Fellowship of Filming(s)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a 1979 American science fiction film directed by Robert Wise and based on the television series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry, who also served as its producer. It is the first installment in the Star Trek film series, and stars the cast of the original television series. In the film, set in the 2270s, a mysterious and immensely powerful alien cloud known as V’Ger approaches Earth, destroying everything in its path. Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) assumes command of the recently refitted Starship USS Enterprise, to lead it on a mission to save the planet and determine V’Ger’s origins.
via Wikipedia

This is a stand alone movie in the Star Trek movie series, meaning that you can watch it without watching something else for context. You don’t even really need to watch the TV series to understand what’s going on aboard the recently upgraded U.S.S. Enterprise.

As the above quoted article states, an unknown entity is approaching Earth and has destroyed other vessels and a space probe in it’s path to Earth. The Enterprise is called up, even though the upgrades aren’t exactly done yet, which leads to some accidental deaths. Admiral Kirk takes over the ship to investigate and these accidents are laid at his feet.

Commander Spock’s Vulcan retreat is also cut short thanks to the alien entity’s presence. With the original crew assembled it is now time to figure out just what V’Ger wants from Earth.

This is a great first movie from the franchise and it is a great watch. It sets the tone for the rest of the movies and brings all the original characters and cast back together for a great storyline.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

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The Ritual (2017)

The Ritual is a 2017 British horror film that follows four friends who take a hiking trip into a Swedish forest and encounter an ancient evil. The film is directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton, who adapted the 2011 novel The Ritual by Adam Nevill. The film stars Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, and Sam Troughton.
via Wikipedia

This is a movie I found on Netflix and, not really a spoiler, but the four friends actually started out as five friends, which is an important plot point. That friend was killed during a robbery gone wrong, and this was blamed on the inactions of one of the four remaining friends. The friend that was killed wanted to go hiking in Sweden so the four friends take his ashes out there to bury them. Hence the whole reason for the trip.

While out there, one of the four reinjures his knee so the four decide to take a shortcut, and this is where their troubles begin. The get turned around, lost, and encounter an ancient evil, a Jotunn, the bastard offspring of Loki. It is so cool that Norse Mythology is involved here, and the community that revolves around it and how that effects the four friends lost in the woods.

That said, this is a cool movie, and I wish more people knew of it.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

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The Golden Compass (2007)

The Golden Compass is a 2007 fantasy adventure film written and directed by Chris Weitz that is based on the 1995 novel Northern Lights by Philip Pullman, the first installment in Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. It stars Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua, Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter, and Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel, alongside Sam Elliott, Ian McKellen, and Eva Green. In the film, Lyra joins a tribe of seafarers on a trip to the far North in search of children kidnapped by the Gobblers, a group supported by the universe’s rulers, the Magisterium.
via Wikipedia

On an alternate Earth, souls reside beside their humans in animal form and are able to converse. Lyra is living with her Uncle who’s off on another expedition to the North Pole so she’s sent to live with Marisa Coulter. Lyra has a mystical Golden Compass that points toward the truth.

While at Ms. Coulter’s place she learns how important the compass is, and what’s been going on with all the missing children. They’re being experimented on, an effort to remove their animal companions, by the Magisterium.

Lyra escapes and ventures out to find the missing children herself, allying herself with others in her quest. This follows the first book in the trilogy His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, but this was the only movie produced from them. The books themselves are controversial for the warped portrayal of the Catholic Church as the Magisterium. The movie downplays this quite a bit, and I find it an enjoyable, if a bit dark.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

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The Wiz (1978)

The Wiz is a 1978 American musical adventure fantasy film directed by Sidney Lumet. A reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s classic 1900 children’s novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz featuring an all African-American cast, the film was adapted from the 1974 Broadway musical of the same title. It follows the adventures of Dorothy, a shy, twenty-four year old Harlem schoolteacher who finds herself magically transported to the urban fantasy Land of Oz, which resembles a dream version of New York City. Befriended by a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and a Cowardly Lion, she travels through the city to seek an audience with the mysterious Wiz, who they say is the only one powerful enough to send her home.
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There is such a great job of casting for this movie – I absolutely love it. Diana Ross as Dorothy, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Richard Pryor as the titular character. It’s great and wonderful. The Land of Oz is more like a fictionalized fantasy city and the music fits it so well.

If you loved the original Wizard of Oz you’ll love this one too, it has such a fun twist on the storyline and setting, different yet recognizable. And with all the musical talent from the cast the songs make this so much more special. Like I said with the previous Wizard of Oz: listen to the soundtrack, watch the movie, enjoy it.

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The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. An adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the film was primarily directed by Victor Fleming (who left the production to take over the troubled Gone with the Wind), and stars Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley, Billie Burke, and Margaret Hamilton. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, while others made uncredited contributions. The music was composed by Harold Arlen and adapted by Herbert Stothart, with lyrics by Edgar “Yip” Harburg.
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I watched this movie as a little kid time and time again, and then again as an adult, and then I read the books. The continuing books are… well, interesting that’s for sure. There are also several other movies and spin-offs from the original book, there’s actually 3 movies prior to this one, even a silent film.

This one is the classic one that almost everyone knows, with Judy Garland as Dorothy and her marvelous rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. There’s many things I could say about this movie, but I’ll just leave you with this: watch the movie, listen to the soundtrack, enjoy a classic family movie about the importance of home.

My Rating: ★★★★★

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Black Death (2010)

Black Death is a 2010 action horror film directed by Christopher Smith from an original screenplay by Dario Poloni. It stars Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne and Carice van Houten. Despite not being credited as a writer, Smith made very significant changes in the second half of the script, including a new ending. All the scenes of Black Death were shot in chronological order, a rare occurrence.
via Wikipedia

In the year 1348 the plague, or black death, is racing through the population of Britain. Many have died to this disease, but it hasn’t yet reached one community and for the church that is a concern as these are also known as the burning times, where the burning of witches is still a way of keeping the country safe.

A young monk by the name of Osmond has developed feelings for a young woman, who says she will wait for him for one week near the forest. Osmond prays for guidance, and so arrives Sean Bean in answer to them. He’s there to track down what is happening at that community who has yet to experience the plague.

So begins their journey through the woods and across the marsh.

Many things happen to Sean Bean and Osmond throughout their journey, changing them and the lives of their men forever.

I know Sean Bean best from The Lord of the Rings trilogy (which I very much need to review here on the blog, they’re favorites). This movie does him justice, especially since his character in LotR was Boromir and that is mirrored here wonderfully. I guess you could say that Sean Bean was typecasted here, but it really works. That being said, this movie is about Osmund, but it would do better to be about Ulric (Bean).

My Rating: ★ ★

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Johnny Mnemonic (1995)

Johnny Mnemonic is a 1995 cyberpunk film directed by Robert Longo in his directorial debut. Based on the 1981 story of the same name by William Gibson, it stars Keanu Reeves and Dolph Lundgren. Reeves plays the title character, a man with an overloaded, cybernetic brain implant designed to store information. The film portrays Gibson’s dystopian, prophetic view of 2021 with the world wracked by a tech-induced plague, awash with conspiracies, and dominated by megacorporations, with strong East Asian influences.
via Wikipedia

This is one of the first DVDs I bought for myself, and it’s based on a short story I studied in college by William Gibson – which was expanded and used as a base for this movie. Also, a very young Keanu Reeves.

In the future (well, our past now, 2021), data is more important than gold, especially the cure to current world’s problems. It’s trapped inside Johnny’s head and everyone wants it, whether or not Johnny makes it out alive.

Through one crazy night several attempts are made to dislodge the data, one doctor in a free clinic, a street preacher with cryo case, and a hitman with a laser whip all attempt to help the situation. In then end, everybody gets exactly what they want. I love the all the cyberpunk tech from the resistance, and the dolphin with the attitude.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (2013)

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (also known as Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Sea of Monsters and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters) is a 2013 fantasy adventure film directed by Thor Freudenthal from a screenplay by Marc Guggenheim, based on the 2006 novel The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. The sequel to Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), it is the second and final installment in the Percy Jackson film series.
via Wikipedia

The cast returns for the only movie sequel even though there are more books in the book series. Unfortunately this happens sometimes, see Inkheart and The Golden Compass for more examples of books series not doing well as films (though Harry Potter is the definite opposite).

The plotline here is Thalia’s Tree, the tree that protects the Half-Blood Camp, has been damaged in the war between the Gods that started in the last movie. So Percy and his friends now set off to find the Golden Fleece to heal the tree. Like Jason and the Argonauts.

We meet more gods and creatures from Greek Mythology in the search, and as the name suggests, this is not a land search this a search of the seas. Like Jason and the Argonauts.

I liked it for the same reasons I liked the last movie, but this is the last movie. I like the ending though.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

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Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (2010)

Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (also known as Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) is a 2010 action fantasy film directed by Chris Columbus from a screenplay by Craig Titley, based on the 2005 novel The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. The film is the first installment in the Percy Jackson film series. It stars Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson alongside an ensemble cast that includes Brandon T. Jackson, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, Catherine Keener, Kevin McKidd, Joe Pantoliano, and Uma Thurman.
via Wikipedia

The introduction to the movie series (and book series) gives us the origin of Percy Jackson, a young man with normal adolescent struggles who suddenly finds out he’s the son of Poseidon and the one accused of stealing Zeus’ thunderbolt.

What follows is the meeting of several other demigods – kids from the Half-Blood Training Camp, and their trainers such as Charon, a centaur. And an introduction to some of the gods and figures from Greek Mythology.

I enjoy the idea of it, but again the book is better, and the movie, while enjoyable, misses a lot of the context and details.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★

Star Trek: Beyond (2016)

Star Trek Beyond is a 2016 American science fiction action film directed by Justin Lin, written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, and based on the television series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry. It is the 13th film in the Star Trek franchise and the third installment in the reboot series, following Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness (2013). Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto reprise their respective roles as Captain James T. Kirk and Commander Spock, with Pegg, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, and Anton Yelchin reprising their roles from the previous films. This was one of Yelchin’s last films; he died in June 2016, a month before the film’s release. Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella, Joe Taslim, and Lydia Wilson also appear.
via Wikipedia

We join the team three years into their five year mission, and some of the crew are becoming introspective, questioning their places in life and in Starfleet, when they arrive at the new Yorktown space station. Upon arrival they are greeted by a new opportunity in the form of an escape pod with a scientist aboard. The crew take the mission and flung into a convoluted new conflict that leads them to the defunct space ship, the U. S. S. Franklin.

Without giving too much else away. I love Dr. McCoy in this one. He’s forced into some interesting situations and his reactions to this are priceless.

This movie pays homage to the death of Leonard Nimoy in his role as Ambassador Spock, who passes during this movie. This movie is also dedicated to Anton Yelchin, the actor who played Chekov in this movie series, who passed before it’s official release. This is also the last movie in this reboot series. I love how it ends with all the characters reciting those famous lines. As such, this turned out to be an emotional movie for me, a Star Trek fan since Generations.

My Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★