Star Wars vs Star Trek

I will confess to being a total agnostic on the question. I love them both.

Star Trek Movie Easter Eggs

Easter Eggs are little hidden goodies found in movies and video games. They are usually private jokes of the creative team or with the fan base or tributes to other storylines/people/media. Trekmovie.com has a list of the easter eggs discovered so far in the new Star Trek movie. I caught a few of them but now I'll have to go see the movie again to catch a few more. H/T to Matthew McNutt for the tip. I also snitched this list from him of some of his favorites from the list:

* R2 is in the debris field. During the Drill Machine sequence as the Enterprise comes out of its barrel role amidst destruction of the other Federation ships above Vulcan, we cut to an interior Enterprise bridge over the shoulder of Kirk that is looking out through the front viewscreen. In space, R2-D2 is floating in the debris from about the top middle of the screen to the bottom right.
* The surround screen tests for the young Vulcan children are similiar to the multi-screen tests for the resurrected Spock in Star Trek IV
* Sign seen as Kirk drives motorcycle into Riverside Ship Yard reads ‘Sector 47′, the number 47 is a recurring theme on the Abrams shows Alias, Fringe and Lost, as well as TNG era Trek
* Another 47 mention when Uhura talks about “47 ships” from a Klingon armada that were destroyed
* During Kobayashi Maru simulator Kirk eats an apple, an homage to the Genesis cave scene in Star Trek II when Kirk at apple while telling story about how he beat the Kobayashi Maru
* Last name called for assignment was “Vader USS Hood”, reference to Star Wars
* When Chekov is trying to log in to his station the computer voice is by Majel Barrett Roddenberry, her last role in the Star Trek franchise before her death
* Sulu tells Kirk his combat training is in fencing, in the TOS episode “The Naked Time” Sulu shows off his fencing abilities
* Chief engineer Olsen wearing red jumpsuit dies a ‘red shirt’ death
* Nero tortures Pike using ‘Centaurian Slugs’ which are an homage to the Ceti Eels of Star Trek II
* Spock’s line “If you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth” is the same line Spock speaks in Star Trek VI(which is a tribute to Sherlock Holmes)
* Spock Prime tells Kirk he “has been and always shall be his friend”, just as he said to Kirk in Wrath of Khan
* McCoy asks Spock if he is “out of his Vulcan mind?”, a question that McCoy Prime asked Spock on a couple of ocasions in TOS and the movies
* Spock’s comment about “roaming the halls weeping” could be reference to Spock’s loss of control in TOS “The Naked Time”
* A tribble can be seen (and heard) in cage in Scotty’s workshop (on table he has his feet up on when first seen)
* Spock keying in the equation from the future for trans-warp beaming into Scotty’s computer is homage to Scotty keying in formula from the future for transparent aluminum into Plexicorp computer in Star Trek IV
* When Pike is seen at the end he is wearing admiral uniform very similar to those of The Motion Picture and is in wheel chair, as he was in “The Menagerie”

I can hardly wait

I've been a Star Trek fan since the earliest days. James T. Kirk has been a hero of mine since I was a kid. This gave me goosebumps.







h/t to Matthew McNutt

R.I.P. Majel Barrett Roddenberry

There's no way I was going to pass this up. Majel Barrett Rodenberry died yesterday at age 76 of leukemia. The "First Lady of Star Trek" was the only actor to appear on every Star Trek version including the movie to be released next year. Any Star Trek fan can tell you she was Number One in the pilot, Christine Chapel (who was in love with Spock. Ironic since the network had demanded Roddenberry get rid of her character and she was replaced by Spock. The network didn't like his character any better but let Roddenberry have his way. Turned out to be a good thing), she was also commonly the voice of the computer on the Enterprise and Voyager, and played Lwaxana Troi. The contrast between the characters of Troi and Chapel was fascinating. Christine was very uptight and repressed while Lwaxana was sexually aggressive.

What I didn't know was that she also had connections with Lucille Ball (hometown girl here in Jamestown). Lucy met her early in Barrett's career, liked her, signed her to a Desilu contract and taught her comedy technique. Barrett appeared in episodes of "I Love Lucy", "Bonanza", "Leave It To Beaver" and "The Untouchables" among others.

She married Roddenberry following the cancellation of the original show. She worked as executive producer on several programs, made a variety of guest appearances and ran the company that oversaw the Star Trek legacy after Gene Roddenberry's death in 1991.

Star Trek fans will get one last chance to hear her iconic voice in the next movie. She had completed the voice over work just days before she died.

Thank you Majel.

Some catching up

Lots of things going on so let's do a quick catch up:

Las Vegas was great fun! I'll share a couple pictures as soon as I download them from the camera. Highlight for both my lady wife and me had to be the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton. She got her photo taken with a Klingon,I got to sit in the Captain's chair on the bridge of the Enterprise and I have my very own phaser now! Exceedingly cool. We gambled a little. She won a bit on the slots, I won a bit on blackjack and lost it on roulette (roulette is a sucker bet. But it's kind of fun). We saw the Grand Canyon, had dinner with old friends, walked the strip, gawked like tourists. We're looking forward to going back some day. Best deal is the monorail on the strip and the bus service, worst deal is breakfast. We spent more on breakfast several days than we did on other meals. It is possible to go to Vegas and not spend a ton of money. We stayed at a casino (Sahara) for $79 a night. You can do food pretty cheap (lots of chains and fast food available. Even eating at the casinos can be done with a little work for not too much). And you don't have to gamble at all and still have fun.

Seen two movies in the theaters in the last two weeks.

Iron Man - This was my boyhood favorite among the comic book heroes. Conflicted, not impervious to destruction and just the right amount of snappy repartee. So I was concerned about how it would translate to the big screen. About half of the comic book movies are just dreadful (Fantastic Four as an example). But I really liked this. Robert Downey Jr as Stark is great, love the rest of the cast. While I understand the complaints about Pepper Potts being a bit of a wilting female "oooh, save me Iron Man" I don't think it's too over the top. Besides Gwyneth Paltrow is stunning as a red head and I think I'm in love.
Also an interesting commentary on the American way of life and foreign policy. Highly recommend.

Prince Caspian -
The second Narnia movie is another highly recommend. The CG stuff is better, the movie is a faithful representation of the book. It did get a little noisy at times with all the girlie sighing coming from my lady wife and daughter every time Ben Barnes who plays the title role was on the screen. My whole family really like the first movie in this series, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" but were in agreement that this one is even better.


I think both movies would make great starting points for discussion with youth groups.

Wow, I'm way behind on movies so let's do it quickly:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind This is a well written, well acted, well directed,nicely filmed movie...that I didn't like at all. Weird, huh? The problem is that I don't much like either of the two main characters. It mirrors my feelings about "Lost in Translation". Plus I'm appalled at the way Netflix describes some of these movies. This one was described as a "romantic comedy". Romantic, yes. Comedy? Not even. Saw it. Moving on.

Gandhi - A movie I've seen several times before. Stunning, wonderful and powerful. Love everything about it. Even it's astounding length.

Ten Items or Less - Now here's a quirky little movie that I loved. Morgan Freeman is on my list of people I'd watch doing just about anything. And Paz Vega is on my list of people I'd just watch. Period. Funny, silly, a little off center. Really enjoyed it.

Forrest Gump - I'm always amazed at the folks who take pot shots at Tom Hanks as an actor. He takes risks (come on he's playing a mentally challenged person in this role who has to carry the whole freaking film!)and he creates lovable, believable characters. Really enjoyed this movie. Has a great supporting cast too. I completely understand the 6 Oscars it won.

Schindler's List - This one blew me away. Especially the final scene (which comes as a wonderful surprise so I won't spoil it) Powerful and challenging. Great cast and great performances. Yes, it's another very long movie (two discs) but well worth the time.

Looking back any of these movies would be a great discussion point for youth ministry. Even "Eternal Sunshine". I'd just never watch it for enjoyment.

My pace for watching movies has slowed. I've been watching a BBC production called "Foyle's War" which I've been enjoying too.

Ok, now I'm back.

Peace

Couldn't resist

I promised something serious and that's still coming but I had to hit this. Thanks to Matthew for pointing me this way. I didn't know this site existed. So very cool for us Trekkies.



So true, so true...

Find more at Star Trek Inspirational Posters

Peace