Well, we've reached the end of 2016, so
while others are doing year-end retrospectives, In Memoriums, and Top
10 Best and Worst lists, I'm looking at the future. There's a great
many movies coming to us in 2017-both good and bad. But we won't
know til then, so for now we have the previews to give us and idea!
And we've got plenty of them!
So let's take a look:
THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS
“Dominic Toretto... just
turned on us!”
Dom is back... and he's gone bad?!
The
series continues on doing what is does best: over-the-top stunts &
explosions with all-new stars trying to get between Dominic Toretto
and his family. But this time, the betrayal is from within, so it
seems, so they turn to a former enemy (Jason Statham) for help.
I've really dug the fact of how much of a world the F&F
movies have and how much they use it. It's not something you see done
in many action franchises, which I chalk up to writer Chris Morgan,
who's written every movie since the 3rd one! Director F.
Gary Gray is new to the franchise, so we'll have to see if he's
brought a new energy to this one. Trailer seems like a good start
though!
But seriously-NO ONE though to do F8 of the Furious?!
The Fate of the Furious is due in US theaters on April 14, 2017
WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES
“I did not start this war.
I offered you peace.
I showed you mercy.
But now you're here.
To finish us off... for good.“
The new POTA series has gotten better
with each film, both in style and technology. That opening shot of
Caesar is quite stunning in how simple it looks. But its the heart
that Andy Serkis brings to Caesar that has kept the series going
strong. The introduction of Woody Harrelson as the Colonel looking
to wipe out the apes, brings a strong presence to this final (?)
confrontation.
Director Matt Reeves and writer Mark Bombeck
return for this third installment, which is going for an epic feel.
This looks really strong for the summer.
War For the Planet of the Apes is due in US theaters on July 14, 2017
BAYWATCH
"You mean you see it too?"
Well, I think going for a more comedic approach to the material, like 21 & 22 Jump Street is the smart was to go. And Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has an excellent sense of humor about himself. But with six writers listed, I have my doubts about it.
Baywatch is due in US theaters on May 26, 2017
WONDER WOMAN
“I used to want to save the world... this beautiful place...”
About damn time!
With at least a half dozen movies apiece for Superman and Batman, it has taken far too long for Warner Brothers to bring the 3rd member of the DC trinity her own feature film. When viewing Batman Vs. Superman Dawn of Justice earlier this year, every time Gal Godot's Diana Prince/Wonder Woman was on screen, the energy jumped in the theater. The film also left us with the question, why did Diana stop being a hero for a century?
Director Patty Jenkins brings energy and action to what's shown in the trailer, as well as humor in both Diana's “fish out of water” in Europe and Etta Davis (Lucy Candy's) responding to Diana's uncensored commentary. And I think we can all agree that the WB/DC Synderverse could use a little more humor in it.
Very much looking forward to this!
Wonder Woman is due in US theaters on June 2, 2017
THE MUMMY
“Welcome to a world... of gods and monsters.”
Part Mission Impossible, part
monster movie-all new BIG franchise...and it doesn't get any bigger
than Tom Cruise running for his life!
Universal is starting up
a new franchise based on the “Universal Monsters”, even if most
of them are in public domain. But they are obviously going in
strong, as shown by casting Cruise, as well as Russell Crowe (I would
avoid IMDb if you'd rather not know who he's playing...) At least
two more films are in development, one staring Johnny Depp. But that'll all depend on how this one does.
I
think the biggest issue with the trailer is that it shows a little
more than it needed. The seemingly back-from-the dead would've played
better later. But overall, that's a fine first trailer to tease us
with!
The Mummy is due in US theaters on June 9, 2017
KONG SKULL ISLAND
“Kong's a pretty good king.“
I've been on-board with this movie since the first footage showed up after San Diego Comic Con back in July-And I still am! The fact that director Jordan Vogt-Roberts unabashedly wants to remind you of Apocalypse Now is bold and intriguing.
This trailer gives you a little more
idea of the storyline and how we end up on Skull Island. It also
brings in John C. Reilly's lost WWII pilot, which I wish they'd left
for us to discover in the film. But he does have some good lines.
This is supposed to take place in the same universe as the recent
Godzilla movie, leading us eventually for a throw-down between
the two titans.
I'm all in for this movie!
Kong Skull Island is due in US theaters on March 10, 2017
TRANSFORMERS-THE LAST KNIGHT
“Forgive me.”
So for
our fifth go-around from Michael Bay and his telling of the saga of
the Autobots & Decepticons, we get a turnabout as Optimus Prime
goes bad guy? First Dom in F&F8, now Optimus?!
That's one
way to get attention... and alienate your audience.
Don't know if
it's a good plan, but at this point, you know if you're going to go
see this, no matter what the plot is.
Transformers-The Last Knight is due in US theaters on June 23, 2017
SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING
“Wait a minute. You guys aren't the real Avengers!”
No matter what you may have thought
of the movie, Spider-man's introduction* into the Marvel Cinematic
Universe in Captain America-Civil War was one of the
highlights of 2016. Tom Holland quickly nailed the combination of
nerdy outsider and quipping superhero to bring life to a character
that's been mishandled in many recent movies.
While this is
Spider-Man on his own, we get to see that the events of the past are
still with him and he's trying to find his way in the world as
superhero. I can only hope that this is less of an origin story (WE
DON'T NEED THAT AGAIN), and more of Peter figuring out who he is and
what he wants to do with this “great responsibility.”
And that last shot? SOOO
excellent!
*See there's a whole thing about other movie studios
other than Disney owning Marvel characters, that I'll get into next
year if you're interested.
Spider-Man: Homecoming is due in US theaters on July 7, 2017
BLADE RUNNER 2049
“I did your job once - I was good
at it.“
“Things were simpler then. ”
This is tough, as
Blade Runner is a classic film, an iconic film. A film that,
in many ways, had no need for a sequel... especially one 36 years
later.
But between the return of original star Harrison Ford
and original screenwriter Hampton Fancher (with Michael Green), as
well as Arrival director Denis Villeneuve, this trailer does a
great job of doing what this type of trailer should do: tease.
I
am very interested in seeing what will this be, and need little more
info. Now just to wait ten months.
Blade Runner 2049 is due in US theaters on October 8, 2017
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER TWO
“Somebody please get this man... a
gun.”
I've been a fan of John Wick since I saw
the original theatrically in October 2014, one of the few who did
apparently. It is since gained a rightly deserved following as a
great action movie, showing off Keanu Reeves gun skills once more.
The world building in it is some of the nicest I've seen in years.
Everyone in the movie has a look and feeling of history that you'd be
happy to follow.
I truly hope this is a continuation of what
made the first film great. I'm glad that original writer Derek
Kolstad and director Chad Stahelski have returned for this latest
chapter.
John Wick: Chapter Two is due in US theaters on Feb. 10, 2017
ALIEN: COVENANT
“Are you sure about this, Captain?”
I am huge fan of Alien and
Aliens, both classic and iconic films. Then the misfires that
were Alien 3 and Alien:
Resurrection. Then came the return of Ridley Scott and
Prometheus, film that was beautiful to see but with some of
the stupidest characters I've ever seen.
So I'm more than a
little trepidatious about Ridley returning AGAIN to the world of
Alien. And as exciting as this trailer is, I get the nagging feeling
I'm watching a “re-imagining” of Ridley's original Alien, which I'm not pleased about.
We shall see...
Alien: Covenant is due in US theaters on May 19, 2017.
Now onto our feature presentation!
