Star Trek Beyond Absolutely Is

I saw the premiere of Star Trek Beyond last night, which opens in theaters today, Friday 22.

The film is aptly titled, because it stretches this young version of the original Enterprise crew in every way.

In the first reboot, trekkers needed to see Chris Pine as a believable, but respectful, Jim Kirk.  He was, and continues to be, masterful, as are the rest of the cast.

From the beginning, too, we became aware that this new franchise would not follow the timeline set forth in TOS (the original series).

Straying from the time line bothered me then.  The X-Men have taught me to appreciate the limitless possibilities that flexibility can offer the imagination. The characters and their relationships remain, even as their backstories morph from episode to episode.

I’m not the only person who has a hard time with the reboot pushing beyond Gene Rodenberry’s vision. George Takei, the original Sulu and current gay rights activist, wasn’t thrilled that young Sulu (now played by John Cho) has a husband and daughter. Takei has been quoted as saying he was happy to see a gay character, and understood the tip of the hat as it was intended, but felt it unfortunate to stray from Rodenberry’s originally character.

While the timeline may change, and the character’s backstories may grow, a few things remain consistent. Star Trek stories have always reflected our societal struggles. TOS brought us the first interracial kiss on TV, for example.

In Star Trek Beyond, the crew faces a villain who believes that strength and identity come from conflict, and the unity created by the United Federation of Planets is dangerous. Doesn’t that sound like conversations heard around the world today, where some fear unity between countries will lead to a dangerous “world government”?

The special effects in Star Trek Beyond are dazzling, but almost so over the top that they distract from the story, making it hard to follow at times.

The death of Leonard Nimoy is paralleled in the story line.

It was a bit hard for me to enjoy Anton Yelchin’s brilliant portrayal of Chekov, knowing that the actor himself didn’t live to see the movie open.

What made this movie work for me wasn’t the story or the tech, it was the chemistry between the cast, and the way they developed their characters and relationships. For me, it felt like spending time with old friends, and learning new things about them.

An added dimension to the cast came from a surprising new female character whom we’ll expect to see in the next adventure.

This movie should not be missed by Trekkers, Trekkies, sci-fi geeks and people who enjoy watching the destruction of intricate spaceships, and explosions in space.

Confessions of a Mystical Fangirl

Most teachers, tarotists, ministers and spiritual advisors I know reference quotations and stories to help illustrate their point. Even Jesus taught in parables.

I draw from a wide range of sources for inspirational and illustrative passages, although I will admit that, while many of my friends often quote Rumi and Kahlil Gibran, I am more likely to quote the Grateful Dead.

Yesterday, I realized that I pepper my language with references from another source. I am a huge sci-fi fan – I always have been. As a kid, I read Bradbury nonstop one summer. While I don’t watch broadcast or cable TV, I do love watching series on Netflix and Hulu. Most of my favorite shows are sci-fi.

I figured I was normal in that. I mean, most of my friends and family bemoaned the loss of “Firefly” with me. However, on three occasions yesterday, my sci-fi reference garnered only blank stares.

One person didn’t know why I was mentioning red pills and blue pills in a conversation about those who are willing to see reality and those who are not. The iconic Matrix reference missed completely.

In another conversation, we were discussing why sometimes divination yields confusing results. “No spoilers,” I said in my best River Song voice. My friend was clearly not a Whovian.

Finally, in discussing a friend’s business conundrum, I told her that she must, above all else, honor her inner Ferengi and not lose sight of her financial interests. The message resonated, even though she didn’t know anything about the Ferengi Rules of Acquisition.

I share with others the things that inspire me. Is it odd that stories of time and space different from our own inspire me so much?

Year ago, when I was in the hospital fighting a post-surgical infection, it was an image from a Stephen King novel that kept me grounded and fighting for my life. The Bene Gesserit Litany against Fear, from Dune, was my daily mantra in the early years of my business, when everything felt new and scary.

Many people draw their inspiration only from sacred texts, or lauded philosophers and poets. I find value there, too. I also believe there is much for us to learn from stories that place a human element in an alien setting. When everything else is foreign, it becomes easy to see what is innately human and immediately resonant.

There is a special joy, too, in finding the magic that hides within the mundane.

Pop culture and geek fandom may not be as intellectually or artistically important as ancient works, but they can be every bit as relevant and enlightening. As the Grateful Dead said, “Once in a while you can get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.”

The Cultural Value of Star Trek

I’ve never identified myself as a “Trekkie” or a “Trekker.” I don’t go to conventions or speak Klingon. But I do have a deep appreciate of the Star Trek franchise. Seeing the recently released feature film “Star Trek: Into the Darkness” got me thinking about why I value Star Trek so much. Other than the shear entertainment value of it, of course.

I should disclose this fact, too. Over the past few years I have been systematically watching all the Star Trek series on Netflix. I’ve now seen all of Voyager and Deep Space Nine. I’m currently working my way through Next Generation.  And, yes, I have seen every Star Trek movie ever made.

Although I loved “Into the Darkness” I was a bit peeved with J.J. Abrams for messing with the original time line. No tribble should have been present on the Enterprise at this point in the time line, and Chris Pike needs to be available to be found in “The Menagerie” episode of the original series.

So, if not a Trekker I am at least a bona fide geek. But I believe Gene Roddenberry’s vision captured us for some very important and optimistic reasons.

Debuting in 1966, the original Star Trek was campy and low-tech. I remember being able to see the wires that held the Enterprise aloft. But in 1966 space was the only possible frontier where race and gender didn’t matter and exploration was more important than exploitation.

While watching the different Star Trek series I am often struck by the political truths portrayed in these fanciful fictions. What happens on fictitious worlds light years away often very clearly reflects our own struggles on planet Earth.

When klingons, ferengi, humans and bajorans are trying to understand each other on a space station at the edge of the known universe we learn a great deal about our own issues of cross-cultural communication.

Set in a distance future, Star Trek offers the hopeful vision of a time that we move beyond poverty, war, racism and sexism. Star Trek proposes that an appreciation of science, culture and nature might be all the currency we need.

And, no matter how they appear, every character, whether vulcan, android or hologram, is striving to find within themselves that defining characteristic we call humanity.