Boldly Going Where No Films Have Gone Before AKA Dartflix Edition #57

I saw J.J. Abrams reboot of "Star Trek" and I have to say that it was extremely well done. He did something that I always chide other screenwriters that adapt other well known source materials with rabid/die hard fans...he pleased both them and moviegoers that weren't even Star Trek fans to begin with. The first thing he did was he went through the entire history of Star Trek and pulled out pieces of information, key events and references that would appease them (and not just piss them off) while updating certain other things while adding his own vision. He was able to cull together different aspects of Roddenberry's original vision and created a mashup of the entire run of the series/films all at once succesfully. Why couldn't the people that made "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" do the same?

In any event, "Star Trek" had earned $147 million at the US box office after only 10 days of release and it's cleared it's $150 million production budget as of yesterday (numbers aren't final). Including it's take overseas "Star Trek" has grossed more than $225 million dollars worldwide as of this morning. It has received glowing reviews from theatergoers, critics, diehard Trekkies and casual fans alike.

That's the difference that good writing and direction affords you screenwriters/adapters out there. The key word is "alternate realities". This Friday "Terminator: Salvation" finally opens, I have hopes that it's good but there's a lot of CGI and McG's directing it. On the plus side, it's been rewritten due to actors and producers claiming the strory wasn't substantial enough and it's supposed to be plot & character driven. I hope it doesn't suck. Also Sam Raimi's return to horror "Drag Me Down To Hell" opens as well...I hope that one doesn't suck either. Anyways, on to my film recommendations for the rest of May.

Films I recommend in theaters (5.15.09-5.31.09) or to add to your queue early or for rental from either Netflix or Redbox:

Terminator: Salvation
The Girlfriend Experience
Angels & Demons
Drag Me To Hell
True Blood: The Complete First Season (series)
24: Season Seven (series)
30 Rock: Seasons 1& 2 (series)
8 Simple Rules: The Complete Second Season (series)
House: Seasons One/Two/Three/Four (series)
Psych: The Complete First & Second Seasons (series)
Heroes: Seasons 1 & 2 (series)
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0 & 2.5 (series)
The Office: Seasons Three & Four (series)
The Closer: The Complete Fourth Season (series)
Law & Order: SVU-The Ninth Year (series)
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves [Blu-Ray]
3 Days Of The Condor [Blu-Ray]
Enemy At The Gates [Blu-Ray]
T2: Judgment Day (Skynet Edition) [Blu-Ray]
Batman (1989) [Blu-Ray]
The Machinist [Blu-Ray]
Spy Game [Blu-Ray]
True Romance [Blu-Ray]
Changing Lanes [Blu-Ray]
Falling Down [Blu-Ray]
Children Of Men [Blu-Ray]
Inside Man [Blu-Ray]
Field Of Dreams [Blu-Ray]
Seabiscuit [Blu-Ray]
Cinderella Man [Blu-Ray]
Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn/Wrath Of The Dragon [Blu-Ray] (anime)
Dragon Ball Z: Season Nine (Majin Buu Saga) (anime)
Claymore: Volume Five, Sisters In Arms (anime)
Gundam Seed Destiny, Vol. 2 (anime)
Fist Of The North Star: The Movie (anime)
Naruto Box Set 4 (anime)
Gad Guard: The Complete Series (anime)
Lady Ninja Kasumi Volume 4 (anime)
Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960's & 1970's Vol. 1 (animated)
Crips & Bloods: Made In America (documentary)
We Feed The World (documentary)
Eric Clapton-Live From Madison Square Garden (music documentary)
Russell Brand In New York City (comedy)
Jo Koy: Don't Make Him Angry (comedy)
Valkyrie (2 Disc Special Edition)
Fanboys
The Friends Of Eddie Coyle
Manhunt
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Paramount Centennial Collection)
Billy Jack
Falling Down (Deluxe Edition)
My Blood Valentine/3D
Eden Log
The Last Horror Film (Uncut Special Edition)
Lions For Lambs
Bane
Killshot
Powder Blue
The Sky Crawlers
Wandering Ginza Butterfly
Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler
The Legend Of Fong Sai Yuk
Ten Tigers Of Kwangtung
Star Trek
The Brothers Bloom
Angels & Demons
Next Day Air
The Limits Of Control
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Twilight
Incendiary
Taken
Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans
S. Darko: A Donnie Darko Tale
Geisha Assassin
Under The Bombs
State Of Play
Sleep Dealer
American Violet
The Soloist
Tyson
Lymelife
The Informers
Caprica
The Wrestler
Frost/Nixon
Martyrs (Unrated)
As The Technics Spin
Fast & Furious
Observe And Report
Adventureland
The Escapist
Gigantic
Duplicity
I Love You, Man
Quantum Of Solace
Slumdog Millionaire
Seven Pounds
Watchmen: Tales Of The Black Freighter & Under The Hood
Elegy
Special
Timecrimes
Watchmen
Tokyo!
The Horsemen
Watchmen: The Complete Motion Comic
Battle In Seattle
Cadillac Records
Rachel Getting Married
Milk
Sunshine Cleaning
50 Dead Men Walking
Transporter 3
B13: Ultimatum
Synecdoche, New York
Let The Right One In
Quarantine
Changeling
Religulous
Choke
Body Of Lies
Flash Of Genius
Sex Drive
Protege
The International
Friday The 13th
Gomorrah
Zach And Miri Make A Porno
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Afro Samurai: Resurrection-Director's Cut
W.
Blindness
Chocolate
A Good Day To Be Black & Sexy
The Class
RocknRolla
Henry Poole Is Here
Defiance
Appaloosa
Valkyrie
Revolutionary Road
Waltz With Bashir
Burn After Reading
Towel Head
Baby
Gonzo: The Life & Work Of Hunter S. Thompson
Sukiyaki Western Django
DJ Dusk's Root Down Soundclash
DJ Spooky's Rebirth Of A Nation
Decon presents Fresh Rhymes And Videotape
Fear(s) Of The Dark
Sold Out: A Threevening With Kevin Smith
Hell Ride
Elite Squad
Ballast
Boy A

Dart's Movie Recommendations (I personally cosign all of these joints):

Terminator: Salvation
The Girlfriend Experience
Angels & Demons
Drag Me To Hell
True Blood: The Complete First Season (series)
24: Season Seven (series)
30 Rock: Seasons 1 & 2 (series)
Enemy At The Gates [Blu-Ray]
T2: Judgment Day (Skynet Edition) [Blu-Ray]
Batman (1989) [Blu-Ray]
The Machinist [Blu-Ray]
Spy Game [Blu-Ray]
True Romance [Blu-Ray]
Changing Lanes [Blu-Ray]
Falling Down [Blu-Ray]
Children Of Men [Blu-Ray]
Inside Man [Blu-Ray]
Fist Of The North Star: The Movie (anime)
Crips & Bloods: Made In America (documentary)
Valkyrie (2 Disc Special Edition)
The Friends Of Eddie Coyle
Manhunt
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (Paramount Centennial Collection)
Billy Jack
Falling Down (Deluxe Edition)
Eden Log
Lions For Lambs
Bane
Killshot
The Legend Of Fong Sai Yuk
Ten Tigers Of Kwangtung

Rent/Watch these movies at your own risk:

Dance Flick: Dear Wayans Brothers, I am not going to enable your unfunny movie makin' asses anymore. Please sit the fuck down and don't come back until you make s parody film as good or original as "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka". Sincerely, The Management

Paul Blart: Mall Cop: Dear Kevin James, unless This Is "King Of Queens: The Movie" I just don't give a fuck (no Eminem). Sincerely, The Management

Outlander: Dear shitty movie producers, I saw "Highlander" before and this isn't it. Stop trying to make it with a different name. Sincerely, The Management

Kobe Doin' Work: Dear Spike Lee, you shot the entire NBA Finals but decided to cut your hundreds of hours of footage down to the clinching game vs. San Antonio? You're a little fuckin' bitch. Sincerely, The Management

Driven To Kill: Dear assholes who made this bullshit movie, this flick is so bad that I too am driven to kill...each one of YOU. Sincerely, The Management

Paycheck [Blu-Ray]: Dear John Woo, what the fuck was that wack shit? Sincerely, The Management

Circle Of Iron [Blu-Ray]: Dear asshats who made this film from Bruce Lee's personal notes, way to rape Bruce Lee's corpse! You even cast John Carradine in multiple roles? I sure hope all of you are dead and Bruce is beating the shit out of you in the afterlife for this piece of ass flick. Sincerely, The Management

New In Town: Dear Renee Zellweger, I liked you better when I thought you were Joey Lauren Adams. You, madam are NO Joey Lauren Adams. Sincerely, The Management

The Devil's Tomb: Dear Cuba Gooding Jr, you should be locked underneath Alcatraz or just shot into space for this bullshit ass flick. In space no one can hear you coon. Sincerely, The Management


Coming (relatively) Soon To A Theater (or computer) Near You:


One.