This week's review: 'Star Trek'

May 7, 2009

J.J. Abrams set his phaser to "thrill" and took the dweebiness out of "Star Trek."

Phil Villarreal Star movie critic Phil Villarreal, a Star critic since February 2001, reviews films and video games, and writes a weekly series of essays on his favorite films from the past entitled "ReView." Born in 1978 in Douglas, Villarreal moved with his family to Tucson at age 8. He attended Mountain View High School and the University of Arizona, where he wrote a humor column for the campus paper and graduated with a degree in business management in 2000. He began working at the Star as a college freshman in 1996 as a freelance sportswriter, covering hockey and high school sports. He worked as a part-time sports correspondent until 2000, when he signed on as a general assignment features reporter. After taking the film critic position, Villarreal won first place at the Arizona Press Club's 2001 competition for best film, video and television criticism. He also won back-to-back first place awards (2004 and 2005) in the Arizona Newspaper Association Better Newspapers Contest, for best column, feature or criticism. Villarreal was named a Star Employee of the Year in 2003. Villarreal runs every day to stave off the popcorn and soda weight. He runs a Web site, becauseitoldyouso.com, and blogs at philmguy.com. Phil's new book, the humorous, money saving guide "Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel" is due out Sept. 1 and available for preorder. He's a huge fan of football and basketball, and lives with his wife Jessica, son Luke, and daughter Emma on the Northwest Side. Phil reviews movies and video games, and gives us the latest big screen news in his AZNightBuzz blog, "Philm Guy." Go to blog »» Every week, Phil reviews a classic movie. Read all of his past "ReViews" at azstarnet.com/review Contact info: E-mail: pvillarreal@azstarnet.com Phone: 573-4130

Past reviews:

April 30, 2009: 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine'

April 23, 2009: 'The Soloist'

April 9, 2009: 'Observe and Report'

April 2, 2009: 'Adventureland'

March 26, 2009: 'Monsters vs. Aliens'

March 19, 2009: 'I Love You, Man'

March 5, 2009: 'Watchman'

Feb. 26, 2009: 'Che'

Feb. 5, 2009: 'Coraline'

Jan. 29, 2009: 'New In Town'

Jan. 22, 2009: 'Yonkers Joe'

Jan. 15, 2009: 'Revolutionary Road'

Jan. 8, 2009: 'Bride Wars'

Dec. 25, 2008: 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button'

Dec. 18, 2008: 'Yes Man'

Dec. 10, 2008: 'Milk'

Nov. 26, 2008: 'Four Christmases'

Nov. 20, 2008: 'Bolt'

Nov. 13, 2008: 'Quantum of Solace'

Nov. 6, 2008: 'Role Models'

Oct. 23, 2008: 'Pride and Glory'

Oct. 16, 2008: 'Sex Drive'

Oct. 9, 2008: 'Body of Lies'

Oct. 2, 2008: 'Blindness'

Sept. 25, 2008: 'Eagle Eye'

Sept. 18, 2008: 'Ghost Town'

Sept. 11, 2008: 'Burn After Reading'

Aug. 28, 2008: 'Traitor'

Aug. 21, 2008: 'Hamlet 2'

Aug. 12, 2008: 'Tropic Thunder'

Aug. 7, 2008: 'Pineapple Express'

July 31, 2008: 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'

July 24, 2008: 'Step Brothers'

July 17, 2008: 'The Dark Knight'

July 10, 2008: 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'

July 2, 2008: 'Hancock'

June 26, 2008: 'WALL-E'

June 19, 2008: 'The Love Guru' stirs up controversy

June 5, 2008: 'You Don't Mess with the Zohan'

May 29, 2008: Summer movie preview

May 22, 2008: 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'

May 8, 2008: 'Speed Racer'

May 1, 2008: 'Iron Man'

April 24, 2008: 'Baby Mama'

April 17, 2008: 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall'

April 10, 2008: 'Smart People'

April 3, 2008: 'Taxi to the Dark Side'

March 27, 2008: 'Stop-Loss'

March 20, 2008: 'Under the Same Moon'

March 13, 2008: 'Never Back Down'

March 6, 2008: 'The Band's Visit'

Feb. 28, 2008: 'The Other Boleyn Girl'

Feb. 21, 2008: 'Vantage Point

Feb. 14, 2008: 'Jumper'

Feb. 7, 2008: 'Fool's Gold'

Jan. 31, 2008: 'Over Her Dead Body'

Jan. 24, 2008: 'Untraceable'

Jan. 17, 2008: 'There Will Be Blood'

Jan. 10, 2008: 'The Bucket List'

Jan. 3, 2008: 'Margot at the Wedding'

Dec. 25, 2007: 'The Great Debaters'

Dec. 20, 2007: 'Charlie Wilson's War'

Dec. 13, 2007: 'I Am Legend'

Dec. 6, 2007: 'The Golden Compass'

Nov. 29, 2007: 'Kurt Cobain: About a Son'

Nov. 22, 2007: 'No Country for Old Men'

Nov. 15, 2007: 'Beowulf'

Nov. 8, 2007: 'Fred Claus'

Nov. 1, 2007: 'American Gangster'

Oct. 25, 2007: 'The Darjeeling Limited'

Oct. 18, 2007: 'Into the Wild'

Oct. 11, 2007: 'Michael Clayton'

Oct. 4, 2007: 'The Heartbreak Kid'

Sept. 27, 2007: 'The Kingdom'

Sept. 20, 2007: 'In the Valley of Elah'

Sept. 13, 2007: 'The Brave One'

Aug. 30, 2007: 'Once'

Aug. 23, 2007: 'Mr. Bean's Holiday'

Aug. 16, 2007: 'Superbad'

Aug. 9, 2007: 'Rush Hour 3'

Aug. 2, 2007: 'The Bourne Ultimatum'

July 26, 2007: 'The Simpsons Movie'

July 19, 2007: 'Hairspray'

July 11, 2007: 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'

July 3, 2007: 'Transformers'

June 28, 2007: 'Ratatouille'

June 21, 2007: 'Evan Almighty'

June 14, 2007: 'Nancy Drew'

June 7, 2007: 'Surf's Up'

May 31, 2007: 'Knocked Up'

May 24, 2007: 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'

May 17, 2007: 'Shrek the Third'

May 11, 2007: 'The Ex'

May 2, 2007: 'Spider-Man 3'