Thursday, December 21, 2017

Thursday Movie Picks: 2018 Movies I'm Looking Forward To


It's hard to believe it, but 2018 really is almost here. In fact, this is the last Thursday Movie Picks of the year. Well, it's the last one that will deal with movies. Next week, we're chillin' in our living rooms talking TV. This week, thanks to the infinite wisdom of our host Wanderer at Wandering Through the Shelves, we're sticking to the silver screen. However, instead of talking about movies we've already seen, we're talking about movies we want to see. Next year. I try not to get too hype for stuff that hasn't even come out yet. I've been burned that way before. Sometimes, you just can't help yourself, though.


Black Panther
When I went to see Captain America: Civil War, I was very cautiously optimistic about seeing Black Panther in the MCU. Marvel has been...okay...when it comes to diversity on the screen if we're talking sheer numbers. When it comes to the hierarchy of heroes, however, it's been purely a white man's game. Anyone not fitting the description "straight white male" has been relegated to sidekick status. I'm a big fan of the MCU, but that part of it has been disconcerting, dating back to my youth, way before the movies, when I was just an avid comic book reader. Even now, at my advanced age, I relish the opportunity to see heroes on the screen who look like me...not that I'm as handsome a physical specimen as Chadwick Boseman, but you get my point. Imagine my glee when Black Panther was not only on the screen, but an actual badass able to stand toe-to-toe with the best of the Avengers. When it became apparent he was indeed getting his very own movie, I was happy as...well, let's just say it wasn't pretty. Anyhoo, this one hits theaters in February. I might start camping out on New Year's Day.


Proud Mary
Taraji P. Henson takes her turn as an action heroine. Truth told, the January release date is a little concerning. However, Henson has presence in spades. Hopefully, she can pull off the physicality of the role and deliver us a solid action flick. Of course, I have ulterior motives for supporting this movie. You can take all that stuff about a hero looking like me and copy and paste it here. Sort of. I'm not a woman. But I have daughters. And that makes all the difference in the world. It's a rare thing for a woman of color to play the lead in any Hollywood movie, rarer still to play the lead in an action movie. My girls are almost grown, and to this point, all they've got is Halle Berry's Catwoman. This has to be better than that, right?


Deadpool 2
I realize this goes against everything I've been saying this post. The thing is, I consider the original Deadpool one of the best superhero flicks ever made. And you know I'm into superhero flicks. It's relentlessly self-aware, crassly hilarious, and Ryan Reynolds gave a career-best performance in a role perfectly suited for him. I've been waiting for this one ever since the ridiculously funny opening credits of the first movie.



31 comments:

  1. I can't say no to these choices as of the 3, Black Panther is the film I want to see the most because it looks fuckin' LIT!!!!! Plus, the idea of an African country disguised as a third-world environment when it's really so advanced is just cool. Plus, there's that handshake.

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  2. I was a comic book geek for a short period in the early '90s. Marvel had a series called Marvel Comics Presents that came out biweekly and contained serialized stories that went over multiple issues. Early in the run, they did a 25-part Black Panther story (200 pages total!) that made me a fan of the character. He's been my favorite Avengers character since that time.

    So, yeah...looking forward to it.

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    1. My comic book phase ran through the 80s, so I was out of it by the time of that series. Hate I missed it. Still a fan of the character before that, though.

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    2. Not surprising that it was collected as a stand-alone book.

      If you've got some spare Christmas money next week...

      https://comicstore.marvel.com/Black-Panther-Panthers-Quest/digital-comic/46824

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    3. Spare Christmas...ha ha...good one.

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  3. I'm also so pumped for Black Panther! I need to look up Proud Mary now and keep an eye out for it.

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  4. I am also looking forward to all of these. The advertising campaign for Proud Mary (that trailer! those POSTERS!) is flawless, so I'd like to think the film has to be at least decent, although that release date does not bode well.

    I am with you 100% on Deadpool.

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  5. Great list. Especially Black Panther. Do love the Coming Soon poster by Wandering.

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    1. Then I'm switching that compliment to you ha. And you should be giving yourself a credit on the poster. It's really stylish. Well done good sir.

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  6. So psyched about Deadpool 2! Every piece of marketing so far was amazing!

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  7. I am suffering Superhero burnout but will probably consider going to see Proud Mary just since it seems a bit different but the other two are definite nos.

    I really know very little of what's coming but these three, and especially the last, have caught my eye.

    Oceans 8-Femimine reworking of the fun Brad Pitt/George Clooney heist flick Oceans 11 (though why they couldn’t find 3 more famous women to make up the original number is troubling) itself a reworking of the Rat Pack original. As long as it keeps that sense of humor this should be a jolly time at the movies with hopefully a smooth tie-in of Matt Damon’s character from the other film.

    Mary Poppins Returns-The magical nanny returns to help the children of the now grown children she cared for in the original classic. Apparently great care has been taken to protect the memory of the first with an amazing cast, including in some capacity Dick Van Dyke & Angela Lansbury (yeah). It will be tough to capture the special whimsy of the first but it will be interesting to see the attempt.

    Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story-In festival showing this documentary about the legendary movie star beauty who was sharp as a whip and an avid inventor (responsible for much of the basis of what is modern day internet technology) but whom was not taken seriously because of that same ravishing exterior has been acclaimed. She considered her beauty a cage from which she couldn’t escape and when faced with narrow minded comments about the improbability that a woman who looked as she did could also have a strong mind she replied “If I am a ‘new Hedy’ as some say, it is because they are seeing me as I really am, not looking at the outside of me.” Scheduled for a theatrical release early in 2018 this sounds fascinating.

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    1. Oceans 8 almost made my list. I'm looking forward to that one, also. As for Mary Poppins Returns, no. Just no. Other than the fact Disney can't leave well enough alone, I've no idea why this is being made. Haven't heard of your last one, but that does sound interesting.

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  8. Most who know me know I can't stand the superhero stuff. I had never heard of that middle one, I'll have to have a look-see at that.

    Films I'm looking forward to are a bunch that would have had releases in late 2017 for the US and UK.... The Shape of Water, The Post, Lady Bird, Darkest Hour, I, Tonya.... even Phantom Thread isn't playing here till February.

    Keep a look out early next year for Sweet Country. It is an outback western I guess you could say, based in Aus in the 20's. A blackfella shoots a whitefella in self-defense, but knows what will happen and runs, but something happens that forces him to go back and face it. The trailer is pretty powerful, and I never do trailers but this one is going to be very good

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    1. I will be on the lookout for Sweet Country. That sounds like it should be really something.

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  9. OH, and have you heard about Annihilation??

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2798920/?ref_=nv_sr_1

    Sounds like it is going to awesome. Very strong cast.

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    1. Just became aware of it earlier today. It does sound awesome.

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  10. Great list! I can't wait to see these, especially Deadpool 2.

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    1. I'm trying hard, and failing to temper my expectations for that one.

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  11. I haven't even heard of Proud Mary. Would watch Henson in anything though. Deadpool 2 is on my list for sure. NOT a superhero guy. But that one is totally my kind of thing.

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    1. It's a different kind of superhero flick for sure.

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  12. I have been super busy with Christmas that my blogging suffered. I want to see all 3 and think Taraji will be great as an action hero.

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  13. Proud Mary - The posters look cool. The font and the styling looks like it's set in the 60s/70s but the movie stills look present day. I'm confused.

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    1. The posters and the music in the trailers are definitely retro.

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  14. I watch online on YouTube both movie trailers Deadpool 2 and Black panther. I am impressed with black panther he was more powerful in this movie and he fight for his people and to became the king of his land. On the other hand Deadpool 2 is totally funny. I watch his trailer in which he saw a man in trouble and run to change his costume in a public telephone booth. But when he came to save the man. He is already dead. Seriously such a dumb superhero. Well I am waiting to watch movie online with my family.

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