Movie Review: Star Trek: Beyond

The past few years we have seen reboots and sequels of long-ago favorites come back to life on the big screen. Those may be a number of pros and cons to this and one of these pros is the fact that a whole generation can be re-introduced to the franchise.

Such is the case with Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek". I can't remember whether my late father was a fan (I would have to check with my Uncles on that) but one thing is for sure, my father wanted to name his children Luke or Leia and not Kirk, or Spock for that matter. 

Whatever the case, whenever I would think of "Star Trek" I would remember those old clips of Patrick Stewart and William Shatner and of course Leonard Nimoy's Spock but that was it and thanks to J.J. Abrams' successful reboot I have been able to enjoy two new Star Trek films. 

A New Captain Onboard

With J.J. Abrams taking a seat as a producer for the third installment and "Fast and the Furious" director Justin Lin coming on board as director, fans were worried that "Star Trek: Beyond" was going to be "The Fast and the Furious-in space". 

What I can say is that fans need not be worried - "Beyond is a fast-paced, deep space adventure that will leave you breathless. The comedy is on point and will leave you laughing out loud in the cinema, as the film explores the dysfunctional family yet effective crew of 'The Enterprise'.

More than just action and comedy "Star Trek: Beyond" also touches on deeper thoughts, pretty early out in the film as Chris Pine's Jim Kirk celebrates his birthday over a glass of (what appears to be scotch) with Karl Urban's Leonard McCoy (aka "Bones") and they reflect on Kirk's birthday, which ironically will also always be the day his father (Chris Hemsworth, in the first film reboot) sacrificed himself to save his family and crew. 

I must admit that I was already fighting back tears at this point, since I could relate with Kirk, I understand his pain since my father died at a young age and now that I've reached thirty, I think that I'm just nine years shy of being the same age when he passed and seeing Kirk on screen with (almost) the same thoughts, I could feel my heart being pinched in about 10 places. 

Just Another Day in the fleet

The film opens with Kirk's captain log of their past (uneventful) years in space, he talks of how mundane things have become but little does he know that things are about to become pretty exiting. 

During a routine resupply stop, an unknown ship seeks help in an uncharted nebula in space. The crew of the Enterprise sets off on the rescue mission. A surprise attack from bad guy Idris Elba's Krall splits the team apart and I must say that I really enjoyed seeing the characters paired off with members of the crew, they wouldn't normally be with. I think it helped build the characters and allowed the audience to enjoy different dynamics in the team. I know I did. 

New comer Sophia Boutella plays a strong willed Jaylah,who is currently in the same 'boat' err-planet as the rest of the crew. She was a pleasure to watch on screen, her make up was impressive, as was her skills with the stunts that she did. 

From there, things are pretty much, edge of your seat excitement but music played a big part in the climax of the movie, and I'm just going to leave it here that it was mind blowing! Being a big fan of music myself, I really loved it. If you've seen the movie - can we just talk about this offline - because I just can't get enough of that scene! 

Old Characters. New Loves. 

I'd have to say that I got to love the old characters more, since they were featured in a different way in "Beyond" such as Karl Urban's 'Bones' who just had so much more hilarious lines in this film that you can't help to love the pessimistic doctor. It was also nice to see that the writers gave Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Ahura's (Zoe Saldana) relationship a little level up, yes, even in Spock's terms. 

Of course the film was very bittersweet since it was the first Star Trek film, without Leonard Nimoy, who passed away in 2015 and was also the last film of Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Checov, he died in June of a freak accident in his home in Los Angeles. 

There has been much sadness at Yelchin's untimely death and every time you would see his face on the screen, you can just feel that punch to your gut.

So I guess, sentimentality also had a hand in the film and what made it so memorable. It was action-packed, yes with all the CGI graphics you could dream of but aside from that, it also stirred emotions because of its characters and the actors who portrayed them. 

There is but a few franchises who can have that kind of effect and hold on fans, but if you've been around as long as Star Trek has, then this is definitely a possibility and I sat there and enjoyed the film immensely. 

I would have liked some of the science fiction (in this science fiction movie) explained to me, even at a minimal extent, like Krall's ultimate weapon of mass destruction. Like how does that work exactly? 

9 out of 10 stars. Star Trek: Beyond delivers in its promise of a big space adventure but also has emotions stir inside of you. It's message of 'strength and hope in unity' rings strong and true in our world today. As I said in an earlier post, seeing the crew work together, reminded me of what it was to work in a team, in a family and we can all relate to this and if creatures of different species from different planets and galaxies can work together in a united federation, going on missions and travelling through space, then surely so can different races of one planet. 

Now playing across the Philippines, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures. #StarTrekBeyondPH 

Throwback Posts! 

My Movie Review of Star Trek: Into Darkness here. 

DVD Feature of Star Trek (2009) here. 

Movies: CHRIS PINE RECALLS WORKING WITH ANTON YELCHIN IN “STAR TREK BEYOND”

Chris Pine reprises his role as James T. Kirk in Paramount Pictures' new sci-fi, action-adventure “Star Trek Beyond,” a character he originated in 2009's “Star Trek” and continued in 2013's ““Star Trek into Darkness” – both directed by J.J. Abrams.

One of the bigger plot points that dramatically changes the course of “Star Trek Beyond” is the destruction of the Starship Enterprise, which strands the crew on an unexplored alien planet.

“The stakes are as big as they get,” says Abrams, who's back as a producer. “After they see the Enterprise ripped to shreds and torn asunder, the crew is thrown all these different directions and forced to survive and reconnect with the rest of the crew. It’s wonderful because we get to see how well these separate pairs work together towards a common goal.”

For example, a newly introspective Captain Kirk finds himself stranded with youthful optimist Chekov (Anton Yelchin).

Co-writer Doug Jung explains, “Kirk is an alpha male who has had all the answers and lived by the seat of his pants with his hair on fire. He’s proven himself and moved out of his father’s shadow, but now he’s faced with the existential question ‘What now? We liked the idea of putting the more jaded, cynical Kirk with Chekov, who’s young and eager, and much less cynical.”

Pine agrees, stating “The first two films were very Spock and Kirk-centric, but I think Doug and [co-writer] Simon Pegg were very smart to break everybody up to see how they all work together, and how they play off of each other. Being the captain of the Enterprise is the most defining thing in Kirk’s life. His father was also the captain of a ship that was destroyed, so the destruction of the Enterprise brings up a complex set of emotions tied to who he is, and I think Kirk sees a lot of himself in Chekov.”

“Where Kirk starts the film unsure of the future, Chekov comes from a place of absolute confidence in the mission,” said Yelchin. “When the Enterprise is destroyed, it really takes away everything they thought was important. They don’t even know if the rest of the crew is alive, so that forces them to relearn the value of love and the respect they have for their crewmates.”

“Anton and I laughed a lot,” Pine recalls. “We have scenes where I’m harping on him and he’s harping on me, we’re being shot at and things are exploding all around us. It’s anxious and intense, but more fun than anything, because there’s such a great heart to Anton’s character and to Anton himself.”

Special note: On June 19, 2016, the Star Trek family lost one of its own. Anton Yelchin’s unexpected passing has devastated the cast and crew of “Beyond.” The cast, crew and fans worldwide have come forward to express their love for Anton and his portrayal of Pavel Chekov.

Yelchin will be remembered for his deep, abiding love of film and personal gratitude to be doing the work he was so passionate about. “I’m grateful every day I’m on set. If I ever feel like I’m behaving in a less than grateful way, I’m deeply disappointed in myself, because we are all so wildly fortunate to be doing this beautiful, lunatic thing…the amount of people and effort it takes to craft these images for someone to watch is madness and such a special thing to be a part of.”

“Chekov has heroic moments,” Yelchin once explained. “But what really makes him fun to play is his silliness and optimism. The joyful quality that Walter Koenig (the original Chekov) so beautifully brought to the character, I feel extremely fortunate to get to play with.”

"I loved working with Anton,” recalls J.J. Abrams. “He was a deeply good soul. I can't believe or stand that he is gone."

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: “KINGSMAN” VILLAIN SOFIA BOUTELLA MAKES HER MARK IN “STAR TREK BEYOND”

She surprised global audiences with a breakthrough performance the blade-runner villain in last year's hit spy film “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” That film led to her being cast as the title character opposite Tom Cruise in next year's reboot of “The Mummy.”

Now, French actress Sofia Boutella appears in Paramount Pictures' “Star Trek Beyond” as Jaylah, a strong willed, technologically adept alien who saves the life of Scotty (Simon Pegg) on the surface of the planet, Altamid.

“Jaylah has been alone on Altamid for some time” says Boutella. “She’s had to fend for herself for so long that when Scotty arrives, she sees the potential to make a friend. Even though she’s defensive and guarded, Jaylah and Scotty develop a sort of brother and sister dynamic that Simon and I have off-set.”

“Sofia charmed the socks off of all of us,” Pegg recalls. “She inhabits the character in such a way that made it a real joy to be her foil in the film. She’s super-resourceful and tough. I love that she has this strange, syntactical way of speaking, which makes her feel very alien, and yet she’s unbelievably sympathetic.”

Due to the extensive make-up required for Jaylah, some of Boutella’s days on set began before other’s had ended.

“There were days where I’d wake up at 12:30am to get make-up before a morning shoot,” Boutella recalls. “It’s a long but fun process. When you’re in the chair for so long, you go into a meditative state that really helps you get into character.”

“We wanted to make Jaylah standout,” explains make-up designer and make-up effects supervisor Joel Harlow. “I think the white and black lines of her make-up, combined with the ribbing on her hair gives her a completely unforgettable look.”

“I think Jaylah is my favorite new character,” says producer J.J. Abrams. “She is this unbelievably spirited, sweet, funny, and tough as hell character that becomes a very important ally to the crew, and Sofia did an incredible job of bringing her to life.”

“Star Trek Beyond,” the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond,” the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

From Paramount Pictures and Skydance, “Star Trek Beyond” is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Justin Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung.

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: FOR “STAR TREK BEYOND,” J.J. ABRAMS TRANSFERS DIRECTING DUTIES TO JUSTIN LIN

“Working on Star Trek was one of the luckiest experiences of my life,” says producer J.J. Abrams, the man responsible for bringing new life to the beloved science fiction franchise, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. “Gene Roddenberry created this incredible world that we’re thrilled to revisit again and again.”

After two films in the director’s chair, 2009’s “Star Trek” and 2012’s “Star Trek: Into Darkness,” Abrams and his team selected director Justin Lin, a veteran of the Fast & Furious franchise, to bring the new film, “Star Trek Beyond,” to life.

“Justin has proven himself again and again as an incredibly strong storyteller,” Abrams explains, “but what struck me more than anything was his genuine love of Star Trek. I knew he’d be able to handle the action sequences, but what got me most excited was hearing him talk about these characters if they were people he knew. He’s really the perfect fit.”

Growing up in the 80s, Lin remembers Star Trek reruns becoming a regular part of family time. “The original Star Trek series is incredibly special to me, because watching those old episodes was kind of the only time I got to spend with my parents. The crew of the Enterprise felt like an extension of our family.”

Like Abrams, Lin had experience directing for television before being given the proverbial keys to the franchise. “Star Trek is unique in that it’s crossed a number of mediums,” Lin explains. “Having worked in television, I recognize the challenge J.J. had restarting something episodic and bringing it into the summer tent pole world. We had a lot of conversations about balancing the kind of action you can expect in a big budget action film, while preserving the essence and core of the show.”

“The first film was all about forming the group that would become this family; the second was about galvanizing them in the face of a new threat,” says Abrams. “Both were ultimately Earth bound, so Beyond is the first time we see them on their five-year mission. It’s a chance to see the Enterprise having the kind of adventure you’d associate with the original series, out in the far flung reaches of the galaxy.”

From Paramount Pictures and Skydance, “Star Trek Beyond” is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Justin Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung.

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movie + Music: MUSIC VIDEO FOR “STAR TREK BEYOND” SONG PREMIERES IN PH IMAX CINEMAS

The video for Rihanna’s new single “Sledgehammer,” written for director Justin Lin’s highly anticipated film “Star Trek Beyond” from Paramount, Skydance and Bad Robot, has premiered exclusively in IMAX theatres in the Philippines.

“Sledgehammer” marks the first music video shot entirely with IMAX® cameras. Director Floria Sigismondi used the new ALEXA IMAX® camera, the same camera that was used to film the key battle sequence in “Captain America: Civil War.” The ALEXA IMAX 65mm camera is a next-generation revolutionary 2D digital camera developed through a partnership between ARRI and IMAX for use by today's leading filmmakers working in the IMAX® format. The camera, when combined with IMAX’s digital re-mastering process, delivers the highest level of digital image capture and playback resulting in stunning lifelike images with pristine clarity, incredibly fine detail, vivid colors and a higher dynamic range for superior contrast. The “Sledgehammer” video is produced by Maavven.

Said Sigismondi: “I have been a fan of ‘Star Trek’ since I was a little girl. I loved the idea that it explored new territory and the unknown. So being able to be the first director to shoot a music video entirely with IMAX cameras and use this revolutionary technology to explore a different type of new territory was a dream come true.”

Rihanna has taken the music, entertainment and fashion industry by storm. As an accomplished performer, she has sold 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks worldwide, making her the top-selling digital artist of all time. She has released eight albums, achieved 14 number-one singles and won eight Grammy Awards. With more than 8.5 billion views and 21 Vevo certified videos, she is the most viewed female artist on Vevo/YouTube and is one of the biggest artists on Facebook with more than 81 million Likes.

“Star Trek Beyond,” the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond,” the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

From Paramount Pictures and Skydance, “Star Trek Beyond” is a Bad Robot, Sneaky Shark, Perfect Storm Entertainment production. The film stars John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin, the third film in the franchise series is produced by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci, Lindsey Weber, and Justin Lin; and executive produced by Jeffrey Chernov, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Tommy Harper. Based upon “Star Trek” created by Gene Roddenberry, the screenplay is written by Simon Pegg & Doug Jung.

Opening across the Philippines on July 20, “Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movies: MORE STAR TREK: Beyond Character Posters are up!

Paramount Pictures has released five more character one-sheets for “Star Trek Beyond,” the third installment of the J.J. Abrams-produced "Star Trek” film franchise. The film opens across the Philippineson July 20.

Featured in their own posters are fan favorites Kirk (Chris Pine), Sulu (Jon Cho), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), Scotty (Simon Pegg) and new villain Krall (Idris Elba).

The highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

"Star Trek Beyond" reunites Jon Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban and Anton Yelchin. Idris Elba, Sofia Boutella, Lydia Wilson and Joe Taslim are joining the cast. The film's writers are Roberto Orci & John D. Payne & Patrick Mckay; and Douglas Jung & Simon Pegg.

“Star Trek Beyond” is distributed in the Philippines by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Movie News: ENTERPRISE CREW EXPLORES THE UNKNOWN IN NEW “STAR TREK BEYOND” TRAILER

The new trailer for “Star Trek Beyond” has been unveiled by Paramount Pictures and may be viewed athttps://youtu.be/GbgHyd5vuyM.

"Star Trek Beyond," the highly anticipated next installment in the globally popular Star Trek franchise, created by Gene Roddenberry and reintroduced by J.J. Abrams in 2009, returns with director Justin Lin (“The Fast and the Furious” franchise) at the helm of this epic voyage of the U.S.S. Enterprise and her intrepid crew. In “Beyond," the Enterprise crew explores the furthest reaches of uncharted space, where they encounter a mysterious new enemy who puts them and everything the Federation stands for to the test.

“Star Trek Beyond” stars Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin and Idris Elba.

“Star Trek Beyond” opens across the Philippines on July 20 and distributed by United International Pictures through Columbia Pictures.

Star Trek (2009) DVD

Picked up the original DVD of Star Trek (2009) because #1 I haven't seen it yet and because #2 I loved the sequel: Into Darkness (which, in my opinion is still better than it's contemporary - AKA kasabayan in the cinemas-Iron Man 3).

Paul and I enjoyed watching the movie, it was a great re-introduction for old fans and a great movie to start with for new fans. This isn't a movie review blog post so I won't be writing a lot about the movie. We did enjoy the Special Features added, in A New Vision we saw different camera tricks that J.J. Abrams used and man were they so cool! It gives me new hope pun intended for Star Wars Episode VII! ^_^ Of course the Gag Reel is always a hoot to watch. Will be watching the entire movie again (with commentary) soon! 

In this day and age of piracy and watching movies from tablets, hand held devices and even phones, I am more determined than ever to enjoy movies as they have always intended to be enjoyed- to be viewed on the wide screen of a cinema or from your TV (hopefully it's flat screen and huge) :p through an original DVD. 

People give me queer looks when I tell the, I still prefer to buy an original DVD rather than download it online, I mean how many people do you know who still buys original DVDs and CDs? 

Now, I won't be a hypocrite - there are times when I still watch series or movies online this is mostly for anime and just because it's not easy to find DVDs (subtitled in English) here. I do have the Rurouni Kenshin DVD. 

As Paul says it, it's a way to give back to the industry and to the artists who work hard in each movie. I'm just glad that he supports this crusade of mine. :p I guess this also works for us, since Paul and I are that couple who can stay at home and watch the Extended Version of a movie, including all the behind-the-scenes features that goes with it.

Now - we're not rich and have to often work on a tight budget just to make sure that we pay for all our bills and I know that buying DVDs isn't a cheap hobby but all you need is patience, since prices for old movies would go down eventually. All you have to do is to be patient and wait. 

Star Trek which came out in 2009 is for P199.00 and getting to enjoy the movie and all the features that go with the DVD make that P199.00 worth it. If you really like a movie, then I'm sure that you wouldn't mind paying P700+. I don't know I guess that's just me, I mean people would literally spend thousands on branded clothes and shoes, I choose to spend on movies, music and books. Hey to each his own right? 

I'm currently on the hunt for a Terminator DVD, I saw T2 and T3 DVD (only for p100.00) if anyone can lead me to a Terminator DVD please let me know. I want to make sure I get to watch it before the reboot is released (especially since they will be making a lot of changes (from what I can see from the trailer). 

Aside from Terminator, I'll probably pick up Star Trek: Into Darkness up next, I think it's p279.00-P300.00, I really enjoyed the movie, unfortunately I was late to the screening so I didn't get to catch the movie from the start (plus I love Benedict Cumberbatch) so it's definitely on my to-buy list. Monuments Men is another on my to-buy list. Missed this in the cinemas but definitely want to watch it since Paul and I are also History Buffs :P 

Some titles that we want to buy but are still on the P700+ range would be Pacific Rim, Guardians Of The Galaxy, The Lego Movie. Big Hero 6 has not yet been released on DVD but definitely is on our to-buy list. 

Lots of great movies for 2014 and I think that a good way of keeping those movies within your viewing pleasure would definitely be getting the original DVDs. :) 

For 2015 I will definitely make it a point to buy more DVDs - I think I've finally found my collection calling :P Might have a new segment in the blog for DVDs - any catchy ideas for a name? :D 

Movie Musings: Star Trek: Into Darkness

Let me start this movie musings (movie review) by saying that I actually enjoyed Star Trek: Into Darkness more than Iron Man 3. Wait? What? Yes, you read that right - I enjoyed J.J. Abram's second attempt at Gene Roddeenberry's 40- year old franchise over the third Iron Man movie. Why? Well as I said in my Facebook post, I found it more exciting, wittier and funnier. While the laughs I let out while watching Iron Man 3 felt forced, all of my laughs while watching Star Trek: Into Darkness were more natural and this- while watching the movie alone by the way. Post on the block screening here. 

What's great about Star Trek: Into Darkness is that it is a movie that can be enjoyed by Trekies and non-trekies alike. Trekie by the way refers to fans of the franchise. You don't need to worry about going in the cinema and not being able to understand the story because you definitely will. So even if you are not familiar with the original TV series or franchise you would still be able to easily follow the inside jokes and you would still get the humor behind to well, a lot of things. 

The movie is definitely one hell of a Space adventure that will have you from one predicament to the next in the blink of an eye. Sometimes you might think 'Wait isn't it over yet?' I must admit that during the whole climax of the action packed movie I did have that thought of 'What?! - It's not over yet - seriously?!' and it can either be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. 

Star Trek: Into the Darkness Block Screening

I was very happy when I got an invite to a blocked screening of the new Star Trek (movie): Into Darkness. Albeit the invite came in on short notice I was still very happy to accept it but alas the short notice also meant minimal pickings for a movie date since the husband had work and after being unsuccessful in looking for a date I just resolved to watch the movie alone - a first I might add but still surprisingly enjoyable. 

There was a bit of reservation since I am not that all familiar with the original series and (40 year-old) franchise by Gene Roddenberry, my Dad would probably disown me by saying that but just like exploring an unknown world - I went ahead with high hopes and expectations which for now I will say were pretty much met - if not even exceeded but like all other movie premiere posts I reserve my Movie Musings (Movie Review) for a separate post and would mostly focus on the event itself and boy was this an event! Which was held at Gateway by the way. 

Although I would have to shamefully admit I was late there was still no regrets as I made my way to the cinema - because lo and behold! There was a cocktail for the movie! I had no idea that the event was sponsored by Pizza Hut - which has always been close to my heart --err stomach. 

A Pizza Hut Catered Event?!?! Count me in!

It was a nice little shindig complete with catered food from Pizza Hut - ah! It could have been heaven on earth and it was complete with the whole cocktail table set up. I immediately took photos with my phone- so pardon the quality of the photos or lack of it. Since Paul wasn't with me, we don't have 'PCheng Worthy' photos to post for this blog :( Hopefully next time :P 

Intergalactic servers during the event