As 2010 winds down, I look across the horizon into the new year of 2011, and as I do so, my heart beats all to a flutter, and I will tell you why: I am ridiculously excited about more than one film that will be released next year.
This year had a few good movies, among them Iron Man 2, Inception, and Toy Story 3, but next year is set to be an astounding year. It is full of sequels, threequels (in one instance a 5th), a few new comic book movies, and at least one completely original story. I have a list of 10 films that I absolutely do not want to miss seeing in theaters, and quite a few alternates that I would love to go see, but cannot quite justify the expense to do so (please feel free to provide funding).
I am telling you this because I am quite well acquainted with the phenomenon of a film not living up to its hype, and leaving in its cinematic wake a trail of tears, disappointment, broken hearts, and emptier wallets. I am interested in documenting said phenomenon with a full review after each movie, a scoring of some sort, and a determination of the final experience of each film.
I can honestly say that I have not been as excited for an entire year of movies before in my life.
Behold: the Listing!
Fast 5 (April 29) the fifth in the Fast and Furious franchise, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker
Thor (May 6) the story of the Norse god Thor (Marvel comics version), starring Chris Hemsworth
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20) the fourth in the Pirates franchise, starring Johnny Depp
X-Men: First Class (June 3) a new prequel to the X-Men trilogy, starring James McAvoy and Kevin Bacon
Cars 2 (June 24) the only sequel Pixar has made outside of Toy Story, starring Owen Wilson and Michael Caine
Transformers: Dark of the Moon (July 1) the third Transformers film, starring Shia LeBouf
Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22) the story of Marvel’s biggest hero, starring Chris Evans and Hugo Weaving
Cowboys & Aliens (July 29) a new story about the old west and aliens, starring Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (December 16) the fourth M:I film, starring Tom Cruise and Ving Rhames
Sherlock Holmes 2 (December 16) the sequel to last year’s film about the legendary detective, starring Robert Downy Jr
Honorable mentions include Green Hornet, The Adjustment Bureau, Rango, Green Lantern, Rise of the Apes, Three Musketeers, The Adventures of TinTin: Secret of the Unicorn. I might actually go to one or some of these, but I am not sure yet.
I will begin this blog series with the final two films of 2010 that I highly anticipated: The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader; and TRON: Legacy.
Yes, there is more to life than movies, but I have been an avid film fan all my life and I love writing. In recent years have become more intentional about why I like certain movies and why I dislike others, and therefore want to explore myself and my love of film more intentionally through this blog. Writing is my avenue towards self-discovery.
a simple man 