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space, the final frontier - of all our endless feelings
Usually I go for a while between updates because I have nothing new to share and life is much the same. This early May stretch was a strange anomaly of running about! But it was good, albeit tiring.
So let's talk about STAR TREK. I finally saw it today and I have many feelings. ARE YOU READY TO TALK ABOUT IT?
I'm not happy with the white-washing casting of Khan. I understand the broad geek appeal of Butterscotch Cumberband having a lead role but I refuse to accept that there were not other actors out there who could've done as excellent a job acting and were POC, and the marketing for audience argument is a bullshit excuse. Racebending.com's article on this was good, and also John Cho is awesome.
That dispensed with, if he had to play a villainous character I hated and wished for Spock to wallop a few more times, at least he did a good job. I think his motivation and the plot surrounding it was a bit weak, but Bandersnatch Crumblebun's portrayal of the character was well done. (No, I will never tire of joking about his name.)
Honestly, I felt like his story and the set-up scenes at the beginning of the movie (which felt rushed to me) were the weakest part of the movie because they were sort of there mostly to propel along the main story - about Kirk, about Kirk and Spock, and about the Enterprise.
This leads me into the good things! I have waited four years for this sequel and have been squirming with anticipation since the trailer five or so months ago and it lived up to everything I wanted - or at least expected? JJ Abrams should really stop talking about Star Trek (because I stopped listening to him), but it was very much in the vein of the first movie of having an action movie that would draw non-Trek fans. I can't bitch; the first movie worked on me and though I know far ore about Star Trek now than I did, I still loved this one.
So of course explosions! Action! Expendable people dying! (Okay I didn't really want that but it's par for the course and happened in the first one.) But I loooved Pike and my Enterprise crew. I felt like they were mostly the same people we got to know in the first movie and came back to develop some more, so it was a great to see the progression of where there relationships were now. There were funny bits and moving bits and I loved Spock/Uhura and Bones and Scotty were hilarious. Chekov was adorable; Sulu was badass; Uhura got to do shit! And I was pleasantly surprised that Carol Marcus was not in cahoots with the villain; she didn't get major story or film time but let's be honest - I was here for the main crew, not the new characters, and all their awesome moments and interaction delivered.
LET'S TALK ABOUT KIRK AND SPOCK'S EPIC LOVE STORY. WOW. The entire movie was set up to be all about their special friendship and learning about themselves from each other. That death scene was, I told the friend I watched it with, the stuff romance writers like Nicholas Sparks live to sell. I swear Spock was thisclose to calling Jim his t'hy'la on screen, jfc. DON'T THINK WE DIDN'T NOTICE THAT USE OF "JIM". Or the epic emotion-ridden beatdown by Spock on Khan inspired by his captain's death.
I could ramble forever, but I liked the interracial couple at the beginning and slight increase in diversity of aliens in Starfleet, I liked starting the movie mid-mission, I liked Jim's insubordination but also the way he did value the opinions of his crew in the end, I liked how he's always beaten up every movie (so pretty so bruised Chris Pine), I liked soo much about this movie and its imperfections aren't going to change that. (And there are imperfections, of course, beyond the glaring whitewashed casting.)
The way things were set up and tied together (Scotty resigning so he could be useful off-ship, the mention of the tribble) were all a bit predictable but nonetheless enjoyable.
MOSTLY I AM EXCITED BY THE ENTERPRISE. HER CREW. THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. Sulu telling Spock they weren't about to abandon ship! Chekov being a tiny genius! Uhura actually struggling with human emotions with her relationship with Spock and her respect now for Kirk! Bones being Bones and perpetually grumpy but doing the right thing in the end. Slfkhskslah Spock.
But really, my captain, my captain. Your heart is in the right place and that won't always be enough but I am glad the movie ended the way it did. (I truly thought they'd end it with Kirk dead or sacrificing himself and the third movie being about rescuing him, but I like it this way better. I think this sets up war with the Klingons for the third movie though.)
Some questions remain but really I just want to flail about my feelings right now.
They are good feelings! ♥
So let's talk about STAR TREK. I finally saw it today and I have many feelings. ARE YOU READY TO TALK ABOUT IT?
I'm not happy with the white-washing casting of Khan. I understand the broad geek appeal of Butterscotch Cumberband having a lead role but I refuse to accept that there were not other actors out there who could've done as excellent a job acting and were POC, and the marketing for audience argument is a bullshit excuse. Racebending.com's article on this was good, and also John Cho is awesome.
That dispensed with, if he had to play a villainous character I hated and wished for Spock to wallop a few more times, at least he did a good job. I think his motivation and the plot surrounding it was a bit weak, but Bandersnatch Crumblebun's portrayal of the character was well done. (No, I will never tire of joking about his name.)
Honestly, I felt like his story and the set-up scenes at the beginning of the movie (which felt rushed to me) were the weakest part of the movie because they were sort of there mostly to propel along the main story - about Kirk, about Kirk and Spock, and about the Enterprise.
This leads me into the good things! I have waited four years for this sequel and have been squirming with anticipation since the trailer five or so months ago and it lived up to everything I wanted - or at least expected? JJ Abrams should really stop talking about Star Trek (because I stopped listening to him), but it was very much in the vein of the first movie of having an action movie that would draw non-Trek fans. I can't bitch; the first movie worked on me and though I know far ore about Star Trek now than I did, I still loved this one.
So of course explosions! Action! Expendable people dying! (Okay I didn't really want that but it's par for the course and happened in the first one.) But I loooved Pike and my Enterprise crew. I felt like they were mostly the same people we got to know in the first movie and came back to develop some more, so it was a great to see the progression of where there relationships were now. There were funny bits and moving bits and I loved Spock/Uhura and Bones and Scotty were hilarious. Chekov was adorable; Sulu was badass; Uhura got to do shit! And I was pleasantly surprised that Carol Marcus was not in cahoots with the villain; she didn't get major story or film time but let's be honest - I was here for the main crew, not the new characters, and all their awesome moments and interaction delivered.
LET'S TALK ABOUT KIRK AND SPOCK'S EPIC LOVE STORY. WOW. The entire movie was set up to be all about their special friendship and learning about themselves from each other. That death scene was, I told the friend I watched it with, the stuff romance writers like Nicholas Sparks live to sell. I swear Spock was thisclose to calling Jim his t'hy'la on screen, jfc. DON'T THINK WE DIDN'T NOTICE THAT USE OF "JIM". Or the epic emotion-ridden beatdown by Spock on Khan inspired by his captain's death.
I could ramble forever, but I liked the interracial couple at the beginning and slight increase in diversity of aliens in Starfleet, I liked starting the movie mid-mission, I liked Jim's insubordination but also the way he did value the opinions of his crew in the end, I liked how he's always beaten up every movie (so pretty so bruised Chris Pine), I liked soo much about this movie and its imperfections aren't going to change that. (And there are imperfections, of course, beyond the glaring whitewashed casting.)
The way things were set up and tied together (Scotty resigning so he could be useful off-ship, the mention of the tribble) were all a bit predictable but nonetheless enjoyable.
MOSTLY I AM EXCITED BY THE ENTERPRISE. HER CREW. THEIR RELATIONSHIPS. Sulu telling Spock they weren't about to abandon ship! Chekov being a tiny genius! Uhura actually struggling with human emotions with her relationship with Spock and her respect now for Kirk! Bones being Bones and perpetually grumpy but doing the right thing in the end. Slfkhskslah Spock.
But really, my captain, my captain. Your heart is in the right place and that won't always be enough but I am glad the movie ended the way it did. (I truly thought they'd end it with Kirk dead or sacrificing himself and the third movie being about rescuing him, but I like it this way better. I think this sets up war with the Klingons for the third movie though.)
Some questions remain but really I just want to flail about my feelings right now.
They are good feelings! ♥
LONG COMMENT IS LONG
So yeah, I was one of the few ST fans who were actually surprised when he said his name was KHAN. I've seen most of the early Trek movies, including the 2nd one where the infamous KHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN! scream came from so my friend and I were like... BUT BUT BUT KHAN WAS AN INDIAN, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, ARE YOU TOTALLY SEEING THIS RICARDO MONTALBAN. Eventually though, we had no choice but to get over it, chalk it up to and enjoy the rest of the movie.
NGL, I WAS TOTALLY WIBBLING IN MY SEAT WHEN PIKE DIED, and then I saw Kirk's crumpled expression, which just broke my heart and ohmygod, I just wanted to HUG HIM. D:
I think what you said pretty much covered what I thought about the plot, so here have SOME GRIPES FROM AN OLD FOGEY FAN:
What I didn't like about the movie:
1.) SEVERE LACK OF OTHER SPECIES IN MORE PROMINENT ROLES. We all have the academy overview, the token bar scene with all the alien make outs, and of course, El Capitan tumbling into bed with alien twins, but the movie is vastly centered on humans and the ST equivalent of the Super Soldier. Well except Spock, but Spock is half-human so he doesn't count. Which of course leads me to...
2.) Obviously, NON INDIAN WHITE MALE UBERMENSCH KHAN. Which I've already elaborated on at length from the start.
3.) Unpopular opinion: I found Spock to be far too emotional in this movie. I understand that this is one of the major points of the film, but it's quite disconcerting for me really, because even in the original series, Spock's greatest show of emotion was a happy "JIM!" when he saw Kirk back in the Enterprise after believing that he (Kirk) died by his (Spock's) hand in the Pon Farr battle Context here (http://www.startrek.com/database_article/amok-time) it's one of my favourite episodes, though the Pon Farr music is one of the most god-awful things I've ever heard in my life. After which, he remembered himself and totally went back to being the epitome of cool logic. So really, it was totally jarring for me to see him crying and screaming KHAAAAAANNNN and hulking out at KHHHHAAAAAANNN. Again, many others will disagree with me, but that's just my personal opinion. If we're to gauge what Spock considers important by the range of emotion he shows, then KIRK > THE ENTIRE VULCAN PLANET and well, that's it guys, SPIRK / KOCK is totally canon everyone go home. Mind, I'm not saying it's a BAD thing because anything that makes Spock show emotion in canon has got to be a blessed thing- but the transition was a bit too much for an old fan like me, who's far too used to seeing a more subdued Spock.
4.) I could see the ending from a mile off, though then again, I did watch the Wrath of Khan, so I pretty much knew how it was going to end the moment Spock Prime came on screen. But it was nice seeing that heart-breaking scene again in reversed roles, even though the emotional impact was kinda diluted for me, by the fact that I KNOW WHAT THAT TRIBBLE'S ROLE IS AND LIKE FUCK JJ ABRAMS IS GONNA KILL KIRK OFF. Spock really died at the end of the ST2 movie, so yeah pretty much everyone was bawling their eyes out (and then ST3: Search for Spock came around and all was right again).
... TBC in next comment because LJ said I talk too much for one space box
Re: LONG COMMENT IS LONG
UHURA and her "I AM BEING A PROFESSIONAL HERE EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE SUCH A JERK SPOCK", SULU and his "I AM SITTING IN THE CAPTAIN'S CHAIR AND IT'S AWESOME" moments... in short I LOVE EVERYONE SO MUCH. T-T
One of the super trekkies I know really disliked it, saying it's not a sci-fi movie AT ALL, and that the sanctity of Gene Roddenberry's vision has been besmirched because J.J. Abrams thought it was acceptable to portray Star Trek as BAD BOYS in SPACE. Also, the whole Khan not being Indian thing, only phrased as "RICARDO MONTALBAN FOREVER SCREW YOU ALL CUMBERBITCHES" He also said a bunch of other stuff which I recognize to be "get off my lawn ignorant bandwagoners" so I quickly tuned out after that.
I get his point really, but I also understand that this movie also needs elements that non-TOS fans will appreciate, hence less science, more action; less logic, more emotion. I don't have anything against Cumberbatch as an actor, I know him purely from his portrayal of Sherlock, and the scope of my knowledge about him is limited to that, but I am with you that I would've INFINITELY preferred it, if JJ Abrams stuck to the source material. THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF INDIAN ACTORS JJ, JUST SAYING. Also, in terms of stuff for the old fans- it still has the classic ethics dilemma (breaking the prime directive, Kirk having to choose between his duty and his heart). It had the throwback to the old Wrath of Khan movie, which is touted to be one of the best ST movies by classic fans. So what if it had more explosions, more ahem, bromance, and more of Kirk being a total dunderhead and having the survival instincts of an exceptionally backwards squirrel? It's balanced to appease both old fans and new, so really, I don't find it fair that he dismissed the whole of ST: Into Darkness as an insult to the Star Trek franchise (but yes, the whitewashing IS the total opposite of what Gene Roddenberry's vision for this series).
Ohmygod, look at me being incoherent asdhsaljjk I just have so many feels for this movie, both bad and good, but yeah bottom line is I enjoyed it, I may possibly see it again on IMAX, and most importantly WHERE ARE ALL THE FIC.
Re: LONG COMMENT IS LONG
Yeah, I read some speculation so I thought there would be a fair chance the villain would be Khan, but I was hoping it'd be a storyline around Khan and John Harrison would be trying to revive him or something. Alas, it was not to be. But Cumberbatch did do a really good job at the role (so at least there is that).
Oh man, Spock was just FULL of emotions this movie! I guess it was personally rewarding because I am also full of feelings haha and definitely the things that sparked him were what sparked me, but I think you're right - he is much more emotionally volatile than what clips I've seen of TOS. But I guess that is Abrams/the writers trying to appeal to the "modern" audience too. The little bit of relationship drama between him and Uhura and Spock's supposed inability to feel or care was nice (because I totally believe that would cause relationship strife - hell, it does between actual humans all the time), but that aside, Spock really was running around having lots of feelings this time around. Well, last time around too, I think. (BUT IT'S TRUE. THE KIRK/SPOCK FEELINGS BOND IS PRETTY MUCH TRUE CANONICAL LOVE.)
Pike made me so sad. ;A; I really liked him as Jim's father figure/mentor, and I really really liked his yelling at Kirk to his face but fiercely defending him behind his back, because that is such a parental thing to do.
Ahhhh yes I can understand why your friend would hate it, but there is definitely also always an element to "damn kids get off my lawn" to things like this and while I don't support it, it's also fairly normal. Of course, a blockbuster movie trying to rake in the dollars in this day and age isn't going to be (able to be) the same kind of philosophical commentary on life Roddenberry's original series was, but like I said earlier - I do wish they'd balanced it a little bit more in favor of the philosophy over the fights.
OF COURSE, ALL THAT SAID, I LOVED THE MOVIE. So yeah, I'm definitely seeing it again and, as you said, where is all the fic??
Re: LONG COMMENT IS LONG