Just one more day until the early showings in the US (and Star Trek is actually opening in some countries in Europe today). First tidbit is from last night’s Fringe which had some Trek moments you will want to see. Plus there are more reviews (including Ebert and Wheaton), and lots of interviews below (including JJ on Charlie Rose). And Simon Pegg is playing with Scotty’s geography. All that and more.
Reminder: Tickets available online (including IMAX)
As we will begin every tidbits, we remind you that you can now buy advanced tickets (including early shows) for Star Trek at Fandango. You can also get tickets for IMAX at Fandango. And by buying your tickets from Fandango, you are supporting TrekMovie.com. For locations that don’t have tickets available through Fandango, try movietickets.com.
NOTICE: New Reader Review Page
TrekMovie has more site reviews lined up, but what about the fans? Well we have set up a page for reader reviews, so if you have seen the movie, write your own review.
Fringe clues?
Just like last week with Lost, there was a clip run during Fringe (created by Abrams, Orci & Kurtzman). This one turns out to be the previously seen ‘What gives you the right?’ clip (see TrekMovie clip page). However during the episode there were a couple of moments that seemed to be dropping some Trek hints. Firstly there was a scene with Clint Howard (a Trek vet), which had some major Trek refs [note contains movie spoilers if you pay attention].
And then there was this exposition scene from Walter that sounds like he was channeling Doc Brown and Bob Orci, and a little Spock (notice the ‘Fascinating’)…again some potential spoilers if you read into it.
AP article on fandom (and TrekMovie.com)
There have been a lot of articles in the media about the return of Star Trek and its effect on fandom. I point to the one at AP in particular today for no other reason than I am quoted in it (along with James Cawley and others), and it mentions the TrekMovie community in the first paragraph:
It took just a few seconds of footage — a single trailer, dropped from the heavens with great fanfare — for the hue and cry to rise on Trekmovie.com, the top fan site for J.J. Abrams’ new “Star Trek” movie. By the hundreds they weighed in, a contentious cacophony that would have jammed even Lt. Uhura’s comms system.
Review Watch – Scores remain high – Ebert & Trek vets weigh in
Currently the Star Trek movie is ranked at 94% at Metacritic and it is also now down to 94% at Rotten Tomatoes, this makes Trek the best ranked wide release movie on both sites for current and upcoming films. There are a lot of new reviews with the mainstream press continuing to give the film praise for the most part. First up is a big one, with Entertainment Weekly giving the film an A-, noting:
Sci-fi origin stories, at least those launched decades after the stories themselves, tend to be disappointing. They’re usually more work than play. The acquiring of superpowers, and/or Defining Personality Traits, has a certain built-in roteness, whether the subject is Luke Skywalker, Batman, or Wolverine; we know where we’re going, and the getting there can be an elaborate
filling in of blanks. But in Star Trek, the clever and infectious reboot of the amazingly enduring sci-fi classic, director
J.J. Abrams crafts an origin myth that avoids any hint of the origin doldrums. That’s because he rewires us back into the original Star Trek’s primal appeal.
The New York Daily News liked it so much they put the review on the front page.
But Chicago Sun Times film critic Roger Ebert isn’t so jazzed. He gives the film 2 1/2 out of four stars and recommends it as ‘space opera’, but has a beef with the believability of the science. Here is his summary:
I understand the Star Trek science has never been intended as plausible. I understand this is not science fiction but an Ark movie using a starship. I understand that the character types are as familiar as your favorite slippers. But the franchise has become much of a muchness. The new movie essentially intends to reboot the franchise with younger characters and carry on as before. The movie deals with narrative housekeeping. Perhaps the next one will engage these characters in a more challenging and devious story, one more about testing their personalities than re-establishing them. In the meantime, you want space opera, you got it.
Outside of the mainstream press, there are a couple of notable Trek vets who have posted reviews on their blogs.
- TNG era designer John Eaves (who did some work on the new film) blogs about the team who made the film and says he was "LOVED IT!" and was "overwhelmed"
- TNG’s Wesley Crusher, Will Wheaton, says "Star Trek has been reborn, and it is SPECTACULAR"
The official site has been collecting quotes on the film, see them at startrekmovie.com/quotes.
Pegg tries to fix Scotty backstory
According to some Star Trek lore, Montgomery Scott comes from the town of Linlithgow, Scotland. There is even a museum display there all about the famous future engineer. However some recent comments from the new Scotty, Simon Pegg, seemed to move Scotty’s home to Glasgow. Now Pegg is trying to fix up the discrepancies by creating more back-story for Scotty on his MySpace blog. Here is his new and improved version:
Montgomery Scott was born on March 3rd 2222, in Linlithgow, West Lothian. His parents eventually moved him and his brother Robert to Aberdeen, where his sister Clara was born. An exceptional student Scotty (or Mad Monty as his friends called him) was advanced forward several years in the educational system, meaning his intellectual peers were all at University age, whilst he was a mere 14. As a result, he spent much of his time crawling the pubs of Aberdeen with is friends, drinking and getting into fights about thermodynamics and quantum mechanics with men twice his size. At the age of 16, he came to the attention of professors at the Advanced Relativistic Physics Department at Glasgow University, after disproving the Prerera Theory (regarding photon torpedo detonation) and was transferred to study there for a year (where he really picked up the accent) before being accepted to Starfleet Academy on a scholarship. However he deferred his placement in favor of practical experience in space, working aboard mining ships and freighters, in particular the USS Deirdre, where he fell in love with engineering. Eventually he attended Starfleet and finished top of his graduating year, although the honor was later stripped due to disciplinary action taken against him due to “highly speculative and dangerous experiments with matter transfer”.
It was Simon Pegg’s [spoiler alert] transporter room companion Chris Doohan who pointed that page out to us, and he also sends in this photo of the pair at the Star Trek premiere.
Chris Doohan as guest of Simon Pegg at Hollywood premiere of Star Trek last week
TV/ Video interviews
JJ Abrams on Charlie Rose:
Abrams on Good Day New York
Collider gets Quinto and Pine to crack up.
Talk show list updated – Nimoy to do Top 10
The Trek stars are fanning across the talk shows and TV stations, here are the latest videos. Tune in for these upcoming appearances:
- Wednesday 5/6: “Bonnie Hunt Show” (Syndicated) – Zachary Quinto
- Wednesday 5/6: “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (Syndicated) – Chris Pine
- Wednesday 5/6: "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC) – Zoe Saldana
- Wednesday 5/6: “The Tonight Show” (NBC) John Cho
- Thursday 5/7: "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC) – John Cho
- Thursday 5/7: "Late Show with David Letterman" (CBS) – Leonard Nimoy (doing top 10 as Spock)
- Friday 5/8: "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (ABC) – Chris Pine
- Friday 5/8: "Tavis Smiley" (PBS) – JJ Abrams
- Friday 5/8: "The View" (ABC) – Leonard Nimoy
- Friday 5/8: "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" (NBC) – Leonard Nimoy & Zachary Quinto [not confirmed]
Finally: Trek Yourself
Atom has an alternative take on the early years of Kirk and Spock and the TOS crew:
Tidbits bits
Even more Star Trek stuff for you:
- Good article on Star Trek sound design and Ben Burtt at Editors Guild Magazine
- People has Five Things You Didn’t Know About Chris Pine
- The official movie site has finished the Star Trek artist model gallery at startrekmovie.com/modelgallery
- Verizon & Nokia have added the third skill test (a helm simulator) to joinstarfleetacademy.com
Thanks to all the tipsters
I wonder what the spoilers are…
Just saw the movie here in Germany. I give it a 9/10 rating. Easily the best movie to date considering most aspects. Considering depth ST II and ST VI are a bit better… . We laughed a lot. There probably hasn’t been a more funny Star Trek film since Star Trek IV. Great special effects and cast is just outstanding. You can really believe that those character are the younger Kirk, Spock, etc.
The 2 things i didn’t like:
– Physics got flushed down the toilet. More than once Spock should have said “What we have just experienced is absolutely impossible”.
– [MILD SPOILER AHEAD] The alternative universe established in the movie leaves a strange aftertaste…only Star Trek 12 will tell, whether it was a good move that’s going to work.
Changing Scottys back story!! SACRILIDGE hahaha!!
Sounds cool to me, cant wait for the 23.30pm showing on the 7th May at Manchester, Printworks Odeon in UK gimme a WOOOO if your going there!!
Cute (on Fringe) – the apartment door is labeled 1701… ;)
And the guy in the apartment is the kid from the giant bubble spheroid ship thingy that the Enterprise had a tug of war with …
;)
Ebert’s review didn’t offer up many surprises; he has always been lukewarm on Star Trek.
And yet… he’ll give a movie like “The X-Files: I Want to Believe” three and half stars. And claim that the most recent “Mummy” movie (you know, the one that was universally panned) was the best installment of the series.
I have to wonder what he’s thinking sometimes.
Haha, Trek yourself was ridiculous, but it still made me laugh!
Eighth!!!!
4… and his name is Grayson, Amanda’s maiden name.
LOL!
Roger Ebert wrote Valley of the Dolls. I’m glad he didn’t like Star Trek.
LL&P
#5 – Ebert has himself admitted that his reviews are often affected by the mood he’s in the day he sees a particular movie. He recently panned Quantum of Solace for the very same reasons that he praised Casino Royale. He gave Scooby Doo 2 a favorable review after savaging the original, even mentioning that he must have been having a bad day when he reviewed the original. I never listen to critics, but that kind of attitude really disqualifies his opinions for me. Also, questioning the science in a sci-fi movie is pretty silly. By that standard then he should also trash the Terminator movies and a pleothora of other sci-fi classics.
Okay, one more shot at Ebert… the only way his opinion would have less credibility is if he wrote Showgirls too!
Wonderful interview with Charlie Rose (we don’t get his show in Ireland). We get Letterman and Kimmel, but it was really great to see an incisive, thorough interview *about* JJ’s processes rather than the standard Q&A in every other interview. Thanks for posting this.
Re: #8 750 Mang:
No, Ebert wrote “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls”. He also wrote Russ Meyer’s “Up!” and “Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens”. The screenplay of “Valley of the Dolls” was written by Helen Deutsch and Dorothy Kingsley, based upon the novel of Jacqueline Susann, who in the 23rd century will be considered one of the 20th century’s literary giants alongside Harold Robbins. :-)
12. Donald G – May 6, 2009
Nice job.
Even worse.
#3 – Shame… I’m going to the IMAX in the printworks on Friday at 11am because thats the only day a few of my mates could get off work.
I can’t wait for this film!!!!!
Roger Ebert is a douche.
Come now, Mang – in 250 years, 1970’s sexploitation films will be regarded as high art. Ebert’s descendants will have the last laugh yet. >:-)
Fringe: If I had the power to blow people up, I’d start with the ass magnet that put ‘American Ahole’ on the air and let’s it run long into normal television. Now I gotta go watch it online and sit through ‘those’ commercials just to get to the last few minutes to see what happened :(
Friggin reality TV. I gotta get out of this country. Maybe I’ll go to Canada so I can still watch Flashpoint. Do they have this crap in other parts of the world? “I Want To Heard Sheep” or “Goat Swap”? Grrr I’m angry.
4 – yes, Clint Howard was indeed in “The Corbomite Maneuver” as a child.
15. Donald G – May 6, 2009
“Come now, Mang – in 250 years, 1970’s sexploitation films will be regarded as high art. Ebert’s descendants will have the last laugh yet. >:-)”
I thought Ebert was already getting the last laugh.
LL&P
Just in from seeing the movie. WOW. I mean, WOW. Like, my God, WOW.
Corney, Funny, moving, but also strange, new and unfamiliar. Makes me feel like I am becoming a fan for the first time all over again.
You will love this movie.
16–“Goat Swap” Fantastic!
15. Aye, and if my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a wagon… ;-)
Comments appeared to have crashed….
The Nokia/Verizon game has you saving the Defiant, talk about canon violations, LOL
22 hrs and 30 min
Oh, Fringe, you are my favorite show.
5. You’re dead wrong on Ebert and Star Trek. He’s a genuine science fiction fan and has always been partial to Trek (read, notably, his reviews on Khan, and Voyage Home — he’s even been fair to the lesser films).
I’m disappointed he didn’t like JJ’s Trek as I often agree with his take on things. He’s both a populist and a great writer on film. However, I hope my reaction this time will differ from his.
Cool thing about IMAX showings: they are going to be playing it at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors’ Complex IMAX theater from the 7th to the 24th, and will include Star Trek merchandise at their stores–for a little bit of a mark-up. Either way it is still pretty cool that they are going to show the movie at the only place in the US where we actually send people into space. I already got my ticket online.
Ebert’s reviews of Trek:
TMP: ***
TWOK: ***
TSFS: ***
TVH: ***1/2
TFF: **
TUC: ***
STG: **
STFC: ***1/2
STI: **
STN: **
Gee, Ebert gave it a bad review. How shocking!
I, of course, haven’t seen the movie yet so I have no opinion to share at this moment. My opinion will be developed at around 9:30PM tomorrow night when I’m on my way home from the 7 o’clock showing. However, when it comes to Star Trek, I’ve learned not to listen to Ebert too much.
Reading his review about any of the Star Trek movies has always been annoying. It would be different if he actually understood the concept of Star Trek and its’ characters. He always claims that he does, but his reviews (other than that of The Final Frontier) are always pretty much the sign of someone who doesn’t get the concept at all.
Unless it’s Star Wars he isn’t going to like it much. Everyone should just take his review with a grain of salt. I mean the guy gave “The Phantom Menace” a good review for Gods’ sake!
Frankly, I’ve never understood what’s SO HARD for the “uninitiated” to get about Star Trek. I mean, it’s certainly no more confusing than any other TV show/movie that’s out there.
I’m just coming from the Cinema (germany) have seen the movie in the english language version…
It will kick your ass!
Star Trek is back – as you have never seen it before!
I’m Shock that Ebert did not like Star Trek 2009 because he like the Star Wars prequels which is just as bad as Star Trek 2009. Also he loved the first Hulk movie which sucked.
Wow Chris Doohan ceratinly looks like a long lost brother of Simon Pegg.
We’ll after reading all the interviews and reviews of this film and now that I’ve gotten reajusted to the new Enterprise I’m defiinetly going to go see this.
so let me get this straight according to him, its a little better than nemesis?
Ebert seemed to be attacking Star Trek in general more than just the film. Still, he calls the film “fun” and gives it 2.5 stars out of 4. I’m not sure why RT classifies his review as “rotten”.
Oh well, he’s always been an annoying old fart to me.
Ebert wrote a review of Insurrection which panned it because he said they didn’t even touch on why the So’na couldn’t just set up a colony on the planet. Of course, Picard asks the Admiral this question and gets an answer, leading me to wonder… Does Ebert even bother to pay attention when watching Star Trek movies?
#34—-And only 1/2 star better than The Great Trek Turd Of ’89!
He rated TMP, TWOK, TSFS, TVH, TUC, and FC better than ST09.
Seems quite the contrast to the overwhelming praise the film is getting nearly everywhere else.
Hahaha that ‘Trek Yourself’ video is SOOOOOOOO stupid but I love it anyway. So many references!
35.Closettrekker, that’s quite the worthwhile comment. (I’m pretty confident you’ve rarely read the man let alone followed his career as a writer on film).
I swear, the closer opening day comes, the more ignorant people posting on this site become.
Anthony Pascale, you’ve done a great service for us fans these last three years allowing us a forum to follow the production of the film and take part in even small ways.
But, man oh man, I wish the level of discourse could just grow up a notch or two.
I know a lot of fans who are very discriminating towards critics and fans in general who have problems with the new film, but I actually prefer to see good and bad reviews because I believe it can put one’s expectations in perspective. I remember hating “Terminator 3” because I was only exposed to one particular reaction prior to opening day (the praise). Boy, was I in for one hell of a surprise when I saw it. I don’t know too much about Ebert’s track record with previous Trek outings, so I don’t put too much stock into what he says (I don’t even put too much stock into the positive reviews either). I’m still geared to see the film on opening day, but if I personally don’t like it and people ask me what I thought of it, I’m going to be as brutally honest as I can. If that means having other Trek fans call me a loser, then so be it. Hopefully, this movie will transcend the hype and make me glad I paid for admission.
#36
No, he doesn’t watch them. Re-read some of his other reviews of earlier Trek’s, especially Generations. I’m not defending Generations, but if the review is still up and it’s the same one I remember, he clearly didn’t watch the movie.
Seen the movie at a midnight showing here in Edinburgh. Absolutely amazing. Not going to spoil it for anyone, but im off again tomorrow at least once or twice :) Round of applause at the end and everything
MAJOR SPOILERS!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan_(Star_Trek_planet)
ORCI! ABRAMS! Your crime is unforgivable! Consider yourselves discommendated!
I’ve looked at Rotten Tomatoes and even the “bad” review aren’t that bad. More like quibles with certain plot points but everyone seems to be in agreement that JJ picked the perfect cast. I just hope everyone comes along for Star Trek 2 (or is that 12… I don’t know).
When is Nimoy going to be on Fringe?
#43 – Grow Up
It’s a MOVIE!
45:
Next week.
JMN
43. senwod
So what?
I completely disagree with most of Ebert’s Trek reviews but if you dis Ebert, you dis yourself. He isn’t in good health and we should be glad to have this national treasure still with us, especially if the filmmakers take him up on his challenge, in his final paragraph, to make the next movie even better than this one.
Just seen the movie…
Iss wery good!
Brought a tear to me eye :.-)