When Ridley Scott released Alien back in 1979, the world opened up for him as far as opportunities went. The movie he directed after Alien was Blade Runner in 1982. Blade Runner, which was based on the book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K. Dick, followed Rick Deckard. Rick Deckard was a cop that specialized in hunting down and eliminating rogue androids. The group that he was tasked with eliminating was lead by Roy Batty, a combat android who wanted to live more than 5 years, which was the average life span of an android in Blade Runner. Blade Runner apparently was a very difficult movie to shoot with a lot of problems with production and studio interference. The film bombed when it was released. The critics and a number of audiences hated it, lamenting the fact that the trailers made the movie look like an action movie. It wasn’t an action movie. It was a futuristic detective movie. Over the past 30+ years, the film has developed more than a cult following, finding new life on home video. 5 different versions of the film have been released so far, with the “Final Cut” being the definitive version. What made the movie work for me was a number of things: The cast which included names like Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Edward James Olmos, Sean Young and Darryl Hannah. The visual style of the film was absolutely unique and gave us a dark glimpse of the future of 2019. Not only that, the music by Vangelis was something out of this world.
A few years back, Ridley Scott had announced that he had a number of movies planned over the next several years, which included a new Alien movie and a new Blade Runner film. With Alien Covenant coming out in a week and a half as of this post, Blade Runner 2049 is set to be released this October. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited for the new Alien film, but its Blade Runner 2049 that has my interest. For one, Harrison Ford is returning as Deckard in some capacity. Ryan Gosling is going to playing a new cop who is looking for Deckard. The actual premise of the film is as of yet, unknown for the most part. What really excites me most about the film is that it’s being directed by Denis Villeneuve, the guy who gave us Prisoners and Arrival. I loved both of those movies, so I’m anxious to see what he can do with Blade Runner. Like the first movie, I’m hoping that the action will take a back seat to the main story. That’s what made the original movie work so well. Well, that and the cast. I think this movie’s going to be a blast. I can’t wait.
As someone who grew up during the 80s and 90s, I got exposed to a lot of Disney movies. Among the first that I’ve ever watched were Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, Fox and the Hound, The Lion King, and Aladdin. But there was one movie that really grabbed my attention and that I absolutely loved above all others: Beauty and the Beast. I reviewed this movie yesterday and gave it a perfect 10/10. I called it a perfect movie, because for my money, it truly is perfect. The animation was stunning, the writing was snappy and sharp, the characters were all memorable, and the music was simply beautiful. It got everything right. I didn’t see a flaw in that movie whatsoever. Maybe it’s because I grew up with the film, but the original Beauty and the Beast is one of the greatest movies of all time. It’s certainly the best movie that Disney’s ever made. When I found out that they were doing a live-action version of the film, I was hesitant. Why? Because in my opinion, the only live-action adaptation to work thus far was Maleficent. None of the others really stuck out for me. Imagine my surprise when Emma Watson was cast as Belle. Okay, I guess? Then we got our first glimpse of the Beast, and I was less than impressed. Then the first trailer for the new movie came out, and I slowly started to get on board. Emma Watson singing? Not bad. But then I heard that Ariana Grande was going to sing Beauty and the Beast itself, and I was not enthusiastic.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, having seen the latest trailer for Beauty and the Beast, I can tell you that this is now my most anticipated movie of the season. While the previous trailer played things a little safe, in my opinion, this new one just lets it all out and says, “Let’s have some fun!” I am absolutely sold on this one, now. We get our first glimpse of Luke Evans as Gaston, and I have to say, he looks and sounds the part, PERFECTLY. We also get to see a lot more of the Beast, and I have to say, I’m rather impressed at how they accomplished it. It’s not just that, but the antiques that are animated are wonderful. Ewan McGregor is the new voice of Lumiere and Ian McKellen is Cogsworth. Yup, I can definitely see that happening. That’s perfect casting right there. It looks like the new Beauty and the Beast is going to hit all the right notes. They even brought back Alan Menken to do the music for the film. Alan Menken did the score for the original 1991 film and was simply astounding. It looks like they’re going to be doing all the songs from Belle to Gaston. The song I was very surprised to hear during the new trailer was Beauty and the Beast. It was being sung by Ariana Grande and John Legend. I have to say, I’m surprised at how much I liked it. If they can keep the tones and inflections right, Ariana’s version could be just as iconic as the original version of the song. In all honesty, I was not expecting to be THIS excited for the new Beauty and the Beast. Yet, here I am wanting March 17 to be here already. I have to see this one. I’ve seen the trailer multiple times already, and I’m still feeling the emotions of what could possibly be the best live-action adaptation of a Disney animated film thus far.
2016, like any other year, had its fair share of ups and downs as far as movies go. While we had phenomenal films like Deadpool, Forsaken, Captain America: Civil War and Rogue One, we also had some highly questionable films like Suicide Squad, Traded, and Ghostbusters. It was a fairly even mix of good and bad. Now that 2017 has started, we’ve got whole bunch of movies that are coming out. I’m going to list some of my most anticipated movies that are coming out this year. Does that mean they’re going to be good? No. I never know that until I see the movie for myself, that’s how this thing works, silly. Well, let’s get going and see what’s heading our way.
Underworld: Blood Wars
Underworld: Blood Wars is the fifth entry into the Underworld franchise starring Kate Beckinsale. I’m going to be honest, I really love this series of movies. It’s dark, gothic, and very stylish. Is there a whole lot of substance to the franchise? You’re dealing with Vampires versus Werewolves. Really: What more do you want? As many problems as I had with Awakening, the fourth entry, seeing Kate Beckinsale take on armies of Werewolves is nothing short of spectacular. Kate is really phenomenal as Selene. It certainly doesn’t hurt that she can rock a corset like nobody else, but she does have a very commanding presence. This new film looks to take things a bit further, with both vampires and werewolves wanting Selene’s blood for their own purposes. I’m definitely looking forward to this one.
John Wick: Chapter 2
John Wick was a very surprising action flick from 2014. Keanu Reeves starred as a retired hitman for the Russian mob. He was attacked by some gangsters and his puppy was killed in the attack. As a result, Wick waged a one-man war against the entire Russian mafia. The action was stellar and Keanu’s performance as the stoic John Wick was PERFECT. It was bad-ass. It also introduced as to this underworld of assassins that use gold coins as currency. Chapter 2 takes John Wick around the globe on the hunt again for the people who won’t leave him alone. That’s all you need to know. This one is definitely on my “must-see” list, obviously, since it’s already here. 😛
Logan
Wolverine is quite possibly one of the most recognizable comic book characters to date, and Hugh Jackman really made that fact a reality. Ever since starring in the original X-Men film, Hugh Jackman has really made a name for himself. Obviously, Wolverine is Jackman’s most recognized character. While some of the movies have stumbled, there’s no denying that the Wolverine is a bad-ass. As the character puts it, he’s the best at what he does, but what he does best isn’t very nice. Logan is the first movie with the character that is fully R-Rated. It’s about damn time. It’s set in a world where mutants have been hunted nearly to extinction. It looks dark, gritty and awesome. This is also supposed to be Hugh Jackman’s last turn as the clawed superhero. Here’s hoping it’s really good.
Power Rangers
I’m calling it right now: Power Rangers is going to be a box-office bomb. Big time. That doesn’t mean that I’m not going to see it. I am. I’m a huge fan of the original show that debuted back in 1993. This new movie looks very interesting with 5 teenagers with attitudes stumbling upon some mysterious coins that give them extraordinary powers. I’m probably going to end up liking it, mostly because we’ve got Elizabeth Banks as Rita Repulsa and Bryan Cranston as Zordon. I’m sold, I just hope the action is good.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
It’s not very often that a comic book movie about some relatively unknown characters takes the world by storm, but Guardians of the Galaxy did just that. Not only was it fresh and exciting, but it was incredibly funny as well. Aside from all that, it was a very compelling experience. The action sequences were spectacular and the performances were out of this world. Literally. This new film looks to one-up the original in every single way. Kurt Russell is joining the cast as Star-Lord’s father, so things should get very interesting.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
There have been many movies based on the legend of King Arthur. The best of which was Excalibur in 1980. It was done fairly realistically, but added a lot of magic and other amazing elements, and ended up being one of the best fantasy films ever made. There was an animated Disney film, and there was recent film with Clive Owen that was based more on a realistic interpretation of the character. This year, we get a full-blown fantasy film that is the origin of King Arthur. There’s swordplay, magic, and dragons. Jude Law plays the main villain, and it looks pretty cool. Is it going to set the box-office on fire? Not a chance in hell, but that’s not going to stop me from seeing it.
Alien: Covenant
When Alien was released back in 1979, it took the world by storm with its claustrophobic atmosphere and terrifying creature: The xenomorph. After several sequels and failed spinoffs, Fox Studios and Ridley Scott went back to the drawing board and Prometheus was born. While Prometheus was not a terrible movie, it didn’t feel like the Alien film that it should have been. It didn’t know what kind of movie it wanted to be. I personally loved it, but a lot of people didn’t. Now, we get an official to the film and it looks like a proper Alien film. From what I understand, not only do we get the classic creature, we get a new spin on the the monster called the Neomorph. If this trailer is any indication, Alien: Covenant looks to bring the terror back to the franchise in a very good way. Right now, this looks to be my most anticipated movie this year. I can’t wait.
Dunkirk
Director Christopher Nolan is at it again. This time it’s a war movie. Dunkirk is about the evacuation of the French port of Dunkirk, where the British Expeditionary Force was cut off from the French army by the German war machine. I’m a huge fan of war films. Ever since Saving Private Ryan showed up in 1998, more war movies have tried to portray their particular battles with the utmost realism. Some of them succeeded and some of them failed. Dunkirk is a story that I haven’t read that much about, so I’m genuinely curious about this one. Christopher Nolan is a master filmmaker with great attention to detail, and he doesn’t film his movies digitally. I think it’s great that certain stories during World War II are finally coming to light through movies and other forms of media. It lets the rest of us know more about the last great war of the 20th century. I’ve got my eyes on this one.
Wonder Woman
Honestly, I was debating whether or not to put this one on the list. We’re finally getting a Justice League film in November, but honestly, Wonder Woman is getting more attention from me at this point. Why? It’s the first live-action Wonder Woman movie ever. While I initially had doubts about Gal Gadot’s ability to portray the character, my fears were laid to rest when she showed up in Batman V. Superman. I was sold on Gal Gadot as Diana Prince. This movie is set during World War I, and it may help to explain why she disappeared after the war. From a visual standpoint, this looks amazing. It’s long past time for a character like Wonder Woman to grace the big screen. She is the first female superhero and by far one of the most iconic superheroes of all time. In fact, Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman are THE most iconic superheroes ever.
As far as mainstream movies go, these are my most anticipated. I’m hoping it’ll be a good year for movies. So with that in mind, here’s to seeing what 2017 will bring us.
World War II is one of the last wars where the line between good and evil was clearly drawn. It was one of the most devastating wars in human history. It was fought to keep the free world out of the hands of tyrants like Hitler, Mussolini and Hideki Tojo. There were a lot of stories coming out of the European and Pacific Theaters. A lot of them were really downbeat and pretty depressing. But there obviously stories of courage and valor. There was a story of a man who went to war but refused to carry a weapon. His name was Desmond Doss, a corporal who was assigned to the Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Hacksaw Ridge tells the story of a man who refused to compromise his religious convictions and instead chose to save lives on the field of battle as a medic. What makes this story so intriguing is that Doss was a conscientious objector. He did not believe in violence, even though he knew that the war was necessary. Doss was the first conscientious objector to receive the Medal Of Honor, the highest decoration the United States military can give.
The movie Hacksaw Ridge is being directed by Mel Gibson, who is known as an actor for movies like Mad Max and Lethal Weapon. His directing credits include The Man Without a Face and the historical epic in which he also starred, Braveheart. Hacksaw Ridge comes ten years after the last film that Gibson directed, which was Apocalypto in 2006. While the man may have had a turbulent time during the past ten years, he’s been striving to make a comeback as both actor and director. Hacksaw Ridge stars Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss and Sam Worthington as Captain Glover. Other cast members include Luke Bracey, Vince Vaughn, and Richard Roxburgh. This movie looks really, really good. It hooks you right from the beginning, and it looks like Andrew Garfield is going to knock it out of the park. It definitely looks gritty enough to be a legitimate war film, but at its heart is a real human story and I think that’s what really separates this particular movie from other war movies. Most movies based on true stories tend to either overdo it with the heroics or they don’t do enough to shine a light on a particular event, and I’m hoping that Hacksaw Ridge will give this story the treatment it deserves. Seeing Mel Gibson in the director’s chair again is a welcome sight. This man knows how to make a very compelling film and I’m hoping this will help put him back on top.
