Showbits

Earlier this month, a full-length trailer was released for Cloverfield. Before then, the film's title was only a rumor, with the project being better known by its release date — 01-18-08 — or as "J.J. Abrams' new monster movie." Even with this trailer, little is known:

What is known: Cloverfield is an American-made film about a giant monster attack on New York City, from the director of Lost, Alias, and Star Trek XI. I've not actually seen these samples of Abrams' work, but they've earned enough publicity to make his latest venture worth a look.

For all the secrecy around the film, the most intriguing element is the antagonist itself. In the last decade, Hollywood has seen the reimagining of the archetypal behemoths, Godzilla and King Kong. How will Abrams' threat to the Big Apple set itself apart from its ill-received predecessors? The Internet is abuzz with speculation: could it be a Lovecraftian, Cthulu-type abomination? A giant mechanoid? The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? As depicted in the trailer, the destruction of the Statue of Liberty suggests the seriousness of the assault, but pure mayhem on a major metropolis has been done often enough, including in Independence Day. To engage and retain the audience, Abrams has to produce something original — assuming the monster is even a central figure, in much the way the Autobots were not the stars of The Transformers.

Regardless of the content, it's vital Cloverfield be presented in an easily-consumable format. The entire film appears to be shot in the amateur style of The Blair Witch Project, which I hope is not the case. As I've learned with that film and the likes of the last two Bourne films, I haven't the constitution for the irregular motion and unfocused shots. Films should be emotionally, not physically, demanding. Give me a clear and shocking view of a creepy colossus, and I'm sold.

Paramount has officially announced Star Trek XI, scheduled for a Christmas Day 2008 release.

Though J. J. Abrams is confirmed to direct, only rumors exist as to the film's plot and cast; therefore, I posit that that it will be a cinematic adaptation of the following poem.

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Courtesy StarTrek.com comes this article from Entertainment Weekly that the first draft of the next Star Trek film is done. Slow but steady progress, to be sure…

The credits most often associated with J. J. Abrams, the producer and possible director of this film, are Mission: Impossible III and Lost. I'm familiar with neither, though I'm told the former was the best film in the series. Does his style of directing seem to lend itself well to the final frontier? Is it about time we finally got an "outside" director (i.e., someone who isn't a Trek alumnus, like Jonathan Frakes)? Could Abrams finally be The One to bring non-Trekkies to the franchise?

In other Trek movie news, IGN has an interview with William Shatner, in which he states his interest in being in the film; and the appearance of other Trek alumni in the fan film Of Gods and Men has been postponed until April.

Via TrekToday comes this neat, two-page interview with Brent Spiner. He talks about the fortieth anniversary of Star Trek (which every surviving Trek alum is doing this year), Threshold, Enterprise, J. J. Abrams, and more.

I've always enjoyed the "trying to be human" characters of Star Trek, even if it has become cliché by now. And though TOS was my least favorite of the five series, it seems to make the best novels; I'll devour anything about Spock, for example. I would love the opportunity to engage some comparable narratives about our favorite android. Can anyone recommend any similarly spectacular Datacentric stories?

Courtesy Trek Nation, Matt Damon says he would consider playing Kirk in Star Trek XI, if he liked the script… and was offered the part.

Like the article says, no one but Shatner has ever played Kirk. Can any Trekker separate the two? Could we accept anyone else? If the eleventh film is to be a potential basis for a new television series, then I think it needs to not be a prequel. Sandwiched between Enterprise and TOS, it'd be too constrained. Give us something entirely new — something we haven't seen before. Surprise us. Be refreshing!

Speaking of which, why has Star Trek always stuck to one genre? Let's have a bunch of Friends hanging out in Ten-Forward — or some sort of Section 31/CSI. Klingon Eye for the Starfleet Guy, hosted by Worf, perhaps?

What are your thoughts on the direction(s) Star Trek should take?