Weekend Box-Office Results: 'Star Trek’s' Warp Core Has Malfunctioned, Fails To Bring In More Than Predecessor

Star Trek Into Darkness was this week’s biggest film and the sequel to a franchise reboot produced by J.J. Abrams.  The guy has his hand all over television with Fringe, Revolution, Alias, and plenty others and has made a solid career as a director with Mission: Impossible III and Super 8.  I don’t want to say that he’s struggling with bringing people to see Star Trek but it does feel that way.  While the film did place first with $70.5 million this weekend, I can’t help but feel Star Trek in this generation doesn’t really appeal to a mass audience.

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Movie Review: 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Star Trek Into Darkness Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch Directed by J.J. Abrams Rated PG-13

I was never the Star Trek fan in my family.  No, that distinction goes to my Mom.  The TV show, the original 6 movies, marathon after marathon on any random cable channel, she was all about it.  And despite her best efforts, I just couldn’t get into it.  But let it be known I have seen a good portion of the TV show along with all of the movies.  Then in 2009, J. J. Abrams comes along with his reboot of a franchise that at that point, had become more of a mocked gesture than a sincere one.  And despite my initial reluctance, I went and saw the J.J. Abrams version of Star Trek…and enjoyed the hell out of it.  Sure it was more action driven, many would say Star Wars-esque, but you can’t deny that Abrams put some much needed life into the series.  Dare I saw he made it a little more accessible.

Which leads us to now and Star Trek Into Darkness, Abrams' follow up and presumably swan song from the series (at least as director).  Into Darkness isn’t dark, in fact the first one might have been a little darker.  Into Darkness also doesn’t skimp on the action, in fact it relies heavily on action sequences.  This may send more than a few Star Trek purists into fits of rage who already had beef with the 2009 Star Trek.  The action stuff is both good and bad, which I’ll get into later, but Into Darkness is a solid piece of entertainment.  And while the movie doesn’t improve upon its predecessor, it also doesn’t let it down either. 

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New 'Pacific Rim' Trailer Is The. Most. Awesome. Thing. Ever.

Before, we may have wondered how Pacific Rim was able to get the budget it did.  It isn't based on a previous franchise.  It's directed by Guillermo del Toro, who can't carry films by himself.  Its biggest star is Idris Elba, who doesn't have very much star power.  In this day and age, what studio greenlights that?  Thanks to the newest trailer that was released today, I now understand.  And I'm pretty sure that after viewing it, you will too.

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Weekend Box-Office Results: 'Star Trek' Travels At Warp Speed To First Place

Iron Man 3 has been in first place for two weeks thus far but can J.J. Abrams pull a fast one and place first this weekend at the box-office?  Star Trek is a lucrative franchise with television shows, movies, merchandising, a language, and more that predates Star Wars but it’s not as profitable as the other Star franchise.  The firs tStar Trek reboot back in 2009 managed to bring in $79 million but can Abrams repeat business?

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P.T. Anderson's 'Inherent Vice' is Starting to Get Awesome

It’s rare that so soon after swooning over a P.T. Anderson movie that I get to start the process all over again.   But someone out there is looking out and Anderson, who usually lets a few years go by between each film, is scheduled to start shooting his new movie, Inherent Vice this spring.  Joaquin Phoenix was cast in the title role a while ago; then Benicio Del Toro & Owen Wilson joined him.  And now Reese Witherspoon wants in on the fun.  Let the Craig Dietz fanboy enthusiasm begin in 5,4,3,2,1...

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