It seems odd to me how many people feel the need to choose between Star Wars and Star Trek. Maybe it’s because I feel one is way better than the other (dodges those who’ve set their weapons to stun), but the main point is: why do we have to choose? Why not appreciate both for what they are, just like J.J. Abrams will now have to do being that he has both directed the Star Trek reboot (and the upcoming sequal, Star Trek Into Darkness) along with being hired to film Star Wars Episide VII. In his interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, the pair discussed the differences in the franchise and what makes each special.
Read more on Watch J.J. Abrams and Jon Stewart Discuss ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Star Trek’…
 With Star Trek into Darkness, director J.J. Abrams has not only made one of the most action packed Star Trek films to date, he’s also made the most compelling case yet for him to successfully cross over into the world of Star Wars. This is a space adventure, pure and simple, so Trekkies may take issue with certain things, though regular audiences members are likely in for a rollicking good time at the movies.
Abrams is his normally reliable self here, and if he shows some extra confidence behind the camera after a successful first time out with this franchise, so does the entire returning cast, as well as writers Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and Damon Lindelof. Armed with raised stakes and not having to waste time introducing all the characters, the minds behind this flick are able to drop you right into the thick of things and rarely put on the brakes. This is a pretty tense two hours and change, and I’d even make the argument that the film could stand to be a little longer. Though hardly perfect by any stretch, this is one of the most fun things I’ve seen in 2013 so far.
Read more on Star Trek into Darkness (***)…
Categories: Film Reviews Tags: 2013 releases, Alex Kurtzman, Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, benedict cumberbatch, Bruce Greenwood, Chris Pine, Damon Lindelof, franchise, J.J. Abrams, John Cho, Karl Urban, Peter Weller, Roberto Orci, Simon Pegg, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
 Oscar winning composer Michael Giacchino and J.J. Abrams have worked together on all of his films and the collaboration has produced some great movie music and moments. They are working together again for Star Trek Into Darkness and this morning, the theme for that highly anticipated film has been revealed. The 21st Century Orchestra held a concert and premiered the theme during a concert of Giacchino’s music, which was captured on video by Youtube user schulerst. Check out the tune after the jump! Read more on Listen to Michael Giacchino’s theme for ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’…
- As the talk of 2012 slowly comes to an end, The Awards Circuit moves forward by embracing the new film year. Joey Magidson and Terence Johnson spent a full nine days in Park City, Utah getting to know the films and filmmakers that could make a huge impact in 2013. Check out their interviews, reviews and daily video blogs for the latest Sundance reports. Be sure to also glance at the Sundance Award Winners, just announced last night. It’s no surprise that the festival’s big awards champion, Fruitvale, is now in the nurturing yet powerful hands of The Weinstein Company.
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/27)…
Read more on Circuit Round-Up (Week Ending 1/27)…
Categories: Circuit Round-Up Tags: anna belickis, Awards Circuit Power Hour, clayton davis, J.J. Abrams, Joey Magidson, Joey's DVD Picks of the Week, Joseph Braverman, Mark Johnson, Mike Ward, Nicole Melkonian, Oscar Circuit, PGA Awards, Robert Hamer, Star Wars, Sundance Film Festival, Terence Johnson, Tiff Chai
 Ummm…first thing that comes to mind, where the hell is Amy Berg’s West of Memphis? Don’t know what the standards are but that film and Searching for Sugar Man, stand as one of the year’s best period, in any category.
Read more on 2013 PGA Nominees for Best Documentary…
Categories: News, Precursors Tags: Amy Berg, Artist, Awards Chair, Beverly Hilton Hotel, Bob Weinstein, Chris.deHaan@42West.net, Christopher de Haan, Driving Miss Daisy, Entertainment, Entertainment/Culture, Eric Fellner, Harvey Weinstein, Human Interest, J.J. Abrams, Julie.Cloutier@42West.net, Laurel Awards, Lili Fini Zanuck, media inquiries, Michael De Luca, non-profit trade, PGA Awards, Producers Guild Awards, Producers Guild of America, Producers Guild of America Awards, Richard D. Zanuck, Richard Zanuck, Russell Simmons, Stefan.DeCastroverde@42West.net, the 2013 Producers Guild Award, The 2013 Producers Guild Awards, the 24th Annual Producers Guild Awards, the Guild’s awards, the Oscars, the Producers Guild Awards, Tim Bevan
 One of 2009′s pleasant surprises was J.J. Abrams Star Trek reboot, a film that succeeded in being both a great crowd-pleaser and critical success. With a trailer for the sequel set to premiere in front of The Hobbit, Paramount has released an official synopsis for Star Trek Into Darkness, available after the jump!
Read more on ‘Star Trek Into Darkness’ gets an official synopsis, trailer announcement…
Categories: News Tags: Alice Eve, Anton Yelchin, benedict cumberbatch, Chris Pine, J.J. Abrams, John Cho, Karl Urban, news, Noel Clarke, Peter Weller, plot synopsis, Simon Pegg, Star Trek Into Darkness, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
 Something that many never thought would ever happen is going on in Hollywood right now. Yes, ‘Star Wars Episode VII’ is in pre-production, and it’s not even being fully brought to us by George Lucas. We’re all aware by now that Oscar winner Michael Arndt has been hired to pen the script, and filmmakers like Colin Trevorrow and Matthew Vaughn have been rumored to be taking the directing job. Of course, A-listers like J.J. Abrams, Zach Snyder, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino have already pretty much said no, while people like David Fincher and Christopher Nolan aren’t really even worth seriously discussing. That got me thinking though…who else would get people excited? I know Brad Bird is a popular name, but I wanted to get the input of the community here at The Awards Circuit. I’ll be sharing seven names that I’d be interested in seeing get the gig (not including Matt Reeves, who I always put in pieces like this and decided to take a short break from), but I’m just as interested in getting your names as I am in sharing mine. We’re likely not too far out from finding out who the directing choice of Disney is, so before long we’ll know the director of a new Star Wars movie! Until then, here are my picks for filmmakers who could do a good job with the new trilogy…
Read more on Who should direct ‘Star Wars Episode VII’?…
Categories: Article Tags: Andrew Stanton, Brad Bird, Christopher Nolan, Colin Trevorrow, David Fincher, Drew Goddard, Duncan Jones, Edgar Wright, Episode VII, George Lucas, J.J. Abrams, Joe Johnston, Jon Favreau, Josh Trank, lists, Mark Romanek, Matt Reeves, Matthew Vaughn, Michael Arndt, opinion, Quentin Tarantino, rumors, Star Wars, Steven Spielberg, upcoming projects, Zach Snyder
J.J. Abrams is set to receive the 2013 Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television from the Producers Guild of America for his work producing and directing in the medium. The man brought us LOST, so you know I’m all for honoring him, but some of his other television accomplishments include Alias, Fringe, and Person of Interest.
Read more on Producers Guild to Honor J.J. Abrams…
Ever since J.J. Abrams’ brainchild LOST came to its epic conclusion over three years ago, networks have been scrambling to find the next big thing in science fiction/existentialism television. We’ve seen a run of shows like FlashForward get canceled prematurely, while disasters like The Event and Terra Nova just crashed and burned from the word go. Well, Abrams is back as an executive producer for a new television show, Revolution, which will premiere on Monday, September 17th at 10 pm EST on NBC. Having seen an early look at the pilot, which was directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man), I’m definitely left feeling cautiously optimistic about this new series.
Read more on ‘Revolution’ Pilot Review (***)…
Categories: TV/Music Tags: Billy Burke, Elizabeth Mitchell, Giancarlo Esposito, J.J. Abrams, Jon Favreau, lost, Revolution, Revolution pilot, Revolution pilot review, Revolution review, Revolution TV show
 So far, I’ve been a big fan of the “secret” projects that J.J. Abrams seems to come up with every few years. Both ‘Cloverfield’ and ‘Super 8′ challenged for Top Ten spots in their respective years, and now word comes that Abrams has another film of that ilk up his sleeve. Variety reports here that he’s going to be producing a secretive project under his Bad Robot banner, it’s going to be a sci-fi thriller of sorts. Hit the jump for more info, but suffice to say, I’m in. J.J. has my number so far, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon…
Read more on J.J. Abrams has another mystery project in development…
I make no secret about my affinity for the J.J. Abrams television series, LOST. In fact, I still pretty much talk about it in one way or another on an almost-daily basis. It is singularly my favorite show of all time. For me, LOST was one of those magical combinations where the technical side – excellent writing, acting, direction, and score - merged with the pure entertainment side – characters that just about anyone could find a connection to, themes of redemption and friendship and relativity, and that wildly mysterious and unending riddle that was asked in the pilot – Where Are We? It never felt like watching a television show to me. It was something beyond TV. LOST was a show that spoke to me like nothing I had ever seen before, and sadly nothing I have seen after.
Since the show reached its epic conclusion in 2009, I – and many others – have been searching for the next LOST. We’ve seen nothing but misfires since. Whether in the form of FlashForward and The Event, or most recently, The River and Awake – all of which failed to reach the conclusion of their first season before being cancelled – we have had nothing but disappointment after disappointment.
And so that brings us to the next contender in line to fill the gaping hole that LOST left in the world of television – Revolution.
Watch the trailer for Revolution after the jump…
Read more on Trailer for NBC’s ‘Revolution’ – “It’s All Going to Turn Off…”…
 “On March 21st, 1963, Alcatraz officially closed. All the prisoners were transferred off the island…only that’s not what happened. Not at all.”
Yes, this is the exciting premise to one of the new year’s best, most fascinating shows from the creative imagination of J. J. Abrams. Sci-Fi/Supernatural stories and J.J. Abrams go together about as well as champagne on New Years Eve, so it’s no surprise that Alcatraz could very well be the answer to the absence of Lost. J.J. Abram’s previous television hit launched a legion of fans dedicating their time to decrypting the secrets of its complex narrative, as well as pushing forward the production quality of a Broadcast television show. Before Lost, there had never been a show with such a high concept storyline, stunning visual effects, and set production values that had ever been done before. The show felt like a movie, but better — instead of neatly wrapping itself up in two hours, the show spanned six seasons with layer upon layer of mythology, fleshed out characters whose back-stories were given great weight and importance, and a highly complex science fiction plot that ignited fierce and passionate discussion on message boards across the internet. If ever there was a show that marked the beginning popularity of the post-millennium internet age coming together as an online community in debunking their favorite television show in such lavish detail and commitment, it was Lost. The show launched in 2004, and television has never been the same since thanks to J. J. Abrams. Many shows post-Lost have attempted to mimic its high concept narrative and extravagant production values, but to little avail. Most shows that did this were poorly received by the national audience, sank in the Nielsen ratings, and were forced to shut down production because their rating shares could not cover the cost to maintain expensive production. Only J. J. Abrams, it seems, could revive the high-concept science fiction show on Broadcast television. Even though Alcatraz is nowhere near Lost in its overall quality, it definitely holds promise to develop into a show that is both original, refreshing, and the remedy to the absence most sci-fi fans have been feeling since Lost’s series finale ended in 2010. Read more on TV Review: Alcatraz (***1/2)…
Categories: TV/Music Tags: Fantasy, fox, hitchcock, J.J. Abrams, lost, neo-noir, Sam Neill, san francisco, sci-fi, Science Fiction, Vertigo
J.J. Abrams' new series premieres Jan. 16th. Will you be tuning in?
The new premiere dates for the midseason shows (Jan. thru May) have finally been announced to the public. I, for one, cannot wait to see what the new series’ have to offer. I am most looking forward to Alcatraz and Smash, two shows that are produced by two of the biggest names in Hollywood — J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. The former will be continuing Abrams’ complicated, character-driven sci-fi dramas that he is famous for. Only time will tell if Alcatraz will be the critical and audience hit that Lost was. It definitely doesn’t hurt matters knowing that Jorge Garcia, AKA Lost’s loveable Hurley, will take on a leading role in the new series.
Read more on Television Midseason Premiere Dates Announced!…
 When people used to tell me that action films are the reason they go to the movies, I tended to smirk in slight disapproval and questioned their taste. Yes, a film is meant to ultimately entertain in any way imaginable as long as the viewer’s emotional response is kicked into overdrive, but I always felt that a strong and compelling story should be the defining attribute for a film’s greatness. An incredible plot, I had long believed, was the catalyst from forgettable escapism to masterful art. In 2009, a film I think everyone has heard of, Avatar, was the first to make me see the error of my ways. The plot may have been unoriginal and lacked great depth, but the journey I took as a moviegoer in the world of Pandora was something no great story could ever hope to match in the way I was feeling. It was my favorite film of that year, and the naysayers can try to convince me otherwise, but I cannot deny the feeling of jumping into an adventure and never letting it release me, even after the last of the credits had ended. And now a second film comes along, and completely kicks to the curb that naive notion I had that a great film means having a great story. Simply put — I was a moronic fool for thinking this way. I am not discounting the power of a riveting plot, but when you have a film where the action scenes transcend into a kind of poetic rhythm, I tend not to question the feeling of the adrenaline rush inside me as the action unfolds in front of my eyes, so severe in its grasp that not only do I never want it to let go, but I never want such kinetic energy on screen to cease. This is how I felt when watching the greatest action film of the past ten years — Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol.
Read more on Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (****)…
 Joey Magidson’s Review (***½)
Super 8 is a real throwback of a summer movie. If I didn’t know better, I would have thought for sure that this was an undiscovered early film of Steven Spielberg’s (albeit one with far superior special effects). Spielberg is merely the producer here, but his influence is felt all over the flick. Writer/director J.J. Abrams is making an homage to that sort of filmmaking, and he succeeds in a big way. With excellent performances from his cast (especially his first timers), a palpable sense of wonder and dread, as well as an overarching valentine to nostalgia and the magic of the movies, Abrams is able to overcome a mixed bag of a script and deliver a film that manages to live up to the hype. Believe it or not, his decision to keep as much of the movie a secret as possible pays off. Read more on Super 8 (Multiple Reviews)…
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