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After The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in 2003, and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in 2005, I was pretty much convinced I was going to be somewhat ambivalent about movies for the rest of my life. I mean, those two franchises were the big ones for me, and having seen them completed (with varying degrees of success), I figured my days of filmic anticipation were over.
Thankfully, that’s not been so. From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to the ongoing X-men and Spider-man series, to Batman Begins and Superman Returns, I’ve had plenty of beloved friends from adolescence brought to the screen to keep me going. This year seems to be more laden with these types of flicks than any in recent memory, so I find it all very exciting.
First up, chronologically, is Iron Man. I’ll admit, I was never really into Iron Man as a kid. I knew who he was, I had caught an issue of the Avengers here and there, but overall I was sort of “meh” on Iron Man. But following the development of the film changed my tone slowly, and by the time there were actual clips available, I was sold. The movie has not let me down, either. I’d say it’s probably one of the most fun films I’ve ever seen. I’ve already been to see it twice (that ought to suffice).
I was originally excited about Speed Racer, but I’m opting to skip it. I thought the idea was so goofy and bizarre (Speed Racer? The cartoon? Made by the Matrix guys? Really?) that it just had to work, but I have to take some time out for other things. Speed hasn’t had very good press, and I haven’t heard from any friends that have seen it, so unfortunately it doesn’t make my cut.
Next up is The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. I didn’t really read the Narnia books as a child, beyond the first one, so I initially didn’t think much of the movie idea. But the visual style of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was pretty great, even though I thought the story felt a little disjointed, so I’m locked in as a fan. My wife Sarah is really looking forward to this one, so that sealed the deal.
The next movie coming is one of the two big ones for me this summer: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Indy was a total hero of mine as a kid, and the original films still hold up for me as a grownup. Rumors of a fourth Indy picture have circulated as long as I can remember, and no, I don’t think it’s too late. I can’t wait to see how he holds up after nearly twenty years passing. And I am very excited that it’s really the entire team: Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, John Williams, even Michael Kahn. Thank heavens it’s not one of those thrown-together sequels with a hack crew made solely for cashing in. It’s Indiana freaking Jones, how could it not be awesome?
Next comes the big green Incredible Hulk. I will go on record as saying I am one of two people in the world who liked Ang Lee’s Hulk from 2003 (the other person being Ang Lee’s mom). However, I have no problems with the reboot, and I’m really looking forward to seeing Ed Norton as Banner. Don’t get me wrong, I really like Eric Bana, but Norton is one of my favorite actors (seeing him in the commercials sealed it for Sarah too), and he automatically looks the part. I was really into the Hulk for a while as a kid, too, so I pretty much accept anything Hulk-related.
Then there’s The Happening. Let’s face it, M. Night’s last venture, Lady in the Water, was lame. I’ve intentionally avoided learning anything about this new picture, for fear of disappointment, but I plan to see it. Please don’t be lame!
I really can’t wait for WALL-E. I never got to see Ratatouille so I’m looking forward to this one. It looks very touching and adorable and not at all like Short Circuit.
The big one, though, is The Dark Knight. The last Batman film, Batman Begins, was so phenomenally good that it’s possibly in my top favorite five movies ever. It was done exactly the right way, as far as I’m concerned, and the creative team has my complete trust. It will have everything – Bruce, Alfred, Gordon, Lucius, Scarecrow, Two-Face, and of course the Joker – but in a good way, not in a campy, sloppy Batman Forever way.
If only I were made of money.
