Kubo and the Two Strings.

Review #836: Kubo and the Two Strings.

Cast
Art Parkinson (Kubo), Charlize Theron (Monkey/Kubo's mother), Matthew McConaughey (Beetle), Ralph Fiennes (Raiden the Moon King), Rooney Mara (the Sisters), George Takei (Hosato), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Hashi), and Brenda Vaccaro (Kameyo) Directed by Travis Knight.

Review
In the two films I've reviewed done by the studio Laika (#189 - Coraline and #240 - Paranorman), they were both enjoyable and wonderfully made animated movies. Fortunately, this film continues that trend. This is an exquisite piece of work that manages to establish (and maintain) a dark sense of adventure and fantasy, with a fair cast of characters and gorgeous imagination and animation. Parkinson does a fine job in the lead role, giving this character the needed weight and depth to make him more than just a typical fantasy kid lead. Theron and McConaughey are also exceptional, managing to keep the movie on its heels, with a few moments of laughs between the trio as a whole. It's a fun movie, complete with enough of everything for everyone; mot to spoil anything, but this is also a movie that pulls enough strings and twists correctly as well. The stop-motion animation is wonderful to watch, managing to help make the world the movie builds to life perfectly, such as when the movie utilizes origami paper (a miniature warrior created by the paper is with the group for most of the film) to great advantage. Fiennes isn't in the movie until the last half of the film (with Mara being seen more often, playing the two sisters wickedly well), but he makes for a fine enough villain, with a climax that is pretty spectacular to watch as well. At 102 minutes, this is a fine film to watch, with exceptional marks in almost every subject. It's clear that there was a lot of labor and love put into this film, and I applaud them for making a movie as fun as this. Despite the limited amount of people at the theater for the film, this was still a good time.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Review #515: Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Stephen Collins (Willard Decker), and Persis Khambatta (Ilia) Directed by Robert Wise.

Review
This review was delayed a week as other films took this film's place on the reviewing spectrum, that and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians sounded better to review on Christmas. Since this is a new year, it only makes sense to finally publish this review. Enjoy and welcome to the beginning of Season 4.

Out of the seven Star Trek films I've watched (#009 - Star Trek (2009), #225 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, #226 - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered County, #246 - Star Trek: Generations, #299 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, #337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, #492 - Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home), Star Trek II was the best of them all, and for some, the first. Then there's this film, the first that started it all, and...the one with the nicknames. It is often called The Motionless Picture, The Slow Motion Picture, The Motion Sickness...and the names make perfect sense. The movie isn't awful, but it is so slow. The movie tries to hide the mediocre acting by showcasing many special effects (Along with some awful costumes that make them look more like yoga instructors then a space crew), which are fine and sometimes spectacular, but the effects can't save the movie from padding them out to the point where even 2001: A Space Odyssey would be merciful. Shatner does okay, but it seems like he's going through the motions, Nimoy is slightly better, it's usually fun to see Kelley and Nimoy bicker at each other. With 2001, I could forgive it because while it also took its time, it was an extraordinary film that was subject to much interpretation. The other Star Trek films (And to a lesser extent, the fifth one) were more subdued, more focused on the characters and their interaction along with the story. This film sticks out like a sore thumb, and it's no wonder why none of the events (along with throwing out the pale costumes) were ever mentioned again. It's an okay film.

Overall, I give it 6 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Review #492: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Cast

William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), Catherine Hicks (Gillian), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Jane Wyatt (Amanda Grayson), Mark Lenard (Sarek), and Robin Curtis (Lt. Saavik) Directed by Leonard Nimoy (#337 - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)

Review

The fourth film closes out the arc left from the last two films, and it does a rather successful job of that, as Nimoy directs once again. For once, there is no clear cut villain, and it's a welcome approach, and it leaves a lot of room for the crew to have their own scenes, and it certainly works, because the film has a good deal of hilarity. Granted the story is...odd, but it certainly is unique, and it digs a way to be enjoyable. The acting is good, especially from Nimoy, who has his own chance to shine, but my favorite scene is when he's on the bus with Kirk and this punk rocker plays his loud music until Spock gives him a nerve pinch. The animatronics by ILM on the whales look really good, and the directing by Nimoy is excellent, and this is probably the best Star Trek film since the second one. It's a shame the fifth one (#225, directed by William Shatner) was so awful, but oh well, at least this one is a treat to watch. Countdown to 500 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Review #337: Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Christopher Lloyd (Kruge), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Judith Anderson (T'Lar), Robin Curtis (Saavik), Merritt Butrick (David Marcus), Mark Lenard (Sarek), John Larroquette (Maltz), Carl Stevens, Vadia Potenza, Stephen Manley, Joe W. Davis, and Leonard Nimoy (Spock) Directed by Leonard Nimoy.

Review
It has been a while since I've reviewed a Star Trek film (#299 - Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), and it was pretty good. This is (obviously) the sequel to that film, so how is it is the main question. It's...alright. The one thing that Star Trek II lacked was a battle between the villain and Kirk, so Star Trek III has one between Kirk and the villain (with Christopher Lloyd, no less). But does that help the film be a good send up? In some ways, it is. Shatner and the rest of the cast do a fine job, and while Lloyd may not match the last villain and its themes, he is enjoyable enough. The plot is reasonably balanced and the effects are good enough (especially when the Enterprise is destroyed) to leave some sort of impression. It may have some sort of weirdness, but compared to the other "weird" Star Trek film (#225 - Star Trek V: The Final Frontier), this is some good stuff with good directing done by none other than Dr. Spock (Heh). Definitely not a bad odd numbered Star Trek film.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Review #299: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Ricardo Montalbán (Khan Noonien Singh), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Paul Winfield (Clark Terrell), Kirstie Alley (Saavik), Bibi Besch (Carol Marcus), and Merritt Butrick (David) Directed by Nicholas Meyer (#226 - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country)

Review
Indeed it has been a while since I reviewed a Star Trek film, this being my 5th (#009 - Star Trek, #225 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, #226, #246 - Star Trek: Generations) that I've reviewed here. Now I'll get to the main point. Is this film any good. Yeah. Real good. The main trio (Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley) do a wonderful job once again, especially with Shatner, who gives off a depth (for me anyway) not reached in his performaces beforehand. But by far the most important peformance is Ricardo Montalbán, as Khan. He reminds me of a Bond villian, only more suave. Speaking of that, the themes of revenge, death, and age are used to the fim's advantage. The directing is top notch, and the pacing is good as well. It's funny how the villian is so good even though the villian and Kirk never meet face to face, and yet it still doesn't hurt the film. The action is engaging, for the most part. The sets are good, showing off some good work done to make them. The effects are decent, but in the end the film really all boils down to how good it is. It has a hidden sense of depth with an useful plot with a whole lot of fun after 30 years. Countdown to 300 Reviews: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Review #226: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForrest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Uhura), George Takei (Captain Hikaru Sulu), Kim Cattrall (Valeris), Mark Lenard (Sarek), Grace Lee Whitney (Excelsior Communications Officer), Brock Peters (Admiral Cartwright), Leon Russom (Chief in Command), and Kurtwood Smith (Federation President) Directed by Nicholas Meyer.

Review
Two years after the bad reception of Star Trek V, this film would be released in time for the show's 25th Anniversary, but would it work better then the last one? In a word, yes. First off, the effects are good, a step up from the fifth one (Standout effect being the Praxis effect) While I find the Klingon blood a bit silly, it doesn't outright ruin the effects, which is a good thing. The acting is good, with the main trio (Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley) and Plummer doing a great job. The plot is more defined here, keeping you interested throughout. The film was directed by Nicholas Meyer, who directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (which is considered by many to be the best out of all the Star Trek movies), and it is a good thing that he returned to direct the last film for the Original Series cast (Except for Shatner, Doohan, and Koenig, who would return in Star Trek: Generations) Roddenberry would not live to see the release of the film, but he did get to see an early version of it days before dying. 21 years later, this film still holds up as a new generation of films would soon follow.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

Review #225: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.

Cast
William Shatner (James T. Kirk), Leonard Nimoy (Spock), DeForrest Kelley (Leonard McCoy), James Doohan (Montgomery Scott), Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov), Nichelle Nichols (Nyota Uhura), George Takei (Hikaru Sulu), Laurence Luckinbill (Sybok), and David Warner (St. John Talbot) Directed by William Shatner.

Review
Well, well, well. It's been a while since I have reviewed a Star Trek film. A really long while (#9 - Star Trek) Anyway, this is the fifth out of six Star Trek films based on the original series created by Gene Roddenberry (One thing I neglected to mention in the Star Trek review) You might wonder how I found the film. I'm channel surfing at night, and I just so happen to find this film, and I figured, "What could go wrong?" I realized soon after that I might just regret it. Guess who's writing and directing? Shatner, who else? The whole film is a mess, from beginning to end. Its story is lame (Premise in one line: Trying to find "God" at the center of the galaxy), the villain isn't as much a villain as in Vulcan Elvis, and is a disappointment overall. Shatner, Nimoy, and Kelley are a good trio, though, and they do have some fun moments, but at other times the film fizzles out. The effects are off at times, especially with the "Impenetrable Barrier" Shatner said this near the film's release, "Star Trek V is the epitome of my career, my experiences, my hopes and dreams. It is the quintessential me" After 23 years, it does represent the feelings I have: Shattered hopes, dull dreams, and reeking of Shatner all over. This nearly killed the franchise, which would have a sequel two years later to hopefully heal the wounds....

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.