#43 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

PG
Running time: 1 hour 46 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: William Shatner
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Laurence Luckinbill.

Synopsis
As his newly commissioned ship undergoes some last minute fine-tuning in spacedock around Earth, Kirk, Spock and McCoy experience the rare opportunity to enjoy a vacation together in Yosemite National Park. But they’ve barely begun to relax when they’re ordered to return to the ship and head for Nimbus III, the so-called “Planet of Galactic Peace,” to resolve a hostage situation instigated by a mysterious renegade Vulcan.

Review
The Enterprise's quest in finding God falls short with a disappointing ending, rendering the whole experience from the first half to be a wild goose chase. Or am I missing something here? 'Cause I'm afraid that's the point after all, we're not supposed to find God in His physical form. Or maybe this film is dull and boring.

Rating
1/5 Stars

#42 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 2 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Catherine Hicks, Majel Barrett.

Synopsis

Still on the planet Vulcan (where audiences last saw them at the end of The Search for Spock), Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov and Uhura prepare to head home to receive their comeuppance for stealing the Enterprise and taking it to the forbidden Genesis planet. Spock, who has been recuperating from the fal-tor-pan procedure that restored his katra to his physical body, decides to accompany them so that he can testify at their court martial proceedings. But as their ship nears Earth, they receive an emergency transmission, warning all incoming vessels to steer clear of Earth. The reason: a mysterious alien probe has rendered all nearby ships and planetary defensive systems powerless, and is now wreaking havoc on the biosphere.

Review
It's fun, it's quirky and it's the weirdest, most eccentric Star Trek film ever made, in a great way. With the crew basically thrown into a fish-out-of-water circumstance, extreme measures are taken in order to survive the most dangerous era the world had ever lived through - the 80's! Armed with the very unconventional story of whale-searching (another way to raise contemporary environmental concern), the crew's interaction with people of Earth is golden and very funny. To sum things up, The Voyage Home could be the most special Star Trek movie of them all, and I enjoyed it very much.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#41 Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Picture
Director: Leonard Nimoy
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei.

Synopsis
In the aftermath of the Genesis planet’s creation and Spock’s heroic sacrifice to save the Enterprise crew, a somber Kirk and company return to Earth, where Kirk receives an unexpected visit from Spock’s father. Sarek is under the assumption that prior to his death, Spock gave Kirk his katra (or “living spirit”); it’s therefore Kirk’s responsibility to deliver Spock’s katra, along with his body, home to Vulcan. Unfortunately, Kirk left Spock’s body back on the Genesis planet, and he doesn’t have Spock’s katra— although he has a sneaking suspicion who does.

Review
Directed by Nimoy himself, the third Trek does have its moments. While plot inconsistencies are here and there, and Kirk's reaction to the death of his son is not help at all in mending the cracks, 'The Search for Spock' boasts great, fun performance from the crew in their journey of rescuing their miraculously resurrected friend, Spock. Mayhem ensues as Klingons make their presence felt by serving as a subplot menacing the entire mission. However, the film delivers as a solid entry in continuing the chronology of the original Enterprise crew.

Rating
4/5 Stars 

#40 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 52 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Nicholas Meyer
Cast: William Shatner, Ricardo Montalbán, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Paul Winfield, Kirstie Alley, Bibi Besch.

Synopsis
Khan Noonien Singh, a dangerous genetically enhanced human from Earth’s 20th century, manages to escape from the planet where the Enterprise exiled him nearly two decades ago. Although Khan could use the opportunity to escape, there’s only one thing on his mind: Revenge against James T. Kirk!

Review
Deemed as the best Star Trek movie by all Trekkies alike,  Montalbán's nefarious performance as the titular Khan is cold, cruel and by far a hardened steel hell-bent on afflicting vengeance upon Kirk. The film, along with its extraordinarily done pacing, did greatly in putting the Enterprise crew in unprecedented life and death scenario. It was fun to watch how the crew pushes the limit in order to outwit the genetically engineered Khan himself, which resulted in the crew paying the ultimate price. In conclusion, 'Wrath of Khan' is very well a Star Trek movie, a strict Star Trek movie.

Rating
Full 5 Stars

#39 Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
G
Running time: 2 hours 12 minutes
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Persis Khambatta, Stephen Collins.

Synopsis
Kirk and his former crew reunite aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701 to save Earth from a powerful living machine that is destroying everything in its path as it searches for its “creator.” When we last saw this crew, at the end of the original Star Trek’s third season, the year was 2269. It is now 2271. Upon completion of his five-year mission, Kirk apparently accepted a well-deserved promotion to admiral, but he’s been having second thoughts about that decision. He feels he’s more suited to sitting in the captain’s chair aboard a starship than sitting behind a desk at Starfleet Headquarters. In the meantime, Spock has returned to his Vulcan homeworld to go through a ritual that will purge him of his emotions once and for all. Doctor McCoy has retired from active service. Chekov has changed his specialty, from navigation to ship’s security. Scotty, Uhura and Sulu continue to hold their familiar posts on the Enterprise. The ship itself, however, has gone through a major refit, with upgrades throughout.

Review
Although critics had all agreed that the first Star Trek full length feature is like an extended episode of the original series, I beg to differ that as a Gen-Y myself, the film plays a pivotal role in introducing the general vibe and feel of the old-school, classic Star Trek. From Shatner's hopelessly wooden performance as Kirk to Nimoy's signature Spock and his catchphrases, the mission to intercept V'Ger starts off with a gratuitous amount of time spent with the original crew. Kelley's witty portrayal of Bones is memorable, and not to mention Doohan's funny performance as Irish engineer Scotty. All in all, the first Star Trek is a great introductory entry into the Enterprise voyage saga.

Rating
4/5 Stars

#38 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008)
PG
Running time: 1 hour 38 minutes
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Director: Dave Filoni
Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Tom Kane, Christopher Lee, Dee Bradley Baker, Samuel L. Jackson, Nika Futterman, Anthony Daniels, Ian Abercrombie, Catherine Taber, Corey Burton, David Acord, Kevin Michael Richardson, Matthew Wood.

Synopsis

On the front lines of an intergalactic struggle between good and evil, fans young and old will join such favorite characters as Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Padmé Amidala, along with brand-new heroes like Anakin's padawan learner, Ahsoka. Sinister villains – led by Palpatine, Count Dooku and General Grievous – are poised to rule the galaxy. Stakes are high, and the fate of the universe rests in the hands of the daring Jedi Knights.

Review

Watching this poorly done animation with a slightly unnecessary mini story had my time wasted, not in a good or worthy way.

Rating

0/5 Stars

#37 Return of the Jedi (1983)

Return of the Jedi (1983)
PG
Running time: 2 hours 13 minutes
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, Sebastian Shaw, Frank Oz, Jeremy Bulloch, Denis Lawson, Kenneth Colley, Warwick Davis, Caroline Blakiston.

Synopsis

In the epic conclusion of the saga, the Empire prepares to crush the Rebellion with a more powerful Death Star while the Rebel fleet mounts a massive attack on the space station. Luke Skywalker confronts his father Darth Vader in a final climactic duel before the evil Emperor. In the last second, Vader makes a momentous choice: he destroys the Emperor and saves his son. The Empire is finally defeated, the Sith are destroyed, and Anakin Skywalker is thus redeemed. At long last, freedom is restored to the galaxy.

Review

Also known as 'Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi', the saga comes to a satisfying end with a few not so friendly encounters, such as Jabba the Hutt and Boba Fett. Being the one with the most straightforward, blockbuster-charged storyline of them all, the ending of 'Return of the Jedi' highlights the emotional core of the saga - the father-son relationship of Vader and Luke. Oh, don't even mention the Ewok tribe, which is just an awesome bunch of forest creatures.

Rating

4/5 Stars