Star Trek on Blu-ray

Last week, details of Paramount's plans for Star Trek on Blu-ray were leaked. Timed to coincide with the release of J.J. Abrams' new flick, the first season of the original series will be released this spring, as well as a boxed set of the first six movies.

First, the good news. Details are sketchy, but Season One of TOS appears to include the original broadcast versions in addition to the goofy remastered episodes with the cheesy new effects. This was totally unexpected, but also very welcome. I might actually buy the first two seasons now.

Now for the bad news. All six movies will be presented in their original theatrical cuts only. That means no director's cuts for movies 1, 2, or 6. This is ridiculous. THE MOTION PICTURE is almost understandable, because the new effects were rendered at only 480p. They could be re-rendered, but it would cost a lot to do. But for THE WRATH OF KHAN and THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY, I don't get it. Why not include the director's cuts?

As it stands, I'll be buying this set primarily for THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK, THE VOYAGE HOME, and THE FINAL FRONTIER. It almost doesn't seem worth it.

However, there is a special feature which I'm quite excited about. Apparently, each film will feature a commentary track by "Famous Star Trek Fans." Now, of course, the obvious question is who will those fans be? I have no idea. But what I can tell you is who I'd like them to be.

The Motion Picture

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg

The success of movies like STAR WARS and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND is what led Paramount to ditch their plans for a second TV series and produce THE MOTION PICTURE instead. So what do Lucas and Spielberg think about Robert Wise's attempt to follow in their footsteps?

The Wrath of Khan

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino

Both of of these guys consider THE WRATH OF KHAN to be one of the greatest movies ever made. Rodriguez loved Ricardo Montalban so much that he talked the actor out of retirement. Tarantino quoted the film at the beginning of KILL BILL. I want to hear their analysis of this movie.

The Search for Spock

Angelina Jolie and J. Michael Straczynski

Jolie considers Spock to be one of her first crushes, and wanted to "make him scream." So this is an obvious choice for her to provide commentary on. Straczynski once proposed a relaunch of the original series. He also wrote CHANGELING, for which Jolie earned an Oscar nomination. I think it would be a good idea to get the two of them in a room together so that she can thank him.

The Voyage Home

Al Gore and Tommy Lee Jones

Apparently, Gore and Jones spent more time watching STAR TREK than studying while roommates at Harvard. But they had graduated by the time THE VOYAGE HOME was released. They should get back together and relive their youth. And THE VOYAGE HOME is an obvious choice for Gore, given its "save the earth" message.

The Final Frontier

Mark Altman and Robert Meyer Burnett

These two guys made a movie about their obsession with William Shatner. Burnett even produced the original FINAL FRONTIER DVD. You do the math.

The Undiscovered Country

Alan Keyes and Barack Obama

THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY is a political thriller, so why not get a couple of politicians to talk about it? I'd listen to this commentary. And so would everyone else.

I'm sure none of this will ever happen. With our luck, we'll get people like Mancow and Vin Diesel. But we can dream, right?

Oscar Nominations

My Oscar Picks

On the eve of the announcement of the Oscar nominations, I thought it would be good to list my picks for who should win in each of the categories. Here they are...


Animated Picture: Dave Filoni, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS


Foreign Picture: Marc Forster, QUANTUM OF SOLACE


Documentary: Nanette Burstein, AMERICAN TEEN


Makeup: Leslie Devlin, TROPIC THUNDER


Visual Effects: Michael Bruce Ellis & Eric Leven, CLOVERFIELD


Score: James Newton Howard & Hans Zimmer, THE DARK KNIGHT


Song: "Another Way to Die," Jack White, QUANTUM OF SOLACE


Sound Editing: Matthew Wood, WALL*E


Sound: Ben Burtt, WALL*E


Costume Design: Mary Zophres, INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL


Editing: Lee Smith, THE DARK KNIGHT


Art Direction: Ralph Eggleston, WALL*E


Cinematography: Tom Krueger, U2 3D


Supporting Actress: Elizabeth Banks, ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO


Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, THE DARK KNIGHT


Lead Actress: Anne Hathaway, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED


Lead Actor: Mickey Rourke, THE WRESTLER


Adapted Screenplay: Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT


Original Screenplay: Kevin Smith, ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO


Direction: Christopher Nolan, THE DARK KNIGHT


Picture: Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, THE DARK KNIGHT

The Top Ten Movies of 2008

10. Frost/Nixon

Directed by Ron Howard
This film works because it's structured in a fashion similar to that of a sports movie. It's the story of an underdog versus an undefeatable goliath. Only here, the stakes are much greater, and the reigning champion is not just a one-sided villain, but a character the audience can actually sympathize with at times.


9. The Wrestler

Directed by Darren Aronofsky
Aronofsky has created a world of incredible realism which makes Mickey Rourke's outstanding performance all the more effective. The movie accurately captures the sadness of being a celebrity that the world has stopped caring about.


8. Religulous

Directed by Larry Charles
Despite its flaws as a movie, RELIGULOUS deals with a subject of incredible importance, raising big questions which need to be addressed. And it does so in a very funny and accesible way.


7. American Teen

Directed by Nanette Burstein
From a storytelling point of view, there's something perfect about a year in high school. Kids from all walks of life are thrown together into this pressure-filled environment where anything can happen. There is a definite beginning, middle, and end, but the details are different for everyone. Burstein uses these elements to show high school as a microcosm of society on the whole.


6. Iron Man
Directed by Jon Favreau

Robert Downey, Jr. is the driving force behind the best first movie in a Marvel franchise. On it's own, the film is a lot of fun, more as a performance-driven comedy than an action movie. But it also begins the process of opening up the Marvel movie universe to infinite possibilities.


5. Cloverfield

Directed by Matt Reeves
This movie has a very simple premise that works extremely well. Why not do a monster movie from the general public's perspective? But it also adopts an improvisational acting style and documentary-like aesthetic which acts in stark contrast to its big-budget effects. The end result is a very unique and visceral experience.


4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Directed by Steven Spielberg
The Indiana Jones movies have always dealt with pre-established mythologies, and the new film is no different. However, this one chooses to use a much more modern myth, that of Roswell, which makes it the perfect homage to the sci-fi B-movies of the fifties.


3. Quantum of Solace

Directed by Marc Forster
This film picks up where CASINO ROYALE left off, expanding on the mythology and adding depth to the character of Bond. It does so without falling into the trap of cliches which has killed so many 007 films in the past.


2. Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Directed by Kevin Smith
Leave it to Smith to turn a movie about amateur porn into the sweetest love story of the year. It's also the funniest movie of the year, combining Smith's brilliant writing with the improv talents of Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks.


1. The Dark Knight

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Nothing else comes close to being as good as this picture. Starting with Christopher and Jonathan Nolan's script, all the way through Lee Smith's editing, THE DARK KNIGHT does not miss a beat. The perfectly constructed story is not just an excuse to blow things up. It's extraordinarily dense, dealing with important issues and complex characters. Heath Ledger's performance is a revelation, but it should not overshadow the work of the rest of the cast, especially Aaron Eckhart. Wally Pfister's Imax photography produces some of the most stunning images ever put to screen. And the score by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer is haunting, without ever drawing attention to itself.

Nolan's masterpiece is an achievement on every level. How often does a popcorn movie carry this much substance? How often does a character-driven drama exercise such great attention to technical detail? THE DARK KNIGHT is so much better than any other movie of the past half decade that it is quite ridiculous not to call it the best film of the year.

The Captain SNAFU & Mr. Chestile Area Show

UntitledCast has died and morphed into the bigger and better Captain SNAFU & Mr. Chestile Area Show! You can listen to the first episode here.

You Go, Matt Thornton!

Matt Thornton has been named as a reliever for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic!

America's first game in the tournament is in Toronto on 3/7 against Canada.

Tuesday Night Movie Club Schedule

1/13 Star Trek: The Next Generation--All Good Things... (1994, W. Kolbe)


1/20 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991, N. Meyer)


1/27 Magnolia (1999, P.T. Anderson)


2/3 Scream (1996, W. Craven)


2/10 Jason X (2002, J. Isaac)


2/17 A Chinese Odyssey, Part One: Pandora's Box (HD! 1994, J. Lau)


2/24 Fight Club (1999, D. Fincher)