Abrams II, Part 4: Cloverfield.

Running Time: 1 hour 9 minutes 6 seconds

After successfully launching his directing career with Mission: Impossible III, J.J. Abrams' name had become a brand. The first movie to be heavily marketed as a "J.J. Abrams Production" was Matt Reeves' Cloverfield.

Cloverfield, is a giant monster film in the vein of Godzilla, but with a twist: The entire film is seem through the camcorder of our unexacting protagonists.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at the fourth picture in our series. We discuss the movie's marketing, the found-footage aesthetic, and what Abrams brought to the production. We also preview the upcoming sequel, 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Chapters

The Marketing (00:02:15)

Thoughts on the Movie (00:17:07)

Abrams' Contribution (00:35:11)

Wrap-up (00:58:17)

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Abrams II, Part 3.

Running Time: 52 minutes 46 seconds

In 2001, the first Bad Robot production was released. Joy Ride tells the story of two brothers on a cross-country road trip who prank the wrong truck driver, with deadly results. The film stars Paul Walker, Steve Zahn and Leelee Sobieski. It was directed by John Dahl and co-written and co-produced by JJ Abrams himself.

I this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, John and Mike look at Abrams' third production. We discuss the film's tried and true horror cliches, Abrams' range as a filmmaker, and why Joy Ride is important to Abrams' history. We also look at this year's Oscar-nominated Star Trek vets, and touch on the trailer for the next Abrams production, 10 Cloverfield Lane. 

Chapters

Oscars (00:55)

Joy RIde (16:25)

John Dahl (31:50)

Wrap-up (44:42)

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Abrams II, Part 2: The Suburbans.

Running Time: 54 minutes 21 seconds

In 1999, J.J. Abrams produced his second feature film, The Suburbans. The movie, directed by Donal Lardner Ward, looks at a one-hit wonder from the 80s which is attempting to stage a comeback in the 90s. The cast features Ward, Abrams favorite Tony Guma (who co-wrote the script with Ward), up-and-coming star Will Ferrell, and 90s icon Jennifer Love Hewitt.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John look at this lost film from Abrams' pre-Bad Robot career. We discuss the historical context of the film, Abrams' motivations for making it, and how slang has changed over the years.

Chapters

The Suburbans (00:01:55)

Abrams' Contribution (00:21:25)

Wrap-up (00:45:45)

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Abrams II, Part 1: The Pallbearer.

Running Time: 48 minutes 14 seconds

As the trailer proudly states, Star Trek Beyond is produced by J.J. Abrams. We all know that Abrams directed the last two Star Trek films, and we all know that he is not directing this one. So what does it mean when we see that Abrams is producing the new movie? 

We try to answer that question in this new series on Commentary: Trek Stars, where we will be looking at each of the films which Abrams produced for other filmmakers. In Part 1 of this series, John and Mike cover The Pallbearer, a film starring David Schwimmer and Gwyneth Paltrow which was directed by Cloverfield director Matt Reeves, and co-written by Reeves and Friday Night Lights creator Jason Katims.

We discuss the heavy influence of The Graduate on this film, its place in the history of Miramax, and the contribution of cinematographer Robert Elswit.

Chapters

The Pallbearer (00:06:35)

Miramax (00:20:55)

Wrap-up (00:37:27)

Hosts

John Mills and Mike Schindler

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)

Doug Jung: Confidence.

Running Time: 46 minutes 9 seconds

Much has been made of Simon Pegg's contribution to the screenplay for Star Trek Beyond. So much so, that people tend to forget that Pegg has a partner on the project, co-writer Doug Jung.

In this episode of Commentary: Trek Stars, Mike and John take a look at Jung's first movie, Confidence. We discuss the film's intricate structure, its similarity to other films from the time period, and what it tells us about Jung's contribution to Beyond. We also remember TOS writer George Clayton Johnson.

Chapters

Doug Jung (00:01:39)

Confidence (00:03:59)

Ocean's Twelve (00:19:33)

George Clayton Johnson (00:35:33)

Hosts

Mike Schindler and John Mills

Production

Mike Schindler (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Richard Marquez (Production Manager) Will Nguyen (Content Manager)