ThisPhillipBrian

Season 4 Episode 1 Review

During a Star Trek series, there’s often a season that falls below the mean. TOS had season three. TNG had season one. Strange New Worlds blasted out of the gate with two A-/B+ seasons—four stars out of five, easy.

Then came season three.

Seasons one and two had a couple of clunkers. Season three was a hooptie. There were some damn good moments, but good episodes were the exception. For the first time since 1989, I was bored watching the Enterprise crew. I’m looking at you, The Final Frontier.

So, how is season four’s premiere, “Valles Marineris”?

It’s fine.

The Enterprise is hurled 65 million years into the past. We get Martians, dinosaurs, temporal mechanics, a Doctor Who reference, and a classic Trek moral dilemma.

The premise is good. The execution is decent.

Some performances feel off. The usually magnetic and charismatic Jess Bush has awkward deliveries, Anson Mount lacks some of his usual commanding presence, and the Martian commander never becomes memorable. Scotty feels immature for someone a decade older than Spock. The Uhura/Vulcan cadet material feels forced.

Where it succeeds is Trek lore: a closed temporal loop changes history without breaking canon, while Pike makes an enormous decision on instinct—classic Enterprise captain stuff. Una finally gets promoted to full Commander, matching the rank she’s worn since episode one.

Among 800-plus live-action Trek episodes, this one will be remembered as, “Oh, yeah. That one.”

Better than season three? Heck yes! Let’s see where it goes.

Here’s to righting the ship.

I'll be on the ‪@CaptainsQuadrant‬ this weekend to talk Trek.

#StarTrek #StrangeNewWorlds #StarTrekSNW #VallesMarineris #TrekReview #NCC1701 #CaptainPike #Spock #TheseAreTheVoyages

3 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 2

ThisPhillipBrian

Even great directors need to be reined in from time to time.

"Killers of the Flower Moon" is a stunning and visceral visual experience that delves into a dark and heavy chapter of Oklahoma's history. The beauty of the cinematography is only matched by the remarkable performances of Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lilly Gladstone, and most of the supporting cast. In fact, De Niro's portrayal here might be one of his finest career moments.

This film is not just a story; it's a sensory experience. The sound mixing immerses you in the chilling atmosphere of the narrative. The weight of the film is truly profound, delivering a powerful commentary on the relentless human darkness and insatiable greed that underscores far too much of our history.

However, "Killers of the Flower Moon" does harbor a considerable shortcoming--it is self-indulgent as a film, which detracts from the overall impact. The runtime, while filled with breathtaking scenes, is at least 20% too long. This excess inhibits the storytelling and does a disservice to the powerful narrative being conveyed.

My recommendation? Opt for AppleTV viewing, where you can break up the film into 2 or 3 separate sittings. This film would shine as a limited-run streaming event, igniting discussions and sparking conversations. #killersoftheflowermoon #oklahoma #leonardodicaprio #robertdeniro #lillygladstone #jesseplemons #oklahomahistory #osagenation

3 years ago | [YT] | 1

ThisPhillipBrian

I was a guest on Spectrum Sanctorum's Agony Booth yesterday. Thank you, gentleman. I'll be sure to tune in next week when your guest is the one and only @seanferrick
⬇️Click⬇️
youtube.com/live/_h0HnGM_76k?feature=share

#startrek #ds9 #tng #voyager #discovery #enterprise #harrykim Spectrum Sanctorum

3 years ago | [YT] | 2

ThisPhillipBrian

My review of the upcoming novel from New York Times best selling author, Harlan Coben, posts tonight at 6:30 CST. The suspense novel hits store shelves and audio book platforms on March 14th.

"An innocent father serving life for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive, and must break out of prison to find out the truth in #1 New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben’s latest suspense thriller."

#harlancoben #booktube #booktuber ‪@grandcentralpub‬ ‪@grandcentralpublishingmark5991‬ ‪@BrillianceAudio‬

3 years ago | [YT] | 1

ThisPhillipBrian

Saw this on ‪@ScreenRant‬ this morning. Very cool and well deserved! ‪@hbomax‬ ‪@HBO‬ #thelastofus #thelastofushbo

3 years ago | [YT] | 2

ThisPhillipBrian

Is it spring yet?! S3 looks great. #thisistheway

3 years ago | [YT] | 1