Weekend Movies: Not a ‘Trek’ Fan? Ha!

Captain’s log Five dot One-Seven dot One-Three. Get off your asses and head to the closest large-format screen immediately!

Leading up to the blockbuster season, ‘Iron Man 3’ was probably my most anticipated movie, but if you read my spoilery anti-‘Iron Man’ post from a couple weeks ago, then you know that I wasn’t satisfied by it in the slightest. Luckily, J.J. Abrams’ second venture with the crew of the Starship Enterprise is here to console me.

If you didn’t guess from the title alone, ‘Star Trek into Darkness‘ takes the saga in a darker direction. When a member of Starfleet executes the first of several large-scale terrorist attacks against his superiors and unsuspecting civilians, Kirk and his crew begin a trek fueled by vengeance, pride, survival and justice. The ante is raised in this chapter, the pacing faster, the action amplified and the stakes greater. ‘Star Trek’ may never return to its classic state, but the action/sci-fi hybrid that Abrams has built sure is entertaining.

Since ‘Into Darkness’ is the only new wide release this week, it’s showing in 2D and 3D on 3,868 screens, including IMAX screens that include footage filmed in the IMAX format.

Meanwhile, plenty of limited releases also open this weekend, but only a few worth noting. While many indie filmgoers enjoy Wes Anderson’s crony Noah Baumbach, I’m not a fan. He and Greta Gerwig (his girlfriend and star of ‘Greenberg’) have reteamed with ‘Frances Ha‘, which they co-wrote. Baumbach’s extra dry humor has been applied to this drama about a New York City gal in pursuit of seemingly unreachable dreams.

Actress Sarah Polley returns to the director’s chair, this time for the documentary ‘Stories We Tell‘. Made up of old Super 8 footage and new interviews with her own family, the film digs deep into her family’s past to determine what has brought them to their current places in life.

It’s not unusual for Olga Kurylenko to appear in films that you’ve never heard of, but Aaron Eckhart has joined her for one titled ‘Erased‘. A former CIA agent and his daughter are hunted by his CIA friends in an attempt to cover up a conspiracy. If plot sounds at all interesting, be warned that the movie has been sitting in a can for nearly a year, which is never a good sign. If you’re interested but it’s not playing near you, the film will be on Blu-ray by July.

Katie Aselton and hubby Mark Duplass have teamed up for horror dark comedy ‘Black Rock‘. The two co-wrote the screenplay, while Aselton directs and stars. The movie also features Lake Bell and Kate Bosworth. In this thriller, three girls reunite for a weekend getaway on an abandoned island. Of course, they quickly learn that they’re not alone. Tongue-in-cheek tension ensues.

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