We are 7 days into 2011 and while it's a slow time at the theaters I felt now is a good time to go over some films I think are some of the more highly anticipated films for the nerd community. So I have compiled a list of 14 movies here that should have us talking (a lot good... some bad). Gonna try to do these in order of release so HERE. WE. GO.
First up is The Green Hornet starring Seth Rogen. This movie has actually been picking up steam in my eyes as they release more footage and trailers for the film. Here they are taking a lot of liberties with the character making it more comedic then the comic or TV show. They really focus on how this team is carried by Kato and a lot of his scenes with Kato vision look really well done. When I first heard about this movie it was around the beginning stages of "God damnit I am SICK of Seth Rogen". Rogen had done consecutive films playing pretty much the same stoner moron and people just kinds of tapped out. In Green Hornet it looks like they really gave him a script that plays on his talents but takes it away from all the pot jokes and general blanked out character he usually plays. I think this film can really redeem him to movie goers and hopefully set Rogen up for a rebound to his career. The action looks fun, the chemistry between the two main characters looks to play out well. I think this film is gonna kick 2011 off pretty well. The Green Hornet comes out January 14th.
Also releasing on January 14th (and also has been OnDemand for over a month) is Ong Bak 3. Now these films have always just been a show piece for the martial arts powerhouse that is Tony Jaa but still, this guy is just way too talented to ignore. I'm pretty sure he could play a carpenter searching for the man who stole his daddy's chair that he made him for father's day and it would still be some of the best action you have ever seen. He does his own stunts and has mastered several styles of martial arts. While Ong Bak 2 may not have been the greatest of stories. I do feel the action was on such a high scale that it made up for it. Each fight was long, well choreographed, and showed off all the various styles Jaa has mastered. The fight scene to end the movie was enough to warrant my purchase. I am sad I missed my opportunity to get this OnDemand but I will definitely check this out and heavily recommend it to anyone who enjoys martial arts film. I just hope he will finally cross over to American films so he can make some good money doing cross over films with other action stars before its too late.
Sucker Punch! This film as set the internet on fire since it's debut at Comic-Con. A film from Zack Snyder that follows a young girl who is institutionalized by her father, while trapped her wild imagination takes her to an alternate reality where she uses the over the top events to formulate a plan of escape for her and the other girl imprisoned. This movie has looked wild since they have announced it. You can tell it's all just based on a fascination of girls grabbing a punch of guns and going to town. Because they are focusing the heavy parts of the action in the girls imagination I think this can work out to create some really wild and over the top scenes. This has the ultimate popcorn flick experience written all over. It also has flop written on the walls if the girls themselves can't pull of the ability to carry this film. It has the potential for Spirit level cheesiness but I have faith in Zack Snyder and anticipate checking this out. Sucker Punch will be out March 25th.
Oh boy... I think I am gonna catch some flack for this one. Fast Five! HEY! Don't look at me like that! I am a sucker for the Fast and Furious franchise. I still feel the first movie was great. The second one was OK enough to not make me hate it. Tokyo Drift, while weak in the story, provided some of the best (and most) racing in the franchise. Fast and Furious I actually havent seen from beginning to end yet. Fast Five is the grand finale to the franchise pulling in all characters from the previous films (except for the 3rd.. because apparently 4 and 5 take place BEFORE 3... so we've already seen the finale.. yet this is the finale.. I don't get it) as they band together to take down a corrupt businessman while also avoiding arrest. I think this film will be entertaining, some people have just given up on Vin Diesel, and Paul Walker is pretty much a joke by now, BUT! I think these films are right where Vin Diesel fits in. They are his style of film, an ensemble cast that rotates around and carries the film through its break neck pace of driving and heavy stunts. I am also looking forward to seeing Dwayne Johnson in the film. I have always wanted to see his film career succeed and enjoy his talent. Plus the man got JACKED for this film, JUST LOOK AT THE PICTURE. Anyway it should be fun and it's out April 29th.
Here is one with A LOT of weight on it's shoulders and that is Thor. This is Marvel's next big summer film to build towards the Avengers and I feel it has the most pressure on it. Marvel's goal is to build up each member individually with their own franchise to give movie goers a chance to understand them before they are thrown together in The Avengers next year. This is a huge project for Marvel because if this team-up fails it kills all the time and effort put into weaving these movies together. Thor has so much pressure because he is the most unbelievable character of the team. You have a Billionaire in Tony Stark who uses his infinite knowledge and bank roll to build himself a suit of armor. You have Bruce Banner, who through testing gamma radiation technology on himself created his own Hyde monster that comes out of him when he is heavily angered. Steve Rogers, the US Army's first super soldier who is genetically enhanced to be the peak of human potential. Then you have Thor, Norse God of Thunder from the land of Asgard, who travels to earth through the mighty RAINBOW BRIDGE. While those with familiarity to the comic can set aside disbelief they are not the whole target audience. General movie goers must accept him in this universe to make this work. So far Marvel has not disappointed (Iron Man 2 was a little messy but I still like it) so I have confidence this will be entertaining. So far people have been mixed by footage but they are staying true enough to the comic and the effects look great. Thor will be released May 6th.
This one is kind of iffy, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. They told us the franchise was over after Worlds End (and to some of you that was a THANK GOD level moment) so I can't help but feel like this is a "cashing in" kinds of sequel. It's all about Captain Jack Sparrow's search for the fountain of youth. You have Black Beard, Barbossa, and a love interest for Jack played by Penelope Cruz. No other characters will be making cameos from what I am told and the trailer for the film looks alright. I mainly list this because everyone is obviously going to run out and see it. I just don't know if this was a worthwhile sequel to make. I am on the fence but because it's on this list, and I run a blog where I write movie reviews.. you can probably expect a review for this upon release. On Stranger Tides sets sail May 20th.
Our next film.. gets no picture, because they haven't released a trailer.. or a poster.. or a production still that's worth a god damn. It is the comic book train wreck waiting to happen... X-Men: First Class. When this film was first announced I was excited. A film based on the comic series X-Men First Class was a brilliant way for them to freshen up the franchise. Then they announce James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier and I think "well... that's odd, maybe he is just a young charles in flash backs" then the big announcement was made. This wasn't an adaptation of that comic it was in fact a story being told that took up through Magneto's and Xavier's friendship all the way til the rivalry starts. It takes place in the 60's and main characters are Xavier, Magneto, Havok, Beast, Mystique, and Emma Frost(wait.. she was recently introduced in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as a teenager...ugh) as they attempt to stop a great threat. I have no hope for this film, Fox has been on a downward spiral as of late and this does not look like the film to dig them out. Could I be wrong? Sure... but the fact that we have NOTHING for this film yet and it's 6 months away from release (Thor has a ton of info, Captain America has screen stills, Transformers has a teaser, etc.) isn't a good sign. Just give the rights back to Marvel...for the love of God.
When WB isn't backing up truckloads of cash onto the Christopher Nolan's property for another Batman film they get a chance to focus on other characters in the DC Universe. For those unfamiliar Green Lantern is about Hal Jordon, a fighter pilot who witnesses a spaceship crash land. He goes to investigate and meets Abin Sur, a Green Lantern dying from the impact and an attack he suffered, who passes his ring onto Hal as he is deemed noble enough by the ring to take Abin's place. He then joins the Green Lantern Corp and becomes the protector for his sector of the universe. Green Lantern is the first effort in WB's new initiative to bring DC characters to the big screen. This film has been met with a mix bag right from the beginning. Many people never saw Ryan Reynolds as an appropriate Hal Jordan (me included) but no one saw Heath Ledger as a good joker either. The CGI has also come under scrutiny for how much it stands out in the trailer. Everyone knew going in that this movie was gonna be a real challenge. It is DC's space odyssey and everything is so grand and crazy looking. I think for the efforts put in that the CGI is pretty good. You can't expect everything to look so realistic that you honestly think it exists and you can travel there. You have to suspend some of your disbelief. Lets just hope the crappy dialog heard in the trailer isn't widespread. This film will open or shut the door for WB to work on any future out of this world super heroes. Lets hope for the best from Green Lantern which travels to theaters June 17th.
Now you all better be on your best behavior, Grandpa is coming this summer and he's bringing explosions and cheesy humor with him. Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the final chapter (at least for Michael Bay) of The Transformers trilogy. Now let's be real.. Revenge of the Fallen sucked. I liked the action scenes involving the robots but all the story in between with
One of the biggest franchises of all time comes to a close this summer in Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 2. On July 15th the final dark chapter of the Harry Potter saga comes to a close. What started as a children's franchise has grown more and more adult with each film. I have grown to really like this franchise as you have had a chance to see each character evolve and the actors that play them grow in age as well as talent. Part 2 will be the epic conclusion to end the battle once and for all between Harry Potter and Voldemort. I loved the way part 1 setup just how dark things have gotten for Harry and friends. Expect a lot of action, a lot of death, and a grand conclusion to this series.
That shield can only mean one thing, Captain America: The First Avenger! This hands down is my most anticipated film of 2011. I am a huge fan of Captain America and I cannot wait to see him on the big screen. Captain America is about Steve Rogers, a scrawny yet patriotic young man who is unable to join the military during World War II because of his small size. He volunteers for a secret Government project that turns him into the world's first super soldier! He then becomes America's greatest hero Captain America and goes into Germany to battle Hydra and their leader the Red Skull. This movie sets up the future leader of the Avengers and has a lot of comic fans eyes on the project since it's announcement. This truly is one of the last great characters from Marvel to enter the big screen. Some worry was initially placed on the film when Chris Evans was cast as Steve Rogers, though recent set pics showing Evans in character shows he has worked quite hard to fill the title role. The good captain charges into theaters July 22nd!
James Bond? Han Solo? In the wild west? Battling aliens? SIGN ME UP! Based on a comic which I have never read (I guess shame on me) Cowboys and Aliens comes our way directed by Jon Favreau. it all starts with Jake Lonergan(Daniel Craig) after he wakes up in a field without memory and a strange device on his wrist. As people from his past come looking for him aliens come from outer space looking to conquer the planet. Now it's up to Lonergan, his band of newfound allies, and the device on his wrist to stop this invasion and save the planet. The idea is so ridiculous that it has to be entertaining. The trailer looks amazing and the effects are really cool. I expect a lot from this and Favreau as well as the amazing cast they have built up for the film. Cowboys and Aliens abducts us on July 29th.
Ok.. look at this picture... focus.. yes, that is Jason Segal with the Muppets. Now breathe.. before your head explodes. Not from awesomeness mind you (though it is pretty cool) but from the fact you have a wholesome cast of characters in the Muppets working with a man famous for showing his dick in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. This upcoming film simply titled "The Muppets" is about Walter and his friend Gary, two big Muppet fans who find out their famous theater is being shut down. Walter and Gary then take it upon themselves to track down the muppets, get them back together, and save the theater. This movie would not have even been on my radar had it not been for those great you tube videos they started posting online. This whole film got rolling thanks to Jason Segal, who proposed the idea for the film to Disney in hopes of making a Muppets film closer to their original pictures in the 80s. The Muppets proved they can still be relevant with their online videos and teamed up with some of the biggest current comedy stars in hollywood should definitely provide a quality film that the characters rightfully deserve. Muppets will be out on November 23rd.
The Final film in our editorial for 2011 is Sherlock Holmes 2 (Tentative Title). Currently details on the story are minimal, all that is known is that Sherlock and Watson will be taking on Professor Moriarty. I loved the first film, it was full of wit, a great pacing, and highly entertaining. Jude Law really surprised me as Dr. Watson and RD Jr. was brilliant as Sherlock. These two really worked well together so another romp in the Guy Ritchie world of Sherlock Holmes sounds great to me. Also Jared Harris as Moriarty is awfully exciting, he is a great actor and I know will play an excellent villain.
Well that wraps up our look at films of 2011. I know I may have missed some but these were the movies that jumped off the release page as films I thought really fit the readers of this blog. Should be a great year for films!
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