Chad Liffmann – Page 27 – Spinning Platters

Round-Table Interview: Simon Pegg and John Cho of “Star Trek Into Darkness”

Simon Pegg and John Cho, reprising their roles as Montgomery “Scotty” Scott and Hikaru Sulu respectively in the newest chapter of the Star Trek film franchise, Star Trek Into Darkness, sat down with a few members of online press outlets to answer a few questions. Dressed in casual clothing and beaming with smiles, the two actors couldn’t be more welcoming and polite. We sat around a tiny circular table and jumped right into it…

J.J. Abrams is a huge fan of the Star Trek franchise, how does the fact that he’s such a big fan of both the Star Trek films and the original TV series translate into the fact that he’s making the new franchise…with this film especially?

Simon Pegg: I don’t think he was. I think he was more of a Star Wars fan growing up.

John Cho: Yeah.

Simon Pegg: And I think he came to Star Trek as somewhat of an outsider…

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Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Chris Pine in Star Trek Into Darkness

In 2009, J.J. Abrams jumpstarted a dulling Star Trek franchise by instilling youthful energy and adrenaline into a familiar cast of characters. The universe was the “same” but the feel was different. It was shinier and faster paced, and took advantage of modern computer technology to produce visual effects in a way that the original Star Trek series may have dreamed of but never could harness. But the most powerful weapon 2009’s Star Trek wielded was a solid origin story that balanced the needs of the salivating Trekkies with the cinematic desires of general audiences. It was fresh and fun, familiar yet new. With Star Trek Into Darkness, the formula remains unchanged. At its heart lies a refurbished story that is uniquely enjoyable, complete with a sly tip of the hat to its franchise predecessors. But there are a few J.J. Abrams specialties and stellar performances that make this generally risk-averse Star Trek film the most entertaining one to date. (I suspect I may pay for that proclamation.)

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SFIFF Final Spotlight: Golden Gate Awards

It’s nine o’clock at night and inside the velvet-lined nightclub Rouge, amidst the smells of savory tacos and steamy quesadillas (compliments of Nick’s Crispy Tacos), the tireless SFIFF staff welcomes in the crowd of filmmakers, critics, and film enthusiasts. They all exchange smiles and pleasantries, speak of their favorite festival films and entreat each other to stories of their experience in the city by the bay. Mika Mattila, the Finnish director of Chimeras, informs me of his plan to rent a car and explore the beautiful deserts and mountains just hours outside the city. The shmoozing continues; sipping wine, dipping chips into thick chunks of guacamole, and trading tales…briefly pausing for ten minutes as a few honors are bestowed.

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SFIFF Spotlights #3: Computer Chess / Google and the World Brain / The Kings of Summer

The SFIFF continues to showcase fascinating films from around the world. It ends soon (May 9th) so visit http://festival.sffs.org/ to get tickets to this week’s final screenings.

Computer Chess
(USA 2013, 91 min)

An existential satire of 1980’s computer technology and the burning topic (as it stood at the time) of human vs. computer, set against the backdrop of a small computer chess tournament. Devotion to an 80’s feel through cinematography, fashion, and hilarious social stigmas are definitely worth the viewing, though the film dives a bit unnecessarily into the psychedelic. It’s fun to see (and remember…if you’re old enough) how the computer geek culture has changed.

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Film Review: Iron Man 3

Robert Downey Jr. and his suit in 'Iron Man 3' — Robert Downey Jr. and his suit in Iron Man 3

Yes, that’s a somewhat dejected looking Tony Stark. Why the long face when his new movie has a shot at earning one billion dollars at the worldwide box office? Well, there IS something Tony can be sad about — with The Avengers 2, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and likely a few more Marvel films on the horizon, this may be the last Iron Man installment for quite some time, if not ever. When Iron Man 3 takes advantage of that fact and pulls out all the stops, not including an unnecessarily complex plot and superfluous CGI, it’s a whole ton of explosive fun.

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SFIFF Spotlights #1: Ernest & Celestine / Key of Life / Leviathan / Much Ado About Nothing

The 56th Annual San Francisco International Film Festival (SFIFF) is in full swing. From April 26th through May 9th, Bay Area cinephiles, filmmakers, and movie lovers of all ages can visit select theaters on either side of the bay to see exciting new films from all over the world.

Here at Spinning Platters, we’ll shine our spotlights on a few films we’ve had the pleasure of seeing and other festival events we’ve had the pleasure of attending. We encourage you to follow along and also visit the SFIFF website at http://festival.sffs.org/ to learn more about upcoming screenings!

Ernest & Celestine
(France/Luxembourg/Belgium 2012, 80 min)

The unlikely friendship between a hungry street-busking bear and a spirited young mouse takes center stage in this delightful French animated film. Based on the series of children’s books (which I haven’t read but now intend to), Ernest & Celestine is a charming story about friendship told through excellent voice work, a great musical score, and beautifully painted images. I was smiling all the way through. This is a title you shouldn’t miss!

Next Showing:
Wed., May 1st at 7:00PM – Sundance Kabuki Cinemas

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Film Review: Oblivion

Oblivion is this year’s first “summer blockbuster”, a term coined for Jaws back in 1975 that gets attached to any commercially successful tentpole action-adventure film released by a major studio between the months of April and August. Oblivion fits nicely into the blockbuster mold; it features action, romance, a great soundtrack and a PG-13 rating. It also showcases an eye for a unique visual style that writer/director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy) continues to demonstrate in his work. Although it doesn’t break any new ground, Oblivion has just enough complexity within its mash-up of original content and popular sci-fi references to be a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi adventure. Yet it’s the film’s abundance of visual artistry that is most memorable.

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Film Review: 42

Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson in 42.

In 1947, the baseball world was introduced to the first black Major League player, the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson. This momentous occasion in the history of our national pastime (and the world, quite arguably), was met with mixed feelings from all points of the sociopolitical spectrum. 42 aims to capture the tension and excitement that surrounded the breaking of the baseball color barrier, but a hokey script forces the emotion in this disappointing and awkward historical re-enactment.

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