Star Trek: Into Darkness

Better yet, it’s also a great Star Trek movie. Director J. J. Abrams, with the help of his writers, the Nerd Herd (genre specialists Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and Damon Lindelof), has crafted a worthy sequel to his 2009 reboot of the franchise. To me, as an origin story that flick felt a little too orchestrated. But Into Darkness kicks off with an explosive setpiece that feels like something right out of the original 1960′s TV show. And perhaps that’s why Star Trek: Into Darkness is even better that its predecessor. It’s not only a cool flick; it’s everything a Star Trek geek could want.

While the USS Enterprise is on an assignment to observe a primitive civilization, Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) violates the Prime Directive to save Spock’s life (that’s so Kirk). Of course, Spock (Zachary Quinto) then writes a mission report that details Kirk’s wrongful actions (that’s so Spock), which leads to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood) to reassuming command of the Enterprise and demoting Kirk to First Officer (that’s so Star Trek).

Meanwhile, it’s learned that a former Starfleet undercover agent, John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), has engineered the bombing of Starfleet Command. When Pike and Kirk attend a meeting called by Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller), Pike is killed when Harrison attacks in a manner that recalls Blue Thunder. This leads to Marcus giving Kirk back his command for a mission of vengeance. Marcus then outfits the Enterprise with new mega-super-secret photon torpedoes to be used to annihilate Harrison, whom we soon learn is a man with many secrets.

There soon follows many twists and turns and crosses and double-crosses and fights and explosions and kickass setpieces galore and, befitting the film’s blockbuster status, a couple of endings. But at the heart of it all is the relationships of the characters. All the original Enterprise crewmembers get at least a few moments in the spotlight, as do a few new ones. Science Officer Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) is along for the mission…and if you’re a Trekkie, her presence is a nod to the film’s primary mystery.

Yes, even moreso than the previous entry in the franchise, Into Darkness delights in letting the characters get back to their roots. Kirk is a horndog maverick; “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban) is a metaphor-spouting, Spock-insulting alarmist; and Spock is a logical Vulcan who just can’t deny his human emotions. Each actor manages to bring something new to his character, while allowing clever nods to the original portrayal. But much credit goes to Abrams and company for writing a flick that is rooted in Star Trek mythos, yet feels completely contemporary.

An action flick is only as good as its villain, and as Harrison, Benedict Cumberbatch is excellent. Though relatively unknown in America, Cumberbatch is the star of the BBC’s much-loved Sherlock, a contemporary take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s original Sherlock Holmes stories, though his work here, as well as his role as Smaug in the next Hobbit movie, should guarantee Cumberbatch stardom fairly soon. He’s fairly mesmerizing onscreen and his voice is almost a special effect itself.

I wish Abrams hadn’t stooped to allowing the specter of terrorism to color his film. Admittedly, the feint works dramatically, but employing the present boogeyman du jour feels a bit lazy to me, a bid for topical relevance that’s not necessary.

Though the movie feels like it could lose about  15 minutes somewhere along the way (as does almost every blockbuster tent pole flick), overall Star Trek: Into Darkness is perfect big-budget entertainment for summer…or spring…or any season for that matter.

~Theron Neel

Yes, Wright and Simon Pegg are finally getting the band back together to make the final installment of the series that began with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, known as the “Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy” because in each film, at some point one of the characters enjoys a particular flavor of Cornetto ice cream. In Shaun, it was red strawberry Cornetto, and in Hot Fuzz it was blue original Cornetto. In The World’s End, it’s green mint choc-chip, topped off with a whole lotta ale!

In The World’s End, old friends reunite after 20 years to recapture their youth by completing a pub crawl that bested them as younger men. (If you think about it, the plot somewhat echoes Wright, Pegg and Nick Frost getting together to make this film.) Of course, as often happens, all this irresponsible alcohol consumption leads to the world being undone by zombie-type creatures. (I can hear the bartender now: “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t allow the world to be conquered by the undead.”)

Written by Wright and Pegg, and starring Pegg, Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan and Rosamund Pike, The World’s End opens in U.S. theaters on August 23.

~Theron Neel

It’s going to be hotter than usual in Houston, Texas, this Memorial Day weekend. Comicpalooza is back, and thanks to a new partnership with Battlestar Galactica fest GalactiCon, it’s bigger and better than ever.

With headliners such as Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek: The Next Generation), Michelle Rodriguez (Fast & Furious, Machete) and Danny Trejo (Machete, Sons of Anarchy), Comicpalooza has outdone itself once again, presenting over 500 hours of programming this year.

Other celebrities appearing at Comicpalooza 2013 (May 24 – 26 at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center) include Avery Brooks (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Saw), Sam Huntington (Being Human), Peter Davison (Doctor Who), Rene Auberjonois (Star Trek: DS9), Kris Holden-Reid (Lost Girl), Zoie Palmer (Lost Girl), Frazer Hines (Doctor Who), Peter Mayhew (Star Wars) and Craig Parker (Spartacus, Lord of the Rings).

Don’t fret, four color fans. Comicpalooza hasn’t forgotten about the world of comics. Among the comic book superstars attending are Chris Claremont, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Bob Layton, Michael Golden, Joe Jusko and the legendary George Perez and Bernie Wrightson.

As if that wasn’t enough, GalactiCon 3 will be joining with Comicpalooza to create the largest  Battlestar Galactica event of 2013, with a guest lineup that includes such old and new BG notables as Edward James Olmos, Jamie Bamber, Tricia Helfer, Michael Hogan, Kandyse McClure, Alessandra Torresani, Richard Hatch and Dirk Benedict, among many, many others. This new, perfect union of conventions will allow all attendees to have access to everything both fests have to offer. So, if you’re a fan of sci-fi and comic books (and, doy, of course you are), it’s going to be one-stop shopping for all your fantastical needs.

There will also be various types of entertainment for your enjoyment, including  music acts such as Abney Park, ArcAttack, Professor Elemental, Frenchy and the Punk, and the Marquis of Vaudeville. There will also be comedy, a Stephen King Film Festival, video gaming, National Wrestling Alliance matches, International Quidditch Association games, a live art exhibition, a body painting competition and children’s programming for the kids….who am I kidding, it’s really for the parents. (If you’re a parent, you know what I’m saying.)

For more information, including a complete list of events, guests, admission prices, lodging options, schedules and updates, visit the official Comicpalooza website HERE.

~Theron Neel

In Iron Man 3, we catch up with the billionaire playboy genius, played by Robert Downey Jr., following the cataclysmic events of The Avengers. (If you didn’t see that flick, it involved evil aliens, wicked gods, the potential destruction of the world and the near destruction of New York City…you know, a typical Wednesday in the Marvel Universe.) Sure, Tony is Iron Man, but he’s also merely a mortal, so he’s not dealing with the fallout as well as, say, Thor might.

He can’t focus or sleep; all Tony can do is worry that Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), his girlfriend and CEO of Stark Industries, might be in harm’s way due to his superhero hobby. And if that’s not enough, there’s a terrorist, known as the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), who’s blowing up stuff, including Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), Tony’s long-time bodyguard and best buddy. This tragedy shakes Tony from his torpor and angers him enough that he threatens the Mandarin on live television.

The Mandarin responds by attacking Tony’s awesome Malibu mansion at the same time that his ex-lover, scientist Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), has shown up to warn him that her boss, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), might just be in league with the Mandarin. Killian is the developer of the Extremis virus — a serum that regenerates human tissue with some nasty, and weaponizable, side effects — and has a rather personal grudge against Tony. Soon, Pepper is kidnapped, Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) morphs from War Machine into Iron Patriot, veiled plans are revealed and secret identities are exposed. Let the superhero action begin!

I’m not kidding about the action. Iron Man 3 is packed to the gills with battles, explosions and exaggerated setpieces, often feeling like a 1980s or ’90s action flick. This makes perfect sense considering the film was directed and co-written by Shane Black, writer of such films as Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout and The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Retro-action is not a terrible direction for this series, especially considering this is the third entry. By the time most franchises get to the third film in the series, fresh ideas are hard to come by. Black has never made a comic book movie before, but he does know how to blow up shit, so he goes with what he knows.

All of Black’s favorite tropes are here: over-the-top explosions, snarky banter, a Christmas setting, kidnapping — during the climax, Cheadle and Downey Jr. run around, sans armor, dodging bullets and squabbling just like Riggs and Murtaugh did in every Lethal Weapon flick ever made. Hell, even Paltrow gets to kick a little ass this time out. And so we don’t forget this is a sequel, Black throws in a floppy-haired little moppet sidekick for Tony Stark to bond and bicker with. And, yes, the movie seems bursting at the seams, but it never feels over-long, which is quite an accomplishment for second-time director Black (his first film as director was the wonderful noir comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, also with Downey Jr.).

By the time the ’70s-style credits roll, every plot thread has been tied up fairly neatly (if somewhat quickly), allowing for Iron Man 4 to start fresh and go wherever the next team decides to take it. (Because, come on, even though Downey Jr.’s contract has expired, there is going to be an Iron Man 4. Iron Man 3 has already made more than $400,000,000 overseas — that’s double its budget.)

I was excited but a little curious when I heard the villain in Iron Man 3 was going to be the Mandarin, Iron Man’s main nemesis in the comic books. The Mandarin is a cool character, but one that would be easy to get really wrong. Though he was created in the 1960s, his roots are in classic pulp fiction and he is something of a racist caricature. But Black’s take on the Mandarin is smart; he modernizes the character in a way that’s both clever and surprising. Actually, that pretty much describes Iron Man 3 as well.

After a wonderful first film, Jon Favreau seemed to run out of places to take Iron Man in the second flick. Black was an interesting choice to direct the third film, but I fear he may have already burned through his repertoire. But that’s not meant to take away from the pleasures to be had in Iron Man 3. It’s a pretty fun flick, and that’s not a bad thing for a superhero movie to be.

~Theron Neel

The past two teasers presented the upcoming Supes origin tale as, let’s face it, a boring and self-serious dramatic downer. But this new trailer shifts Man of Steel from mere bummer to mythic bummer, and that’s gotta be better…right?

We are now getting a fuller look at the story Snyder, writer David S. Goyer and producer Christopher Nolan are telling. It begins the usual way: Jor-El (Russell Crowe) sends his newborn son Kal-El to Earth to save the child. His wife worries their son will be as outcast, but Jor-El believes the child will be a god to us puny humans. Of course, being super-parents, they are both right.

After being adopted by Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, young Kal-El, now Clark Kent, is soon shunned for performing heroic acts of a herculean nature. (Obviously, we humans suck.) Clark grows up as Henry Cavill and hits the road to find himself and answer those questions burning within his being. Is he a god? Is he a man? Why did his real parents abandon him? Why did he grow that beard? It’s all so confusing for this super-orphan.

After saving more humans, he apparently realizes he can’t escape his heroic nature. Somehow, he finds the Fortress of Solitude and accepts that he must achieve his full potential and don the tights and cape that identify him as Superman.

We go on to meet General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, whose usual brand of slow-burn batshit crazy is amped up to a screaming, hysterical batshit crazy (hey, the guy’s got range). We also meet Lois Lane (Amy Adams), who is interviewing a detained Superman about being Superman and actually coins the name Superman.

What we don’t see are any scenes of Superman as reporter Clark Kent. In fact, the trailer makes it seem like that’s not even part of the story. But it has to be, doesn’t it? Eh, who knows. Perhaps that doesn’t fit the mythic tale being told. We’ll find out on June 14, when this summer blockbuster hits the screens and likely earns mythic amounts of cash — Man of Steel? It should be called Man of Sure-to-Make-a-Mint. Yeah, I know, too on-the-nose.

~Theron Neel

Netflix’s third foray into the original programming arena has gone live. And this time, it’s horror…or horrible, depending on who you ask.

Following crime dramedy Lilyhammer and political drama House of Cards, Netflix’s  latest series is Hemlock Grove, a supernatural thriller about weird occurrences in small-town Pennsylvania, produced by Eli Roth and starring Famke Janssen, Lili Taylor and Bill Skarsgård (brother of True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgård).

Based on the red-band trailer embedded below (which, for some reason, is subtitled in Danish and promises mild fornication, fellatio, heavy cocaine use, lesbian necrophilia and violent hemorrhaging — what, no smoking?), Hemlock Grove is definitely looking to break the mold of previous Netflix programming.

All 13 episodes are now available at Netflix, which is a pretty good marketing strategy. If you like it, you get to gorge on all of it immediately, rather than risk losing interest while waiting around for the next entry to appear. And though some viewers are finding Hemlock Grove somewhat watchable, most of reviewers are not.

So far, the show is averaging a rating of 3.9 stars (out of 5), but the press is not being so charitable. The Daily Beast has pronounced Hemlock Grove “dreadful,” while TV.com says it “kind of sucks” and The Los Angeles Times believes it’s “terrible in ways that mock the meaning of the word ‘terrible,’ with clunky acting, tra-la-la transitions and at least one monster that walks like a bad Frankenstein.” Ouch! So far, the only positive notice has come from Entertainment Weekly. Double ouch!

I haven’t watched any of Hemlock Grove yet (it just premiered today), but since it features Lili Taylor and Famke Janssen, there’s a good chance I will. Plus, I think there are Nazis! And, c’mon, with reviews like that, I pretty much have to check it out.

~Theron Neel

Liberace was quite a popular entertainer, especially with the ladies, which was odd because he was often referred to in hushed tones as “flamboyant.” That was code for, well, you know.

Anyway, time passed and Liberace went on to become the toast of Las Vegas, playing watered down classical compositions and cheesy pop songs on increasingly ornate pianos, wearing increasingly outrageous costumes — the Elton John of Schmaltz, if you will.

Yes, Liberace was rich and famous, and all was fine until 1976 when Liberace met a handsome 16-year-old kid named Scott Thorson. Liberace was so entranced with Scott that he hired the young man to be his chauffeur and full-time “companion.” He did nothing to hide his fondness for his young protégé and even flaunted their relationship to some degree.

Now, rumors had been swirling about Liberace’s proclivities since the Fifties, but now the allegations were hard to deny. Liberace was becoming somewhat unhinged due to drug abuse and personal demons, and Scott was growing tired of his status as a kept man. In 1982, Scott filed a $113 million palimony suit against his former benefactor that was soon settled out of court. Oh, it was quite the scandal.

Though it sounds as if this tale ended sadly, take solace in the fact that Liberace and Scott reconciled and became friends before Liberace died in 1987.

You’re probably wondering why I’m relating this story, especially when you could just watch Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming HBO movie, Behind the Candelabra, which is based on Scott Thorson’s book about his relationship with Liberace and airs May 26. (I know, I know. Way to bury the lede, Theron.)

Behind the Candelabra was written by Richard LaGravenese and stars Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson. Look for fun supporting turns from Dan Akroyd and Rob Lowe, whose hair is a character in itself.

Soderbergh had originally planned on releasing the flick theatrically, but the subject matter proved too controversial (what?) and he couldn’t find financing. Luckily, HBO was not worried and now we all get to see what looks like a very entertaining movie.

Check out the trailer for Behind the Candelabra and revel in the period detail and hairstyles, the flashy sets and costumes, and Douglas’ juicy performance as the Elton John of Schmaltz: Liberace.

~Theron Neel

Production began yesterday on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, starring Chris Evans as everyone’s favorite star-spangled superhero. And to prove it, Marvel Studios has released the first production still!

Granted, it’s not the most thrilling shot in the world. But, hey, Marvel also released a synopsis! It seems this time out, Cap will “battle a powerful yet shadowy enemy in present-day Washington, DC.” Okay, not the most thrilling synopsis either. (Ed. – Marvel, baby, this is supposed to be an action-packed thrillride. Give us something, for chrissake!)

Joining Cap on his hopefully action-packed battle will be Robert Redford as Agent Alexander Pierce, a former pretty boy operative who has matured into a distinguished senior leader of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Sebastian Stan as sidekick Bucky Barnes (aka the Winter Soldier); Samuel L. Jackson as badass one-eyed Nick Fury; Cobie Smulders as badass two-eyed Agent Maria Hill; Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson (aka the Falcon); and Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanov (aka the Black Widow). Emily VanCamp will be playing Agent 13, an agent who is reportedly the love interest of Steve Rogers. Does her unlucky number telegraph misery for Cap?

Anthony and Joe Russo (Welcome to Collinwood and tons of good TV) are directing the flick based on a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who wrote the first Cap flick as well as the upcoming Thor sequel.

As it stands now, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is set to be released on April 4, 2014, so that gives Marvel Studios a whole year to make with some more exciting still photos. C’mon, Marvel, would it kill you to give us a pic of Cap…oh, I dunno, running?

~Theron Neel

When I first heard about plans to remake Sam Raimi’s low-budget horror classic, I was unconvinced about the need for a new version. I mean, with 1987′s sequel Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, Raimi himself essentially remade it. What if the powers that be totally screwed this up? What if they followed the usual contemporary “remake paradigm” and gave us a kinder, gentler version of the original? The horror! Well, it appears I worried in vain. After seeing director Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead, I have to admit that he pulled it off, and then some.

The new Evil Dead is a stylish yet grisly and unrelenting gorefest. I’d say it’s the type of horror film they don’t make anymore — but since Alvarez just made it, I can’t say that. But I can say that I’m happy (and a little surprised) Alvarez had the balls to deliver such a politically incorrect hard-R horror flick in this era of by-the-numbers, sanitized PG-13 bullshit.

I suspect the presence of the source material’s holy trilogy has more than a little to do with this flick’s success. Raimi, Robert Tapert and Bruce Campbell (the original flick’s writer/director, producer and star, respectively) hand-chose and gently but firmly guided Alavarez and his co-writer Rodo Sayagues as they retooled Raimi’s 1981 shocker into an over-the-top, hardcore blood feast that somehow manages to not feel gratuitous.

While the story is basically the same as that of the original, this Evil Dead wisely eschews Bruce Campbell’s iconic Ash and, instead, focuses on Mia (a very good Jane Levy), a drug-addicted chick who ventures to that ol’ cabin in the woods to go cold turkey. Along to provide support are estranged brother David (Shiloh Fernandez) and friends Olivia (Jessica Lucas), Natalie (Elizabeth Blackmore) and Eric (Lou Taylor Pucci). At first, this revised plotline felt a tad clunky, but as the film progressed I realized that it not only supplies all involved with a reason to be out in the middle of nowhere other than the usual teen revelry (which is a nice change from, oh, every other “cabin in the woods” flick), but it also provides lots of childhood trauma and psychic pain to mine, always invaluable in a horror flick.

Even though Ash is missing, there are plenty of nods to the original to keep diehard Evil Deadheads happy. What would an Evil Dead be without the Necronomicon and someone dumb enough to recite it aloud, or self-mutilation, or a main character being forced to kill a loved one?

Yes, all the Evil Dead greatest hits are here, including tree rape; a raging river that prevents escape; low, fast-moving POV shots of approaching demons; and a cameo by “The Classic,” Raimi’s 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 (which has appeared in every Raimi flick except his western, The Quick and the Dead, though rumor has it The Classic was used as the chassis of a wagon in one scene). And, word to the wise, stick around until after the credits for a quick appearance by a certain “groovy” someone.

As I mentioned, Alvarez’s Evil Dead is a brutal, bloody affair. This is about as hard as an R rating gets in today’s cinema, so if you enjoy seeing grue fly as chainsaws tear into people, this is your flick. Fortunately, Alvarez used practical effects almost entirely, wisely believing that CGI can make things pretty, but it never truly scares anyone — wiser words have rarely been spoken in Hollywoodland.

So, while I originally thought we didn’t need a new Evil Dead, I’ve now changed my mind. New horrors for a new generation, right? Fede Alvarez has given us a film that pays homage to the past but still manages to feel fresh. If you have to remake a horror film, this is the way to do it.

~Theron Neel

Running March 8 to March 17, the 2013 iteration of SXSW consisted of an overwhelming schedule of over 5,000 events divided into film, music and interactive (i.e., technology) categories. Hell, the film portion alone comprised hundreds of screenings. The adage “you can’t see it all” applies to most festivals, but with SXSW that adage becomes a tremendously disheartening law. Out of the dozens of movies I’d planned on seeing, I was forced to pare my viewing list down to about 15 films, and even a few of those were missed due to last-minute screening changes.

This was my first SXSW and it was definitely a learning experience. Among the lessons learned are: (1) Always arrive two hours before any screening, (2) Always check the day’s schedule before heading to the venue because there’s a good chance your planned screening has changed, (3) Cabs booked in advance are a dicey proposition and, perhaps most important, (4) Never trust a cabbie who says he knows a shortcut. There were also various and sundry truisms I already knew but was forced to remember, like, “Dude, if you’ve been drinking beer(s), make sure you find a bathroom before you get in line for two hours.”

The depth and breadth of the films chosen for SXSW was amazing. Features and shorts from every genre were screened. At fests, because I love them and rarely get to see them, I often focus on documentaries. And I did catch a few, but I saw more features this time out. I’ve already written about two docs (Rewind This! and Good Ol’ Freda), but I haven’t written about the other one I saw, I Am Divine.

Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz, I Am Divine tells the life story of Harris Glenn Milstead, the man better known as Divine, John Waters’ transvestite muse. Kindred spirits Waters and Milstead met as teenagers and Waters was instrumental in helping Milstead develop into Divine, even naming her. Schwarz has given us a thorough, touching flick that is absolutely essential viewing for fans and cult film aficionados alike.

There were many great narrative features playing at SXSW this year and I saw several, but despite my best efforts, I missed a couple as well (see Lesson #2 above). While I enjoyed to varying degrees The Spectacular Now, Milo, The Lords of Salem and Spring Breakers, I didn’t really care for Some Girl(s), Daisy von Scherler Mayer’s adaptation of the play by Neil LaBute.

Relayed in a collection scenes that feel like stilted one-act plays (which, to be fair, they are), Some Girl(s) follows a writer as he meets with a series of ex-girlfriends before he marries. His intentions seem pretty straightforward, but we get a little more information during each encounter. This being a Neil LaBute, the seemingly well-meaning male character reveals himself to be a self-involved asshole before movie’s end. My problems with the flick have nothing to do with the actors — the film features a wonderful cast (including Adam Brody, Emily Watson, Jennifer Morrison and Kristen Bell) doing first-rate work. The movie itself is directed by von Scherler Mayer in a very stark, theatrical manner. She chose, for the most part, not to open up the play when moving it to the screen, and that works for me.  And I also liked the way each scene reveals a little more about the main character. But by the end of the film, it’s unclear exactly what the character’s motives are. We think we know what’s happening, but the last scene seems to negate what we learn along the way. So, though I enjoyed the performances, I left the theater underwhelmed with Some Girl(s).

All in all, SXSW 2013 was a tremendous experience. I saw some great flicks. I also met some great people (chief among them Planet Fury contributor Amanda Rebholz and renowned movie reviewer Joe Leydon) and some not-so-great people (see Lesson #4 above). Given all I learned, I can’t wait to do it again next year. But, really, next year is soon enough.

~Theron Neel