Sunday, February 01, 2004
Predictions and thoughts for films in 2004:
-The first Kick ass Film of the year won't be untill April when Kill Bill Volume II is released.
-The Amazing Spiderman comes out this summer. This time the screenwriter is a nobel prize winner so on paper it's got to look 50 times better than the first Spiderman and thus the cheese factor should be gone.
-Will Smith returns this year in a new Scifi picture called I-Robot. This film is based off of the 3 laws designed to govern robots, created by author Isaac Asimov. The film takes place in the future where a robot breaks one of these laws. Will Smith is an investigator who must solve the case. Basically this film sounds like it will be similar to Spielberg's A.I. hopefully I-Robot will deliver and not have some crap ass ending.
-The teaser trailer and full title for Star Wars Episode III will come out later this year. Can't wait!
-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be released in June this year instead of November. This should raise its revenue far past the previous two Potter films due to the summer season. The series also takes a darker turn this time around and should be interesting to see.
-Hell Boy the movie based off of the comic book of the same name should garner up a cult status even if it does poorly at the box office.
-Van Helsing has a cool concept but Steven Sommers of the modern Mummy films is helming this picture. I know he can make it fun but I worry about his ablility to keep the cheese factor off of this hot idea. Hugh Jackman plays Van Helsing which is cool but in the current trailer his lack of a German or other European accent worries me. He seems to be talking like an American which seems absurd.
-Pixar returns again with The Incredibles. This animated film is directed by Brad Bird who did the outstanding Iron Giant. The Teaser trailer is excellent and things are looking good.
-PDI Dreamworks returns again with Shrek 2 and Sharkslayer. The trailer for Shrek 2 looks good but I have my doubts about the final product. With current news suggesting a 3rd Shrek is already in the works I can't help but think this storyline is going to drop into the crapper like Austin Powers. Hmm Austin Powers and Shrek both starring Mike Myers. This guy needs to stop doing franchise pictures.
The next PDI Dreamworks cg animated feature is Sharkslayer which like Finding Nemo takes place underwater with fish of all sorts. Ofcourse when this thing shows up the comparisons won't end anytime soon.
-Hidalgo the Viggo Mortensson starring picture based on the story of Frank Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo will finally be released sometime this spring. It was originally set to release this past November 2003 but was moved to 2004 probably to get away from the competition of the holiday season. The trailers for this film look excellent and it is one of my most anticipated films of the year.
-DVDs for this year should be looking up. The Return of the King and it's Extended Edition counterpart should please Rings fans. Kill Bill Volume I should be fantastic on dvd, and so shall Master and Commander. The Matrix Revolutions will be hitting dvd this spring and will probably do well in the rental market for all of those who decided to wait and see it at home. With the Lord of the Rings and The Matrix trilogies complete this sets up two major and expensive box sets that could see a release later this year or the next. A new Planet of the Apes dvd will be released soon, however it is a 4:3 fullscreen version so anyone looking for a planet of the apes dvd make note of what the box says.
-The first Kick ass Film of the year won't be untill April when Kill Bill Volume II is released.
-The Amazing Spiderman comes out this summer. This time the screenwriter is a nobel prize winner so on paper it's got to look 50 times better than the first Spiderman and thus the cheese factor should be gone.
-Will Smith returns this year in a new Scifi picture called I-Robot. This film is based off of the 3 laws designed to govern robots, created by author Isaac Asimov. The film takes place in the future where a robot breaks one of these laws. Will Smith is an investigator who must solve the case. Basically this film sounds like it will be similar to Spielberg's A.I. hopefully I-Robot will deliver and not have some crap ass ending.
-The teaser trailer and full title for Star Wars Episode III will come out later this year. Can't wait!
-Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will be released in June this year instead of November. This should raise its revenue far past the previous two Potter films due to the summer season. The series also takes a darker turn this time around and should be interesting to see.
-Hell Boy the movie based off of the comic book of the same name should garner up a cult status even if it does poorly at the box office.
-Van Helsing has a cool concept but Steven Sommers of the modern Mummy films is helming this picture. I know he can make it fun but I worry about his ablility to keep the cheese factor off of this hot idea. Hugh Jackman plays Van Helsing which is cool but in the current trailer his lack of a German or other European accent worries me. He seems to be talking like an American which seems absurd.
-Pixar returns again with The Incredibles. This animated film is directed by Brad Bird who did the outstanding Iron Giant. The Teaser trailer is excellent and things are looking good.
-PDI Dreamworks returns again with Shrek 2 and Sharkslayer. The trailer for Shrek 2 looks good but I have my doubts about the final product. With current news suggesting a 3rd Shrek is already in the works I can't help but think this storyline is going to drop into the crapper like Austin Powers. Hmm Austin Powers and Shrek both starring Mike Myers. This guy needs to stop doing franchise pictures.
The next PDI Dreamworks cg animated feature is Sharkslayer which like Finding Nemo takes place underwater with fish of all sorts. Ofcourse when this thing shows up the comparisons won't end anytime soon.
-Hidalgo the Viggo Mortensson starring picture based on the story of Frank Hopkins and his horse Hidalgo will finally be released sometime this spring. It was originally set to release this past November 2003 but was moved to 2004 probably to get away from the competition of the holiday season. The trailers for this film look excellent and it is one of my most anticipated films of the year.
-DVDs for this year should be looking up. The Return of the King and it's Extended Edition counterpart should please Rings fans. Kill Bill Volume I should be fantastic on dvd, and so shall Master and Commander. The Matrix Revolutions will be hitting dvd this spring and will probably do well in the rental market for all of those who decided to wait and see it at home. With the Lord of the Rings and The Matrix trilogies complete this sets up two major and expensive box sets that could see a release later this year or the next. A new Planet of the Apes dvd will be released soon, however it is a 4:3 fullscreen version so anyone looking for a planet of the apes dvd make note of what the box says.
With the Golden Globes just done and the Oscars coming up it's time for my top films of the year. Granted I did not see every film the past year, nor did I see all of the films that are top contenders this past awards season. So my lists here will be based entirely on what I saw. Here, I will give the usual awards and make up some of my own. There are a few others however that I did not see but had to be on the list anyway for purposes of suckitude.
Best Cinamatography: Kill Bill Volume I
Best Original Score: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King
Best Score/Soundtrack: Kill Bill Volume I
Best Visual Effects: Tie - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Editing: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Sound: Tie - Kill Bill Volume I, Master and Commander, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti in American Splendor
No Best Actress award because I really didn't see any films this year with a leading actress that would grant winning such an award.
Best Animated Character: Gollum in LOTR TROTK
Best Comedy: Bad Santa
Best Action: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Best Fight: Kill Bill Volume I: Uma Thurman vs. The Crazy 88
Best Trailer: tie - The Matrix Reloaded & Kill Bill teaser trailer
Biggest Surprise: Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Best Quote: "Hey wha' happened?" A Mighty Wind
Film that probably should have seen activist groups and parents up in arms: Bad Santa
Biggest Dissapointment: The Matrix Revolutions
Worst Movie: Gigli
Best Cliffhanger: Kill Bill Volume I
Most Underrated: Master and Commander
Film that most deserved a wide release: American Splendor
Best Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Cinamatography: Kill Bill Volume I
Best Original Score: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of The King
Best Score/Soundtrack: Kill Bill Volume I
Best Visual Effects: Tie - The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Editing: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Best Sound: Tie - Kill Bill Volume I, Master and Commander, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Best Actor: Paul Giamatti in American Splendor
No Best Actress award because I really didn't see any films this year with a leading actress that would grant winning such an award.
Best Animated Character: Gollum in LOTR TROTK
Best Comedy: Bad Santa
Best Action: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Best Fight: Kill Bill Volume I: Uma Thurman vs. The Crazy 88
Best Trailer: tie - The Matrix Reloaded & Kill Bill teaser trailer
Biggest Surprise: Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Best Quote: "Hey wha' happened?" A Mighty Wind
Film that probably should have seen activist groups and parents up in arms: Bad Santa
Biggest Dissapointment: The Matrix Revolutions
Worst Movie: Gigli
Best Cliffhanger: Kill Bill Volume I
Most Underrated: Master and Commander
Film that most deserved a wide release: American Splendor
Best Film: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
