Happy Holidays Everyone!

I like to watch Christmas movies while I do the tasks that don’t require a lot of attention, such as wrapping presents. But I save the best Christmas movies towards the end, when I am really in the Christmas mood. So what I watch earlier in the month can vary.

Three of my favorite people really love watching Hallmark Christmas movies. So I thought I would try watching Hallmark-style Christmas movies for my early present-wrapping sessions, even though I haven’t particularly been drawn to them earlier.

I tried. I really tried. But I didn’t care about the characters, and I knew they would end up together, so watching the movie seemed like a waste of time. I know for at least one of my favorite people that people being generic and the outcome being foretold is why they love this genre. So no disrespect for those who feel that way. It just doesn’t work for me.

I was watching what was on my husband’s Netflix account, because I don’t have any movie accounts. But it was advertising the fact that they had a Star Trek movie that was leaving soon. I was…again, sorry for those who feel differently…but I was so bored with my first Hallmark-style Christmas movie, I tried a second one. I was bored with that one as well. So I thought, let’s go watch Star Trek. I know I like that movie.

Star Trek was my favorite TV show as a teenager. I was very concerned about how it would be presented in the new movies. But I think J.J. Abrams and co hit it out of the park. I love all of the new actors and how they represent an updated version of the old characters without becoming a caricature. I like how they enact the characters so much that I use that movie in many of my classes for both K-12 students and adults to demonstrate classical character archetypes.

So new first Star Trek movie was almost as familiar as the classic Christmas movies I watch every year. And once I switched over for my wrapping background, I was glad I did. Loved it, loved the performances, and was glad to have that as my entertainment as I wrapped multiple presents.

When it came to my next night of wrapping, I didn’t hesitate. I jumped to the second Star Trek movie. It was one of the ones reportedly leaving Netflix at the end of the year, which helped to confirm my decision. That movie I had watched several times. I think it was because of the magnetism of Benedict Cumberbatch and his role as a classic Star Trek villain. I didn’t watch it at Christmas, but I did watch it on occasion.

Then tonight–MORE WRAPPING. So I decided to finish off the trinity of the three new Star Trek movies. My recollection of watching the third movie in the theater was that it was OK but not that great. I don’t think I’ve ever watched it again. But I thought I would finish my Star Trek wrapping movie series.

However, the movie hit me totally differently tonight. I understand why I didn’t love it the first time I watched it. There are some action scenes where, even on the second watching, I don’t really understand what is going on. But this time, it didn’t really matter to me.

There are a few scenes I’m not going to describe so I don’t ruin the experience for those who haven’t seen the movie. But one of the Star Trek leaders argues with the designated villain about whether unity is a strength or a weakness…a theme that recurs. But only when it gets close to the climatic finish did I realize…this is a love story. The “good guys” are fighting for what they love–the Federation, their jobs and mission, sometimes someone in particular, but generally for their fellow crew members and allies. But the “bad guys” were motivated by love as well. Revenge for love lost is, to me, not the strongest expression of love. But there is love underlying it nonetheless.

Looking back, I realized that was a theme that ran through all of the movies…at least in my interpretation. To me, all of the “bad guys” had a baseline of love that motivated what they did.

And at least a couple of my Hallmark-loving advocates said they liked watching the movies because they knew there would be a happy ending. And I have to admit the same is true for me with the Star Trek movies. I don’t really worry: I presume all the major characters will survive whatever ridiculous odds against them the movie throws.

So are they really that different after all? Perhaps Star Trek works for me because I’ve been invested in those characters since my teenage years. Maybe I can’t see that they isn’t much character development because I bring my years of character background to those roles.

Regardless, I think this last movie hit me harder because isn’t that an issue we have been having this year? Does “unity”–that is, feeling a connection with those who are different from us, at least on a physical or material level–make us stronger or weaker? Star Trek and I say stronger. But watch the movie and share what you think.

Actually, if you are looking for a movie marathon day, watch the lot. Do you agree with me that they are a series of love stories? Please comment below.

Here are the movie trailers: