From Russia With Love, Let’s Do the Time Warp Again, or Terminators v. Trekkies

Yesterday, I was blessed enough to see Terminator Salvation.  I’ve only recently as an adult been able to watch all of the Terminator movies (My mom didn’t let me see them as a kid or rent them (the first came out years before I was born) I don’t blame her, the Machines still freak me out; not to mention I’m very impressionable.  Unlike my younger sibs, my sister for example watched The Exorcist at the age of 7 alone, at night.  Nothing scares my sister, nothing.)  but for a late comer to this franchise I was still really excited to see the latest installment, and overall I’m fascinated by the ideas and concepts in the Terminator series.  I have to say aesthetically the film was beautiful.  Sure it was dark, grey, a little washed, but somehow even with the roughness of the characters, their clothing, and their environment there was something sleek, modern, and elegant about the picture.  For me that was great because as a lover of mainly action and comedy films, you don’t see such a nice combination of grit and beauty often.  Now, I know a lot of women love Christian Bale because…well because he’s Christian Bale, but I’ve never been attracted to him myself, he’s just too off putting for some reason.  Maybe it’s the roles I’ve seen him in over the years like the Machinist, American Psycho, and even the past two Batman films.  He just scares me.  And the now INFAMOUS recording of his rant on the Terminator set doesn’t help.  Still I look at Bale and really enjoy his work as an artist.  He’s right to be very private, and I enjoy examining him and his work as an actor.  I really don’t care about his personal life.  Salvation really made me see Bale’s talent.  I already knew he was dedicated and good, but this did for me. 

Bryce Dallas Howard was too easy to overlook.  I didn’t understand why she was there.  I mean I knew why, and who she was playing, but she could have just been a random medic and nothing would have suffered.  The love between her character and Bale’s was pale in comparison to the interesting chemistry between Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington) and Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood).  Still, while Salvation was great.  It could have pushed even more.  Especially with these four characters.  There could have been a delicate and interesting contrast and comparison played between these two couples, and the humanity that surfaces in each, and perhaps a lesson learned…speaking of lessons.

John sucks.  John Connor, that is.  Ok, I’m sorry he doesn’t suck.  Still this loop of fate he’s stuck in got a little irritating at the end.  I know Connor is supposed to be this hero, this prophesied solution.  But that could be because of this loop that he himself has created and is working so hard to preserve.  What is freaking point of this fatalistic loop?  What good will come out it?  I need to see that in order to believe in John Connor.  Still, what if…I mean what if we didn’t make him the hero?  I mean what if he really isn’t the answer?  What if they killed their real answer when they killed Marcus Wright?  I think Marcus Wright, was someone to be examined.  A creation which could have unlocked themes and discussions that were only briefly flickered at in the film.  I mean hello!!  He was a man and a machine! There could have been some great symbolism and questions raised there.  Not to mention he was born in 1975 (he states this to Connor while chained up in Connor’s resistance camp) which means in 2018 he would have been 43, but he looks about 28.  (If being half machine keeps me looking 21 I’ll take it.)  Which again is why I think the movie could have pushed further.  I dunno…my sister and brother say I think too much too hard.

Anyway.  Kyle Reese and Star (his supercute, pooh bear of a little girl best friend)  were absolutely adorable.  I could have done a Brangelina and adopted both of them.  Except the actor playing Kyle Reese is about my age.  And man is that kid, Anton Yelchin, having one of the BEST SUMMERS of his life!!!!  Which leads me to, DRUMROLL please….STAR TREK!!!! 

Yelchin, is also a prominent character in Star Trek, he plays Pavel Chekov, the 17 year old Russian kid who sits next to Harold…uh I mean Hikaru Sulu (John Cho) the pilot, and does stuff like randomly touch that really cool glass screen and talk into it for the captain, even though he’s harder to understand than anyone else that could have done the announcements, like maybe the captain himself.  So Anton Yelchin, who is from Russia, is one lucky, lucky guy.  Two big summer films at the age of 20!  That’s pretty sweet.

Yelchin is not the only thing these movies have in common though.  Time travel is another.  However, a big difference is that instead of running in a circle of destiny, like John Connor does in Terminator, Star Trek creates a whole new history.  This was a clever turn taken by Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman.  Why was it so smart?  Think about it…I HATE Star Trek!!!! But I loved this movie.  Rebooting the franchise with fresh actors and adding time-travel liberates the film and future films that may come (I hope so) from having to deal with continuity with the old films and series (which I never watched because I hated them.)  So new people, like me, can enjoy this film, and those familiar with the old stuff can enjoy it as well.

What did I like most about Star Trek?  The cool technology?  The action?  The Set Design?  NO!  Kirk and Spock duh.  Chris Pine was initially my favorite.  He’s really cute, even if he is dumb enough to fool around with Audrina from the Hills, and he did a good job being boyishly cocky in the film and hot, and funny, and hot…oh and good looking.  Then…well then.  I noticed Spock.  Now I usually do go for the All-American types.  So Kirk made sense.  But Spock threw me for a loop (not a never ending John Connor loop, just a regular one) and seeing Star Trek a second time yesterday solidified his attractiveness.  I think its the all emotions buried beneath the surface thing that does it for me.  Its like a challenge because if you can get him to show any sort of emotion…you’ve won most of the battle…of making him your new…uh first mate, yeah.  I wasn’t think bf or anything.  Anyway, both movies were worth seeing (not like the The Spirit, or Revolutionary Road, or Twilight, or He’s Just Not That Into You…DO NOT SEE THOSE!!!! I’m WARNING YOU!!! Unless you like wasting precious hours of life that will NEVER return!!!)

Lastly.  I cannot forget to pay tribute to Nyota Uhura, played by the beautiful Zoë Saldaña.  It was AWESOME to watch one of the first major black characters in such a great position.  She was hott, and it was HOTTER that both Kirk and Spock wanted her.  Plus she didn’t fall into that annoying token black person area.  You know how in some movies the black girl either can’t speak proper English, had to have a hard life, repeats how much she “has to keep it real”, or have an attitude, or be the mothering figure that “takes care her babies” or gives advice, or isn’t attractive to anyone.  Yeah,  It was great to see Uhura as just an intelligent, hot, strong character and not a caricature of some outdated stereotype.

Recap: Past Two Weekends

Last weekend April 23-26th (Yeah, I’m counting Thursday)

April 23rd:  Bent opened, I wore my favorite black dress, I moped up fake blood…it was good, I missed the Office and 30Rock.

April 24th:  Best audience for Bent, they laughed, they cried.  My cousin and his girlfriend showed up.  My best friend Sureel showed up.  I put away rocks, then I ran home and changed to go out, while Sureel ordered McDonald’s and did her hair.  We went to Joe’s.  We danced.  I embarrassed myself in front of people (Do not talk about exes to new friends…bad)  Julian embarrassed me in front of people, when family members get loud and argue in public…just walk away.  I went home.  Sureel met a guy, and yeah, I did laundry the next day.

April 25th:  Sureel and I re-lived the first half a Act 1, I was Rudy to her Max.  She surprisingly remembered all the lines.  We got Jimmy Johns and talked about our mutual love for the under-aged Nick Jonas.  I received and sent some nasty texts. Got over it and went to the Armory for the last show, but took 30mins to find a parking spot. My mom, grandma, and little sister Nina came.  Nina…awkward.  I helped strike the set and visited my friend Captain Morgan at the same time…magic!  We left and went to a party.  I partied.  I left said party and got food.  I went home and slept for 3 hours.

April 26th:  I got up 3 hours after I laid down.  I got dressed, did my hair and packed all my crap for the Sweeps pageant.  I went to the Hilton Garden Inn.  I ate breakfast there…I drank lots of coffee.  I did the interview portion of the pageant.  I practiced my jazz solo for the talent portion.  I listened to my iPod.  I called Sureel 50 times to tell her about the awesomeness that was the night before and how much I now love iHop.  The pageant started.  I did my onstage question, swimsuit, talent, and evening gown.  I was placed in top 5.  I was one person away from a crown.  I cried.  It may have been my last Miss America system pageant. I drove home, got food from Chili’s got happy out of nowhere.  Passed out from exhaustion.

May 1st-3rd: Not as exciting, but still fun.

May 1st:  Last day of theater class.  I ran home got my journal and turned it in before the Theater office closed for lunch.  Went to English class.  Came home took a nap.  Tried to clean my room, failed.  Napped a little more.  Decided I should bu this weekend, so I went to Friar Tuck’s.  Came home, got dressed to see Rocky Horror at Midnight.  Texted Marek.  Pre-gamed with friends, we parted ways.  I went to the play, met up with Marek.  We talked, we laughed, we gossiped.  More people came…like John, and more people, like Tom.  We stood in line, we talked, we waited.  Doors opened.  We were buzzed or drunk, or a little of both.  We found seats.  Certain people were too drunk…got in trouble and had to go home.  We laughed, we yelled, we laughed harder.  Nico was amazing.  I took pictures after the show.  Evy drove us home.  I visited my neighbours at home.  I went to sleep.

May 2nd:  I got up early somehow.  I ran errands.  I went to the quad.  I said hi to people.  I laughed.  I got jamba juice.  I got Chinese.  I shopped.  I saw X-Men: Origins without Troy.  I was stalked by a creepy guy.  I saw Fast and Furious.  Vin Diesel looks like my dad…so he’s not hot, thank you.  My dad is Irish.  The creepy guy bought me food.  I didn’t eat it and I texted my friends to come get me and for help.  I went home.  I called Sureel.  We talked.  I was sleepy.  I went to the Shape of Things, but I got too sleepy, and I left during intermission…sorry.  I went home to take a nap, and then go out…only the nap turned into sleep.

May 3rd:  I woke up.  Remembered all my crazy dreams about American Idol, these two guys I know, and magic.  I straightened my hair.  I got dressed.  My grandma called.  My brother called.  I went on facebook too much.  My mother called.  I left my house. I bought household items: Detergent, Bleach, Milk, and Face Wash.  I did some laundry.  I watched Kiss Me Kate.  I did some homework.  I cooked.  Spaghetti, and I gutted and steaked fish and fried it.  My brother called again.  We talked and laughed about Rick Astley, facebook, and how bad Gambit sucked in the X-Men movie.  I forgot to call Danielle, even though I promised to hang out with her today…sorry.  I sang in my car.  I sang in my room.  I watched cartoons.  I talked with my roomates.  I wrote.  I was happy.

The End.

Another Copy…Come on!!!

Have you seen Eagle Eye with Shia LaBeouf?  Have you seen 2001: A Space Odyssey?  Yeah, they’re the same movie, Eagle Eye is just without the outer space, apes, and the Star child, and with Shia LaBeouf and a super cute squirrel looking kid who plays the trombone.  Basically each movie tells us not to trust computers unless we want to end up in the Matrix.

Then again with all these people copying each other, (that includes you Stephanie Meyer), we might already be there.

Twilight…A Second Chance?

The final trailer for Twilight was realeased this week, and the movie could beat out the book.  Why?  Meyer lacks writing skill, but that doesn’t mean the actors in this film can’t redeem her story.  Even though I would have LOVED to see Gaspard Ulliel as Edward Cullen,  Robert Pattinson wasn’t so bad to look at in the trailer.  He actually brings  some real presence and attitude to Edward, that wasn’t there in the book, so does Kirsten Stewart as Bella.  So basically Meyer’s characters may get personalities that she wasn’t able to give them.  Though the actors aren’t as gorgeous as I’d like, they at least MIGHT have the skills to give Meyer’s lackluster tale some depth and dazzle.  Jump: