Top 10 Things I Learned from the “Star Trek Into Darkness” Trailer

1. The villain isn’t scary looking, unlike the last movie.

2. The villain is Benedict Freakin’ Cumberpatch.

3. There is a new hot girl to compete for Kirk’s heart.

4. Said new hot girl has the “look into the camera and scream” down.

5. The villain wants vengeance, but to my knowledge we’ve never seen him before.

6. Zachary Quinto is only in about a second of the trailer, which is saddening.  They must still be editing his scenes.

7. They stole the Inception soundtrack.

8. There will be very impressive CGI explosions.

9. I will still spend half the movie drooling over Chris Pine.

10. I hope the world does not end before then so we can make it to May 17^th, 2013.

– Ashley

Remember that huge flop of a movie, “Alexander”?

If you don’t remember, maybe this video will jog your memory.

And now you remember. It’s that movie that was so severely hyped and controversial that everyone thought everyone was going to run out to the theaters to see it but no one really did. Well, I saw it last weekend and I liked it.

There are many reasons for this. I mean, I’ve seen the first Twilight movie at least 10 times. Is anyone actually surprised that I LIKED this movie? Also, I streamed it for free on Amazon Prime so maybe my not having to pay to watch it also contributed to my liking it, but I digress.

I will say, however, that this movie is definitely not for everybody. Some of the scenes were very disturbing (incest, rape) and the amount of blood and guts rivals any medical TV show. But despite all the dramatic elements included just for shock value, I think Oliver Stone did a fantastic job exploring who Alexander the Great really was. He didn’t sugarcoat and showed the hero in his most unheroesque moments. The audience saw Alexander the Great as more than a historical figure but as human being with weaknesses and dreams and flaws. And that portrayal was extremely effective.

To me, this was a legitimately good movie. And I know that I tend to go for underrated movies (Country Strong, The Four Feathers, Pearl Harbor), but there really is a simple explanation for why this one flopped like a dead fish. I think Oliver Stone made it to fulfill his own fascination with Alexander the Great and didn’t really have a target audience. There was too much violence for straight women, too many men in armor for lesbians, too much homosexuality for straight men, and too much dirt/blood/grime for gays. Obviously these are all stereotypes, but you get the picture. I thought it was brilliant though. And I’m going to stick by that and watch it again before Amazon takes it off the free movie list.

~C~

A Few of My Favorite Things: “Istanbul was Constantinople…”

I wanted to play a quick game of show and tell.

Or maybe tell and show.

It goes like this: Last week I saw the new James Bond movie here in Athens. (I love Greek commercials by the way.) As for the movie, I thought it was fun. There were lots of throwback elements to some of the more classic Bond moments. The gadgets, the car, the Bond girls, the suit and classic walking into the gun barrel shot. I’m not the biggest Daniel Craig fan. I actually prefer him in the suit rather than shirtless.  Along with the witty comments, there were some beautiful settings and cinematography going on. For example, you see the ephemeral techno jellyfish-y city of Shanghai, the beautiful moor-y country side and house that James Bond grew up in Scotland, and many more really rich shots. (Not that all of them were actually in the location declared. Eh movies.) And Adele’s “Skyfall” opening credit showcase was perfect.

My only critique: Honestly I thought there were a lot of cliche things happening. Or a few times, the scenes looked like they were from other movies. And I wasn’t in love with the villain played by Javier Bardem. He was creepy. And I wasn’t super emotionally invested in his character at all. And (SPOILER ALERT) M played by Judi Dench dies. Can you really kill Judi Dench like that? She’s too classic.

On a happier note, I guess the transition to Moneypenny is necessary. And how about the diverse cast? I loved it. It was  a multi-location and multicultural treat. You took a virtual trip to all the locations and people of the story.

However, my new favorite claim to fame is the fact that I watched the movie with some friends one day. And then the next week, I visited Istanbul for the first time. And I saw the Grand Bizarre and surrounding area where the opening 007 chase scene takes place

And here’s my show:

I’m just so excited that I was there.

Anyways, I’m back in Athens. Getting ready for “The Hobbit” to come out a day early here! EEEK! I just finished the book. And let me tell you. Please just read it. It’s short and sweet and adventurous. And the previews look gorgeous and perfect. So they better not disappoint.

I saw “Twilight” too. I think it’s hilarious. Even if you aren’t a Twihard, you will still enjoy this movie. Just don’t take it seriously. So if you want a good laugh, I recommend it. I’m serious. The fight scene, I was freaking out laughing and screaming. And maybe cursing. Totally worth it. (Also fun fact. There was a deal of buy one get one free because I use a certain Greek mobile telephone service. SCORE!)

And NEWS JUST IN I just found out that Carrie Underwood is cast as Maria in NBC’s live stage version of “The Sound of Music” that will come out near the holiday season 2013. After initial panic and anger, I think I’m actually okay with it. Being that it is a stage version and not a movie, that is. I don’t think you could ever redo the movie. But watching a performance with the songs could be fun. Not the same, but fun. What do you think?

Okay, so that was a lot to process with you. But there ya go. Entertainment overload. And as the title suggests, I’m getting lots of songs stuck in my head just living life.

Not to mention Christmas music. I love December. 🙂

Sincerely,

Sarah