This post is a good week behind, but I got caught up starting at my new job this past week, so please forgive me…
I heard about the movie Fanboys the way I have lately learned about new movies – perusing new movie trailers on Hulu. A film about geeky guys circa 1998 who are huge Star Wars geeks and intend to break into Skywalker Ranch to view Phantom Menace before their friend dies of cancer? Sign me up! It appears it had a short theater run, as it only came out a few months ago and came out on DVD this week. As I am transferring to another Chain Name Entertainment Store location, I bought it as a farewell present to myself.
Initial thoughts? Not bad. The casting is pretty great. LOADS of cameos of stars from various cult classics (including Star Wars cast members), and Jay Baruchel – a man I have adored peripherally for years. This is the kind of film you might think Judd Apatow had a hand in when you consider not only the casting but the humor. Actually, the humor was a bit of a drawback. Way too heavy on the potty, not enough smart. Sure, they’re geeky guys, but you can lay off it just a little and get a better laugh (in my opinion).
Of course there were multiple mentions of Trekkies and the Eternal Struggle between the two fandoms. Pretty funny, even more so since I have seen the new Star Trek film twice this week. It got me thinking of Harry Potter fans and do they have an arch nemesis fandom? No, not really. Potter fans are very inclusive. I briefly entertained the idea of Potter vs. Twilight, but Twilight gets it’s behind whupped so easily there’s no competition. Plus, way too much crossover. People do get VERY heated over their respective fandoms. I know I do. And Shatner making an appearance was a stroke of genius. (Not a spoiler since it’s in the trailer.)
Now, the new Star Trek… I’ve heard that J.J. Abrams made the latest installment with non-Trekkies in mind. He did an excellent job. I thought the casting was great, though my mother and aunts who grew up on the original series feel Spock didn’t quite have the edge that Leonard Nimoy gave him – but boy is that man hot. As is New Kirk Chris Pine, who did an admirable job being Harrison Ford-like. I do have to say that the plot line was pretty run-of-the-mill. Many shades of other sci-fi franchises and not all that incredible original. However, I still found it enthralling and hope that in future the films will build off the foundation this one served as and be even more made of awsome.
Star Trek may have won the battle this time, but Star Wars still wins the war.
UGHH the first time I saw some website be like “Twilight vs. Potter” I was like ARE YOU KIDDING?? No contest, nice try though. That’s like comparing Sesame Street to a bag of rocks.