Monthly Archives: January 2019

Jan 27 2019

Star Trek: Discovery Vs. The Orville, Part Two

Let’s continue comparing two television shows that are similar to each other on the surface—Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville. In Part One, we explained how The Orville is an homage to the traditional Star Trek TV show with its set up and characters. Now its time to look at Star Trek: Discovery, which some feel is Star Trek in name only.

When Star Trek returned to the small screen in September 2017 with Star Trek: Discovery, many fans were bitterly disappointed with what they saw. While some criticized the 6th live-action Star Trek show for its flaws, others zeroed in on the fact that this Trek show is not a traditional Star Trek show. They point out that though it’s well done it lacks the essence of what made Star Trek so special. To be honest, they are justified for feeling that way; yes, we all miss the good ol’ fashioned Star Trek with a heroic starship captain (usually a white, male human) and his diverse bridge crew going from planet to planet and solving problems by the episode’s end.

Breaking the Mold of Traditional Trek

While these vocal critics are justified with their objections about Star Trek: Discovery, we must to keep this in mind. Star Trek had to do something different to stand out. By the time the last Trek show, Star Trek: Enterprise, finished its run, Star Trek had run its creative course and fell out of favor with fans who wanted something new and exciting.

During the long hiatus between shows, the return of Star Trek to the small screen was a difficult process as many different ideas were pitched to resurrect the franchise. For a time, Bryan Fuller, a veteran of the previous Trek shows, was the showrunner for Star Trek: Discovery, but ultimately left before it first aired. He did leave his mark with the direction and look of the show which broke the mold of a traditional Star Trek program. On the surface it seems familiar: the adventures of the crew of a starship called Discovery, which takes place a few years before the very first show. But it’s not what fans expected as they found out the newest Star Trek show is a definite contrast to what we think of as Star Trek.

The franchise is known for having an optimistic view of humanity and the future. Discovery instead has a darker, more cynical tone, even more than Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which for its time was derided for being too pessimistic. This perception is also reflected in the way the show looks. The sets, despite their futuristic look, appear gloomy and cramped. Not the kind of place we’d want to be assigned to if we were at Starfleet. Dutch angles, lens flares and dim lighting accentuate the overall flashy, but depressing look of the Discovery. While all this makes show seem edgy it comes at a cost to the warmer and more inviting look of standard Trek.

Naturally, being that this is a modern show with state-of-the-art special effects and production values, the show looks more futuristic than even the Star Trek spinoffs from its 1990s golden age. Holograms are everywhere and the show’s technology is incredibly high tech. The special effects are just breathtaking and are movie quality. It’s as if mini-theatrical films are being streamed for us. Being that this is a prequel to the original show from the 1960s, this ultra-futuristic look violently clashes with what was established in Star Trek and adds to the argument that the show is not part of the proper Prime Universe.

This is an unfortunate and unavoidable due to time, advances in special effects and larger budgets. While recapturing the exact retro look of the old show works for fan films it would not for a modern show trying to attract more viewers. Still, the perception remains that this incarnation of Star Trek is so dissimilar to the Trek we know that it is hard to believe that it takes place in the prime timeline; not to mention the contradictory background information that some have spotted.

battle of binary stars

The running arc of the first season of Star Trek: Discovery was of a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. The way the enemy race of the Federation was reconceptualized was simply terrible. While the new makeup and ship designs made the Klingons appear more alien and fiercer, it robbed them of the bravado and spunk they were famous for.

Continue reading →

Jan 21 2019

The Orville Vs. Star Trek: Discovery, Part One

The biggest rivalry going on right now on TV is between Star Trek: Discovery and The Orville. Technically, that is not entirely accurate since Star Trek: Discovery is only available on the CBS All-Access streaming service while The Orville is broadcast on the Fox network. Still the competition between the two and the fandom generated, especially with The Orville, is quite fierce.

What is fueling the intense rivalry among fans is how similar both shows are to each other, at least when comparing The Orville to general Star Trek, not necessarily Star Trek: Discovery. In fact, The Orville perfectly captures the look and feel of Star Trek circa the 1990s. Meanwhile Star Trek: Discovery has a decidedly different tone than past Trek shows, which has proven to be controversial among fans.

With distinct differences and similarities, it’s an interesting exercise to compare both shows.

The Orville: Bawdry Expectations

When it debuted in 2017, The Orville was one of those programs that suddenly appeared in everyone’s radar. It was first marketed as a flat-out comedy that promised to spoof Star Trek and other sci-fi programs and films and their tropes. But viewers quickly learned that was not the case with The Orville. This could be why the show did not appeal to critics who were expecting bawdry, outrageous comedy in the vein of Family Guy. After all, this show’s creator and star is Seth MacFarlane, the creator of Family Guy.

Unlike its early trailers, The Orville’s humor is much gentler and dryer. Although at times it tries to be edgy with its comedy and it doesn’t always work. In fact, at times its attempts at humor feels forced and ill-timed, which throws off the tone of some scenes. Honestly, The Orville cannot be considered a comedy and it doesn’t really spoof Star Trek. Coming off more as an homage, the program’s smart scripts examines relevant social issues and sci-fi concepts like a classic Star Trek show. It’s why the show has resonated with fans yearning for traditional Star Trek and are disappointed by Star Trek: Discovery and the recent films. But it also turned off those tuning in to expect the next Family Guy or at least something along the lines of Galaxy Quest.

While MacFarlane is famous for delivering raunchy and over-the-top humor with Family Guy and his film Ted, many didn’t realize that he is a big Star Trek fan. In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter in 2011, he confessed that his dream was to pitch a Star Trek TV show. In the interview when the subject of Star Trek came up, Seth MacFarlane said, “But I’d love to see that franchise revived for television in the way that it was in the 1990s: very thoughtful, smartly written stories that transcend the science fiction audience.” Well, he clearly has his chance to do a Star Trek show with The Orville.

Continue reading →

Jan 13 2019

Aquaman Salvages The DCEU

It’s official, Aquaman is the biggest hit for the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) or the Worlds of DC. The newest superhero film released by Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment has proven so successful that it has joined the lucrative billion dollar club as of this weekend. Aquaman’s success could not have come at a better time for DC and Warner Bros. as the film studio desperately needed to have a genuine supehero hit film given all the headaches they’ve had with the DCEU lately.

The DCEU has always had an uneven existence with films that either polarized audiences or just left everyone unimpressed. For every Wonder Woman there was a Suicide Squad. The DCEU was supposed to be a viable competitor to the far more successful Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but that did not turn out to be. For the most part, Warner Bros. was to blame with the way they micromanaged the DCEU films and their directors and never gave the people running the film universe the chance to organically develop it. In their rush to compete with the MCU, many of the DCEU films felt like rushed trailers for subsequent films. This all came to a head with Justice League last year. What was supposed to be DC’s answer to The Avengers was poorly received and flopped in theaters.

Adding to the woes were all the behind-the-scenes headaches that have been covered before such as the inability to create a proper sequel to Man of Steel, the drama of whether or not Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill would reprise their roles of Batman and Superman. Films were announced and shelved. Directors and writers came aboard for films only to depart soon afterwards.

After the failure of Justice League, not many had hope for Aquaman. After all, he was not a popular superhero and was often derided by many for being so underwhelming. His appearances in previous DCEU movies redefined the character into more of a fun-loving surfer dude type, but this did not inspire confidence that he could carry a film. Thankfully, many of us were proven wrong.

An Underwater Spectacle

Aquaman turned out to be a fun, exciting and spectacular film that just went for broke. It is outrageous with its imagery and the film created a stunning underwater world that is so richly detailed and colorful that it evokes films like Avatar or the Star War films. As with the latter films, Aquaman is one exhaustive film that constantly moves in terms of plot and action. Some parts of it, especially the scenes in Italy, recall the brisk pace of the Indiana Jones films. Much of this credit goes to director James Wan who injected needed levity and adventure to the DCEU and people reacted positively to Aquaman.

Of course, the film can be silly and goofy but it is never dull. On top of that the natural charms of the leads Jason Mamoa and Amber Heard helped sell the film to wide audiences. What also helped was the timing of its release. Unlike previous Holiday seasons, there was no Star Wars film to compete with. Audiences who are weary from all the sour news of the world want escapism and fun in their films. And Aquaman delivered that to them.

Finally, it seemed as if Warner Bros. left Wan and the other filmmakers alone and didn’t try to inject the greater DCEU to Aquaman. Aside from two references, this film could stand apart from the DCEU, and it helped since this allowed the characters to have the spotlight to themselves and for the film’s story to develop naturally. Does this mean this formula will work for future DCEU films? It’s possible, just think about it, Aquaman followed the same path of the early MCU films in that they were largely standalone affairs with lesser known characters that won over audiences. By the time the MCU expanded into team up films, people were invested in the characters. This does not mean this standalone formula will work with every film. But for now a loose affiliation with the DCEU may be the key…for now.

Continue reading →

Jan 4 2019

Top 10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019

Geekdom continues to rule at the box office in 2019. Superheroes, aliens, robots and more await us with 2019’s film offerings. Listed here are the most anticipated films for 2019, though everyone will have their own preference.  Naturally, some films on this list will turn out to be hot garbage, while others will be talked about for years to come. Who can say how they will turn out? Be aware that the release dates will most likely change for many of these films. In fact, three of the films on this list are holdovers from 2018, starting with…

10. Dark Phoenix (June 7):

There is a lot of animosity towards the final Fox X-Men film for various reasons—the film is pointless now with the Disney/Fox merger; a first-time director (Simon Kinberg) associated with the unpopular X-Men: The Last Stand is helming this film. But this is the last proper X-Men film before Marvel Studios reboots the franchise, so it will be interesting to see how the nearly 20-year franchise comes to an end.

9. Captive State (March 29):

Rupert Wyatt directs this sci-fi film that was held over from last summer. The film chronicles the lives of Chicago residents after aliens have occupied our world. As the aliens indoctrinate humanity, a rebellion emerges, and the film will show both sides of the struggle. The impressive cast includes John Goodman and Vera Farmiga.

ad astra Brad Pitt

8. Ad Astra (May 24):

Twenty years after his father (Tommy Lee Jones) disappears on a mission to find alien life near Neptune, a man (Brad Pitt) travels our solar system to find out why his father’s mission failed and to possibly locate him. According to director James Gray, the sci-fi drama will be very grounded and will the dangers of space flight, while echoing Heart of Darkness.

7. Alita: Battle Angel (February 14):

This film was delayed from last December and is a live-action adaptation of the popular manga about a futuristic cyborg warrior. James Cameron produced this pet project with Robert Rodriguez directing. The visuals from the trailer look astounding, but the question is if Alita: Battle Angel can escape the dismal fate of previous attempts to bring manga and anime classics to Hollywood like Ghost in the Shell.

6. Star Wars: Episode IX (December 20):

The Star Wars franchise is at a crossroads now with fandom bitterly divided. The fallout from Star Wars: The Last Jedi is still being felt by Star Wars, hence the failure of last year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story. It is not an exaggeration to state that a lot is riding on how the latest Star Wars film is received.

After director Rian Johnson alienated many fans with The Last Jedi, Lucasfilm handed Episode IX to J.J. Abrams to direct it. Will Abrams bring back the fans and successfully conclude the Skywalker Saga? We’ll find out later this year.

5. It: Chapter Two (September 6):

The first It film was an unexpectedly chilling horror film that was acclaimed by audiences and critics. It adapted Stephen King’s mammoth novel of several children in a Maine town haunted by the supernatural entity Pennywise, who took various forms, but favored a frightful clown.

The second film takes place years later when the children are adults and have to reunite to confront Pennywise again. Most know that It had been adapted before as a mini-series that faltered when it shifted to the adults’ storylines. Hopefully, It: Chapter Two will deliver a satisfying finale.

4. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (May 31):

The sequel to 2014’s Godzilla, this film returns the most famous kaiju and introduces other popular kaijus like Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah. More importantly, Godzilla: King of the Monsters firmly establishes Legendary Pictures’ Monsterverse cinematic universe that includes King Kong (last seen in Kong: Skull Island).

Putting that aside, this film looks absolutely epic! With shots that seem taken from a frightful opera or a baroque painting, and the promise of some serious giant monster action, it’s easy to see why Godzilla: King of the Monsters is a highly anticipated film for 2019.

glass trio

3. Glass (January 18):

M. Night Shyamalan completes his grounded superhuman trilogy with Glass. It all started with 2000’s Unbreakable and the director shocked audiences in 2016’s Split when it was revealed that the film took place in the Unbreakable universe.

Taking center stage, Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role of Mr. Glass, the villainous mastermind who seeks to prove the existing of superhumans to an unbelieving world. Co-starring Bruce Willis (returning from his reluctant hero role in Unbreakable) and James McAvoy as the demented Horde, Glass looks like it will re-establish Shyamalan as a top-tier director.

spider-man far from home black suit

2. Spider-Man: Far From Home (July 5):

Marvel’s most popular superhero returns (apparently from Thanos’ snap) in this followup to Spider-Man: Homecoming. This time out, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) goes to Europe on a school trip and tangles with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), a special effects stuntman turned supervillain.

Most of the cast and crew from the enjoyable Spider-Man: Homecoming return, so the new film should be in competent hands, which ensures a winning film. Of course, there is the question if it can compare favorably to last year’s instant classic Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. But Spider-Man: Far From Home should be another great MCU entry.

1. Avengers: Endgame (April 26):

As the most anticipated film of 2019, all eyes will be on this film. It is much more than the fourth Avengers film. Or the conclusion to the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War. We’ve followed the saga of the MCU for over ten years. Avengers: Endgame is the culmination of over 20 diverse films.

Very little is known about the concluding Avengers film, only that it takes place after Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) victory and will feature the original core Avengers and allies trying to undo Thanos’ universal genocide.

Being that it’s the final Phase Three film and the possible swan song for many popular characters like Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans, it is important that Avengers: Endgame sticks the landing. It is not as easy as it sounds, many concluding films of famous film sagas wound up disappointing fans, but with the talent behind it, Avengers: Endgame should rise to the challenge.

Other Films:

As always, these films that did not quite make the list are definitely worth our attention and as before, it’s a guarantee that the following films will wound up being among this year’s best offerings. Others will probably be delayed until 2020 and beyond. Here are other films that warrant keeping an eye on:

The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (February 8), the first Lego film was so much fun and inventive, let’s hope the sequel is at least as good;  How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (February 22), the final film in Dreamworks’ Dragon trilogy looks awe-inspiring and heartfelt: Chaos Walking (March 1), Doug Liman directs Tom Holland in a sci fi yarn about a colony world where all thoughts are readable; Captain Marvel (March 8), the 21st and next MCU film about the title hero coming to Earth and rediscovering her lost past hops to continue Marvel Studios’ winning streak;

Shazam! (April 5), speaking of winning streak, after the humongous success of Aquaman, DC and Warner Bros. hopes to keep up the much-needed good will with their superhero films with their next film; Pokemon: Detective Pikachu (April 10), the CG/live-action hybrid brings the uber popular Pikachu to the real world,

Brightburn (May 24), is a James Gunn project which is a dark retelling of the Superman alien origin story;  Toy Story 4 (June 21), Pixar’s crown jewel franchise returns in what may be its most heartbreaking entry, which is rumored to be its last; The Lion King (July 19), director Jon Favreau turns in another CG remake of a Disney classic; Joker (October 4), Todd Phillips directs a dark prequel film that chronicles the creation of the demented Clown Prince of Crime; Zombieland Too (October 11), it’s been ten years since the original Zombieland delighted audiences with its comical world overrun by zombies, but better late than never;

Terminator 6 (November 1), let’s see if James Cameron can resurrect the floundering Terminator franchise now that he is producing the latest film;  Sonic the Hedgehog (November 8), the other well publicized CG/live-action film brings to life the popular video game character.