Star Wars:Threads of Destiny review

"Revenge is never as satisfying as we think it will be, Raven. You think it ends a conflict, settles a score, but in fact it only internalizes it."-- Jedi Master Soren Darr

This is a Swedish made fan film from 2014. You can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d40IDc3rQfU&feature=youtu.be.

The cast and crew list can be viewed here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2275656/

The movie takes place 94 years after the Battle of Yavin. Although peace is prevalent throughout the galaxy, a new threat, the Skenvi Empire has emerged.  The New Republic sends Jedi Master Soren Darr and Padawan Raven Darkham to the planet Coreign in hopes they will join the republic. The negotiations appear to be over when Princess Arianna is kidnapped in a bloody attack. Will the Jedi prevail?

This was an incredibly satisfying movie. It was both a great stand alone story and a loving homage to Star Wars. The opening scene is reminiscent of the opening scene of A New Hope. There is a roguish pilot who may have a shady past and is ruggedly handsome. One of my favorite scenes takes place in an establishment reminiscent of the Mos Eisley cantina. There is even a thrilling chase scene through an asteroid field.  I felt as if I were watching the actual sequel to Return of the Jedi. The outdoor scenes are beautifully filmed. The landscape is stunning. The story is easy to follow, the dialog harkens back to the original trilogy, and the action scenes are wonderfully choreographed. The side plot of the burgeoning romance between Princess Arianna and Padawan Raven Darkham is a lot more convincing than the onscreen portrayal of Anakin and Amidala's romance. I have to say, I thought this was better than all three prequels combined. It is easy to lose yourself in the story. I eagerly await part two.

One of this blog's readers suggested I watch and review this movie. Please, if have any suggestions/recommendations, let me know. You can reach me here on the blog by commenting, or here on Facebook, on Twitter, or on Google+.

Sci-Fi Movie of the week: Star Trek:Of Gods and Men

"It's the perfect tribute to all those who served aboard her..."-Pavel Chekov

Being a nerd is its own reward.  This movie is one of those times that this is true.  It is a fan made movie that has an incredible story. It feels like a gift of love to fans of TOS, but is a such a good stand alone story it will appeal to those not familiar with the show.

Just take a look at the cast http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0835378/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast.  So many fan favorites from Grace Lee Whitney to Ethan Phillips, sans Neelix makeup. A personal favorite of mine makes a guest appearance, The Guardian of Forever. We even see a tribble.

If I ever get fortunate enough to meet any members of the original cast I want it to be Nichelle Nichols.  Growing up seeing her hold her own with Kirk and the members of the bridge crew as Uhura, I wanted to be her.  When you watch how calm, cool, and collected she acts you would have no indication of the turmoil the studio put her through. If you don't know the stories, I suggest looking them up. Frustrated and feeling like she had no where to turn, Nichols almost quit Star Trek, but a very influential person urged her to stay stating how positive her character was to the African-American community. Nichols projects grace and elegance when she is screen. I always knew she was talented as an actress, but I recently saw these rare pictures:  http://www.thegeektwins.com/2015/02/see-uhura-do-ballet-in-rare-behind.html#.VOzp7HzF_Ak and realized just how talented she really is.

The story is not solely about Uhura. We see Pavel Chekov as we have never seen him before. If the time line was altered, would he be the same friendly, easy going navigator we have all grown to love over the years? Walter Koenig brings his own charm back to the role he originally played on TOS.  One of my favorite bits of trivia about his character was that he was brought on to appeal to young women and his wife cut his hair to emulate the hairstyles of The Beatles.

Although not seen, Kirk is talked about. The movie takes place after his death in Generations.  (Side rant: I read Star Trek books so I don't think he is truly dead. The books William Shatner wrote in conjunction with Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens explore what might have happened. Great book series, highly recommend.) What would the universe be without Kirk? The theme of "the needs of the many outway the needs of the few" and how important is the life of one man are explored.

Being a fan made production, the special effects may be a little lacking, but this movie has heart. There are some scenery chewing moments from some of the actors, but seriously, what would Star Trek be like without a little overacting? The dialog is reminiscent of the TOS movies. I highly recommend this movie to everyone who likes science fiction.

You can watch it on Youtube here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFqAME7dx58