I'm not doing a 'predicted list' anymore. It's impossible for me to assess movies that currently have no trailers or press information, and I find that new and excellent films arrive in the fall that I had no idea about. So this year, I'm doing a "top 10 movies I'm anticipating". These are the ones that are making me drool...I can't wait to see them, that sort of thing. So, without any further adieu, here are a few of the films of 2007 I simply can't wait to see!
300 - Coolest trailer since any of the previews for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Honestly, I haven't been this stoked about a movie based on its trailer alone in a long time. I've not read the graphic novel, but Christmas is coming...I'm also growing to be a big fan of Gerard Butler, and the highly stylized digital environments just blows me away. Plus, now that I've shorn my locks, I want my sword and sandal epics to feature men with short hair!
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - I'm sick of hearing all the whining about how bad the cinematic adaptations are and how "they missed this" or "they cut out that". I like these movies because there's still a kid living inside my head. It's the one who thought Clash of the Titans, Flash Gordon and Sword and the Sorcerer was the shit. So take your literary priggery and go bitch at some geek forum if you didn't like the Potter films. I do. And so does my wife. And as soon as Gunnar is able to comprehend Quidditch, we're signing him up for the local community league.
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass - As a Christian, I'm probably supposed to be working on my signs to picket this film. But considering I've got Harry Potter on this list, I'm probably already headed for the third or fourth ring of hell. While I'm clear that Phillip Pullman is an anti-Christian atheist, I am fond of pointing out that none of his characters really are. And his secondary world is decidedly Gnostic in its mythic flavor, so I don't really feel that the text is nearly as antagonistic toward my faith as its writer is. Truth be told, I think "His Dark Materials" makes for some excellent reading for Christians. Let's hope it makes for good watching too.
Beowulf - it's one of my favorite stories, and after all the adaptations I've had to endure where Beowulf is either surly and conflicted (Beowulf and Grendel), fifth business (13th Warrior), or the monster is really just a sub-human (see both of the aforementioned), I'm glad someone is finally doing a piece where Beowulf gets to be a hero, Grendel gets to be evil, and there's promise of a dragon in the mix. The cast of voice actors looks pretty choice, with such tidbits as Angelina Jolie playing Grendel's mother.
I Am Legend - The director is the man who was behind Constantine...which I really enjoyted. As well, the film is based upon one of my favorite books(of the same name) of all time...so I'm pretty confident I'm going to love it. For those who have never tasted the delights of a Richard Matheson novel (I recommend this, as well as Hell House), it's about the last man alive after a plague turns the rest of earth's population into vampiric zombies.
Stardust - I've never read the Neil Gaiman novel this film is based upon, but I've read a number of his other works, and love his writing, so I'm banking on this high fantasy work to add something very interesting to the year's films.
Transformers - It's gonna kick butt. Robots that change into cars and helicopters. There's a grade 5 kid still running around in my head ya know.
I'm quite content on them making changes to the Potter lore in order to make a good film. My complaint isn't that they missed this or that, it's simply that the first two movies are not good films. I liken it to this: Peter Jackson made good films out of the LOTR books. Excepting Azkaban, which is stunning, the Potter movies have been poor films and more visual guides to the books. There's a kid in my head too, and he got bored sitting through Chamber of Secrets. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs the guy with autobot and decepticon symbols tattooed on my biceps, I'm obviously interested in the Transformers movie. I am getting tired of every random person asking me if I'm "excited yet" haha. Or asking me if I know about it. Of course I know about it. Ah...Transformers will be fun, but I have to go into it with lowered expectations. I've avoided transformer message boards like the PLAGUE since news started getting leaked. You want the bitchiest of bitchy fans? Oh good God, don't go near TF message boards. It's MIchael Bay so I'm hoping for THE ROCK and not PEARL HARBOR, but I did like Armageddon so... overall it's pretty cool to know that Transformers is being given the blockbuster treatment vs a shitty direct to video CGI movie or something.
You know all I really want from it is to walk out and look at the cars in the parking lot and start seeing them transform in my head because the movie looked so real. Sides, they did get one thing totally right: The original Prime voice is doing what he does best, and that's voicing Prime. Viva Peter Cullen.
This summer is stupid for movies. Simpsons, Pirates 3, Transformers, TMNT, Spider-Man 3, Potter. Is Fantastic Four: Rise of the Surfer this year? The trailer for that was awesome, wow.
no ghost rider? i'm very disappointed mike - you being the comicbook boy that i thought you were...sniff sniff.
ReplyDeleteby the way, i'm very excited to see you start magik beans.
peace out
cort
Ghost Rider...
ReplyDeletewill suck. That is all I have to say.
And I liked the first two Harry Potter movies. They were very true to the books in my esteem - more childlike.
ReplyDelete