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artificialqueens · 3 years

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Pretty in Pearls, Chapter 6 (Jankie) - Plastiquedoll

read on ao3 💄| previous chapters

A/N: hi! it took me a while but here's a new update I hope you enjoy it! thank you for reading it! <3

-6-

“I can’t do this anymore,” Jan complained.

Jackie lifted her gaze from the book she was reading.

“This is the third time you say that… algebra can’t possibly be that bad.”

“For your consideration, there aren’t even numbers on these exercises, it’s Math… there should be numbers… where are the numbers?” She whined.

“Don’t look at me, why do you think I chose Art History? After high school, I promised myself my relationship with calculus was over.”

Jan sighed but focused on the assignment once again.

“Okay… I’m done… that was the last exercise of the sheet. I refuse to keep using my brain for what’s left of the day.”

Jackie chuckled.

They were alone in the copy room. It had been one of those quiet days; it was raining outside so Jan’s practice had been canceled but luckily her friend enjoyed her company while she did homework as well. In the past two hours, only a lost student walked in begging for a copy of a study guide for a mid-term for the following day. Jackie had the radio on and she had let the younger chose the station, Jan had picked a bubblegum pop radio that kept playing songs from the ’00s and the 10’s –to which she had found Jackie mumbling the lyrics a couple of times.

As much as she hated to miss her practice, she had to admit it was the first time in two weeks she had a moment to breathe. With her responsibilities and new hobby involved, she barely had time to take a break.

Jackie had her eyes on the book and one hand on the computer’s keyboard. She had been writing notes non-stop since her meeting with the dean. As she had explained it to Jan, her complaint had been discussed, and even when she presented a well-written note and had some witnesses to back it up, the only thing the university was doing was reprimand him and, –since it was the first time someone had said something about the professor’s behavior- let him continue his classes with a warning.

In terms of Jackie’s situation, they had dictated that she’d be able to present a final assignment that would include several –if not all- units of the program, and it would be evaluated by a panel of professors from similar backgrounds, to make it fair. The thing was that her former professor was the one that had formulated the questions and, aside from being a lot, they were pretty gimmicky and for all those reasons, she had started the assignment way earlier than the semester was over, just to be sure.

“Okay, I’m done for the day too.” She closed her notebook. “I feel like there’s smoke coming from my ears or something.”

“Oh, was it you? I thought it was one of the machines.”

Jackie scrunched her nose. “Anyway, it seems like it’s a slow day and I have ten more minutes here so… Do you want to go watch a movie at the cinema?”

“At the cinema? Whoa… I haven’t thought about it but it’s been ages since I went to watch a movie…”

“Is that a yes…?” Jackie did her best to hide her nervousness behind the question.

“Sure. But I have to warn you, I’m not good with horror movies.” Jan shrugged.

“I saw that coming… But there’s this old cinema called Bellamy, we could ride the subway and would be there in no time. They play random movies every day so we could just get there and grab a couple of tickets for the next feature. What do you say?”

“Sounds good to me. Oh! I’ll put it on the group chat in case anyone else wants to tag along.”

Jackie’s lips turned into a thin line. “Okay… you do that and I’ll finish here.”

Jan hadn’t even noticed the shift in the girl’s mood, she was way too excited typing the message on her phone.

“I hope you’re not upset but it seems it’s going to be just me and you,” Jan mentioned while Jackie closed the door of the copy room. “Everyone’s plans or they are studying or… I don’t know.”

“Oh… no… it’s fine by me if it’s fine for you.”

“Of course! It’ll be fun!” She smiled.

It was still raining outside so they shared Jackie’s red umbrella that matched with her rain boots.

“What’s with this downpour?” Jackie wiped some drops from her clothes once they got underground. “Okay, here we go.”

Jan seemed amused. “I have never ridden the subway… well, back when I was like four I’m sure my mom took us me and my brother but I have no memories of it whatsoever.”

“You’ll get used to it quickly. Honestly, it’s one of the easiest ways to travel when it’s not packed.”

Without objecting, Jan followed Jackie’s lead up close. They almost coordinated steps to avoid puddles while running; the comical situation got them laughing at loud all their way to the subway station.

“I’m out of breath.” Jackie leaned against one column before closing the umbrella.

They shook some drops out of their clothes and waited for the subway to arrive. When it arrived not even five minutes later, they rushed to climb onto the wagon before they got pushed by others passengers. At least with the rain, there was place to move and even some seats available.

Jan had decided she liked riding the subway, it was a great place to observe the diversity of the fauna of the city. There were all kinds of people around probably heading to their works or their homes or to meet friends or just somewhere different. It was exciting, to consider the unlimited possibilities.

She looked at Jackie and displayed a giant grin that had the other girl blushing lightly and looking away.

“So how did you find this place?” Jan asked after a couple of minutes.

It caught Jackie out of guard. “Huh? What do you mean?” She frowned lightly.

“I was wondering how did you find this place since it’s not near the campus.”

“Oh that… I actually discovered it a couple of years ago. Things at home with my mom after the divorce weren’t precisely on the best terms so after school I never got straight back there. Instead, I started wandering around and taking the subway or the bus to go anywhere really.” Her voice threatened with breaking but she quickly cleared her throat. “One of those times I ended up in this old building, a theatre with so much history and they played these movies I had never seen before so… I stayed there ever since.”

“Whoa… that’s…” Jan wanted to reach for her hand but the older girl hurried to jump off the seat.

“This is our stop.” She pointed out.

“Alright. We’re here.”

“We are.” Jackie showed her a smile and grabbed the umbrella, ready to face the rain. “Let’s go.”

They had arrived just in time for Carrie but since Jan had stated she didn’t enjoy horror films, they waited ten minutes for the next movie to start. Coincidentally, it was My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn so it would also work for research purposes –or that was what Jan said- aside from the fact she had never watched it.

Jackie couldn’t say she was a newbie to Hepburn’s movies, she had watched all of them at least once but having company was new to her. Since getting into college she had stopped needing the cinema as an escape, a way to avoid reality at least for a couple hours; it was after meeting her friends and starting her classes that she eventually had less time to go there or simply, didn’t need it anymore.

Now, it was a whole different scenario. She had Jan next to her and it was a bit magical to see her in the dark with the light of the screen reflecting on her face, something that made her heart race. She would’ve died to hold her hand at that instant but it was true that she’d also die if she touched her as if Jan held the power of burning her with a mere contact.

Then, the screen went black and the credits started rolling, the movie was over.

They waited until most people had left the room and then they walked out.

“So, did you like the movie?”

Jan tilted her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a period piece from time to time and the costumes were iconic but… Professor Higgins is awful!” She gestured with her hands to emphasize her displeasure. “He spent all this time torturing Eliza… changing her to the point where she couldn’t go back to her life. That’s a psychopath.”

“Oh thank God, we agree.” Jackie sighed with relief.

“No wonder Rosé and her classmates changed part of the plot because…”

“Yeah. I’m dying to see that. How are the rehearsals going by the way?”

“They are great, I have a small part… the equivalent of one of those ladies on the horse races and I appear in two numbers but the rehearsals are so much fun with everyone. It's a nice group of people that are passionate about musicals.”

They got out of the room and saw the people already gathering for the next feature. The smell of popcorn was strong in the air just like the humidity of the rain on the carpet.

Jackie spotted a familiar face and her eyes lighted up. “Oh my God, Sophie!” She waved toward a short old woman with white hair and giant round glasses. “Jan, you have to meet Sophie”

“Jackie, darling.” She shuffled toward them. She pulled Jackie for a tight hug. The woman barely reached her waist.

“Sophie, this is my friend, Jan.” She introduced them.

“Hi-” Before Jan could say something else, Sophie also hugged her.

“Sophie is the owner of the theatre,” Jackie explained once the old lady let the younger breathe.

“Oh! That’s awesome. It’s really nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. I have waited for ages for Jackie to finally bring a special someone…”

“No!” Jackie shook her head. “It’s- It’s not like that at all… We’re friends.”

“Pardon me, it’s only that when you introduced me to this lovely young lady I just thought… maybe someone had finally melted your cold façade.”

“Oh, Sophie… what are you saying?” She laughed nervously, her face was completely red. “Don’t listen to her… she’s old.”

Jan giggled. “It’s alright. I adore Jackie, she’s one of my best friends.”

“I haven’t seen this one in a while, you’d think she vanished or something.” The woman pointed.

“I’m sorry, Sophie. I should’ve called you at least.”

“For sure.” Sophie nagged.

“It won’t happen again… I’ll come back more often after the midterms, I promise it.”

“Oh darling, you haven’t heard, have you?”

Jackie looked puzzled. “What?”

“The Bellamy is going to be demolished.”

“What?!” The girl’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“How?” Jan asked, in disbelief as well.

“Well, a group of rich people has decided this is the perfect location to build one of those department stores.”

“No, no, no… this can’t be. This place is sacred, part of the cultural heritage of the city, it can’t be destroyed to build a mall.”

The old lady shrugged. “There’s not much I can do about it, it’s already written.” She patted Jackie’s shoulder. “Listen, honey, the important thing is that this place served its purpose for a long, long time and we got to enjoy it.”

Jackie was on the verge of tears. “How can you say that? How can you give up just like that? Without even putting a fight? The Bellamy is not just another cinema.”

The girl stormed out of the theatre before anyone else could say something.

“Wait! Jackie!” Jan shouted but she lost the girl in the crowd. “I’m sorry, I’m sure she didn’t mean any of that.” She softly explained to Sophie.

“You don’t need to tell me, I know. Now go after her, she needs a friend right now.”

“Yeah… I will…” Jan turned around.

“Oh, and Jan, one more thing,” Sophie called. “keep an eye on her, she seems inscrutable sometimes but she’s sensitive underneath.”

Jan displayed a tiny smile. “I know.”

“Jackie! Jackie wait!”

As if it didn’t matter at all, it had stopped raining.

She found the elder laying against the wall, next to a Casablanca poster that had been there since… well… probably since Casablanca first premiered.

Jackie’s cheeks were wet and her eyes reddened but she had wiped all the tears before Jan got closer.

“Hey… I’m so sorry.” Jan looked at her with soft eyes.

Jackie closed her eyes and sighed loudly. “I can’t believe it… this theatre is a home to me.”

“There must be a way to save it, we’ll figure something out.”

“I don’t know… it seems impossible… even Sophie has renounced.”

“Then we’ll convince her as well.” Jan grabbed her wrists. “We’ll find a way, there’s always a way.”

“Okay, Disney Channel Original Movie motivational speech.”

Jan chuckled. “What do you say if –for now- we go home and pick something to eat? I’m starving and... is it me or popcorn buckets are getting smaller?”

She got a smile from Jackie, that was a win.

“Plus, if I want to become a subway expert I’m supposed to ride it again, right?”

“I suppose that’s correct.”

“I’m telling you, I know this vegetarian place that has the best eggplant tacos and veggie sushi…” Jackie was commenting when they returned to the dorms.

“Sounds amazing, just let me pick some money from my room and we’ll be ready to go. You can come with me if you want.”

“Alright.”

They climbed the stairs until Jan stopped in her tracks making Jackie almost bump into her.

“Hey, careful there…”

But the brunette was petrified, watching the scene that happened on the very same floor of her dormitory. It took Jackie a moment to locate the event that had caused such commotion but as soon as she saw it, she just wished her friend hadn’t.

There he was, Nathan, the object of her affections, walking out the room of a girl that lived in the building. A different girl, it wasn’t the girl from the first day or another girl she had seen him with before. This was a gorgeous girl –like the others- but there was something different about him -him with her- the way he put the missing lock behind her ear and got closer to press a chaste kiss on her lips, the way they smiled after their lips touched.

Jan felt sick to her stomach, her face got pale and she barely could hold the tears.

The couple returned to the room and right when the door closed, she ran directly to her room. She desperately searched for the keys.

“Jan? Are you…?” Jackie touched her shoulder.

Jan sobbed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine… I just… I need to find the keys… it’s like I can’t find them anywhere.” She kept rummaging her backpack without result.

It was too late, she broke into tears, her knees gave in and she ended on the floor.

“I’m sorry, this must look so stupid in comparison to the theatre but… It hurts so badly.” Her voice broke into pieces. “I keep telling myself it’s just another girl but there’s always another girl… It's exhausting.”

“Oh, Jan… no…” Jackie kneeled next to her and embraced her in a hug. “It’s not you.”

“I know that… it will never be me.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

She finally found her keys and got up.

“I’m sorry, Jackie. I’ve lost my appetite.” Her voice sounded weak, distant.

“No, wait… you don’t have to be alone right now.” Jackie hurried to stand up.

“I really… really… want to be alone.” She sobbed harder. “I don’t want you to see me like this.” She closed the door on Jackie’s face as soon as she got in.

“Jan!” Jackie knocked on the door. “Jan… please don’t do this. Jan, please… open the door.”

She tried for another five minutes but finally gave up. Jan wasn’t opening the door and the best Jackie could do was texting Rosé hoping the girl would come home earlier to take care of her.

It broke Jackie’s heart to see her like that, especially for a guy like Nathan, one that wasn’t worth the tears.

The following day, it surprised Jackie to find a text message from Jan early in the morning –earlier than any of her classes.

From Jan 🐻: Meet me at Lucky’s before class. It’s important.

Jackie jumped out of bed and rushed to get ready as soon as she read it, after a night of poor sleep she was waiting for that text message.

She walked straight to the diner and found her friend sitting on a table with her computer open and her pink-haired roommate sitting in front of her.

“Hey...” She approached the table.

“Jackie, you’re here!” Jan greeted with the same energetic tone she had –even that early in the morning. Although she looked hyped, the bags under her eyes told a different story.

“Uh… Are you okay?” Jackie asked before taking a seat next to her. She also eyed Rosé who just shrugged.

“Peachy.” She smiled. “Would you like a cup of coffee maybe? Waffles? Pancakes? French toast?”

“The waffles are really good.” Rosé pointed.

“Thanks… I’ll have some eggs maybe but… what’s going on? Yesterday…”

“Yesterday was yesterday and today is today.” Jan gestured with her hands. “I texted you because I have something super important to show you.” She pointed at her computer's screen.

That was it? They were going to pretend the Nathan incident hadn’t happened at all? Well, at least for Jan, that was the case.

“Alright… tell me.”

“So, I did some research and I believe it is possible to save the theatre if we gather enough evidence to prove it has historic importance for the city.” The page of the culture ministry was opened along with at least fifty different tabs on the subject.

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” Jackie raised an eyebrow.

“I was hoping you’d come with an idea since you know the place better than me. Maybe Sophie could tell us some story or we could do our own research.”

Jackie sighed. “I guess it could work but we’d need to invest hours on this and… are you sure you want to do it? I feel like you have a lot on your plate already.”

“Oh no, she devoured the pancakes the second the plate touched the table, trust me.” Rosé assured.

“I was hungry and I didn’t eat them right away, they drew a face with the blueberries so I took a picture and posted it on Instagram first.” She shook her head. “As I was saying, this is important for you, Jackie and I want to help.” She stared at her, hoping she would convince her with those arguments.

“Jan, I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t even try it.” Rosé mumbled. “I already did and she chose to ignore me categorically so I followed her here to make sure she didn’t jump from a bridge or something.”

“She’s also here to hit on my coworker so it’s really a win-win situation.”

They high-fived.

“That’s lovely… but we should talk about what happened last night…”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Jan stated. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah, I don’t think…”

But Jackie was interrupted by Denali.

“Hi, how’s it going over here? Do you guys want something else?” She had her eyes fixed on her notebook.

“Can I get a cup of Americano and scrambled eggs?” Jackie asked. She needed some coffee to go through it.

“Right away. Do you girls would like something else? More coffee?”

“We’re good.” Jan smiled.

“Oh, Jan, I have your check over there if you want to collect it right now.”

“Thank you, Nali. I’ll be there in a second.”

Rosé cleared her throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you…”

But it was like the cat had caught the pink-haired girl’s tongue.

“…if you can pour more coffee for me?”

“Sure.” She smiled politely but it was clear that Rosé was melting inside.

Once the waitress left, all the eyes were on Rosé.

“What? I got paralyzed. I can’t do it. I can’t. It is physically impossible for me to ask her out, my body reacts like that.”

“I believe, as science people and Twitter users have once referred to it, that's a case of gay panic. Have you tried in a different way?” Jackie asked before sipping some of Jan’s coffee. “What is this?” She winced.

“Decaffeinated.”

“Ugh…”

“Bitch, I have tried… I even left my number written on a $20 bill when I went to the bathroom earlier, hoping she’d see it but it’s like I’m invisible.”

“That’s not right. Denali loves to flirt and she’s single so I don’t see why she wouldn’t say yes. Oh, I know, you could invite her to the play's opening night.”

Jackie looked at the younger, Jan had dodged the conversation about her but there was no way her friend wasn’t going to dig into it later.

“Maybe I can pave the way for you… find out if she’s having a rough morning or something that affects her response.”

“Would you do that for me?” Rosé didn’t sound so sure about it.

“Of course, I have to pick up my check… my first check here.”

“Congratulations.” Jackie smiled at her.

“Thank you.” She then touched her roommate’s arm. “Leave it to me. I’ll be subtle.”

“Jan…” Before Rosé could say something, she was already heading toward the counter.

“Was it bad?” Jackie asked once the brunette left.

“Girl… You have no idea.” Rosé sighed.

“Thank you, Nali.” Jan held the check proudly in her hands.

“Is your name correct?”

“Yes, it’s perfect.”

“Remember you work tomorrow so have a moderate amount of fun with it and stay away from ice skates and acrylic nails hot sales… Huh… I guess that only applies to me.” Denali turned around.

“Denali… I was wondering…”

The raven-haired girl dropped a pile of napkins.

“Shit. Don’t tell anyone but I forgot to put my contacts on this morning and basically, I can’t see shit without these giant glasses.” She murmured before quickly putting a pair of dark frame glasses on. She grabbed the napkins and after typing something on the computer, took them off immediately.

“Oh… that explains a lot actually…”

“What do you mean?”

Subtle Jan, subtle.

“So my roommate likes you.”

Denali almost tripped. “Wait, what?”

“She’s been trying to ask you out for the past weeks but she feels like you’re ignoring her.”

Denali dragged Jan behind the counter with her and kneeled before putting the glasses back on.

“Which one is your roommate?” She whispered.

“The one with the pink hair that comes here often… is a regular. You can't ignore her she's like one of those anime main characters with the funky hair.”

“Oh my God, Fine Wine is your roommate?”

“What?”

“She’s always singing that Kylie Minogue song and I thought it was a joke since you guys call her Rosé but…”

“That’s her name.”

“Well, she is fine wine.” Denali pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah? She even left a $20 bill with her number as a tip for you?”

“That was her?! I thought it was one of the creepy guys from table six. Oh my God…” She grabbed the jar of tips and started searching for the bill.

“Bitch if I’m missing a single dollar from that jar I swear to God…” Kandy yelled from the other side of the diner.

“Shut up, I’m in the middle of something here…” Finally, she pulled out the bill with pink glitter ink.

“It says XOXO Rosé.”

“What part of «I’m not wearing glasses» you didn't catch?”

"Is that a yes, though?

Denali nodded. She removed the glasses and waved toward their table. “Hey Rosé, if you’re not busy tonight, I’ll call you!”

Rosé blushed instantly but she nodded with a smile on her face.

Jackie, behind her, just shook her head, acknowledging that the shenanigans of her friend had worked out once again.

#rpdr fanfiction #jan sport #jackie cox #jankie #rosnali #college au #lesbian au #slow burn #pretty in pearls #plastiquedoll #concrit welcome

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ranger-report · 4 years

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Opinion: Disney Changing the Sequels to Non-Canon is a Bad Idea

Once upon a time, George Lucas decided to go back to the well and present unto a hungry audience what is known now as The Prequel Trilogy. Episodes I through III of Star Wars, the biggest sci-fi franchise ever created, a look at what came before the iconic story many moviegoers grew up with, and it was received with....lukewarm results. While they’ve certainly attracted favorable responses over time, the backlash to many decisions made in Lucas’s vision (midichlorians, whiny Anakan, fucking Jar-Jar Binks), they’ve objectively held up over time, and even have defenders. But it was enough for Lucas to make haste and step away from his beloved creation, selling the rights to make future movies to the Walt Disney Company, who wasted no time in getting a new trilogy up and running. Fans around the world were salivating, chomping at the bit for new Star Wars, and they were met with....lukewarm results. Despite high praise for Rogue One, the lowest marks for The Last Jedi (which is a brilliant film, don’t @ me), led to such a surefire hit as Solo was given so-so marks, which recently has led Disney to contemplate making The Sequel Trilogy non-canon to the universe; aka, they exist in their own separate Alternate Reality, giving Disney a fresh start to making the True Sequel Trilogy.

That’s a monumentally bad idea.

Okay, first off, Star Wars is not a franchise like Marvel or DC who can simply decided which flicks to toss aside and deem non-canon, or shunt off to an alternate universe. Yes, there’s something called Legends within Star Wars that holds down the duty of Adventures Which Don’t Fit In The Grand Scheme of things, but to place three NUMBERED entries in the Star Wars Saga into Legends? That’s just madness.

Let’s review. Disney purchased Star Wars, then at some point before the release of Episode VII: The Force Awakens they announced that everything in the expanded universe of the novels and video games was entirely non-canon. To say that there was a bit of an uproar over this is an understatement. Beloved characters like Mara Jade and her relationship with Luke Skywalker were now lost to oblivion; stories like Knights of the Old Republic, Dark Empire, and Shadows of the Empire, which many grew up with as supplemental material post-Return of the Jedi, now suddenly didn’t matter. In one fell swoop, Disney came in and said “Your stories don’t matter. Our stories do.” Now, they must have had some sort of softening in the face of the fallout, as little by little more and more of the expanded universe snuck back into the proper canon, including Dash Rendar, Leia training to be a Jedi, and the motherfucking darksaber. Disney clearly made a slight attempt to listen to the fans, but for the fans -- including many toxic, vitriolic fans -- this wasn’t enough. Divided over the state of The Last Jedi, fans went apeshit on Disney,harassing actors over social media, calling for Kathleen Kennedy to be fired, claiming that their childhoods had been “raped,” etc etc etc. Many fans stayed home instead of watching Solo (my personal favorite Star Wars flick, don’t @ me), which was the lowest-grossing film in the franchise. Disney woke up, went on damage control, and we got....The Rise of Skywalker. Some how an apology and a middle finger at the same time, the film met with confusion and derision, and now Disney wants a mulligan. Well, Disney, you’ve already tried that once. Let’s learn from that mistake.

Sometimes, like in real life, history is messy. It isn’t perfect, nor is it consistent. Often times when we look back through the annals of civilizations past, we have to wonder what the fuck was going through people’s heads. And that’s Star Wars. They’re also not meant to be serious cinema; born of inspiration from early pulp sci-fi and WWII imagery with a hefty dose of samurai flicks, Star Wars is just meant to be escapism and thrills. Nothing more. In fact, no matter how silly Rise of Skywalker is, it still succeeds in big-screen thrills and set pieces as well as a few intimate character moments. It’s entertaining, if not the movie we wanted as the conclusion to this saga. And the Sequels brought much needed diversity to the character roster, including two men of color and a female protagonist. Granted, Finn and Poe were done dirty when no one allowed them to fall in love with each other (Disney, if you want to undo that decision, I’ll allow that), but they’re two of the best goddamn bits of this whole undertaking to come out of it. And Rey is interesting, a mystery -- possibly an unsatisfying mystery depending on how you view the reveal in Rise -- and her story carries weight, all the way up to the end. While full of plot holes and empty MacGuffins, the Sequel Trilogy is big and bold and at least tries to do something interesting. Especially The Last Jedi, whether you like that movie or not.

For decades, fans were able to build their own world off the ashes of Return of the Jedi. And make no mistake, this is a world where almost every single background character has a name, a backstory, and oftentimes an action figure as well. There is a deep, deep sense of entitlement when it comes to the relationship between fans and franchise here. Which is beautiful in some regards, and toxic in others. But while the Sequel Trilogy isn’t perfect, I’d argue that neither the Original Trilogy or the Prequel Trilogy were perfect either. They’re not Important Cinema in the sense of Serious Art, but they are groundbreaking in the sense of special effects, blockbuster history, and franchising. Star Wars changed the game when first released in 1977, and every film in the saga since has carried that weight of living up to expectations -- and in the last 20 years, unhealthy expectations. Stop trying to make Star Wars anything other than entertainment. Let it be. Let it live. Let’s move forward and see what we can do with everything new. Their children out there who have seen the Sequels and seen themselves in Rey, Finn, and Poe, and it would be a disservice to them to say, “Sorry, but your stories don’t matter anymore.” Disney already did that once and it didn’t work for the fans. They shouldn’t do it again.

#opinion #star wars #the force awakens #the last jedi #the rise of skywalker #movies #ck burch #rubyranger #ranger report

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justanothercinemaniac · 7 years

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Epic Movie (Re)Watch #159 - Star Trek (2009)

Spoilers Below

Have I seen it before: Yes

Did I like it then: Yes.

Do I remember it: Yes.

Did I see it in theaters: Yes.

Was it a movie I saw since August 22nd, 2009: No.

Format: Blu-ray

1) This was my first encounter with Star Trek. Ever. There may be a chance I saw The Motion Picture before this but I didn’t remember it. At all. This was it for me. And I have to say I’m grateful for that because it really pulled me into this world which I now thoroughly enjoy.

2) Our very first experience with this film are the soft notes of Michael Giacchino’s theme for the rebooted universe. I think Giacchino is the finest modern day composer around and I think Star Trek is his finest piece of franchise fare (while the score for Up might be his best work ever). Giacchino’s more fits like a glove with this world. It is new yet feels familiar, relating to the feelings of hope, adventure, and danger which is such a trademark of the series. Like all great scores, it helps hold up the film and I love it for that.

3) The attack on Kelvin is a gripping and excellent way to open the film. It features tense action and opens on a note of darkness and unexpectedness which will come to define the dangers of the film.

Captain Robau: “You’re captain now, Mr. Kirk.”

(GIF originally posted by @kamala-khan)

Chris Hemsworth features in a noteworthy pre-Thor role in this film. The referring to him as Mr. Kirk almost plays against expectations, because one might observe that he looks more like William Shatner in this film than Chris Pine does. In his short time in the film, Hemsworth’s George Kirk is able to do some incredible things. He is more a plot device than a character, establishing Kirk’s loss as well as the enemy this film will feature, but that doesn’t mean you don’t become invested in his character. That doesn’t mean his death doesn’t have impact. I think it’s a testament to Hemsworth’s performance, as well as the writings & directing of this film, that he leaves such an impact on the audience.

5) Fans of “Once Upon a Time” (among others) will recognize Winona Kirk:

6) The goodbye between George and Winona is heartbreaking.

In a scene which is elevated by pacing, the performances from both Hemsworth and Morrison, as well as Giacchino’s touching score, this scene breaks my heart a lot more seven years later than it did in 2009. Granted I’ve dealt with more loss (some of it pretty recent), so maybe that’s why I teared up. As an adult the scene strikes a deeper chord with me. It sets up the loss Kirk has to live with and the sacrifice of his father which will weigh on his shoulders for the first three of these films. It is an excellent introductory scene into the film and - in one specific line - even shows just the love and respect this film pays to the original.

George [after Winona suggests naming him after his dad]: “Tiberius, are you kidding me? No that’s the worst. Let’s name him after your dad. Let’s call him Jim.”

7) JJ Abrams has a lucky charm in actor Greg Grunberg, who makes an auditory cameo in this film as Kirk’s stepdad via radio. Abrams includes Grunberg in almost all his films (he is notably absent in Star Trek into Darkness) and the pair have known each other since Kindergarden.

8) Young Kirk and Spock.

The initial scene with an adolescent James T. Kirk shows off his conflict quite well. He’s a rebel. Much more than Shatner’s Kirk-Prime and that is saying something. Closer to Han Solo than a Starfleet captain, he is dealing with the pain in his life and the constant lowered dismissal of others. No one expects anything of him yet as the film goes on he grows more and more confident in himself and trying to do what’s right. It’s a wonderful conflict and journey we get to go on with this character.

Much like Kirk, Spock’s initial conflict is introduced brilliantly in his initial scene. There is a dissonance between his human half and his Vulcan half I have not seen in any of the media before (I’ve never watched The Original Series, so maybe it’s in there). But the deep examination of these two halves and the conflict it brings about in Spock is a wonderful arc for the character to go on throughout the film, helping to lend it its epic feel.

10) I don’t understand Vulcan bullies. What part of bullying is logical? Assholes.

11) This line from Spock’s father is very illuminating of the Vulcan culture, in a way which surprises and delights me.

Sarek: “Emotions run deep in our race. In many ways more deeply than in humans.”

12) Winona Ryder as Spock’s Mom.

If you’re wondering why someone as young as Winona Ryder is aged up and playing Spock’s mother, there is actually a reason for it. There’s a deleted scene in the film featuring her giving birth to Spock where she is not aged up at all.

From the very start of Ryder’s brief appearance in the film we understand their relationship. We see just how deeply the pair are connected and how much Spock loves his mom. It lends to the humble pride he takes in his human half as well as the sorrow which is to come.

13) Vulcan’s are supposed to be purely logical creature, so why the hell are they so freaking racist?

Vulcan Council President: “It is truly remarkable, Spock, that you have achieved so much despite your disadvantage. All rise.”

Spock: “If you would clarify, Minister: to what disadvantage are you referring?”

Vulcan Council President: “Your human mother.”

Although I must say that Spock sass is the best.

Spock: “Council... Ministers, I must decline.”

Vulcan Council President: “No Vulcan has ever declined admission to this academy!”

Spock: “Then, as I am half-human, your record remains untarnished.”

14) Zachary Quinto as Spock.

It is incredibly hard to fill the shoes of any of these characters, but Spock was probably the most difficult to cast. Leonard Nimoy’s portrayal is iconic not just in the realms of sci-fi but across cinema in total. Yet Quinto does a fantastic job in the film. He is able to create a Spock which is unique unto itself, taking the opportunity given by Spock’s identity conflict in the writing and take it to its full potential. We see Spock’s sorrow, his pain, his intellect, his logic, his emotion, all of it is present throughout the film in a wonderful balance orchestrated by Quinto’s performance. The audience is never distracted by the fact that this isn’t Leonard Nimoy, even when Nimoy himself shows up later in the film. This is Spock. New, fresh, unique Spock.

15) Chris Pine as Kirk.

Pine’s performance - in lesser hands - could have just been a really bad William Shatner impression (which he showed off on “SNL” a few weeks ago). But like Quinto, Pine is able to take the new conflict featured in the script and make Kirk his own. He makes the character much more roguish, taking him a different direction that Shatner and creating a future-captain who feels knew and fresh. This is still a portrayal which is worthy of the name James T. Kirk: he cares about his crew, he pushes things to their limits in an effort to save the day, he’s a fundamentally good man. But add to that a heavier amount of pain from the death of his father as well as an inclination to rebel and you have a career making performance from Pine.

16) Zoë Saldana as Uhura.

Having my experience with Uhura only be the films and not the original series, I actually really prefer Zoë Saldana’s Uhura to Nichelle Nichols’. Not based on their performances, I think Nichols made Uhura iconic. But because I think the writers make Uhura much more active in the rebooted timeline than she was in the original films. She’s a bit sassier, a bit more of a fighter, and much more inclined to call people out on their shit. Saldana is a gem in any and all movies she is featured in (See: Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Book of Life, The Terminal) and her role as Uhura is no exception. I fell in love with her as an actress because of this film and I am forever grateful for that.

17) Kirk is also someone who actively seeks out fight more than Shatner’s Kirk did, I feel.

Starfleet Cadet [after Kirk is being a pill to them]: “There are four of us and one of you!”

Kirk: “Then get some more guys and it’ll be an even fight.”

[Kirk gives the cadet a pat on the cheek before getting his ass kicked.]

18) Having watched all of the films with the original cast now, I see much more of the respect and love the filmmakers have for them than I did back in 2009.

Captain Pike: “Something I admired about your dad: he didn’t believe in a no-win-scenario.”

(GIF source unknown [if this is your GIF please let me know].)

19) Kirk is also someone who enjoys defying the expectations others set for him, even if it is more for his benefit than their’s.

Kirk [after Pike says he can have his own ship after 4 years Starfleet]: “Four years? I’ll do it in three.”

20) Karl Urban as Bones.

I remember reading (but can’t find) that Leonard Nimoy found Urban’s performance as Bones so spot on similar to the late DeForrest Kelly that it brought him to tears. That right there tells you a lot about the portrayal. Urban is in my not-so-humble opinion the finest character actor in cinema right now, and even though he plays Bones closer to what he has always been (compared to the rest of the cast) that is never distracting. Kelley’s performance is a clear influence on Urban but he is still a character, not a caricature. He is able to both keep Bones the same character he’s always been without it being distracting and I love him for that. There are so many actors who I now love in film after I first saw them in this.

21) Eric Bana as Nero.

I might not be able to say this objectively, as this was my first experience with Star Trek, but I think Nero is an incredible villain and that Eric Bana is transformative in the part. Nero is not like the villains we’ve had in the past. He is not genetically engineered or trained for tactically superiority. He’s a miner from the future. He’s a blue collar worker with no military experience, driven mad by an incredible grief at the loss of those he loves (something both Kirk and Spock deal with in this film). Bana is able to portray this madness, this vengeance with incredible devotion. You don’t see Bana, you only see Nero.

22) Ah, the test...

Bones: “Jim it’s the Kobayashi-Maru. No one passes the test!”

Using the concept of “show don’t tell” to it’s full advantage, taking what was only mentioned in Wrath of Khan and showing just exactly how Kirk cheated on the (in)famous test. Although in that film he said he, “Got a commendation for original thinking,” whereas here he is given academic probation and held before a council hearing (which seems a bit extreme to me but whatever). Also, according to IMDb:

In the scene where Kirk is taking the Kobayashi Maru test, he is eating an apple, which is also what he is eating while recounting his tale of taking the Kobayashi Maru test in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982). (According to director J.J. Abrams in the DVD audio commentary, this was not intended to be a reference to The Wrath of Khan. At one point, he was simply told that lead actors seem cocky eating apples.)

23) This was Tyler Perry’s first movie role outside of his own projects (according to IMDb). That’s all. Moving on.

24) There is this incredible and deep conflict between Kirk and Spock which I love to see turn from adversary to friendly.

These two are famously best friends and I don’t know that we’ve ever seen them so at odds with each other. They freaking hate each other. They disagree with each other and each other’s methods on EVERYTHING. It is only through this conflict, through pushing each other, and through the trials the movie puts on them that they are able to respect and admire one another. I freaking love enemies-to-friends in movies and I’m so grateful they did that for this one.

25) John Cho as Sulu.

To start with, the fact that we are re-introduced to one of the most experienced pilots in science-fiction by having him make a mistake is a strong way of differentiating Cho’s Sulu from Takei’s Sulu. It helps to remind us just how green the crew of the Enterprise is in this movie and sets up the journey to come. I really like Cho as Sulu and I think he’s great in this film. You see him as someone who’s a little more unsure of himself early on and grow into the assurance that Takei had. But I also think he has some great moments to shine in Star Trek into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, maybe more so than the rest of the crew, so this is not the last you will be reading of Sulu.

26) Anton Yelchin as Chekov.

I will talk about Yelchin’s unfortunate passing last year when I write my recap for Star Trek Beyond soon, but I will say that I miss his presence in film. Yelchin is able to make Chekov such a youthful and fun character. He’s only 17 and is eager/excited to be on this ship. He’s smart, enthusiastic, optimistic, and able to serve to the fullest of his capabilities. In some ways more so than the rest of the cast (and I know this is blasphemy to old school Trek fans) Yelchin will always be Chekov to me (more so than even Walter Koening). I’m gonna miss him in future films.

27) The scene where Kirk is running around the Enterprise is great for me.

Not only is there some intense physical humor with the continuing set of symptoms Kirk is going through and the constant amount of shots Bones gives him...

Bones: “You got numb tongue?”

Kirk [with his mouth full]: “Numb tongue!?”

Bones: “I can fix that!”

But it also shows off Kirk’s intelligence. When he puts aside the bullshitting and the need to rebel he is the captain we all know him to be. He KNOWS they’re heading into a trap and it’s not just a bullshit feeling. Even though Spock and Captain Pike all write him off at first Kirk FIGHT to be heard and he is. He is confident and demands to be listened to, earning the respect, trust, and belief of the crew (even if temporarily). He trusts Uhura’s skills in xeno-linguistics, he read Captain Pike’s paper on his father’s death, he even gets Spock to agree that his logic is sound. It is this moment when he starts on his journey to becoming captain of the Enterprise.

28) This is an interesting parallel with Spock and Kirk’s father.

Captain Pike [after Spock wonders if making Kirk first officer is a prank]: “It’s not a prank, Spock. And I’m not the captain, you are.”

The obvious choice would be to have Captain Pike utter these words to Kirk but his using them with Spock is a nice deviation from expectation.

29) Olson is wearing a red shirt/suit.

In the original series, a “red shirt” was a character who’s role was primarily (often exclusively) to die horribly to show just how real the danger was.

30) I think the fight Kirk and Sulu have on top of Nero’s drill is not only a great action scene, but helps build the relationship between the two in a not so obvious way. When Sulu falls off the drill Kirk jumps after him without hesitation and then it is Chekov who pulls their ass out of the fire. It is a moment of deep trust between the Kirk and Sulu (and even Chekov) which will help the pilot get behind Kirk as captain later in the film.

31) Under the trivia for Galaxy Quest (the 1999 Tim Allen film) on IMDb:

In the Audio Commentary for Star Trek (2009), Director J.J. Abrams says, "By the way, I think we've all gone on record as saying one of our favorite 'Trek' films is 'Galaxy Quest'. And this sequence [where Kirk and Sulu are falling toward Vulcan without a parachute] is clearly an homage to Tony Shalhoub's great save in that film."

32) Spock’s struggle with the destruction of Vulcan and the loss of his mother ties directly into his conflict of identity. The universe needs him to be a Vulcan much more than it needs him to be a human now as he is now a member of an endangered species (and even identifies himself as such). And Vulcan’s try to outweigh emotion with logic, meaning that he is burying the grief he feels over his mother’s death in a way which is totally unhealthy.

33) I might be in the minority, but I like the Spock + Uhura relationship.

In some ways I wish it were developed more in future films, but I like how it is a quiet part of their relationships. You can tell it is based on deep compassion they have for each other as well as a total trust. They respect each other fully and never underestimate they other. There is no deception in their relationship, it’s just them. And I think Quinto and Saldana portray this wonderfully.

34) This version of Spock does not make a good captain. It is probably because he is trying to bury his emotion with an overcompensation of logic, but logic is only the beginning of wisdom and just because something is logical does not mean it is right. A lesson he has yet to learn.

35) And THIS is why this reboot works as well as it does.

Uhura [after Spock explains what the ramifications of Nero’s time travel means for them]: “An alternate reality.”

Spock: “Precisely.”

By creating an alternate reality which exists separately from the original timeline you are able to have more freedoms with your story. It is not a full on prequel or reboot. It very much respects what has come before it while clearing the way for something new to come. THAT is why - in my personal opinion - this is the best reboot of a series ever. And a method that X-Men and Terminator have tried to duplicate with varying degrees of success (X-Men doing it well, Terminator not so much).

36) Leonard Nimoy as Spock-Prime.

Now that I have seen the original Star Trek films with Nimoy his appearance in this movie carries a lot more weight for me. When I saw this in theaters the audience freaking cheered when Spock showed up as it was almost a total surprise, meanwhile I had to double check with my father that he was who I thought he was.

Spock: “I have been and always shall be your friend....I am Spock.”

[Beat.]

Kirk: “Bullshit.”

(Kirk’s bullshit made me laugh so freaking hard the first time I saw this.)

Nimoy is great in this film and passes the torch in an incredibly respectful and heartfelt way. It is a nice juxtaposition to see this wiser Spock with Quinto’s greener one and Nimoy is at his best in the part. According to IMDb:

Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and J.J. Abrams personally called upon Leonard Nimoy's home to request for his role in the film. According to Orci, the actor gave a "Who are you guys and what are you up to?" manner before being told how important he was to them. He was silent, and Nimoy's wife Susan Bay told the creative team that after their conversation he had remained in his chair, emotionally overwhelmed by his decision to return as Spock after turning down many opportunities to revisit the role. He decided to act in this film as he was turned on by the script's scope and its detailing of the characters' histories: "We have dealt with Spock being half-human/half-Vulcan, but never with quite the overview that this script has of the character's entire history, his character growth, his beginnings and his arrival into the Enterprise crew."

It is also through Kirk’s brief time with Spock-Prime that he learns truly who Spock is. He sees him at his most vulnerable, at his most trusting of Kirk since to him they are old friends. And he knows that’s in Quinto’s Spock and he respects him a bit more for it, even if that respect is not apparent upon their initial reunion.

37) Simon Pegg as Scotty.

(GIF originally posted by @stnetwork)

I like how Scotty is included in the plot. It feels more organic and makes him a bit different. He’s not like the rest of the crew who we met in the academy and on the Enterprise. He shows up when he’s needed and Simon Pegg is great in the role. A major fanboy, Pegg is absolutely hysterical in the part. You can clearly see the James Doohan influences in the role but Pegg - like the rest of the cast - is able to make the part his own and fit in with the rest of the crew perfectly.

38) I freaking love this.

(GIFs originally posted by @zacharysquinto)

39) Beaming Scotty and Kirk on the Enterprise only for Scotty to end up in the water tube illustrates a simple rule in storytelling: always have things go wrong. It’s more interesting that way.

40) Kirk pushing Spock is incredibly powerful for me, because Kirk does not enjoy doing this. He does not want to do this. Despite what animosity they may have towards each other, Kirk is only doing what is right. What Spock-Prime told him. He is doing what he has always done: what is best for the crew of the Enterprise. But that doesn’t mean he’s so sure of himself.

Uhura [after Kirk takes the captain’s chair]: “I sure hope you know what you’re doing, captain.”

Kirk: “So do I.”

41) And then the crew starts to take their places. They come together to go against Nero in a way that is reminiscent of the original series.

This image also reminded me of Kirk’s costume: he is the only one not in uniform until the VERY end of the film. He’s the black sheep of the crew who grows into his role.

42) There are a few small moments in the scenes to come which show how Kirk is already filling his duties as Captain. Namely: his telling Sulu to fire on Nero’s ship even if he and Spock are still on it/his covering Spock on Nero’s ship without hesitation (despite the conflict they’ve had up until this point).

43) Remember how I said you should have things go wrong whenever possible?

Scotty: “If there’s any common sense to the design of the enemy ship I should be putting you somewhere in the cargo bay, shouldn't be a soul in site.”

[Kirk and Spock are beamed onto the enemy ship in plain sight of the crew and are immediately attacked.]

44) Similar to Khan (since, for better or worse, Khan will be the villain all other Trek villains are compared to), Nero let’s his need vengeance leave him open to vulnerability.

Romulan Crew Member [after Nero has ordered them to fire on Spock’s ship]: “Sir, if you ignite the red matter -”

Nero: “I WANT SPOCK DEAD NOW!”

45) This was always my dad’s favorite line in the film.

Ayel [Nero’s secondhand]: “Your species is even weaker than I expected. You can’t even speak. [Kirk, who is being choked by Ayel, chokes something. Ayel pulls him closer] What is it?”

Kirk: “I got your gun!”

[Kirk grabs Ayel’s gun from his belt and shoots him.]

46) And Spock makes peace with his human side.

Kirk [after offering to rescue Nero, the man who killed Spock’s mom]: “It’s logic Spock, I thought you’d like that.”

Spock: “Not really. Not this time.”

47) The entire final escape from the black hole ties in not only to the idea of making things go wrong whenever you can, but also an idea found in many Hitchcock films: it’s never over when you think it is.

48) Spock & Spock-Prime.

The only scene the pair share in the film, it is also an incredibly impactful one. A true passing of the torch, Spock Prime is able to share more than logic with Spock. He is able to share his wisdom and help guide Spock down a path as fruitful as his was. It’s a wonderful moment that the film truly needed and that I am forever grateful for.

Spock Prime: “As my customary farewell would seem oddly self serving, I shall simply say good luck.”

49) The end of this film could easily have been just that: the end. The series could have stopped here and it would have been a wildly satisfying ending. Leaving the future open for hope and opportunity, but also getting these characters in the places we are familiar with. Leonard Nimoy does the iconic monologue for the film, and Michael Giacchino incorporates in his ending score his own theme as well as Jerry Goldsmith’s theme from Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the original television show theme. It is just a wonderful ending.

Star Trek is epic. It analyzes the characters and their relationships with a depth not yet explored in the series, specifically with Kirk and Spock. Abrams directing yields some beautiful imagery and the acting is absolutely phenomenal. At its core this film is a big fat love letter to the original series and the hope it brings, paying that hope forward to a new generation who (like me) find these characters through this film. I love it, with all my heart I love it.

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