The Best Film of 2009
Normally, critics and writers come out with their best-of lists towards the end of the year - nothing wrong with that, but sometimes it's wiser to wait until the year is over, to be able to make an appropriate choice. That's the reason why I chose to wait until January to reveal my choice for the best movie of 2009. (Plus, it just seemed more appropriate - one never knows when, on New Year's Eve, once has a transcendent cinematic experience).
Of course, this was an easy - but obvious - choice. It was a childhood favorite, and was something that would obviously appeal to me. Quite honestly, it was one of the few things that my late father and I could appreciate together. It wasn't without controversy, with many debating several critical changes in this reboot/revisioning. It was a major hit, extremely successful at the box office, but most importantly....was an extremely satisfying movie experience. It hit all the high points, was well-written, well-acted, and deserved every single accolade which it received.
That movie is, of course.....Star Trek.
How do I begin to describe how much I loved this movie - and more importantly, how well crafted and well made it is? By taking a page from my own (and another) blog, and provide five reasons why this movie deserves to be called the best movie made in the past year.
- This isn't my father's - or your father's - Star Trek : We all know that Trekkers love this show, and they love it in the traditional sense. Any major changes/retcons/etc are viewed with derision. This is a movie that took what worked with Trek (the characters, the philosophy, etc) and gave it a nice, 21 st century sheen. (As soon as the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" kicked in after the credits, this film told me all I needed to know - it was a joyride that I had dug as a child, but made for the grownup Trekkie in me. After a seeming lifetime of disappointment with Star Trek, this film helped me regain my faith.
In short, and I think I'll get a lot of criticism for saying this - I believe this is what Trek would look like if Gene Roddenberry created the show today. It takes these characters out of nostalgia, out of its Cold War setting, and placing them in a much more contemporary situation. At a time when there's great divisiveness, with no great "enemy" and great uncertainty, Trek was able to reinforce a central theme, namely, that we all "choose our destiny". It's the kind of positive message that, in these times, we need to hear more frequently - that circumstances do not determine who we are, but that we are open agents in creating our future. Truth be told, even though it didn't seem like it, this was was a traditional Trek story. Many of the characters - Kirk, Spock, even the villain Nero - had difficult choices to face in determining their "destiny". Several key plot points...well, differed with traditional Trek lore. In other words, nothing was sacred, and everything as forbidden. Unlike certain fan film series, this film allowed Trek to finally breathe. It wasn't bogged down in canon, but found great jumping-off points that made this Trek for the 90210 crowd.
(Because let's face it, who wants to watch your grandpa's Star Trek? Nobody. Not even your grandma)
- This was a well-cast, well-directed, well-written film : Much has been written about how well Trek was cast, (Chris Pine, Jeremy Quinto, etc), but I would like to point out that pretty much every cast member (with the exception of Tyler Perry) was well-cast, and elevated the movie from just-another-reboot to something incredibly special. It's the inspired touches amongst the "supporting" cast, from Bruce Greenwood as Captain Christopher Pike to Jennifer Morrison (from House, MD) as Kirk's mother, there is enough great acting to make these characters not only come alive, but also maintain our interest.
(And if Keith Urban & Simon Pegg don't get Academy Award nods, there simply ain't no justice in this world)
In all honesty, I wouldn't consider myself a J.J. Abrams fan - no, I'm not a detractor, but I never really watched Alias, didn't catch Mission: Impossible 3, and was extremely disappointed with Cloverfield (so much that I found myself rooting for the monster), but Star Trek - filmed with traditional anamorphic cameras with minimal green screen - has a visually distinctive look. Granted, the lens flares became a little annoying after awhile...but unlike the oh-so clean vistas of George Lucas' recent Star Wars films, this is a movie that has a nice, solid, consistent feel. So much that you actually believe you are in the future - there's a texture and weight that I haven't seen since Firefly - a sense that I'm actually seeing events unfold.
The writing actually reflected much more diverse sources - after all, when Trek was originally broadcast, it used then-prevalent writing conventions (Teaser + four act structure) and had to reflect the broadcast standards of the time. (Which is one reason why, I think, Star Trek: The Next Generation was so successful in its initial run - because it was syndicated, much meatier themes could be explored and written about. Not that the show was always successful in doing so - only that it built upon and expanded on what Trek could do). However, speaking of the television show....
- There are several nods to classic Trek that are knowing, but not annoying . Unlike several other films this year that were too slavish to its source material (like Watchmen ) or which seems to have stylistic jars (like Sherlock Holmes - and yes, several Comic Related readers like this, but I thought it more worth renting than owning, but that's another column altogether), there are several Trekkie-worthy nods to the original series, to other movies, even to Enterprise (involving Scotty, a transporter, and "Admiral Archer's pet beagle"). The script acknowledges this, but doesn't dwell on them - it does it in a smart, knowing way. It's the cinematic equivalent of the first season of the rebooted Doctor Who - acknowledging that the audience will be intelligent and get it...but keeping it open for a new audience unfamiliar with Trek lore.
For example, we learned exactly how Kirk beat the Kobayashi Maru (and where his love of apples comes from). We learn Uhura's first name...and exactly what she did (other than serve as space receptionist). We actually learn how Dr. McCoy got the nickname "Bones". There's the obligatory red shirt (hint: his name is Olsen) and Scotty pronounces, "I'm givin' her all she's got!". We even see Captain Christopher Pike at the end of the movie...with not one, but two subtle references to Trek. Much to the chagrin of many classic Trek fans, this is a movie that seems to not care about canon - and that's a good thing. Every once in awhile, the rules have to be changed, but this is a movie that both celebrates and subverts its own history. You have to appreciate its cheekiness and willingness not to perform fan service - instead of catering to a small, dedicated audience, Trek swung for the rafters...and the results paid off beautifully.
- This is a science fiction film that takes its science seriously - Much of the reboot film involves the idea of parallel worlds and alternate time lines....which is, quite frankly, a great honest way for Trekkies to have their cake and eat it, too. At the end of the first act, we are made seriously aware that this is not "our" Trek - that pretty much anything can happen. No Genesis planets, no corbomite, not even a convenient piece of technobabble. This film respects its audience's intelligence - so much so that some of the casual sexism of the 1960's is gone.
(OK, I'll grant you...the green-skinned Orion female cadet might have been a little over-the-top, but there's so much in this movie, it's hard to believe that there was cut material. Fortunately, one of my favorite comics bloggers linked to some mentions of cut scenes, including a cameo that - thankfully - we never saw. And speaking of which....)
- Finally - a Trek film that doesn't engage in Kirk worship and that reflects the true nature of Trek. - Sometimes, I think part of the reason male Trek fans enjoy Trek is because they engage in vicarious hero worship, and for them, James T. Kirk is the ultimate Mary Sue. (LT & JK - two female fans - have entirely different reasons which they list in their podcast ). So in one scene where Chris Pine adopts some Shatnerian vocal mannerisms....the result is nothing less than slightly knowing self-mocking.
But quite honestly, the focus of Star Trek, as it has been in the past, has been on Spock - played by Jeremy Quinto (as the younger Spock) and Leonard Nimoy (as Spock Prime).
This, ladies and gentlemen, is what sold me on the movie - everyone focuses on Kirk. After all, he's a dashing, devil-may-care starship captain who takes risks, loves the ladies, and who takes great chances in the final frontier.
But in may ways, Spock is the heart of Star Trek - he is the character who drives exploration not into outer, but inner space. Look at any iteration of the franchise, from Lt. Data to Odo to T'Pol, and you have at least one character who represents a division - either mechanical, emotional, or existential. People may come for the devil-may-care space opera...but they stay because, in many ways, Spock represents the yearning many of us have, especially in these hyper-technological times, to handle the divide between our logical and emotional selves. As we are exploring our individual and collective destiny, we need a touchstone - a reminder that, as the old cliche goes, it's not the journey - it's the destination.
One of the characters puts it rather eloquently - the final frontier is the human soul; space is where we meet the challenge.
And that reminder about how human we all are, and how we become more connected to our own humanity, and to each other - amidst all the starship battles, the phasers, and the technobabble - is why I think Star Trek deserves to be considered the best film of 2009.
But don't just take my word for it - feel free to comment in the forums . Send me a note. But let's keep the conversation flowing.
Here's a sneak peak at what you may expect to see in the column in the coming year:
- For Valentine's Day...two superhero movies that are sure to help end your relationship. Quickly.
- In March, another TV Party/Blog THIS, Pal! crossover
- Hopefully, an Iron Man 2 review
- All sorts of other goodies for you, dear reader, to enjoy.
And in this new year, as always - keep watching!
Read More! For more of Gordon's writings, insights, and
general information, please visit his blog at blogthispal.blogspot.com.
TV Party Columns: Gordon's previous TV Party columns can be found here
and you can discuss this or anything TV Party related in his TV Party forum.
blog comments powered by Disqus