The podcast that is saving the world, and wasting your time. All are welcome to listen to our ramblings about film news, our various voices, and pop culture references. Enjoy my brain.
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What it’s about:
Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and Tow-Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) embark on a quest for the World Grand Prix, but Mater gets tangled up in a spy game of his own.
Why you might not be excited about it:
Some people are wary of sequels, especially if they don’t buy the story. The plot of Cars 2 may throw people off simply because it could seem like quite a jump from the first movie. Going from the story of a car learning to be selfless to a car-spy movie may be too jarring.
Larry the Cable Guy. He is probably the largest deciding factor for most people who are considering this movie. If you love Larry the Cable Guy and his redneck schtick, then you’ll probably see this movie. If, however, you cannot stand this man, or his comedy, or the very mention of him in a positive light, then you might not like the fact that this movie focuses much more on his character than the first movie did.
Why you should be excited about it:
Pixar knows what they’re doing. I’ve never known them to put out a movie that I did not at least mildly enjoy. I don’t think they would produce this film if they didn’t feel like there was a good story to be told.
The animation is going to look amazing. You know this.
Michael Caine is in it!!!
Listen, the thing is, even if you're not excited about it, this movie probably is not made for you. If you're reading this blog, you're probably not in the core demographic that this movie is hoping to please. This is not one of Pixar's higher-concept films. This movie is made for kids. Imagine being a kid and seeing these films, where the cars talk and tell jokes and go fast. It's a completely new world. Kids love that, and that's why they'll love this film. If you have kids, this will probably be a winner for you.
What it’s about:
In a twist of fate, cocky pilot Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) becomes the first human selected for the Green Lantern Corps, an intergalactic faction that maintains order in the universe. Enter the Parallax, a malevolent alien entity, and it’s up to Jordan to stop it.
Why you might not excited about it:
For the general audience, this may be too geeky. It shouldn’t be, though. I think it appeals to everyone. But those who have never read the comics/aren’t interested in the characters may be indifferent.
The biggest strike against this film so far is the first trailer, which the studio rushed out and thus displayed sub-par visual effects that turned many people off. As I said, it was rushed out to begin the marketing campaign and the effects were nowhere close to being finished. Also, that first trailer showed so much of the story on Earth, and that didn’t make people happy, either. I don’t blame anyone for their reaction to it. With a movie that’s going to rely as much on visual effects as Green Lantern, the effects should be pristine. Plus, the large-scale sequences were not even ready to show, so it made the movie seem like it would lack substance. In reality, it was a poor marketing decision, and the studio hopes to put it behind them.
Blake Lively. She was okay in The Town, but she has not proven herself to be a good actress, in my opinion….and in the opinion of many others. But maybe this will be the one for her. Still, every trailer that was shown for this movie either showed her sparingly (and what parts were shown were not pretty) or didn’t feature her at all, as if to wiggle around having to show her involvement. Don’t get the wrong idea. I have nothing against Blake Lively. She just might not be one of the strengths of this movie.
Why you should be excited about it:
The 4-minute footage from WonderCon looked amazing to me.
Ryan Reynolds. He has never disappointed as a star. Even those who hated Blade: Trinity could agree that he was the highlight of it. In fact, that movie showcases every strength of Ryan Reynolds as an actor. His wit, his charm, and his immense physicality. Reynolds possesses the charisma for this role and I’m excited to see him display that.
The visuals effects are going to look great when they’re all done.
Martin Campbell is directing. For those who do not know, he’s responsible for successfully rebooting the James Bond franchise twice (first with GoldenEye, then again in 2006 with Casino Royale).
Check out the WonderCon footage, so far the best showcase of this film:
What it’s about:
A group of friends are making a movie on a super 8 camera in the summer of 1979 when suddenly they witness a horrible train wreck. Whatever is inside the train starts causing strange things to happen around town, and it becomes bigger than anyone imagined.
Why you might not be excited about it:
The description I just gave may have sounded very cryptic. Cryptic doesn’t work for everyone.
Why you should be excited for it:
Honestly, there aren’t a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t be excited about this one.
J.J. Abrams is the director. Steven Spielberg is the producer. Why on earth wouldn’t you go see this movie?
What I like about Spielberg (and Abrams, to the extent that it applies) is that he casts unknown actors when it counts. What I admire about these men as filmmakers is that they are not relying on star power to get people to see this movie. They know how to market their film. They know to market it on story. Any studio would have cast Tom Cruise as the sheriff (instead of Kyle Chandler) and marketed the movie based around his character. But you see, the story is about everyone and the focus of this movie seems to be centered around the event of these things coming to town and causing all these disappearances, and the fact that the truth is being hidden from our protagonists. That’s the hook, because you, as an audience member, want to know what’s going on. Abrams is no stranger to this model. He is knowledgeable enough, confident enough, and talented enough to know that the story should speak for itself, and he knows how to make you want to see this movie. And why wouldn’t you?Abrams created LOST, and produced Cloverfield, two projects whose entire hook was secrecy and not spoiling the surprise in the trailers or TV spots.
Now, I will say that now knowing a lot about this movie may make you just say “meh.” Meaning, you’ll probably go see it, but you don’t have any expectations for it. That’s fine. That’s kind of how I feel. But you know what? That doesn’t mean I’m not excited for it. The fact is, I’m still going to go see it. I like the fact that I don’t know much about it. It leaves more for me to discover in the theater.
What it’s about:
A prequel to the X-Men franchise, it takes place in the 1960s, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Civil Rights Movement, Kennedy administration, and the beginnings of Charles Xavier and Magneto. The film explores the relationship between these two characters, who begin as best friends and end as adversaries.
Why you might not be excited about it:
A lot of people did not like the third movie. X-Men: The Last Stand is the second-lowest rated film in the X-Men franchise, surpassed in disfavor by X-Men Origins: Wolverine. These two films may have made some people want to give up on the series altogether,
Why you should be excited:
It seems that this movie will focus very much on the themes of diversity and persecution that were the entire point of the X-Men. The fact that this film is a prequel and set in the 1960s has given the filmmakers the opportunity to display these themes amongst their real-life parallels. The X-Men comics were a metaphor for racism, diversity, tolerance, and acceptance. The characters of Charles Xavier and Magneto themselves are considered to be representative of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. Xavier represents Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose approach to racial equality was one of peace and nonviolence. Xavier hopes for the peaceful integration of mutants into society. Magneto represents Malcolm X, who preached black supremacy and felt that white Americans should be punished for hate crimes against blacks. Similarly, Magneto not only wants mutants to stop being hunted, he wants them to rule over non-mutants. These conflicting beliefs put Xavier and Magneto at odds with one another. The interesting subtext of this story makes the films engaging and thought-provoking.
It should also be noted that Bryan Singer has returned to produce this film. Singer is an extremely talented director and producer and his skill with ensemble casts (so crucial for a movie like this, with multiple protagonists) is evident in his work with such films as The Usual Suspects and Valkyrie. As for the the previously mentioned X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Singer was not invovled with those. He directed the first two X-Men films, which were solid films at the very least. Singer himself said that he feels very at home with the X-Men universe and hopes to do more with the franchise in the future. This film is in good hands with Bryan Singer. His involvement alone excites me.
Also, it will be exciting to see what the new cast will bring to their characters. I'm particularly excited about the casting of James McAvoy (Professor Charles Xavier) and Michael Fassbender (Magneto).
What it’s about:
Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) go to Thailand for Stu’s wedding and they have another wild night.
Why you might not be excited about it:
Because between my description and the trailer, this movie seems to be repeating its own formula beat for beat. How many hijinks could these three get into? And seriously, what are the chances that this exact scenario would happen to those same three guys again?
Why you should be excited:
Because the first movie was hilarious. It instantly made stars out of Cooper, Helms, and Galifianakis. Anyone who had ever been blackout drunk could relate to it, and those who hadn’t were able to experience what it’s like the day after heavy drinking, when you can’t remember where your car is or who stabbed you and why. The sequel has a lot to live up to, no doubt, but at the very least, I’d expect it to be worth your money.
What it’s about:
Jack Sparrow is- oh damn, sorry. Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) is on a mission to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. However, he’s not the only one who wants to find it. Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), the fearsome Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and his daughter Angelica (Penelope Cruz) are also keen to claim it.
Why you might not be excited about it:
Because fans did not like the third one. I’m not saying everyone hated it. I’m saying that it wasn’t as well received as Dead Man’s Chest, and certainly not as well as Curse of the Black Pearl, which is the best of the franchise. I could go on all day about the strengths and weaknesses of the franchise, but I have a word limit on this thing.
Filmgoers may also note that On Stranger Tides is not directed by Gore Verbinski, who helmed the other Pirates movies, and who is largely responsible (second to Depp himself) for the franchise’s success. He’s a really great director. His absence may be throwing people off the scent of this continuing franchise, especially if they were put off by At World’s End.
Also, Disney had announced that not only were they making this film, but also a fifth and sixth film, centered on the character of Jack Sparrow. This is a benign fact, but it can also be perceived as a money grab by Disney, who could be seen as aiming merely to cash in on their Pirates money tree instead of producing good content. This is how some may have felt about At World’s End. Some who did not like the movie felt that the studio had been lazy with it, putting story and character in the backseat in favor of profitability. The movie was greenlit without a finished script. I absolutely love Disney, but I absolutely hate when movies are allowed to film without first nailing down their script. As I said, some may see this franchising as a cash grab, and they’re right, to some degree. Filmmaking is a business, and if a studio knows it can make money off of a franchise, it will. Just because that studio happens to be Disney does not at all mean that it’s purely for money.
Finally, certain people may be averse to this movie because the franchise no longer includes the characters of Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) or Elizabeth Swann (Kiera Knightley). Not to generalize the female audience, but part of their enjoyment of these films came from the romance between Will and Elizabeth, who are actually the main characters of the first three movies.
Why you should be excited:
Dissect everything you just read and find the positives. Chief among them is the fact that Will and Elizabeth are gone and the focus is officially on the only character anybody actually ever cared about: Jack Sparrow. Will and Elizabeth may have technically been the main characters, but they were fairly boring characters. Jack Sparrow is now an iconic character because of the talents of Johnny Depp and he is by far the life of the franchise. Will and Elizabeth’s stories were finished anyways. Plus, the actors' contracts were up and both Bloom and Knightley declined to be in the next three films. I say it’s for the better.
Also, Geoffrey Rush is still in the movies. He was such a great villain in Curse of the Black Pearl and is never ever boring to watch. It was always fun to watch him and Sparrow interact. Along with Rush, the rest of the cast is impressive. Ian McShane and Penelope Cruz are both extremely talented actors and it will be exciting to see the depth that they will bring to their characters, the same way Rush and Depp brought their own to life.
Lastly, On Stranger Tides will be a standalone movie. It won’t be the first part of two movies, so there will be no dissatisfaction of lack of resolution.
What it’s about:
Norse god Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is banished from Asgard to live among the mortals of Earth and defends the planet against Loki (Tom Hiddleston).
Why you might not be excited about it:
Comic-book movies are hit-and-miss these days. You get some great ones (Spiderman 2, The Dark Knight, Iron Man), you get some poopy ones (Fantastic Four, Daredevil, HULK), and you get some that people are on the fence about (Sin City, Watchmen, The Incredible Hulk). Comic books are difficult to adapt because the filmmakers must satisfy the fans of the comics while also making the film accessible for mainstream audiences who know little or nothing of the existing characters and their continuity. Also, comic books can be tricky because the filmmakers must also decide how seriously to treat the material and whether or not it could hurt the film.
Comic book movies have been everywhere lately. The general attitude in Hollywood right now is that if a movie is based on a comic book, then it should be made, and most of those that get made are not treated with the respect that the fans and the source material deserve. Iron Man was a huge success, and along with other recent hits like Sam Raimi’s Spiderman series and Christopher Nolan’s Batman franchise, studios see them both as a profitable endeavor and crowd-pleasers.
So then Marvel announced that they would be making an Avengers movie that would not only feature the Avengers (Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk, Hawkeye, etc..) but also that each Avenger would get their own movie AND that they would maintain film-to-film continuity, meaning that whoever played Thor in Thor would also play Thor in The Avengers. This was a huge announcement that got everyone excited. But some of us were wondering how they would make a movie about Thor that could be taken seriously and that would blend well with characters like Tony Stark.
Why you should be excited:
Chris Hemsworth is perfectly cast as Thor. Kenneth Branagh is directing, a fact that gave many people hope that this would be a good movie in the hands of a competent director. And then the trailer came out, showing everyone just how cool this movie looks. Many people who were not at all excited about the film are now the ones telling others that it will be worth their money. I certainly think so.
