Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 10 (CBS All Access Series)


“To say you have no choice is a failure of imagination.” 
Jean-Luc Picard in “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2” 

SPOILERS AHEAD (You know the drill...)

Finally. The last episode of the first season of “Star Trek: Picard” has aired (is it even proper to say that “streaming-only” shows “aired” when they really don’t?).

The episode was titled “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2” and continued where the ninth episode left off. 

This 10-episode season had a slow build. There were times when you wished the folks involved could put the narrative in a higher gear. 

The season finale was entertaining. I just wished that there had been a “bigger” payoff as it regarded the much foreshadowed showdown between the outlawed synthetic beings on Ghulion IV and the Romulan forces led by the sinister Starfleet officer Commodore Oh (played by Tamlyn Tomita… who also played Ralph Macchio’s love interest in the 1986 movie “The Karate Kid Part II”). 

I mean, it was cool when Captain William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) led a fleet of Federation ships to do battle with the Romulans. The issue is that there really wasn’t much of a battle. 

In that regard, the climactic point in the story felt sort of anti-climactic. It felt like the Romulan zealots threw in the towel too easily. 

The entire narrative this season was basically building to a point where Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) dies, and his “soul” (via mind transfer) is put into an android golem. What we have is a reconstituted Picard who has the subtlety and nuance that android sisters Dahj and Soji Asha (Isa Briones) exhibited throughout the season. 

This potentially opens up some intriguing possibilities moving forward. Moreover, Picard can act as a surrogate parent for Soji as both learn about who they are and find their place in the universe. 

The question is whether future seasons are going to be focused on the conflict between organic and synthetic lifeforms (assuming their is still a conflict). Honestly, I don’t know how many times you want to try and tap that well.

While I know Data was a popular character in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” he wasn’t my favorite. He was good in a supporting role, but I never felt the character could have (or should have) carried a “Star Trek” series on own. 

The first season of “Star Trek: Picard” felt like an elongated movie when you consider the narrative underpinnings of the show. While I enjoyed the serialized nature of the season, I also think the storyline could have been stronger. 

There’s been considerable debate online regarding this season. My opinion is largely mixed. I liked seeing Jean-Luc Picard back in action. In the past, part of that character’s appeal was buoyed by “Star Trek: The Next Generation’s” talented supporting cast. 

I found the supporting players in “Star Trek: Picard” to be somewhat lacking this season (the exception being Isa Briones’s Soji Asha). Ultimately, I think that fact hurt Jean-Luc Picard in this current incarnation of the franchise. 

As I wind down this review, my mind contrasts the “Picard" season finale with that of “The Mandalorian” (another streaming series I reviewed episode-by-episode). 

“The Mandalorian’s” finale left me wanting more, looking forward to delving into additional adventures with the cast of characters and mythology established. I thoroughly enjoyed doing individual blog posts for each episode of that series. 

Overall, I’m torn as it regards “Star Trek: Picard.” 

Had I not made a commitment to review it on the blog each week, I’m not sure I would have stuck with it. There were some episodes that were pretty underwhelming. 

That said, I’m glad I had the motivation to see it through. There were some nice moments along the way (in particular, I enjoyed the episode titled “Nepenthe”).

My hope is that the current crew of “Star Trek” writers (as they create more content for CBS All Access) can find the authentic spark that made “Trek” what it was decades ago. 

I’m not talking about style or structure. Rather, I’m talking about the intangible je ne sais quoi that embodies the best the franchise has to offer. 

Jon Favreau tapped into the “Star Wars”-equivalent of that in “The Mandalorian.” 

Let’s hope the “Picard” showrunners can find that spark in the second season — the thing that makes the whole feel greater than the sum of its parts.  

Data suggests in the closing moments of the finale, “a butterfly that lives forever is really not a butterfly at all.”



A “Star Trek” series that feels forced and manufactured isn’t as compelling as something more genuine and organic.  

As I said earlier, there were some nice moments throughout the season, and I think there are possibilities for some nice adventures down the road. 

Read all my episode reviews of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1:













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Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 9 (CBS All Access Series)


“Maybe all rationales for killing just boil down to fear.” 
Soji Asha in “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1” 

The penultimate episode of the first season of “Star Trek: Picard” is titled “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 1.” 

The title is a reference to a 17th century oil painting by Nicolas Poussin. Translated, it means, “Even in Arcadia, there I am.” The “I” refers to death. “Arcadia” refers to a utopian land. 

My translation: Even in a utopia, death is a reality. 

What’s significant — as it regards this particular episode — is that Poussin painted two (2) paintings under the title “Et in Arcadia Ego.”  

That is important because this episode finds Picard & Co. “finally” reaching Coppelius — the remote “nest” planet that is the home of android twins Soji and Dahj Asha (Isa Briones). 

The Romulan spy Narek (Harry Treadaway) followed the La Sirena on its journey to Coppelius. (Soji was able to lead her companions 25 light years in 15 minutes via the Borg transwarp conduit network.)

In addition, “7 of 9” (Jeri Ryan) “piloted” the Borg cube in pursuit. (Listen for an orchestral nod to the theme from “Star Trek: Voyager” when “7 of 9” appears in the downed vessel on the planet surface.) 

Coppelius has an interesting planetary defense system — giant space orchids that are capable of disabling and commandeering spacecraft. I’m not exactly sure how they disable ships... or Borg cubes. 

Anyhow, the reason the pair of 17th century paintings by Poussin is significant (as it regards the episode’s title) is that we discover the synthetic life forms on Coppelius were manufactured in pairs. 

The androids in “Synthville” (as Raffi refers to it) are living a seemingly idyllic life under the supervision of Dr. Altan Inigo Soong (Brent Spiner). He is the son of Dr. Noonien Soong.

Altan worked with Bruce Maddox on his synthetic endeavors. 

Many of the androids have sparkling skin and yellow eyes (like Lt. Commander Data). The synth named Sutra (also played by Isa Briones) has this look about her. Sutra is the sister of Jana — the synth referenced by Captain Rios (Santiago Cabrera) in Episode 8 (“Broken Pieces”).

It turns out that Sutra isn’t quite what she seems. As the episode progresses, we learn she likes Vulcan culture. She has apparently taught herself how to do the Vulcan mind meld. 

This is the first time I recall a “mind meld” happening without a Vulcan as a participant. 

The sequence yielded some interesting information for the audience: the idea that organic life’s pursuit of perfection ultimately leads to synthetic life… which ultimately leads to a desire to destroy it.

That said, Sutra’s ability to learn the technique seemed pretty convenient from a narrative perspective. 

There is a creepy vibe to the android community. The mysterious feel shrouding Coppelius harkens back to “Star Trek” episodes of yore when various crews came upon remote, utopian-like settlements. 

“I’m not sure how much I really trust them,” Rios confides in Jurati (Alison Pill) during the latter half of the episode. 

We see a somewhat nefarious side of Sutra when she frees Narek (who was captured after landing on the planet).  

I guess I should have mentioned (before now) how the first season of “Star Trek: Picard” draws a lot of inspiration regarding the ethical dilemmas posed by synthetic life forms in movies like “Blade Runner,” “Blade Runner 2049” (read my review), and “Aliens” (the android Bishop).  

Overall, it was a pretty solid episode. But because there was such a long buildup to this episode, the impact of Soji Asha returning home was a tad bit anti-climactic. 

This episode did, however, set up things for what will hopefully be an interesting season finale. 

“Apparently, there are some sort of higher synthetic beings out there, watching us,” says Dr. Altan Soong to Picard at the end of the episode. 

This nugget is based on information Sutra claims she gleaned from Jurati when she mind melded with her. At this point, we don’t know if Sutra is being truthful, or if she’s manipulating the situation for her own gain. 

Her rhetoric at the end of the episode suggests that “all” organic life is a threat to synthetics. As a result, she might become the leader of what is a self-fulfilling prophecy — where synthetics become the prophesied “Destroyer.” 

I’m curious to see how they'll conclude the first season. I think there have been some strong points to the first season. I also think there are aspects of the narrative structure that need to be tweaked going forward. 

 CBS ALL ACCESS PROMOTION


If you haven’t watched the first season of “Star Trek: Picard,” you might want to take advantage of the offer and check it out. 

Stay tuned for my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 9. 

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Sunday, March 22, 2020

Review: Warner Archive’s Lovely New Blu-Ray of 1981’s “Victory”


The year 1981 was an important year as far as my evolution as a movie fan goes. 

It was the year I went to see “Raiders of the Lost Ark” thirty-some-odd times at the Gemini Twin — a 99-cent movie theater in Omaha. “Raiders” played for weeks and weeks at the Gemini. 

This was a world before “mass consumers” owned VCRs and other home video devices like RCA’s VideoDisc Players (read my 2016 blog post on that ill-fated technology). 

That was also the year my mom and dad took me to see the movie “Victory,” starring Sylvester Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pelé (who designed the soccer plays in the movie). 


We went to see it at Omaha’s Cinema Center. I played youth soccer for the Rockbrook Rockets at the time, and we took a couple of my friends/teammates to the movie. 

I would have loved to have been a “fly on the wall” when this movie was pitched to studio execs: 

“Here’s the concept… think ‘Rocky’ in a World War II prisoner of war camp. Only instead of boxing, it’s going to be about soccer. Brazilian phenom Pelé will be cast for his soccer cred. We’re looking at Michael Caine and Max von Sydow to add ‘war movie gravitas.’ John Huston will direct.” 

While the idea might seem ridiculous, the movie actually works. 

“Victory” (released as “Escape to Victory” overseas) tells the story of a group of Allied POWs in World War II who agree to play an exhibition soccer match against a team made up of German military officers. 


What starts out as a friendly proposal by German Major Karl von Steiner (Max von Sydow) to English Captain John Colby (Michael Caine) soon becomes an overblown propaganda stunt.

The climactic soccer game at the end of the movie ultimately serves as a metaphor for World War II and humankind’s triumph over authoritarian regimes (a common theme in movies of the 1980s).

I love this movie and have watched it dozens of times over the years. In terms of “realism,”  however, the plot has all sorts of holes in it. But that doesn’t ruin the fun at all. 

One of the primary strengths of “Victory” is the rousing score by composer Bill Conti (who had composed the heady soundtrack for “Rocky” during that era). 


I know it might seem odd to lavish praise on a soundtrack, but many of my favorite films feature a strong musical score. Another popular 1981 sports movie — “Chariots of Fire” — was a better experience because of Vangelis’s amazing synthesizer score. 

“Victory” has the distinction of being the first time I saw a Sylvester Stallone movie in the theater. I was 8 years old at the time, and his performance as Canadian Army Captain Robert Hatch stuck with me long after the end credits rolled. 


Stallone’s films in the 1980s heavily influenced males of my generation. A number of my favorite movie-going memories involved seeing Stallone’s larger-than-life persona on the big screen during those years. 

While “Victory” might not rank among his best-known roles, his performance is affable and interesting. It was also nice to see him in more of supporting role. 

“This friggin’ game is wrecking my life,” says Hatch when he learns his plans to escape the POW camp are being thwarted by the soccer game. 

WARNER ARCHIVE’S NEW BLU-RAY OF “VICTORY” 

One of the first DVD’s I purchased in the late 1990s was “Victory.” It was one of Warner Bros early “flipper disc” releases (with the 2.40:1 letterbox version on one side, and a cropped version to fit 4:3 TVs on the other). 

It was a long wait for a high-definition version on Blu-ray. 


The Warner Archive Collection specializes in niche releases on DVD and Blu-ray. 

Warner Archive has brought a number of hard-to-find movies to Blu-ray, and is the only place you can find the A&E/Netflix series “Longmire” on Blu-ray (something I’ve written about before on this blog). 

(Warner Archive Collection titles are sold exclusively through online retailers such as the Warner Archive website and Amazon.com). 

Being a film of 1980s vintage, I was impressed with the overall video quality of the new “Victory” disc from Warner Archive. The image is generally crisp and clean (movies of that era tend to be a bit on the soft side — and that softness is seen at certain points in this transfer — but it is far superior to the DVD I own). 

 Overall, the image looked better than ever on my 50-inch Vizio D50-E1 4K UHD TV.  

 I mentioned the orchestral score by Bill Conti. The musical stylings sounded solid on the disc’s serviceable DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track emanating from my Vizio SmartCast 5.1 Soundbar System.


I’d like to thank the Warner Archive Collection for finally giving the film the treatment it deserves on physical media. 

The only bonus feature included on the Blu-ray is the theatrical trailer. In that regard, this new version of “Victory” is a fairly spartan release. 

That said, I’m just happy to have the movie on Blu-ray. 

In my quest to find additional information on the film, I did find this interesting interview from halftime at “Soccer Bowl 80” on ABC where Stallone and Pelé discussed the movie: 


Here’s hoping the folks behind Warner Archive decide to bring 1985’s “American Flyers” to Blu-ray in the near future (read my 2018 blog post on that entertaining sports movie). 

FINAL THOUGHTS


I know I write a lot about *new* movies, books, and TV shows on this blog. Be that as it may, there is something oddly comforting about consuming old favorites.  

I’ve considered adding a “retro movies” feature to the blog, and I might have to do that in the future. 

Watching “Victory” always takes me back to a simpler time in life. Sometimes that’s just what you need... 



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Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Review: “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 8 (CBS All Access Series)


“Am I a person?”
— Soji Asha in “Broken Pieces”

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Here we are, eight episodes into the first season of “Star Trek: Picard,” and I have to ask myself this question: “Have we gotten anywhere yet?” 

We’re several hours into this thing, and it’s definitely been a slow burn. We do learn new details along the way that move the overall narrative, but they typically come in dribs and drabs. 

And, new information is often presented in the form of info dumps — using the principle of “tell” instead of “show.” 

Some interesting background info is gleaned in Episode 8 (titled “Broken Pieces”). Most of it is presented in conversations on La Sirena.


We learn that Rios (Santiago Cabrera) and his fellow Starfleet crew members — when he served aboard the U.S.S. ibn Majid — came upon a starship of unknown design carrying two passengers on a diplomatic mission. 

With Starfleet’s permission, the passengers were beamed aboard the ibn Majid. One was an ambassador named Beautiful Flower. The other was his young protege named Jana. 


The captain that Rios served under — Alonzo Vandermeer — killed both of the visitors with “two quick pops of a phaser.” It was a black flag directive from Starfleet Security. Vandermeer told Rios that if he disobeyed, the ibn Majid would be destroyed, along with everyone on board. 

Vandermeer committed suicide after performing the heinous act, and Rios covered the whole thing up. 

Jana (the girl who was killed) looked just like android sisters Dahj and Soji Asha (Isa Briones) — a resemblance which proved distressing to Rios when Picard and Soji arrived on La Sirena.  


Of all the things Picard & Co. discuss during “Broken Pieces,” this was the most significant. 

Obviously, Rios has been distraught over the acts that took place during his Starfleet service, and was diagnosed with post-traumatic dysphoria as a result. The entire affair led him to where he is now. 

While Rios’s past on the U.S.S. ibn Majid proved to be a fascinating revelation, it just feels a little “too coincidental and convenient” that the character suddenly has a connection to the events taking place this season. 

I mean, what are the odds?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m interested in figuring out why the Romulan Zhat Vash (and their operatives in Starfleet) want synthetic life forms destroyed... and why they consider Soji to be the “Destroyer” called Sen Cheneb. 


Apparently, the Destroyer first appeared thousands of years before the events chronicled in “Star Trek: Picard.” 

That “mystery” is what keeps me going. That said, the fact remains that the story really hasn’t moved a whole lot since the sixth episode — and that’s a couple hours worth of narrative stuck in neutral. 

Despite the fact that I loved the seventh episode of “Star Trek: Picard” featuring Riker and Troi (read my review), the writers really haven’t moved the needle. I’m just hoping the payoff at the end of the season proves to be worthwhile. 

Stay tuned for my review of “Star Trek: Picard” Season 1, Episode 9. 

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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Movie Review: “Knives Out” is a Terrific Whodunnit


Many of the “travel memories” I have from my childhood revolve around trying to find ways to entertain myself on long car rides. We didn’t fly anywhere (in that era, people just didn’t seem to take plane trips like they do today). 

I recall doing a fictitious radio show in the car where I called myself “Rocky Hockey the Disc Jockey” — I’d have news announcements, make up radio ads, sing all the music, and basically irritate my family members. 

When I wasn’t practicing for a future podcasting career, my mom would often read a book out loud to help us pass the time. A number of the novels chosen were Agatha Christie mysteries. 

Those trips planted in me a love of mysteries. I started reading “The Hardy Boys” books when I was in second grade. The first one I read was “The Secret of the Old Mill.” I loved the cover art on those blue-spined hardcovers, and had a sizable collection (my favorite at the time was “The Mysterious Caravan”). 

It’s nice to see today’s filmmakers rediscovering the joy of old school mysteries. I loved Kenneth Branagh’s 2017 version of “Murder on the Orient Express” (which, for some odd reason, I never reviewed on this blog).

Note: If you haven’t seen Branagh’s 1991 mystery movie “Dead Again,” it’s also worth your time. 

Rian Johnson’s 2019 whodunnit “Knives Out” is a wholly original tale that captures the essence of murder mysteries from the likes of Agatha Christie — and infuses the story with a modern sensibility.  

I missed seeing “Knives Out” when it was in theaters, so Bridget picked up the Blu-ray for me a couple weeks ago. 

I just want to say that I found this film fascinating, and have watched it three times since. 

“Knives Out” finds bestselling mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) celebrating his 85th birthday at his gothic-revival mansion in Massachusetts with his family in attendance. 

The morning after the festivities, Thrombey is found dead on a daybed in his attic study — dried blood running from his slit throat to the floor; a dagger resting adjacent. 

Local police — Detective Lieutenant Elliot (Lakeith Stanfield) and Trooper Wagner (Noah Segan) — question the family and staff about Harlan's death. 

Sitting quietly in the room behind the investigators is private detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). 

Blanc was hired in a shroud of mystery to investigate the murder of Harlan Thrombey (an envelope of cash showed up at his apartment with a news clipping of Thrombey’s death).  

At the center of everything is kind-hearted Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) — Harlan’s nurse/caretaker who can’t tell a lie without vomiting, or as Blanc describes her condition “a regurgitative reaction to mistruthin’.” 

The Thrombey clan includes an all-star cast played by the likes of Jamie Lee Curtis (Harlan’s daughter, Linda), Don Johnson (Linda’s husband, Richard), Toni Collette (Harlan’s daughter-in-law, Joni), Michael Shannon (Harlan’s son, Walt), and Chris Evans (Linda and Richard’s son, Ransom). 

Most of the narrative takes place at Harlan Thrombey’s sprawling estate. The brick mansion is decorated with an eclectic mix of statuary, oil paintings, oriental rugs, patterned wallpaper, and furniture spanning the decades. There are all sorts of nooks, crannies, and secret passageways that accent the peculiar mansion. 

“I mean, the guy practically lives in a Clue board,” quips Detective Lieutenant Elliot about Thrombey’s home. 

The whole movie feels like a game of Clue, but Johnson’s script turns the formula on its head. What seems obvious at first soon reveals a mystery with multiple layers. 

“Strange case from the start,” muses Benoit Blanc. “A case with a hole in the middle. A doughnut.” 

I’m a fan of writer/director Rian Johnson’s work. Some “Star Wars” fans were critical of his entry in the Skywalker Saga — “Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi” — but I really enjoyed it. I praised that movie in the 2017 blog post “‘The Last Jedi’ Might Be The Greatest ‘Star Wars’ Film.”  

Johnson’s plotting skills are on full display in “Knives Out.” He’d apparently been working on the concept for a decade when he decided to make this film his followup to “The Last Jedi.” 

I want to address the “Kentucky Fried Drawl” Daniel Craig uses in this movie. When I first saw the trailers for “Knives Out,” I thought the accent would be super distracting. 

After all, mass movie-goers have gotten used to Craig’s British accent during his tenure in the James Bond franchise (among other films the past 15 years). 

I had flashbacks to the time Kevin Costner thought it’d be wise to try a British accent in 1991’s “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.” 

Would a different accent work for Craig? Or would he sound like a poorly drawn character from a John Grisham novel?

Oddly enough, I didn’t mind Craig’s southern accent. He did a decent job with it, and stayed consistent throughout the movie. 

The fact is that his character is over-the-top — just like the rest of the players. This is a quirky and eclectic cast, and Johnson’s script strikes a nice balance between comedy and suspense. 

I’d also like to give a nod to actress Ana de Armas. She’s a relative unknown, but has appeared in recent movies like 2017’s “Blade Runner 2049” (read my review). 

She has to carry a lot of the film’s narrative, and does a good job crafting her character. Benoit Blanc refers to Marta as having “a kind heart.” In that spirit, de Armas strikes the right balance of vulnerability and altruism. 

Something I appreciated in “Knives Out” was Johnson’s attention to detail. 

I talked earlier about the mansion featured in the film. There are so many terrific nuggets strewn throughout the set decoration. 

I always enjoy seeing mocked up novels for fictitious authors in films. We see a number of Harlan Thrombey’s mysteries in the mansion (books with titles like “The Needle Game” and “This Little Piggy”). 

His favorite coffee mug has the words "My House. My Rules. My Coffee.” printed on it. While that detail might seem innocuous, it provides relevant information about the character in a brief shot. 

The score — which reminded me at times of the music on PBS’s classic “Mystery” intro — was composed by Nathan Johnson (Rian Johnson’s cousin). 

In addition, Christian artist Larry Norman’s song “Righteous Rocker” can be heard during the restaurant scene in the movie. Being a fan of Christian music, I owned some of Norman’s recordings (he was an eclectic artist who came on the scene in the 1970s) and I thought it was neat to see the song in the movie. 

Overall, I had a great time watching “Knives Out.” 

It’s nice to see original movies succeed that aren’t part of today’s bombastic, special-effects-laden franchises. 

A sequel to “Knives Out” (a brand-new mystery featuring Benoit Blanc) has been greenlit by Lionsgate. 

That’s a good thing. I’ll be fascinated to see what sort of tangled mystery Johnson crafts for the intrepid detective to solve. 

As Detective Lieutenant Elliot suggests, “When the great Benoit Blanc comes knocking at my door, I expect it’s going to be about something, if not extraordinary, then at least interesting.”


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