RANDOM THOUGHTS:
This past week, when a friend of mine criticized me, I responded by whipping my hair back and forth. Needless to say, I looked like an idiot. Willow Smith should stop giving people advice.
With that opening bit out of the way, it's time to get right down to business. The following were on my mind between Monday, August 8th and Monday, August 15th:
- It's that time of the year again! For the third year in a row, it's time for another list of films soon to be released in the coming year (August 2011-July 2012 to be exact) that I am really excited for and am anticipating the most (click here for both the 2009 and 2010 list). But first, let me make it clear before I begin that just because I am excited for these movies does not mean that I am guaranteeing that they will be good. Take last year's list for example, as there were a bunch of the movies that I listed that wound up being a disappointment (i.e. "Machete," "Pirates of the Caribbean 4," "The Green Lantern" and "The Hangover: Part 2"). Instead, it's a list that I created by a three-step process in which all I did was look through a catalog of films that have a confirmed release date in the next twelve months, looked over the major aspects of it (Who's in it? Who's the director? Who wrote it? What's the premise? Does it have a trailer that makes it look promising?) and then ranked them based on how badly do I really want to see them. Anyways, here it is, and it's been extended again this time from a top 13 to a top 15:
15. "The Amazing Spider-Man" (07/03/2012)
This isn't so much a case of excitement as it is of curiosity. In early 2010, it was announced that the original Spider-Man movie franchise (one that proved to be a huge success in the box office, garnering at least $336 million domestically and, in the case of the 3rd movie, breaking the record for greatest opening weekend) would be cancelled after three enjoyable and satisfying flicks directed by Sam Raimi and starring the trio of Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and James Franco when Raimi permanently withdrew from the making of a "Spider-Man 4." Almost simultaneously, Sony Pictures announced that they have decided to keep making Spider-Man movies, but that it would be a reboot. Now, instead of Raimi, "(500) Days of Summer" director Marc Webb will be at the helm of the project and Academy Award nominated actor Andrew Garfield will play a younger, more skinnier Spidey. Also, instead of beginning the story with Peter Parker working as a freelance photographer like from the 2000s films, it will begin by focusing on his early childhood and development of the superhero powers while in high schools. Mary Jane is also not present in the film, so don't expect another unforgettable kiss between the two as in the 2002 original.
If this movie can manage to stand on its own, much like the Christopher Nolan Batman films to the Tim Burton originals, for instance, then I will be able to leave the movie theaters a happy man.
14. "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" (12/21/2011)
As if the 2009 Swedish film weren't enough, now Hollywood apparently decided on making another one with Daniel Craig as the star and Rooney Mara as the iconic character Lisbeth Salander. David Fincher is directing this one, fresh off his Golden Globe victory for his work in"The Social Network," and an Oscar-nominee streak at two in a row with that film and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," so it should at least be viewed to see if he can work his magic once again. It's also based on the wildly popular and award winning book of the same name by Stieg Larsson (one that I really enjoyed reading) and has a trailer that is simply amazing. I will definitely give it a shot.
13. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" (12/16/2011)
The first Sherlock Holmes movie, released two years ago, wasn't quite as good as I would've liked it to be. Nonetheless, it was still a highly entertaining film to watch with a fun and action packed mystery plot, and some strong work by the duo of Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and the second promises to be just as good, if not better. Downey and Law are returning with the additions of Jared Harris from "Mad Men" as Holmes' nemesis, Dr. Moriarty, and Noomi Rapace (the Lisbeth Salander from the Swedish film) making her American movie debut. So, you know, the movie has a chance to be another fun winter-flick. And if you weren't a fan of the first movie...well, then there's always the BBC series "Sherlock" for your viewing pleasure.
12. "The Dictator" (05/11/2012)
Sacha Baren Cohen and Larry Charles teaming up once again to make a movie based on a Saddam Hussein novel? And it has Ben Kingsley and J.B. Smoove as co-stars? I'm in! Although, I do hope that this movie, can be funnier than the hilariously constructed beard that Cohen is going to sport.
11. "The Ides of March" (10/14/2011)
I'm always a sucker for another good political drama, and judging from the trailer, this one has a chance to be just that. After all, it does boast an impressive cast of actors, from Ryan Gosling and Paul Giammati to Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei and George Clooney (who is also directing this one). I have a strong feeling that this movie will be one of the first fall films to get some serious Oscar buzz once it premieres.
10. "The Muppets" (11/23/2011)
Anyone who has read this site in the past probably knows by now by enjoyment of the trailers, whether it was the one linked above, their "The Hangover: Part II" trailer spoof (Danny Trejo cameo!) or even their parody of "The Green Lantern." So, it comes with no surprise that I can not wait for the return of these furry little creations of the late, great Jim Henson at the big screen. Plus, it's the freakin' Muppets we're talking about! The Muppets, I say! If you aren't excited to see them, something is wrong with you.
9. "The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn" (12/23/2011)
Yes, it's going to happen. The wildly popular series of comics by Hergé (over 350 million copies) beloved by the world over is finally coming to the big screen in what promises to be an ambitious set of 3-D films with some great visual effects, kind of like if "The Lord of the Rings" crossed over with "The Polar Express." Why? Well, just look at the two top men involved in the project. Steven Spielberg is the film's director, while Peter Jackson is an executive producer and the presumed director of the sequel (if there is one). Now that's a film with some good pedigree.
8. "J. Edgar" (11/09/2011)
It's Clint Eastwood directing a biopic of fifty years in the life of
legendary former FBI chief J. Edgar Hooever, played by Leonardo
DiCaprio. It's a movie that pretty much oozes critical acclaim. What
other explanation do you need?
7. "Happy Feet 2" (11/17/2011)
I am a fan of that first movie. It was fun to watch, it was touching, it was hilarious, the animation was top-notch; a stupendous movie as a whole, well deserving of the Academy Award it got for Best Animated Feature. I have a strong belief that director George Miller will do a good job once again with the making of this film.
6. "War Horse" (12/28/2011)
The winter of 2011-12 promises to be the Season of Spielberg. Five days after the movie "The Adventures of Tintin" is going to be released, the two-time Academy Award winning director will be at it again with the premiere of another movie of his, "War Horse." It's a movie based on the Michael Morpurgo novel about the life and times of a horse named Joey that is sold off to help the British cavalry fight in World War I and the relationship with its owner, Albert Narracott. It stars David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch (God, what a great Britishy name!), and Jeremy Irvine in his first silver screen role. I'm anticipating this movie more than the other Spielberg film for one reason: Oscar buzz, which I think this will do a better job of generating going forward (even though 'Tintin' might win Best Animated Feature). It's been five years since the last time Spielberg was nominated for Best Director. Could this film help him break the drought?
5. "Prometheus" (06/08/2012)
Ridley Scott is back, folks. The director of such great movies as
"Alien," "Blade Runner" and "Gladiator" returns with another
science-fiction film starring a cast the likes of Charlize Theron, Guy
Pearce, Ben Foster, Idris Elba and Noomi Rapace (making her second
appearance on this list). Little is known about the premise other than
the fact that it's, according to the synopsis, "a
team of scientists and explorers on a thrilling journey that will test
their physical and mental limits and strand them on a distant world,
where they will discover the answers to our most profound questions and
to life’s ultimate mystery" with
ideas that Scott calls "unique, large and provocative." The script of
the movie is also co-written by "Lost" creator Damon Lindelof. If
there's any movie that you can point to as maybe being the next great
sci-fi thriller, this is it.
4. "Brave" (06/22/2012)
2011 was a pretty big bump in the road for the current king of animated movies, Pixar, with "Cars 2," easily the worst of the franchise that ended an unbelievable streak of great movies (one that has included six Oscars) and one where you can say was solely made to generate more revenue from the billions that the first movie created. However, don't expect that to continue in 2012 with the release of "Brave," the studio's first attempt to do a film of the fantasy genre. Then again, I don't think you really should start worrying about the quality of a Pixar film unless Larry the Cable Guy is involved.
3. "Contagion" (09/09/2011)
Matt Damon. Kate Winslett. Marion Cottilard. Jude Law. Laurence Fishburne. Gwyneth Paltrow. Bryan Cranston. What do these seven actors have in common, besides the fact that they have a combined 4 Oscars and 4 Emmys (5 if you count Winslett's inevitable Emmy win for "Mildred Pierce")? They are all big names starring in this upcoming action thriller film about a deadly virus, the results and the race to find the cure. Did I happen to mention that this same film is also directed by Steven Soderbergh? Did I even need to include that little tidbit? Wasn't the cast list good enough?
2. "The Avengers" (05/04/2012)
It's going to be the first blockbuster movie of the 2012 summer season, and it promises to be a doozy. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, always a favorite among sci-fi and fantasy nerds thanks to shows like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Angel" and "Firefly," it features an unprecedented All-Star cast of Marvel superheroes, from Iron Man and Captain America to Thor, The Hulk, and Nick Fury, fighting to save the world from the brink of disaster (whatever that will be). It's going to be the "Ocean's Eleven" of superhero movie. Let's hope that the film can live up to the expectations given to it.
1. "The Dark Knight Rises" (07/20/2012)
There are just so many reasons why I can't wait for this movie to premiere. For starters, Batman is, by far, my favorite comic book hero. Second, it is the final movie of a trilogy whose previous film ("The Dark Knight") is by-far the greatest superhero movie of all-time and arguably the best movie of the past three years, so I'm very intrigued to see how the story wraps up and whether they can maintain the same quality of the first two films (they probably won't). Third, it's directed by Christopher Nolan, who is coming off the impeccable "Inception" and has yet to direct a movie in the 21st Century that disappointed me, so my expectations for it are pretty high. Finally, I'm interested to see Anne Hathaway's Catwoman and Tom Hardy's Bane in action, and whether they can do a good enough job of filling the shoes of Heath Ledger and his legendary performance of The Joker in "The Dark Knight" (a performance that won him an Academy Award, no less). If there's one reason for me to get excited about the year 2012 (besides the Summer Olympics, of course), it would be this.
- Remember Apple's "1984" ad where the lady that represents the company destroyed a screen of Big Brother, a.k.a. IBM? Now that Apple is largest company in the world, I think it's safe to say that the real hidden message of the ad was that the company were just jealous of IBM and were going to do everything they could to destroy it in competition.
- Man, those first three "Austin Powers" movies have aged terribly. Maybe it shouldn't be a good idea for Mike Myers to do a fourth movie.
- I wonder how many votes Rick Parry got during the Iowa straw poll, and whether or not the voting officials counted it to Rick Perry's vote total.
- All right, "The Human Centipede" is, honestly, the worst ass-to-mouth surgery movie that I've ever seen. And I've seen, like, one of those kinds of movies...this one...just recently. (clears voice) Movin' on...
- Michael Smith made a good point this past week on "Around the Horn." Tiger Woods is to Stevie Williams as Bill Clinton was to Monica Lewinsky. The man's so famous that he could make his caddie famous just by association.
- You knew that the economy was bad this week when the European stock market relied on Germany of all places.
- First, NBC made "The Playboy Club." Then, ABC made "Pan-Am." Now, CBS greenlit something called "Ralph Lamb." Pretty interesting how so many major networks are creating their own 1960s-centered show because of "Mad Men" when "Mad Men," despite critical success, only averages about 2 million viewers per every new episode.
More RTs to come next Monday. Enjoy living life!
Sincerely,
Your pal: mj15
If you have any opinions on today's post, or if you just have any suggestions or tips for my next blog entry, e-mail me at: mj1599@aol.com. Your e-mails are greatly appreciated.
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