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So … last night David and I were invited to attend the Hollywood premiere of the new JJ Abrams-directed Star Trek film at Grauman’s Chinese Theater and we JUMPED at the opportunity. As a long time Trek fan, I was very anxious to finally see the movie that I have heard so many good things about. I am happy to report that all the hype and the great reviews are absolutely justified … I loved this film. There is so much for old Trek fans to feast on in this film but also much for new fans (or those who aren’t even fans all) to enjoy as well. I suspect that this film will do very well with everyone … it’s got movie blockbuster written all over it. If you wish to remain unspoiled by my review, I suggest you skip over the next part and just go down to see my pics from the premiere after party instead:

Man … where to begin. The story is really superb. The film opens with an action sequence that really sets the pace of the film and clues you in that Abrams means business … he is intent on revamping the entire series into a new, modern version that remains true to the classic series while injecting enough excitement to make it all fresh again. There is action, there is humor and there are pretty fantastic acting performances that are sure to please pretty much everyone who sees the film. Each character gets to shine in this film and each one is infused with enough of their classic mannerisms and catch-phrases to appease the most ardent Trekkie in the audience. I will reveal that a warp core does get ejected somewhere along the way … it wouldn’t be a Star Trek movie if not.

Now, the one thing that I’m not sure that I like. AND THIS IS THE SPOILERY PART SO DON’T READ THIS IF YOU WANT TO REMAIN UNSPOILED! As we should all know by now, JJ Abrams loves to play with time travel … and time travel features heavily in this film. Without going into any details, I will say that a time shift alters the Star Trek timeline and the events of this film break off and head in a different direction than the timeline we know from the classic Star Trek series. This is why I don’t think the movie should be marketed as a prequel. History is changed and a new alternate timeline is created. To me, the movie is more of a sequel to all of the previous TV series and movies that we’ve already seen. That said, this new alternate timeline opens up WIDE the ability to create entirely new stories and wholly new adventures without having to worry about staying true to the original Trek timeline. Again, I’m not sure how I feel about this exactly. There are major changes in this film that drastically alter the Trek universe. I’ll be very interested to hear what others think about this after they see the film (so, please, feel free to email me when you see this film).

But, as I said, I absolutely loved the film overall. Zachary Quinto‘s Spock is excellent and he is, IMHO, the star of the film. I was just so impressed … I’m dying to see the movie again already.

After the movie, we made our way to the afterparty that was held off site from the theater and we got down to celebrating the film. After the jump, check out a bunch of photos of some celebs posing in a fun Star Trek photobooth and see some of the cool folks I got to meet last night …

Last night a few entertainers of the Hispanic variety were honored at the 2008 ALMA Awards (for all y’all gringos out there Alma means spirit or soul in Spanish) which were held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, CA. The ALMA Awards are handed out by the National Council of La Raza in order to honor Latino performers (actors, film and television directors and musicians) who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field. Here are a few pics from the red carpet arrivals yesterday afternoon:

Most of the folks who strutted their stuff down the red carpet looked pretty fantastic. Jessica Alba was lookin’ fierce as hell just a few weeks after she gave birth to her first baby, Honor Marie. Eva Longoria — who was host of this year’s ALMA Awards — showed off one of the 10+ outfits that she reportedly wore yesterday alone. I love that Edward James Olmos brought his moms, Eleanor Huizar, with him to the awards show. She looks so proud of her son. Paula Abdul was in the hiz, lookin’ as wonderfully tragic as usual (who dresses this woman?!), and was seen on the arm of her supposedly ex-boyfriend JT Torregiani. The couple reportedly split in June but they looked pretty friendly together last night.

But anyways, after the red carpet runway show was finished, it was time to get down to handin’ out some ALMA Awards — and it got pretty Ugly … here are a few pics from the show itself:

“Ugly Betty” and its star, America Ferrera, took top honors at the 2008 ALMA Awards, which recognize achievements by Hispanic artists. The ABC comedy series won awards for directing and best performance by a Latino-led ensemble cast. Ferrera, 24, was named Chevy Entertainer of the Year for her on-screen work as Betty Suarez in “Ugly Betty” and her off-screen efforts to encourage young people to get involved in the political process. Shakira was also recognized for her offstage efforts, receiving the Humanitarian Award for her work in early childhood education. A host of artists, including BeBe Winans, Wynonna Judd and Lucero, performed a tribute to Linda Ronstadt, who received the Trailblazer Award for her contributions to American music. The Black Eyed Peas, the Cheetah Girls, Sergio Mendes and Cheech and Chong also performed at the ceremony, hosted by Eva Longoria Parker at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Sunday. Other acting-award winners included Charlie Sheen, Edward James Olmos, Roselyn Sanchez and Judy Reyes. Designer Narciso Rodriguez was honored for special achievement in fashion … The ceremony will be televised Sept. 12 on ABC.

It should come as no surprise that ABC‘s Ugly Betty (Performance by a Latino Ensemble in a Television Series) and its star America Ferrera (Entertainer of the Year) cleaned up at this year’s ALMA Awards. The show is a total Hispanoid lovefest and it does an amazing job of portraying Hispanics in a positive light. I commend Shakira on her win as Humanitarian of the Year — she is one of those celebs who really does put her money where her mouth is. I am *THRILLED* that Edward James Olmos (Actor in a Television Series, Drama) is still winning accolades after all of his years in the biz. I’ve been a huge fan of the man since his Stand and Deliver days and cemented my love for his acting abilities after his performance in Selena. As a new fan of Battlestar Gallactica, I gives me great pride and happiness to see this very talented Hispanic actor at the helm of such a great TV Show. Much congrats to all the winners this year and to everyone who was nominated or just came out to help celebrate Latin Pride in Entertainment. Click HERE to see a full list of this year’s ALMA Award winners.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]