Side Notes: Star Trek: Into Darkness

So Mom, my brother and I went to go to see the newest installment of the rebooted Star Trek franchise last week. I saw the first reboot film by J.J. Abrams a little after it came out on DVD and I have to say that I really enjoyed it! I had high hopes going into this second film as I had read a lot about it and since I did really enjoy the first one.

Now, I will have to say that I am going into both of these films without a bias. I can't say I've ever watched the original Star Trek movies (hmm.. sensing some additional items to add to my watch list?) so I wasn't really going to be comparing. I know the characters and understand the basic plot, but I wasn't going into either film with certain expectations.

That being said I thoroughly enjoyed the second installment. I really think they did an excellent job with the casting. I've heard a lot of things especially about Karl Urban and his fantastic casting of Bones and especially Zachary Quinto as Spock. I can say I agree. I absolutely adore Simon Pegg so to have him be more involved as Scotty in this film was really fun. I've heard a couple people disagree with that fact and with the casting, but I think it works! And.. Benedict Cumberbatch. My goodness. His level of monotone increasing to insanity as the villain was just spot on. He had the thin line of trust and creepiness that the character needed. Excellent choice and wonderful sort of breakout role for him. Those that are familiar with the BBC series "Sherlock" no doubt will confirm just how amazing he is, but I think this role helped propel him into the homes of Americans.

Couple things about the film overall that I have to knit pick -- the really unnecessary "underwear" scene with a female character and Capt Kirk. Really? Was absolutely not anything needed for the plot line and absolutely gratuitous. I think it was a stupid move and kind of made me go "really? REALLY J.J? You're stooping to this level?" Meh.  The other is the really annoying and distracting lens flares that J.J so very much loves. Reading about them and people joking about them everywhere on the internet, really made me go looking for them and distracted from the film. There were a couple that I wanted to be like "hey.. someone lower the blind please? The sun is right in my eyes!"  I don't really think they add to anything really and the film is already brightly lit in most scenes so having that is just a nuisance. Argument here: What's with the Lens Flare?

I love the action, the characters, the plot was interesting and kept me intrigued. I love Chris Pine who has some of the bluest eyes in the business, the little references to the original films and the overall feel of the film. Great time!

#167 IMDb - Casino

So spending some time with Dad a few weeks ago we were deciding which film we wanted to see, Casino, Goodfellas or Carlito's Way (sensing a theme here?) and we eventually settled on watching Casino.

Classic mob/Scorsese film! I think Scorsese has really set the tone for mobster films and this was one of the big ones that came out. DeNiro, Pesci, and the excellent Sharon Stone. This tale, based on a true story, follows the lives of Nicky and Ace 2 boyhood pals making it big in 70s Las Vegas.

One thing about this film I truly liked is how much Scorsese used the voice-over. Ace narrating scenes with Nicky and vice versa really helps to draw how much they do play off each other. Nicky is helping out Ace and Ace is allowing Nicky to do so. Ace's character is the quintessential suave, powerful and masculine role with money to throw around and a beautiful albeit shallow wife to parade on his arm.

Nicky on the other hand is wildly sadistic and out to send a message to anyone that would dare oppose Ace or the mission for the bosses in the Midwest. There is probably one of the most cringe-worthy scenes involving a vice that really does show how absolutely mad Nicky is. And don't forget the baseball bat scene! Yeouch.

This film really is an absolutely epic film showing the amount of greed, lying, corruption and just overall madness that came from Vegas at that time. Beautifully filmed, great plot and story line and character development.