THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS
MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2013
FILM
PAGE 7A
Why director J.J. Abrams reached for the 'Star Wars'
After four months of rampant speculation and corporate Jedi mind tricks, Disney's search for the new "Star Wars" filmmaker ended with a choice that seemed both surprising and curiously inevitable. J.J. Abrams, the MacGuffin-loving creative force behind "Super 8" and the small-screen sci-fi hits "Lost" and "Fringe," has officially been entrusted with returning audiences to a galaxy far, far away by 2015.
In retrospect, the identity of the Chosen One should have been obvious. After all, Abrams, who directed 2009's "Star Trek" and its forthcoming sequel "Star Trek: Into Darkness" for Paramount, has a proven track record when it comes to resuscitating dormant franchises. Even hardcore Trekkies will admit that the series had fallen on hard times, having reached an all-time creative nadir with the release of the poorly received "Star Trek: Nemesis" in 2002, the same year "Star Wars" fans were being treated to a teenaged Anakin Skywalker's profound dissertation on the coarseness of sand in "Attack of the Clones."
Abrams changed all that. His "Trek" reboot, the most commercially and critically lauded film in the franchise's history, re-fashioned the originals' utopian vision of a future distinguished by exploration and interstellar cooperation into a
rollicking, action-heavy space opera whose plot owed more allegiance to Joseph Campbell and George Lucas than Gene Roddenberry. Honestly, Abrams "Star Trek" often felt more like "Star Wars" than any of Lucas' sterile, goofy prequels (with the exception of "Revenue of the Sith", whose merits I will always happily defend).
The similarities don't end with story structure. In Abrams' version, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) is reintroduced as a Luke Skywalker-Han Solo hybrid, a cocksure scoundrel pressured to join Starfleet as a way of measuring up to the legend of an absent father. Zachary Quinto's seething, guilt-ridden Spock, traumatized by the Alderaan-style destruction of his homeworld Vulcan, is light-years away from Leonard Nimoy's serene, mannered logician, who appears for an Obi-Wan-esque extended cameo thanks to a space-time continuity fluke brought on by the vengeful Romulan Nero (Eric Bana). There's also a greater emphasis on the pliable nature of fate: "You are fully
capable of deciding your own destiny," Spock's father tells him. "The question you face is: which path will you choose?" Sound familiar, this does?
For Abrams, an avowed "Star Wars" fanboy since childhood (even his earliest films are littered with TIE Fighter models and references galore), the temptation to blend mythologies was probably too much to resist. "Star Trek: Into Darkness," scheduled for release this May, looks to continue the comparisons by channeling "The Empire Strikes Back" and its legacy of dark revelations, deeper characterizations and higher emotional stakes. Want proof? Look no further than the newest trailer, where Benedict Cumberbatch's mysterious villain John Harrison unleashes a Sith-worthy swathe of destruction on Starfleet Headquarters before cryptically referring to the Enterprise crew as his "family."
So the question remains: what can we expect from a "Star Wars" directed by J.J. Abrams? Many fans have expressed their fear that the new film, still tentatively titled "Episode VII," will look and sound too much like the recent "Trek" movies, effectively blurring the lines of demarcation between the two most contentious camps in all of pop culture.
As for me, I just hope the new movie manages to produce a
Disney has tapped filmmaker J.J. Abrams ("Star Trek," "Super 8") to direct the first installment of the new "Star Wars" series.
PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES
For some, though, the choice to identify as a "Star Trek" or "Star
sequence as intense and granny moving as the opening scene of Abrams' first "Star Trek," where Kirk's father George (a pre-"Thor" Chris Hemsworth) heroically sacrifices himself in battle while allowing his wife to give birth to the future Captain. With acclaimed screenwriter Michael Arndt ("Little Miss Sunshine," "Toy Story 3") penning the "Episode VII" script, such poignancy seems very likely. Could a similar end be lying in wait for an aging Han Solo?
Wars" fan is comparable to choosing between the Beatles and the Rolling Stones; your answer speaks volumes about who you are as a person. Taken from this perspective, Abrams' decision to leave "Trek" for its rival franchise is exciting but also inherently reckless; a development guaranteed to court chaos and rouse the slumbering ire of the geek gods, "Cabin in the Woods" style. Don't be surprised if we soon hear tell of an Ewok born with the pointed ears of a Vulcan.
Edited by Brian Sisk
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Sum 41 at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on Feb. 12, 2012.
Famed punk rockers Sum 41 perform tonight at the Granada
LYNDSEY HAVENS
lhavens@kansan.com
The tour is a celebration of the album's 10th anniversary. The set list will honor all of their biggest hits and fan favorites.
Sum 41 has been pushing musical limitations since 1996. Tonight, students have the chance to witness this firsthand at The Granada, where the punk rock group will perform.
"It's pretty exciting that a band from a while back is on tour again and has found its way to Lawrence," said Brown. Other students share in the nostalgia that the band's biggest hits such
Brianna Brown, a freshman from Leawood, is a longtime fan of the group.
The group hails from Ontario, and consists of frontman Deryck Whibley (vocals/guitar), Cone McCaslin (bass), Steve Jocz (drums) and Tom Thacker (guitar). While these four have certainly experienced a lot together over the years - such as selling more than 12 million albums and touring the globe numerous times - other career highlights include collaborations with Iggy Pop, Ludacris, Tommy Lee, Rob Halford and Tenacious D.
as, "In Too Deep," "Fat Lip" and "With Me," bring to them.
Aside from these accomplishments, Whibley spoke of the importance of touring on the band's official site bio saying, "All we've ever tried to do is play better live. It's what makes us a
Sum 41 is known for putting on incredible live shows that draw from their metal and punk rock influences, but the band has also acquired a reputation for having high-energy and wild attitudes off stage as well. The members each support this reputation. "We're best friends, we love to play music. And we also happen to be idiots. This hasn't changed since high school," Jocz said on the band's website.
The show starts at 8 p.m and is
open to all ages. Tickets are $22.
band." He went on to say after 12 years of touring, "we have continued to improve."
- Edited by Brian Sisk
MUSIC REVIEW
A$AP Rocky rises to potential with first full-length album
RYAN WRIGHT
rwright@kansan.com
Over the past year and a halt A$AP Rocky has become one of the biggest name in rap. In October of 2011 A$AP Rocky released his stellar debut mixtape "Live.Love.A$AP". The great success of the mixtape led to his eventual $3 million deal with RCA. After several release date push backs, A$AP Rocky finally delivers his first piece of full-length album material.
One of the biggest draws to "Live.Love.A$AP" was the great production throughout the album. For the most part, "Long. Live.A$AP" doesn't disappoint when it comes to production. A$AP Rocky has quite the ear for beats, and it shows on this album.
Rocky connects with longtime collaborator Clams Casino on a couple of tracks. He also hooks up with new producers as well
A$AP Rocky sticks with his signature style of a mixture of southern rap and traditional New York rap, but he improves on it in nearly every way. A$AP Rocky isn't known as the most impressive lyricist out there, but
as producing a few tracks himself. The only major flaw in production is the track "Wild for the Night" produced by Skrillex. In the track, Skrillex brings his signature dubstep sound while Rocky sounds incredibly awkward rhyming over the beat.
he impresses on several tracks on the album, such "Phoenix," "Suddenly" and the title track, "Long.Live.A$AP"
"Long.Live.A$AP" also contains some pretty impressive features. A$AP Rocky works with a wide range of artists on the album, including frequent collaborator Schoolboy Q. A$AP Rocky, and Schoolboy have great chemistry and it shows on "PMW"
"Long.Live.A$AP" is a great album, with A$AP Rocky capitalizing on the potential and promise he showed in his first mixtape.
The album also has a fantastic star-studded track which features several artists including Kendrick Lamar, Yelawolf and Danny Brown.
Edited by Brian Sisk