Star Trek Beyond 3D review

If you've read other reviews of Star Trek Beyond, you would get the feeling that it is a big budget movie version of the original TV series. (TOS) (Check out Trekmovie's review here.) And you would be right if Star Trek was a science fiction franchise that was about shallow action. But in this fiftieth anniversary of this great pop culture icon, we should remember what the creator of the TV series, Gene Roddenberry, wanted. He made a science fiction show that had substance and meaning. (See letter of Gene Roddenberry defending the pilot, "The Cage.")

Star Trek Beyond starts with Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) on a diplomatic mission. Things go bad and he's forced to flee. The Enterprise returns to the huge or in Donald Trump's parlance "huuuuuuge" starbase Yorktown. While there, a Federation escape pod containing Kalara (Lydia Wilson) is recovered. She tells Starfleet that her ship is wrecked on a planet in a nearby nebula. The Enterprise is the only ship with advanced sensors to locate Kalara's ship and it's sent to rescue the surviving crew. When the Enterprise is in orbit around the planet, it is attacked by Krall's (Idris Elba) swarm ships.

First, let me start with the cast. The crew of the Enterpirse all return to reprise their roles from J.J. Abrams' 2009 Star Trek movie. And they're all good. Chris Pine is excellent as an older and more weary Captain Kirk. Anton Yelchin, in one of his final films, gives his Chekov the youthful energy of a person excited to be in Starfleet. Zoe Saldana as Uhura doesn't get much in dialogue and neither does John Cho as Sulu. Look there's only so much to go around. Simon Pegg as Scotty uses his comic talents well when delivering some of his jokes. But it's Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy and Zachary Quinto as Spock that are the best performances. Perhaps this relationship is the most similar to the TV series. It's the funny banter and affection between the two gives this movie its warmth. Hopefully, there will be no fear in showing more of this friendship in future movies. Unfortunately, Idris Elba is a one note performance as the villain Krall. More on this later. And one more performance we should take note of. Sofia Boutella (The Kingsmen: The Secret Service) gives a spunky performance as the survivor Jaylah.

Star Trek Beyond at first feels like that big budget movie version of the TV series. The idea of the Enterprise entering a strange nebula and investigating a strange new world is something, we Trekkers loved about the original series. Heck, that's why I get goosebumps whenever I hear the opening monologue to the theme. (Video below.) And Star Trek Beyond's initial premise is exciting. Go through a nebula. Investigate an unknown planet. Things are "fascinating" as Spock would say, for the first two acts.



But it's the third act of this movie that has the stamp of corporate approval all over it. Simon Pegg and Doug Jung's script devolves into a simple action movie where it is all about good versus evil. Anything that might be nuanced is watered down by all of visual pyrotechnics. I mean is this movie designed to appeal to a larger Chinese audience? After, all one of the production companies is Alibaba Pictures, a Chinese company. Regardless, try figuring out how the crew takes down the bad guy without much in exposition. At one point, Uhura cuts off Spock's technobable with a silly catchphrase. You will wish that he got to complete the sentence. You try to put together the plot before you give up and just watch the explosions. And what about Krall's motivations? If you've seen Star Trek movies from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan to the last one, you will say to yourself, "That old motive, again?"

Director Justin Lin (The Fast and Furious 3-6) is competent in the way he sets up the action. But perhaps he was a mistake to helm this movie. Yes, it is problem of fast cut editing in this movie. Star Trek is not The Fast and Furious. As stated before, Star Trek is supposed to be more thoughtful. Big action set pieces have so many fast cuts that it's difficult to tell what is happening. You'll ask yourselves after events, a question like this, "How did Kirk, Spock and McCoy escape?"

As for the 3D version of Star Trek Beyond, save your money. It's a conversion from 2D and that shows. There's no pop, i.e. pushing out from the screen and there is is almost no depth. The only time I really noticed the 3D was the end credits with all of those CGI planets.

Star Trek Beyond is a good action movie. It is not thoughtful Star Trek. The grade is B.

Shut up Donald Trump, U.S. kills top ISIS leader

On the campaign trail, conservative Republican Donald Trump has often said the United States doesn't win anymore. Specifically he says that the United states doesn't beat ISIS.

So this should shut him up. The United States has just killed ISIS' number two in command and minister of finance, Abd ar-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli. ABC News. So Donald, what do you have to say about that? Oh, and the guy who was and is the Commander in Chief during this victory? PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

Waiting for your reply. Or maybe you and lyin' Ted Cruz should just keep fighting over your wives. Here's an idea, Donald. Just shut up about losing to ISIS. Because Barack Obama should be known as the Killer of Terrorists.

Fallout 4: Destroy the Sentry Bot at the National Guard Training Yard easily

Playing Fallout 4? Here's a tip to destroying that nasty Sentry Bot at the National Guard Training Yard after you get into the armory and discover that sweet power armor. When you get out of the armory, Mr. Sentry Bot has gotten out of his bunker and attacks you. Well, do this. Run back into the barracks, the building you exited to go to the armory. The Sentry Bot follows you but gets stuck in the first part of the barracks. Now, use the debris for cover and unload on it with your favorite weapon. You destroy it in no time.

Fallout 4: Destroy the Legendary Assaultron at the Electrical Hobbyist's Club Tip

If you play Fallout 4, you may have discovered the shack called the Electrical Hobbyist's Club. It's surrounded by high levels of radiation. Chances are you will have to use a Hazmat suit to go into it. There's a nice laser rifle up here, so it's well worth checking this place out. As you loot the top floors, you will discover there's a cellar.

The Cellar.

Watch your steps as you enter the cellar. First notice the bobby trap at the bottom of the steps. It will fire a rocket from a missile launcher if you set it off. Disarm it. That's the A button for XBOX players. Directly left is weight scale. That will set off the Legendary Assaulttron who will likely kill you since there's very little room to manuever down here. Worse yet, if you destroy it, the thing will set off an alleged nuclear explosion. I say alleged nuclear because I've just found a way to survive the explosion. Disarm the scale. Mr. Assaultron stays asleep.

But first, let's disarm the remaining traps. There's a trip wire in the terminal room. Directly to the left of the door to this room is a turret. I disarmed a trap to the right of the door. Ran back outside. To the left of Assaultron, is a hole in the wall. I took out my sniper and shot at the turret to destroy it.

Okay, let's get to the point. You want to destroy the Legendary Assaultron without killing yourself. Go back to the stairs. Take out your sniper and shoot at the thing until it's down to little health. It starts to catch on fire. Check V.A.T.S. to examine its health. Take out two fragmentation mines and put them around it. Go to the terminal room. Access the terminal. Activate the Assaultron. Go to the corner away from the hole in the wall. That's the corner next to the terminal. The Assaultron will move and set off the mines. It dies and explodes. You survive. At least, I did.

Loot the body. Since this is a Legendary Assaultron, there will likely be a nice reward. I got the Quickdraw Revolutionary Sword. It has 22 damage and its speed is medium. More importantly, it "Costs 25 percent less Action Points." I'm sure this is worthwhile to you players who prefer a melee build for your character.

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2016!

Let's celebrate St. Patrick's Day with The Chieftains and The Corrs. Here's the song, "I Know My Love."

Captain America: Civil War has a big spoiler

At the end of the second trailer for the upcoming Captain America: Civil War, there's a big spoiler. Okay, maybe not so big if you've read the graphic novel that the movie is based on. At least, that's what I've been told and read in the Wikipedia page description of the novel. Anyway, I thought they should have not spoiled it by showing a particular character that's going to make an appearance. I didn't read the novel, guys.

Hold on. With Batman vs. Superman coming out this month, the two major comic book superheroes seem to be having an intramural battle with each other. Did they anticipate the Republican Party civil war? Art imitates life. Anyway, check out the Captain America: Civil War trailer below.

SNL: Who votes for Donald Trump

Here's Saturday Night Live's fake ad on who votes for Donald Trump. Great stuff.