Review: "But I'm a Cheerleader" is Weird and Wonderful (Happy B'day, Clea DuVall)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 70 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)

Running time:  85 minutes (1 hour, 25 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong language and sexual content involving teens

DIRECTOR:  Jamie Babbit

WRITERS:  Brian Wayne Peterson; from a story by James Babbit

PRODUCERS:  Leanna Creel and Andrea Sperling

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jules Labarthe (D.o.P.)

EDITOR:  Cecily Rhett

COMPOSER:  Pat Irwin

COMEDY/ROMANCE/GAY 

Starring:  Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Cathy Moriarity, RuPaul, Eddie Cibrian, Melanie Lynskey, Katharine Towne, Dante Basco, Ione Skye, and Katrina Phillips

The subject of this movie review is But I’m a Cheerleader, a satirical film and romantic comedy from director Jamie Babbit.  The film focuses on a naive teenager who ends up in a conversion therapy camp after her straitlaced parents and friends come to suspect her of being a lesbian.

You are who you are.  The only trick is not getting caught, sez Clea DuVall’s character in the uproarious satire about modern America’s desire to “get rid” of homosexuals, But I’m a Cheerleader.

Megan Bloomfield (Natasha Lyonne, American Pie) has a picture of a cheerleader in her locker, a poster of Melissa Etheridge on her bedroom wall, and likes tofu, so her parents (Mink Stole, Bud Cort) are sure she’s a lesbian.  They enroll her in True Directions, a “dehomosexualing” program that purports to make gay kids straight.  Megan, already confused, is then caught between two extremes:  the cruel, hateful, and spiteful headmaster Mary J. Brown (Cathy Moriarity) and an unrepentant rebel lesbian Graham Eaton (Clea DuVall, The Faculty) who is attracted to Megan.

But I’m a Cheerleader is probably the best satire I’ve ever seen on the subject of the American bigoted mindset about homosexuality.  It is a hilarious comedy, and the romance between Megan and Graham is heartfelt and touching in the portrayal of the girls’ awkwardly advancing towards each other.  However, the film’s sharpest barbs are simply aimed at the crass behavior and sheer ignorance of bigotry and hate directed at homosexuals.  It’s one thing to disagree with a “lifestyle;” it’s an entirely different thing to try to destroy that with which you disagree.  I won’t resort to boring speeches and politics, but But I'm a Cheerleader hilariously makes its points.

Director Jamie Babbit and screenwriter Brian Wayne Peterson are sneaky in the way they communicate the messages under cover of outrageous characters and outlandish humor.  I laughed a lot, but I have to admit that you’d have to be really dense not to get the obvious points.  Homophobes that can get the message may hate this film; after all, the creators don’t go out of the way to camouflage their satire.  It’s blunt, but not annoying.  The film is funny, even when it’s being sad.  The film does drag heavily at some moments, and sometimes I was ready for the joke to end; still, the film always picked itself up with something delightful and surprising.

It’s in the power of the film’s sarcasm and irony that we can laugh at human folly, but a part of us sees the folly in ourselves when we watch Cheerleader.  Will we ever live in a free country where people don’t have to be discriminated against because of sexual orientation?  Hell no!  People will discriminate and hate, and then go to church on Sunday and proclaim their love for GOD in vigorous screams, because GOD is all about hating faggots, right?

And that’s fine in way because human folly will keep us knee deep in really good satire like But I’m a Cheerleader for the foreseeable future.  The soundtrack’s cool, too.

7 of 10
A

Updated:  Wednesday, September 25, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Cinedigm Acquires "Night Moves" Starring Jessie Eisenberg

(The above image is a scene from the film, "Night Moves," copyright Tipping Point Productions and courtesy of Business Wire)

Cinedigm Acquires Kelly Reichardt’s “Night Moves,” Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard

Cinedigm takes all North American rights to eco-terrorism thriller, with U.S. theatrical release planned for 2014 

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cinedigm (NASDAQ: CIDM) has acquired all North American rights to NIGHT MOVES, directed by acclaimed American independent filmmaker Kelly Reichardt. The film, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning and Peter Sarsgaard, made its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this month followed by a North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival and was recently awarded the Grand Prize at the Deauville Film Festival. Cinedigm will release the film in Spring of 2014.

“Kelly is one of the most original and distinctive voices in American cinema today. An expansion on her previous work, NIGHT MOVES maintains that unique Kelly stamp that long ago made us huge fans,” said Vincent Scordino, Senior Vice President of Theatrical Releasing, for Cinedigm.

"We couldn't be happier to be working with Cinedigm," said the filmmakers. "Their enthusiasm for the film was amazing, and we're thrilled to be collaborating with them on its release."

Reichardt’s award-winning films include RIVER OF GRASS, OLD JOY, WENDY AND LUCY and the acclaimed Michelle Williams-starring Western MEEK’S CUTOFF. NIGHT MOVES is her fifth feature film and tells the story of three radical environmentalists plotting the explosion of a hydroelectric dam—the symbol of the energy-sucking, resource-devouring industrial culture they despise. The suspense-filled film adds a “noir-thriller” to Reichardt’s already impressive and diverse body of work.

The film is a production of Maybach Film Productions, RT Features and filmscience. It was produced by Neil Kopp, Anish Savjani, Chris Maybach, Saemi Kim and Rodrigo Teixeira. The deal was negotiated by Cinedigm’s Director of Acquisitions Emily Rothschild with UTA representing the filmmakers.

TWITTER: @NightMovesFilm
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/NightMovesFilm
CLIP FOR DOWNLOAD: http://youtu.be/WG-pkXN4s60

ABOUT CINEDIGM:
Over the past decade, Cinedigm has led the digital distribution revolution that continues to transform the media landscape. In addition to its pioneering role in transitioning movie theatres from traditional film prints to digital distribution, Cinedigm continues to advance worldwide cinema modernization with its suite of software products allowing exhibitors and distributors to manage their newly digital businesses with efficiency, insight and certainty. And, as the leading distributor of independent content in the world, Cinedigm collaborates with producers and the exhibition community with unequalled transparency to market, source, curate and distribute quality content across all digital platforms to targeted and profitable audiences. The company’s library of over 5,000 titles includes award-winning documentaries from Docurama Films®, next-gen indies from Flatiron Film Company® and acclaimed independent films and festival picks through partnerships with the Sundance Institute and Tribeca Film. Cinedigm is proud to distribute many Oscar®-nominated films including THE INVISIBLE WAR, HELL AND BACK AGAIN, GASLAND, WASTE LAND and PARADISE LOST 3: PURGATORY.

Current and upcoming Cinedigm releases include Destin Daniel Cretton’s SHORT TERM 12, Godfrey Reggio’s VISITORS, Penny Lane’s OUR NIXON and Shaul Schwarz’s NARCO CULTURA.

Cinedigm™ and Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp™ are trademarks of Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp www.cinedigm.com. [CIDM-G] 

Review: "Anything Else" is Familiar Woody Allen

TRASH N MY EYE No. 119 (of 2004) by Leroy Douresseaux

Anything Else (2003)
Running time:  108 minutes 91 hour, 48 minutes)
MPAA – R for a scene of drug use and some sexual references
WRITER/DIRECTOR:  Woody Allen
PRODUCER:  Letty Aronson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Darius Khondji
EDITOR:  Alisa Lepselter

COMEDY/ROMANCE

Starring:  Woody Allen, Jason Biggs, Fisher Stevens, Anthony Arkin, Danny DeVito, Christina Ricci, Kadee Strickland, Jimmy Fallon, Diana Krall, William Hill, Stockard Channing, Maurice Sonnenberg, Kenneth Edelson, David Conrad, and Joseph Lyle Taylor

The subject of this movie review is Anything Else, a 2003 romantic comedy from writer-director Woody Allen.  The film is a contemporary romantic comedy set in New York City and follows an older guy as he guides his younger protégé through a messy and hilarious love story.

Woody Allen’s Anything Else is a movie about two relationships.  First, there is the friendship between an aged, aspiring comedy writer, David Dobel (Woody Allen), and a young, struggling comedy writer, Jerry Falk (Jason Biggs, American Pie).  Dobel is apparently severely paranoid, but he dispenses much wisdom and advice to Falk, who is in the middle of a messy situation.  That situation is the second relationship upon which the film focuses.  Falk is deeply in love with Amanda (Christina Ricci), a young actress who is insecure about her weight, among others things.  Amanda also claims to be uptight and insecure about her relationship with Jerry, but she may only be using that as a cover for having one or several affairs.

Anything Else isn’t among Allen’s best work, but it’s better than his least work – sort of in the middle.  It’s intermittently funny, sometimes outrageous, but too often dull and dry.  Allen’s dialogue, is as usual, crackling, but it takes almost half the film before the witty repartee begins to flow.  When Allen is not the lead in his film or if he’s not in his film, he usually has another character stand in for him.  While Allen is in Anything Else as David Dobel, Jason Biggs’ Jerry Falk is the Woody character or character type we’ve seen in films like Annie Hall or Manhattan.  Biggs does a passable job in this role, but that’s all; thankfully Woody is so good at writing himself, even for other actors to play, that the film doesn’t fall apart.  But nor does it ever really come together as anything more than several scenes that would make good exercises for an acting class.

Christina Ricci steals the show, although her performance takes a bit of time to get going.  Despite its obvious flaws, Anything Else is worth seeing, not only for Allen fans, but also for fans of Ms. Ricci.

6 of 10
B

Updated:  Wednesday, July 24, 2013

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

2013 Primetime Emmy Award Winners List

by Amos Semien

The Emmy Award is a television production award that is considered the television equivalent of the Academy Awards in film and the Grammy Awards in music.  Negromancer’s focus is usually on the Primetime Emmy Awards.  It is presented by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in television programming (at least as the members of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences see it) from June 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013.  The awards ceremony was held on Sunday, September 22, 2013 and televised by CBS (in the United States) and hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, who is a multiple-Emmy winner.

The majority of 2013 Primetime Emmys were actually handed out at the 2013 Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony, which was held on Sunday, September 15, 2013.  Go here to read the list.

65th Annual / 2013 Primetime Emmys winners:

COMEDY

Best Comedy Series:
"Modern Family"

Best Comedy Actor:
Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

Best Comedy Actress
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"

Best Comedy Supporting Actor:
Tony Hale, "Veep"

Best Comedy Supporting Actress:
Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"

Best Comedy Writing
"30 Rock" -- "Last Lunch" (Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield)

Best Comedy Directing
"Modern Family" -- "Arrested" (Gail Mancuso)

DRAMA

Best Drama Series
"Breaking Bad"

Best Drama Actor
Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"

Best Drama Actress
Claire Danes, "Homeland"

Best Drama Supporting Actor
Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"

Best Drama Supporting Actress
Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"

Best Drama Writing
"Homeland" -- "Q&A" (Henry Bromell)

Best Drama Directing
"House of Cards" -- "Chapter 1" (David Fincher)

MOVIE/MINISERIES

Best Movie/Miniseries
"Behind the Candelabra"

Best Movie/Mini Actor
Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"

Best Movie/Mini Actress
Laura Linney, "The Big C: Hereafter"

Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor
James Cromwell, "American Horror Story: Asylum"

Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actress
Ellen Burstyn, "Political Animals"

Best Movie/Mini Writing
"The Hour" (Abi Morgan)

Best Movie/Mini Directing
"Behind the Candelabra" (Steven Soderbergh)

VARIETY

Best Variety Series
"The Colbert Report"

Best Variety Series Writing
"The Colbert Report"

Best Variety Series Directing
"Saturday Night Live"

REALITY

Best Reality Competition Series
"The Voice"

CHOREOGRAPHY

Best Choreography
"Dancing with the Stars" -- "Hey Pachuco/Para Los Rumberos/Walking on Air" (Derek Hough)

Thanks to Gold Derby for the list.

2013 Primetime Emmy Awards: Creative Arts Emmy Winners List

by Amos Semien

The Creative Arts Emmys are the Emmy Awards presented in recognition of technical and similar achievements in American television programming.  These Emmys are commonly awarded to behind-the-scenes personnel such as art directors, casting directors, cinematographers, costume designers, and sound editors.  The Creative Arts category also includes awards for outstanding animated programs and guest acting in comedy and drama television series.

The Creative Arts portion of the 2013 Primetime Emmys handed out 77 awards on Sunday, September 15, 2013 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

65th Annual / 2013 Primetime Emmys winners:

GUEST ACTING
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Bob Newhart, "The Big Bang Theory"
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Melissa Leo, "Louie"
Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Dan Bucatinsky, "Scandal"
Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Carrie Preston, "The Good Wife"

VARIETY SPECIAL
Variety Special: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Directing: "Kennedy Center Honors"
Writing: "Louis C.K.: Oh, My God"

REALITY
Reality Host: Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn
Reality Program: "Undercover Boss"

ANIMATED/CHILDREN
Animated Program: "South Park"
Short-Format Animated Program: "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant de Triomphe"
Achievement in Animation: (6 honorees announced earlier) "Adventure Time," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney Mickey Mouse Croissant deTriomphe," "Disney TRON: Uprising," "Dragons: Riders of Berk," "The Simpsons"
Children’s Program: "Nick News with Linda Ellerbee"

ART DIRECTION
Multi-Camera Series: "Master Chef"
Variety or Nonfiction Programming (Tie): Olymphic Games, "Saturday Night Live"
Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"

CASTING
Drama Series: "House of Cards"
Mini/Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Comedy Series: "30 Rock"

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Reality Programming: "The Deadliest Catch"
Single-Camera Series: "House of Cards"
Miniseries or Movie: "Top of the Lake"
Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Nonfiction Programming: "Anthony Boudain: Parts Unknown"

COMMERCIAL
Outstanding Commercial: "Inspired," Canon

COSTUMES
Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Series: "The Borgias"
Variety Program or a Special: Grammy Awards, "Portlandia," "Men Who Built America" (juried award)

HAIRSTYLING
Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra:
Multi-Camera Series or Special: "Saturday Night Live"
Single-Camera Series: "Boardwalk Empire"

INTERACTIVE
Interactive Program: "Night of Too Many Stars"
Creative Achievement in Interactive Media: Original Interactive Program: "Lizzie Bennet Diaries"

LIGHTING DESIGN/DIRECTION
Variety Series: "The Voice"
Variety Special: Super Bowl Halftime Show

MAKEUP
Prosthetic - Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "Behind the Candelabra"
Non-Prosthetic - Miniseries or a Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Non-Prosthetic - Single-Camera Series: "Game of Thrones"
Non-Prosthetic - Multi-Camera Series or Special: "Saturday Night Live"

MUSIC
Music Direction: Tony Awards
Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score): "Downton Abbey"
Music Composition for a Miniseries or a Special (Original Dramatic Score): "World Without End"
Original Music and Lyrics: Tony Awards
Original Main Title Theme Music: "Da Vinci's Demons"
Main Title Design: "Da Vinci's Demons"

NON-FICTION
Direction for Nonfiction Programming: "American Masters"
Writing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking: "Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God"
Documentary or Nonfiction Special: "Manhunt: Inside Story of the Hunt for Bin Laden"
Documentary or Nonfiction Series (Tie): "American Masters," "Inside the Actor's Studio"
Informational Series or Special: "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown"

PICTURE EDITING
Picture Editing for Reality Programming: "Deadliest Catch"
Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming: "Mea Maxima Calpa: Silence in the House of God"
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: "Breaking Bad" ("Gliding Over All")
Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "The Office" finale
Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: "How I Met Your Mother"
Single Camera Picture Editing for a Mini or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Picture editing for Short-Form Segments and Variety Specials: "Daily Show"

SOUND EDITING
Miniseries, Movie or a Special: "American Horror Story: Asylum"
Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera): "Men Who Built America"
Series: "Boardwalk Empire"

SOUND MIXING
Variety Series or Special: Grammy Awards
Nonfiction Programming: "History of the Eagles"
Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour): "Boardwalk Empire"
Miniseries or Movie: "Behind the Candelabra"
Comedy or Drama Series (Half Hour) and Animation: "Nurse Jackie"

SPECIAL CLASS
Special Class Programs: Tony Awards
Special Class Programs - Short Format Live-Action Entertainment Programs: "Children's Hospital"
Special Class - Short-Format Nonfiction Programs: "Remembering 9/11"

STUNT COORDINATION 
Comedy Series or a Variety Program: "Supah Ninjas"
Drama series, Movie or Mini: "Revolution"

TECHNICAL DIRECTION
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series: "The Big Bang Theory"
Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special: Tony Awards

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: "Game of Thrones"
Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role: "Banshee"

VOICEOVER
Voice-Over Performance: Lily Tomlin, "An Apology to Elephants"

Thanks to Gold Derby.

Amazon Studios Adds New Cast Members to "Alpha House"

Amazon Studios Casts Cynthia Nixon, Amy Sedaris, Wanda Sykes and Julie White in Alpha House

Critically-acclaimed actresses to guest star in one of Amazon’s first original series

Customer favorite Alpha House to debut exclusively on Prime Instant Video this fall

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios, the original movie and series production arm of Amazon.com, today announced that Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Amy Sedaris (Strangers with Candy), Wanda Sykes (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Julie White (Go On) will appear in the Amazon Original Series Alpha House, written by Doonesbury creator, Garry Trudeau. Alpha House, currently filming in New York, will air exclusively on Prime Instant Video later this year. This all-star female cast joins Alpha House alums John Goodman, Clark Johnson, Matt Malloy, and Mark Consuelos.

“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show”
Alpha House follows four Republican senators-turned-housemates, Gil John Biggs (John Goodman), Robert Bettencourt (Clark Johnson), Louis Laffer (Matt Malloy) and, Andy Guzman (Mark Consuelos) through re-election battles, looming indictments, parties and housemate drama. Nixon will play Senator Carly Armiston, the formidable, confident, Democratic senator from New York. She is joined by Sedaris, who will play Louise Laffer, the sweet, concerned wife of Senator Louis Laffer. Sykes will play Senator Rosalyn DuPeche, a strong-willed, funny Democrat who just happens to be a neighbor of the male senators, while White will play the tough, determined, yet charming southern wife to Goodman’s character Gil John Biggs.

“We're lucky enough to have four of the most talented performers around joining the show,” said Alpha House creator Garry Trudeau, who worked with Nixon on his celebrated show, Tanner '88 and has long admired the work of Sykes, Sedaris and White.

Following a positive response from Amazon customers, Alpha House was one of five pilots selected from Amazon Studios’ first set of 14 pilots, which debuted in April. Of the 14 pilots, Alpha House, Betas, Annebots, Creative Galaxy and Tumble Leaf were chosen, with the help of customer feedback, to become full series. The shows will stream on Prime Instant Video later this year and in early 2014.

About Amazon Studios
Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series — one that's open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and will then be notified within 45 days if that script is optioned. Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions and those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community. Recently, Amazon Studios announced six new kids pilots including Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Grid Smasher, Hard-Boiled Eggheads, The Jo B. & G. Raff Show, The Maker Shack Agency and Wishenpoof! The pilots will be available on Amazon Instant Video in early next year for all customers to watch and provide feedback. Since launch, more than 18,000 movie scripts and 4,000 series projects have been submitted to Amazon Studios.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon's IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as Books; Movies, Music & Games; Digital Downloads; Electronics & Computers; Home & Garden; Toys, Kids & Baby; Grocery; Apparel, Shoes & Jewelry; Health & Beauty; Sports & Outdoors; and Tools, Auto & Industrial. Amazon Web Services provides Amazon’s developer customers with access to in-the-cloud infrastructure services based on Amazon’s own back-end technology platform, which developers can use to enable virtually any type of business. Kindle Paperwhite is the most advanced e-reader ever constructed with 62% more pixels and 25% increased contrast, a patented built-in front light for reading in all lighting conditions, extra-long battery life, and a thin and light design. The new latest generation Kindle, the lightest and smallest Kindle, now features new, improved fonts and faster page turns. Kindle Fire HD features a stunning custom high-definition display, exclusive Dolby audio with dual stereo speakers, high-end, laptop-grade Wi-Fi with dual-band support, dual-antennas and MIMO for faster streaming and downloads, enough storage for HD content, and the latest generation processor and graphics engine -- and it is available in two display sizes -- 7” and 8.9”. The large-screen Kindle Fire HD is also available with 4G wireless. The all-new Kindle Fire features a 20% faster processor, 40% faster performance, twice the memory, and longer battery life.

Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, www.amazon.cn, www.amazon.it, www.amazon.es, www.amazon.com.br and amazon.in. As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.

Forward-Looking Statements 
This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Actual results may differ significantly from management's expectations. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that include, among others, risks related to competition, management of growth, new products, services and technologies, potential fluctuations in operating results, international expansion, outcomes of legal proceedings and claims, fulfillment and data center optimization, seasonality, commercial agreements, acquisitions and strategic transactions, foreign exchange rates, system interruption, inventory, government regulation and taxation, payments and fraud. More information about factors that potentially could affect Amazon.com's financial results is included in Amazon.com's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent filings.

Review: "Star Trek Into Darkness" a Spectacular Trip

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 64 (of 2013) by Leroy Douresseaux

Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Running time:  127 minutes (2 hours, 7 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence and brief sexual content
DIRECTOR:  J.J. Abrams
WRITERS:  Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof (based upon the television “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry)
PRODUCERS:  J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Dan Mindel (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
COMPOSER:  Michael Giacchino

SCI-FI/ACTION/THRILLER with elements of drama and comedy

Starring:  Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Weller, Alice Eve, Noel Clarke, Nazneen Contractor, and Bruce Greenwood with Leonard Nimoy

Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 science fiction and action film from director J.J. Abrams.  This movie is the 12th film in the Star Trek film franchise, which is a continuation of “Star Trek,” the beloved 1960s television series.  Star Trek Into Darkness (also known as “STID”) is the follow up to the 2009 film, Star Trek, which was a reboot of the franchise by J.J. Abrams and writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman.  STID pits the crew of the Enterprise against an unstoppable and mysterious force of terror from within their own organization.

The 2009 film was stunningly clever and wildly imaginative, and a jittery, sexy, and fresh take on a venerable science fiction classic.  STID is not necessarily fresh (or not as fresh its predecessor), but it is a crazy, sexy blast.

Star Trek Into Darkness opens in the year 2259.  Captain James T. “Jim” Kirk (Chris Pine) still commands the starship, the USS Enterprise.  Kirk’s top officers and the most trusted members of his crew are Commander Spock (Zachary Quinto), Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Lt. Commander Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Karl Urban), Lt. Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg), Lt. Hikaru Sulu (John Cho), and Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin).  Together, they are in the midst of another wild adventure.

Early in the film, Capt. Kirk pulls a stunt that gets him into trouble with Starfleet.  He gets a chance at redemption after Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) launches a series of terrorist attacks against the Federation (United Federation of Planets).  At the behest of Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller), commander-in-chief of Starfleet, Kirk leads the Enterprise on a mission against Harrison.  To capture this fugitive, however, the Enterprise must travel to Kronos, the home world of the Klingons, an alien race that is practically in a state of war with the Federation.

Star Trek Into Darkness is epic; it’s like three or four mini-movies put together to form one big, massive, sci-fi extravaganza.  It is a rousing adventure, a riveting action-adventure in space, and a swashbuckling, seafaring adventure set on the tumultuous oceans of the starry space-ways.

The film largely focuses on Kirk and Spock, and thematically, the story revolves around their personality traits, quirks, and flaws.  Revenge is also a theme, best personified by the “John Harrison” character, although I am conflicted about Benedict Cumberbatch’s casting and performance as Harrison.  Physically, Cumberbatch is miscast because he is too pasty-faced and looks more like a sneering kid than a monster/terrorist.  His athletic build looks pudgy even in a sleek bodysuit.  Cumberbatch vacillates between being too posh or too pissed off; it makes the character occasionally comical.  Cumberbatch is STID’s big misstep that luckily does not become a fatal flaw.

On the other hand, Simon Pegg is superb as Scotty.  He provides spot-on, dead-on humor in the film, and Pegg maximizes his impact upon each scene in which Scotty participates.  Pegg is STID’s best foot forward.

I understand that some hardcore Star Trek fans (Trekkies or Trekkers) were upset about at least not exited by STID.  I am not a hardcore fan, but I love me some Star Trek – the original television series, especially.  Star Trek Into Darkness feels like Star Trek to me.  J.J. Abrams’ two Star Trek films are the breathtaking, mind-blowing adventures that earlier Star Trek television series and films could not be – mainly for budgetary and technical reasons.

Thus, the Star Trek movies of J.J. Abrams and writer Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof, in some ways, do not look like their Star Trek predecessors.  But the spirit of Star Trek is there, even behind all that shiny computer-generated, special visual effects.  I unreservedly endorse that you, dear readers, follow Star Trek Into Darkness into a grand time at the movies.  This film is not without its flaws, but somehow, STID’s imperfections make it seem all the more beautiful to me.

9 of 10
A+

Thursday, September 19, 2013


The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.