Welcome to the Saturday Review, where each week I plan to review a movie, video game, anime, or other media I am taking in or have just finished watching.

This week, I’m talking about the summer blockbuster “Star Trek.”

Now, I’m not exactly what you’d call a ‘trekkie’ by any means. However, I do know the basics, having seen many episodes of the original series as well as Next Generation, as well as some Voyager, Deep Space Nine and even Enterprise, unfortunately. I know that Kirk cheated to pass the Kobayashi Maru and that Q is pretty awesome.

So, armed with minor trek knowledge in tow, I went to a preview showing of Star Trek Wednesday night, mostly to see one of my favorite actors, Simon Pegg. I wasn’t expecting much, having seen every Trek movie and knowing of the odd number curse, but I was pleasantly surprised!

That being said, there are spoilers for the movie ahead. If you want to skip them, just skip the green paragraphs.

Each of the characters were well cast, adequately portrayed, each given an adequate ammount of screentime, with the exception of Kirk and Spock, of course, who recieved more for obvious reasons.

The film really fed my inner geek as well, because it made many classic Trek referances in the dialogue, kept the classic effects, and even explained in adequate detail exactly how the timeline had been disrupted by the Romulans. Usually, fans have to bicker about that sort of stuff on message boards and it errupts into a full scale internet war, so thanks for quelling that.

That being said, I still liked a couple of the old movies better, like Wrath of Kahn and, despite popular opinion, my favorite is still The Final Frontier. What does God need with a spaceship? What does he need with followers? In fact, what does he need with the universe he made? HUH? He’s God, give him what he wants.

…Unless he’s a malevolent space anti-deity. Then you fire torpedoes.

However, as good as I felt the movie was, it had its minute problems. I did have a couple of gripes about the movie. Sulu, despite saying outright that he was trained in fencing, fought with a collapsable katana. Those who know fencing will also know that a curved blade like that is not exactly what fencing uses. In the end, the Asian guy uses an Asian weapon. I’m just glad it stopped there, and not with Sulu asking Kirk if he wated to know today’s special or offering him some fried rice.

Also, the Romulans suddenly have face tattoos. I would normally be opposed to such a huge, needless racial change, but they always did look too much like Vulcans to me. Maybe just because I’m not a huge Trekkie. Meh.

Speaking of the Romulans, the villains could have easily been more developed, and I hope that they are, if and when a Director’s Cut version surfaces. It’s Abrams, so I have no doubt it’ll show up, right along with the episode of Lost where the chick from Alias shows up to help the smoke monster fight of the thing from Cloverfield and are discovered by the detectives from Fringe.

This leads us to Fringe, the J.J. Abrams show about detectives working on cases revolving around fringe science (I.E. spontanious cumbustion, telpathy, etc.).

Those who know and love the show and/or Trek probably already know this, but in the episode ‘The Road Not Taken,’ which aired May 4, a man claims to be Spock and continues to outline the entire plot of the new movie.

Enjoy. The Trek talk begins just after 4 minutes 30 seconds.

All in all, I loved the new movie. I’m giving it a 10 for staying true to the original in terms of characters and style, having the courage to deviate and properly explain themselves, the nerdy, cheesy lines my inner geek loved so much, the good plot and action-packed pacing. Another win in the Abrams column.

10 / 10

Until next time, live long and prosper. -GG

We come now, in the early hours of the Lord’s day, to the main reason I started this blog.

I call this segment the Glitch of the Week!

Basically, once a week, I give an outlined detail of one of my more ridiculous video game glitches. There’s only one game I’ve ever completed glitch free: .hack//infection, and if I DID have a glitch, how was I supposed to NOTICE?!

This week, I tackle one of my personal favorite glitches from God of War II.

Near of the begining of the story, Kratos encounters a titan named Typhon, who blasts him with wind in an attempt to kill Kratos, the one man who wants to help the Titans. retarded? Yep. Fun? You bet.

This is the face that says 'Don't help me escape jail, I deserve to be imprisoned for no reason, now watch as I fight you for trying to rescue me, because I was wrongfully put here. Breeze blowing son-of-Gaia.'

Speaking of Gaia, this means Gaia, mother earth, sent Kratos to go gouge out her son’s eye without even giving the guy a phone call. Thanks mom. You know what Mother Earth gets for Mother’s day? Eco terrorism. Captain Planet can eat it when mommy sends some greek dude to pop out something you need to see. Deforestation, here I come.

Anyhow, when fighting him, you avoid his breath, because he’s a bigger blowhard than Al Gore. (zing!) Just kidding. Al Gore is still the bigger windbag. However, eventually you get the opportunity to tear out his eye and claim the bow hidden within. Why is there a bow in his eye? I’m putting MY bets that he came home from the prom with a fire Nymph and mommy found out. Tree-covered bag probably put it there just to spite poor Typhon.

Mother of the year? Maybe not. World's biggest bonfire? Call the colleges and order the kegs, it's about to get real.

Well, long and short of it, you’re supposed to tear out the bow and mercilessly wail on Typhon for a bit, but my game wouldn’t allow it. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one who encountered the glitch.

Skip to about 3:30 to see the travesty in action. Thanks to NextGen Walkthroughs for the vid.

In addition, after stabbing the air like a merciless fusion of Shaquille O’Neal and OJ Simpson, my Kratos fell back to earth, heavily damaged and surrounded my bats. Terribly annoying, but very fun to watch!

Well, that’s it for this installment of Glitch of the Week. Make sure to tune in next week. I’ve been playing Braid like crazy and already found a glitch less than halfway through.

Until then readers. -GG

I started Glitchy Goblin in order to document my opinions on various things, from my favorite anime and tokusatsu, to the best ska music, to the rediculous glitches I encounter in every video game I play.

Be sure to check back daily. It may be a little sketchy at first, but it’ll pick up the pace soon, just you watch and see!

Until next time. -GG