Another Year Of Movie Nights

 I know, this is post would probably look better on the other side of Christmas. However, next week will be devoted to Les Miserables (naturally) thus requiring this post to be pushed up. Additionally, there are going to be some changes coming to this blog in the New Year to which I would like your (YES, YOUR) input! As many of you know, my lovely wife is pregnant and we our expecting our wee lad at the end of next month. As such, time and money will soon be a long absent commodity in the Virgin abode. To make a long story short, this means I'm just not going to be able to keep up with movies as well in 2013.

 So far this is how things are going to go do. I've decided that I will do this blog every other week and do a political blog (under a different blog site) on the off weeks. But this is where I would like some feed back. I'm not totally sold on the political blog idea YET, so if anyone has any suggestions about subject matter for said blog just let me know, and you may be instrumental in creating one of the most under-appreciated blogs of the year!! Anyway, on to the business at hand!

This post is kind of big for me because it marks a year since I began this blog. The first post I ever did was almost exactly like the one you are about to experience. Like I said, we've got a baby on the way; time and money are already gone--I just don't know it yet. Many of you reading this are in a situation just like me. You may not have a lot of money and even less time. You wonder how you are going to squeeze a trip to the movies into your busy schedule and worry that it won't be worth it if you do. This is where you sing praises to me because I am about to tell you about all the movies that will be worth your while in the coming year. You're not singing yet...

1.The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

 We've been through this... The above title has already replaced 'awesomeness' and 'attractiveness' in the dictionary. I know, I know, the critics weren't so kind to the first installment, but I've already proven they are morons! So no worries! Plus we have SOOO much more to expect from this film. The Desolation of Smaug will be pure excitement all the way through! (No drunken dwarf tea parties if that upset you in the first film ;)

  

-Expect it December 13th-

2. Man of Steel

Boy, I'm nervous. I'm taking a large risk having this guy so high on the list, but I have an unflinching faith in the power that is Nolan! If anyone could produce an epic Superman movie, it would be him. We just have to hope that Zach Snyder doesn't screw it all up with a "THIS IS KRYPTON!!" scream as Jor-El kicks General Zod off the planet in slow motion... Is there anyone reading this nerdy enough to understand the words that just came out of my mouth? Regardless, I think Henry Cavill will be the most promising Clark Kent we'll have to date.

-Expect it June 14th-

3. Star Trek Into Darkness

When the heck did I become a Trekkie!? I don't remember making that choice... I'm not sure I want to be one. Yet this film has me giddy at the prospect of seeing it. There's a lot of talk about what the plot is going to be about, and I'm happy to say I'm not nerdy enough to understand any of it. What I do know is that there is one HARDCORE Benedict Cumberbatch coming to lay a smack down on Captain Kirk, and I can't wait! And it seems that this year audiences will be spending a lot of time in space.

-Expect it May 17th-

4. After Earth

You are going to quickly notice this year that Hollywood is getting back into the space age even if NASA isn't. You've got Oblivion, Elysium (or the longest advertisement for MSNBC ever as I call it), Pacific Rim (or Power Rangers vs. Aliens as I call it), Ender's Game (or Holy SCHMOLY as I call it)... And a lot of them have a Planet of the Apes it-was-earth-all-along theme. This one seems to be the best of them all. I hesitate on two points: first of all, M. Night Shyamalan you've burned me before... you've got some butt kissing to do to get back in my good graces; secondly, this has the every potential of being a tree-hugger's fantasy. But how can you resist seeing the father/son dynamic of this film! Love the quote from the trailer too!

-Expect it June 7th-

5. Iron Man 3

This would be a lot higher on my list if I wasn't worried about The Avenger's hangover effect. Iron Man, Captain America and Thor did great own their own before The Avengers, but this is Marvels first venture back into the solo game and I have reservations. However, they were extremely wise to lead off with Iron Man. This third installment looks incredible; I just hope I don't keep expecting the Hulk to come smashing in while I'm watching. If nothing else, it looks patriotic!!

 -Expect it May 3rd-

6. Frozen

I feel safe in assuming this is the first you are hearing about this new Disney flick and that makes me feel indecently prideful ;) There is still not trailer so I can't say for certain that this will reach the glory of Tangled, but I sure can hope! It's brought to us by the sames guys that wrote Wreck-it-Ralph, so my hopes are high. I'm not overly excited by the actors chosen so far, but until I see a trailer, I'm not going to let that dampen my parade. Perhaps this will be the first movie Everest sees in a movie theater!

-Expect it November 27th-

7. The Lone Ranger
On the one hand, Johnny Depp sounds like a pirate... trying to be an Indian. On the hand, it's from the guys that brought us Pirates of the Caribbean and they have pleased me more often than they have upset me. It seems they have taken a family friendly show and turned it into an adult centered action thrill ride and how can you go wrong with that!? Prior to Pirates there weren't many good modern pirate movies. The same could be said for good modern cowboy flicks; let's hope this film does the same thing for cinema... I'm sorry I can't let this Johnny Depp thing go... he's even dressed like Jack Sparrow just with creepy face paint and a stuffed crow on his head. I just hope this isn't a trick to get more people to see Pirates of the Caribbean 5 by using a different title...

-Expect it July 3rd-

8. Ender's Game
 I'll just say, it's about stinking time!! I've been waiting for this movie since I read the book my freshman year in high school! I suppose I wouldn't really want to see a late 90's version of this flick though, so I accept the late arrival so that CGI could catch up with the work load of so much sci-fi epicness. It seems to be well casted. I mean, come on, Han Solo is getting back into space!! I wish I could give you a trailer to sink your teeth into, but this picture is the best I could do.

-Expect it November 1st-

9. World War Z
Fear not, faithful readers. All early talk is saying that this movie will be PG-13!! That's right, folks, a plausible zombie Apocalypse movie without the nauseating gore!! Yet don't feel safe with this film: rather than resorting to blood and guts to get a reaction, the writers of this film are showing how truly terrifying mass mobs of inhibition-less walking dead would be. I'm willing to forgive Brad Pitt's Thor look going on here because this looks epic. Be warned, "Walking Dead," your genre is about to be stolen out from under you.

-Expect it June 21st-

10. Now You See Me

 Micheal Caine, Morgan Freeman, Mark Zuckerberg, AND the Hulk all in a movie about magic!? Yes, please! It's low on the list because A) it's got some incredible predecessors, and B) I'm worried it will have a "rich people are evil" theme which is so late 1700's French... It appears that there will be some sci-fi work in this magic caper in the style of The Prestige. That's the tricky part about movies... it's hard to guess the ending when they can throw supernatural stuff in there anytime they want. I digress--this flick comes out the same day as After Earth, so my guess is it will come in second that weekend, but I've been wrong before.

-Expect it June 7th-

Honorable Mentions:

The Wolverine: Why am I such a sucker for this guy!? I didn't just dislike the Origins, it made me feel all awkward inside...The good news is there is a new director, so that gives me some hope. The bad news is it's all taking place in Japan, so there's a part of me expecting Crouching Tiger Hidden Wolverine from this flick. I'd love to give it a spot on my list, but the insult from the last movie was to big to forget.

Expect it July 26th

Catching Fire: I made the mistake of not recommending Hunger Games last year and had to eat my own words when it was amazing. This is my attempt to make recompense for that. I'm still not expecting the same success as the first film because of a worse plot line and a different director. I guess what I'm saying is this is me betting on my ability to underestimate at times.

Happy New Year!!