Star Trek 11 - the end of the line?

Speaking of films that are mixing old ideas in a new ‘revisioned’ theme, I saw something today about the next Star Trek movie. This adds to my growing unease about this film. I am becoming more and more filled with dread about how this film will ultimately turn out.

It seems that there is already a plan to make a sequel. Yes, already the storyline for the next film is being hashed out. Without the movie having hit theaters yet. I presume the interest and debate over the movie trailers is propelling the rush to production.



This bodes poorly for the new generation seeking to fill the uniforms of the original cast. Without a single review or public viewing, they are already working the Hollywood system to create the next films in the “rebirth” of the franchise.

“They're hoping to have a draft in by Christmastime in order to get the cameras (and CGI) rolling in time for a summer 2011 release.”

Rushing a film, and a plot, to cash-in on a hoped for success virtually always ends up with a horrible film that bombs in the box office. Especially when the film in question is taking old favorites and turning them on their heads.

I can only recall a couple of films that were so bold as to plan and announce their efforts to create sequels at the same time, or before, the movie in question hit theaters. That would include Superman 3, and the James Bond films. You could also argue that Iron Man and the Incredible Hulk (with Ed Norton in a far superior film to the Ang Lee fiasco) did the same.

The Hulk series has been officially dumped by Marvel (though Norton did a fantastic job of resurrecting the series). Superman made it to one more movie (which bombed horribly) before the series was cancelled and laid dormant for nearly 2 decades. James Bond has survived due to changes in the lead, mostly due to Pierce Brosnan resurging interest after the near demise made by the Welsh-American Bond (Timothy Dalton). And Iron Man hinted at other movies, without guaranteeing their creation.

So in looking at what happens when Hollywood assumes a success, and moves forward with engines at flank, is that the film and/or series usually dies. Not a great sign at all for this ‘rebirth’ of Star Trek. Then again, neither was this



But with the film coming out soon, we the public will decide it all soon enough.

Iron Man 2: update

OK, while I am still highly upset over the Oscar Grant murder the fact is that there are other things I can write about. Perhaps I can let my blood pressure come down for a bit. But have no doubt that I will still be following this case.

But while I was away some news came out on a movie I am looking forward to. Iron Man 2.

We already know that Terrence Howard has been replace in the sequel, which is a shame as I thought he would make a wonderful War Machine, and he is an accomplished actor. He is to be replace by Don Cheadle. So in the least it can be said that the role has not gone to a slouch or less talented actor.

But the latest news is on the villain front. No matter how wonderful a comic book character is, no matter how good or powerful the hero, they are nothing without a proper villain. In the first movie the real villain was the best source of all, Tony Stark himself. Obidia Stane was just a second-tier villain that we could watch get pummeled (or do the pummeling).

In this next movie I expect to see more of Tony Stark's issues with his womanizing and drinking. This character is truly realistic and flawed like few others. He has problems as big as, and more dangerous than, any of the enemies he faces. Robert Downey Jr understands that kind of life and thus he should continue to be perfect in this role.

Still this film is action based, so the internal conflict has to be externalized. And who better to visualize pain and suffering than Mickey Rourke. He is to play Whiplash, an old enemy in the comic books. This villain uses technology enhanced coils as whips that can break steel girders. It's not the best villain for Iron Man, but since the Titanium Man theme was sort of hit upon in the first film I understand why they don't want to go back to that right away. But this give Rourke a chance to get physical with Downey, via their characters. It will be a real mano a mano type of fight.

Backing up Whiplash, and no doubt supplying his equipment, will be Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer. Hammer is another multi-billionaire that competes with Stark, and happens to hate him for being smarter. That envy, and slightly smaller checkbook is the fuel of various schemes by Hammer to embezzell, steal, kill, embarrass, and otherwise harm the reputation and life of Tony Start and Iron Man.

Rockwell is an interesting actor. He looks rather snake-oil ish. I see him and think of a black hat. And many of his roles reflect that. One of his better performances was his con artist in Matchstick Men opposite Nicolas Cage. But in this film Rockwell will be up front, and a crucial lynchpin for the credibility of Whiplash - I believe. I'm not sure if he can pull off such a role. Especially when confronted with the caliber of acting that Downey and Rourke bring.

I still think the film will do well in theaters. I'm a little less confident now that the acting in the second film will be as good. There is no question that the CGI and visuals will be extraordinary.

Lest I hear otherwise this still will be a great film for 2010. And it will be a busy year for Rourke who is also in The Expendables that year.

War Machine no more - Terence Howard out, Don Cheadle in

What the hell was Marvel thinking? If you are like me, you are unaware of the news that apparently came out last week in Hollywood. This news deals with the sequel to the hit film Iron Man.

The cast of Iron Man included Robert Downey Jr. and Oscar-nominee Terence Howard. This film has been a massive hit in theaters and the DVD sales have been brisk. Expectations for the obviously hinted sequel have been high. In fact, Iron Man and the Tony Stark character play prominently into the upcoming Avengers and other Marvel comic book film adaptations.

Marvel did a great job of conveying the character flaws from written form to movie. And the acting of Robert Downey Jr. was instrumental. But as important was the acting of Terence Howard as Stark’s best friend Jim Rhodes. It is the Rhodes character that Stark relies upon throughout the comic book, and is the only person he is willing to entrust his upgraded technology to. That new armor suit is called War machine, and it lives up to its name well.

In the movie Howard looks to the new armor and mentions “next time”. But it seems that it will never come as he has now been dropped from the sequel. I find that to be horrendous. Howard is an exceptional actor, and capable of a range of roles as his career shows.

Not only has Howard been replaced, by the equally talented – but far too short – Don Cheadle, Marvel did not have the balls to tell Howard beforehand. According to reports the excuse is a failure to come to terms on pay. But according to Howard

“…And I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money... but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes. And promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up.”

I like Don Cheadle. He is a great actor. But I don’t see him as Rhodes. It just doesn’t work for me. And now the new dynamic of the actors is very different than what was expected or as existed in the first film. There is a chance that Marvel may have shot themselves in the foot as it seemed that the second film was going to focus on War Machine and Rhodes.

It appears that Marvel is going the route of Disney, which is reported to be a tightwad and miserable to work for. The actions of Disney cost it an animation department and hundreds of millions in animated film revenues. Marvel seems ready to follow that same path, which was also the cause of the creation of Imagine Comics, and gave growth to several underground comics that ate away a large portion of their readership in the 1990’s.

Perhaps the next Iron Man movie will be fine. All the actors are phenomenal so you wouldn’t expect different. But I think that the future comic book adaptations may be in danger of failure. And just before Captain America can make it to the silver screen. It would be a shame.

Hollywood has its issues, and they are seeping into Marvel apparently. The loss of Terence Howard is a bad sign, hopefully it just remains that. And I hope that Marvel comes back to Howard with a sweetheart deal to make up for this public and unwarranted slap in the face.

And I really hope this does not cause a fued between Howard and Cheadle. They are too good, and there are too few quality roles for African Americans for that to happen.

Good news for Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson, and Marvel

Well a bit of good news is always a nice way to start the week. And to that end is the news that Ryan Reynolds and Scarlett Johansson got married. The couple was engaged recently, and thankfully their wedding was not the usual circus of paparazzi and media and rumors that tend to occur these days.

I wish the 2 of them the best. I hope that they can have a marriage like that of Paul Newman and his wife Joan Woodard.

In more potentially good news Marvel Comics is moving forward with their movie empire. With the success of the Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man (to say nothing of the success found in Spiderman’s and the X-Men’s 3 films) Marvel closed a deal top have Paramount distribute 5 of its next films. Those films will include the sequel to Iron Man, a film on Captain America, The Avengers and Thor.

Now I am happy to see that Iron Man will not only get a sequel, which we knew would be coming, but that Marvel is looking to get one of it’s biggest titles out – Captain America - even though they recently murdered him. It is interesting that in a time of war, and national conflicted emotions over these wars, Marvel has decided to highlight a character that was created by war and symbolizes the absolute belief that America is the greatest good in a bad world. Captain America is hardly a liberal, and considering how liberal Hollywood is their choice stands out.

Thor though is a movie I expect will do poorly. He just isn’t an interesting character by himself. Norse god, ancient misogynistic beliefs, and macho pig might all be terms that would easily describe him. And those are all elements that would prevent his acceptance by a wide portion of the movie audience. But given the right script and actor anything is possible. Though I think this will rank right up with the first Hulk movie.

Also a potential letdown is the choice of The Avengers. This team of super heroes could be like the first X-Men movie, and be good. But more likely is the failure of the movie and its ultimate similarity to the Fantastic Four movies. There are too many characters, with too many abilities to describe to an audience that has no clue about any of that. There is no theme that drives the plot for movie-goers without necessitating a big back-story. It’s just too much all at once. And most of the members of the Avengers just aren’t interesting enough.

The big secret may be that the 5th choice of Marvel will likely be the SHIELD movie. There have been 2 prior versions of Nick Fury so far, both have been abysmal. But they say the 3rd time is the charm. This could be the film that breaks Marvel’s back, or guarantees that future scriptwriters will give up on new ideas altogether.

Actually what am I saying? There really haven’t been any new ideas in Hollywood for almost a decade. Virtually every movie made in that time has been a retread of a book, comic book, television show or prior movie. Looking forward we have more Batman, Watchmen, Sin City, video games, television shows and such on the horizon. It’s really a shame that Hollywood has lost the last few brain cells they had.

Still I am looking forward to the Watchmen, Iron Man 2, Captain America, and HALO.

Movie Review: Hellboy 2

For those wondering if my preview of Hellboy 2 was any good, here is my review of the movie. But I must note that the film I saw was not the film you will see. Because I’ve been so crazy with several work projects, a potential interview with an elected politician, ad offers, and a new house I had to rely on a website that provides films for free. The trade-off is these bootleg films often lack the visual quality of seeing eye dogs, soundtracks queued up to characters either seen or forthcoming in the film by 5 minutes and other maladies.

Even so one thing was absolutely clear. Guillermo Del Toro has a very fertile imagination that would give most people nightmares. I on the other hand thought it was beautiful.

The visuals are the real appeal to this film. Unlike the very CGI “monsters from beyond” found in the first film, all the creatures are far more realistic in this film – if such a term can be used. The version I saw really did not do justice to the elemental in the film, nor most of the creatures. The rendering of the Golden Army was particularly bad, which is a shame since they still looked pretty good.

If you are looking for an improved plot in this 2nd film you will both be amused and disappointed. There are fewer plot holes or gaps in logic than the first film, but the constant foreshadowing (of a third film) detracts a lot. Plus there are a few moments when you just have to say “Why do that?” or “The solution is really simple here”.

Of course there is another love story in the film that is more a waste of time than anything else. It eats up time and slows the pace, but it also does give an interesting excuse for an American Idol-esque duet (not meant in a good way which is why it was funny).

There is more of a reality base in this film though. Hellboy has relationship problems, problems with authority, and moral crossroads. He is both very humane and very 16 throughout the film. Which at times works and is silly at others.

I can’t really comment on the sound either as portions were problematic in the version I saw. The acting was fine though. No Oscars out of this film but every character gets a moment to shine, more or less.

And it should be noted that this film is more about the other characters Hellboy calls his family than him really. Still seeing the world and the ‘other world’ through their eyes was refreshing since they all stem from Del Toro’s eyes.

The film in a nutshell is good. Not great, not fantastic. I felt it was better than the first, which is all you can really ask of a sequel. And, had I the time, spending the money to see this in a theater beats the experience of watching it on a flat screen any day.

So the film was basically what I was hoping for in the previews. So far this summer Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Hellboy 2, and WANTED have been worth the journey. I only hope that The Dark Knight will exceed my thoughts about the Joker (hype about Heath Ledger getting an Oscar aside) rather than turn into the abysmal failure that War, Inc. and Speed Racer were. But I’m not holding my breath on it.

Movie Review: Incredible Hulk

So is the Incredible Hulk worth seeing?

That was the question that faced me as I sought to do this review. I decided that I would try to see this movie under conditions that most match non-big city America.

I live in Binghamton, NY. To those that are from here, or around here, this is a big city; I think it’s a small town. And this is where I have live for the past 5 years (if you feel bad for me, you don’t feel bad enough) and where I decided to see the movie. Since I decided to see this movie on opening weekend I put no thought to what time I saw the movie at. There has never been a movie that I am aware of that has sold-out ever in this area.

Once I decided to see the movie I also went with taking a cab. Gas prices are high, and many are using cabs to travel in an attempt to save money. In fact several groups of people took a cab. This plan works best in groups because for me alone it cost $16 each way. The joy of being single and not driving I suppose.

So after I was ripped off by the cab company (the trip was not even close to being far enough to justify such a price – even with higher gas prices) I walked into the theater. The ticket cost me $9. So just showing up and getting in cost me $25, going home another $16. You can guess if I decided to buy popcorn, a soda, or anything else in the theater.

The trailers eventually started, after the god-awful commercials that I swear never to do business with since they were wasting my time advertising before the movie. The trailers were for Tropic Thunder, the next installment of the Mummy, Hancock, and Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The animated Clone Wars looked interesting, but missed the feel of most of the Star Wars movies. The entire crowd seemed to laugh a lot and enjoy Tropic Thunder- particularly the scenes with Robert Downey Jr. being a Black man. There was silence after the Hancock preview, and mere murmurs for The Mummy. Take that to mean what you will. [To add flavor I will tell you about Binghamton and the area. 3% Black, 1% Asian, 96% White. Average income $28,000. Average level of education – 11.75 grade. Favorite pastime- drinking. Number of children – average 2.75 by age 20.]

So the movie begins. Right off the back zero respect of concern is given to Ang Lee’s horrendous version of this movie. A new background, reminiscent of the television series, is created in flashback. Nothing is referred to the prior movie.

And then the movie moves. The pace is moderately fast. It covers a decent amount of ground quickly. After introducing Thunderbolt Ross, and Bruce Banner we slow slightly to see what Bruce (Ed Norton) is up to. By the time you are wondering what will be destroyed Bruce has his incident meter drop from 158 days to zero, and all his anger management training goes out the window.

The Hulk, who does speak 3 times, wastes little time in kicking ass. His size look and demeanor are all adult, violent and Hulkish. While no one obviously dies, you can imagine the years of traction that most will easily endure. When we finally get a full close-up view of the Hulk, his primal scream makes it clear that he is trouble on steroids and raging.

About this time is the first instance when you think that Emil Bronsky has a problem. He actually isn’t freaked out by the 15 foot tall, 1500 pound, green thing he just saw tossing forklifts around. He wants to take it on in another fight. That’s not normal, even in comic book land brains.

At this point I should mention that several scenes, though minor, found in the previews and trailers never occur in the movie. I have no doubt that the DVD will hold these scenes and clarify what happened and why they were cut. But the plot is not hurt by their omission.

At this point the plot also introduces several ideas that are the introduction or reinforcement of several Marvel characters and organizations. Requisitions for weapons introduce Stark Industries (see my Iron Man review), S.H.E.I.L.D., Nick Fury, the Super Soldier program (i.e. Captain America), and the Avengers. Smart move for a company planning multiple other movies all based in the same world. More on this soon.

With a decent amount of plot development and a bit of intrigue we progress to the next instance of the Hulk. Again we see why he is incredible, and what a bit of chemistry is capable of. It’s a good example of what the Hulk is capable of, where another movie can go, and what Ang Lee never understood.

Now I will jump towards the end of the movie. The Abomination is created; the Hulk goes after him and ultimately kicks his ass. Like you didn’t expect that. Though there is not the obvious increase in power for the Hulk. Unlike Ang Lee’s version this Hulk does not grow taller nor expand in size. But he does get far more ferocious and his power has more of an effect.

In the final scenes we get to see that the saga for Bruce Banner has not ended, though he seems to reach a new level with his inner monster. In addition we are prepared for a stage where multiple Marvel heroes will be all onscreen simultaneously. Expect to see a familiar face form this summer in a role that is now well known.

So do the visuals live up to expectations? Yes. The behemoth is green and rage is the emotion du jour. Coupled with a few primal screams that just tap you into his unending and unyielding anger and you feel his power. Lightning strikes beware this boy is bad.

Does the movie pay homage to it’s past? Yep. To Bill Bixby, Lou Ferrigno, the television series and its comic book base. This movie actually remembers why it was made and who its fans are.

The ultimate question though is whether it is worth the $32 dollars I spent in transportation and $9 for the ticket. In terms of the ticket, yes. The movie is definitely worthy of seeing on the big screen. As for the transportation, don’t take a taxi. If you have a wife and kids I can understand the potential cost savings. But if you are single like me take a car. If you don’t drive (which I don’t) go with a date, or friends. Anything but go alone as the cost is beyond prohibitive, even if you make a decent living.

If you have to choose between Iron Man and the Hulk as just one movie to see this summer, see Iron Man. But if you can see more than one, the Incredible Hulk is the next best choice.

Before you see Hulk or Batman

Ok, a dear friend just sent me this link and I've been laughing my a** off (I needed it after all the stress of late). This is funny. I have to give massive credit to the guys that created this.

Before I provide the link I will present just one of over 40 videos (that tell a couple of movie or comic book style stories) dedicated to Marvel and DC. If you don't laugh at this you are wound way too tight.



Oh hell, here is one more



Go see the rest here http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&user=ItsJustSomeRandomGuy&page=1

Review Iron Man

I was wrong about Iron Man. The movie isn’t good. It’s a great movie, made all the better by Robert Downey Jr.’s acting and Jon Faverau’s directing vision. Seriously I think this film is the best in the superhero comic book to movie genre to date.

So why is it so good?

Well they stick greatly to the wealth of the storylines of the comicbook to start with. Tony Stark is a multi-billionaire genius with a penchant for women and liquor. He is a selfish, self-centered cad. And Downey embodies the character perfectly. You can easily relate to Stark’s wild lavish lifestyle of private jets with retractable stripper poles and stewardesses to match. You can also believe his staunch commitment to creating weapons for the protection of America.

At many points in the movie it’s the transition that gets you. Whether its physical, emotional or moral. And unlike failure films like the Ang Lee Hulk (thank god a superior version is about to come to the movies) the morale content is not spoon-fed to you, but allowed to develop in the movie.

Pacifists and ultra-liberals will enjoy the movie and take away an ant-war feel. Which isn’t exactly right. The goal is anti-abuse of the weapons needed to make the world better. And it’s about one man finding his own way to improve the world, growing beyond the shadow of his father.

The visuals in the film are spot on. The suit is believable and stylish. With just enough ostentation to fit a former billionaire will-o-wisp. Many feared this movie wouldn’t connect with moviegoers because you can’t see Downey behind the mask. Well several closeups ‘within the mask’ are more than enough to keep you in touch with the humanity of Stark, and his movements is the suits are anything but robotic.

And I think you just have to love the handy but bumbling helper robot of Stark’s. Never fear a fire when he is near. Though lighting a cigarette or falling down may also get the same result.

The supporting cast include Terrence Howard in a small but beneficial role of Randy Rhodes. He is the second closest person to Stark besides Pepper Potts. He is Stark’s longtime friend and military liason. He is also the man that may one day (in the movies) become the 2nd man in the iron suit – War Machine. Terrence Howard portrays a high ranking Air Force pilot with respect and authority.

Gwenneth Paltrow is the ever present and consistent Pepper Potts. Whether it’s “taking out the garbage” or blowing up the corporate office she is the woman you want. And Paltrow is very good at being dutiful. Thankfully her character gets about the same kind of emotional release as does Evey from V For Vendetta.

In terms of the music, well there is one song you just want to hear from the previews – but on that you will be disappointed. Otherwise the music, and sound is well done.

I’m trying hard not to give away anything more than the basics that you can see in a preview or from a casual perusal on Google of Iron Man. You want to see this film. I want to see it again. I want the DVD.

One of the best things about the film may be the fact that there just has to be a sequel, and Downey will be in it. Or perhaps that this one superhero is the only one that every single one of us could imagine being able to do, and having a hell of a rush doing it.

Expect crowds to see this film, unless you live in a small town like Binghamton and are in the theater at 4ish.

the approaching Sumer films of 2008

Ok, I need a break from the 100+ blogs I’ve set up for a client, and the house negotiations. So what am I going to do? Write more, on politics and of course entertainment.

Well one of the bigger things to focus on is the upcoming summer movie season. So far the movies of the year have been major letdowns. I mean there really has been nothing that stands out or was worthwhile. Superhero movie was a superflop. I’ve already forgotten Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Street Kings seems to not be silver screen kings or even a joker. Smart People equals a dumb movie, The Ruins was ruinous, 10,000 BC was before common sense, Never Back Down never stepped up, Jumper (as I had suspected) needed to go over a cliff, Semi-Pro was only semi-good, and Drillbit Taylor doesn’t deserve to be mentioned.

And that was most of the better films of the year to date.

Hollywood is really out of their minds. Obviously the only thing that can save this year has got to be hero movies; specifically comic book heroes or perhaps a few Kung Fu masters. So far one of the best movies of the year is the combination of Jet Li and Jackie Chan. I have yet to see this, but I will, so I will reserve my thoughts to this. No matter how good or bad the movie masses will see this film because of just those 2 international entertainment stars.

So what hope do we have left?

Iron Man. I’ve been hyping this a bit but I have no doubt it will live up to my expectations. The previews look great; the storyline is filled with drama and adventure (if they follow most of the Stane/Stark storyline). Robert Downey Jr. is a renowned actor as is Terrance Howard. It looks like there would need to be a lot of effort made to screw up the film.

The Incredible Hulk. Thank goodness they are redoing the story. Ang Lee really destroyed the story, and we can only hope this one is better. The Abomination is the central figure so lots of big destructive fights can be expected. Ed Norton is an extremely better actor. And the graphics of the CGI look superior as well. Even if it’s not a great film it should stand galaxies above the Ang Lee film.

Speed Racer. Likely a huge letdown. This is not really the film that fans of the original cartoon are looking for. Far too stylized and tripped out, it may make the post MTV generation feel warm and fuzzy, but the rest of us will just be ill. The actors don’t seem to be impressive, even though John Goodman and Susan Sarandon are huge names in the cast. Christina Ricci may get some teen boys going but that’s about it. I think the Wachowski brothers missed the mark this time.

Indiana Jones. He may be old but expect this to pack the crowds in. Harrison Ford is an entertainer that commands the big bucks, and has no need of money or more fame. Thus his presence lends credibility to the thought that this is not just another Hollywood sequel seeking quick cheap cash based on the series name. It won’t win Oscars, but it should fulfill its purpose of making you forget the travails of daily life for a couple of hours.

Hellboy 2. I want this to be a good film. Or at least as good as the first. But the odds are 50/50. Fans will find lots to dislike, and newcomers will enjoy the action. I need to see more to be sure.

Stepbrothers. Another Will Ferrell miss. But everything he does can’t be as good as Elf. Thus we had Ricky Bobby and now this film. But this time all the NASCAR fans will be at Speed Racer so I doubt the success.

Sex and the City. Or more aptly named sluts without lives. Sure to bring in women patrons in droves, it’s still a failure as a film. Just like the television show. I’d advise guys to just give their dates/wives the cash to see it and go play their Xbox in the meantime.

Get Smart. Another remake of a classic and funny television show from the past. Hopefully this will not be the atrocity that the Honeymooners remake was. But Hollywood execs are rife with greenlighting a film without ever paying attention to what made a show classic. Expect this to either be the equivalent of remakes like Charlie’s Angels (either film) and Dukes of Hazzard, or Star Trek (the better films). Remakes of television shows only go those 2 ways.

Batman the Dark Knight. I don't like Heath Ledger as the Joker. I think he misses the mark from what I have seen. Without doubt there will be a huge sympathy rush towards this film. That does not affect my thoughts on the previews I've seen. Every film series has its failure, and this will rank among the Batman's lesser appearances, no fault of Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Christian Bale.

Any film with Aston Kushner. Complete waste of time. He has no talent, and his films to date reflect this. Even his only successful role, on the 70’s Show, highlighted his inability to have any depth.

Such is the upcoming summer fare. A dearth of entertainment value. Most will fail miserably as they should. Several will test the concept that if you give people enough sand will they drink it like water. Perhaps one of these days we will have some Hollywood execs that actually believe in entertainment quality over the absolute bottom barrel cheapness of American Idol on film. But this is not that day or year.

2008 films of note - 1.31.2008.1

So Rambo has come out along with Cloverfield. 2 of the more anticipated movies of 2008 are now out and everyone is looking forward to see what will be coming up next. The choices seem slim to me, and I’d expect the box office numbers to be lower than in 2007.

As I have mentioned in the past, Star Trek fans can look forward to the latest installment of the series that delves into the earliest days of James T. Kirk, Spock, Bones McCoy and the rest of the original crew. The cast is mostly unknown or little known, which can be good or bad. But the teaser trailer that is out, is just a waste of time.



Notice the snub to William Shatner, the original Kirk, in that his friend and original Spock, Leonard Nimoy, speaks the ever so famous intro lines. Hopefully this will be a good movie, and has none of the writers from Star Trek: Enterprise.

I’ve discussed Iron Man, Batman: The Dark Knight, Speed Racer (a while ago – I don’t like the trailers I’ve seen so far), and WANTED previously.

In the world of sequels expect to revisit HellBoy 2 to do well.



It’s a bit over the top, but at least it’s honest about that. The first was entertaining, and the Dark Elf looking villain in this film could be of interest.

For more original fare we have what will undoubtably become a hit film Kung Fu Panda. I mean how can it go wrong. It’s animated, has Jack Black’s voice, a comedy, and has martial arts fighting. This will clear $200 million easy.



Of course that looks like it has far more laughs and interest that the latest film by Adam Sandler. He’s been very hit and miss of late, more miss than hit. Don’t Mess with Zohan seems to be on that miss list, even though it’s sure to make $100 million. Perhaps it’s just me but this film just doesn’t hit the mark. At best it’s just a DVD film, but I won’t spend $20 to see it in a movie theater.



The real winner in comedy is probably the anti-super hero film Hancock. Will Smith takes the concept of a superhero and Superman in particular and twists the concept. It’s a superhero with issues and problems, some especially entertainers and celebrities tend to have. It looks good, and may be a sleeper hit (or at least a sleeper for a Will Smith lead film).



In the line of over the top, silly, action filled comedy there is Postal. This film doesn’t look to have a single serious moment. Of course that does not count what is the opening scenes of the film. Guaranteed to piss off Muslims, and highly likely to anger many New Yorkers (and anyone who lost someone in 9/11) just because of the start of the film. I’ve seen several trailers that look good. The opening isn’t one of them. You can see the other clips at many places, but this is the start, which is not funny to me.



Perhaps it will be worth the time, after this opening, but the question will be can anyone get past that. Sure to gain a lot of protests, who knows how it will go.

What I will go see is some of the following.

Jackie Chan and Jet Li in the same film. Do I need to say more? Forbidden Kingdom



Wanted, Iron Man, Vantage Point



I’ll give you more as the year progresses.

Previews of 2008 films - 11.30.2007.1

Recently I was in the movies watching the Hitman movie and of course before the film there were several trailers. One of the trailers was for the new Will Smith film I Am Legend. I think that will be a good remake, this is the 4th reiteration of the film. I’ve spoken about this film before.

But there were 2 other trailers that also caught my attention. Both have A-list stars in them, and in each one of those stars is also African American. Both are Sci-fi films, and as longtime readers know I love comic books, video games and scifi. (Yes I’m a bit of a geek) But the big differences in the 2 films are the date they will be coming out and the quality of the films. One will bomb almost assuredly, the other should do well as long as it’s not up against Iron Man.

I’ll start with the worst and go to the best.

Jumper is trash. Not only did I get that impression from the trailer, but it is confirmed when the trailer states the movie will be out in mid-February. The worst of films almost always start off the year and appear between the middle of January thru February. It’s a dead time, with only a slight break for romance movies targeting the Valentine’s Day holiday. But romance movies don’t bring in the money.

This film has several fatal flaws. They are so big even Mr. Samuel Jackson can’t save the film with his presence. The big problem? They went for CGI heavy effects and forgot about the plot, and you can’t blame this on the writers strike. As you can see in the clip, the main character is a X-men-esque type with the power to jump from anyplace in the world to any other. Ok. Anything he holds onto goes with him. OK. So when he jumps to some other place in the world how can a rope catch him half a world away and pull him back? The rope was after the fact, and once it went through shouldn’t Mr. Jackson be pulled to the kid? Sci-fi films that rip off good ideas for quick bucks on a gimmick tend to fail. So will this I bet. See for yourself.



On the other end of the spectrum we have a more action based film with sci fi elements. WANTED looks to do quite well. It has Mr. Morgan Freeman (as a headmaster assassin – a bit different if he really is a bad guy), and the lovely Mrs. Angelina Jolie. It a movie about top assassins, so good that the laws of physics fail. [Yes a Matrix rip off, but it looks like they paid for a plot too] Our everyday guy, turned super killer looks plain vanilla enough. The chance for massive gunfights with really hi-tech guns seems excellent. And Mrs. Jolie looks great in those outfits.



Neither film will win an Oscar, granted. But my money says that WANTED is a winner, and Jumper will only look like a strong film when compared to Redacted or Lions for Lambs (the theme of both I hate, and happy to see them burning up in red tape).

Well you know what I think, what do you think of them. Which does better? And I still say Iron Man is the early leader for best blockbuster, and overall best film, of the year 2008.

Iron Man, Dark Knight, Hitman and more movie previews - 11.3.2007.1

It’s time to talk about movies again. With the end of the year quickly approaching, movie studios are trying to capture the holiday shoppers with a distraction from all the sales at the mall, and prepare us for the fare coming in 2008. There are several films that are upcoming that have my attention already. I won’t bother with the fluff that will obviously fail.

I’ve already mentioned the Iron Man film. From the trailer you can see that the dialogue sounds good. The casting of Mr. Robert Downey Jr. is perfection. The fact that Mr. Terrence Howard is involved as well is another indication of the potential quality of the film. And the red and gold suit is a page out of the comic books. Plan for that in May and pray it’s not another Ghost Rider / Hulk fiasco. I truly doubt that it will come to that.



Another film for 2008 is The Dark Knight. This is the sequel to Batman Begins, featuring Mr. Christian Bale as our dark hero. This is a far darker vision of Batman and it hits the mark. I expect the sequel will be equal to the first film, and hopefully better. The main villain is the Joker, which was hinted at in the first film. Mr. Heath Ledger is slated to take on this role.

I know that I initially had reservations about Mr. Bale being able to pull off his portrayal of the Batman. He did an excellent job though. Yet I find myself having reservations again, though this time it is the role of the Joker. I have difficultly seeing Mr. Ledger as the Joker. It’s a critical role. Not only is the acting ability crucial, the look is absolutely vital. While Batman has a suit that creates a large part of his presence onscreen, the Joker is always in costume. If his look misses, his character fails the same as if the acting was bad. Like Mr. Jack Nicholson, or even Cesar Romero, the look is the character and sets the tone of the whole thing. Hopefully the fact that the Joker’s image is still a solid secret means they got it right. If not, this will fail miserably.

Looking at more up coming films there is Hitman, which is based on the video game of the same name. I loved the calculating and thoughtful premise of the game. More than a mere shoot ‘em up, deliberate thought is required. The storyline was well planned and made a lot of sense. It should easily transfer to the big screen of movie theaters. Lots of gun fights, explosions and action. I expect this to do well. I just hope they stick with the classical music in the background as the trailers seem to indicate. It really makes the mood.

Another film of interest is the Golden Compass. Think of this film as a cross of several fantasy genres, most notably The Lord of the Rings. Of course it looks like this film is geared more towards children a la Harry Potter. But the animation of the armored polar bears is interesting. Given the look of the film, it may well be the first film in quite some time that Nicole Kidman is involved with that will do well. Witches, magic, talking polar bears and familiars are all contained in this film, and heavy CGI use. But the trailer looks interesting. This one I call 50/50.



Continued in part 2...