Big Nothing (2006)

*Writer's Note* - It's been awhile since I've last written a movie review, so I'm just starting to get myself back into the groove by writing a condensed review for a recent movie I saw. Enjoy.

Big Nothing - 2006

Written and Directed by: Jean-Baptiste Andrea
Additional Writing Credit to: Billy Asher
Starring: David Schwimmer, Simon Pegg and Alice Eve

Synopsis: Charlie, an unemployed teacher, takes a job at a call agency, but is soon fired after his new work colleague, Gus, shows him a way to cope with unruly customers, only to have it backfire. To make up for his mistake, Gus offers to bring Charlie in on a blackmailing scam in order to cure their monetary woes. The only issue is that Gus' ex happens to overhear their plans, and then decides to include herself for a share of the profits. After much deliberation and side antics, the plan is put into motion. However, they run into a snag when they accidentally kill the reverend that they only meant to extort money from.

As most of you know, I'm a gigantic Simon Pegg fan. I've been addicted to his work since watching him in "Shaun of the Dead" (2003), and used him as one of my only reasons to watch Star Trek (2009). His work is brilliant, and I'm surprised he isn't more highly recognized as a great actor. On the flip side, none of this can really be said about David Schwimmer. Most of us are familiar with his work as Dr. Ross Geller on the television sitcom "Friends", but not much else. And let's not even bring up the almost unrecognizable cast member out of this ensemble, Alice Eve. However, none of this really matters when watching "Big Nothing" (2006). Simon Pegg is out of his element, but makes it work, David Schwimmer isn't a complete bonehead, and Alice Eve makes a nice femme fatale.

Now I will admit that the acting isn't completely spectacular. When I first heard Simon Pegg using an American accent I was a little put off. I felt as if he was just making fun of the American people as a whole, using a stereotypical voice as to breathe life into a character with not much going for him. Granted, the character truly didn't have anything going for himself, but I soon realized that this voice Simon Pegg was using wasn't making fun off us ignorant Americans - he was just being an asshole. The character was a complete douche, so he had to sound like a douche (which believe me, isn't an easy task sometimes). The only real issue with Simon's character was the fact that his plot advancement devices seemed a little too ill-placed, or rushed. This is the only time I really had concerns with Simon's acting in the film. David Schwimmer on the other hand, played a character whom was an out of work teacher that had just written a book and he was waiting for it to be published. This means he should have a rather wide range of knowledge. However, instead of being intelligent in the booksmart sense, he was more like a host for a trivia game show. His character seemed slightly contrived, and his performance mildly forced. The plus side to this is the acting soon gets overshadowed by the character's plight and story arc. As for Alice Eve playing Josie, the acting is relatively impressive for a newcomer, but the character herself is almost too intelligent... At least until part of her back story is revealed. If you ask me though, she was still a little too brainy.

There are times when the plot exposition in this dark comedy moves at a snail's pace, then other times it picks up to be faster than the hare that taught us to be slow and steady. The story as a whole is pretty good, but the ending is almost too predictable. The tone is great and the atmosphere adds that blend of humor with a sense of murder in the air. Not necessarily a spectacular film, "Big Nothing" is definitely a film not to miss if you're into murder-comedies with a cast that isn't completely inept when it comes to carrying a story. I have to say I've seen worse actors in better parts, and they just dropped my attention like a piano on their foot. My only advice is to rent this film instead of buying it, that is unless you're trying to beef up your DVD collection.

Star Trek - 2009

Let me start this off by saying I’m a huge fan of Star Wars. The idea alone of watching anything relating to Star Trek left me feeling traitorous and sick to my stomach. I mean come on, fraternizing with the enemy is enough to get people shot in some countries, so think about what another Star Wars fan would do if they found out one such as myself had “turned to the Dark Side”.

But I also have another devotion; I’m an avid fan of Simon Pegg. With this, I had to weigh my options. Should I grit my teeth and bear the raping of my delicate Force-Sensitive mind, or should I stay a Trekaphobic and miss the opportunity to watch one of my favorite actors perform brilliantly (as he always does). I hesitantly say luckily, but luckily the former beat out the latter. With that, let’s begin.

Star Trek (2009)
Director: J.J Abrams
Writers: Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Bruce Greenwood, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy

The movie starts out with a light show and a futuristic Romulan ship attacking the USS Kelvin. Ironically enough, this just so happens to be the ship where George and Winona Kirk reside, with more irony following when George is made the new captain upon the attack and Winona is in labor. After the ship sustains too much damage, George orders Winona to escape in a pod, but to keep communication open so he can hear the birth of his son. With his last few seconds alive before a daring gambit, George tells Winona not to name their son Tiberius, for it’s a ridiculous name. Although she apparently listens and decides James should be the child’s first name, it is soon revealed that the full name for the child is James Tiberius Kirk (Who in the hell didn’t see this coming?!?!?!?!).

But that isn’t where the irony or coincidences end in the film, for the entire movie is riddled with them. Between the first encounter of Kirk and McCoy, to the chance meeting of Scotty on a backwater planet, Star Trek gives the audience an underlying tone of fate being stronger than time (I can’t say too much without giving away plot). This is where I’d be ridiculing other films for such attempts, usually for failing at the idea of trying to tie people together in such an odd fashion. Yet, I can do nothing but commend Star Trek for doing this because they did it (Dare I say it…) almost brilliantly. It pains me to say such things (Not just because of my ties to Star Wars, also because I haven’t praised a movie like this in some time), but J.J Abrams stepped up to the plate with his game face on and delivered a home run. The acting is great, the CGI is fantastic and there was nothing better than seeing these “new” faces deliver such lines as “Damnit Jim”, “I’m giving her all she’s got”, or watching Chris Pine’s William Shatner impression during the Starfleet Training Exercise.

Although I still feel great betrayal to the Star Wars mythos, I have to say that I cannot wait until the summer of 2011 for when the sequel to this film comes out. Until then, remember two things: Don’t judge a starship by its hull, but mostly “Live long and prosper.

P.S – I urge all Star Wars fans to put aside their differences and at least give this film a shot. Hating this movie without ever watching it will only prove your ignorance and blindness to the Force. Not to mention that it was Yoda who said that hate is just one of the emotions that can lead to the Dark Side…. Mull that over for a bit and see if you don’t kick yourself in the ass for how right I am.