Benedict Cumberbatch at New York Star Trek Premiere

So a friend/coworker of mine and I went to check out the celebs at the Star Trek premiere on May 14th. We got into a penned in area but the tent over the red carpet was up thanks to the on and off again rain that day. So we didn't think we'd get much footage having to look into a plastic sheet wall and then over press and photographers heads that would be between us and the celebs. It was also getting later and later, closer to the time the film was supposed to start and no one had bothered to show up yet. Those L.A. types. hehe

Due to some health complications as well from me, we decided to just go get food first. Maybe afterwards, the cast would come out and sign. So having a lovely time at dinner and sitting was good for us, we then left the diner around 9pm. My friend said it was getting late and she had to go a longer ways home so we departed.

On the way to my subway though, I decided to stop and see if anyone was waiting. Yes, yes they were. But it was a much more manageable crowd than earlier and a smaller area to wait in. It now look more like after seeing a broadway show where you meet the cast afterwards.

So I decided to stick it out and wait. I ended up waiting longer than I had anticipated but it was worth it to be a foot away from the wonderful and handsome Mr. Benedict Cumberbatch. I didn't have anything with me to get signed but when he came out he was mobbed with requests for pics and autographs. Thank goodness for barricades though! Some of the younger, 20-something ladies in the crowd were a bit ruthless. And since I'm short, everyone always puts their items they want signed over my head. I'm used to that. 

Because of the more ruthless fans, I couldn't get close to the barricade, I was about 4 people back. And therefore, couldn't get a picture with him. And none of these fans, unlike Broadway fans, would let me even through to get to the front once they were "done" (they are never "done" but you know what I mean.)

Chris Pine came running out and ran straight for the car - not even acknowledging fans. Which was a slight dissappointment. Usually even in a rush, they will at least acknowledge you as a whole group and leave. But this wasn't the case with Pine. Ah well.

I briefly saw Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Makita as they exited in a very quick manner as well. (Ferguson is in town because he's cast in the Shakespeare in the Park play this summer). I would have liked to have said hello to him as well. But oh well, this wasn't his party. 

Cumberbatch was very kind and tried to sign everything people threw his way and take as many pics as possible without there being a mob scene or injuries. Too bad I had nothing with me to have him sign though. 

But without further ado, here are my Cumberbatch pics. 

Star Trek Non-Spoiler Review

Non-Spoiler review for everyone. These are mostly just my initial thoughts as I watched it last night. I might have more thoughts in a few days and I might post if I deem it important enough to. But for now, here's my first thoughts:

The moment the movie begins, you are thrown into the action and it is non-stop. And even when it does, your heart doesn’t stop pounding in your chest, anticipating the next move or the emotional scene that might follow the action sequence. For that reason, most action-adventure film-goers will love this movie.

The storyline is pretty fluid throughout and easy enough to follow. I didn’t really find much flaw there. John Harrison (Cumberbatch) blows up a library-like facility and it’s a mystery as to why that and he is aggressively pursued by the Enterprise crew once the truth is revealed.

The actors are amazing -- most notably Benedict Cumberbatch. He just IS the character. He is rim-rod straight and focused throughout. Whomever wrote his part in this movie was just brilliant. And Cumberbatch delivered all his lines perfectly with all the right emotions at the right time. Pinpoint accurate. Everyone else did just as well as the last film - no real deviations from their characters or how they were written. Not sure why McCoy was angry in this film but he wasn’t the focus so I let it go. And Spock struggles with his human vs. Vulcan side in this a lot. I’m not sure I liked how it was portrayed. He really acted as if it were a light switch that he could turn on and off at a whim. I’m not really sure Roddenberry wrote the character quite that black and white.

I did have some issues with some of the original Star Trek lines getting thrown in for the heck of it. Not that they were out of place perse, but I felt it was forced more than natural. More of a “We need a laugh here so throw in one of McCoy’s classic lines! STAT!” So it felt a bit forced.

I liked the moral thread of  “do the right thing” and “what feels right” throughout - although coming from the Spock perspective it seemed forced or pounded into you a bit too often.

I’d say go see this but maybe pay matinee prices instead. Not a bad movie but it needed a little work in certain places. It was definitely a fun movie to go see on a night out. And it does leave it open for the continuity purposes of what Roddenberry set up in the old films as well as for future films in this franchise. I would recommend seeing it in 3D. It did add many good visual effects to a lot of the scenes.