Commentary: Trek Stars 95: A Crazy Possessed Typewriter

Abrams, Part 4: Recap.

For someone held in such high regard by the film industry, J.J. Abrams has a fairly short resume when it comes to directing. As of now, he has only directed four features, including Mission: Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, and Star Trek Into Darkness.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max recap their look at Abrams's directorial work. We also discuss his upcoming film, Star Wars: Episode VII, and answer a listener's questions about Max's opinion of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

Running Time: 1 Hour 19 Minutes 53 Seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Topics

Mission: Impossible III (1:05)
Star Trek (2:56)
Super 8 (32:40)
Star Trek Into Darkness (34:48)
Star Wars: Episode VII (41:04)
Final Thoughts (44:49)
Listener Feedback (51:10)
Closing (1:14:56)

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As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 94: What's in the Box?

Abrams, Part 3: Super 8.

In between Star Trek films, J.J. Abrams took a break from the franchise to direct his passion project, Super 8. The film, about a group of kids who accidentally film the wreck of a government train transporting an alien, is Abrams's homage to Steven Spielberg-era sci-fi blockbusters.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike are joined by John Mills of Words with Nerds to look at Abrams's most personal movie to date. We discuss the motivations of alien, what's inside the mystery box, and of course, lens flares. Max also answers a listener's question about what movies he thinks are good.

Running Time: 1 Hour 7 Minutes 46 Seconds

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Hosts

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Guest

John Mills

Topics

Super 8 (3:40)
The Alien (12:11)
The Mystery Box (20:59)
Lens Flares (30:45)
Final Thoughts (40:28)
Listener Mail (50:15)
Closing (1:03:11)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 93: A Giant Group of Talented Weirdos

Abrams, Part 2: Mission: Impossible III.

Before relaunching Star Trek, J.J. Abrams adapted another Desilu television show for the big screen with Mission: Impossible III. 

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and Max are joined by Tysto to look at Abrams's first feature. We discuss why Tom Cruise gave him the job, how it differs from the other Mission: Impossible films, and how it influenced his work in Trek. We also debate the merits of the script.

Running Time: 49 Minutes 38 Seconds

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Hosts

Mike Schindler and Max Hegel

Guest

Tysto
 

Topics

Mission: Impossible III (4:22)
The Show (10:21)
The Movies (14:13)
Similarities to Alias (23:43)
The Writing (28:07)
Final Thoughts (38:06)
Wrap-up (39:19)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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Commentary: Trek Stars 92: A Fresh Coat of Paint

Abrams, Part 1: Trek.

In 2005, after eighteen consecutive seasons of television, Star Trek was suffering from "franchise fatigue." In an effort to revitalize the property, Paramount hired A-list filmmaker J.J. Abrams to direct a reboot of The Original Series.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Max and Mike begin a new series looking at Abrams's career as a feature film director. In Part 1, we are joined by Matthew Rushing of The Orb and Literary Treks to examine Abrams's work on Star Trek. We discuss the reasons behind hiring Abrams, our initial thoughts concerning his involvement, and what exactly his contribution to the franchise has been. We also examine the similarities between the 2009 film and The Motion Picture.

Running Time: 1 hour 18 minutes 31 seconds

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Hosts 

Max Hegel and Mike Schindler

Guest

Matthew Rushing

Chapters

Intro (02:00)
Initial Thoughts (10:18)
Continuity (22:18)
The Mystery Box (33:13)
Mainstream Trek (39:52)
Final Thoughts (54:37)
Wrap-up (1:02:57)

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Sponsor

Audible is the premiere source for audiobooks with more than 150,000 titles to choose from, and new titles coming every week. From classics to current bestsellers, and even some of the most famous Star Trek books like Prime Directive, Federation, and Spock’s World, Audible has something for everyone.

As a Trek.fm listener you can get a free audiobook of your choice along with a 30-day trial to see just how great Audible is. So give it a try today, catch up on all those classic Star Trek books you’ve yet to read or that latest novel from you favorite author and support the network and our programming at the same time!

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More recent episodes of Commentary: Trek Stars...