Okay so Section 31 was not well received. It wasn’t well received by Star Trek fans and it wasn’t well received by film fans. Now how it plays as a Star Trek film is something that I have no stake in. I have literally never seen a single episode of Star Trek so the overarching context and the world it's supposed to fit into means absolutely nothing to me. So we will be judging this solely as a film. I will be critiquing it with the same criteria I do anything else.
Why is she whispering? This isn’t narration she is talking to her family, but she is so whispery. Starting with a super whispery dramatic monologue is certainly a choice. It's a bad choice, but it's a choice. And then she kills her whole family…mkay.
Okay my immediate problem is that you take the time to show us that she loved this dude and then show her branding him. I really don’t understand how we got from point A to point B and I have a really strong feeling that they aren’t going to bother explaining it.
The poor internet was like “it can’t be that bad Michelle Yeoh is in it!” girl Michelle Yeoh was in Shang-Chi. Let's not act like she’s immune to bad movies.
Not sure how Star Trek normally uses music but having this generic ass pop singer is very distracting and I think it really kills the world building. It just doesn’t fit the aesthetic of everything else.
So we are trying to convince her to not be a bad guy anymore? Is that what is happening? Oh we are adding her to an existing team…okay the structure of this is already super fucking questionable.
Okay so all I really know of Star Trek is the Starfleet Academy. And they are really leaning quite heavily into reminding you that this story takes place in the Star Trek universe.
The phase shifter things are cool I guess but the corresponding fight scene was seizure inducing. The camerawork was…not good. It was really shaky and for some reason we doing a lot of close up shots…for a fight scene. It doesn’t seem like the director knew what exactly they wanted to focus on in this scene. Is it about the action? Is it about the case? Is it about the team? Guys even action scenes need a focus and that focus needs to be reflected in the camera work and there was simply no focus here.
Oh good a flashback…my absolute favorite misused storytelling device. And to hammer that point home, this flashback did nothing. Her old boyfriend (who is now her servant) killed himself the same way she killed her family, but like she shows no emotion. This is not tied to anything.
The twist is gonna be that the guy that stole the weapon is her old boyfriend…lame. Oh a “one of us is a mole” subplot. I don’t think it's possible to construct a more contrived, derivative, tropey script. It feels like a Zach Snyder film in the most derogatory way.
Oh good I was hoping for lots of exposition when we figured out who the mole was. Why wouldn’t we walk it back step by step like a cop procedural?
Again an action scene that is unwatchable because of the unbelievably choppy ass camera work. It literally looks like someone is trying to film a fight on their iphone while running around it.
Yeah her boyfriend is the dude…I knew it. How wildly predictable. There was genuinely no reason to make them lovers. Seriously, their emotional ties to each other never come into play and it just seems like they were trying so hard to add emotion to a shallow story.
Oof…yeah. Everything from plot to structure to the actual filming is so terrible. The act structure is virtually non-existent. The plot itself is predictable, trope heavy garbage. The fight scenes are truly horribly choreographed and terribly filmed. They actually gave me a headache. It was shaky cam without actually being shaky cam. They wanted to remind you that this was a Star Trek film so badly when they really just needed to focus on the film itself. Plot first then adjust to fit into the world building. It's really not that difficult. I don’t think I even have a numbered score to give this. I can’t sum up how bad it is with numbers. Just don’t waste your time.
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Alexandrea Callaghan
Certified nerd, super geek and very proud fangirl.
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Oscar Nominations
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By Alexandrea Callaghan11 months ago in Geeks
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One Battle After Another
Every awards season has a film that quietly reshapes the conversation. In 2026, One Battle After Another has emerged as that defining work — not through spectacle, but through restraint, emotional depth, and fearless storytelling. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film has become one of the most discussed titles across the Golden Globe nominations 2026, placing it at the heart of a crowded yet compelling race. Unlike typical prestige dramas, One Battle After Another unfolds with an intimacy that feels almost literary. Its power lies not in plot twists but in its examination of endurance — how individuals continue forward when the weight of life refuses to lift. A Film About Persistence, Not Victory At its core, One Battle After Another explores the quiet wars people fight within themselves. The film centers on fractured relationships, moral fatigue, and the lingering consequences of unresolved trauma. 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Paul Thomas Anderson’s Creative Evolution For longtime admirers of Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another feels both familiar and evolved. The director’s signature patience remains intact, but the storytelling is leaner, more focused. Gone are the sweeping ensemble narratives; in their place is a quiet confrontation with human fragility. This shift has placed Anderson back into awards contention, with many expecting his name to be called during the Golden Globes 2026 winners announcements — and potentially again during Oscar nominations 2026. Standing Out in a Crowded Awards Field This year’s awards season is unusually competitive. Films like Sinners and Adolescence have dominated headlines, while high-profile releases backed by major studios and streaming platforms continue to command attention. Yet One Battle After Another has carved out its own space, relying on word-of-mouth rather than marketing spectacle. Its success also reflects changing viewing habits. 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By Saboor Brohi a day ago in Geeks
Comments (2)
unfortunately i already wasted my time with this show prior to your review. The Star Trek World has spiraled downward with these shows recently.
Hmmm. You have never seen Star Trek?