.

In a sense, he can be proud of this questioning tale of a mid-western man turned corporate puppet, sent to cruelly deceive a poor and dusty town and ascertain the drilling rights. Money is to be made and bosses are to be pleased. Of course members of the forsaken town rather tellingly mount a charge against Damon’s wrongful intentions.

Promised Land is slow, formed and thoughtful – it takes no shame in openly trying to be an expressive and emotionally carrying watch. The justification and practice of fracking is talked about constantly today in environmental circles, occasionally in the wider world, and therefore provides a suitable platform for a debate of conscience. And the debate is presented well enough.

However, much of the crux is lost in timid American drivel, overdriven by economic turbulence and eco-warrior-types. There’s nothing wrong with portraying such things, but it wearies you and at times feels as if a bearded hippy is trying to flog you quinoa from behind a collection of good actors.

Director: Gus Van Sant
Produced by: Matt Damon; Chris Moore; John Krasinksi
Matt Damon, John Krasinski, Frances McDormand
Release date: 2013
Running time: 106 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


You need to login or register to post comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)

Love Is All You Need: Film Review


The Danish Love Is All You Need is almost certainly Susanne Bier’s most light hearted film to date – a gentle and forgiving tale that neither offends nor ignites the senses.

It’s ‘palatable,’ much like a £6.00 bottle of wine from Waitrose, with a clearly and sufficiently structured plot and a dialogue that while predictable, also provides a few laughs and hums along relatively seamlessly.

Bier has contrived a simplistic romcom here, but one that offers a touch of sparkle in parts – and certainly begins in a far more rigorous manner than many.

Ida (Trine Dyrholm) has been receiving treatment for breast cancer, and arrives home to find her callous husband cheating on her. After heartache, as if cancer isn’t enough, she takes a trip to attend her daughter’s wedding. While travelling to the setting, the delightful Amalfi coast, she runs into Philip (Pierce Brosnan), an affluent grocer.

From there, typicality in its fullest resolve takes the reins, though by no means is the film wholly lost amid tiresome cheese and waffling. It bounces along in merriment, questioning emotions as any decent romcom should; allowing the two characters to begin anew.

Love Is All You Need is refreshing, really. It’s quite like sipping a glass of Pimm’s on a summer’s evening – but, perhaps, with slightly uncomfortable grass or too many wasps flying around the picnic.

It’s ‘nice,’ and enjoyable to a degree – but it also lacks anything resolute and it wouldn’t be an all-out tragedy to pack up early and finish the sausage rolls at home.

Director: Susanne Bier
Produced by: Sisse Graum Jorgensen; Vibeke Windelov
Pierce Brosnan, Trine Dyrholm, Kim Bodnia
Release date: 2013
Running time: 116 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


You need to login or register to post comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)

Iron Man 3: Film Review


You would have thought that the Iron Man saga had been drawn out enough. Yet the third installment of the Marvel hit is a success on every turn.

Shane Black, director, has unleashed another offensive on the digital era: letting loose on technique and effect with skill, precision and in Iron Man’s case, necessity. It needs the most modern cinematic fervour.

In comic book series it can be said that numerous films can be expected. They journey on, as comic books do, with installments and endless pages. This is much the same; Iron Man’s latest outing provides shocks and new dimensions at every turn. The two hours feel far from prolonged. More accomplished knowing that people genuinely want to know where the suit-clad hero will go next, what he’ll do and who he’ll kiss.

Robert Downey Jr. once again puts out an exceptional performance as our dramatic saviour. The world’s perils are surely safe with him. While Ben Kingsley cannot be faulted as his arch enemy; bringing to the easy, blockbuster action a potency and sophistication of sorts. Gwyneth Paltrow is stylish, concise and sparkling as “Pepper”.

The film itself has enough about it to justify itself. The story, of one power pitted against the other, entwined with love, sidekicks and much flying around is likeable. Its surface is of typicality and adventure, yet Iron Man, not only retaining an unsurprising loyal following, also seems to attract others who may not pick up the comic – but who will certainly give the watch a go.

Black has carved out a 3D film that follows Iron Man 1 and 2 well, while offering something worth seeing; rings true to its origin; and uses CGI without letting it dominate.

Director: Shane Black
Produced by: Kevin Feige
Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Kingsley, Don Cheadle, Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce
Release date: 2013
Running time: 130 minutes

- Joshua Barrie


You need to login or register to post comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)

Amazon TV Set-Top Box In Production


As Amazon has managed to dominate the E-Reader market with the Amazon Kindle, it appears they are planning on taking on Apple with their upcoming TV Set-Top Box.

It's been reported that Lab126, a department of Amazon in California, is working on building a set-top box to compete directly with the likes of Apple TV, Roku, and even the PlayStation 3. The box in question is due to give people the ability to access Amazon's Instant Video service in America, and possibly LoveFilm in other countries.

One of the people working on the project is Andy Goodman, who worked as the top engineer for TiVo, the TV recording and playback service, and Vudu, another video on-demand service. It's expected that Amazon TV, currently unofficially nicknamed Kindle TV, will include the ability to record TV, as well as offering access to thousands of movies and TV series for Amazon Prime members, and the ability to purchase movies to store on the device rather than streaming.

There are also reports that the new device will include access to the Amazon Appstore, so people may be able to play games on their TV, along with the ability to, of course, read books on the TV as if it were an actual Kindle. This would probably be beneficial for those people reading stories to their kids and wanting to help them learn to read, rather than sitting alone reading a book on their huge televisions, but each to their own.

It's unknown at this stage what sort of price it will be, or whether Amazon will swallow their pride and allow something like Netflix to work with their device, but the "Kindle TV" is due for release in America in Autumn this year.

In other Amazon news, the company's giving the public the chance to vote on 14 pilot episodes of potential TV series to see which ones should be made into fully-fledged TV shows. If you'd like to watch and vote on them, you can access them with the link below, and you don't have to be a LoveFilm member to do so!

[Links]
http://goo.gl/fx4IU - Businessweek Kindle TV Article
http://goo.gl/x4kHQ - Lovefilm Amazon Original Pilots

- Chris Lamb


You need to login or register to post comments.
Discuss this item on the forums. (0 posts)

More Articles...