11/30/09

Tim Burton Interview from SyFy

Star Trek Meets The A-Team

Ran across this today and thought it was good.

11/28/09

Outlander (2008)

This movie had a great look and awesome creature design. Several scenes didn't make any sense. The emotional content was way over the top and silly. But, all in all, it was a cool ride. Check out the trailer:

Le Wrath di Khan

Robot Chicken has created the best thing ever. It's Star Trek II. It's opera. It's awesome. Watch it now.

11/23/09

Star Trek vs. Batman

Here's a crazy fan film that combines two classic 60's shows.

11/18/09

Otherworld (1985)









I have never met anyone else who has ever heard of this show. I was crazy over it when it aired. I made Zone Trooper insignias. I drew maps of cities and other Zones. Of course, now it seems quite dated. Only eight episodes were produced. One episode featured Mark Lenard as a guest star. Lenard will always be remembered as Spock's father Sarek.

A family is drawn through a vortex inside the Great Pyramid. They find thenselves in a world called, Thel, that is ruled by a harsh government. They family is constantly on the run and struggling to find the way home.

Buy it on DVD here.

Check out the awesome fansite Otherwrld Online.

Read about it on Wikipedia here.

Watch the intro:

11/17/09

Star Trek Online: Box Art and Stills












This game scares me. I'm serious. I'm afraid of it. If I play it I'm afraid I'll lose my soul. My life on this planet will end and I'll forever be inside a computer-generated world.

Find out more at the official site, if you dare!

My Top 10 ST:TNG Episodes

I became aware watching Star Trek: The Original Series. I enjoyed Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I nearly worshiped Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. I loved Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. Then when I was 13 Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered. I was hooked. Every Saturday night at 10:30pm, I was in front of the TV. I watched each episode carefully noting the title, the writers, directors and even guest stars. Here are my favorites.


1) The Inner Light

Picard lives an entire life on an alien world in twenty five minutes. A moving story about memory.


2) The Ensigns of Command

Data has to convince settlers that they will be slaughtered if they don’t relocate. Finely acted, finely written and finely directed.


3) The Measure of a Man

Data is put on trial to see if he has the right to choose. Powerful and thought-provoking this episode is capped off with a tour-de-force performance by Patrick Stewart.


4) Q Who?

Q introduces the Enterprise to the Borg. And nothing will be the same again. A terrifying challenge to human arrogance.


5) Conspiracy

Homage to 50’s sci-fi paranoia, this episode was scary when I first watched it. Parasitic aliens almost undo the whole of Starfleet.


6) Brothers

Simply excellent. An expertly crafted story of two sets of brothers trying to figure out what being brothers mean. Brent Spiner plays three roles to perfection.


7) Contagion

Picard rushes to solve a mystery that destroyed his friend’s ship and crew. An exciting adventure that leads the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone and to a world with remains of a people long dead.


8) A Matter of Honor

Riker serves aboard a Klingon vessel and has to face the Enterprise in battle. A nice glimpse into Klingon culture featuring the wonderful guest star, Brian Thompson.


9) Heart of Glory

Another great episode about Klingons. A fantastic look at Worf’s character early in the series with several cool fight scenes.


10) Tin Man

What’s with all the Tin Man hate? A Google reveals people all across the internet saying that this is a bad episode. Have they not seen The Game or The Royale? Or any episode in seasons six or seven (except Lower Decks)? The story is exciting and unique. It also features a musical score that is haunting and adds immensely to the atmosphere.

Honorable Mentions:
Reunion, The First Duty, Deja Q, Legacy, Datalore and Home Soil

11/16/09

R2-D2 Cameo in New Star Trek Movie?

Yup, here it is:

Image from Science Fiction Stuff.

J.J. Abrams Interview



TrekMovie.com has a huge interview with J.J. Abrams, the creative force behind the new Star Trek film. Star Trek comes out on DVD and Blu-ray tomorrow.

Star Trek III Posters




The Search for Spock usually gets labeled as one of the bad Star Trek movies. This, however, is not true. It got sandwiched between the best Star Trek movie ever made (and one of the finest film ever made) and the franchise's highest grossing film until First Contact. As a result it gets lost in the mix. It has an exciting and well crafted story. And as Star Trek villians go, Christopher Lloyd's Kruge is second only to Khan.

11/15/09

ST:TNG - “Half a Life” A Review by SRC


This jewel aired in season 4 of ST:TNG, it is possibly my favorite Trek episode ever, from any series. David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III from M.A.S.H.) guest stars as a scientist named Timicin, visiting the Enterprise to conduct an experiment that he hopes will stabilize his home worlds dying sun.


Aboard the Enterprise, he meets and falls in love with Lwaxana Troi, who is outraged when she discovers that after his mission is finished he is to return to his planet and commit ritual suicide. In Timicin's culture, people end their life at a predetermined age, both as population control and to avoid suffering the debilitating effects of old age. Timicin's mission is unsuccessful, and he believes that with more time, he can develop a technique that will work to save his home world from eventual destruction.


But, alas, he has no more time. He MUST return home and die with his family at the appointed time. Lwaxana Troi finally convinces Timicin that he should continue to live and he seeks asylum aboard the Enterprise. Picard’s decision to grant asylum to Timicin ignites an incident between Timicin’s home world and the Federation. Timicin’s daughter Dara (played by Michelle Forbes, who also played Ensign Ro in ST:TNG) visits the Enterprise to try to convince her father to come home and do what is expected of him by his culture and traditions. The situation is eventually resolved when Timicin decides to return to his planet and end his life. Even though she is adamantly opposed to his decision, Lwaxana Troi accompanies Timicin to his planet so that she can be with him as his life ends.


This episode speaks to me because it deals with issues that are relevant outside of science fiction, such as life and death, assisted suicide and true love. In fact, the "science" part of this episode, Timicin’s experiment, is basically lost in the background as the story of love and sacrifice is told. The episode is very well written and flows well. Majel Barrett Rodenberry plays Lwaxana Troi fantastically and shows us a more serious side of her character than previously seen. David Ogden Stiers is, in my opinion, one of the great actors of his generation, and truly underrated. He delivers a magnificent performance. ~ SRC

11/14/09

The Bearded Trio - A Blog


I just stumbled across this blog today. Here's how they describe it:

"Celebrating All the work from George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and John Williams. All the latest news updated daily. We trawl the web to bring you the best videos and articles on the three legends."

Check out The Bearded Trio.

11/13/09

My Top 10 ST:TOS Episodes

Every fan of Star Trek has their favorite episodes, so I thought I’d throw out mine. I don’t like to mix series, so all of these will be from Star Trek: The Original Series.


1) A Taste of Armageddon

I’m breaking with tradition here. Usually, The City on the Edge of Forever is ranked as the best episode. But there is something about this episode that stands out. This was made when science fiction still had an edge. This episode cuts deep and makes you think. What TV show can say that? The message: only the horrors of war teach us the pleasures of peace.


2) Balance of Terror

Essentially, a World War II story set in space. This episode teaches us about prejudice and foolishly seeking glory.


3) The City on the Edge of Forever

Usually, number one pick this episode is certainly a well crafted and moving story. Love and time collide forcing us to remember that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.


4) The Devil in the Dark

Given a hard time for dated special effects this episode still raises above many others. The arrogance of man is coupled with the fear of the unknown. Something lurks in the dark mines. Is it friend or foe? Or do we even ask?


5) Operation: Annihilate

An underrated gem this episode is a classic science fiction tale of terror. Alien parasites destroy all life, including Kirk’s own brother. In a battle for survival only one side can win.


6) Space Seed

Two words: Ricardo Montalban.


7) A Piece of the Action

A send up to gangster movies, this episode proves to be a rowdy good time.


8) Amok time

A look into Vulcan culture as Spock’s dark, illogical side emerges. An arranged marriage goes sour and Spock is forced to fight Captain Kirk to the death.


9) The Trouble with Tribbles

A hilarious romp that doesn’t let up for a second complete with Klingons, fuzzy alien creatures, barroom brawls and spies. What else do you need?


10) Journey to Babel

A visit from Spock’s parents is complicated with an assassin on the loose.

Honorable Mentions:
Court Martial, Arena, Mirror, Mirror and The Galileo Seven

Watch most of the ST:TOS episodes at CBS.com for free.

Unaired Verison of ST:TOS Pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before" Discovered

New verison of "Where No Man Has Gone Before"? Bring it on! It will be included on the ST:TOS Season 3 Blu-ray.

From the press release:

This version of "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was completed in 1965 and features archived footage that was not included in the pilot episode ultimately broadcasted. Never-before-aired, this newly recovered version is believed to be what was originally screened for NBC, and the basis for their decision to broadcast STAR TREK®. ... "When we first discovered the original film print existed, we jumped at the chance to give STAR TREK fans the opportunity to add this never aired pilot to their collections," said Ken Ross, executive vice president and general manager of CBS Home Entertainment. "It will be a real treat for fans to see and hear how it all could have begun."

Here's a clip:

Trek Writers Interviewed




Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, writers of the new Star Trek film, were interviewed over at Crave Online.