Rome Is Gonna Blow!

Angels & Demons:
3 out of 4

In my review of 2006's "The Da Vinci Code," I remarked that it was painfully lukewarm, a novel-to-screen adaptation that fell flat on its face. It lacked any spark, excitement, or anything relating to that of emotion. Thank goodness, then, that director Ron Howard learned his lesson in time for his adaptation of "Angels & Demons," the novel that Dan Brown actually wrote before "The Da Vinci Code." As a movie, it's marketed to be a sequel to the 2006 dud, and rightfully so because it's relievedly better than its predecessor. Howard ditches the leadenness and pumps this sequel with hectic energy, letting the 140-minute running time zip by surprisingly fast. And as added bonuses, Tom Hanks ditched his awful hairstyle of previously, and there's no more Audrey Tautou being awkward and out of her element.

Harvard professor and symbolist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is back and gets recruited by a representative of the Catholic Church to help a crisis occurring at the Vatican. No hard feelings about basically debauching their entire belief system in Langdon's last outing. The Pope has died, and the College of Cardinals has been gathered in order to choose the Pope's successor. The problem is that the preferati, the favorites to be elected, have all been kidnapped, and behind it all is a very old, secret society, the Illuminati, that is seeking revenge on the Catholic Church from the days when it used to persecute thinkers of science. Earlier, a gorgeous and capable scientist named Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) was working with something called anti-matter, a substance that does very special stuff and has something to do with the moment of creation, or something really epic like that. Anyway, it got stolen from the lab and is now being used alongside the Illuminati threats. Each kidnapped preferati will each be executed individually at 8, 9, 10, and 11 p.m. And then at midnight, the capsule containing the anti-matter will run out of battery and blow all of the Vatican to smithereens.

Got all that? Great. OK, so, what does all of this have to do with Robert Langdon? Well, he has knowledge of Illuminati symbols that leads him and his team on a wild goose chase through Rome looking for certain clues, statues, symbols, anything, that could lead to the next location. Langdon has uncanny luck as he's never wrong, never misses a step, and spews out his knowledge so fast that we as an audience barely have time to catch it. We just have to take his word for it that he's right. Turns out he is 100% of the time. Perfect. Potential sexual tension between Langdon and Vittoria? No time for it. All she can do is nod, agree, follow him around, and translate some Latin. Howard has taken the laborious movements of "The Da Vinci Code" and kicked it into breakneck speed, which is what makes this sequel work.

Langford gets assistance from the faithful Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor), the short-fused Swiss Guard commander (Stellan Skarsgård), and the head Cardinal Strauss (Armin Mueller-Stahl), all of whom hold expressions that shift to make it unclear at times whether they're good, bad, or who the hell knows, maybe both. All of these supporting characters are meant to lead the audience astray as to knowing which side is the most morally sound one to choose.

The twists are bountiful, especially at the movie's climax, to get the full feeling of being an over-exploded, self-serious blockbuster, which it entirely is. It's totally preposterous, too, but it might as well be. Ron Howard knows this, and he keeps it cruising right along with an effectively pounding score from Hans Zimmer. The production values are through the roof, and there are some splendid sequences including a nerve-racking escape out of the Vatican archives from a sealed-off library after the oxygen supply has been cut off. Oh, and there's something to be said about the commingling of science and religion. "Angels & Demons" glosses over that, however, and doesn't make any bold statements on the matter because, really, why bother?

He Found His Loophole

Last night's season finale of "Lost" proves without a shadow of a doubt that it is the very best television has to offer right now. Anybody who disagrees just hasn't been following it close enough. Yes, it's a confusing show, but if you're keeping up with it, the rewards it provides in entertainment are well worth the effort.

The show's fifth season came to an almost shockingly too perfect close last night as the bomb indeed went off, flashing a white light across the screen that faded into the show's title card, this time switching it's usual white letters against a black background to the opposite. It's a signal that a drastic shift has occurred, and something big is about to come.

The final season arrives in January 2010, and many questions still remain to be answered. Will the bomb going off really reverse everything and make them never land on the island in the first place? Somehow, I don't think it will turn out to be as simple as that because if this show has proven anything about it's storytelling, it's that nothing is ever that simple.

This season had the tagline, "Destiny Calls," and the final season fittingly has the tagline, as shown in the very brief promo, "Destiny Found."

What an amazing show.

A Beloved Enterprise Is Reborn

Star Trek:
4 out of 4

I may not be a follower of "Star Trek," but that didn't make any less excited about director J.J. Abrams' ("Lost," "Mission: Impossible III") reinvention of the adored intergalactic franchise. I don't know about "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," but it'd be safe to say that this movie has officially kicked off the summer movie season right into warp speed. The original space opera of the 1960s TV show gets the reinvigoration it desperately needed after a countless number of series spin-offs (a total of six) and movies (a total of ten) that created a drawn-out, downward spiral in popularity and praise. So now, here comes Abrams to kick everything off to a fresh start all over again. This "Star Trek" isn't simply for the diehard Trekkies to get their fix; on its own accord, this is pure moviegoing bliss as we're transported to an alternate universe that is irresistibly fun. It's a sci-fi fantasy that fantastically mixes the nostalgic with the fresh, opening up the possibility to take this once fatigued franchise, now newly reinvented, in bold directions.

We're presented Capt. James Tiberius Kirk (Chris Pine) as a rebellious young boy who grows to being a bar-brawling punk to a Starfleet Academy cadet, and then ultimately to becoming captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise. He has a rough attractiveness and a carefree bad boy demeanor that at first gets him into trouble but rewards him in the end. His surefire cockiness shines through when he beats a simulation created by the seemingly level-headed, half-human/half-Vulcan Spock (Zachary Quinto). These two butt heads immediately as Spock is purely driven by logic suppressing all emotion while Kirk is hotheaded and just the opposite. Consider the sexy communications officer, Uhura (Zoë Saldana), who turns away from Kirk's flirtatious advances and falls in love with Spock. The kisses they share together show Spock as a conflicted soul who not only has to hide his sensuality but every other emotion, as well. Quinto gets beneath Spock's calm exterior showing the turmoil brewing inside. His delivery of the infamous phrase, "Live long and prosper," hints at a deeper meaning.

From its lyrical beginning sequence before the title even graces the screen to its explosive conclusion, the movie is exhilarating. A great supporting cast anchors all of the necessary dramatic entrances of familiar characters on board the Enterprise, and even if you're like me, a first introduction to this cleverly cast team is equally as exciting as being reintroduced. Bruce Greenwood plays Captain Pike, Karl Urban plays the head medical officer, Bones, Anton Yelchin lets his Russian side out to play the know-it-all Chekov, and John Cho (as known from "Harold and Kumar") plays helmsman Sulu alongside Chekov. It's comical to watch as Sulu's first attempt to kick the spacecraft into warp speed fails miserably. The scene-stealer, though, is Simon Pegg who is expertly cast as the genius engineer, Scotty, and he provides ample ammunition for the movie's cheeky humor. And the catch phrases such as, "Beam me up, Scotty!" and "I'm giving it all she's got!" are accounted for, too, which act as little treats for those faithful fans.

Eric Bana does an admirable job playing the sinister Nero, who is a revengeful Romulan seeking retribution for the destruction of his homeland planet. He kidnaps Captain Pike, and the film's plot goes on to revolve around this dangerous rescue mission that is reminiscent of the sad fate faced by Kirk's father. There is also a time traveling, alternate reality twist to the plot, which not only creates a storyline that is more dense, elaborate, and thought-provoking than one may first expect, but it also provides an ideal outlet to bring in the man who originally played Spock, Leonard Nimoy.

J.J. Abrams goes for pure spectacle with his "Star Trek," and it works. The special effects are swirling and majestic alongside some shockingly gorgeous cinematography. Just watch what Abrams does to three free-falling bodies in space or how he orchestrates Kirk's frightening encounter with a giant beast that resembles the monster from "Cloverfield." Abrams tends to indulge himself throughout, which is not unlike him to do anyway, but it never detracts from the overall experience. There's even a nod to "Lost" if you notice the font of the subtitles announcing new locations. He also brings in composer Michael Giacchino who provides an excellent musical score and rightfully holds off on the original theme until the end credits, which acts as a fitting triumphant finish. Abrams, along with his writers, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, have created a prequel without all of the baggage of a prequel. Things slow down when necessary but keep moving with fantastic action sequences that flash across the screen like a series of perfectly choreographed somersaults. This is a summer popcorn flick done absolutely right.

Bring On The Summer Blockbusters

So, I'm fully aware that this year's summer movie season has officially begun yesterday with the release of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." As much as I would have liked to partake in seeing this, I will not fully commence the summer movie viewing until next Friday with the release of "Star Trek." The reason? Well, it's a little thing we like to call finals.