I just got out of the movie.

The last time I saw an advance screening of a film was in advance of the summer '02 blockbuster - Spiderman. That was definitely a cool movie, and I remember the cheer during the "messing with New York" scene.

The viewing crowd was clapping and cheering at least five times during this movie - loudly. I don't know how they did it - sheer length perhaps (I believe we got out at 10 PM, and they started at 7:30 - after maybe ten minutes of speeches, a very flat one by some Paramount exec, and then J.J. Abrams who gave a somewhat less flat one), but it didn't feel long at all - but this movie seems to be packed past the gills with action. Maybe twice as much action, and they managed to add in the contemplative moments as well.

Without spoiling everything (yet - I'll try to give as close to a scene-by-scene synopsis as I can), here's how I felt.

They start the thing off with backstory sequences - Kirk's dad is killed by a strange ship sporting unknown and advanced weapons; Kirk and Spock as kids; Captain Pike convinces a young, underachieving Kirk into Starfleet after a bar brawl that I thought would end with a knife in Kirk's heart (wrong Trek captain). "It's yours," Kirk says as he flips the keys to his motorbike to a Starfleet shuttle attendant in Iowa. Scenes in Starfleet - more character building, Kirk with Uhura's green-skinned Orion dormmate. The Kobayashi Maru scenario, ending with an expulsion hearing that gets interrupted by a distress call from Vulcan and the immediate mobilization of the whole class of cadets.

There were points, up to this part, that struck me as pretty cheesy. Indeed, they continue throughout the movie, but with the action in this thing they later become punchlines and gasps of air between sequences in what is the most relentless film I've seen in a long while.

This is certainly a Trek movie for a new generation, and so for that reason it wouldn't feel right calling it the best Trek (anything) yet. I remember watching the "Why does God need a starship" scene as a kid fondly, however; the overall effect of the film is to challenge even the Trek expert into noticing the nods to what is actually an alternate history of Trek in a highly enjoyable way - while presenting a film with a hell of a kick. Lots of kicks, sustained.

Good grief. After-party next and then I suppose I'll go have a heart attack. I'll have to see if any of my pictures came out (no surrepetitious filming of the movie screen here, sorry!)

(Edit 6/16/09: added tags)

Star Trek premiere in Los Angeles: Buildup

The Star Trek movie premiere will be at 7:00 PST. I'll be here. I've been taking photos as often as possible. Here's a little sampling of the photos I've come up with so far.

First, the mandatory "look, the Hollywood(land) sign" image, made ugly through the power of a Olympus subcompact camera. This is taken from the approach to Griffith Observatory in the hills of Griffith Park, east and slightly north of the center of Hollywood. The Star Trek Voyager (oh boy) episode "Future's End" was filmed here (that's the one from the 90s, and so that's all I can tell you). I left the hills in the front to give some impression of the semi-desert area you see in "Shore Leave" and some of the other original Trek episodes; turns out that wasn't filmed here.

Inside the Observatory is the "Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater," which is showing something or other. Watched something else in the main planetarium instead - their system is definitely state of the art with full-color graphics over the dome, a star sphere, and individually tracked points (like planets) all at the same time. The show had water in the title, but the tickets
they printed off read "Centered in the Universe," which was showing later.

Here's an ABC News van careening into the blocked-off area in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater. See the "ELT" in the distance on the left, near the very top of the frame? That's the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. My room's window looks out from the other side - same street, but not towards the theater.

I heard the security people out there right now are misdirecting people into a coffee shop for the roll call tickets. Roll call for tickets starts at 5:45, but I'll be down there at 5:30 just to avoid a gigantic crush for tickets.

The last three pics are from the corner Roosevelt is sitting on - directly under the Roosevelt in the ABC Truck picture, looking towards the viewer. Workers setting up some walls - possibly some music event that seems unrelated to the actual premiere.

Check this space after the premiere (and I guess the following party - ?) for my impressions of the movie, if I can stay awake long enough to post 'em.