Home Alone Review

     Home Alone is directed by Chris Columbus. It tells the story of Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), a little boy who accidentally gets left home alone on Christmas when his family goes on vacation in France.

     On its release Home Alone got tepid reception from critics, who dismissed it as a shallow slapstick comedy. Audiences, however, loved it and it's gone on to become a modern Christmas classic. Personally, though I really love this film, I can see where critics were coming from. I think it comes down to the fact that the Home Alone is trying to be two things at once.

     The scenes involving Kevin defending his home from the wet bandits are really funny. This is due mainly to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern who are both skilled at slapstick comedy. Seeing them fall down stairs and step on nails is funny, rather then painful, because their reactions are so hilariously over-the-top. In many ways this part of the movie always came off to me as a kind of Die Hard for kids (there's even a scene where a character steps on glass). This movie always brings out the little boy in me, especially during the scenes where Kevin get scared when going down the basement (I would never go down the basement myself as a child) or when the police come and knock on his door. It reminds me of the first time me and my brother stayed home without my parents.

      What really makes this movie stand the test of time is it's heart. Not only does watching Kevin deal with his family's absence remind me of similar experiences from my childhood, it also very emotionally resonant to watch him deal with his guilt over his family "disappearing". The parallel that's drawn between him and his neighbor, Old Man Marley reinforces this. Both Kevin and Marley have had arguments with there family members which have lead, seemingly, to there separation from them, and both of them now feel guilty. When we get to the end of the movie and both people are reunited with their families I always feel a little teary eyed. This would not be possible without John Williams masterful score, which, I think, really elevates the film. His Somewhere in My Memory is worthy of being a classic Christmas song in its own right.

     For all of its hilarious comedy and heartfelt emotion Home Alone suffers from tonal consistency. The slapstick comedy, and really everything involving the wet bandits, clashes with the more grounded emotional scenes with Kevin's family and Old Man Marley. As much as I love Marv and Harry, they can't help but feel like they've walked in from a different film. A great example of this is the Church scene, which is actually one of my favorite scenes in the film. Here we see Kevin have a heart to heart talk with Old Man Marley who, he finally realizes, is a kindly old man, not a monster. Both characters come to a realization about themselves here and resolve to bridge the gap they've created with their family members. But as soon as the scene ends the tone shifts from heartfelt and emotional to one of tension and anticipation as Kevin prepares for the bandits in a montage. Personally, I can't take too much issue with the movie for this. After all combining a heartfelt Christmas tale with a comedic bit of fantasy/wish fulfillment can't be easy.

     A big part of what makes the film work despite this problem is John Hughes writing and Chris Columbus' direction. In addition to bringing the same kind feeling of holiday fatigue that he brought to Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Hughes also inserts a lot of clever set ups and pay offs. Some of these are purely functional, like Buzz's Tarantula which is shown stalking the house through much of the film until Kevin uses it to escape Marv. Others inform character and story like the cut on Marley's hand, which at first gives him an ominous air when Kevin gets scared of him at the drugstore but then takes on a more flawed human quality as he and Kevin shake hands in church, the primitive makeshift bandage now replace by a band aid. By doing this Hughes and Columbus give the film a sense of interconnectedness. If the film feels tonally inconsistent at least it's visually and thematically connected.

     In the end I think that Home Alone succeeds brilliantly despite some of its tonal inconsistency. Beneath it's veneer as a crowd pleasing, slapstick comedy about holiday hustle and bustle is a really heartwarming story about family and forgiveness.

Score: 9/10

Western Wednesdays: The Lone Ranger

That's right, I'm tackling one of the most hated westerns of the last decade...

     The Lone Ranger was released in 2013. It is directed by Gore Verbinski and stars Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp. It tells the story of John Reid (Hammer) who, along with  his new friend Tonto (Depp), sets out to get justice for his brothers murder.

     I grew up watching episodes of The Lone Ranger TV series on VHS tape so I have a certain amount of affinity for this character. Unfortunately, this movie fails to do him justice. It's much too subversive. It draws inspiration from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Once Upon a Time in the West and The Searchers and while I love those movies, it's wrong place to draw from for this more lighthearted material. The Lone Ranger is supposed to believe in the law and in the system but in this film both are portrayed as being corrupt. Reid himself, quite like Superman in the recent DC films, is very conflicted, starting out as a lawyer rather than a lawman. Another problem is that Johnny Depp's portrayal of Tonto is, quite frankly, bizarre. Never mind the fact that a white man is playing a Native American character in 2013 (I mean they got an actual Native American to play him way back in 1949) watching him feeding the dead bird on his head and pretend (I think) to commune with spirits isn't endearing, it's off-putting. Finally the movie has an inconsistent tone. It goes from fun and lighthearted to dark and violent. It shares this with the later Pirates of the Caribbean films which were also directed by Gore Verbinski.

     The Lone Ranger isn't all bad. The action, as usual with Verbinski, is really good. The climax in particular is just a blast to watch. The score, by Hans Zimmer, utilizes Rossini's William Tell Overture a lot more then I though it would, which was nice though it honestly doesn't feel like it belongs in this movie. The actors, outside of Depp, all do a decent enough job with the material they're given. William Fichtner, in particular, is clearly having a lot of fun playing the main villain, Butch Cavendish.

     The Lone Ranger, ultimately, doesn't have enough respect for its source material or tonal consistency to really work. Fans of the Pirates movies may enjoy the action scenes but, other than that, I would probably avoid this film.

Score: 6/10

Star Trek: The Motion Picture Review

To celebrate Star Trek's 50th anniversary I've decided to try and review all six films featuring the original crew. Here goes nothing...

     Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released in December of 1979. It is directed by Robert Wise (The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music) and stars William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Persis Khambatta, and Stephen Collins. In it an enormous alien spacecraft called V'Ger is spotted approaching Earth and Admiral Kirk (Shatner) must take command of the Enterprise, currently under the command of Captain Willard Decker, in order to intercept, examine and stop the intruder.

     "There are some moments in Star Trek: The Motion Picture that are so beautiful – serene, cosmic, passionately alive with the possibility of The Infinite. You want to cry, you don’t know why."

     This quote, from Darren Franich's review of the film, sums up the movie about as well as I ever could. It try's to be 2001: A Space Odyssey but it's storytelling is, ultimately, too neat and straightforward to make that work. While Kubrick was content to leave the monoliths vague and ambiguous the secret behind V'Ger is explicitly given to us. While the former leaves you with a sense of awe and wonder the latter simply leaves thinking, hmm interesting. It's a story that could have worked for a pilot episode of a new series, as it was originally intended to be, but at two and a half hours it just feels stretched too thin.

     At the same time 2001 is a work of emotion and feeling not a character piece. Trek may be at it's best when it's dealing with interesting ideas, but it only really works when its character driven. Kirk and Bones are given very little to do here, reportedly Shatner and Kelley lobbied for greater characterization, and it really shows. It's not that there's no character drama in the film, Spock goes through an interesting transformation and Ilia and Decker have relationship drama. The real problem is that, while the film comes alive whenever we're watching the Enterprise travel through space, ironically the scenes involving the crew feel sterile and lifeless. The scenes focusing on Decker and Ilia in particular, feel about as passionate as the Padme/Anakin romance from the Star Wars prequels!

   
     With all that said The Motion Picture does have a few things going for it. The special effects are truly spectacular, which is all the more impressive given that the film's production was plagued with all kinds of technical problems. These effects help to make all the outer space sequences in the film truly breathtaking. Of course this would be for not without the sound design by Frank Serefine and the great soundtrack by Jerry Goldsmith. As a Trekkie (or Trekker?) I also appreciate that this is the only Star Trek film to feature Nurse Chapel  (Majel Barrett), who is now a doctor, though the film doesn't do much with her.

     In the end Star Trek: The Motion Picture is a rather dull affair. The impressive visuals and awesome score are at the service of a pretty standard sci fi story that is rather devoid of emotional weight. It's worth checking out for Trekkies (though most have probably already seen it) or for fans of cerebral science fiction but I would not recommended it for casual viewers or for those trying to get into Star Trek for the first time.

Score: 6/10

Hell or High Water Review (Western Wednesdays)

     Hell or High Water is directed by David Mackenzie and stars Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Gil Birmingham. It tells the story of two brothers, Toby (Pine) and Tanner (Foster) Howard, who set out on a series of bank robberies in order to raise the money they need to save their family ranch. Meanwhile, two Texas Rangers, Marcus Hamilton (Bridges) and Alberto Parker (Birmingham), are tasked with tracking them down.

     Hell or High Water is not really a western as it takes place in modern times but it does have a western setting (Texas) and contains themes common to the western genre. There is much talk in the film about the corruption of civilization and the eroding presence of salt-of-the earth farmers and the like. Tanner fancies himself a spiritual descendant of the American Indians, the lords of the plains as he calls them. Hamilton, on the other hand, is a classic washed up lawman, a soon-to-retire Texas Ranger who knows that he'll miss the thrill of the chase. But the film never romanticizes these characters or their ideas. Rather it shows how rugged individualism and the love of danger can lead to violence and death.

     Mackenzie's direction is very restrained, using long takes and tracking shots more often than not. The film is deliberately paced though, at the same time, economical in it's run time. All the main players put in solid performances, especially Bridges and Foster. The chemistry between Pine and Foster, and between Bridges and Birmingham, is excellent. The score, by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, perfectly captures the uneasy and melancholy tone of the film. It's a well made film in pretty much every respect.

     Given it's fairly laid back, slow-burn approach, some might find Hell or High Water to be underwhelming. But in a world filled with mega-blockbusters and quirky, look-how-artsy-I-am indie films, there's something to be said for a movie that relies on good old-fashioned, minimalist direction, straightforward, economical storytelling and great acting.

Score: 9/10

My Favorite Films: Rocky

     The thing that always strikes me about Rocky is its honest simplicity. Balboa's journey never feels forced or saccharine. The world he inhibits feels like a real place and the characters all feel like real people. Of course this is partly because it is a real place, as the movie was shot on location in Philidelphia. The director, John G. Avilsden, really brings the city to life. We see many recognizable locations most notably the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Rocky runs up the steps to the tune of Gonna Fly Now. Earlier in the same montage sequence a man selling fruit throws Rocky a apple, a scene that was improvised on the spot. The film is filled with little moments like that and they lend the film an down-to-earth feel.

     As much as I appreciate Avilsden's direction this is ultimately Sylvester Stallone's film. Stallone got the idea for Rocky after watching the championship match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. He auctioned it off to various Hollywood producers but insisted that he play Rocky himself. As they were reluctant to cast an unknown in the lead, Stallone had a lot of trouble selling the script. Eventually he sold it to Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, who agreed to produce for a very small budget. In many ways Rocky's journey in the film is symbolic of Stallone's own journey to get it made. Because of this his writing adds an extra layer of authenticity to the film.

     Another, tangential reason that Rocky is great is that the protagonist doesn't ultimately win the fight. In Rocky's own words "All I wanna do is go the distance." While this also helps to make the story more believable, in the main, it puts Rocky's personal integrity, and his relationship with Adrian, at the forefront of the drama. When the fight ends and the judges are going over their verdict, Rocky isn't really interested in who won, he has already done what he set out to do and just wants to be with Adrian.

     Of course it helps that the film is perfectly cast. Talia Shire is great as the outwardly vulnerable but inwardly strong Adrian. She's something of a vicarious character as both she and the audience fall in love with Rocky simultaneously. Burt Young really excels in the role of her alcoholic and abusive, though ultimately loyal and supportive brother Paulie who's also Rocky's best friend. Burgess Meredith practically inhabits the role of Mickey, Rocky's broken down old manager who verbal abuse of Rocky is a mask for his obvious affection for the man. Carl Weather's Appollo Creed is arrogant but also charismatic, he is never played as a straight up villain but is a believable real life opponent. Finally, Sylvester Stallone is Rocky Balboa. It's the role that made his career for good reason. He is brutish and dull but, as we get to know him as an audience, we find that he also has a great sense of humor, a practical outlook on life, and a heart of gold.

     Finally, Bill Conti's score for the film is truly amazing. At times sad and melancholy at others soaring and triumphant the music perfectly encapsulates Rocky's journey and adds an extra layer which makes us feel that much more empathetic for the character. It's hard to imagine what the film would be like without it.

  While Rocky may have been content to merely go the distance but the film itself went on to greater success, becoming a hit at the box office and eventually gaining nine Oscar nominations, winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Song (for Gonna Fly Now). A slew of sequels and imitators have followed but the original remains the ultimate underdog story.

Hacksaw Ridge Review

     Hacksaw Ridge is directed by Mel Gibson and stars Andrew Garfield. It tells the true story of Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in WWII.

     Early on the film establishes Doss' aversion to violence, a theme further expounded on later on. The main conflict involves his reluctance to use (or even pick up) a weapon despite the fact that he has joined the army. His senior officers and fellow soldiers all give him a hard time, considering him to be a liability in battle. Finally he is court marshaled after refusing a direct order to fire a weapon. The film also deals with the romance between him and Dorothy Schutte (Teresa Palmer), his conflict with his father (Hugo Weaving) a world weary WWI vet, and his actions during the Battle of Okinawa, for which he was awarded the Medal Of Honor.

     Hacksaw Ridge is fairly historically accurate for a Hollywood film (particularly one helmed by Gibson). Doss did have an experience with his father that served as an impetus for his aversion to violence though the details of the incident are quite different than what the movie portrays. He was indeed picked on by his fellow soldiers for his refusal to carry a weapon, as well as his refusal to work on the Sabbath. It's also true that his commanding officer tried to have him discharged, though it is more dramatized in the film and the part where his father intervenes is taken from another, more minor incident. The actions for which Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor, staying behind on Hacksaw Ridge after his regiment retreated to eventually save 75 wounded men, are accurately portrayed. The movie also depicts his being wounded by a hand grenade, which he kicks out of the way to save some of his comrades. On the other hand, the scene where Desmond misses his wedding with Dorothy because of the Court Marshal never happened, as they where married before he was drafted. He was often denied furloughs and couldn't see her much during his training. The movie also leaves out Doss' earlier service in Guam and the Philippines, for which he was awarded two silver stars, along with his being wounded by a Japanese sniper on Hacksaw.

     Hacksaw Ridge is well directed by Gibson. Like most of his films it's very emotionally charged. One scene in particular choked me up a little. The early scenes are appropriately sentimental and the war scenes harrowingly violent. The score, by Harry Gregson Williams, is very effective. It may not be as memorable as James Horner's Braveheart score but in a more realistic film like this I think the score should produce more of general mood or feeling or it might become a distraction. Andrew Garfield does a good job in the lead role and most of the supporting actors put in fine performances as well. Hugo Weaving is easily the stand out as Desmond's drunken, somewhat abusive father, Tom. He really adds a lot of humanity to the role.

     Vince Vaughn, on the other hand, feels miscast as Doss' platoon sergeant. He works alright for the training sequences but as soon as the bullets starts flying he feels out of place. The film's other major flaw is Gibson's tendency to Hollywood-ize the action. In one scene a soldier picks a a dead body and uses it as a shield while he assaults an enemy position. In another Doss pulls Sgt. Howell to safety on his shelter half while the Sergeant uses his sub machine gun to hold off pursuing Japs.

     Hacksaw Ridge, like most of Gibson's films, has its flaws. But despite the liberties it takes with history it still manages to capture the essence of Doss' story. If this is Gibson's bid at redemption (public image wise) he could certainly do worse.

Score: 8.5/10

My Favorite Films: The Outlaw Josey Wales (Western Wednesdays)

     The really great thing about Clint Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) is the writing. Adapted from Forest Carter's novel, The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales, Sonia Chernus and Philip Kaufman's screenplay explores themes of revenge, redemption, and the cost of war. It also contains a lot of great dialogue, in fact, this film is probably the most quotable western ever.

"A man like Wales lives by the feud."

     When Missouri farmer Josey Wale's (Eastwood) family is killed by pro-Union militants from Kansas lead by Captain "Red Legs" Terrill (Bill McKinney) his world falls apart. By joining "Bloody Bill" Anderson's (John Russell) gang of Confederate raiders, Wales finds an outlet for his hatred and his sole purpose becomes vengeance. When the war ends and the Confederates surrender, Wales is the only one not to. Having lived with violence for many years he no longer knows anything else and can't bring himself to surrender to the enemy he has hated and fought against for so long. When the rest of the men are executed, his worst fears are confirmed and he becomes a fugitive and an outlaw. Still, he no longer really has a cause to fight for. Jamie (Sam Bottoms), the only survivor, though mortally wounded, becomes his companion. Wales tries to avoid his pursuers and keep Jamie alive. He also promises that they will get revenge on their former leader, Fletcher (John Vernon), for turning on them. When Jamie dies, Josey is again left without a sense of purpose.

"Endeavor to persevere."

     To escape the blue coat soldiers, Wales then heads for the Mexican border. Along the way he meets and befriends  Lone Watie (Chief Dan George), an old Cherokee Indian, Little Moonlight (Geraldine Keams), a young Navajo woman, Sarah (Paula Trueman) an old Kansas Jayhawker and her daughter Laura Lee (Sondra Locke).  All of them, like Wales himself, are outcasts or become outcasts by the end of the film. Lone Watie is, in some ways, a reflection of Wales. Both men have had their worlds effectively taken away by agents of the U.S. government. But while Wales committed violence to seek vengeance Lone Watie did it as a matter of survival.

"He might as well ride along with us. Hell, everybody else is."

     As more people begin riding with Josey he becomes a sort of surrogate father to them, albeit reluctantly. At this point in the film, Wales is rather directionless. He's no longer really seeking vengeance and is only occupied with the immediate problem of escaping the Union soldiers. At the same time he's afraid to form any attachments to his newfound companions because as he tells Lone Watie, "When I get to likin' someone, they ain't around long." When they finally reach the Jayhawkers farm in Texas they face a new problem, the hostile Comanche Indians lead by chief Ten Bears (Will Sampson). As they prepare for a fight, Wales rides out to meet Ten Bears, determined to either make peace or die protecting his new friends. Ultimately he shows Ten Bears that there is no need for fighting and the Chief makes Wales a blood brother. This is the moment where I think Wales really leaves vengeance behind.

"I reckon so."

     Despite this he is still restless. He knows that Terrill and the red legs will catch up with him eventually. As he cannot bear bear to risk losing those he loves again he decides it is best to leave them. In classic western fashion he tells Lone Waite, "Sometimes trouble just follows a man". Before he can leave Terrill and his men arrive, forcing a confrontation. With the help of his companions, Wales finally subdues them. Then he comes face to face with Fletcher, the man he believes betrayed him. In a subtle twist the two men, pretending not to recognize each other engage in one of my favorite exchanges of dialogue from any film.
Fletcher, "I think I'll go down to Mexico to try to find him."
Josey, "And then?"
Fletcher, "He's got the first move. I owe him that. I think I'll try to tell him the war is over. What do you say, Mr. Wilson?"
Josey, "I reckon so. I guess we all died a little in that damn war."

"... men can live together without butcherin' one another."

     In many ways The Outlaw Josey Wales was a response to the war in Vietnam. Eastwood was concerned over the great sense of divisiveness left in the country after the war. He hoped that making a film about people overcoming their prejudices in the post-Civil War era would have a cathartic effect in his own time. This can be seen especially in the exchanges between Josey Wales and the old woman Sarah, who's son fought in the war on the Union side. Both come to respect one another. It can also be seen in the exchange between Josey and Ten Bears, where he tells him, "Dying's not hard for you and me. It's living that's hard when all you ever cared about has been butchered or raped."

     Of course the script is not the only great thing about The Outlaw Josey Wales. Eastwood's deliberate direction is excellent. He really takes time to make you care about these characters and understand this world. The acting is stellar all around, even the bit roles are very memorable. Eastwood is his usual laconic self. John Vernon is great as the world weary Fletcher and Bill McKinney's Terrill is appropriately loathsome. But the real standout performance is Chief Dan George's Lone Watie. According to Eastwood, George had trouble memorizing his lines so Clint would tell him the gist of what he was supposed to say in any given scene and let him say it in his own words. The results speak for themselves. Finally, the score, by Jerry Fielding, is fairly effective, evoking Civil War era marching tunes and folks songs.

    With an awesome screenplay from Kaufman and Chernus, assured direction from Eastwood, and solid performances all around, The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of the last true masterpieces of the western genre. Every time I watch it I discover new layers and subtle visual motifs I hadn't noticed before. It's one of those films that gets better and better with age.

Temporary Leave of Absence

 

    
     You may have noticed that I have not posted anything in two weeks. The reason for this is that I've been busy with school, work and helping my brother with his youtube fan series. As a result of this I've decided to take a break from blogging for a while. Hopefully I'll pick it up again by the end of November. If not I'll let you guys know.
Thanks for reading and I see you guys in a month or so!

Western Wednesdays: The Magnificent Seven

     The Magnificent Seven is directed by Antoine Fuque, It is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name (which itself is a loose remake of the 1954 classic Seven Samurai). It stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke. It tells the story of seven gun men who are hired by poor villagers to defend them against a gang of bandits.

     The plot of Seven Samurai has been re-used so many times it begs the question: why remake it again? What, if anything, does this film have to offer that previous retellings don't? For one thing the social commentary, which deeply informed Samurai and was brushed over in favor of more traditional western tropes in the original Magnificent Seven, is more pronounced this time around. That is to say, it's less subtle and, as a result, the film is more broadly appealing. That can be said of this film generally. It's more mainstream and, while it's to the films credit that it retains some of the social themes of Seven Samurai, it's also, unfortunately, more action driven and less character driven. This isn't a crippling flaw. There's still enough character development to make you care about what's going on, but it is disappointing, especially considering the quality of some of Fuque's earlier films. There's also a third act reveal about one of the characters motives that I didn't really care for.

     The movie features solid performances, especially from Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke though Chris Pratt's a bit of a weak spot and can't help but feel a little out-of-place in a period piece. The action is fun and fairly coherent, though nothing amazing. There are nods to the original, which are appropriately subtle and well integrated into the film. Overall The Magnificent Seven is a pretty fun little western.

     In my review of Jane Got a Gun I noted that it was somewhat old school in the way it was shot and edited. I can't really same the same for this movie. It's much more frantically edited and uses hand held camera work most of the time. For most of the runtime it looked as if the movie would avoid any noticeable use of CGI. If only it ended sixty seconds sooner.

Score: 8/10

Deepwater Horizon Short Review

     Deepwater Horizon is directed by Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) and stars Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, and Gina Rodriguez. It tells the story of the April 2010 explosion of the offshore drilling rig, Deepwater Horizon, which lead (according to the film) to the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

     I didn't have a lot to say after watching this film. However I stumbled on some behind-the-scenes drama that I found really interesting. BP, the oil company who rented Deepwater created a lot of legal issues for Peter Berg and the rest of the people involved. For one thing they we're prevented from renting an existing oil rig and had to build one themselves. There were also details about the incident that they were prevented from portraying in the film. In an interview Berg said "we had a scene that might have suggested that workers were under pressure to say the rig was safe because BP managers wanted to move on to another oil well. It was 100% true and very well documented, but the lawyers were concerned it was making BP look too responsible for the blowout." One of the biggest arguments was about the cement poured into the well to control it's pressure. BP sent the team who were supposed to test the cement home before they could test it. This is considered to be a major factor in the incident but the writers had to be very careful about how they portrayed it in order to avoid a lawsuit form the subcontractor who poured the cement or the company that failed to perform the test.

     As fascinating as (I think) some of this behind-the-scenes drama is, it doesn't speak much to the quality of the film itself. Berg's direction is solid. He really knows how to make a biting thriller and the down-to-earth script helps to place the viewer in the middle of the events. The movie does a good job setting up the main characters and making them sympathetic, if not all that nuanced, and the cast does a really good job all around, especially Walhberg. My only real complaint, besides the lack of character development, which is mitigated somewhat by the strength of the performances, is that the film feels a little too conventionally Hollywood at times. There is a lot of (not so subtle) foreshadowing which seems somewhat unsuitable for a more realistic movie like this. There are also a few over-the-top moments in the climax that strain credulity a little. But these are fairly minor issues.

     Many have criticized Deepwater Horizon for its apparent lack of conviction in taking a stronger stance against BP and the oil industry which is somewhat ironic given that BP seems to have the opposite stance. I think that, given the circumstances, Berg and his crew did the best they could. The real point of the film is to highlight the heroic actions and sacrifices of the workingmen on board the rig. Honoring the common man seems to be an emerging pattern in Berg's films. Lone Survivor paid tribute to the infantry soldier and the upcoming Patriots Day looks like it may do the same for police officers. In the end, I'm just glad that this film has elements that are worthy of serious discussion. If your tired of disaster movies like San Andreas or Independence Day: Resurgence, Deepwater Horizon will seem like a breath of fresh air.

Score: 9/10

(If anyone wants to learn more about this film and the events that inspired it I think the article I quoted above, The 'well from hell' – my fight with BP to film Deepwater Horizon, would be a good place to start.)

Western Wednesdays: Jane Got a Gun

When Jane Got a Gun was released in theaters earlier this year I was mildly interested in seeing it. When it got mediocre reviews it faded into the woodwork and (almost) out of my interest. Then Stephen King made a tweet in February praising it which stoked my interest once again. Finally, when it was added to Netflix last month, I decided to watch it one night on a whim...

     Jane Got a Gun is directed by Gavin O'Connor. It tells the story of Jane Hammond (Natalia Portman), who must defend her home from a gang of criminals (led by Ewan McGregor's John Bishop) who are after her husband, Bill (Noah Emmerich). After taking her daughter to a neighbor's house for safe keeping she goes to an old friend, Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton), for help. As they wait for the bandits to arrive tensions run high and the details of their past are revealed.

     What I like about this film is that it's surprisingly old school. It's fairly slow paced and uses more longer takes and wide shots than most contemporary films do. It also has a fairly straight-forward story. As a result of this it's rather predictable. I wouldn't mind this so much except for the fact that much of the story is told in flashbacks. Because these flashbacks don't reveal anything that I can't infer myself they become rather dull and uninteresting. I would have much preferred for the film to give me less explicit information and instead focus on the here and now of the story and the relationships between the characters. In addition, the ending of the film feels really trite, especially considering how dark the film is up to that point.

     This film had a very troubled production history. It was originally going to be directed by Lynne Ramsey (We Need to Talk About Kevin) but she left after a disagreement with the producer. Gavin O'Conner was then brought on to replace her and Edgerton (who was originally slated to play the villain) worked on revising the as-yet unfinished script. The film release was subsequently delayed by 3 years. Whether or not Ramsey would have made a better film is something we'll never know but she almost certainly would have made a more interesting one. In the end though, Jane Got a Gun is, at least, a serviceable western, if not particularly remarkable one. Considering the current dearth of films in the genre of late that's good enough for me.

Score: 7/10

The Jungle Book In-depth Review

The Jungle Book is one of my favorite films of 2016 so far. Since it was released on home video recently I was able to re-watch it and I liked it even more the second time around....

     In my initial review I noted that Mowgli makes a decision which ends up having terrible consequences. I was referring to the scene where Mowgli takes the "red flower" (the jungle creatures name for fire) from the man-village to fight Shere Khan, only to cause a massive fire in the jungle. At the time, I was of the opinion that this did not carry enough weight but I have since changed my mind. The film, in many ways, is a coming-of-age tale. In it Mowgli must embrace his "otherness" and make his own way. In the first act, Akela and Bagheera discourage Mowgli from using his rather human innovations. But when he meets Baloo in the second act, Baloo encourages him to use his ingenuity. He does this for selfish reasons (he wants Mowgli to get honey for him), but by helping Baloo Mowgli begins to learn how useful his innovations really are. Bagheera himself sees this in a crucial scene where Mowgli helps to rescue a baby elephant (a species treated with religious reverence by the other animals of the jungle) from drowning using some vines.
   

     The red flower (the animal word for fire) is portrayed as the ultimate human invention, one which can bring death and destruction to the Jungle. It was fire that burned Shere Khan when he killed Mowgli's father, causing him to seek revenge against Mowgli. He sees fire as the thing which most separates humans from animals. King Louie, the king of the apes, also sees the powerful potential in being able to wield the red flower, causing him to kidnap Mowgli in hopes that he can help him achieve this power. When Mowgli takes the torch from the village he is only thinking of getting revenge on Shere Khan for killing Akela. When he sees the Jungle burning and the other animals shrinking away from him in fear he realizes the gravity of what he has done and the implications of wielding this kind of power. By facing Shere Khan on his own, using his wits and knowledge, and subsequently, by bringing the elephants to put out the fire, Mowgli takes his fate into his own hands for the first time and is able to accepts his "otherness" as a human living among animals.

     I also mentioned in my initial review that I had not read Rudyard Kipling's stories prior to watching the film but was inspired to do so as a result. I have since read all of Kipling's Mowgli stories which, I think, enriched my experience when re-watching the film. The original stories are definitely darker and more violent. When Mowgli kills Shere Khan, for instance, he does so by luring him into a stampede where he is trampled to death and then proceeds to remove his hide, which he wears as a trophy. With that said this film is still closer to the books than the animated film was. In that film Mowgli returns to the village at the end. In the book he does not do this until after spending many years in the jungle. However, as in the animated film, Baloo is more of a lazy scam artist than the old master hunter of the books and Kaa has only a short, antagonistic role, while in the book he becomes an ally of Mowgli. In the end this film feels like a nice middle ground between the books and the animated version.

     The Jungle Book is a really solid story about growing up and accepting responsibility. It's also a highly entertaining adventure and an unusually smart family film. It's my favorite film of 2016 so far.

Updated Score: 10/10

Western Wednedays: The Great Train Robbery

I recently watched this film (for the second or third time) for my film studies class. Since I'm busy with school right now I figured I review it for Western Wednesdays as its fairly short and therefore easy to review briefly...

     The Great Train Robbery was released in 1903. It is directed by Edwin S. Porter, a director working for Thomas Edison's film production company, Edison Studios. It tells the story of three bandits who rob a train and abscond with the money, only to be caught and gunned down by a posse.

     The Great Train Robbery is one of the most innovative and influential films ever made. It was one of the first films to use cross cutting, showing two scenes which happen at the same time but in different places. Early in the film the bank robbers attack and tie up a telegraph operator. After they leave his daughter arrives, unties him and then proceeds to recruit a posse to track down the robbers. However, this scene is not shown until after the events of the robbery, even though it takes place at the same time. This technique would become quite common in other films. It was also one of the first motion pictures to use panning shots and location shooting. Besides this, its financial success helped to make film a viable commercial medium.

     Beyond its impact on film in general this film has had a marked influence on the western genre. The plot, involving the robbery of a train, is one that is seen quite often in western movies, most notably Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), a film about the exploits of two famous bank robbers whose robbery of a train in Wyoming in 1900 also inspired this film. In the scene where the telegraph officer's daughter goes to the dance-hall to gather together the posse one man is scene shooting at another feet to make him dance, this is also commonly seen in western films and novels.

This shot, of one of the robbers firing at the audience, was shown at the beginning or the end of the film depending on the projectionists whim.

     Does it hold up? Kind of, if you like older silent films. The stunts are not that well done (at least by modern standards) and the cross cutting is somewhat confusing (a more experienced editor might have cut back and forth between the robbers and their pursuers more often) but the location shooting gives the movie a more realistic feel than many other films of the this era and robbery and the shootouts are still fairly exciting. If nothing else, The Great Train Robbery is worth seeing for its important place in film history. It is only 12 minutes long after all.

Score: 8/10

Star Trek: My 20 Favorite Episodes

     Fifty years ago, on September 8th, 1966, the first episode of Star Trek, "The Man Trap", aired on CBS. In honor of this momentous occasion I present to you my 20 favorite episodes of the original series.

     To create this list I went back and watched about 30 episodes that I remembered really liking, then ranked them accordingly. I've tried to include a variety of plots (ie. time travel, parallel world, artificial intelligence, intergalactic war etc.) and tones (both serious and light hearted). I tend to look for three things in any Star Trek episode namely good interaction between the cast (Kirk, Spock and Bones), thought provoking thematic material, and good pacing. All the episodes I selected contain one or more of these things and if supporting cast members (Scotty, Uhura, Sulu, Nurse Chapel, Chekov) are involved more than usual in an episode, so much the better.

Honorable Mentions

"The Enemy Within" (Season 1 Episode 5)
Written by Richard Matheson
Directed by Leo Penn

     One of the very first episodes that I ever watched, "The Enemy Within", written by veteren sci-fi writer Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), is a really intriguing commentary on the duality of man, his animalistic and often violent instincts on one side and his more evolved sense of morality and empathy on the other. It also features one of William Shatner's best performances as a more subdued Kirk who has been physically separated from his darker half. It probably would have made the cut if it wasn't for a rather insensitively handled rape subtext (rape is one subject that Trek writers never seem to get a very good handle on).

"Tomorrow is Yesterday" (Season 1 Episode 19)
Written by D.C. Fontana
Directed by Micheal O'Herlihy

     In this episode the Enterprise is thrown back in time to 60's era earth where they are spotted by a U.S. Air Force pilot and forced to beam him aboard. The crew must figure out how to return to the 23rd century without damaging the timeline. It's a really fun episode and was originally intended to be the second episode of a two parter, following the "The Naked Time". It was reworked into a stand-alone episode written by Trek regular D.C. Fontana. His script anticipates Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, both in its lighthearted tone and in establishing that the Enterprise can time travel by using what's called the slingshot effect.

"Bread and Circuses" (Season 2 Episode 25)
Written by Gene Roddenberry and  Gene L. Coon (based on a telepaly by John Kneubuhl)
Directed by Ralph Senensky

     One of three episodes, along with "A Piece of the Action" and "Patterns of Force", where the crew of the enterprise encounter a planet whose cultural closely parallels earth history. In this case it's ancient Rome. It's not as comically entertaining as the former or thought provoking or well paced as the latter but it's the only one of the three to fully embrace parallel planetary development theory as opposed to someone purposely basing their culture on that of ancient earth and the implication (at the very end of the episode) that Christian worship is able to transcend space and time as a force for peace and liberation really intrigues me. It also features a really nice moment between Spock and Bones which was edited out of the original broadcast version.

Countdown of My 20 Favorite Episodes

20. "Day of the Dove" (Season 3 Episode 7)

Written by Jerome Bixby 

Directed by Marvin Chomsky

     Tensions run high aboard the Enterprise when the crew comes into conflict with the crew of a Klingon ship. Kirk, Spock, and Bones discover that they are all being manipulated by a mysterious alien entity that feeds off of violent emotions. They and the crew must overcome their violent impulses, and convince the Klingons to do the same, if they are to escape from the entity's control and from an eternity of pointless conflict.

     One of the few great episodes from Star Trek's uneven third season, "Day of the Dove" explores themes of hatred and violence. Watching the cast turn against each other is highly entertaining but there's also a spiritual quality to Jerome Bixby's story. The idea that the entity, or others like it, have been around since the beginning of time causing trouble echo's the Christian idea of the devil, an idea that transcends many different religions and mythologies. When Kirk tell's the entity that "We'll be on guard now" he seems to be speaking for all of humanity. This is also the first episode to really humanize the Klingons and explore their militaristic culture in a meaningful way. This is due in part to the performances of  Micheal Ansara and Susan Howard, who play the captain of the Klingon ship and his wife, respectively.

19. "The Ultimate Computer" (Season 2 Episode 24)

Written by D.C. Fontana and Laurence N. Wolfe
Directed by John Meredyth Lucas

     The Enterprise is selected to be the test vehicle for the new "M-5 Multitronic System" designed by renowned computer scientist Dr. Richard Daystrom (William Marshall), a system which will control all the ship's functions without human assistance. When the M-5 malfunctions, destroying an unmanned freighter without provocation, Kirk orders it taken off line. The M-5 then takes over the ship, generating a force field to keep the crew from shutting it off. Under M-5's control the Enterprise attacks Federation vessels that are taking part in war games as part of the test, causing them to fire on the Enterprise in retaliation. Kirk, Spock, and Scotty must act fast to take control from the M-5 before the ship is destroyed.

     "The Ultimate Computer" is the best of Star Trek's evil AI episodes. The overused plot device of defeating the AI by convincing it to destroy itself works better here because of M-5's connection to Daystrom, who programmed it with his own engrams. This is due, at least partly, to William Marshall's performance. His Richard Daystrom is a man driven by a need to prove himself and reclaim his former glory. Because of this the episode becomes a commentary not just on the dangers of computer automation but also of prideful ambition. Fontana is really good at writing characters whose large ego works toward their detriment. Shatner puts in a solid performance in this episode as well, as Kirk's ego is shaken when he is confronted with the prospect of being replaced by a machine.

18. "A Taste of Armageddon" (Season 1 Episode 23)
Written by Robert Hammer and Gene L. Coon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     The Enterprise escorts Senator Robert Fox (Gene Lyons) to Eminiar VII to establish diplomatic relations with Federation. On arriving they receive a warning, barring them from approaching the planet surface, but Fox orders Kirk to enter orbit anyway. Deciding to investigate the situation Kirk beams down with Spock and a security team only to find that the planet is involved in a "war" with nearby Vendikar. In this war, attacks are simulated with computers and any person designated a casualty must be executed in a disintegration chamber. The planets leader, Anan 7 (David Opatoshu) informs Kirk that the Enterprise was "hit" in one of these attacks and that his crew are all considered casualties and must report for execution. When Kirk refuses to senf his men down, he and the landing party are taken prison. Kirk and the others must escape and warn the Enterprise before Anan 7 can lure them into a trap. Meanwhile, Senator Fox butts heads with Scotty, who distrusts Anan 7 and wants to threaten the planet with military action.

     Joseph Pevney and Gene L. Coon can usually be counted on to make an engaging episode and this one is no exception. "A Taste of Armageddon" is notable mostly for its strong ant-war themes. The idea presented is that war on Eminar VII has become so sterile and routine that the people of the planet no are no longer motivated to seek peace and Kirk's impassioned plea for peace at the end of the episode is just classic Trek. On the other hand the federation's General Order 24 could be read as an allegory for nuclear weapons, in which case this episode could be read as a defense for the use of such weapons to ensure peace. Given this, it's not surprising that this order has since been revoked by Federation law in Trek continuity. This episode is also the first in which Scotty takes command of the Enterprise.  In a scene inspired by James Doohan's military career he disobeys an order from Fox and refuses to lower the shields.

17. "The Doomsday Machine" (Season 2 Episode 6)

Written by Norman Spinrad
Directed by Marc Daniels

     Following a distress call from the USS Constellation, the Enterprise finds her sister ship stranded in space with only one survivor aboard, her captain, Commodore Matt Decker (William Windom). He informs them that his ship was attacked by a giant, planet-killing machine which severely crippled it. After evacuating his crew to a nearby planet Decker then watched helplessly as it was completely obliterated by the machine. The beleaguered Decker is beamed aboard the Enterprise while Kirk, Scotty and some engineers attend to the heavily damaged Constellation. When the planet killer returns, cutting Kirk off from his ship, Decker takes command of the Enterprise, determined to destroy the machine at any cost.

     "The Doomsday Machine" is one of the darkest episodes of the original series and it's also one of the best. Norman Spinrad based his script for the episode on a Moby Dick-esque novella he wrote. William Windom puts in a really good performance as the Ahab-like Commodore Decker, a role reportedly offered to Robert Ryan! His obsession to destroy the planet-killer is what drives the episode and ultimately, makes it work so well. It also serves as an interesting counterpart to "A Taste of Armageddon", an episode which, in some ways, can be seen as justification for the existence of nuclear weapons. This one, on the other hand, can be read as a cautionary tale about the implications of having weapons with such great destructive capacity.

16. "All Our Yesterdays" (Season 3 Episode 23)
Written by Jean Lisette Aroeste
Directed by Marvin Chomsky

     The Enterprise arrives on the planet Sarpeidon in order to evacuate its populace before the planet goes supernova. There Kirk, Spock and Bones meet the planet's last inhabitant Atoz (Ian Wolfe), who shows them the Atavachron, a time portal which the inhabitants of Sarpeidon have used to escape into the planet's past. Before he can explain this, Kirk, hearing a woman scream on the other side of the portal, jumps through it, followed by Spock and Bones. Kirk finds himself stuck in a time resembling 17th century earth. Spock and Bones are stuck in a frozen wasteland with a single inhabitant, a girl named Zarabeth (Mariette Hartley), who Spock finds himself inexplicably drawn toward.

     Marvin Chomsky was really the show's secret weapon in it's third season. Both of the episodes he directed are among the best. "All Our Yesterdays" owes a lot to "The City on the Edge of Forever" . Both episodes feature a time portal that a member of the Enterprise accidentally steps through and both are tragic romances. This time, however, its Spock who falls in love. Eschewing typical Sci-Fi tropes about messing with history this episode instead explores Spock's friendship with Bones and his attraction toward Zarabeth, which he is ultimately forced to choose between. It also showcases the history and culture of both Vulcan and Sarpeidon. Kirk's adventure is less interesting but the parts with Spock and McCoy more than compensate for this.

15. "Arena" (Season 1 Episode 18)
Written by Gene L. Coon and Fredric Brown
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     Kirk, Spock, Bones beam onto the Federation outpost on Cestus III with an away team only to find it destroyed. The Enterprise is then attacked by an unknown enemy. Kirk decides to hunt down and destroy the enemy ship in retaliation for the attack on Cestus III but a powerful alien race called the Metrons intervenes, forcing Kirk to face the captain of the opposing ship one-on-one in a battle to the death on a barren planet, with the fate of the Enterprise in the balance.

     An iconic episode "Arena" features the famous (or perhaps infamous) fight between Kirk and the giant lizard like alien called a Gorn.  Another Pevney/Coon collaboration with an underlying message about rejecting violence, one which takes a little to long to set up. Kirk's arc here, going from a single minded quest for retribution to finding true cultural understanding showcases Rodennberry's vision of a compassionate and "evolved man. It's also great fun watching Kirk battles the Gorn and improvise a weapon in order to defeat him. Watching the crew of the enterprise use their knowledge of science to ultimately win the day is always satisfying.

14. "Patterns of Force" (Season 2 Episode 21)
Written by John Meredyth Lucas
Directed by Vincent McEveety

     Investigating the disappearance of Federation cultural observer John Gill (David Brian), the Enterprise arrives at the planet Ekos. When the ship is attacked by a primitive nuclear missile, Kirk and Spock beam down to investigate. On the planet's surface they discover a culture closely resembling that of Earth's Nazi Germany, complete with a holocaust against the Zeons, a more advanced culture from a neighboring planet. When they further discover that John Gill is the leader, or Führer, of this Nazi state, Kirk determines to confront Gill on his inexplicable violation of the Prime Directive.

     "Patterns of Force" is the best Trek episode dealing with parallel worlds. It's also John Meredyth Lucas' best script. His exploration of the effectiveness of fascism as a system of government is really complex. It's definitely a darker episode, about how easily man can fall into systematic violence when motivated by a strong group mentality. It has some lighter moments as well though, especially when Bones enters the scene. He and Spock's conversation about fascism at the end of the episodes is a particularly good moment. As a student of history I find all of this to be really fascinating. Director Vincent McEveety keeps the episode well paced and suspenseful throughout. If nothing else, this episode can be enjoyed as a solid political thriller.

13. "The Menagerie: Part I and II" (Season 1 Episodes 11 and 12 )
Written by Gene Roddenberry
Directed by Marc Daniels (and Robert Butler)

     Responding to a a message from Spock's former captain, Christopher Pike (Sean Kenney), the Enterprise arrives at Starbase 11. There they find that Pike has suffered from a severe burn accident and is now confined to a wheelchair, able to communicate only by answering yes/no questions with the aid of a red light on his wheelchair. Commodore Mendez, doubting that Pike was even capable of sending the message, orders an investigation. Meanwhile Spock kidnaps Pike and commandeers the Enterprise for unknown purposes. Kirk and Mendez pursue Spock, forcing him to beam them aboard. Finding out that the Enterprise is headed for the forbidden planet of Talos IV Mendez convenes a court martial, trying Spock for mutiny and disobeying Star Fleet orders. During the proceedings Spock presents recordings of Pike's original adventures on Talos IV as evidence. These recordings show that he was held against his will by powerful alien telepaths determined to use him to breed a race of slaves. Kirk increasingly worries about what his first officer is up to.

     "The Menagerie" was the first Star Trek episode to win a Hugo award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It's also the original series only two-part episode. It was made because Gene Roddenberry ran out of scripts half-way through Season One and, by cleverly utilizing footage from the unaired pilot "The Cage" as Spock's evidence for the court martial, this only episode only required a minimal amount of new material. It takes the brilliant (though somewhat problematic) premise of the pilot and explores it in more humanistic terms. What started as an exploration of reality, illusion, and free will becomes more complex, looking at old age and disability as well. Besides this, it also works well as a thriller. Seeing Spock commandeer the Enterprise for unknown purposes, at the bemusement of his shipmates, makes for great television. It's also interesting to see the Enterprise at an earlier date. Captain Pike (played by Jeffrey Hunter in the flashbacks) later became a reoccurring character when J.J. Abrams rebooted the franchise in 2009.

12. "The Corbomite Maneuver" (Season 1 Episode 10)
Written by Jerry Sohl
Directed by Joseph Sargent

     When the Enterprise encounters a mysterious and powerful alien ship, its commander, Balok (Clint Howard), identifying his ship as the flagship of the "First Federation", threatens to destroy the Enterprise for trespassing into First Federation territory. Kirk enters a game of cat and mouse with Balok, trying to bluff his way out of the situation. Meanwhile his new helmsman, Bailey (Anthony Call), struggles to cope with the stressful situation.

     "The Corbomite Maneuver" was the first episode of the series to be produced after NBC bought the pilot "Where No Man Has Gone Before". It is also the first (filmed) appearance of Bones, Uhura, and Janice Rand. It establishes Bones friendly relationship with Kirk really well, though he and Spock's antagonistic rapport had yet to really show itself. Kirk's battle of wits with Balok is really exciting and the episode presents one of the show's central themes, the wonder of discovery and contact with the unknown, really well. There is a somewhat sexist line from Kirk that I don't care for and the uniforms were still being refined but, nevertheless, for people wanting to get into the show, I'd say this is a pretty good entry point.

11. "Dagger of the Mind" (Season 1 Episode 9)
Written by Simon Wincelberg
Directed by Vincent McEveety

     During a supply run to the penal colony on Tantalus IV, an escaped inmate stows away aboard the Enterprise and attacks one of the crew. The inmate, former doctor Simon Van Gelder (Morgan Woodward) demands asylum aboard the Enterprise only to be subdued by a Vulcan nerve pinch from Spock. On McCoy's insistence, Kirk beams down with psychiatrist Lt. Helen Noel (Marianna Hill) to investigate. There they find the inmates oddly complacent. Dr. Tristan Adams (James Gregory), who runs the facility, shows Kirk an experimental device which, he claims, Dr. Van Gelder mentally injured himself with. Meanwhile, aboard the Enterprise, Van Gelder becomes increasingly frantic, warning Spock and Bones that Kirk and Noel are in danger.

     The first episode of the original series I ever watched "Dagger of the Mind" features strong direction from Vincent McEveety, who keeps the episode really suspenseful. Though it features some nice, lighter moments between Kirk and Noel who, it's revealed, have a history, this episode has some really dark undertones. It's an almost Orwellian exploration of  criminal "rehabilitation" at the cost of identity loss. It also introduces the Vulcan mind-meld, a plot device which would become a staple of the franchise. Morgan Woodward said that the role of Simon Van Gelder was the most exhausting of his career and took a toll on his personal life while also opening up new acting opportunities for him.

10. "The Tholian Web" (Season 3 Episode 9)
Written by Judy Burns and Chet Richards
Directed by Herb Wallerstein

     The Enterprise encounters her sister ship, the USS Defiant, after a long search only to find that its crew have killed each other. After discovering that the Defiant is dissolving in an inter-dimensional drift, Kirk is caught on board and fades away with the ship. With the arrival of an unfriendly Tholian ship and the spread of a kind of space madness caused by proximity to the rift, Spock must decide whether to flee or stay and try to retrieve the captain in hopes that he survived the inter-phase.

     "The Tholian Web" is the best episode of Trek's spotty third season. In it we see how much of a middle man Kirk is to Spock and McCoy as their relationship is really put through the ringer in his absence. Watching the whole crew react to Kirk's supposed death one of my favorite scenes in the series. The episode also delves into inter-dimensional theory a concept  that would be explored further in the Enterprise episode "A Mirror Darkly" which was a sequel of sorts to this one. With all the craziness going on, this episode bears a strong resemblance to season one's "The Naked Time" and, like that episode, is well paced and suspenseful. Judy Burns had never written a screenplay before this episode but she could have fooled me.

9. "The Trouble With Tribbles" (Season 2 Episode 15)
Written by David Gerold
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     The Enterprise arrives at Deep Space Station K7 in response to a distress call. Arriving there, Kirk meets Under-Secretary Nilz Baris who sent the distress call so the Enterprise could guard a consignment of grain bound for Sherman's Planet. Annoyed at being summoned for such a menial task Kirk reluctantly agrees, using this as an opportunity for the crew to get some much deserved rest and recreation. A trader named Cyrano Jones (Stanley Adams) gives Lt. Uhura a tribble, a small fuzzy creature which reproduces at a remarkable rate. Soon the Enterprise and the space station are overrun with the creatures. The arrival of Captain Koloth and his Klingon battle-cruiser further complicates matters, as Baris fears for the safety of his grain.

     "The Trouble With Tribbles" is one of the most beloved episodes of the Original Series. Scotty gets more character development in this episode than usual as we learn how much pride he takes in being the engineer of the Enterprise when some Klingons decide to insult it. There are themes in the episode dealing with overpopulation and food distribution but the real reason this episode is famous is the comedy. Watching Kirk's exasperation as he tries to deal with Baris, the Klingons and, of course, the Tribbles, is highly entertaining. The climax, or low point of this struggle, where Kirk is literally buried in Tribbles, took eight takes to get right. Perhaps the appeal of this episode is best summed up in the words of William Shatner, "The trouble we had with 'Tribbles' was [to] keep your straight face. It was just a lot of fun."  

8. "Space Seed" (Season 1 Episode 22)
Written by Gene L. Coon and Carey Wilbur
Directed by Marc Daniels

    The Enterprise encounters the derelict SS Botany Bay, a relic of late 20th century earth, floating in space, her crew kept alive in suspended animation. Kirk, Bones and Scotty beam aboard the freighter along with historian Lt. Marla McGivers (Madlyn Rhue) and revive a man that McGivers identifies as the leader. Bringing him on-board the Enterprise they discover that his name is Khan (Ricardo Montalban). Spock discovers that he is actually Khan Nonien Singh, a warlord and genetically engineered superhuman form the eugenics wars of the 1990's. When Khan seduces McGivers, who has become infatuated with him, into helping him take over the ship, Kirk and his crew must prevent Khan from using the Enterprise to begin his new rule over mankind.

     This episode is famous for introducing Khan but he is not yet the revenge driven mad man of Star Trek II here. The script, originally written as a concept for a different Sci-Fi series by Carey Wilbur is really intelligent and well written. Khan is portrayed as a sophisticated autocrat, one who believes that he ought to ruler over others because his innate superiority makes him more capable. He makes an interesting foil for the more moral and empathetic Kirk, Spock and Bones. Given its somewhat sexist implications, Khan's relationship with McGivers is one of the weaker aspects of the episode, but it's also one of the most fascinating. Having studied history her whole life McGivers is fascinated by this savage, assertive man from the past. She's also sick of serving on the Enterprise, where she rarely gets a chance to do anything important. Joining Khan gives her the opportunity to take part in and help shape history instead of just studying it. It's just to bad that she seems so indecisive most of the time. Despite this, "Space Seed" remains a really smart and entertaining episode.

7.  "The Devil in the Dark" (Season 1 Episode 25)
Written by Gene L. Coon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     When workers at the mining colony of Janus VI are killed by a mysterious creature, the Enterprise is sent in to investigate and eradicate the creature. On arriving, the Chief Engineer of the colony, Vanderberg (Ken Lynch), explains the situation. Then the creature attacks the colony's nuclear reactor room, killing the guard and stealing the circulation pump. Kirk and the crew must kill the creature and retrieve the pump within 48 hours, or the reactor will go critical. Spock however, has misgivings, suspecting that the creature may be the last of its kind. On finding the creature he and Kirk discover that it is intelligent, and that it's intentions have been misunderstood.

     If "The Trouble With Tribbles" is about population control "The Devil in the Dark" is its pro-life counterpart. It's also Coon's best script. Kirk and Spock, in protecting the Horta, demand respect for intelligent life in all it's forms and at all it's stages. What's surprising is the way the miners react when they learn that they've been destroying the Horta's eggs, not with blind anger but compassion and understanding. This episode presents Roddenberry's vision at its most optimistic. The banter between Kirk and Spock which closes the episode is one of the best exchanges between the two characters ever. William Shatner, who's father died during the filming of this episode, has said that it's his favorite, partly because of the positive experience he had when the cast and crew helped him to cope with his loss.

6. "Mirror, Mirror" (Season 2 Episode 4)
Written by Jerome Bixby
Directed by Marc Daniels

     During a mission to the peaceful planet Halkan a transporter malfunction causes Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Scotty to become trapped in a mirror universe. Here the Federation has been replaced with the brutal Terran Empire which the counterparts of Kirk and his crew in this universe serve. Attempting to impersonate their doppelgangers, who have been trapped in the universe which our heroes left, Kirk and company must find a way to return to their own universe. Matters are further complicated when the Terran Empire orders Kirk to destroy Halkan unless they meet their demands.

     Most famous for featuring an evil doppelganger of Spock who sports a beard, "Mirror, Mirror" presents a really interesting parallel universe. Jerome Bixby, who based the story for this episode on a short story he wrote, really digs into the workings of this world and its characters. Seeing how Kirk, Spock, and all the characters turn out in this universe is really interesting. Bone's insistence to save the mirror version of Spock when he is hurt shows how much he really cares for the Vulcan. Kirk's treatment of Lt. Marlena Moreau (Barbara Luna), his "kept woman" in this universe, reveals both the similarities and differences between him and his counterpart. Scotty's easygoing treatment of the whole affair reveals the character's quiet confidence that makes him so good at his job. I especially like how Uhura is able to blend into this world, in many ways, better than Kirk does, suggesting that her and her doppelganger are not that different. Finally, Spock's logical behavior throughout and his decision to let Kirk and company return at the end suggest that he too is not that different than the Spock we all know and love and that he may indeed take Kirk's advice and try to put an end to the Terran empire's reign of terror.

5. "Journey to Babel" (Season 2 Episode 10)
Written by D.C. Fontana
Directed by Marc Daniels

     The Enterprise is tasked with transporting Federation ambassadors, including Spock's father Sarek (Mark Lenard), to the Babel Conference to discuss the admission of the Coridan System to the Federation. Trouble arises when a Tellarite ambassador is murdered and Sarek is the main suspect. Later, he suffers a cardiovascular malfunction and Kirk is attacked and stabbed by an Andorian assassin. With the arrival and attack of an unidentified ship Spock is faced with a choice: give Sarek a lifesaving blood transfusion or take command of the enterprise in accordance with regulations.
 
     "Journey to Babel" along with "Amok Time" helps to flesh out Vulcan culture and Spock's background. It also helps to cement his friendship with Kirk and Bones. Mark Lenard's Sarek makes a really interesting contrast to Spock. Though this is his only appearance on the original series he would return to the franchise many times in the movies and the Next Generation TV show. His strained relationship with Spock is really the heart of this episode and is something that would not be resolved until the two part Next Generation episode "Unification". His mother Amanda (Jane Wyatt) acts as a balance between the two men. Her relationship with Sarek is also fascinating and always leaves me wishing for more. The way Kirk and Bones go out of their way to help Spock helps to further establish the depth of their friendship.

4. "Balance of Terror" (Season 1 Episode 14)
Written by Vincent McEveety
Directed by Paul Schneider

     While inspecting a line of Federation outposts, the Enterprise finds that many of them have been destroyed by an unknown enemy. A wedding aboard the ship, officiated by Captain Kirk, is interrupted when Outpost 4, near the Romulan neutral zone, is attacked. The Enterprise travels there to investigate and aid the the men at the outpost. After arriving they witness the outpost being destroyed by a cloaked Romulan Bird of Prey. Kirk decides to follow the Bird of Prey to the edge of the neutral zone before they can return to Romulus and report about the Federation's weaknesses. A games of cat and mouse ensues between the two ships and their commanders.

     Another episode featuring Mark Lenard but this time as a Romulan Captain (so much for continuity), "Balance of Terror" is a taught thriller in the tradition of old submarine movies. Indeed, writer Paul Schneider drew much inspiration from the WWII film, The Enemy Below but his script goes a step further and explores themes of racial distrust in time of war. In addition to introducing the Romulans this episode hints at their shared ancestry with Vulcans. This would become an important part of Trek mythology later on, as Spock would seek to reunify the two cultures, a goal he would pursue all the way up to his last prime universe appearance in Star Trek (2009). Vincent McEveety, who always excels at delivering suspense driven episodes, is at the top of his game here. Watching Kirk go toe to toe with the Romulan commander is probably the most intense climax in any episode of the original series. As a side note the woman getting married at the beginning of the episode, Angela Martine (Barbara Baldavin), is shown genuflecting, which was a bold move for the producers as prejudice against Catholics was common in the United States in the 1960's.  

3. "The City on the Edge of Forever" (Season 1 Episode 28)
Written by Harlan Ellison
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     While treating Lt. Sulu, Dr. McCoy accidentally injects himself with an overdose of cordrazine. Delusional, he flees from the bridge and beams down to a nearby planet where Kirk and a landing party pursue him. There they come across a large stone ring and a voice, calling himself the Guardian of Forever, explains that this is a time portal to any place and time. When McCoy appears and jumps through the portal and the landing party loses contact with the ship the Guardian explains that McCoy has changed history, causing both the ship and the Federation to be erased from history. Kirk and Spock decide to follow Bones through the portal and repair whatever damage he's done to the timeline and the Guardian agrees to return them to the present time once this is done. They come through and find themselves in Depression era New York City. They must use whatever crude tools they can find there to determine when McCoy will pass through the portal so they can stop him.

     Probably the most famous and acclaimed episode of the original series "The City on the Edge of Forever" was plagued with production problems. The script, written by renowned Science Fiction scribe Harlan Ellison, took over ten months to complete as Gene Roddenberry kept requesting rewrites. Before it was done the script had to be doctored by up to four other writers including D.C. Fontana, Gene L. Coon, Steven W. Carabatsos, and Roddenbery himself. Ellison was displeased by the final draft and he and Roddenberry had a long lasting feud as a result. The troubles weren't over even after the episode began filming however as it went $50,000 over budget. Despite all these problems the episode turned out amazingly well and went on to win a Hugo award for Best Dramatic Presentation. It certainly deserved it. This episode is a great exploration of causality and the limits of optimism. It features, perhaps, William Shatner's best performance of the series, as we watch Kirk fall in love with Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) only to be forced to let her go. It also has some great exchanges between Kirk, Spock and Edith Keeler. Joseph Pevney's direction was never stronger. It's simply a must-see episode.

2. "The Naked Time" (Season 1 Episode 4)
Written by John D.F. Black
Directed by Marc Daniels

     While documenting the breakup of planet Psi 2000 the crew of the Enterprise investigate the status of a research team on the planet's surface that has not been heard from in months. A landing party finds the team frozen to death, apparently after suffering from some form of madness. Without realizing it, one member of the party becomes infected with a strange red liquid. Soon more of the crew become infected and begin behaving irrationally with Ensign Riley (Bruce Hyde) getting drunk and taking over the ship via the engine room and Lt. Sulu running around the ship, shirtless, with a sword. Dr. McCoy determines that the water from the planet acts on the bloodstream like alcohol, impairing judgement and self-control. While he works on a cure Kirk and Spock, who are infected themselves, must work to regain control of the ship along with Scotty so they can leave the system before the ship's orbit decays.

     "The Naked Time" is a really entertaining episode. The script, by John D.F. Black, helps to shed more light on the characters early in the series run. We learn that Sulu fancies himself a swashbuckler and we see how brilliant of an engineer Mr. Scott is. More importantly, we learn how much the Enterprise means to Kirk, as his fear of losing command surfaces when he is infected. We also see how vulnerable Spock is and how much he struggles to contain his emotions. We learn that he and Nurse Chapel have feelings for each other when both of them become infected. This is reiterated later in the show. The scene where Spock breaks down crying, which is some of the best acting Nimoy ever did, was improvised. The episode is also a superb thriller, as events keep escalating until the (nearly) explosive conclusion where the Enterprise enters time warp for the first time. It's a favorite of George Takei, who taught himself fencing during his free time and apparently terrorized the film crew by poking them with his sword whenever they walked by.

1. "Amok Time" (Season 2 Episode 1)
Written by Theodore Sturgeon
Directed by Joseph Pevney

     Mr. Spock, who has been displaying erratic behavior of late, requests leave to travel to his home planet of Vulcan. When Star Fleet orders the Enterprise to Altair VI to represent the Federation at the inauguration ceremony for the planet's new president and refuses Spock's request, Kirk, seeing that Spock is in deadly earnest, insists on knowing why he must go to Vulcan. Spock reluctantly explains that he is going through pon farr, a condition experienced by young Vulcans, and that he must mate or he will die. Kirk disobeys Star Fleet orders and takes Spock to Vulcan. Once there he invites Kirk and Bones to attend the mating ceremony. On the planet they meet Spock's intended mate T'Pring (Arlene Martel) who requests the koon-ut-kal-if-fee, her right to a physical challenge between Spock and her selected champion. When she selects Kirk as her champion he decides, despite Spock's protests, to accept, only to learn that the fight is to the death!

     I had a hard time choosing between my top three episodes. Ultimately I picked "Amok Time" because it has the best interaction between Kirk, Spock, and Bones. Theodore Sturgeon really gets at the heart of their relationship and Kelley, Shatner, and especially Nimoy all put in great performances. The scene in the elevator were Spock asks Kirk and McCoy to attend the ceremony is, in particular, a really great, understated character moment as is the scene where Spock finds out that Kirk is alive and smiles, the only time in the series that Spock would show emotion without being influenced by some outside force.

     We learn a lot about Spock in this episode, both his culture and his character. We see the planet of Vulcan and meet other Vulcans for the first time. The Vulcan hand salute and the phrase "Live long and prosper" both appear here for the first time as well. Finally, we find out how private and prideful Spock and his culture are, as he avoids telling Kirk about pon farr almost at the cost of his life. There's also another hint at his romantic feelings for Nurse Chapel. Joseph Pevney's direction is quite strong and he gives the scenes on Vulcan a really exotic, otherworldly feel. In the end I love "Amok Time" because it does what Star Trek does best, telling a story about a new and strange world but a story that is surprisingly human and relatable at its core.