The Movie Journal

  Star Trek: Season 1, Episode 2 "Battle at the Binary Stars" September 24, 2017 “Battle at the Binary Stars” is the back-half of Star Trek: Discovery’s two-part premiere. It continues the prologue of the series as it makes clear that Michael Burnham is the central character of the show, even if it comes at the expense of the ensemble. This episode shows the beginning of the war between the Federation and the Klingons. Honestly, these first episodes would be right at home in the rebooted film series. They are shiny, has more action than expected, and have some central characters that you get to care about. And yes, there is lens flares that you would expect from an Abrams movie. The writing still needs improvement, but I like how the showrunners are tackling the war from both angles. With that in mind, the Klingons and their harsh language can become irritating at times. Other than that, I liked this episode slightly better than the opening. It has some very cinematic battle ...

Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 1 "The Vulcan Hello" September 24, 2017 Coming from someone who is, at best, a casual Star Trek fan, I really found much to enjoy about Star Trek: Discovery . I have seen the J.J Abrams movies and some episodes from the original series, so this is a good way to start. I believe this series takes place a decade before the original series. I found the visuals to be arresting, especially when the crew was on that desert planet. I was taken a little aback at the design of the Klingons…as they do not like what we have seen before. If I did not know any better, I would think they are glorified orcs. Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman wanted to show this race as more “sexier.” The performances are very strong. For once, we have two capable female leaders. Sonequa Martin-Green, who was fantastic killing zombies in The Walking Dead , is an inspired choice to play Michael Burnham. An even more inspired casting is Michelle Yeoh as Captain Phillipa Geo...

  Psycho (1960) 62 years after release, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho remains the auteur’s most impactful film. He made incredible thrillers such as Vertigo , North by Northwest , and The Birds , but can any of these pictures match the cultural and film impact this particular film had? Even though the major surprises have long been spoiled, this still remains a masterpiece in tension and manipulation. Some consider this to be the start of the slasher genre which of course allowed films such as 1978’s Halloween to be produced. Hitchcock made some very bold directorial choices that stands the test of time…including murdering the protagonist about a third through the thriller. That shower scene remains one of the most effective murder scenes ever created. There are no knife cuts or wounds displayed. There is a little amount of blood as Hitchcock felt like the audience would not be ready for such gore, but Gus Van Sant later repudiated that fact in his shot-to-shot 1998 remake. Rather, Hit...

  Tremors (1990) Tremors is a fun throwback to the monster pictures of the 50’s and 60’s. Truth be told, the trailer made the film look like to be one of those horrible January movies. Surprisingly, the film has an ample amount of character development. The underground monsters are scary and obviously a major part of the plot, but S.S Wilson’s and Brent Maddock’s script takes time to properly flesh out the main characters. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward took these characters and made them memorable. I was surprised at the amount of comedy. I was expecting at least a semi-serious approach. Instead, I was laughing at quite a few jokes. The special effects/creature designs are legitimately frightening. For some time, I kept expecting one of these underground monsters to come from the ground and eat me. The film is familiar, and it hardly touches any new ground. The monster formula is present, but the filmmakers make the best out of this formula to give us an entertaining, B-film. It won’t ...

  Internal Affairs (1990) To say I was surprised with Internal Affairs puts it mildly. For a film that tackles police corruption and released in the banal month of January, this usually spells disaster. Yet…it was not. Yes, the film can be predictable and there is nothing we have not seen before. On the other hand, the film is elevated by Mike Figgis’s atmospheric direction and a rather atypical performance from Richard Gere. Far as I know, this is one of the very few roles (if not only role) where Gere is the antagonist. While playing the bad guy, he keeps the charisma that everyone knows him for. The film is an example that proves Gere has the acting chops. I was surprised how much I enjoyed this police thriller. There are some twists that came out of nowhere thanks to Henry Bean’s ingenious screenplay. The script and Figgis’s direction do a fantastic job building tension as the IAD do their thing. Is the finale any good? Some people say it was a letdown and others say that is do...

  Always (1989) I am curious about Steven Spielberg’s Always. It is the remake of the 1940’s film A Guy Named Joe. Sometimes it just is better off to leave films alone. I get why Spielberg wanted to remake the original as it played a major role in becoming a filmmaker, but there are better remakes to be had…in which Spielberg actually added another to his resume many years later. The film is not awful by any stretch of the imagination thanks to the great performances…especially that of Holly Hunter’s. The screenplay, written by Jerry Belson, is unfortunately weak. The lines given to the actors can be borderline laughable and most actors, despite their pedigree, have a hard time delivering lines. It is almost as if the words were written rather than naturally spoken. When it comes to Spielberg’s filmography, he has made two bad films and one mediocre film. This is his one okay film but at least its watchable and not terrible like 1941 and Hook were. Spielberg is known for being a s...

  Shackleton (2002) I must say that I really enjoyed the mini-series Shackleton , which is a survival drama based on the doomed expedition of Antarctica led by Ernest Shackleton. As a television mini-series from 2002, the budget is limited and that gives a limited range. However, what you do see and hear, you feel the scope of the barren frozen land. There is nothing truly new here that hasn’t been done before, but director Charles Sturridge made this series about as good as it possibly can be. Leading the charge is Kenneth Branagh who delivers a performance of nuance and grace. He is a leader who is humane yet does everything necessary for survival. Not many people could follow in Branagh’s shoes. The supporting cast led by actors such as Kevin McNally and Embeth Davidtz do a good job in their respective roles. One thing that is truly extraordinary is the breathtaking cinematography shot from Henry Braham. Granted, I am sure anyone can make good use of the wild Antarctic landscape...

  Zelig (1983) The more I thought about Zelig, the more I think about Woody Allen’s feature in a favorable light. I thought the film was merely okay upon initial watch, but it ends up growing on me. Allen has a large filmography, and Annie Hall is generally seen as his best. Over time, people have now considered Zelig to be his best. I may have that same feeling…yet. Still, this is Allen’s most proficient film in terms of visual effects and editing. Filmed as a mockumentary, Allen uses old technology and stock footage to great comedic effect. With just the perfect amount of editing, he was able to insert himself into footage with Charlie Chaplin and Al Capone to name a few. You can see where later films such as Forrest Gump was influenced by. Allen has always been a king when it came to dialogue and this film is no exception. There are several lines that had me wheezing with laughter. Sadly, not every part of the film is funny but there is enough to please fans. The movie is a bris...

  Born on the Fourth of July (1989) In some sort of a spiritual sequel to Platoon , director Oliver Stone returns to the world of Vietnam with Born on the Fourth of July . He tells the story of Ron Kovic, an American soldier who became disillusioned by the war. In Platoon , Stone focused on the battles and the unit. Here, he focuses on how a man can go through extreme change. At first, Kovic was a small-town soldier who wanted to fight in the war and was afraid to miss the action. In other words, he thought about himself as an American patriot. Over time, he learned the truth about Vietnam which branded him an “enemy of the United States” for speaking out against the war. Stone is never afraid to involve his politics in his films and that remains a fact here, but he does rein in his horse to a degree. We get a powerful, if not a bit long, movie about the American experience in Vietnam and how it translated to the homefront. Going back-to-back with Rain Man , this is the film that p...

  Driving Miss Daisy (1989) To some, Driving Miss Daisy is a film that uses outdated racial stereotypes to bring across its point. To a point, I believe that to be fact. But one has to keep in mind that this is truly how black people were treated in the deep South during the 50’s and 60’s. People also say this film shouldn’t have one Best Picture in 1989, and there was poll issued in 2015 that showed this film is #1 in recount, and that My Left Foot should have won. I do think there were better movies that should have been nominated and even won such as Glory and Do the Right Thing , but I am not angry this film was the winner of it all. I found it to be an affecting period piece about friendship and how people from different backgrounds can find a connection…even if they have to work for it. Led by astounding performances from Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, the film transcends an era filled with deep-rooted racism and gives us a powerful, believable friendship that may have you...

  Glory (1989) In my own humble opinion, Glory is one of the best (if not the best) films made about the American Civil War. There are some well-choreographed battle scenes, but this war movie is not about the actual battles. Rather it is about the human spirit. I only knew about Robert Gould Shaw and the 54 th Regiment due to my first viewing of the movie many years ago. It is not talked about often enough during history class the importance of this regiment. People thought black soldiers were not good enough to fight, but after the heroic charge of the regiment in Charleston, black people were recruited and that may have changed the tide of the war for the Union. The performances, in particular those from Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, transcends the film into mythic proportions. Add the haunting choral score from James Horner, it feels like you are watching something of a dream. In addition, the film was photographed by Freddie Francis. Francis’s camerawork and Edward Zw...

  Smallville: Season 1, Episode 21 "Tempest" May 21, 2002 “Tempest” is Smallville ’s first season’s finale. Some people considered the episode a letdown, but I was rather enthralled. There are some major cliffhangers that riled people up but ain’t that a point of a cliffhanger? The season was a great one overall. The producers had to change the villain-of-the-week storyline for a more substantial story midseason, and color me surprised with how well it worked. All of the characters were fantastic. Tom Welling makes a great Clark Kent. In my mind, Michael Rosenbaum is the season’s MVP. The way he made Lex Luthor to be a good guy with darkness lurking is incredible. Sooner than later, that darkness will find its way to the forefront. The season is also all about its relationships, romantically and otherwise. Clark spent most of the season trying to express his love for Lana. He did manage to find some sweet moments with Chloe much to Pete’s chagrin in this episode. I am doubtfu...