Months of anticipation, the smell of overly buttered popcorn, grown men in fanboy t-shirts; there’s nothing quite like sitting in a theater as the opening credits finally roll on that long awaited blockbuster. For my money, 2010 was a pretty weak year for movies. Nothing overly amazing or groundbreaking really came out last year. There were a few standouts, but overall the blockbusters just didn’t bring it as they usually do so here are eight reasons why 2011 at the theaters won’t be anything like 2010.
I don’t care what anyone says, I like these movies. Early on acting was a problem, but the entire cast gets better with every installment. I won’t ruin the movie for any of you who haven’t yet read the book, but this movie, especially compared to the others, is going to get crazy QUICK. And, it just might have enough action in it to hold the average guy’s attention…maybe.
Michael Bay is known for gratuitous get out of Dodge caliber explosions, so you can definitely expect plenty of that with this one. It’s sad that Megan Fox was reportedly fired from the picture, but I can’t imagine that Bay’s handpicked Victoria’s Secret model isn’t going to wow us all. It’s also likely that this will be the final of the trilogy so put money on Bay going all out and at least taking a shot at redefining the term over-the-top.
This movie has the potential to be the standout of 2011. Written and Directed by Lost and the new Star Trek’s uber-nerd J.J. Abram’s, we’ll see his take on Spielberg’s 80’s movie. The best part: Spielberg is teaming up with him! I love all the secrecy this project in shrouded in. All they’re saying is that it’s found footage from a super 8 camera chronicling aliens. Hopefully they keep the special effects practical, but either way, keep your eyes out for this film.
This is basically a prequel to the current X-Men movie franchise. Here we’ll see a young Professor X and Magneto who are recruiting mutants and helping them understand their powers. Since Wolverine is ageless, I’d put money on a Hugh Jackman cameo, but otherwise we’ll see an entirely new cast with enough fresh characters to wash that terrible taste X-men 3 left in our collective mouths.
I love westerns, aliens, Harrison Ford, and since the two Iron Man movies were so good, I’m loving director Jon Favreau these days too. This is exactly what it sounds like, cowboys fighting an alien invasion in the old west. It’s based on a comic book of the same name. With Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde rounding out the cast, expect great things here.
I’m not the biggest fan of Thor, but based on the current run of Marvel comic book movies and the look of the first trailer, I will be after I see this one. To direct they’ve hired Kenneth Branagh, who’s mostly known for classical Shakespearean work, so expect the whole dynamic with the gods to be handled expertly. Here we’ll see Thor, the overly muscled God of Thunder, cast down to Earth by his angered father where he becomes a super hero. If you google pictures of Thor actor, Chris Hemsworth, you’ll definitely agree that he looks like part. Let’s see if the story works out as well as the seemingly great casting.
I am a big World War II fan and since this movie takes place in that era, I couldn’t be more excited. Former Human Torch, Chris Evans, will be playing All-American Steve Rogers, as he’s injected with the super soldier serum and transformed into the face of the war effort. Joe Johnston, best known for movies like The Rocketeer, is directing so expect much of the same film as that film. I can’t wait until all of these Marvel heroes come together for next year’s The Avengers.
This movie is going to knock everyone’s socks off. Ryan Reynolds will be playing ace fighter pilot Hal Jordan as he is inducted into the legion of universe police known as the Green Lantern Corps. He would have been a perfect choice to play the Flash, but bet money that he’ll do great as a headstrong, cocky Hal “Highball” Jordan. Hopefully we’ll have epic space battles, hordes of ring bearing aliens, and a great love story with his boss, Carol Ferris. A Green Lantern’s ring must be recharged about once a day from a personal power battery that they’re issued upon entry into the corps, and to do so they must always recite the Lantern’s oath. I can’t wait until Hal, in a time of need, screams the oath, “In brightest day, In blackest night, No evil shall escape my sight, Let those who worship evil’s might, Beware my power…Green Lantern’s Light!” Guaranteed every nerd in the house gets chills.
What about you - What are waiting to go see this year?
Top Photo Credit: Dan Anderson.
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