Sunday, December 31, 2023

Most Anticipated Films and New Shows of 2024

Movies:
1. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga-Prequel/spinoff of Mad Max: Fury Road centering on the origins of Imperator Furiosa. Besides being a prequel to one of 2015's craziest films, George Miller has Anya Taylor-Joy take on the title role which is a shoe in to be awesome.
2. Dune: Part Two-Adapts the second half of the first Dune book. The first movie was phenomenal, and knowing Denis Villeneuve, this is going to be epic.
3. Deadpool 3-The third in the series sees Deadpool reunite with Wolverine as the title character goes through time travel and universe hopping shenanigans. So much to look forward to between Hugh Jackman returning, integrating the characters into the MCU, and keeping the R rating.
4. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire-Sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife sees the old and new cast take on a threat that causes Manhattan to freeze over in the middle of July. As someone who loves Ghostbusters I'm exited to see something entirely new and different.
5. Nosferatu 2024-The second remake of the 1922 German expressionist classic inspired by Dracula. Seeing how Robert Eggers tackled horror with The Lighthouse and violent epic with The Northman, this take on gothic horror excites me.
6. Wicked-Origin story of the Wicked Witch of the West based on the Broadway musical. While I never saw the musical, knowing the story and some songs as well as the casting of Cynthia Erivo will make a recipe for something good.
7. Horizon: An American Saga-Kevin Coster directs a two-part Western epic set before and after the Civil War. As Dances with Wolves is an incredible movie and Costner being so passionate about it, it lives me intrigued.
8. The Fall Guy-Adaptation of the 80s show about a stuntman who sets out to find the missing actor he's doubling for. Being directed by David Leitch, a stunt man doing a movie about a stunt man sounds like it's going to be fun.
9. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes-Set 300 years after War for the Planet of the Apes, apes start to form their civilizations after humans reverted to a feral state. If this is the start of a new trilogy I'm here for it.
10. Alto Knights-Gangster film set in the 1950s about two rival mob bosses. While it may sound very typical, the fact that Robert De Niro is playing both characters is enough to keep me invested.
Honorable Mentions
Alien: Romulus
Joker: Folie à Deux-Sequel to 2019's Joker as a musical with Lady Gaga playing Harley Quinn.
A Quiet Place: Day One
The Bikeriders-An homage to the biker films of the 50s and 60s.
Ballerina-Spinoff of John Wick.
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim
Inside Out 2-New emotions as Riley becomes a teenager.
Kung Fu Panda 4
The American Society of Magical Negroes
Bettlejuice 2
Mickey 17
Argylle-Spy book author gets caught up in  an actual spy plot, a cat, and Matthew Vaughn
The Book of Clarence-Comedy set during the time of Jesus.
Drive-Away Dolls
IF
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire-Godzilla and King Kong team up to battle a huge threat.
Challengers
Lisa Frankenstein-1980s comedy about a girl reviving a corpse from the Victorian era.
Bob Marley: One Love
Sonic the Hedgehog 3
Madame Web
Mean Girls 2024-Musical remake.
Borderlands
Mufasa: The Lion King
The Garfield Movie
Kraven the Hunter
Imaginary
Tiwsters
Night Swim

Shows:
1. A Gentleman in Moscow-Ewan McGregor stars as a Russian aristocrat who is put under house arrest in a hotel by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolutions. A period piece with Ewan McGregor, yes please.
2. The Tattooist of Auschwitz-The true story of a Holocaust prisoner made to tattoo identification numbers on other prisoners. A harrowing tale with Harvey Keitel as the older version of the title character.
3. X-Men '97-Sequel to the 90s animated series. Is there any other reason.
4. Win or Lose-Pixar series depicting the many viewpoints during a softball match. Pixar's first original series also has the different perspectives be seen in different visual styles.
5. Daredevil: Born Again-Followup to the Netflix series that sees Charlie Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Jon Bernthal returning. The original series being so amazing, I'm expecting so much from this and hope it keeps the grittiness.
6. Masters of the Air-War drama depicting an Air Force unit during World War 2. Made by the same people who made Band of Brothers and The Pacific, this will surely be epic.
7. The Penguin-Spinoff to 2022's The Batman, depicts the title character's rise to power. Seeing Colin Farrell again with all that makeup and performance is reason enough.
8. Echo-Spinoff to the character introduced in Hawkeye. Alaqua Cox.
9. Kaos-A dark-comedic take on the Greek gods set in the modern day. Having Jeff Goldblum as Zeus is surely one of the most inspired casting choices.
10. Avatar: The Last Airbender 2024-Live-action remake of the classic animated series. Will definitely do what the 2010 film failed at.
Honorable Mentions:
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live-Sees the return of Rick and Michonne.
Parish
Agatha: Darkhold Diaries-Spinoff to WandaVision.
The Sympathizer
Dead Boy Detectives
Manhunt
Marvel Zombies-Zombies and superheroes.
Nautilus-Origin story of Captain Nemo.
Griselda
The Regime
The 39 Steps-Benedict Cumberbatch stars in this classic thriller previously adapted by Hitchcock.
Monsieur Spade
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
After Midnight
Hazbin Hotel
The Brothers Sun
Ted-The early days of Seth MacFarlane's foul mouthed teddy bear.
Fallout-Adaptation of the video game series.
Criminal Record
The Franchise-Comedy about the crew behind a superhero film made by Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes.
Shōgun
Ripley
Mary & George
Douglas is Cancelled
Devil May Cry
Day of the Jackal
Grimsburg
Anansi Boys
Supacell
Miss Austen
Knuckles-Spinoff with Idris Elba reprising the role.

Saturday, December 16, 2023

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1

In the latest of Tom Cruise's signature franchise, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 sees Ethan Hunt and his team going up against various forces, including the American government, in finding a rogue AI. Two problems facing this mission is that the AI has gained sentience and manages to hack any digital device and one of the people Ethan is facing against killed someone in his past and is a devout follower of the AI. Director and cowriter, with Erik Jendresen, Christopher McQuarrie returns for his third installment in the series and the two write and he directs a very unique entry. As the main villain of the film is an AI capable of altering live cameras and copy voices in any communication device there's a bit of an allusion to how the writing and direction would have been done using AI, which is apt considering how many heads of Hollywood studios want to use such a thing to make movies and tv cheaper. The writing is great at adding little oddities that feel odd while the direction at some points seems oddly done, almost like the AI from the film is affecting the movie itself. As usual with this series, you get really incredible action scenes, such as Tom Cruise riding a motorcycle from the side of a mountain, a very inventive chase sequence in Rome, and an incredible set piece at the end with a falling train. Without the combination of Eddie Hamilton's superb editing and effective visual and practical effects those scenes wouldn't work as well. Fraser Taggart's cinematography is rather simple, especially compared to the look of the last two films, but does capture a great atmosphere whenever the AI is involved. The music from Lorne Balfe gives us the traditional theme first heard from the 60s show while adding more bombast and flare for a small new spin to it. The cast, both returning and new, all give incredibly strong performances and give their characters a sense of not being stock action figures. Cruise hasn't lost his edge even after 27 years and seven movies, Ving Rhames is always a delight, Simon Pegg always delivers, Hayley Atwell is fantastic, Esai Morales makes for a formidable foe, and Pom Klementieff is terrifying. Even after six movies before it, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 manages to not only be a good entry in the franchise but also an incredible action movie in its own right. Over all: 100%
2023 top list so far:
1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. Asteroid City
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
4. Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1
5. Elemental
6. Air
7. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
8. Creed III
9. John Wick: Chapter 4
10. Scream VI
11. M3GAN
12. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
13. Cocaine Bear
14. Knock at the Cabin
15. The Flash
16. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
17. Renfield
18. Fast X
19. The Little Mermaid 2023
20. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
21. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
22. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Top 10 TV Movies and Specials of 2022

TV Movies:
1. Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
2. This Is Joan Collins
3. Lucy and Desi
4. Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again
5. Zombies 3
6. The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay
7. Under Wraps 2

Specials:
1. My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman-My Next Guest with David Letterman and Volodymyr Zelenskyy
2. Women of the Movement finale
3. Norman Lear: 100 Years of Music and Laughter
4. The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor: Jon Stewart
5. Doctor Who BBC Centenary Special: The Power of the Doctor.
6. 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors
7. 20/20 Presents Black Panther: In Search of Wakanda
8. AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: Julie Andrews
9. Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl
10. Stranger Things fourth season finale-Chapter Nine: The Piggyback
Honorable Mentions:
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah finale
The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXXIII
Werewolf by Night
American Horror Story: NYC finale-Requiem 1981/1987
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return
Talking Dead: The Final Episodes Preview
Disney Gallery: The Book of Boba Fett
Solar Opposites Halloween special-A Sinister Halloween Scary Opposites Solar Special
ENTERGALACTIC
Director by Night
Around the World in 80 Days: Unpacking the Adventure
A Farewell to Ozark
94th Academy Awards
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts
Documentary Now! fourth season premiere-Soldier of Illusion
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio: Handcarved Cinema
Embrace the Panda: Making Turning Red
Better Call Saul season premiere: Wine and Roses
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear
21st AARP's Movies for Grownups Awards
Making The Witcher: Blood Origin
Beauty and the Beast: A 30th Celebration
Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium
Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire: Behind the Scenes
27th Critics' Choice Awards
Jurassic Park to Jurassic World: The Greatest Moments

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Asteroid City

Combining metatextual storytelling, homages of mid-20th Century stories involving UFOs and atomic testing, and Wes Anderson's very unique style makes for an incredibly memorable movie with Asteroid City. With a stacked cast that includes Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jason Schwartzman, and Jeffrey Wright, the movie starts out with a television host introducing the audience to a live play based on a documentary about the events of an astronomy convention held in the desert attended by different groups of people. The main story often stops when the live play is interrupted by something going on with the director and participants. This is definitely one of Anderson's best films thanks to not only for his great eye in direction and writing, of which he came up with the story alongside Roman Coppola, but also by the work done by the cast, cinematographer, and production designer. All of the actors give strong performances whether they have a role throughout the movie or just have a small cameo. Robert D. Yeoman's cinematography is exquisite as it captures the different looks between the black and white televised production and the stark colorful and vibrant story set in the desert. The production design from Adam Stockhausen is remarkable and really drives how well he and Anderson are great collaborators since Moonrise Kingdom. As someone who adores the work of Wes Anderson Asteroid City proves why he's one of the best and unique voices out there. Over all: 100%
2023 top list so far:
1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. Asteroid City
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
4. Elemental
5. Air
6. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
7. Creed III
8. John Wick: Chapter 4
9. Scream VI
10. M3GAN
11. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
12. Cocaine Bear
13. Knock at the Cabin
14. The Flash
15. The Super Mario Bros. Movie
16. Renfield
17. Fast X
18. The Little Mermaid 2023
19. Shazam! Fury of the Gods
20. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
21. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania