The Movie Journal

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 15 "Will You Take My Hand? February 11, 2018  I seemed to like the season finale, “Will You Take My Hand?” better than most folks. Hope and inspiration has always been a cornerstone of this franchise and the episode, mainly towards the end, takes advantage of those feelings to deliver hopeful speech after speech. While well-intentioned, it does feel grating but it is necessary to have these speeches. People also didn’t seem to like the absolute ending with the arrival of Christopher Pike and the U.S.S Enterprise , the only ship I have some familiarity with. Do we need to tread familiar ground? For me, I do not mind it. I want more adventures with Pike and the crew! I liked the visual scope of the episode. We were treated to an exploration of Qo’nos, the home planet of the Klingons. I was not surprised about the seedy, underground look. The creature design is also exemplary. I liked the character development of Burnham throughout the ep...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 14 "The War Without, the War Within"  February 04, 2018 “The War Without, The War Within” is a decent episode that answers some hardpressed questions, yet also asks some more. It has the feeling of a Star Trek episode especially when Stamets uses science to come up with an idea on how to grow all the spores at once. The performances were fantastic all across the board. Jayne Brook had lots to work with as Admiral Cornwell had many important scenes. Michelle Yeoh continues to have the most impressive scenes as I continue to find Georgiou fascinating. She is involved in yet another twist, but this time she has to pretend to be the “real” Georgiou to lead a mission to the Klingon’s home planet of Qo’noS. The visuals remain very strong as that has been the case each episode. I was not as enamored with the writing. The melodrama between Tyler and Burnham…is tiring. He even goes as far to say that Michael is partly to blame. Seriously? Wri...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 13 "What's Past is Prologue" January 28, 2018 “What’s Past is Prologue” (whose title is taken from a Shakespeare play), is a very fun episode. It can be labeled as a finale of sorts, because it is the final episode in the Mirror Universe. The events that occurred in this episode leads to a surprise ending. Courage and bravery are some of the themes at play here, especially considering this world is led by the fascist Terran Empire that only exists to subjugate non-humans into slavery and other horrible things. The chemistry between Sonequa Martin-Green and Michelle Yeoh continues to be one of my favorite things about this series. There was even a nice little twist for the Empress as she is taken back to the real world of our heroes. The action remains strong, even if people believe there is too much action for a Star Trek series. Honestly, I do not mind. And we say our farewells to Lorca who meets his maker from the hands of the ...

  Star Trek: Season 1, Episode 12 "Vaulting Ambition" January 21, 2018 Well, this is fun. If you thought the earlier episodes were fast-paced and had lots going for them, you have seen nothing yet. There were some important reveals last episode. Guess what? There are even bigger reveals here. The biggest one…with Captain Lorca…surprised me the most. In hindsight, I shouldn’t be because the reveal that he is from the Mirror Universe explains his behavior very well. Some of the explanation is a bit…icky. Essentially, Lorca loved Burnham and was waiting for her to grow into childhood. While Jason Isaacs and Sonequa Martin-Green bounced off each other very well, there was never any truly romantic tension, which is a reason why their chemistry worked. I am curious to know how everything will play out. Stamets is given lots to do! His storyline doesn’t work as well to the extent of Lorca’s reveal, but it is interesting enough. His consciousness is in the mycelial network where he g...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 11 "The Wolf Inside" January 14, 2018 “The Wolf Inside” is a really good episode that is filled with important reveals. Last episode set up the Mirror Universe and I had some doubts how this episode would handle the universe. Unlike earlier iterations of the series, Star Trek: Discovery’s idea of the Mirror Universe is much, much darker. The show handled the reveals very well; mainly that Tyler is actually Voq. Remember him? And that the evil Emperor is none other than Burnham’s former mentor, Georgiou. We all know she perished in the second episode, but it’s nice to have Michelle Yeoh back relishing in playing an antagonist. This episode is like any other episode this series, fast-paced and on the go from the first second. This type of storytelling is not sustainable in the long run, but they are making do this first season by operating at breakneck speed. It was fascinating to learn about the Terran Universe. How they have their we...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 10 "Despite Yourself" January 07, 2018 The Mirror Universe! That is what we explore in “Despite Yourself.” This is a great episode that has some shocking jaw-dropping moments and some well-earned comedy. This rendition of the Mirror Universe changes things up for the Discovery crew. Burnham is presumed dead, Lorca a fugitive, and Tilly is an evil queen. Yes, you read that correctly. Tilly as an evil queen earns some laughs considering how Tilly is in the normal world. There are some sad moments that happen. I did not expect Culber to die considering how progressive the show was trying to be. Considering that Culber is an openly gay character on the show, it is slightly disappointing he met his demise so early even if it fit the narrative. That said, I have a feeling that we will not be gone for long. In addition, there are some fine fight scenes and some great character moments. This episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes, who of cou...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 9 "Into the Forest I Go" November 12, 2017 “Into the Forest I Go” is a very satisfying Star Trek: Discovery episode. In line with the previous episodes, there is hardly any room to breathe. I love this energy! We have space battles, the return of Admiral Cornwell from the presumed dead, a battle between Burnham and General Kol (who was not an entirely interesting character), and Stamets making an incredible 133 spore drive jumps. So buckle in and get ready for the ride! I know that people nitpick the series about certain things. Mine would have to be the characterization, or lack thereof, of the Klingons. L’Rell is seemingly the only semi-interesting Klingon because everyone else just grunts, growls, and double crosses one another. So, I guess it is as good as any time for Kol to meet his demise. The battle was thrilling. There is also some closure in terms of Captain Georgiou whom sadly the show seemed to put on the backburner. Tyler...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 8 "Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum" November 5, 2017 After last episode’s reprieve, “Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum” jolts us back to the war with the Klingons. I am not enamored 100% of the time with focused on the Klingons, but there is potential. L’Rell is an interesting character. The writers make the right choice in not overusing her character. I believe she is going to be an important factor in the outcome of this war. This particular episode has the Discovery front-and-center in the battle to start with. As someone looking in from the outside, I see what a lethal force Lorca’s ship is in battle. I also see what a forceful weapon the Klingon’s “invisible cloak” can be. The main mission of the episode is for Burnham, Tyler, and Saru to stop this invisibility so they can track the Klingons and figure out when they will attack. Saru has the best lines and the best moments. He eventually becomes crazed in his desire for peace. He is a strong f...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 7 "Magic to Mak e the Sanest Man Go Mad" October 29, 2017 “Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad” is a fun episode! As Star Trek is wont to do, this episode deals with the temporal process. I like these kinds of episodes/films. There is always so much to explore with Groundhog Day -esque plotlines. After Harry Mudd (played brilliantly by Rainn Wilson) appeared earlier in the season after Lorca failed to rescue him from the Klingons, he is back to execute a plan of delicious revenge. The ending is a bit of a letdown especially considering how Mudd’s wife is portrayed here but leading up to that is fun. Some people complained because this episode touches more on the humor than previous installments. This is Rainn Wilson we are talking about. Let him Let him play into the comedic world. The best scenes are the multiple ways he comes up with to kill Lorca. Fortunately for the captain, time is repeating itself. For once, Stamets is given wo...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 6 "Lethe" October 22, 2017  For those who qualm and complain about fan service, I do not think you’ll enjoy “Lethe.” As a casual fan of the series, I found there was plenty to enjoy even if the episode is somewhat relying on its fan service to tell the story. In the pilot, we learn that Michael Burnham is the adopted daughter of Sarek…who happens to be Spock’s father. Yes, Spock is namedropped as we learn some details about why those two are not on the same page. Something to do with the Vulcan Expeditionary Force. The main focus of this episode is a rescue mission for Sarek, whose ship was attacked by a Vulcan terrorist group. It may be another episode that focuses on Michael’s daddy issues, but an important one, nonetheless. Sarek is an important part of Michael’s life as he is responsible for her upbringing. All the right emotional notes were hit. Jason Isaacs continues to show incredible acting prowess as Lorca, the captain who li...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 5 "Choose Your Pain" October 15, 2017 “Choose Your Pain” is a very promising episode of Star Trek: Discovery . I liked the title and how it is applied in the episode. Essentially, the name comes from a Klingon torture practice where prisoners choose amongst their own who will be beaten. Given the shows fast pace, it could have been explored more here, but it is still a powerful, forceful concept. Star Trek fans may have been rightfully surprised when Tilly used the “f” word, the first time any Trek character did so. Welcome to the 21 st century television. Burnham takes a backseat here, but still plays an important role in terms of the audience getting to know who she is…someone who will do the right thing, no matter the cost. The episode does a good job in developing characters not named Burnham. We see how Saru adjusts to captain life as he tries to save Lorca from the Klingons, we learn pivotal information about Lorca’s dark past ...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 4 "The Butcher's Knife Cares Not for the Lamb's Cry" October 07, 2017 I have rather mixed feelings about the fourth episode, “The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry.” There is plenty of good stuff, but there is also some stuff that makes you scratch your head. Firstly, RIP Commander Landry, we hardly knew ye. I was disappointed she was killed off in such an uninspired way. She was one of the few strong female characters yet was ended by a creature known as the tardigrade, which will be pivotal for the Discovery’s spore drive. Also, the Klingon scenes? Ugh. I still have mixed feelings about how they look. Voq and his second-in-command, L’Rell seem like they could have good storylines, but the writers will have to find a way to make them interesting. There are some great characterization scenes. Michael is still trying to settle in her new role as Saru and his ganglia, which senses death still mistrusts her. I am inter...

  Star Trek: Discovery: Season 1, Episode 3 "Context Is for Kings" October 01, 2017 “Context Is for Kings” is a successful soft reboot for Star Trek: Discovery . Taking on what we know from the first two prologue episodes, we are introduced to a new set of characters and a mysterious, brand-new captain. Characters we have met such as Saru make welcome appearances. This episode is about Michael Burnham trying to find redemption for herself as her reputation precedes her. She has to get the people on the U.S.S Discovery to trust her, which may be difficult considering she is the first person to have led a mutiny against Starfleet and the women who began the Klingon War. When she killed T’uvma last episode, she ultimately made him a martyr. We, as an audience, know her intentions were good and pure. She was caught up in the midst of a firefight. There are people who may think that isn’t it a good thing that she killed the creature who murdered her captain? She was First Officer ...

  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...