Gingerbread Man on 30/5/2009 at 15:35
Dear Star Trek and most other Science Fiction franchises,
Do we really need bald, tattooed, leather-clad Road-Warrior extras as villains all the time? Why do you still insist on trying to make sure that every design element of the Bad Guy Stuff is diametrically opposed to the design of the Good Guy Stuff? Yes, we know... shiny clean white lensflare with beeps and soft alarms vs black hoses and dripping water spiky bits that stick out at random with sharp blades on them and slimy bugs that get put in your mouth and yelling and everyone on the enemy ship looks the same as the main bad guy only with a weaker chin.
I'm really getting annoyed with the utter lack of creativity in Bad Guy Design in the genre, and while I'm certain you have a file folder full of photos and names and dates that you keep on hand to try to dissuade this particular criticism, you can fuck right off. Show me all the Bad Guy Stuff that doesn't conform to this ridiculous S&M Baldhead Rampant style, I won't care. If I find three mealworms in three different sandwiches, I'm not really likely to recommend that sandwich shop, am I? Even if I've had twenty mealworm-free sandwiches in the meantime.
I'm starting to feel stupid for going back there for lunch every week. :(
Yours in baffled astonishment at the utter lack of genuine creativity in Science Fiction,
GBM
ps Even though I have half a million things to mock the Star Trek with, I enjoyed it thoroughly and didn't find anything really annoying in a reboot of one of the most jealously guarded Nerd Domains by one of the most argued-about filmmakers in the current crop of ex-MTV lensflare addicts.
pps Casting was spot on, except maybe let's not have nothing but nostrils on the screen for the next one, hey JJ? Did you have them put eyeliner pencils up everyone's noses before shooting, because it sure seemed like it.
ppps ENOUGH WITH THE GODDAMNED TIME-TRAVEL THOUGH JESUS
Didn't anyone point out to you that time travel episodes were what every single other Star Trek television show and most of the movies resorted to because they'd either run out of ideas, had access to another show's wardrobe for a week, or because someone let their idiot nephew who is just starting to get into the industry let's give him a chance nrngnnrgngnngngnngnn FJUCK YOU GUYS SERIUOUSLY SERITIOUSLY FUCK YOU
Rug Burn Junky on 30/5/2009 at 15:47
Quote Posted by Gingerbread Man
Do we really need bald, tattooed, leather-clad Road-Warrior extras as villains
all the time?
You should have seen the first draft, he was going to be green.
Gingerbread Man on 30/5/2009 at 16:06
also wtf scotty has an oompa loompa
I did like the probably-accidental Zefram Cochrane vibe he had, though. Although most of that is just Simon Pegg being Simon Pegg goddammit same as MI3
edit:
Also, and I aim this SQUARELY AT JJ ABRAMS: We don't want to have to buy comics, decipher stupid websites, watch podcasts, or find USB drives on top of urinals in New York bars catering to gentlemen of leisure in order to understand the goddamned plot of your movies properly. And no it wasn't cute funny clever or sly to pop that Slusho reference in there. Seriously. Stop that shit. If I hadn't just looked on Wikipedia to make sure Pegg was in MI3, I wouldn't have known that there even WAS an explanation for that questionable destruction of Romulus nitwittery.
Also Nero was a weak sauce villain. I'm sorry, but he was. It was nice to have a Bad Guy whose motivation was something as emotional and understandable as "boo hoo my plannat now youres" but he kinda lost most of his intensity and rage once he started speaking. I really did like the "Hi, I'm Nero" offhand intro, though. That was boss.
MsLedd on 30/5/2009 at 19:05
I am, and have been since I was old enough to sit up and focus on a TV screen, a die-hard Star Trek (TOS - obviously) fan. I refused as a child to watch Sesame Street if Star Trek was on. My hero growing up was Spock.
(Note: As much as I love the show and have seen every single episode at least 20 times. I have never been to a Star Trek convention, read a comic book or a fanfiction novel... I am not a "Trekkie" - those people scare me)
I have such mixed feelings about seeing this film... The low-budget (though you gotta give those guys credit for things like the "GNDN" tubes all over the Enterprise... classic!), plot absurdity, overacting (coughSHATNERcough), bad effects and more cheese than Switzerland and the state of Wisconsin combined... all of those things are a big part of what made ST so great. Even the first 5 (6?) movies, though they improved quite a bit on the effects (bigger budget helps), were simply bigger versions of the "Final Frontier" I had known and loved so well.
I know I will have to see it... and I'm sure it's good in its own right. I just gotta figure out how to psych myself into viewing it as a big-budget "shit-blows-up-in-space" movie that pays tribute to Star Trek (even if it's by laughing at it... who doesn't?)
I've only partially read this thread (with the exception of some of GBM's entertaining gripes on this page, which could *and do* apply to 98% of all films these days, so I'm cool with that). Not wanting to be spoilerized (either prematurely pissed off or excited) too much. I think I may just go see this tonight
*Note to self: Bring Tequila*
Bonus Star Trek Trivia?
(shut up, I'm doing it anyway)
Q: What are those ubiquitous tubes marked "GNDN" on the Enterprise?
A: Simply painted cardboard tubing thrown on the walls so *something* was there... GNDN = Goes Nowhere Does Nothing
Q: What was the name of the only female Klingon to appear in the original series?
A: Mara (yes that was a serious thrill for this little trek fan, I'll tell ya)
[INDENT]Extra Credit: What episode did she appear in?
Day of the Dove - where the evil floating alien pinwheel that got off on anger and hatred arranged to get an entire Kilingon ship's crew (Commander Kang, and his wife Mara included) onto the Enterprise, transformed all their phasers into swords/knifes and made all wounded heal almost instantly ready to fight again - little pinwheel setting himself up for a lifetime subscription to the XXX channel[/INDENT]
Okay, I'm done now. :cheeky:
ZylonBane on 30/5/2009 at 22:40
I almost forgot that I've ranted about the new Trek movie everywhere but here.
Let's just say that it's best enjoyed with your brain in neutral, and after walking out of the theater, for the love of god, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, ever.
Starrfall on 31/5/2009 at 13:08
ALSO I want to adopt Chekov
TJKeranen on 31/5/2009 at 15:05
Quote Posted by ZylonBane
Let's just say that it's best enjoyed with your brain in neutral, and after walking out of the theater, for the love of god, DON'T THINK ABOUT IT, ever.
Too late. And I doubt I'll ever watch it again because of it.
And to think that there was a big smile on my face, when I walked out from the theater. :(
thefonz on 31/5/2009 at 16:48
Quote Posted by Starrfall
ALSO I want to adopt Chekov
Agreed. I'd take him out for walks in the park and play catch with him.
On an aside; I actually rather enjoyed the comics before the film - while its not the most intellectual feast you'll ever see, it was a nice wee plus to the movie and I felt it geniuenly added to the fun and whole rounded experience of the movie.
And on the Nero front - the story wasnt about him, he was a plot device to have the movie existing in the first place and I'm cool with that. The story was simply showing us how Kirk got command of the Rentaprise and his relationship with the crew. THATS IT.
ZylonBane on 31/5/2009 at 18:02
Quote Posted by thefonz
The story was simply showing us how Kirk got command of the Rentaprise and his relationship with the crew. THATS IT.
Yeah, remind me again how you get promoted straight from cadet to captain of your own starship. In any sort of even microscopically realistic military organization, Kirk would been bumped back down to cadet or possibly lieutenant grade after there was no longer any immediate need for his wacky field promotion.
thefonz on 31/5/2009 at 18:33
In a movie called Star Trek I'm not expecting an accurate reflection on military or common-sense mannerisms. Clearly you were confused if thats what you expected going into this movie. :rolleyes:
It was fine, and it was enjoyable which in the end is what I wanted from it. For my realism I watch other movies.
