Film

1996 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on August 26, 2025
Posted in: Film, Retrospective. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

my all time favorite film podcast, What Are You Watching?, with Alex, and his best man, Nick, are prepping for their Movies of 1996 episode.

I should mention how I only really listen to PlayStation Access’ movie podcast, Redshirt Cinema Club, and my pal, Noah’s podcast, How We Seeez It, but when you listen to the best, who needs the rest?

Which has gotten me thinking of what my favorite movies are of 1996.

I was 14 in 1996, so that might explain some of my following opinions.

So following along if you will :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_1996

January

Bio-Dome, with Paula Shore. The movie William Atherton passed on Mallrats to make, as he thought Mallrats was too cartoonish.

From Dusk till Dawn, an incredible movie by Robert Rodriguez, starring a slew of names : George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Juliette Lewis, Cheech Marin, Salma Hayek (how can anyone forget her?!), Danny Trejo, and Michael Parks. First legendary movie of the year.

February

Black Sheep. The Not Tommy Boy film starring Chris Farley and David Spade. Though I may not be the biggest Tommy Boy fan either. Been forever since watching either of these movies.

We got our first Top Ten film! I love Broken Arrow. The fact that they airlifted the stars of another Top Ten film for me, Pump Up the Volume – not available to purchase on VUDU, and it has been a solid decade of me wanting to watch that movie again, and not being able to, so some rights issue must have been resolved. No one seems to have notice it is available for streaming, so it is now.

So anyway, it also John Travolta along with Christian Slate and Samantha Mathis. Famous for the trailer line that I still quote “what is worst? That this happens, or that it happens enough that there’s a name for it?”

Happy Gilmore. A movie I thought was enjoyable, until two weeks ago when my son wanted to watch it, and such an hilarious movie. My memory had it being funny, but the scenes you remember being the best ones, but the transition scenes are great too. I’m more of a Billy Madison guy, but I like this Adam Sandler flick. Such a great cast too, WAYW fave, Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen, Carl Weathers, Kevin Nealon, of course, Bob Barker, and Ben Stiller.

Bottle Rocket, a movie I really need to watch one of these days.

Mary Reilly, Julia Roberts’ side character to Docket Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. A movie I probably haven’t watched since 1996, and I liked it at the time, but should watch it again, as I’m sure it is even better than the attention I gave it to then. Huge cast, and yet, my memory of the film is based solely around the trailer.

The Late Shift, the movie about the first war of the Tonight Show. Since the whole Conan fiasco, I have extremely soured on Jay Leno, so I’m sure if I watch this again, I’ll be completely on Letterman’s side, but also, I’m not watching anything regarding Jay Leno.

March

Down Periscope, a movie that feels like it was constantly on Comedy Central. Kelsey Grammer’s battleship comedy. A film with a giant cast that I vaguely remember Rip Torn being in, and a scene played for laughs regarding buttons that I’m sure isn’t as funny now.

Up Close and Personal, a movie I only know for the Celina Dion song, Because You Love Me. How great is Michelle Pfeifer?!

The Birdcage with Robin Williams, I’ve seen this once, and I’m sure a lot of it went way over my head. I should rewatch it.

Fargo, a movie I kept meaning to watch again, especially once the FX show exploded. I remember the famous scenes from it, but another one I need to rewatch as I’m sure I didn’t give it enough attention.

Homeward Bound II : Lost in San Francisco. I love the first movie, I know I’ve seen this one a handful of times, it was either on TV a lot, or we kept renting it, but the first one is the one to watch.

Executive Decision with Kurt Russell and for a little bit, Steven Seagal. I liked it when it came out, but if I want to watch an Air Force One movie, I go Air Force One. Apparently, this not an Air Force One movie. oops, I need to watch this one again too.

All Dogs Go to Heaven 2, another dog sequel that doesn’t compare to the original. If the original is even good, I mostly remember a PC puzzle game that I played way too much for what it was, I’m sure.

April

Another Top Ten movie! VUDU often has it for $5, and next time it does, I’m buying it. I love this movie!

What a cast! Richard Gere (my favorite Gere), Laura Linney (always great), John Mahoney (that I still go, hey, Fraiser’s dad, the first time I see him), Alfre Woodard (pre career explosion), Edward Northon (such a career launching debut!), Andre Braugher (Allegedly. RIP Legend), and apparently Frances McDormand (having quite the year with Fargo too), and Terry O’Quinn are in it, and I can’t visualize them, but I’m sure they’re great. She’s part of the legal team, right? He’s a political person? Or Gere’s boss, perhaps?

Sabrina the Teenage Witch? They made a movie?! Apparently this was like a test pilot on Showtime. Which seems bonkers to me.

Tremors 2, I’m sure I’ve seen this. Is this where they turn into little flying bugs? Or is that III?

Fear, ooof, the movie every father should show their daughter when he believes she is dating someone who is no good. Starring Mark Wahlberg and Reese Witherspoon. I know I saw this years later, and I’m sure it was a movie my wife told me I should watch, as she really remembered the Ferris wheel scene.

James and the Giant Peach, another movie my wife told me I should watch with her. I feel like I wasn’t fully committed. On Disney Plus now. I’m surprise it wasn’t a Tim Burton movie. I just wasn’t ready for it, or maybe we had already watched a movie that day?

Kids in the Hall : Brain Candy, I love Kids in the Hall, but have I seen this? I must have.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 : The Movie, what a month for two tv shows turned movies! Like most tv shows turned movie, this just feels like a bigger episode, but that’s what we want.

Mulholland Falls, another movie that I was definitely too young to fully appreciate. I mostly remember this for Jennifer Connelly, and that Nick Nolte is in it.

May

Another all timer! light as a feather, stiff as a board. One of those movies that was just always on TV. Such a great cast, Robin Tunney, who is gorgous in this film, and paired with Empire Records, shows off her incredible range. Fairuza Balk, better here than in Waterboy, but that’s true for most people in Waterboy. sizzle sizzle, hot take! Neve Campbell, Queen!< oh yeah, Skeet Ulrich is in this too. Breckin Meyer too?! I mostly remember the ladies of the movie. Must be a young Brenda Strong too. Whatever happened to Rachel True? They made a sequel to Half Baked? Of course they did.
This is possibly my favorite witch movie, but that probably also isn’t saying much.

The Pallbearer. After watching David Schwimmer’s Kissing a Fool, and always confused why he didn’t have a bigger movie career, I’m reminded he did The Pallbearer. Then again, he was probably trying to squeeze in one movie between seasons of Friends, so his options were limited.

Of Love and Shadows. Another movie that really benefits from Jennifer Connelly being in it. Antonio Banderas is the guy in the movie.

Twister! Another movie I watched so many times, and really need to watch the sequel one of these days.

Flipper, have I seen this, or have I seen the commercials so many times, that it feels like I have.

Heaven’s Prisoners. A movie that I only know Teri Hatcher is outstanding in.

Norma Jean and Marilyn. I can’t help but think of this movie whenever Marilyn Monroe is mentioned, as this is my Marilyn movie. Unfortunately the movie that I also think of whenever Harvey Weinstein is mentioned as both Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino themselves, and their careers were damaged by him. They both really brought it for this film.

Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise in his action best, launching a very impressive franchise that I need to watch more of. I think I’ve seen 1, III, Fallout, and maybe one of the other ones?

Spy Hard, a very funny spy parody with Leslie Nielsen, that I probably only saw once.

June

Another all timer. Sometimes I get in a real mood for some pulp heroes, and watch either The Phantom or Rocketeer, or the Shadow. I bought The Phantom a few months ago on VUDU, and I just keep finding myself watching it. Such a good flick.

The Rock. Michael Bays’ Alcatraz escape / nuclear weapon movie, starring so many people! I really need to watch it again, as it has been far to long. Stars so many legends – Sean Connery, Nicholas Cage, Ed Harris, WAYW fave, Michael Biehn, John Spencer, John C. McGinley, William Forsythe, Xander Berkeley, even Jim Caviezel?! I don’t quite remember him being in this.

The Cable Guy. I run cold on a lot of Jim Carrey, and he’s a lot in this movie with Ben Stiller. Funny movie, but there’s moments when I feel like I’m done watching it.

Stealing Beauty, a great Liv Tyler film, that apparently stars other people.

Eraser, I know I’ve seen this Arnold Schwarzenegger film, but I don’t think I can distinguish it from other movies of his from the era.

Another all timer that I find myself watching these days. Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame. Has some very haunting songs, and even more haunting visuals. An odd balance of suspense with humor that stands out on a rewatch. They really captured Demi Moore’s eyes for Esmeralda.

The Nutty Professor, an Eddy Murphy movie that is funny on a first watch. He’s very impressive with everything he does, but then his future career was really hampered by this.

Striptease, I hadn’t realized Demi Moore had quite a 1996 movie! Burt Reynolds is great in this movie too.

July

Theodore Rex, Whoopi Goldberg’s dinosaur movie that I thought was a fever dream! I should try to watch this agian.

Another all timer! Like Empire Records, I watch this movie once a year. Still haven’t seen the sequel. One of my family’s few traditions, was to watch this movie over the course of the three days depicted in the movie. I can’t get my wife and son to do it, but we usually start the movie on July 4.
I still don’t get how Margaret Colin didn’t get an entire career launched from this, but it was 1996, and hard for women to launch careers unless nudity was involved. Such a huge cast with Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, Judd Hirsch, Vivica A. Fox, Harvey Fiersten, Brent Spiner, a very young Mae Whitman, and Harry Connick.

Phenomenon, John Travolta’s Not-Michael movie, that for whatever reason, I associate those two films together, forgetting this came out the year Broken Arrow did.

Harriet the Spy, I’m sure I’ve seen this at least once. Cute film from what I remember of it. RIP Michelle Trachtenberg.

Multiplicity, a movie I think fondly of all of the time! Michael Keaton AND Andie MacDowell, yes please! I haven’t watched it in forever. But I think about the “clone of a clone” and the results a bunch.

The Frighteners, a movie I’ve been wanting to watch since Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings epic, but never get around to watching this Michael J. Fox film. I know I watched it around when it first came out, but haven’t seen it since.

Trainspotting, a movie I’ve been wanting to watch since the sequel came out. I just love how the sequel was supposed to come out ten years after the first one, but the actors hadn’t aged that much, so they had to wait longer. Actors know how to take care of themselves.

Joe’s Apartment, a cockroach led movie starring Jerry O’Connell, that Comedy Central must have owned the rights to, as it aired a bunch, and I jumped in and out of the movie, but never seen it fully.

August

Chain Reaction with Keanu Reeves and Morgan Freeman, I know I’ve seen it once, and I feel like I get it confused with another chemical reaction movie.

Matilda, another cute movie I’ve only seen a handful of times. Starring Mara Wilson, Danny DeVito, and Rhea Perlman. Now a musical on Netflix, I believe?

Escape from LA, I may have watched this? I’ve only seen Escape from New York once, or I’ve seen this.

Jack, the Robin Williams is a boy who is the size and appearance of an adult man. I want to say this was a hard watch when it first came out.

Another movie I just watched endlessly on TV. Tin Cup was $5 on VUDU, bought it immediately, watched it with my wife, and had a real “oh no, I may have oversold how great this movie was,” but then it got to the final golf section, and I know I had a great time. I hadn’t realized this was the dramatic golf movie to combat Happy Gilmore.
Such a great cast – Kevin Costner, my favorite Rene Russo movie, Cheech Marin, and my favorite Don Johnson movie.

They made a third Darkman movie?! I barely remember the first, but now I want to watch the first one again.

The Island of Dr. Moreau, the one with Val Kilmer, and Marlon Brando. A very tough watch, but I sort of want to watch it again, as is it as tough as I remember?

A Very Brady Sequel. I’ve seen this, right? Maybe just once.

The Crow : City of Angels, another one I should rewatch.

September

Bulletproof with Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans. I really do miss action comedies, we don’t get enough of these. I remember this being a blast.

The First Wives Club. Another movie that was just playing on TV all of the time! Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton are the first wives. Maggie Smith, Dan Hedaya, Elizabeth Berkley (Save by the Bell represent, yo!). I don’t quite remember Stockard Channing being in this? Is she the fourth friend? Must be a young Timothy Olyphant too. Heather Loclear is in this?! I need to rewatch this. JK Simons AND Rob Reiner?!

2 Days in the Valley, another Teri Hatcher film! I remember really digging this movie, but I bet I’ll appreciate it so much more as an adult. Quite a romp, with a lot of twists.

October

Bound, as much as I love Jennifer Tilly, I’ve never got around to watch this, always felt too adult for me, but now I’m an adult, and probably appreciate it.

D3 : The Mighty Ducks, now this is the movie for me! We tried to watch the Disney Plus show, and got maybe two episodes into it? If Bombay was more invested in the team, we would have watched more of it, but he doesn’t want to be there (and I know he will eventually want to be, I imagine), really take the sails out of the ship. D3 felt like such a conclusion to the trilogy. Though I should watch this one again, as I feel like I’ve seen it the least.

That Thing You Do! Tom Hanks 60s band movie, that I really enjoyed, and should watch again. I always liked how Ethan Embry’s character is TB Player, as in The Base Player. He wasn’t given enough things to do.

If These Walls Could Talk, I was definitely too young to fully appreciate this movie, and it deserves another watch. I remember really enjoying the sequel. HBO really was making movies I wanted to watch during this era.

Jude, a terrific Kate Winslet movie, also starring the 9th Doctor, Christopher Eccleston.

Another all timer, Sleepers, that I’m sure is going to rank high on the WAYW list, probably why they even picked 1996 was to discuss this movie even more. What a cast too! Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric, Brad Renfo, Minnie Driver, Billy Crudup.
Such a tough, but important watch.

Swingers, the Jon Faverau and Vince Vaughn movie. Which I want to say I like this and Made, but I don’t think I gave either film their proper watches.

To Gillian on her 37th Birthday. I’m sure in 1996, I thought 37 was so far from my 14 years. Now I’m 43, and 37 feels like a lifetime ago. I’ve been wanting to watch this again, as I know Freddie Prinze Jr is in it, and I barely remember him or this film. Stars Michelle Pfeifer, and apparently Seth Green is in this as well.

November

Romeo + Juliet, I haven’t seen this one since high school. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the leads. John Leguizamo (Johnny Legs!), is Paul Rudd in this?! LOST’s Harold Perrineau as Mercutio, as the best Mercutio.

Ransom, wherein Mel Gibson wants his son back! I’ve seen it once, but I just remember him shouting that over and over again. Which as a father now, I completely get.

The English Patient, I’m sure I’ve seen this in high school, and still don’t get the hype for it.

Space Jam! Boy, did that sequel really take some of the air out of the original. I’ve seen this team up of Michael Jordan and the Looney Tunes so many times! I always feel like Billy Murray is in this more, and always surprised to see Wayne Knight in this.

Jingle All the Way, a fun Arnold Schwarzenegger Christmas movie, that always makes me feel sad thinking about how we should have gotten more Phil Hartman movies.

Star Trek : First Contact. The second Next Generation Movie, and eighth overall. Alfre Woodard was having quite a year as well! She’s Jonathan Frakes godmother. Possibly my favorite Star Trek Next Generation film, which probably isn’t saying much, but it has everything I want from Next Gen. Like a two part episode with a budget.

101 Dalmatians, the Glenn Close live action. Back when these felt special.

The Crucible, another high school movie I’ve seen quite a few times. This is the Daniel Day-Lewis, one of a few of his films I’ve actually watched, and Winona Ryder. I told them the truth! Devastating.

Sling Blade, I haven’t watched it, but seen enough clips.

December

If you’ve seen a movie like 10 times, that sort of makes it a favorite, right? I suppose the definition of a guilty pleasure, except, I’ll get caught watching it, and just be happy to have some company to watch it with. I won’t go as far as to write this is my favorite Sylvester Stallone movie, but maybe favorite Non-Rocky one? I’ll have to think about it. I just really like it. Maybe its the whole Poseidon Adventure, but in a tunnel nature of it? I just wrote that, but Daylight is literally just Poseidon Adventure in a Tunnel, and I flipping love Poseidon Adventure. Viggo Mortensen and Dan Heydaya are in this as well.

Jerry Maguire, wow, Tom Cruise had a very success 1996. You had me at hello.

Another movie I’m just waiting for it to be $5 on VUDU. I absolutely love Mars Attacks.

Remember when Mars Attacks Image, and we got Raphael for just a moment?

Tim Burton directed, and what a cast! Jack Nicholson, twice!, Glenn Close, Annette Bening, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, Martin Short, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michael J. Fox (also having a year!), Tom Jones, yes that one, Natalie Portman, Christina Applegate, Pam Grier, Jack Black, and Lukas Haas. And I’m sure Frank Welker must have provided the Martian voices.

Beavis and Butt-head Do America, I remembered watching this in the theater, but was it Christmas time? I’m from Yuma, Arizona, so it is desert all of the time. Great soundtrack.

My Fellow Americans, I feel like I was too young to appreciate this with Jack Lennon and James Gardner, with Dan Aykroyd.

One Fine Day, both George Clooney and Michelle Pfeifer were on a roll this year! Very cute and sweet movie. I usually hate hates or shows where bad thing after bad thing keeps happening to a character or characters, but there’s enough here to keep watching.

Scream, did this really come out the same year The Craft did?! Was Neve Campbell even ready for this much success?! Freaking love Scream! Up there with Halloween with favorite horror franchises, and Scream has so many great films to Halloween’s . . . less good ones.

Evita, still never seen this, but I like the main song from the movie. Madonna sure can sing.

I should watch a Hamlet movie one of these days.

Michael, I knew this must have came out the same year, that’s three movies with John Travolta! Plus, Andie MacDowell. William Hurt is in it, I don’t quite remember Bob Hoskins in this, I should watch it again. Joey Lauren Adams?! Richard Schiff?! I need to watch this again. Wow, Carla Gugino?!

. . .

TOP TEN

10. Daylight

9. Broken Arrow

8. Hunchback of Notre Dame

7. The Craft

6. Tin Cup

5. The Phantom

4. Independence Day

3. Sleepers

2. Primal Fear

1. Scream

#NotMyUntilDawn

Posted by John Klein III on January 18, 2025
Posted in: Film. Tagged: . Leave a comment

#NotMyUntilDawn

I can’t tell you how excited I was for the movie adaption of Until Dawn, one of my favorite games ever.

Then we got the trailer

Thanks to Sony Pictures Entertainment for hosting their own video

I knew not to expect any of the original cast to show up in this, even though the bulk of them are still acting – Hayden Panettiere, Brett Dalton, Jordan Fisher, Rami Malet, and Nichole Sakura.

I was super excited to learn Peter Stormare was in the movie.

But this trailer killed all of my enthusiasm for the movie.

Now, if they were to announce an Until Dawn 2 game, and have this be the story of that? Sure, I’ll be all for this movie, and what a brilliant way to get promote a game.

even if they went with an alternative title, that implied this was set in the same universe, such as Until Dawn : Loopers, or something, but to call it plainly, Until Dawn?

It isn’t a movie about a class reunion

It isn’t about the Washingtons

Even if the wendigos are in this, and I can only assume, if they are surviving 13 repeated nights, with each night being a different horror creature, one of those will HAVE to be a wendigo, just means someone was aware they should at least have the faintest connection to the game.

I’m surprised they didn’t just call this Dark Picture Anthology: Loopers, or something. At least promote that series of games.

I wonder how many script changes did they get before they finally got to the shooting script?

I had this whole plan of taking Walker D to it, I was going to replay the game, and now, all of that is gone.

Maybe I watch it once it streams somewhere?

#NotMyUntilDawn

2025 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2024
Posted in: Film. Tagged: . Leave a comment

follow along as I see what I might be interested in 2025!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2025

January

I didn’t know there was a first Den of Thieves film

Mel Gibson is directing again with Flight Risk with Mark Wahlberg and Topher Grace

whoa, we’re getting a new Star Trek film, Section 31, starring Michelle Yeoh. Going straight to Paramount Plus.

Not sure if my son is interested in Dog Man

Ariel Winter is in Like Father Like Son, along side Vicia A Fox and Mayim Bialik. I suppose Dermot Mulroney is the father?

February

Jessica Parker Kennedy is in Good Bad Things

Key Huy Quan is in Love Hurts, that looks like a lot of fun, as is Sean Astin and Ariana DeBose

Olivia Holt is in Heart Eyes, a romantic comedy horror movie

Netflix is making an animated Witcher movie

Bridget Jones is getting a fourth entry in the film franchise with Colin Firth and Hugh Grant returning, and Chiwetel Ejiofor and Isla Fisher joining.

We get to the first film of the year I’m hoping to see in the theater, Captain America : Brave New World. Going to dedicate February to Captain America comics on the podcast.

The Gorge has Anya Taylor-Joy and Sigourney Weaver, with Miles Teller, a survival action movie that could be intense

Cleaner has Clive Owen and Daisey Ridley

Looney Tunes are coming back to theaters with The Day the Earth Blew Up

Legend of Ochi looks very cute, but it is a A24 film, so some big twist should be in there. Unless the twist is the concept itself. Willem Dafoe is in it

March

Sinners, Ryan Coogler’s horror film, starring Michael B. Jordan and Hailee Steinfeld

Senior, based on a true story, stars Michael Chiklis, in a story I’m interested in, with Rob Corddry

Steven Soderbergh’s Black Bag starring Michael Fassbender and Pierce Borsnan has my attention

The Russos are loosely adapting The Electric State graphic novel, with a huge cast : Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, and Stanley Tucci.

Disney’s live action Snow White finally comes out after hearing about it so much. I didn’t know Marc Webb was directing it, nor that Greta Gerwig was one of the writers. Has Gal Gadot as the Queen.

Barry Levinson’s Alto Knights is coming out with Roberto De Niro and Debra Messing

the sequel to Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad is coming out, I haven’t seen the first one

April

The Minecraft movie! Hopefully better than we think it will be?

in time for Easter, the animated King of Kings – not about HHH, features the voice cast of Pierce Brosnan, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, Kenneth Branagh, and Uma Thurman

Robert Pattinson’s Mickey 17 looks like a fun movie, that I’ll watch eventually

We get to the second film of the year I hope to watch in theaters, Until Dawn, I love the game, I got the platinum for it, I would love a PS5 so I can play the remaster of it. The cast is very young, but I recognize Maia Mitchell, and Peter Stormare is in the game. I’ll take Walker D if he wants to watch it.

The Accountant 2, I really enjoyed the first movie until that third act shoot out. Looks like the main cast, minus Anna Kendrick, is back.

May

We get to the third film of the year, Thunderbolts*, still not sure what the * is about. I don’t have any comics to tie into it, so I keep searching my brain for anything I can do to tie-in with it.

Golden, a musical, is coming out, and I immediately want to know more about it. Great cast : Halle Bailey, Tim Meadows, and Missy Elliott.

We’re getting another Final Destination movie, so it can be available digitally and for streaming by October.

Possibly the final Mission Impossible movie comes out. I finally saw Fallout, so I’m a bit behind.

Live action Lilo & Stitch comes out, so that’s two this year

Neal McDonough co-wrote and stars in The Last Rodeo

Karate Kid : Legends, which reminds me, we haven’t watched the last season yet. So I don’t want to click on the link and spoil myself.

June

Ana de Armas’ Ballerina, set in the John Wick-verse, comes out. I still need to watch any of these films

Pixar/Disney is releasing Elio, so we’ll probably end up watching this in the theater

28 Years Later, I need to watch the previous two films again, it has been a while

my wife has expressed interest in watching the live action How to Train Your Dragon film, so its summer movie season

M3GAN 2.0 has my attention

July

we’re getting Jurassic World Rebirth?! I didn’t even know we were getting a new movie?! Wha?! Stars : Scarlet Johansson, Mahershala Ali, new favorite – Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend

Trey Parker is directing a movie, he must want a new house or island. Kendrick Lamar is in it. Matt Stone is co-producing it

James Gunn’s Superman, we’ll hopefully watch this in the theater

We’re trying another Smurfs Movie, states it is a musical, so that’ll be fun

We’re getting a fourth I Know What You Did Last Summer movie, and yes, Freddie Prinze Jr and Jennifer Love Hewitt are returning. I need to watch the third one, and the tv series.

If I have to choose Superman or Fantastic Four, I’m choosing Fantastic Four, but hopefully we can watch both. I’m dedicating July’s episodes of the podcast to Fantastic Four comics.

August

They’re bringing back The Naked Gun franchise, which seems like a lot of pressure.

We saw Bad Guys 1 very late in the game, so I’m not sure how eager we are with watching the sequel.

We’re getting Freakier Friday, with Jamie Lee Curtis & Lindsay Lohan. I haven’t seen the first one, but I love the idea of this sequel getting made.

PTA’s latest film, One Battle After Another, comes out, has Regina Hall, so that’s interesting, and Alana Haim

We’re getting Nobody 2, which I started the first one, and I should finish it. Did they ever place this in the John Wick Universe? I thought Love Hurts was going to be place in this too, but I might be just looking for connections.

Another Insidious movie, I haven’t seen any of these.

September

Another Conjuring film, I haven’t seen any of these either

My wife will love to know that she’s getting another Downton Abbey movie.

Him, not a sequel to Her

Maggie Gyllenhaal directed and wrote The Bride! A sci-fi musical monster film WITH Christian Bale, Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Julianne Hough, and even Jake Gyllenhaal. This should be good

Saw XI, I’m so far behind in these movies

October

Micheal, movie based on Michael Jackson’s life, be interesting how far they go, especially as his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, plays him

Roofman, a crime drama, starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, Peter Dinklage, Uzo Aduba

Tron : Ares, I have only seen the first one, and I barely remember that one

Animal Friends, a live action/animation movie with Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Vince Vaughn, Aubrey Plaza, Addison Rae, Dan Levy – not sure who is physically acting, and who is voice acting

Aziz Ansari directed, wrote, and stars in Good Fortune with Keanue Reeves, Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, and Sandra Oh.

Mortal Kombat 2, which feels like forever since the first one. Ideally, Johnny Cage will be in it

November

Ellen Fanning stars in Dan Trachtenberg’s latest Predator Movie, Badlands.

Bugonia stars Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, and Alicia Silverstone, a remake of a Japanese movie, Green Planet

Now You See Me 3, I haven’t seen the second one, but I should

Wicked : For Good, I am all about this movie, we will definitely be watching this for our 17th wedding anniversary. I really want an Elphaba Funko

The Running Man, I suspect Glen Powell is going to start remaking all Arnold films, or just keep remaking films

Zootopia 2 ends the month, we’ll probably watch this one too

December

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, we’ll definitely be watching this one for Walker D

Avatar 3, haven’t seen 2, and probably never will

We get to avoid all of the SpongeBob movies

A Hundred Acre Christmas ends the year, odd that it is Amazon Prime, and not Disney, but now that Pooh is in public domain, shouldn’t be too surprising.

. . .

So the films I’m really excited about :

February – Captain America : Brave New World

April – Minecraft Movie, Until Dawn

May – Thunderbolts*

July – Jurassic World Rebirth, Superman, I Will 4ever Know What You Did Last Summer, Fantastic Four : First Steps

November : Wicked : For Good

9 films, and I bet we end up watching at least five more – should be a good movie year

2024 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2023
Posted in: Film. Leave a comment

As we do every year, I look at the films coming out in 2024, and see what there is to be excited by.

You can follow along at :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2024

January

Mean Girls The Musical is the first film of 2024 I’m excited to see. I do love me a musical, and I like the movie, and Tina Fey is back with the script and being in the film. Tim Meadows is also coming back as well. I know it was a big success on Broadway, but I haven’t heard any of the songs. Paramount producing, so I’m going to write these so my future self knows which streaming platform should get it first. 

Jake Johnson, of New Girl fame, and a slew of other movies, has written and directed his first film, Self Reliance, and I’m excited to see what this is about. Stars Anna Kendrick, Andy Samberg, Christopher Lloyd, and Wayne Brady. Hulu producing. 

Dolph Lundgren wrote and directed, Wanted Man, with Kelsey Grammer starring in it. 

February

Madame Web, is the first superhero movie of the year, and I’m not sure if I would do four weeks of comic tie ins to the film. I definitely have enough Spider-comics to cover any number of films, but none of them with Madame Web, Julia Carpenter, or Mattie Franklin. So I might just do the film review. At least, I don’t think I have any comics featuring any of them on the cover. Film stars Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts, and Adam Scott.

Bob Marley is getting a biographical film being made about his life, which seems highly overdue.

Ewan McGregor and his daughter, Clara, will star together in the film, Bleeding Love.

Lights Out, an action thriller, has a good cast with Frank Grillo, Mekhi Phifer, Dermot Mulroney.

Drive-Away Dolls, Directed by Ethan Coen, and co-written by him and Tricia Cooke, starring Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, and Matt Damon.

Ordinary Angels, nice seeing Hilary Swank coming back to movies. Her co-stars are : Alan Ritchson and Amy Acker.

Beau Bridges is still starring in movies, and I’m loving that for everybody, in The Neon Highway. Apparently he’s been doing guest spots on television series and making at least one movie a year for years now, I have a lot to catch up on.

March

Dune : Part Two, I still haven’t gone back and tried to watch pass the 20 minute mark of the first film.

Spaceman, which I thought was a comedy starring Adam Sandler, but then I saw Paul Dano, and checked and it is supposed to be a space drama. Carey Mulligan and Kunal Nayyar are also in it. So some jokes should be had. Netflix producing. 

Kung Fu Panda 4, was demanded? I guess?

Damsel, a dark fantasy film, starring Millie Bobby Brown and Angela Bassett. Netflix producing. 

Jena Malone is in an upcoming movie, and I love that, A24’s Love Lies Bleeding, also starring Kristen Stewart and Ed Harris.

Peter Five Eight, I guess Kevin Spacey is allowed out of movie jail. Rebecca De Mornay, is the name that caught my eye.

Ghostbusters : Frozen Empire, here’s hoping we get Extreme Ghostbusters in live action, but with Winston in the Egon role. Everyone is back for this : Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and Bill Murray.

April

The Frist Omen, so another Omen prequel. April, the new month for horror films to come out so they can be available digitally in October. Such a relic of the past. Bill Nighy is in it.

Godzilla x Kong : The New Empire, probably catch this on HBO Max. Dan Stevens is in it, and not too many other name actors, so hopefully this is 80% monster flick.

Rebel Moon Part Two, so not too long of a wait. Netflix. I’ll probably watch the first one eventually.

Untitled Universal Monsters film?! I hope they go with that name (weird that they haven’t landed on a name, but maybe because that would spoil things?). Hopefully Invisible Man is in it. Dan Stevens and Kevin Durand are part of the cast. 

A24’s Civl War, looks super intense. Starring Kirsten Dunst, her husband, Jesse Plemons, and Nick Offerman.

Zendaya’s Challengers is finally being released after the trailer broke the Internet.

May

The Fall Guy, action comedies are back! Starring The Gos, Emily Blunt, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Amy Winehouse is also getting her own bio flick, starring Marisa Abela, which also feels overdue.

My Ex-Friend’s Wedding, starring Amanda Seyfried, sounds fun.

John Krasinski’s IF sounds like a lot of fun! He wrote, directed, and stars in it, along with Ryan Reynolds, Louis Gossett Jr., Steve Carell, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt (what?!), Maya Rudolph, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Meloni, Awkwafina, John Stewart, and Richard Jenkins.

Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga, George Miller is back with the script and directing, and I still haven’t seen Fury Road. I like the idea of Anya Taylor-Joy playing a young Charlize Theron. Chris Hemsworth seems to be going full ham as the villain. 

ugh, the Garfield Movie, and Chris Pratt as Garfield?! Double ugh. ugh ugh

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, I have no idea why I’ve been dumb and haven’t really watch any of these new Apes films, I should correct that.

June

Ballerina, the first recognized spin-off of the John Wick franchise (I guess they’re not counting that Peacock show, and Nobody hasn’t officially joined the universe yet). I started the first Wick film, and I need to get on top of this franchise. 

Inside Out 2, I’m still confused why this is getting a sequel, outside of “it made a bunch of money.” I imagine Riley is going through puberty now? 

They’re making a fourth Bad Boys film?!

A Quiet Place : Day One, a prequel and doesn’t have Krasinski writing nor directing it? Probably not a day one watch for me.

Kevin Costner is back to westerns with Horizon : An American Saga – Chapter 1, which he co-wrote and directed. Jena Malone is having quite the comeback (maybe she never left?), Michael Rooker, Luke Wilson, Jeff Fahey, and Will Patton also star.

July

Of course they are making a fourth Despicable Me movie. I wonder if Walker D has outgrown it now that he’s ten. We’ll have to wait and see.

Twisters, yes, the inspired sequel to Twister. I do love a disaster film, so probably watch this once it is streaming. Glen Powell and Maura Tierney are starring in it.

Deadpool 3, the movie I’m most excited for in 2024! I’ll definitely dedicate July of my podcast to four comics starring Deadpool, which I have plenty of. Shawn Levy is directing and co-writing, along with Ryan Reynolds, who is of course, back as Deadpool. Other stars are : Hugh Jackman (!), Morena Baccarin (!!), and Jennifer Garner (!!!) so we’re having a lot of fun with the FOX films.Karan Soni from the first two films is back as well. Also back from Deadpool 2 – Stefan Kapici (voice of Colossus), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic), and Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio). Plus, maybe some surprises?!

August

M. Night Shyamalan is back with Trap, starring Josh Hartnett.

Eli Roth is making a Borderlands movie?! See, if I was getting Game Informer in physical form, I bet I would have heard about this. Cate Blanchett is in this?! Kevin Hart and Jack Black, that makes sense to me. Gina Gershon and Jamie Lee Curtis are also interesting choices.

James McAvoy is in a horror film, Speak No Evil.

I wasn’t expecting to get Horizon : An American Saga – Chapter 2, in the same calendar year, much less two months apart. That seems like an odd choice. I guess they didn’t want an intermission?

Alien : Romulus, the ninth film in the Aliens franchise, and a stand alone film. Isabela Merced will be in this, so that’s impressive she has two franchise films now. Well, three counting Dora.

Kraven the Hunter, so Sony is releasing two Spider-adjacent films in 2024? I doubt I have any Kraven comics to review for the podcast. I still wish this was subtitled “First Hunt” so then we could get a Sinister six film, and then Last Hunt, to conclude the trilogy. Film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Kraven, and also stars Ariana DeBose and Russell Crowe.

September

Beetlejuice 2 is finally coming out! Are they in Hawaii?! Tim Burton is back directing, and the Smallville / Wednesday creators – Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, are co-writing it. Jenna Ortega joins Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara from the original film. Willem Dafoe is also going to be in this. 

Transformers One, the animated prequel to the live action films. Which explains the cast with Chris Hemsworth, Scarlet Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, John Hamm, and Laurence Fishburne.

Saw XI, this franchise is back! I still haven’t seen one since IV, maybe? I should catch up with this too.

October

am I just not excited about a lot of films, or are there not as many known films?

Joker : Folie a Deux, I’m only excited about this being a musical and Lady Gaga is in this. I’ve had my imagination run wild with the success of this spurring on other superhero musicals. Catherine Keener is also in this.

White Bird, a spinoff sequel sort of film to Wonder is FINALLY coming out after the trailer was released extremely early. Helen Mirren is the grandmother of Auggie’s jerk classmate, and we’re given her WWII story. Gillian Anderson is also in this, though I don’t remember seeing her in the trailer. 

Smile 2, I haven’t seen the first one, but I need to. Naomi Scott stars in this one.

Wolf Man, nice to see a new werewolf movie, starring Christopher Abbott, who is in a few movies this year.

Terrifier 3, there’s whole franchises I’ve never heard of. A Christmas theme horror franchise apparently.

November

Venom is about to become a trilogy! What a banner year Sony is going to have! I may have a Venom comic in my collection. I need to see if Agent Venom is in any of my Guardians of the Galaxy comics that Kitty Pryde was a member of. No title yet. Juno Chiwetel Ejofor are also starring in it. Kelly Marcel is directing and she wrote the script too. I need to rewatch Carnage, as I fell asleep in the theater and we own it digitally, just haven’t had a reason to go back to it.

Barry Levinson’s Alto Knights is coming out, starring Robert De Niro and Debra Messing.

Gladiator 2, the sequel I don’t think many were asking for. Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe isn’t listed in the cast list, so that’s interesting. Denzel Washington, Djimon Hounsou Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Matt Lucas are starring.

Wicked : Part One, I had no idea we were getting a film adaption of the musical! I’m surprise they are splitting it into two parts, unless that makes sense? Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, and Michelle Yeoh star in it.

December

The Lord of the Rings : The War of the Rohirrim, I wasn’t expecting a Lord of the Rings movie either! It is animated, and that sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Brian Cox will be one of the voice actors in it.

Apparently there is a Karate Kid movie coming out?! Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, so a bridge movie but not related to Cobra Kai?! That sounds awkward.

Mufasa : The Lion King, I guess a musical CGI Disney prequel? Seth Rogen and Bill Eichner are lending their voices.

Sonic 3! I didn’t think we were getting this either. I’m way out of touch. James Marsden isn’t listed in this, and probably because he wasn’t really used in the second film. Should be fun to see Shadow in live action. Walker D should be extremely excited for this.

Nosferatu is getting yet another remake. This time written and directed by Robert Eggers. Bill Skarsgard, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (having himself quite the year), Willem Dafoe is in this, which must be a fun callback to Shadow of the Vampire, a fictional retelling of the filming of the original Nosferatu. 

Jordan Peele ends the year with an untitled project, that is also uncasted. 

. . .

That is 2024 in film, as far as we know. I’m sure news of projects will come out and unannounced films. I recognize these are all mostly known projects, hence, why more original properties are not being created, but I did look at cast for the films I didn’t recognize to see if I was excited about any of those. 

No Christian Bale films are slated, nor Ben Affleck, nor Freddie Prinze Jr., so hopefully that changes.

. . .

Just for my future reference, these are the Marvel shows we are supposed to get in 2024 :

January – Echo

Fall 2024 – Agatha : Darkhold Diaries

Eyes of Wakanda, sometime

X-Men 97, maybe in 2024?

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man animated series, that has the Slingers in it!

So no real podcast plans to tie in to any of these except for X-Men 97. 

2023 in Film!

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2022
Posted in: Film. Tagged: . Leave a comment

It is that time again, let’s see what we can expect in 2023!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2023

January

House Party, proving all franchises can be rebooted!

Plane, is the first film of the year I’m actually interested in watching. During the trailer for it, I kept expecting to see “Based on a True Story,” but instead, it is just a straight up interesting looking film starring Gerald Butler and Mike Colter.

The Son, a film that proposes that we imagine Hugh Jackman would ever divorce Laura Dern. But that’s movies, I guess. Anthony Hopkins is in this too.

When You Are Finished Saving the World, A24 and Jesse Eisenberg team up to adapt Eisenberg’s audio play that he wrote into a movie. Finn Wolfhard reprises his role of Ziggy. Julianne Moore joins the adaption as Wolfhard’s mother.

Detective Knight : Independence, Bruce Willis concludes his Detective Knight trilogy that I had no idea even was a thing. Should be one of his last roles, sadly. Redemption, the second movie, sounds like a fun action Christmas movie, that I feel I should have been aware of before this moment.

Distant, a science fiction comedy starring Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos, and Naomi Scott and Zachary Quinto.

Shotgun Wedding, sounds super fun, coming to Amazon Prime. Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel’s families come together but the entire wedding party get taken hostage. Sounds like antics will be had! Jennifer Coolidge, Lenny Kravitz, and Cheech Marin also star.

February

Knock at the Cabin, M. Night Shyamalan taking a chance on another apocalyptic psychological horror film. This time he is bringing along Batista, Rupert Grint, and two friends as they harrass Jonathan Groff, his husband and their daughter. Apparently based on a book, so I guess no twist ending?

80 for Brady, this movie looks super fun. Lily Tomlins and Jane Fonda clearly love working together as much as they love not including Dolly Parton. To replace Parton, they recruited Rita Moreno (love that she’s back at it!) and Sally Field as four friends on their way to watch Tom Brady (also in the movie) in Super Bowl LI (51). I’m a sucker for any movie involving four friends. Also in this is Rod Corddry, Bob Balaban, Sara Gilbert, and Ron Funches.

Magic Mike’s Last Dance. All good things really must come to an end. Channing Tatum returns, as does Steven Soderbergh to direct. Salma Hayek will also be in this, so the chances are high that this will be the best one. Doesn’t look like the Wikipedia page lists anyone else returning, but maybe those will be fun surprises. Wikipedia also lists her as Salma Hayek Pinault, which I know she’s been married to Francois-Henri Pinault since 2009, but when did the Wikipedia page start including both last names?

Murder Mystery 2, Netflix reunited Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston and I’m reminded we never got around to watching the first movie. My wife and I both huge Clue fans, so we should be up for another comedy mystery film (there are not as many as one would think there should be). Mark Strong and Jodie Turner-Smith also star.

Sharper, an Apple+ comedy thriller (what are more examples of this genre), stars Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan, Justice Smith, and John Lithgow. Sounds like it a good time. We definitely do not use our Apple+ subscription enough.

Your Place or Mine, sees both Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher return to the romantic comedy genre. Jesse Williams and Tig Notaro also star.

Winnie-the-Pooh : Blood and Honey, proving the fun of what happens when a work of fiction joins public domain. This is the slasher film based on A.A. Milne’s beloved characters from the Hundred Acre Woods. From what I can tell, Eeyore isn’t making it out alive, which is a real shame. Apparently writer/director Rhys Frake-Waterfield has big BIG plans to adopting other beloved stories into horror films. Let’s see how this one plays out. In theaters in February so that it can be streaming in October? Is this still the practice?

Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania, Marvel’s first film of the year! Going to be so great! Hopefully we get lots of Michelle Pfeiffer in it and maybe some classic Ant-Man and the Wasp action in addition to modern Ant-Man and Wasp action. Looking at the cast list, I’m reminded we were treated to Randall Park in the second Ant-Man film, how quickly I have disassociated him from Ant-Man. Bill Murray is in this in a mysterious role.

Cocaine Bear, the movie that is already winning people’s hearts! Whichever streaming service gets this movie is going to get so many additional subscribers! In addition to the bear, Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta in his final role, co-star.

Jesus Revolution, we saw the trailer for this before She Said. Nice to see Kelsey Grammer physically working again.

March

Creed III, as big of a Rocky fan as I am, I have yet to venture into the Creed films, or the last Rocky film, that launched these films. I do find it odd that Creed keeps finding ways to fight the sons of his father’s previous opponents. Weird how that keeps working out. If I lived in Creedverse, I would never stop talking about it. He must fight other people between bouts, right?

Scream 6, I’m so excited! Even knowing Neve Campbell isn’t coming back, at least that means she’s safe. Unlike Courtney Cox who I worry will be murdered in the opening minutes. Hayden Panettiere returns, and Dermot Mulroney & Henry Czerny (from ABC’s Revenge, remember that show?) join the cast.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods, I’m excited for more Mary Marvel and Marvel Jr time, but if we waited until it came to HBO Max, I’m okay with it.

John Wick : Chapter 4, I really need to watch these movies!

A Good Person, written and directed by Zach Braff, who I’m a huge fan of Garden State. Starring Florence Pugh, Morgan Freeman, Molly Shannon and Zoe Lister-Jones, so it should be amazing! I should watch Going in Style which also featured Freeman, and might as well watch Wish I Was Here.

Dungeons & Dragons : Honor Among Thieves, looks like a fun romp, but probably wait until it streams.

April

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, should be a lot of fun! I do worry with how much content they are putting into the film, that they are already planning on this being a one-and-done.

On a Wing and a Prayer, a drama staring Heather Graham sounds amazing. Jesse Metcalfe is in this as is Dennis Quaid.

Next Goal Wins, directed and co-written by Taika Waititi, based on the 2014 documentary of the same name, wherein Coach Thomas Rongen (played by Michael Fassbender) tries to get the American Samoa national football team to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Will Arnett, Elizabeth Moss, and Rhys Darby also star. I can tell you now, that I’ll rather just watch the documentary, which it is streaming on Amazon Prime. That’s just how I rather watch anything based on a True Story. But Fassbender makes me want to watch this after that.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, is being adapted for film. Abby Ryder Fortson, the original Cassie Lang, is the titled, Margaret. Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates also star. The team that brought us The Edge of Seventeen, James L. Brooks and Kelly Fremon Craig (who is directing this) are making the adaption, so that feels pretty good.

May

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, I’m so jazzed for this! The firs trailer looks like it film is going to have all of the feels.

Fast X, I have still yet to see any of these films.

The Little Mermaid, my wife is super excited about this movie. Probably watch it twice, and I’m already planning on buying her the full line of Pop Funkos that come out of this film. We’ve laughed at all of the other life adaptions just being a thing to be, but now we’re invested.

June

Spider-Man : Across the Spider-Verse, so happy they dropped the Part One from the title, let’s have fun with these titles. For any Fortnite players, June is probably when Miles finally comes to the game.

Transformers : Rise of the Beasts, is it a reboot, a soft reboot, who knows, but the trailer looked legit good. Probably wait until it streams again. By the time Beast Wars came out, I was completely out of the loop with the franchise.

Strays, I accidently clicked on it and now I have information. Live-action adult animated comedy, so we’ll have to see the trailer to believe it. Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx lend their voices for the dogs, and Will Forte is Ferrell’s former owner. Isla Fisher and Randall Park are in it as well. Voices are physically, who knows?!

Elemental, the next Disney/Pixar joint. Probably wait until it is on Disney+. The teaser trailer looked fun.

The Flash, I’ll believe this when I see it actually coming out. Be nice if they can incorporate the Michael Keaton scenes from Batgirl to be in this so that people can at least see that footage.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, I’m still not wow-ed by the title, but we’re just going to refer to it as the last one, so that’s okay. I’m super hyped for this! We’ve been meaning to buy the Indy films on VUDU, but I keep putting it off as we might as well buy the set.

July

Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, again, change the next movie’s title, please. I still haven’t seen MI:IV, and I really need to get on that.

Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan is back! I have yet to see Tenet, and I need to work on that, but this should be pretty good. So many stars are in this movie! Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt DAMON, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Rami Malek, Josh Harnett is back, Dane DeHaan for some reason, Jack Quaid, Matthew Modine from the Jones Brothers’ What a Man Gotta Do music video, David Krumholtz, Michael Angarano, Kenneth Branagh (those had to be fun days), Josh Peck, Tony Goldwyn never stopped acting, Gary Oldman, Casey Affleck, and James D’Arcy are all in this!

Barbie, directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach also co-wrote it. I still can’t tell if this is an all ages movie or is it mostly aimed at adults. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are the leads in it, he’s Ken. Apparently this movie has quite the cast too! America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp (who keeps being in my favorite things!), Michael Cera, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, and Doctor 15 – Ncuti Gatwa.

The Marvels, we’re getting spoiled with Marvel movies! Can Jean Grey show up to round out the Marvels?

August

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Mutant Mayhem, I’m still on the fence with this, but I’m excited about all of the Turtles content we are going to get out of this. Sounds like Nickelodeon and Paramount have big BIG plans for the film with a series of one shot villain episodes leading up to this and a series to launch from this, so the film itself has a lot riding on it. If they can continue the Cowabunga collection of games that includes the 2007 game, that’ll be amazing!

Haunted Mansion, Disney just keeps trying to make movies based off of this attraction, which the first attempt came in 2003 with Eddie Murphy, and then they tried it with the Muppets in 2021. This film stars Rosario Dawson and Owen Wilson, so their Disney contracts are quite strong. Also starring is Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jared Leto for some reason, Jamie Lee Curtis now that she’s ended Halloween she has time for other projects (I still need to watch those three films), Winona Ryder and Dan Levy.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter, straight from the Bram Stoker novel, Dracula. I’ve been interested in this film since David Dastmalchian discussed it on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum. Should be pretty intense.

Gran Turismo, PlayStation Pictures finally got a film studio and they went with Gran Turismo to start. No, Uncharted was their start, but here they are continuing it. The games are nice, but I’m not much of a racing guy. Apparently the plot is based on a true story of a video game player who used the games to become an actual race car drive, which is pretty cool, as I’ve always heard that’s how realistic these games are. The film will star Archie Madekwe as the teenager, David Harbour, Orlando Bloom, Djimon Hounsou, and Geri Halliwell-Horner (yes, that Geri Halliwell!)

Blue Beetle, DC’s other film out in 2023. Sounds like they are making a fun film featuring Xolo Mariduena as Jaime Reyes. George Lopez and Susan Sarandon also star.

September

A Haunting in Venice, continuing Kenneth Branagh adapting Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot character. We finally watched Death on the Nile, but we still need to watch Murder on the Orient Express. This third film still features a great cast : Jamie Dornan, Tiny Fey, and Michelle Yeoh.

The Expendables 4, I still need and want to watch these movies. I’m not sure what’s been stopping me besides the films don’t just come to where I am.

October

Kraven the Hunter, I guess they not only claimed to be making this movie, but actually went and did it! I still hope the plan is to make this like a First Hunt film, then we’ll get a Sinister Six film, then a Kraven’s Last Hunt and have ourselves a nice little trilogy. Probably watch this once it is streaming somewhere. Ariana DeBose as Calypso is fun, and I like that’s how she was going to follow up her Oscar win in West Side Story with Kraven the Hunter. That’ll show them, that’ll show them all! Fred Hechinger as the Chameleon so hopefully J.M. DeMatteis and Sal Buscema get a credit at some point. Russell Crowe is also going to be in this.

We’re getting another Exorcist film, but this one with Leslie Odom Jr., so this should be amazing. Apparently they are going Halloween with it and this will work as a direct sequel to the first movie.

PAW Patrol is getting a sequel, that makes sense.

Saw X, now I have to catch up with these films as I’m not sure where I left off with them. Which one had Beverley Mitchell in it? Saw II, but I’m pretty sure I saw Saw V, as I thought I saw the Donnie Wahlberg trilogy of films.

November

Dune : Part Two, will I make it past the first 30 minutes?

The Hunger Games : The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I have completely forgotten this movie was coming, it is a prequel to the other movies of which, I should rewatch the last one again as I don’t quite remember where we left off with it all. The original triology took place over the 74 and 75th Hunger Games and this movie is involving the 10th one, so everyone is either not born yet or super young in this movie from the original movies. Rachel Zegler, Jason Schwartzman, Peter Dinklage, Viola Davis, and Burn Gorman star in this. I can’t tell if this is a done-in-one or a planned trilogy.

Trolls 3, now that’s how you turn around with these films! Two years instead of four years.

Wish, Disney’s 62nd theatrical animated film, stars the voice talents of both Ariana DeBose and Alan Tudyk, so should be plenty of singing and jokes.

December

Wonka, Disney is giving us a Wonka origin story starring Timothee Chalamet. So it shouldn’t have any Oompas and be mostly about his war with Slugworth, right? Pretty good cast : Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Matt Lucas, and Rich Fulcher. We’ll probably wait until it is streaming on Disney+.

The Color Purple, so I guess we are remaking Steven Spielberg movies while he’s alive? I thought him and Bill Murray were in the same category. Spielberg and Oprah are producing the movie, so it isn’t like they were not consulted. Probably be more based on the musical, right? All star cast : Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Halle Bailey (getting the most out of her Disney contract), Louis Gosset Jr., David Alan Grier, and Deon Cole.

Ghostbusters Afterlife : Ever After (not the real title) is due out. Hopefully it is like Extreme Ghostbusters but with Winston instead of Egon and in live action. So far only Mckenna Grace is attached, so I guess they haven’t even started filming it yet?! Expect this to be pushed back.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, so Marvel and DC are releasing three films in 2023, that’s pretty exciting. Oh, apparently both Affleck and Keaton are in this movie, so that’s interesting.

As far as I can tell, no Christian Bale movies in 2023. That’s a real shame.

1995 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on May 11, 2022
Posted in: Film, Retrospective. Leave a comment

One of my favorite podcasts, What Are You Watching?, with hosts Alex and Nick, are going to review 1995 in Films.  Which looking at the list :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1995_in_film

and knowing them as I do now, I feel like certain films are going to be overlooked.  I also was looking over the list and envisioning writing about it as so many great movies came out in 1995!  Plus, I’m due for a proper blog entry.  So click the link above, and follow along, if you will!

Should be fun to look back at these movies from a fresh perspective, but also remembering what it was like to watch these 27 years ago!  I was 13, so movies meant so much more back then. 

January

Murder in the First, Christian Slater, Kevin Bacon, Gary Oldman.  Slater’s other interview movie, this time interviewing Kevin Bacon’s prisoner, I remember watching this and being blown away by Bacon’s range.  I should rewatch this as I don’t recall The Mace, Lee Ermey, and Stephen Tobolowsky being in this, or Kyra Sedgwick. 

S.F.W., I recall Kevin Smith talking about this movie, how it was the other convenience store movie, this one featuring Joey Lauren Adams, and apparently Tobey Maguire.  I should make a point of watching this, and in a twist, it is actually streaming, unlike so many movies I want to watch.  So if you have Amazon Prime, you can watch it too.

Before Sunrise, WAYW is a huge fan of this film series with Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke, and Julie Delpy.  I’ve never seen this trilogy, I’ve heard great things, and I love how every nine years, they make another one.  Alex pointed out in one of their latest episodes how we’re currently in a nineth year, so if we are getting one, it should be soon.  Apparently the third one came out and they filmed it secretly, so they could do that again.  Before Sunrise isn’t streaming anywhere that I’m subscribed too. 

Highlander The Final Dimension, the third Highlander movie.  I don’t quite remember this one, the Highlander movies, until the fourth one, sort of follow the previous film, but also contradicts it, it is a very complicated continuity, for something that shouldn’t be that complicated of a plot about the last immortal standing, regains their mortality.  Simply, don’t tell the last story, don’t ever give that hard of a number of, there’s only six left, so watch out.  I like the first movie, but once Duncan MacLeod’s show and line of movies came along, I was all for it.  It was such a great opportunity for the franchise to have a new direction, and they didn’t waste the opportunity.

Gargoyles The Movie : The Heroes Awaken.  Remember Gargoyles, everybody?  Such a great series, and I should see if I can get Walker D to start it with me, as I remember it being very good, but not finishing it as animation was bonkers in the 90s, with no real direction on when new episodes were coming out, if they were coming out, and so many reruns.  The “movie” is just the first five episodes reedited to make a fun movie, just like how She-Ra did it with her series, but I want to say she did it the reverse, where it was a movie, and then they broke it out to the first five episodes.  So not just like She-Ra, I suppose.

February

It is also fun seeing how Hollywood works, who was hot that year and just kept making movies.  Which means they were hot the previous year and then their slew of movies come out in the next calendar year.

Boys on the Side, one of my favorite Drew Barrymore movies.  I’m a huge fan of Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise comic book series, and he must have done an interview where he talked about a SiP movie would have the same feel as Boys on the Side.  Some laughs, some action, a lot of heart.  Maybe it was someone on the SiP message board, now that I’m typing this.  I’m getting a memory of a thread wherein people are discussing what a SiP movie would be about.  Who knows, but I watched this movie and really was blown away by everything that happens in it.  I should rewatch it as I don’t recall Matthew McConaughey being in it.  I remember Whoopi Goldberg and Drew Barrymore, of course, and them having a third friend, but seeing how that third friend is Mary-Louise Parker, who I loved from the West Wing and followed her to Weeds, she doesn’t look like the MLP I feel hard for from the movie poster, but she was younger then.  I’m going to put a complete list on the bottom of this post so I can refer to it later of which movies I want to revisit and where they are streaming.  It is streaming on Hulu, and seeing the screencap, that is clearly MLP and she looks as great as she always does.  Its just not a flattering poster, which is unfortunate.

Billy Madsen, a legendary Adam Sandler movie, where he has to go through school again, all the way from Kindergarten to, I’m not sure he gets to high school before the plot runs its course.  Mortal Kombat’s Bridgette Wilson (she’ll always be Sonya Blade to me), is the romantic interest in the film.  Bradley Whitford, way before West Wing, is a perfect foil in it.  Norm Macdonald and Steve Buscemi are in it, such a comedy classic. 

The Quick and the Dead, Sam Raimi’s western starring Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and Leonardo DiCaprio.  I recall watching this on a cable channel, and it not grabbing me.  Probably the commercial breaks made it easy to jump out and onto something else.  It is streaming on Netflix.  Keith David, Lance Henriksen, Tobin Bell, Gary Sinise, and Bruce Campbell are in this?!  Well, of course, Bruce Campbell is in this, I need to give this a proper go. 

The Brady Bunch Movie, I’m pretty sure I only saw this once it came to TV, and I only saw it because Davy Jones of the Monkees was a guest star in it.  Oh, and 90s Spider-Man voice actor, Christopher Daniel Barnes is Greg Brady in this.  Did you know CDB is also Prince Eric in the Little Mermaid?  Once you hear you, you won’t be able to not hear it again.  Gary Cole and Shelley Long as the parents, and I was curious who was Marcia Brady and it was Christine Taylor, who you probably know as Ben Stiller’s wife, who is in a slew of his movies.  Were Micky and Peter in this, they must be at the big dance at the end of the movie, I don’t recall them, Davy gets a few scenes, if I remember correctly.  I also don’t remember Michael McKean, Jean Smart, or James Avery being in this, but it’s a pretty busy movie.  Lots going on.  I was never really into the Brady Bunch, only seeing a handful of episodes and seeing retrospectives about it. 

March

Outbreak, what a movie!  Starring the monkey from Friends, as that’s all I knew at the time.  My wife and I just rewatched this sometime last year, and it really holds up.  Such an all star cast too!  Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman, Cuba Gooding Jr., Patrick Dempsey, Donald Sutherland, Kevin Spacey, JT Walsh in a typical JT Walsh role, but really nailing it!  They really don’t make all start movies like this anymore.  Probably too much money and probably not getting that much back for it. 

Bye Bye Love, now here’s a movie I saw more than I probably should have.  Great story for the 90s about having kids and being divorce, but I don’t think that part really landed on me.  Paul Reiser, Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid, are the dads, just trying their best.  It is streaming on Starz, but we don’t have that, but I recall loving the movie.  One of those movies, where the kids became big name actors like Mae Whitman and Eliza Dushku.  Empire Records’ Johnny Whitworth is one of the kids, and Jack Black is in this and he must have been one too.  Rob Reiner is also great in this, and I’m a huge Reiner fan.  Might have to track this to see if it ever streams elsewhere.  Strangely, VUDU doesn’t have it.  If it was cheap enough, I would throw four dollars at it.

Major Payne starring Damon Wayans, I almost saw at school, and then again on Comedy Central.  I’m not sure I’m ready for it.  I want to say the tape didn’t work at school, and I may have missed the first couple segments of it on TV.

Tall Tell, I recall my father buying the VHS and growing up, we tried to do family movie nights.  This was the first movie that I tried to skip, as it didn’t look that good.  Maybe it was just the day, but I must have watched it, with my arms crossed, daring the movie to try to entertain me.  It is the story of what if Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Pecos Bill all lived in the same setting.  I’m still not that familiar with Pecos Bill.  I’m a huge fan of the Paul Henry story, man vs. machine, ever since I saw the documentary, The Terminator, as a young lad, its definitely been one of my huge concerns that one day, machine is going to win, and win big.  Patrick Swayze is Pecos Bill, Oliver Platt is Paul Bunyan, and Roger Aaron Brown is John Henry.  It is on Disney Plus, so I should see if I can get the family together to watch it.  Walker D is notorious for shooting down all movie ideas, so I’m probably setting myself up for some disappointment. 

Tank Girl, based on the very British comic book, I recall starting and just not connecting with it. 

Tommy Boy, a Chris Farley and David Spade classic!  Brian Dennehy, Bo Derek, and Rob Lowe also co-star.  I don’t recall Dan Aykroyd in it, but I mostly remember Farley and Spade and how funny it is.

April

I’ve never seen Bad Boys, and have no real interest in it.  I’m run cold on Martin Lawrence.

I’ve seen moments of While You Were Sleeping, and I also have seen scenes of Sleepless in Seattle, neither film was in my wheelhouse in 1995.  Sleepless came out in 1993, when I was even more inclined to not watch it.

I’ve also not seen any of the Friday movies. 

I’ve never seen any Children of the Damned movies.

My wife is a huge fan of the original two Escape to Witch Mountain movies, and she didn’t even know there was a remake in 1995.  We didn’t care for the Rock remake in 2009.

Ooof, I didn’t see any of these April 1995 films

May

I recall starting French Kiss starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline, and not connecting to it. 

I must have seen a Freaky Friday movie, I was more incline to watch the male versions of this concept of switching bodies between an adult and a child/teenager.

Die Hard with a Vengeance, here we go.  My wife and I treated ourselves to the Die Hard digital collection and finally watched all five of them.  Die Hard Three is probably my second favorite one, but it is definitely the one I’ve seen the most.  This is my Die Hard.  It has all of the charm of the first one, but on a large scale.  Bruce Willis, of course, joined by Samuel L. Jackson, as they struggle against Jeremy Irons.  Such a great film! 

Braveheart, I’ve seen Mel Gibson’s opus.  I didn’t connect to it then, and then it became a parody of itself in the media as shows had fun with the face paint and all of the yelling.  So that’s Braveheart in my head.  I recall it felt like a chore to watch and then it won the Oscars, and then it became one of those “Oscar movies,” that I know it deserves some respect, but I’m never going to watch it again, most likely.

Casper, starring Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman.  With a very fun guest appearance by Dan Aykroyd.  I really enjoyed this then, and the Wiki page implies there is a slew of guest stars, but I don’t recall Clint Eastwood, Rodney Dangerfield, or Mel Gibson being in this.  I do remember watching this in eight grade social studies, that was a fun class. 

Mad Love, starring Drew Barrymore and Chris O’Donnell.  Matthew Lillard and Liv Schreiber are also in it, but I don’t recall them, but I also wasn’t invested in the film.  Too chaotic, maybe?   I didn’t connect to it.

June

The Bridges of Madison County.  I was obsessed, OBSESSED!!!, with the American Film Institute’s (AFI) Lists of Greatest Movies and all of their spin off lists.  Once I started working at NAU-Yuma, and started making actual money, I had this amazing Excel sheet, tracking all of the movies, with which movies appeared on multiple lists, and if Best Buy or Hastings had the movie for cheap, I would treat myself to the movie.  So I bought Bridges of Madison County, and watched it.  It was okay.  I run cold on Meryl Streep, barely seeing a handful of her movies.  I get it, she’s in a lot of Oscar movies, but besides this one and Doubt, I don’t think I’ve seen that many of her films.  Looking at her Wiki page, as I was curious to see which ones I’ve actually seen.  The Devil Wears Prada in 2006, I didn’t connect to it.  I want to watch Lions for Lambs, but only because Andrew Garfield talked about how it was his first real movie role.  Oh yeah, Mama Mia!  I loved that movie, I still haven’t seen the second one.  Fantastic Mr. Fox, if that counts.  The Giver, such a great book, deserved a better movie.  I do like how at one point, she realized she needed to start being in more popular films or rom coms.  Probably a nice break for her.  In the Woods, I didn’t care for, but I also had higher expectations going into it.  Anna Kendrick’s lesser musical performances.  The Last Five Years was so much better.  Was she in Mary Poppins Returns?  Oh yeah, she’s in Ryan Murphy’s The Prom, that movie would have been better without the celebrity angle.  So yeah, those are my experiences with Meryl Streep.  I should watch Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie’s Choice, but also, I’m not going to any time soon.

Congo, I recall enjoying, but not any real specifics in it.  That’s the gorilla sign language movie, right?  It is streaming on Starz.  Great cast, Laura Linney, Dylan Walsh, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Joey Pants (Pantoliano), and Bruce Campbell. 

Batman Forever.  June 16, 1995.  Here we go.  By 1995, we had moved from Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) to Yuma proper.  I still recall sitting in our backyard, and my father asking me if I wanted to watch Batman Forever or the Power Rangers movie.  In my 13 year old head, this was such a silly question, as of course, we’ll watch both movies.  They are the only two films I even want to watch, and I’m pretty sure this is the first movie I saw in the theater that year, as none of the above even register as a theater movie to me.  (Spoilers, I guess that Power Rangers also came out this year).  Anyway, I was asked which one of the two I wanted to see, and I had to say Batman Forever, as of the two, I was (and still am) a huge Batman fan, but I secretly hoped we would watch Power Rangers, as there was a lot of hype for that first movie.  I love Batman Forever, and it is even better now as we have so many live action Batman films, so its nice that in the catalogue, there’s some lighter films in there. 

Do I wish Jim Carrey was less Carrey as the Riddler?  Sure, do I wish that final outfit of his on the island, wasn’t so much, whatever it is?  Sure.  Is Val Kilmer a great Batman and an even better Bruce Wayne, heck yes!  We finally got a live action Robin again, in Chris O’Donnell, who is great in the role.  Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, yes please!  Drew Barrymore and Debi Mazar as Two-Face’s lady friends.  Nicole Kidman, who has never been hotter than she was in this movie.  People will tell you other films, but this is prime Kidman for me.  Never been better.  Well, until I saw Paddington, and I was like, where has this Kidman been this whole time?  I like her in Moulin Rouge, but in terms of pure attraction, this is it for me.  I’m not sure why I’m trying to win this argument.  This is also my first Kidman exposure, so that probably plays a factor into all of this. 

Pocahontas, we must have seen this in theaters, but I’ve definitely seen this.  I do like learning how Christian Bale was the voice of Tom in it, a slight consolation prize for being in Disney’s Newsies, is how I’m sure he viewed it.  He had a Disney contract, and made the most of it.  A pretty fun movie.  I still get the words, Savages Savages, stuck in my head to this day. 

I’ve yet to see any Leprechaun movies, even the one with Jennifer Aniston.

Apollo 13.  We probably didn’t watch this in the theater, but I must have saw it on HBO or one of the other movie channels, as I saw this movie a bunch.  I love me some Kevin Bacon and Gary Sinise is in this, who I also love.  Ron Howard directing, of course starring Tom Hanks and a slew of actors.  An all star studded cast!  Bill Paxton, Ed Harris, Mumford’s Loren Dean (not sure why he doesn’t get more roles), Clint Howard of course, and Roger Corman is in this.  Wiki says Bryce Dallas Howard is in this, she must be one of the daugthers?  Such a great movie, it really captured my attention and imagination, and it is a long movie, but I would watch it now.  Its on Peacock but behind a paywall that we refuse to pay for, we have too many subscriptions, but apparently, not enough.  One day I’ll watch the rest of the Saved by the Bell reboot. 

Judge Dredd, starring Sylvester Stallone, I recall really enjoying.  It wasn’t until years later, when I learned that Dredd never takes off his helmet, and looking at, Stallone is constantly taking his helmet.  Which always bugs me in these superhero movies when the hero has to go maskless for so much of it, just because the studio paid millions of dollars for that face, they’re going to get their money’s worth.  Probably why Marvel Studios has so many of their heroes not even wear masks, as why bother working in damaging the suit, just to get to the part where they take off the mask.  I don’t recall much of this film and seeing the cast list doesn’t trick any real memories. I recall Rob Schneider trying too hard in this.  I don’t recall Diane Lane or James Earl Jones being in this.  I haven’t seen the newer Dredd film, but I heard good things.

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers : The Movie.  We did end up seeing this in the theater.  I recall thinking it was essential viewing, as how else will the show explain the change of powers and Zords?  They are going to have to put words on the screen, “hey kids, hope you watch the movie, as here we go!”  They didn’t have to do that as the show made up its own origins, making the movie’s continuity extremely questionable.  Not sure why they went with that direction as it just means the movie itself was a 15 million dollar commercial for the show, which I reckon it was going to be that, but it made 66.4 million back, so that’s why we got at least a second movie out of it.  Movie takes place between seasons two and three of the series. 

Besides putting Amy Jo Johnson more into the hearts of young boys everywhere, the movie’s real legacy was Trouble by Shampoo.  It doesn’t even take much to put this song in my head, just the word, Trouble, would do it, and also, Uh Oh, is all it takes, then I’ll be there singing the first two lines of the chorus.  There was a Behind the Scenes special on Fox and they kept hyping the music video for the official song from the movie and I was blown away with how catchy the song is.  Is it super cheesy and embarrassing to enjoy, a guilty pleasure, if you would?  Yes, but does it bring a smile to my face when it plays on my iPhone when I’m shuffling songs?  Heck yeah! 

But that confusion and disappointment when that third season started, and I was like, why are they telling a different story?  That is pretty real.  Great cliffhanger from season two to three, that was a long wait and it was in prime time, so that made it feel special too. 

July

Species, I was definitely too young to fully appreciate it.  I remember, like most people, being blown away by how attractive Natasha Henstridge is in it, and the scares were scary, but being lost by the plot. 

The Indian in the Cupboard, I must have saw, but we watched it a few years back and it felt like the first time.  A concept that would have really overrun my imagination if I had committed to it more.  Such a great story idea. 

Under Siege 2 : Dark Territory, I must have seen this, or at least, the set pieces.  Steven Seagal on a train, doing Steven Seagal action stuff.  I don’t think I took to either Under Siege movie.  Now, Executive Decision, I liked that one. 

Clueless, the movie that gave us Paul Rudd!  Also set up Alicia Silverstone for many years!  Such a great movie!  Donald Faison and Breckin Meyer too.  Dan Hedaya and Brittany Murphy.  Is Wallace Shawn in this, he must be one of the teachers.  It is streaming on HBO Max.  Be fun to revisit it. 

Free Willy 2 : The Adventure Home, I remember it not being as good as the first one, but how could it be?  They made several Free Willy movies, four total and a TV series I didn’t know about.  Jason James Richter is in all three, then the tv series is actually an animated series, ran for two seasons, and then there was a roboot in 2010, with Bindi Irwin, in her film debut, and Beau Bridges.  My favorite Bridges brother. 

Kids.  Ooof, this movie!  I’ve seen it once, that scene with Chloe Sevigny, that’s as many times as you should watch this movie.  Rosario Dawson is in this too, but I only remember Sevigny in it.  Googling “Kids Movie Streaming” is not the way to get an answer. 

The Net, starring Sandra Bullock.  I was thinking about this movie the other week, with how dated I’m sure it must be, and how the dangers of the film, we just take for granted now. 

Operation Dumbo Drop was advertised on the back of many of my comic books for a while, but I never saw it, or heard much about it. 

Waterworld, I’ve seen once, and I didn’t connect to it at all. 

August

I may have saw Babe in school, but I remember much of it.

Something to Talk About, I haven’t seen it fully, my wife is a huge fan of this Julia Roberts and Dennis Quaid rom com.  It was on TV a couple times and we watched it from whatever that scene was to the end, so I’ve seen the last half of it a couple times. 

Virtuosity, Denzel Washington v Russell Crowe, one of them is a robot, or something?  I’m remembering the final action sequence pretty clearly, so I wonder if I saw the last 30 minutes before watching whatever movie came on afterward. 

Dangerous Minds, starring the amazing Michelle Pfeiffer.  I do love me a high school teacher trying to change the school movie.  Well, until Hilary Swank’s 2007 Freedom Writers, sort of killed all of my enthusiasm for the genre.  When we’re watching one of these movies and we’re following the teacher and her one class, are we supposed to be under the impression that the teacher is applying the same thought and energy to the rest of the classes that they teach?  Or is this a special class and the rest, the teacher is simply going through the motions with?  Especially these high school movies, where we know they are teaching at least four other classes.  Anyway, that’s a thought and question I didn’t have until Freedom Writers, and now it makes me apply that question to every movie in the genre. 

Dangerous Minds has that great Dylan vs. Dylan discussion of Bob Dylan or Dylan Thomas, who I’m still not that familiar with Thomas’ work outside of what is referenced in the film.

Mortal Kombat, no wonder I associate Bridgette Wilson so much, it came out in the same year as Billy Madsen.  What a one two punch for Wilson!  Not a bad movie, the first one and the remake are pretty good.  Christopher Lambert also had a good year, as Rayden. 

Desperado, directed and written by Robert Rodriguez.  Starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek.  I remember the set pieces and being blown away by Salma Hayek.  Clearly I was 13 and going through some things.  I don’t remember Steve Buscemi being in this, or Quentin Tarantino.  Cheech Marin and Danny Trejo, I can place in it. 

Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde, I recall watching on TV, Tim Daly turns into Sean Yong.  That’s pretty much all I remember, and how hard women really do have it.  Harvey Fierstein and Jeremy Piven are also in this, apparently. 

Lord of Illusions, Clive Baker wrote and directed it.  Scott Bakula is in it, it was advertised on the back cover of most of my comics for what felt like forever, but I never saw it.  It might be streaming on Tubi, but Google has misled me before with Tubi. 

September

To Wong Fo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, I have always been a fan of the title of this movie, but never had an opportunity to watch t.  It isn’t streaming anywhere, which seems odd in today’s culture.  Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and Johnny Leggs (John Leguizamo), as drag queens on a road trip?  How is this not on at least two streaming services?!  Apparently Stockard Channing is in this too!  RuPaul and Robin Williams?! 

Truman, I remember being super excited to watch this on HBO.  Gary Sinise as one of my favorite presidents, yes please.  I want to say the movie was pretty good, broad strokes but it was a movie and not a miniseries.  Based off, of course, David McCullough’s biography.  From humble beginnings to President of the United States.  What a story!

I must have seen Angelina Jolie’s Hackers, or I may be getting it confused with 1992’s Sneakers.  Looking at Sneakers’ Wiki, one looks like a comedy and the other is a very dated moody film about hackers.  I probably seen it the one time and it didn’t leave much of an impression.  Jonny Lee Miller, Lorraine Bracco, and Matthew Lillard are in it?  It might be free on YouTube. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T_CqqjOPDc

It is free on YouTube!

Bryan Singer’s The Usual Suspects.  Definitely did not see this in theaters, but definitely worn out a DVD of this movie, such a legendary film!  Worthy of multiple rewatches.  Amazing cast too!  Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Benicio del Toro, Chazz Laminteri, Kevin Pollack, Pete Postlethwaite, Kevin Spacy, and Dan Hedaya.  Is Giancarlo Esposito and Clark Gregg in it?  Oh, Esposito is one of the detectives.  Gregg is one of the doctors. 

Empire Records, another one I definitely did not see in theaters, but once made available to me, I watched so many times!  Wait, so Bye Bye Love and Empire Records came out in the same year, so he must be one of the teenaged characters.  Heck, they could all be teenagers, but fresh face, so they look younger in my mind’s eye.  Empire Records, such a classic film and one of my favorites!  Dman the man, save the Empire!  Which is opened until midnight.  Midnight!  So many quotable lines!  This past Rex Manning Day, April 8, I treated myself to the soundtrack and whenever a song I don’t recognize comes on, its almost always from Empire Records. 

Seven, I’m starting to see why WAYW is covering 1995, so many legendary films!  David Fincher directed, starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey having quite the year!  Gwyneth Paltrow, R. Lee Ermey, Richard Roundtree, a young Richard Schiff, and John C. McGinley are all in it.  Another movie that gets better with multiple viewings.  What’s in the box?!  WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!  So great.

Showgirls, starring Elizabeth Berkely, not as bad as people want you to believe it is.  Plus, Elizabeth Berkely.  Kyle MacLachlan (Hello, Captain!), Gina Gershon, and Robert Davi are in it too.  This was definitely something I watched on HBO. 

Just in time to kick off October, Halloween : The Curse of Michael Myers, the sixth movie in the franchise.  I’m on record 5 and 6 are my favorite of the Halloween sequels, we really get into the character of Myers with these.  Donald Pleasence is the detective, and Paul Rudd is in this too!  Wow, Rudd really does not age, or if he does, its for the better!

October

Assassins, starring Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas, trying to kill each other.  I had no idea this was a Richard Donner movie, nor that the Wachowskis wrote it!  It is streaming on HBO Max.  I recall a scene in the shower.  Julianne Moore is in it too! 

Strange Days, definitely a movie I did not appreciate until later in life.  I watched it as Juliette Lewis is in it, but the cast is pretty amazing.  Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Tom Sizemore, Vincent D’Onofrio, William Fichtner.  A future movie (of 1999) and lots of drugs and even more plot that I could not follow for the life of me.  Kathryn Bigelow directed, with a screenplay co-written by James Cameron and Jay Cocks. 

Get Shorty, I watched once, remember it being fun, that’s about it.  Big cast too!  It was all a rage.  John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Delroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, and John Gries.  A gangster movie set in Hollywood.

Mallrats, here we go!  Another film where, once it was in my hands, I absorbed it fully!  I should have been keeping track of my favorite films of 1995, as I’m sure I can easily create a Top Ten list.  You’ll find it on the bottom of this list.  Kevin Smith’s second film with such a great cast!  Jason Lee, Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Renee Humphrey, Ethan Suplee, Michael Rooker, Walt Flanagan, Bryan Johnson, Brian O’Halloran, Stan Lee, and Scott Mosier!  A day at the mall, well spent! 

Now and Then was a movie that I wanted to watch back in the day, follow a group of girls at one point in their live, then we skip 15 years, and they’re all grown up.  Still can’t as it isn’t streaming anywhere.  Well dang.  Fun to see who was supposed to grow into who :

Gaby Hoffmann into Demi Moore (sort of maybe did?)

Christina Ricci into Rosie O’Donnell

Ashleigh Aston Moore into Rita Wilson

Thora Birch into Melanie Griffith, again, sort of did?

Two out of four, not too bad. 

Bonnie Hunt is in this?!

Doom Generation, I watched because of Rose McGowan, and this is another trippy drug induced movie with a lot of plot my younger self did not follow that closely.  Though I was probably a tad older when I watched it. 

Leaving Las Vegas, I need to watch, but it isn’t streaming anywhere.  This movie earned Nicolas Cage is Oscar.  Elisabeth Shue is in it as well, as is Steven Weber, Emily Procter, French Stewart, R. Lee Ermey, having an amazing year, and Mariska Hargitay. 

Mighty Aphrodite, which earned Mira Sorvino her Oscar, written and directed by Woody Allen.  Not streaming anywhere but I was part of the camp that thought Mira Sorvino would have made an amazing Katchoo in Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise movie.  Along with Jennifer Connelly as Francine.  Imagine the universe that got that movie?!  I know I do.

Powder, a young genius pale boy, with superpowers.  I saw it once and really enjoyed it back in the day.  Then in 1996, John Travolta made Phenomenon, which in my mind, was like the adult Powder.  But maybe they are nothing alike?!  Powder stars Sean Patrick Flanery, Mary Steenburgen, Lance Henriksen, Jeff Goldblum, and Ray Wise. 

November

Ace Ventura : When Nature Calls, so Jim Carrey had an incredible movie this year and a sequel to Ace Ventura.  I wonder if I saw this one in the theater?  This is the movie that made me realize that the Batcave would have to be covered in bat poop.  Poor Alfred, that must have been a terrible day when he realized he couldn’t just let the poop be. 

The American President.  We got three West Wing actors all having movies out before the show launched in 1999.  This is Martin Sheen’s film and a lot of sets for this movie were later used to make West Wing.  This movie is written by Aaron Sorkin, and directed by my boy, Rob Reiner.  Michael Douglas is the President, and he’s trying to date Annette Bening.  Sheen and Michael J. Fox are on Douglas’ staff.  This is also streaming on Starz, which is a shame as I wouldn’t mind rewatching it again.  John Mahoney, Richard Dreyfuss, Wendie Malick, and of course, Joshua Malina are in it.  Wiki states Samantha Mathis is in this, but I don’t remember her in it.  I Googled “Samantha Mathis American President,” and got no image results from the movie. 

GoldenEye, now I definitely saw this in the theater.  This was my first big screen James Bond movie, which is probably why I always consider Pierce Brosnan my James Bond.  Such a fun movie and great performance by Brosnan.  Is it my favorite Bond film of his, I believe so.  Do they get less good with each one?  Probably, I’ll have to rewatch them and see.  Amazon Prime has GoldenEye, and the rest of his are behind paywalls, so dumb.  Sean Bean is 006, which is fun to get more lore of who are these numbers.  Famke Janssen and Alan Cumming are in it, and I rewatched this right before X-Men 2 came out, just to see them in their first film but they were united.  Mutants United.  Judi Dench as M.  Is Minnie Driver in this, I don’t remember her being in it.  Oh, she’s the singer.  I have to rewatch this as the screencap is familiar but I have no memory of the context. 

It Takes Two, starring the Olsen Twins, Kirstie Alley, and Steve Guttenberg.  More like Greatenberg, am I right?  A take on the classic Parent Trap, but with a Prince and the Pauper twist to it.  You have to suspend your disbelief that two girls unrelated to each other, look exactly like each other, but that’s an Olsen twin movie for you.  When they are not playing sisters.

Casino, WAYW is going to talk about this movie a bunch, but I barely recall watching it.  I need to rewatch it, but it isn’t streaming anywhere.  Martin Scorsese opus, starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Kevin Pollock.  I mostly remember it coming in two VHS tapes and that being very intimidating. 

Toy Story comes out, and wins the hearts of everybody who saw it!  Such an amazing film and the films get better with each one, until the fourth one.  I’m mostly kidding, but the story should have stopped at 3. 

December

Sense and Sensibility, I probably saw the one time.  Ang Lee directed it, so I probably watched it as his Hulk was coming out in 2003.  Great cast, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Hugh Grant.  A couple years ago, I gave Hugh Grant a fair shake and saw as many movies of his as I could that were streaming, and I quickly got on board the Hugh Grant train.  Grant it, pun very intended!, I was way late, but he has a great body of work.  Very enjoyable. 

Heat, the movie that kicked off this whole thing! 

Alex and Nick reviewed Heat, I bought it five dollars through VUDU, it was the Director’s Definitive edition, and I’m like an hour into it.  They end the episode stating they will review 1995 next and here we are. 

Heat is Michael Mann’s cops and robbers opus.  Starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, John Voight, star of Anaconda.  Hank Azaria, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, a young Natalie Portman, Kevin Gage, and Danny Trejo.  Such a perfect film!

Jumanji, we just watched this a month ago, Walker was really into it, and I’ve caught him watching it a few times since then.  Robin Williams and Bonnie Hunt, most likely the first film I saw of hers and immediately fell in love.  A very young Kirsten Dunst.  David Alan Grier is also in it. 

Sabrina, oh gosh, I completely forgot about this film!  I’m not sure what made me take a chance on this movie, but once I saw it, I immediately bought the VHS, and watched it so many times.  It wasn’t until years later, I learned it was a remake of a 1954 film.  The remake is directed by Sydney Pollack, and it starts Julia Ormond, who is initially attracted to the fun brother, Greg Kinnear, and then slowly becomes fond of the older, more mature, Harrison Ford.  It is streaming on Paramount Plus and I should rewatch it, as it has been years.  Harrison Ford is so good in it! 

I’m pretty sure I saw Mel Brooks’ Dracula : Dead and Loving It, or at the very least, I started it.  I may have noped out as I wasn’t in the mood for outlandish comedy.  Leslie Nielsen as dragon, Steven Weber is in it as well. 

Grumpier Old Men, is a title I love and I wish more sequels were bold enough to add an -er to their original title for the sequel.  Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau are back at it and their grumpier than ever!  I saw this in high school and it was pretty fun.  Kevin Pollak and Daryl Hannah are also in it with Burgess Meredith. 

12 Monkeys, I started and didn’t connect with.  Too out there and I wasn’t ready for it.

I need to watch Mr. Holland’s Opus.  It doesn’t appear to be streaming anywhere. 

Well, that’s 1995 and my opinions of the majority of the films from the year! 

I have no idea how WAYW is going to cover this massive year in one movie, they are going to have to either give one sentence opinions or just narrow it down to ten films each.  I’ll do a follow up post about which movies they highlight. 

. . .

Births of 1995, all of them should be 28

Shameik Moore

Justice Smith

Dua Lipa

Katherine McNamara

Timothee Chalamet

Ross Lynch

. . .

Deaths of 1995

Donald Pleasence

Big John Studd

Burl Ives

. . .

Film Debuts, all working for 28 years

Casey Affleck

Michael Bay

Connie Britton

Hayden Christensen

Rachel Leigh Cook

Rosario Dawson

Peter Dinklage

Minnie Driver

Michael Clarke Duncan

Peter Facinelli

Will Ferrell

Natasha Henstridge

Rhys Ifans

Monica Keena

Keira Knightley

Johnny Knoxville

David Koechner

Jared Leto

James McAvoy

Debra Messing

Amanda Peet

Mekhi Phifer

Ryan Phillippe

Jeremy Renner

Paul Rudd

Peter Sarsgaard

Chloe Sevigny

Michael Sheen

Ethan Suplee

Charlize Theron

James Van Der Beek

Johnny Whitworth

. . .

Top Ten of 1995

In no real order :

1              Empire Records

2              Mallrats

3              Batman Forever

4              Apollo 13

5              Usual Suspects

6              Seven

7              Die Hard with a Vengeance

8              American President

9              Heat

10           Power Rangers

. . .

Amazon Prime

SFW

GoldenEye

Hulu

Boys on the Side

Netflix

The Quick and the Dead

Disney+

Tall Tale

HBO Max

Clueless

Assassins

YouTube

Hackers

Paramount Plus

Sabrina

2022 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2021
Posted in: Film. Tagged: . Leave a comment

Feel free to follow along as I review the films of 2022!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2022

January

The 355, (in)famous X-Men producer and director of Dark Phoenix, Simon Kinberg is making an action spy movie.  Jessica Chastain must have liked the experience as she’s back.  Sebastian Stan is joining her, so that’s fun.

The fourth, and possibly final installment of the Hotel Transylvania franchise, Transformania, comes out.  Surprisingly, I have actually seen all of these.  They seem to be getting worst with each one.

Scream, the fifth movie in the franchise, but without the numbering, what does it all mean?!  Hopefully Syn, Gail, and Dewie make it out.  I’m super worried about losing one per act.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/deep-water-with-ben-affleck-and-ana-de-armas-pulled-from-theatrical-release/ar-AARF1kW?li=BBnb7Kz

MSN had an article stating Deep Water is not coming out when expected, so who knows what is happening there.  We’ll have to see Ben Affleck in something else, I supposed.

Guy Ritchie is making a comedy spy movie with Hugh Grant, Cary Elwes, Aubrey Plaza, and Jason Statham.  Even Josh Hartnett is coming back for this.  Or has he already come back?

Cyrano, a musical, starring Peter Dinklage is coming out.  That should be interesting.  Ben Mendelsohn is in it too.  Fun how musicals are coming back.

Redeeming Love has Famke Janssen and Nina Dobrev, but not in starring roles, but always nice to see Janssen in a film.

The King’s Daughter, a fantasy film, has Pierce Brosnan (my favorite Bond), William Hurt (Big Chill represent!), and Julie Andrews.

Morbius is finally coming out!  The Sony-Spider-verse finally expands again.  Probably the first movie I will actually try to watch.

The Ice Age is getting dusted off for Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild, which I haven’t seen any of these.

February

Roland Emmerich is back destroying things with Moonfall.  I can only imagine what the threat will be.  Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, Michael Pena, and Donald Sutherland are in it, so that’s a cast worth seeing.

Jackass Forever, should have gone with Fourever, but sure, or even 4ever.  They could have had more fun with it.  Seen all of these, but 3 came out in 2010, believe it or not.

I still need to watch Kenneth Branagh’s other two Agatha Christie films, but the third one, Death on the Nile comes out.  Annette Bening, Russell Brand, and Gal Gadot are in it.

Graphic novel adaption of Marry Me comes out, starring Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, and Sarah Silverman.

I Want You back stars both Charlie Day and Jenny Slate, so that should be super funny.

Uncharted finally comes out!  The second film of the year I actually want to see and probably the actual first movie I see.  I still wish Mark Wahlberg had Sully’s mustache and Tom Holland was older looking in it, but the trailer does look amazing.  For some reason, borrowing a scene from Uncharted 3, and mentioning a character from 4, makes me think that they are trying to squeeze everything into this one in fear that there won’t be a second one.  But maybe they’re plan is to make the second one limitless with possibilities?  I’m really hoping Elena shows up in it, but I get them going with Chloe first.  Maybe it will end with an Elena appearance?

Michael Bay’s Ambulance, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.  If you see the trailer, I really feel like they showed the entire movie with it.  I really like how Marvel has a policy of not showing any footage past the first act.

Channing Tatum is co-directing a film, that he’s starring in, Dog.  It has Kevin Nash and Ethan Suplee, so I like that.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is getting the Halloween treatment and getting a direct-sequel-forget-those-other-films business.  I’ve only seen Next Generation with Renee Zellweger. I’m the worst.  Coming to Netflix, so I might watch this.

Disney is modernizing Cinderella with Sneakerella (get it?).  Coming to Disney Plus, so we’ll probably watch this eventually.

March

The Batman, finally!  I just bought Walker the Hot Wheels version of the Batmobile.  We’re pretty excited.  Paul Dano as the Riddler?!  Yes please!

We saw the trailer for Disney’s Turning Red, and it looks super fun.

My wife should be excited about Downton Abbey : A New Era.

The Contractor, Chris Pine is back (is there a reason he only makes like one movie every two years?), Ben Foster (when is Flash Forward going to come to Disney+ ?!), Gillian Jacobs (Community represent!).

The Lost City, an adventure comedy, has Sandra Bullock coming back, Chatum Tatum Oscar Nunez, and Daniel Radcliffe.

April

Jay Chandrasekhar directs Easter Sunday, which has Tia Carrere in it!  We follow a fictional Joy Koy as he comes home for Easter.  I’ve seen clips of Koy and seems funny, just never committed to a full special.

Bullet Train, an action thriller, has quite the cast.  Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who I have to admit thought I read it as Anya Taylor-Joy.  I’m like a small percentage of people who made that mistake, right?  Well, Michael Shannon and Sandra Bullock are in it, so she’s coming back ya’ll.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2, will make Walker super excited.  I’m expecting it to take place mostly on Mobius, right?

The Northman, an epic historical thriller, has Alexander Skarsgard as a Viking (of course!), Nicole Kidman (who clearly likes working with him, who wouldn’t?!), and hey, Anya Taylor-Joy, I read that right this time.  Ethan Hawke and Willem Dafoe too!

The third Fantastic Beasts comes out, and I only seen the first half of the first movie and fell asleep.  That’s on me though.  Well, that and the movie, I reckon.  I haven’t gone back.  The Lego Dimensions levels were enough for me.  I feel I got it.

While at the Montana Bookstore, we saw the book series, The Bad Guys, and it looked pretty interesting.  They didn’t have the first book nor the collection of the first four books, so we passed on it, but nice that it is being turned into a movie.

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent sounds super fun!  Nicholas Cage playing a fictional version of himself, in an action comedy.  That’s how I prefer my Cage, with lots of action!  Pedro Pascal, Tiffany Haddish and NPH are in it!  NPH everybody!

May

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, this movie should have a lot of pressure to be amazing, but I bet it pulls it off!

DC League of Super-Pets, I saw the trailer for this before Ghostbusters Afterlife, and I didn’t even know it was a thing!  Looks super fun!  I’m hoping Ace the Bat-hound shows up.  Oh shoot, just looked up the page, and Kevin Hart is playing Ace, a hound, but gets super strength and invulnerability.  So unless the film ends with him being Batman’s Ace, probably not going to happen.  I just typed that and already envisioning the movie ending, Ace losing his powers, and Batman adopting him.  That’s how it is going to end, right?  Hey, the page states that it will be on HBO Max 45 days after its theatrical release.  That’s awesome!  I can definitely wait 45 days, though we may just watch it in the theater too.

Hey, Legally Blonde 3 is coming out.  Is Luke Wilson (my favorite Wilson brother) in the second one?  Is he in this one?  He is!  At least the second one, which apparently, I never saw.

Top Gun : Maverick finally comes out too.  Val Kilmer, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, even that Miles Teller is in this, with Jon Hamm too!  The film literally can be about anything, but it will definitely have Tom Cruise now the veteran having to now deal with someone who was like him in the day.  Classic Disney sequel plot.

John Wick, Chapter 4.  I seriously need to watch these films!  Joining Keanu Reeves is Laurence Fishburne, Clancy Brown, and Ian McShane!  I still want to watch Nobody as well.  Apparently there could be a potential crossover as they share the same creative team.  Also, a fifth movie is planned.  McShane is a regular of the series, as is Fishburne.

Bob’s Burgers Movie is coming out, a series I should be watching more a I simply love H. Jon Benjamin.  Kristen Schaal and Eugene Mirman are amazing too.

June

Jurassic World : Dominion appears to be the one they are dumping all of the money into.  They got Sam Neill, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum!  Probably just one scene with all three of them, right?  Is BD Wong going to make it out of this alive?!

Lightyear, I’m still confused by Tim Allen can’t do the voice of a young Lightyear?  Like, does it matter?  He still sounds the same.  But I get them going with Chris Evans, but seems mean.  Maybe Tim Allen bookends the film?

They are making about bioflick for Elvis, Tom Hanks will be Colonel Tom Parker.  There has to be a website now of all of the real people Hanks has portrayed now, right?  He’s been a lot of real people.

July

Minions : The Rise of Gru.  I had to check to see if we have missed one of these, but this must have been pushed way out.  Taraji P. Henson, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lucy Lawless, Dolph Lundgren, and Danny Trejo join the cast, so it must be pretty heavy on the villainy, right?

Thor : Love and Thunder.  Here we go, another movie I’m super excited!  We’re getting Natalie Portman back, ya’ll!  Going to work as Guardians 2 ½ as well, which is super fun.  I imagine we’ll get bookend scenes, right?  It would be fun if they were just there just like how Captain America : Civil War was essentially just an Avengers movie.  I completely forgot that Christian Bale joins the Marvel universe with this film!  Such a huge get!  He’ll be playing Gorr the God Butcher, from Jason Aaron and Esad Ribic’s Thor run in 2013.

Jordan Peele keeps making horror movies, with Nope, and I really need to start watching his movies!  I’m the worst!

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam finally comes out.  I’m seeing Sarah Shahi and Pierce Brosnan are in this.  I would imagine Zachary Levi shows up in a fun cameo, right?

August

Secret Headquarters sounds like a lot of fun, and it is based on a story by a great X-Men writer, Christopher Yost.  A kid finds his father’s secret headquarters (nice!) and I assume hijinks ensues.  Owen Wilson and Michael Pena are in it.

A Mythos Comics graphic novel is being adapted, Samaritan, starring Sylvester Stallone.  A young boy comes across a once legendary superhero the world thought lost, who may have just been living a normal life.  That’s a type of story I’ve thought about, like what happens to Daredevil once he’s in his 50s?  He can’t keep going on and on.  Martin Starr is in this, and I do enjoy him.

September

Salem’s Lot is being adapted, again.  I couldn’t get through the book after multiple attempts.

We’re getting another Puss in Boots movie, which I haven’t even seen the first one.

Olivia Wilde’s thriller, Don’t Worry Darling is coming out.  It stars Florence Pugh (who was simply a delight in Hawkeye’s fifth episode), and Harry Styles.  Kiki Layne, Nick Kroll, and Chris Pine are also in it.

Mission : Impossible 7 comes out.  I do like how they just keep making these, I really need to watch these again, I think I got to 3? before I stopped for whatever reason.  Hayley Atwell is back too.  Interesting that there is no subtitle.  Oh no, this is the one she was already filming, so they must have been delayed as well.  It will be coming to Paramount+, so hopefully they have the other films available too.  8 is in the works.  I wonder if a subtitle will be added at some point?

October

Spider-Man : Across the Spider-Verse (Part One).  Ooof, that title!  Seems like such a waste of a second movie, when they could have gone By the Spider-Verse.  We’re pretty excited.  Though hopefully this version of Miles gets a movie where he isn’t dimension hopping, but I get that this is a classic Disney sequel, so the universes came to him, and now he will go to them.  Plus, this one should launch the other characters into their own films, right?

Halloween Ends, gosh, I really need to watch these new Halloween movies!  Kills was available to stream, but 2018 wasn’t, so I couldn’t get caught up.  For free, I mean.

Ticket to Paradise reunites Julia Roberts and George Clooney in a romantic comedy.  That should be nice to see them together and just working again.

November

Flash, like Uncharted, is one of those films that I will believe is actually coming out when I see it listed at Cinemark.  I still have my doubts.  Though I’m pretty excited about a big screen version of Crisis of Infinite Earths, but that’s a lot of story to squeeze into two hours.  Michael Keaton back as Batman should be incredible!  Ben Affleck is listed in the cast too, even if it is for only a minute, that would be fantastic as well.  The movie is more like Flashpoint than Crisis apparently.

David O. Russell is united an all start cast for his latest untitled project.  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Rami Malek, Zoe Saldana, Chris Rock, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon, heck, even Taylor Swift, Mike Myers, and Robert Do Niro are in this.  I like how the Wikipedia description for the movie is simply : A doctor and a lawyer form an unlikely friendship.  Like, with that cast and that director/writer, that’s all we really need.  It will run the gambit of emotions if it is anything like The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook, and American Hustle.

Kenneth Branagh is working on a Bee Gees biopic, so that’s happening.

We’re getting so many superhero films and I am definitely here for it!  Black Panther : Wakanda Forever has the impossible task of continuing the Black Panther movie franchise.  Though I completely understand not wanting to recast T’Challa as Chadwick Boseman, as he was the best, but also, we do live in the world of 12 Batmans and 6 Spider-Mans, so recasting is something that we are used to have happening.  But what an impossible task and decision to make!  Super excited about this movie, and what they have going for it.  Seems like we are going to be introduced to a slew of characters (like Iron Heart) and this is supposed to launch a television series too.  Imagine a Wakandian version of the West Wing?!  That’ll be terrific!

She Said, a film based on the book about taking down Harvey Weinstein, starring Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, and Andre Braugher.

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, is a throw back to the good ol’ days of live action / animation musicals.  Javier Bardem and Constance Wu are in this, could be very interesting.

Steven Spielberg is back in a big way, with The Fabelmans.  Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen are reunited and they are bringing along Paul Dano in a movie that Spielberg co-written.

Creed III, I have yet to watch any of the Creed films and I need to get on top of that.

Disney is relating Strange World, and that’s all we know about it right now.

December

The threat of James Cameron’s Avatar 2 become very real. The original film came out in 2009, so anticipation has been building for 13 years, or people have forgotten about it.  I’m definitely more in the camp that it was a decent film, but still confused why it was the number one film of all time for as long as it was.  Until Endgame replaced it and now we have a great movie up on the charts.  Sam Worthington is dusted off for this.  2024 promises to have Avatar 3.  I felt bad and had to look up what other films as he worked on since 2009.  Jennifer Aniston’s Cake in 2014, Ensemble film Everst, and Andrew Garfield’s Hackaw Ridge.  Some other films I didn’t recognize.  Zoe Saldana is back as is Sigourney Weaver.  Either also back or joining the cast are : Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel, Edie Falco, Jermaine Clement and Kate Winslet.  I want to say they are mostly new, but who remembers Avatar?

Hey, I didn’t even know we were expecting an Aquaman sequel!  Two DC films in one year?  That’s pretty impressive.  Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, and Doph Lundgren are definitely back for it.  Didn’t the first movie have a couple lost kingdoms?

The Mario film.  I’m still not on board with Chris Pratt being Mario, as he’s already lent his voice to several high profile animated films, but here we are.  I am excited that we’re going to get a slew of new Mario merchandise, especially plushies, and hopefully, hopefully a new game.  I’m wanting at least eight different worlds.  I recognize six of them will probably be montaged, but that’s okay.

We’re getting a Whitney Houston biopic, I Wanna Dance with Somebody.

The year ends with Babylon written and directed by Damien Chazelle, of Whiplash and La La Land.  Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Lukas Haas, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze, and Jean Smart is in this.  Tobey Maguire is executive producing and has a supporting role in this period drama.

2021 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2020
Posted in: Film, Websites. Tagged: . Leave a comment

We’re entering into 2021 and it has to be better than 2020, right?

As always, I will look to see which movie titles jump out at me.  All dates are subject to change.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2021

January

Chaos Walking is finally coming out.  A movie I recently saw the trailer for and was reminded the movie has been delayed quite a bit.  The Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley, alien planet where your thoughts are heard by everyone.  Sounds interesting, but I’ll wait until it is streaming somewhere.

Our Friend, has Jason Segel in it, so I’ll eventually watch this.  I keep meaning to check out Dispatches from Elsewhere on AMC.

February

A non-Disney, but still a musical, version of Cinderella is coming out.  I’m not that familiar with Camila Cabello, but I feel her being cast as Cinderella is very telling of what type of film this will be.  Idina Menzel, James Corden, John Mulaney, Miniie Driver, and Pierce Brosnan are in it, so it will probably be pretty fun to watch.

French Exit has Michelle Pfeiffer so that’ll be a movie to watch.

Dog has Channing Tatum co-directing and starring.  It will be a comedy.

Flora & Ulysses is coming to Disney Plus, and it has Alyson Hannigan, Danny Pudy, Kate icucci, Bobby Moynihan, and Ben Schwartz, so should be a fun family film.  I’m not familiar with the book at all.

oooooof!  Tim Story is bringing a live action / animation mix Tom and Jerry to HBO Max.  This is going to be like those Alien / Predator films that should be 80 percent the title characters, but won’t be.

The Russo brothers are co-directing Cherry, starring Tom Holland, based on a movie I’m not familiar with, so this promises to be good, with just those three being involved.  Full disclosure, I haven’t read a book in maybe two years, which I really should get back into the habit of.  As if I was Whoopi Goldberg.

Nobody has both Bob Odenkirk and Christopher Lloyd, so I’ll add this to my list of films to look out for.  Which I have now done.

March

Coming 2 America, a sequel 33 years in the making.  Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, Wesley Snipes, and James Earl Jones, yes please!  Also proving any movie can get a sequel.

Disney’s latest animated feature, Raya and the Last Dragon, comes out!  I’m so excited!  And maybe it is coming to Disney Plus as well?  I love how Warner Brothers just threw it out there that all of their movies are coming to HBO Max on the same day.  That’s a service I can fully support.

The King’s Man is the prequel in the trilogy, and I have yet to watch a single one of these Kingsman films.

Typing about prequels, The Many Saints of Newark, the prequel film to Sopranos is actually coming out.  David Chase is co-writing it.  Leslie Odom Jr. is in it, so that’s fantastic.  Vera Farmiga is in it too, so that’s nice.

Morbius may be coming out, so that the BluRay will be out in time for Halloween.  Will he be in the upcoming third Tom Holland Spider-Man film?  The cast of that film is a dream coming true!

Another series I have dodged, Boss Baby, adds another film to its franchise, Family Business.

April

No Time to Die, the 25th film in the James Bond series, and most likely Daniel Craig’s fifth and last one.  Such a great title.

Peter Rabbit 2 : The Runaway, I saw the first one, so I’ll eventually watch this one.

Bob’s Burgers : The Movie, H. Jon Benjamin getting that sweet movie money!  Odd that Bob got a movie before Archer.  It is a musical too!  Fun!

Mortal Kombat is braving its face gain!  Coming to HBO Max as well!  For some reason, I thought this was the fifth in the series, but it is only the third.

A Quiet Place Part II reminds me that I really need to watch that first movie.

Edgar Wright brings us Last Night in Soho, with Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Terence Stamp!

The Asset reteams Michael Keaton and Samuel L. Jackson.

May

Hopefully, Black Widow, actually comes out!  We have to get these Marvel films back on track.

I saw, Rumble, thought it would be a WWE Royal Rumble movie, knew it wouldn’t, was about to move onto the next film on the list, but then I saw it.  WWE Studios, say what?!  It is an animated movie, and I’m hoping it is a fun romp.

The graphic novel, Marry Me, which I haven’t heard of, gets a big screen adaption.  It will star Jennifer Lopez, who will be providing the soundtrack for, Owen Wilson is being let out of movie jail for this.  Sarah Silverman was the name attached that peaked my interest.

Godzilla vs. Kong is finally coming!  I have to yet to see either creature’s latest films, and I should really correct that.

Free Guy is probably my most anticipated movie that isn’t being produced by Marvel.  A Grand Theft Auto mixed with Fortnite movie starring Ryan Reynolds?  I was already trying to figure out how to preorder movie tickets when I first saw the trailer.

Saw is getting a ninth film in the franchise!  This time with Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, so it should be getting good again.  I have not seen a Saw film since maybe the third one?

F9, the latest Fast and the Furious film, another complete franchise I have yet to see any films of.

Curella continues Disney’s need to create live action films based off of beloved animated series.  In a twist, this is a prequel, starring Emma Stone.

June

Sylvester Stallone stars in a new twist on the superhero film, Samaritan.

Ghostbusters : Afterlife hopefully comes!  We are really anticipating those sweet Lego sets that ought to come from the film’s release.

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights is coming out, and hopefully Roku and Amazon will have finally add HBO Max to their streaming TVs and devices by then.  So annoying!  My wife and I will probably watch this a slew, simply based on how often we watched Hamilton.

Venom : Let There be Carnage ends the month.  Since when was Andy Serkis set to direct this?   I feel like that should really step up the film, right?

July

Top Gun : Maverick finally comes out.  Jon Hamm is in it, and I realize I sort of forgot about that guy.

Minions : The Rise of Gru comes out.  Sequel heavy year, but that makes sense, as the movie industry has to make up for lost time.

Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings should be great, and I can’t wait to see a trailer.

The Forever Purge is the fifth and final installment of the Purge franchise.  I should watch these once it is all said and done.  Anyone know if they ever dealt with the events that lead up to the first Purge?  I really could go for a documentary set in the that explains that first year and how bad things must have been.  Like, there is no way Congress okayed this, but if they did, what made it all possible?  Was the first two years like the worst?

I’ll believe Tom Holland’s Uncharted is coming out once I see a trailer, and once I see an article that states it is coming out “this Friday.”  Until then, I have my doubts.

So they actually were making the LeBron James Space Jam movie?  Titled, New Legacy.  Coming to HBO Max, which is nice!  And, yes, Lola Bunny will be part of the cast.

J.K. Simmons will be in Chris McKay’s The Tomorrow War, along with Chris Pratt, and Yvonne Strahovski.

M. Knight Shyamalan is being let out of movie jail again with Old, based on a graphic novel, Sandcastle, by Pierre Oscar Levy and Frederik Peeters.

Disney’s latest film based on one of their rides, Jungle Cruise (that does not even sound familiar), is coming out, starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and Paul Giamatti.   People really like the Rock in a jungle setting.

Everyone’s other favorite Old English story, The Green Knight, is getting a modern update.

August

James Gunn’s reimagining of The Suicide Squad is coming out.  Should be pretty fun from everything I have seen.  Coming to HBO Max, so that’s fantastic.

Hotel Transylvania 4?!  For some reason, I have seen all of these.  I really thought we said everything we needed to say with the 3rd one.

Deep Water, an erotic thriller starring everyone’s dream boat, Ben Affleck.  This makes sense.

Jennifer Hudson will be Aretha Franklin in Respect.  Surprised they didn’t go with R-E-S-P-E-C-T as the official writing of the title.  Forest Whittaker, Marlon Wayans, Marc Maron, and Mary J. Blige also star in the film.

I forgot I wanted to watch The Hitman’s Bodyguard with Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson.  Well, a sequel is coming out, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard – which I already fell in love with the title.

There’s going to be a PAW Patrol movie, a franchise Walker Dennis completely avoided.

Candyman is getting a direct sequel and not a remake, so I’m all about that.  Though I’ve never seen any of the films.  I imagine it will work like Halloween and ignore the films in the middle that they want to ignore.

Peter Jackson has apparently been working on a Beatles documentary this whole time.

September

Jackass 4 is going to be a thing.

Resident Evil gets a reboot, probably to be more in-line with the tone of the actual games, and tie-in nicely with Resident VIIIage.

Kenneth Branagh continues to adapt Agatha Christie books with, Death on the Nile.  The film stars Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Gal Gadot, and Armie Hammer.

My Little Pony is getting a sequel film.

October

Dune will finally coming out.  Well, Part One anyway.

Addams Family 2 reminds me that we kept not watching the first film.

Halloween Kills is a sequel to the 2018 Halloween direct sequel to the original Halloween film, and the 12 entry into my favorite scary franchise.

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wrote a movie together again!  The Last Duel will be directed by Ridley Scott and stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck will be more in a supporting role.  Adam Driver will be dueling Damon.

Snake Eyes will get his spin-off film from the G.I. Joe franchise, yet another series that I have not watch any of the films of.  There are only two other films, I thought there were like four of them.

November

Marvel’s Eternals finally comes out!

I was literally having the thought yesterday about how no one under 25 probably even knows Elvis or his significance, and here comes Austin Butler (Elvis) and Tom Hants (The Colonel) to bring the King back.

Clifford The Big Red Dog also finally comes out.

Mission : Impossible 7 comes out, and I’m way behind on this franchise, like, I’m sure the last one I saw was the second one.  Hayley Atwell has joined the cast, so it should be pretty great.

There are a few films were directors are releasing two films, which makes sense as I’m sure there were films already completed and were waiting for theaters to open.  Ridley Scott is directing a story about Guccio Gucci, staring Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro.

December

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story finally comes out as well!

December 17, Spider-Man 3 featuring every single person!  Probably my most anticipated film of the year!

Matrix 4 should be interesting. NPH joins the cast.

Sing 2 comes out, making it five years since the original, but I’m sure Walker Dennis will still want to watch it.

So not a bad year of films.

SDCC : New Mutants @ Home

Posted by John Klein III on August 6, 2020
Posted in: Film, Fun With YouTube. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

Thanks to Comic-Con International for hosting their own video!

I love seeing the cast together and having a great time!  They filmed this so long ago.

I liked how they had fun with all of the delays, but ideally, we will see this moving on August 28, 2020.  I am not sure why they are still holding out for theaters, I guess to be eligible for Oscars?

Towards the end, they reveal the opening scene, which looks super dark to me.

I strained my ears for any hints of Lockheed, and then I strained my eyes during any shown footage, and I could not see the little guy anywhere.  I sincerely hope he makes the cut.  Just see me an official Lockheed plushie, please!

It really is incredible how this cast just gets more and more famous, and yet, this film cannot just come out.

Anya Taylor-Joy has won me over as Magik already!

They made a Twitter emoji for Magik, #NewMutantsMagik is how you get it to show up.

I tried #NewMutantsLockheed, but it did not work, which would have been a fun treat.

2020 in Film

Posted by John Klein III on December 31, 2019
Posted in: Film, Fun With YouTube, Songs, Websites. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

Time for our annual look at the movies coming out in 2020!

If you want to follow along, this article is brought to you by Wikipedia!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2020

Unofficially, of course.  Though, one of these times, I really should donate to Wikipedia, with how much I rely on them.

We are bound to watch a movie in January so that we can get our 2020 Cinemark Souvenir Cups.  Walker Dennis would get one of him for the first film but then go back to getting his kids combo that includes a very small drink.  But we like having a third one for when we take a guest, most likely, one of our nephews.

January

The Grudge is having another go in the theaters.  John Cho is in it so that’s one thing it has going for it.

Kristen Stewart continues her comeback with Underwater.

The Informer has Clive Owen coming back to films!  I thought about that guy a bunch this year.  He apparently has been making two movies a year for a while but I have not had any of those bring them to my attention.  He was apparently in the show, The Knick, with Chris Sullivan, so I really want to watch that show now.

Whatever happened to Rupert Everett?  I liked him in a slew of things!

Josh Harnett is even coming back to films with Inherit the Viper.

Dolittle may be the movie we actually end up watching in the theater, begrudgingly.  I was not a huge fan of Eddie Murphy’s franchise, only having seen the first one, but it looks like they are putting money in this one with a giant all star voice cast.  Robert Downey Jr. is Dr. Dolittle, the veterinarian who talks to animals, and can understand what they say back.  The voice cast includes Emma Thompson, Rami Malek (coming a long way from Until Dawn!), John Cena, Kumail Nanjiani, Octavia Spencer, Tom Holland, Craig Robinson, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, and Marion Cotillard.

Will Smith continues his quest to reclaim the love of the people with the the concluding chapter of the now Bad Boys trilogy, along with Martin Lawrence.  Which I appreciate him trying to bring back his 90s fun era as his attempts at Oscar gold has left me cold.

For Sebastian Stan fans, The Last Full Measure comes to theaters, sounds like a very interesting story involving William H. Pitsenbarger.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Pitsenbarger

Stan portrays an investigator looking into a Medal of Honor request for Pitsenbarger.  The film also has Peter Fonda in it, and I did not even realized he died back in August 2019.

Charlie Hunnam will be in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen.  Hugh Grant is in it too!

On my birthday, we get another attempt at making Gretel & Hansel into a movie.

February

I was going to give Birds of Prey a hard pass but Mary Elizabeth Winstead as The Huntress intrigues me.

So that is something the film has going for it. As Ali Wong is in the film along with Ewan McGregor as The Black Mask.

This really is the year of the comback!  Alicia Silverstone is back, ya’ll!  In The Lodge, a horror film.

Probably the definition of someone trying to reclaim their 90s cred, Jim Carrey in Sonic the Hedgehog!  If I watch it, it will be for James Marsden and for the (hopefully) ten minutes we get in Mobius.

I am reminded that horror movies come out in February so that the BluRay will be available by Halloween.  Fantasy Island is getting a horror film adaption that until right this moment as I type this, I was thinking about the Love Boat.  I have never seen an episode of Fantasy Island so I have no connection to this.

Community’s Jim Rash is co-directing a film, Downhill, a remake of a Swedish film, Force Majeure.  It stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus and WIll Ferrell.

Hey, Valiant Comics actually got Bloodshot made into a movie, starring Vin Diesal.  Good for those guys!

Maybe the first legitimate movie I am actually interested in.  Call of the Wild, a CGI-Animated adaption of Jack London novel.  The voice cast is pretty stunning with Harrison Ford, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan, and Bradley Whitford!  Which reminds me, I still have that final season of Legion to watch.

It has been enough years (I guess?) so we are getting another adaption of Emma, this time with Anya Taylor-Joy.  Are we going to get New Mutants this year?

The Boy is getting a sequel, this time with Katie Holmes.

I am a sucker for The Invisible Man, so I am excited about this new movie!  Elizabeth Moss, who is enjoying an amazing career post-West Wing, is the gal who is being tormented by Oliver Mansour Jackson-Cohen’s the Invisible Man.

Wendy, a re-imagining of Peter Pan, is coming out at the end of February (along with Invisible Man), so that should interest my wife as she’s a huge Peter Pan fan.  Seems like a very dark take on the characters.

March

I saw a trailer for Disney Pixar’s Onward, it looks cute with two demon sons wishing their father back to life but only get him from the waist down.  Tom Holland may be lending his voice to too many animated films.  Probably watch this with Walker Dennis but I would be okay with passing on it.

Ben Affleck will be in a sports drama, The Way Back.  It is a re-team with Director Gavin O’Connor, which reminds me that I did want to watch The Accountant.

My Spy, starring Dave Bautista, Kristen Schall, and Dr. Ken Jeong, is the first kids’ movie I would be tempted to see.  It looked silly and over the top, but in a good way.

A Quiet Place is getting a sequel, which might prompt me to finally getting around to watching the first movie.

Looks like the Riverdale cast has started making side movies!  KJ Apa (Archie) is portraying Jeremy Camp in I Still Believe.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Camp#Personal_life

Britt Robertson (who I know from Under the Dome but she’s been in loads of things now), is portraying his first wife.  His parents are played by Gary Sinise and Shania Twain.  The story is what he based his song, I Still Believe, about.

Thanks to JeremyCampMusic for hosting the video!

Disney’s continuing quest to turn all of their animated feature films into real films, continues with Mulan’s release. Probably another one of these I will not watch until it is on Disney+.

April 

Peter Rabbit 2 comes out and the first one was not horrible.  Probably catch it whenever it becomes available to stream.  Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson are back, and that is all I care about.

Lookie lookie, we have New Mutants set for April!  I cannot find a movie poster with the new date on it so I will believe it when I see it.  I also still need to watch The Dark Phoenix Saga, I know it is not good but I should still watch it.  Like Fallout 76, it feels weird not experiencing something in one of my favorite franchises.

We are getting the 25th Bond film, No Time to Die, such a great Bondy title!  I still have to watch Spectre.

Trolls World Tour will be a definite movie we watch in the theater. I have to remember that Cinemark does Discount Tuesdays where movies are actually properly price, so we should try to take advantage of that more in the coming year.

The Secret Garden is getting another remake that maybe someone asked for?

May

Black Widow is hopefully a movie we watch in theaters.  For whatever reason, we missed out on Captain Marvel, we kept missing times or the weekend got away from us.  But I would like to watch it.

Tom Hanks wrote and stars in Greyhound, a war film based on a book.

The Personal History of David Copperfield has 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi in it.

We get yet another animated origin story of Scooby Doo, titled Scoob!  This was a trailer before Frozen 2 and Walker Dennis really wants to watch it.  I wish it was just a feature length animated film and not an origin story but I am sure it will be decent.

Chris Rock developed a story that is being turned into the ninth installment of the Saw franchise, The Organ Donor.  I thought we were done with that series?

Fast & Furious 9 is happening, I will be skipping that, I still have not seen one of these films.

Spongebob will have a trilogy of films come this summer.

Artemis Fowl, directed by Kenneth Branagh is coming out, I have heard of the book series but do not know anything specifically about it.

June

Wonder Woman kicks off the month!

Candyman pulls a Halloween and is making a direct sequel to the original film, and Tony Todd is back in the role as well!  Which reminds me, I still have to watch that new Halloween film.  Plus, I should play more Dead by Daylight, I feel like I am constantly reminded of how I made so many purchases in that game, and have not played in a while.

We saw a trailer for Pixar’s other movie, Soul, but I am not sure if we are going to watch it in theaters, I do like the idea of the film though and it promises to have jazz music in it, so I like that.  Tina Fey co-wrote it, so it should be funny.

Judd Apatow is back with King of Staten Island, that stars and is co-written by Pete Davidson.  He was just starting SNL when I gave up on the long running sketch comedy series.  Heck, I used to at least know who was hosting it but I have given up on that too.  Do people even talk about SNL sketches?  I was told about the Batman sketch and even that was years old.

So funny!

Thanks to Saturday Night Light for hosting the video.  Thanksgiving 2017, so two years ago, and I only heard about it a few months back when Arkham Knight was the free PS+ game.

Ton Gun’s sequel, Maverick, finally becomes a real thing after years of hearing about it.  Looks pretty legit with Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm (also making movies again?), and Ed Harris joining the cast.  I imagine the plot is Miles Teller (out from movie jail) is the new maverick and Tom Cruise as to get him to focus his energy and dial back his bad boy ways.

In the Heights, is this year’s musical!  I have not heard about it before but I hope there are some good songs in it.  Jimmy Smits, Stephanie Beatriz (who we heard sing in Lego Movie 2), and Lin-Manuel Miranda are in smaller roles, by judging how their names are listed on the Wikipedia page.  I still have not seen La La Land outside of watching three songs from it.  This post is mostly about movies I was excited about but did not go out of my way to watch.

July

Minions gets a sequel, The Rise of Gru, which should deal with his twin brother, right?  At least it should be acknowledged.  Thankfully, Walker Dennis is not despicably into this franchise, I think he likes it enough but he seems to be a bigger fan of Illumination’s other properties.

Ryan Reynolds has a science fiction comedy, Free Guy, coming out.  It sounds super fun!  Reynolds is a NPC in a GTA/Fortnite mashup of a game, and becomes aware that he is in a video game.  Which is a very fun premise.  What would that world be, just an open world first person shooter?  Is there a game like that?  So Fortnite but in a more city like local but still with the countdown and the parachutes?

Ghostbusters : Afterlife, the movie, if we do not watch any other movies this year, we will watch this one, for sure! Probably buy the souvenir cups and popcorn bowl too.  I am committed to this!

The Purge gets a fifth film!  Five more and they overtake Saw, if I am counting right.  The concept fascinates me but I need an origin story as I have so many questions about how it all got set up and what the infrastructure must have been like to get it started.  Have they dealt with that yet?  Even if it takes place in a comic or novel, I would totally read that.

Christopher Nolan is back with Tenet, and he did bring Michael Caine along for the ride!  “Action thriller” seems to be the only description of the plot.  RPatts getting some pre-Bat-time.  Kenneth Branagh is having a banner year with directing a film and featuring in another one.

Bob’s Burgers is getting a film!  Fun series, I only seen the first season and maybe some of the second?  I just barely have time for the shows I do watch.

Disney ride, Jungle Cruise, gets a film starring Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt (who must have really impressed someone with her Captain Marvel audition), and Paul Giamatti.

We’re getting a Marvel Morbius movie?!  I have been wanting one of these since Marvel has made movies and we have had Octobers!  Missed ropportunity to have it be in October as even the BluRay will not be available by then.  Jared Leto as Marbius kills my buzz but maybe he will be better in this role?  11th Doctor, Matt Smith, plays a friend in it!  I cannot find a legit image that does not look like an artist rendering of what he should look like.  Unless the above is legit, then we are off to a good start.

I get Sony has to do something with the Spider-franchise but I am really hoping this is at least watchable.  I just wish Disney had all of the characters but then we would not get a Morbius movie.  Then again, we are getting Blade, imagine that crossover?  I am now!

August

Respect, Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin.  This is dumb, and I am sure someone had the conversation, but I wished it was spelled R-E-S-P-E-C-T, which I get is longer and the hyphens are distracting, but it is probably more fun than they are hoping for.

I completely forgot to expect Bill & Ted Face the Music!  I am smiling just typing that!  William Sadler is back as The Grim Reaper, so that is amazing.  I really wished they did this while George Carlin was still alive.  Amy Stoch is back as Bill’s step-mother and Hal Landon Jr. is back as Ted’s father.

Let Him Go is a drama with Kevin Costner and Diane Lane, so someone really wanted more of them together after not getting it from Man of Steel, and I am right there with them!  Thomas Bezucha, who directed Family Stone, directs this film.  The pair have to save their grandson from an off-the-grid family.

September

Video game franchise, Monster Hunter, gets a film starring Resident Evil’s Milla Jovovich.

The Conjuring gets its eighth film in the franchise, which I am happy that Patrick Wilson keeps getting continued work.

The Kingsman gets a prequel with The King’s Man, another franchise I have nothing to do with.

Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse gets a film adaption, the origin story of John Clark, a recurring character in Jack Ryan stories. They have to do something while Amazon has the Jack Ryan rights.

Sopranos prequel film, The Main Saints of Newark comes to theaters, with David Chase co-writing.

Edgar Wright is back with Last Night in Soho, starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, and Terence Stamp.

Aaron Sorkin is writing and directing, The Trial of the Chicago 7, based off of the true events of the riots that took place during the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Seven

and not the Chicago White Sox like I originally thought it was going to be about before clicking the link for more information.  Seems like a very interesting case and I have not heard anything about it before hand.

Apparently the story has been adapted a couple times already.  The film stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Thomas Middleditch, William Hurt, Frank Langella, and Michael Keaton.  So I will eventually watch this.  I am sure it will also get Oscar buzz around it.

October

Now we get the real reason why Morbius is not the October movie from Sony’s Spider-Thinktank!  Venom 2 is a thing, were we even expecting it?  Walker Dennis sure did take to the first one so he might be able to watch the second one in the theater.  Woody Harrelson is in it so we must be getting Venom vs. Carnage, which should look better as two black characters fighting each other was not pleasant on the eyes.

That poster may not be legit, but it looks pretty cool.

Tom Hanks’ second movie, BIOS, it is a science fiction film that also features Skeet Ulrich.

Hey, Murder on the Orient Express is getting a sequel!  Death on the Nile, also written by Agatha Christie.  Kenneth Branagh is back as the director and star of the film.  So Sir Branagh is directed two films in one year and stars in two films as well, that has to be a record for director/actor, right?  Along for the ride is Gal Gadot, Letita Wright (Shuri from the Marvel films), Armie Hammer, Annette Bening, and Russell Brand.  These movies have quite the cast and I really do want to watch MotOE.

The 1990 masterpiece, Witches, is getting a remake!  This time by Robert Zemeckis, so I am not sure if this is going to be a CGI film like his previous ones or a proper live action film.  Cast is shaping up to be a delight with Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, and Chris Rock.  The film promises to be closer to the book version, which typical of remakes.

As referenced above, Halloween Kills is the sequel to the 2018’s Halloween sequel to the original movie.  Seems like a giant cast but Michael definitely needs to kill people so a larger cast lets that happen.  I really need to see that 2018 one.  Jamie Lee Curtis and Judy Greer are back, and Anthony Michael Hall is in this too!  This marks the 12th installment for the franchise.

GI Joe’s Snake eyes gets his own spin off!  I have yet to watch any of these films, and not necessarily going to break that tradition with this one.  Now, if there was a new Ninja Turtles and/or He-Man movie, along with Ghostbusters, then my trinity of cartoons would be complete!

We get two musicals this year with Everybody’s Talking about Jamie, which will be the comedy one.  I have not heard of this one either.

November

Can Marvel strike Guardians gold a second time with Eternals?  So many question marks with this film, including, what is this even going to be?  Is this going to work as an origin story for the Marvel Universe?  A second option?  Still, that cast and it being a Marvel movie, should mean success.  Black Widow could be the more action heavy movie and this one being the more thought-provoking film, though I am not sure if Marvel has one of those just yet.  Angelia Jolie, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, and Kit Harington, please come on into the Marvel Universe!

Clifford the Big Red Dog gets the live action adaption treatment.  Hopefully they do not lean into the Curious George disaster walking tropes, which Clifford is not known for but I can only imagine they are going to attempt to give the big ol’ dog an origin story.  Will Walker Dennis want to see it?  I doubt it,

There is no link but Netflix is making a movie (for theaters?) titled “Red Notice” directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber who also directed We are Millers and Dodgeball.  So it has to be a comedy.  The cast is pretty great with Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds.

Ben Affleck’s second film, Deep Water, based on the psychological thriller book.

Maybe the first movie I watch with Walker Dennis and I watch due to my wife’s disinterest in the big monster genre, but who knows, she might want to watch it.  My big caution about the film is the percentage of dumb humans to actual monster content as I would want the split to be 95/5 monster to humans.  Dumb humans can set up who the characters are for 15 minutes, then the next hour could just be the monsters fighting, as humans seek shelter but I also don’t care if any of the humans live.  Which is my biggest gripe with the Aliens vs. Predators films as it is like 30/70 with the humans taking most of the film’s running time.  Plus, there are so many humans in this film!  Dreamboat Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, and Kyle Chandler, so maybe they will not take up too much time either.  Plus, these are not any two no-name monsters, this is Godzilla vs. King Kong, so this should be presented like the once every 40 years match-up that it is!  Can you actually believe the last time they fought was in 1962?!  Way too long!

Disney’s official 59th animated feature film, Raya and the Last Dragon comes out.  Raya is searching for, you guessed it, the last dragon.  We have managed to watch the last several Disney films in the theater, so I imagine this one will get seen as well.

Will Smith, chasing that Oscar gold, stars in King Richard, a film about Venus and Serena Williams’ father, Richard.  I guess he’s the most important part of those two’s career?  I guess a movie from their perspective or from their point of view, could be a tad larger in scope so focusing on someone managing both daughters is the way to go.

December

Sylvester Stallone has a film, Samaritan, kicking the month off.

We are trying our hands with another Dune movie.  The film should cover the first half of the novel, so hopefully we get the second film.  The film stars Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Daddy Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.  The original film came out in 1984 and the book in 1965.

As this post takes some time to write, I legit was thinking that it has been a while since Steven Spielberg released a film and wondering if he was retired.  Turns out, he has been directing West Side Story!  We are getting three musicals this year!  That should fill up the Golden Globes Musical or Comedy category!  I have also not seen Ready Player One, or it turns out, several other Spielberg films.  It looks like a cast of relatively unknowns, but I bet it launches several careers.  The original film came out in 1961, and like most remakes, is supposed to be closer to the original Broadway source.

Even Coming to America is getting a sequel!  Coming 2 America, get it?  That’s fun.  The original film came out in 1988.  Plot seems a little dicey with Eddie Murphy’s character realizing he had a child (a son) he did not know about, like how he claimed Scary Spice’s daughter was not his, and now has to make six movies a year to pay off that child support.  Silly Eddie Murphy!  Arsenio Hall is back for this as is James Earl Jones.  Leslie Jones and Wesley Snipes joins the cast.

We are supposed to get Uncharted this year, but for some reason, I am very doubtful of it.  The lack of a Wikipedia page, Mark Wahlberg as a young Sully, no movie posters even being made by fans, Tom Holland as an even younger Nathan Drake, I’ll see if Travis Knight sticks around.  I would love an epic Uncharted film, it would have to be at least three hours long, right?  Hopefully we get a new Uncharted game, heck, even if it was shorter one like Lost Legacy, that would work for me!  Which I still have to play Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy, I will one of these months soon.  Probably once I have Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 completed, or out of my system, whichever one happens first.

Good grief!  We are getting a live action / animated combo of a thing to bring Tom and Jerry to modern audiences!  Repeat my complaint already about too many humans above in Godzilla vs. Kong, but even more so here!  Colin Jost is in movies now?!  At least Dr. Ken Jeong is in it.  Oh, and it is being directed by Tim “Fantastic Four” Story.  At least it is during December, when we need a kids movie.  Probably be a hard pass for it.

The Croods finally get a sequel to their 2013 film, which I also have no interest in watching.  Hopefully the Cinemark Dollar Summer Movie program offers the first movie, or this will have to be another pass for old dad.

Tom Hanks’ third film, News of the World helps close out the year.  Takes place after the American Civil War, he is tasked with bringing an orphan daugther to her next living kin.  It is based on a novel.

The year ends with a third Ben Affleck movie, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel, that reteams him with life mate, Matt Damon, who along with Affleck, co-wrote the film.  That’s fun.  Adam Drive is also in it, no other information is available.

.  .  .

It looks like Affleck and Tom Hanks have three movies out this year.  No Christian Bale or Hugh Jackman (has anyone seen him in a while?) He’s doing Broadway and world tours, good for him!

By my count, 11 films, I am legit interested in watching, that seems like a decent enough movie going experience.  As Walker Dennis gets older, it will be more fun to take him to more films.

Of course, other movies might crop up but these are the ones I could manage any opinions on.

.  .  .

I wish you a Happy New Year!  Make Good Decisions!

2020 is going to bring us the Summer Olympics and a Presidential Election.  Who are the Democrats going to put up?  It does not look like anyone is leading nor does it look like any of them can do it.  Which seriously, how come no one is ever being groomed to be the ideal candidate?  We did not get anyone during Obama’s re-election nor did we get anyone for George W. Bush, nor Clinton before him.  It really cannot be that hard but I also understand no one would really want that job.

The Summer Olympics will be held in Toyko, Japan, so they should be glorious!  Nasa is supposed to launch an exploratory mission to Mars.  Liberia is going to agree to stop cutting down their trees and Norway is going to pay them to not do it.

In fiction, Arno Stark, Iron Man 2020, is supposed to become a thing.

Turtles in Time’s Neon Night Riders takes place in this year.

The company that makes the robots in I, Robot, forms.  Godzilla : Final Wars takes place in 2020.  Hugh Jackman’s Real Steel also takes place this year.

Of course, SeaLab 2020.  The events of Harry Potter : The Golden Child take place.  Dark Angel’s second half of Season One and the first half of Season Two.

The 11th Doctor two parter, The Hungry Earth / Cold Blood.

Glee’s series finale.

Robot House from Fallout is born on June 25, 2020.