Chapter 11:`Like Summer Tempests Came His Tears'

Summer is here. I've been busy.

Sunday - Packed up the rest of my Toledo junk, and moved back to Akron for the next three months.
Monday - Got up to go to my orthodontist appointment, Still have the damned expander, but it should come out sometime this summer. Then I went home and unpacked my shit a little more. Around 5-ish I went with my dad to help Curt move back from KSU. Then I met up with Matt for a little dinner and Star Trek.

REVIEW OF STAR TREK:

Lets start by saying, I love Star Trek, only slightly less than Doctor Who. I've been watching since before I even heard of the Beatles. About 91 or so, when the 25th anniversary special aired, along with a Top 10 Fan Favorite Episodes Marathon Aired. Oh I know those 10 episodes WELL. I also was an avid fan of Picard and his crew, and remember the excitement of Redemption and Spocks return on that show when I was a wee little one.

I've seen every episode of the Orginal Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, every season up to the last of Deep Space 9 (once Curt and I finish watching Breaking Bad we will watch the final season together), as well select episodes of Enterprise and Voyager (not the best series mind you), and every movie up to this brand new one.

So a prequel seemed a little aggrivating to me, especially when the previous attempt at one (Enterprise) was so mind numbingly dull. I'd like to say that JJ Abrahams being in charge lifted my fears a bit, but I can't...I tried watching Lost the first season, and it didn't appeal to me. Cloverfield was both boring and aggrivating to me. So I'm no Abrahams enthusiast. All this with my reservations of having anyone but Shatner or Nimoy in those roles, as well as my brutal dissapointment in Indiana Jones last summer...I was not going to get excited for this.

People were seeming to like it. I kept seeing people that never watched Star Trek, hell people I know made fun of me for watching it previously, were all saying they liked it. I started to think maybe it was made for that crowd and not me the seasoned Trek fan.

Then there was Matt. He told me he had seen it already (we aren't dating, I wasn't offended) with his father. He was EXCITED to see it again. He loved it. Matt has seen all of the original series, to him that is Trek. Okay...now I'm getting excited. FUCK. This is exactly what happened with Indiana Jones. Matt and I saw trailers that made us think, this might not be half bad. Then BAM a mountain turned into a spaceship. Ridiculous. CGI clusterfuck.

So Here it is my Trek Review:

It was good. All in an alternate reality, so it doesn't matter what they do, this is an alternate version of what might have happened had Kirk not grown up with a father and gotten into Starfleet by a different means and take control of the Enterprise early. Entertaining film. Action packed yes, a plot that doesn't entirely make sense yes, but the tri-colored uniforms? YES. Space battles? YES. Decent villian? I guess!

Most of the cast is good. Spock is portrayed slightly unevenly, but convincing enough, Kirk is good but different, McCoy is McCoy, Chekov you will either love or hate...or a little of both, Uhura has a relationship with Spock...a little weird, Sulu is much like Takei...kinda just there but he gets a nice action scene, Scotty is perfect by Pegg. Old Spock by Nimoy is a Spock we all know and love, but hes so old an wrinkled that now its a little embarressing seeing him put on the ears.

The Time travel story works (and I love time travel) but when it comes to it, I feel this movie was really just setting up the alternate reality to fit it into the big continuity and be a bigger set up for sequels in this alternate reality. 100 bucks says the inevitable sequel will be better. If this crew and cast all return, and they have the big plans they set up for, the sequel will be really good. This movie felt like trying to fit it into the Trek continuity to appease Trek fans, which I feel is almost a mistake, this movie should've have been a reboot in its own sense, DISREGARD the continuity and start anew. This movie's plot felt like it was trying a little to hard at times to force itself into saying "its an alternate reality, so its OK!".

That aside, its a good Trek film, and easily enjoyable. My biggest gripe is how many in the media are acting like this is the first time Trek has ever been popular. Every single Trek movie has reached #1 except Nemesis, because unlike all the other films, it is the only one that didn't have a good plot or a good film preceding it to build momentum. It was also made in a time where the runners of Trek had lost steam but wouldn't admit it. Trek has only been dwindling in popularity for the last 10 years. It was mildly popular in first run, wildly popular in syndication, sold out movies, and spawned a sequel series that was so popular it had 3 spin-offs. To act like it has always been this nerdy thing is ridiculous, the same people are seeing this one. NERDS. The same people not watching it - i.e. My girlfriend, never watched Trek ever.

BACK TO MY BLOG:

Monday (cont) - After the flick we hung out a bit, and went to Country Kitchen with Audrey (Matt's squeeze).

Tuesday - Went to work with Dad, 9 to 5ish working on installing a Dish for a JCPenney. Then got home, ate dinner, showered and ran off to the Akron Aeros, to schedule for the rest of May, got about 5 days in. Went to the Library got some movies and a Doctor Who serial. Headed home, and took Megan's bag of laundry and shower stuff she left at my place in Toledo to her mom.

Wednesday - Got up at 8 to get to the Aeros game by 9...only to discover when I got there I didn't have to be there til 935. Oh well...slept until one of the 4 that were meant to show up showed. With only the two of us interns, I ended up directing the game, while she was on Camera 1, and Camera 2 was placed in its fixed position. The game ended and I had lunch and then went shopping with Curt. Got clothes for the Aeros games (polos...ugh), gym shorts and running shoes for exercising and lose some pounds.

Thursday - Got up for work with dad again. Replaced and installed a TV in a DSW. Their TV just wouldn't turn on. We were their until only about Noon. I got lunch. Worked on my GIANT pile of laundry. Went to dinner with Gable and caught up. Went to Hungry Howies to see JBone...excuse me General Manager JBone. Then went home to wrok on the rest of my laundry. That night dad figured out whats wrong with it, and the TV we were meant to "dispose of properly" is now our new HD Big Screen TV, to replace the wide screen moniter we've been using as a TV for 4 years. Its bigger, better, and will have a clearer picture than the moniter. Nevertheless, a bidding war between my brothers and I started over the old moniter. I think Ethan will get it. I bowed out when i discovered its just the moniter and I need too much extra equipment to make it run and my dad is looking for a decent price for a bulb to bring my projector back to life!). Curt has a decent TV already.

Friday - Slept in finally. Summer. MMMM. Accomplished very little, but I ran.

SO thats the update....Akron. Good to be home.

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