If the first in the new series of Star Trek films were its infancy, and eventual baby steps into a full-fledged series, Star Trek Into Darkness is its riotous teenage years.  These teenage years filled with untold amounts of emotions boiling to the surface range greatly, but all are a necessary step into finding its true character. The tumultuous ride is one that can only hope to top the acclaim achieved by the first film when it was release over four years ago.

Taking place not long after the events of the first film, Star Trek Into Darkness reunites us with the crew of the USS Enterprise as they are on assignment on the planet Nibiru. The planet is in the early stages of its civilization, and Kirk (Chris Pine) creates havoc as he allows them to see a starship on his way to save Spock (Zachary Quinto), who is trying to save the people of the planet. Unfortunately, while this is the correct moral choice, it is not in accordance with the law of Starfleet, and the brash Kirk once again lands in trouble. He is demoted to first officer, and is once again under the command of his mentor, Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood).

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How do you adapt one of the greatest American novels ever to be written?  If you look at the history of The Great Gatsby, the answer would be “Often, with mainly negative results.” Many people still remember the Jack Clayton directed, Francis Ford Coppola penned adaptation starring Robert Redford, Sam Waterson, and Mia Farrow, but even that film is considered flawed compared to the book it takes its name from. It was hard not to be excited when Baz Luhrmann signed on to have a go at the famous material. Reactions from the beginning were mixed, but after the casting of numerous stars, there was a sense that the film could be everything people expected it to be.  What could go wrong?

Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), our narrator, comes to us as an outsider among the glitz and glamour of Long Island in the middle of the roaring twenties. He makes a modest living in the hot trade of bonds, and has grabbed a cottage in the prestigious area of West Egg, positioned among the modern day castles of the princes and princesses of American wealth.  Despite not being one of the wealthy members of West Egg, he still has plenty of connections, his second cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan), and her husband, Tom (Joel Edgerton), have a palatial estate across from Nick’s cozy cottage. Through them Nick becomes the middle man in a series of events between Tom, his mistress, the mysterious Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and Daisy. Revealing that money doesn’t solve everything, and that you can’t change the past.

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There are very few musicians who achieve the status of legend. It’s a term left only for those who have achieved greatness in their field, and left a lasting impression. It’s a title that is harder and harder to come by these days.  It’s a title so highly regarded, that four legends made history on December 4, 1956. Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash all convened on Sun Studio, the studio that gave all these greats their starts, and laid a few tracks.

There isn’t a whole lot of story to be concerned about with Million Dollar Quartet. Most of the exposition is merely there to explain who each person is, why they are there, and how they became so important in the American music cultural landscape.  What little story is there ties the play together very well, but the real show comes from the displayed songs, which are closer to a rock concert than a stage play.

The story is based on fact, but much of it is fiction. Many of the songs presented in the show never show up on the actual Million Dollar Quartet recordings, and are there to lend familiarity to the audience.  The show does cover actual moments in the original sessions, including a nice rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Brown Eyed Handsome Man”, and many others.

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It’s just a couple months away, and Warner Bros. is doing all it can to keep fans salivating at the prospect of Man of Steel. Each new still and trailer are making a lot of noise, and bringing a sense of confidence in the production. If judging by the hype the film is receiving from people outside the comic book world is any indication, the film could be the biggest film of the summer, if not the year.

I’ve stayed cautiously optimistic from the beginning, but I’d be lying if I didn’t have some qualms at the beginning. Now I’m on the path to tempering my expectations. It’s getting more difficult the more I see to not let my expectations run rampant. To top that off, Comic Book Resources posted a number of new stills from the upcoming film. They give some great looks at some characters, as well as a couple behind the scenes looks. Also included are the covers for an upcoming issue of Empire magazine featuring Superman and General Zod.

What do you think about these stills? What would you say your excitement is for this film?

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Big Scooby Doo fan? Lucky for you because we have 2 family 4-packs to Scooby Doo Live! Musical Mysteries at the Family Arena up for grabs. Simply enter the contest below and enter for your chance to win tickets to the upcoming show.

The much-loved Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang take center stage in an all-new family musical, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES, presented by Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Life Like Touring. Featuring everyone’s favorite characters from one of television’s longest-running animated series, SCOOBY-DOO LIVE! MUSICAL MYSTERIES is set to thrill audiences at The Family Arena on Saturday, April 20 for two shows.

In this exciting new production, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang have been called upon to help solve an epic mystery. A trouble-making ghost is haunting a local theatre and Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, Velma, and Scooby-Doo are on their way in the Mystery Machine to crack the case. With crazy ghosts, perplexing puzzles, and an abundance of Scooby Snacks, it’s Scooby-Doo and friends at their best, travelling across the country, solving mysteries wherever they go.

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