Kyle’s Most Anticipated Movies of 2022!

Now that we firmly have 2021 in the rearview mirror, let’s look forward to the movies of 2022, which still shockingly contain some movies originally scheduled for 2020 and 2021. Shockingly, the movies on last year’s most anticipated all actually came out, so let’s hope that by me placing these films on the list that I’m sending good omens their way.

Either way, we’ll celebrate the (possible) films of 2022 that I’m most excited to see. It’s almost as good as actually seeing them.

Just a couple notes, as always:

These films are my Most Anticipated, not what I think will end up on my Top Ten of the year come next January. In fact, only 2 films from last year’s list made it to the Top Ten, and that seems fair.
There always tend to be a lot of blockbusters on these lists, but that’s because their production schedules are much longer, and their recognizability is easier to connect to. That’s just the way it works, but my favorite films of this year might even be ones I haven’t heard of at the current moment. Big movies get big attention earlier than little ones, so take that as you will.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A COUNTDOWN. IT’S JUST A LIST AND THE FILMS ARE IN ORDER OF (TENTATIVE) RELEASE DATE.

We’ve waited long enough, let’s dive in…

Scream

Okay, yes, this movie is already out and I’ve already seen it, but before I had seen it, it had made it to my Most Anticipated list due to the trailers and the early reviews from colleagues with similar tastes to mine. I loved the idea that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett had moved from Ready of Not to this franchise, as that film also had a satirical viewpoint and a serious horror tinge. I was excited to see our core cast of characters return to usher in some new Ghostface fodder, and the screenplay by James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) and Guy Busick also interested me as they might bring in some new flavor to the franchise. How did it turn out? You’ll find out soon enough.

The Batman

There are a few interesting DC projects coming in 2022, but I’m not picking this one because it’s Batman. I love Batman, but I’m selecting The Batman because of Matt Reeves. I’ve been a big fan of Reeves ever since Cloverfield, one of the best found-footage films ever. He also surprised me with his vampire remake Let Me In and then blew me away with TWO incredible Planet of the Apes movies, redefining genre and franchise filmmaking with the once-thought unlikeliest of IP properties. The trailers look great, seeing Batman as an unhinged detective seems like a great idea, and the dynamic with Selina Kyle looks exciting and tense, but if I were to pick one character that won me over, it’s Paul Dano’s Riddler, seemingly modeled after the Zodiac killer. There’s nothing here that doesn’t work for me, though I was sad to hear that this will be disconnected from the Batman character of the DCEU (it could’ve made a hell of a prequel, one would assume), but in Matt Reeves I trust.

Everything Everywhere All at Once

See, they won’t all be franchise films! A few years back, the filmmakers collectively known as Daniels released Swiss Army Man, one of the most baffling films of the decade or, perhaps, ever, featuring Daniel Radcliffe as a farting corpse. Now, flash forward to 2022, where they (FINALLY) have a new movie, this one starring Michelle Yeoh as a Chinese immigrant who learns that she has an infinite number of alternate lives spread across a multiverse and she will need them all to save the world. Yeah, that’s a movie, and it’s happening. Every time I see this trailer, I am just enamored with all the What-The-Hell-Is-Happening that is racing from the screen to my brain. I’ve purposely not been looking up more info on this film as I just want to experience it as soon as possible, as Daniels have a very interesting visual flair that looks to be a part of this new feature as well. Check out the first trailer if you need to know more.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Okay, so yes, even I can admit that The Crimes of Grindelwald was a bit of a letdown. In fact, the last Fantastic Beasts is my least favorite movie in the Wizarding World, not something you want as you expand your world and franchise, but it does seem like Warner Bros is righting the ship. Steve Kloves, screenwriter of seven Harry Potter films, stepped in to co-write the screenplay, and I have faith that David Yates can learn from the mistakes of the predecessor, this being his seventh film in the franchise as well. Even at its worst, The Crimes of Grindelwald certainly expanded upon the world in ways that even fans of the Harry Potter books did not see coming, and there are still a lot of great elements at play throughout the film, and the first trailer for The Secrets of Dumbledore seems quite exciting, so I will have faith in this new installment.

The Northman

Robert Eggers has done some truly impressive work with both The VVitch and The Lighthouse, both films that have further improved themselves with each rewatch. The VVitch is a regular Halloween season pick at my home, and The Lighthouse is a year-round rotation. The Northman’s first trailer showcased an impressive world and an even more impressive cast. The film looks to be Eggers’s most ambitious film to date, one that combines the mysticism and horror of his two previous outings into a bloody, violent tale of revenge. With the underrated Alexander Skarsgard in the lead and a well-rounded supporting cast including Nicole Kidman, Ethan Hawke, Anya Taylor-Joy, Willem Dafoe, and freaking Bjork all adds up to a very interesting project.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

I limited myself to one MCU pick and, even though Thor: Love and Thunder is mighty interesting, I kind of know the flavor I’ll be getting with that one, but Sam Raimi returning to the world of superhero cinema and going all in on what is being reported as an MCU horror film (let’s be fair, though, this is still a Disney production) is very interesting. Now, I’m praying that this film doesn’t end up a cameo nightmare. Spider-Man: No Way Home utilized its nostalgia to its benefit, but it came very close to toppling under its own fan service. I want a Doctor Strange movie that is focused on Strange, Wanda, and the Multiverse itself, not on cheap cameos and appearances of non-canon characters. I trust that Sam Raimi found something worth his return to the subgenre, and the idea of Baron Mordo returning, the potential of a villainous Scarlet Witch, and some alternate evil Doctor Strange could work very well in the favor of this movie. As much as I enjoyed the original Doctor Strange, it didn’t fully embrace the bonkers madness of the title, so I want to see what a more confident follow-up can do now that the first film set the character in motion.

Salem’s Lot

2022 also has a few interesting Stephen King adaptations incoming. While the new take on Firestarter certainly seems like a winner, I’m limiting myself to one here, and Salem’s Lot is one of my favorite King novels. I enjoyed Tobe Hooper’s original miniseries but the budget wasn’t there. The 2006 miniseries adaptation is often forgotten in the discussion, but I rather enjoyed that version as well, even if it had to forego some of that sweet, sweet gore to satisfy networks. Ah, but this year, Gary Dauberman (who penned the It movies as well as some Annabelle films and directed Annabelle Comes Home) is helming this new adaptation, produced by James Wan. Now, not everything penned by Dauberman has been gold, and not everything produced by Wan has fully worked, but even the chance that this new version of the classic vampire tale works has be all giddy. Bring it on, and bring on that sweet, sweet gore.

Mission: Impossible 7

There’s only been one bad Mission: Impossible film, and that was over two decades ago! Not only that, but the franchise has taken on bigger and more epic action set pieces without sacrificing what made the more-restrained original so much fun. M:I works because of the team dynamic, and even though the team has had some shuffling, the series has always evolved for the sake of elevating the action above the general fare. Say what you will about the truly-unhinged Tom Cruise, but the man knows how to execute the good bit of no-holds-barred intensity, and especially following up on Fallout, seeing this M:I 7 as the first of a planned two-parter only adds to the level of high-octane eagerness I feel for the next Ethan Hunt mission, no matter how impossible it may seem.

Halloween Ends

Halloween Kills might be my favorite Halloween film since the original. After multiple viewings, including the Extended Cut, that seems to be the case. It’s a movie that made the 2018 Halloween film better by how it followed through, and if Halloween Ends can bring the story home in a satisfying way, that’ll just mean the world to this horror fanboy. I grew up with Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Chucky. Well, Freddy and Jason have been dormant for over a decade, and Chucky is doing well on his own path from home video releases to television but seeing a movie on the big screen from one of these horror juggernauts will always excite me.

Avatar 2

Lastly, we come to Avatar 2, a movie that probably should’ve come out years ago. People like to dunk on Avatar, but it became the highest-grossing movie of all time and kept that record for 10 years (and continues to fight for dominance with Avengers: Endgame even now), and it was a theatrical experience unlike any other. Don’t bother bringing your comparisons to Dances with Wolves and Fern Gully and Pocahontas because I’ve heard them all before. We tend to forget that every story has been told a thousand times before; it’s all in how to tell you, and James Cameron told it very uniquely, conjuring up not only an epic world with loads of mythology but also crafting the technology with which to do it. I firmly believe it became popular to hate on this movie purely because of its box office prowess and its Best Picture nomination, and while the film has its imperfections, I loved the world and the awe that unfolded before me. As far as Avatar 2 goes, I have come to learn in my years not to doubt James Cameron. He’s a director that has consistently tested himself and improved his skills, and every new film he conquers leads to further advancements in filmmaking. So bring it on, Avatar 2, let’s see this single finally become a franchise.

So there you have it. Hopefully we will end up seeing all of these hit theaters at some point in 2022, as long as we stay vigilant and safe. 2021 was a solid year to return to the cinema, and 2022 looks to be just as great. Comment below with the films you are most excited to see in 2022, and let’s have a great year in movies.

-Kyle A. Goethe

February 10, 2022 1

Kyle’s Top Ten Worst Films of 2017

2017 is over, and as we hang for a moment on some of the best movies to come out of 2017, we must also take minute to recognize the stinkers. The real poopoo.

And there were a lot of stinkers. Here, today, I’ve put together my list of the ten films that I felt are the worst of the year. Keep in mind:

I didn’t see every bad movie in 2017. This is a list of the worst films I saw. I didn’t see The Emoji Movie. I just…I couldn’t.
This list includes films that were downright bad, but I also placed them on the list if they had wasted potential or were overall disappointing.

Alright, let’s get this over with…

(Dis)Honorable Mentions

The Mummy

–The Mummy isn’t an absolutely terrible movie. My biggest frustration is that it has wasted potential and puts the cart before the horse. This movie isn’t a mummy movie. It’s like one of those prequel comic books that studios release before their actual movie. It suffers from being too much world-building when it should just be a good movie. Leave the world-building for post-credits scenes for now. It’s not a bad thing to use the Marvel model. But instead, they threw a bunch of shit at the wall to see what stuck. The other problem? This isn’t a horror film. It’s an action film. If you are doing a Dark Universe, make it scary or at least unnerving. This is a Tom Cruise vehicle that drives right off the cliff. And I’m pissed, because the Dark Universe can work.

Atomic Blonde

–Atomic Blonde’s action set pieces are some of the best I’ve seen all year. The problem is when the action starts. Charlize Theron’s Lorraine Broughton is underdeveloped, it has too many villains (and not a single one compelling in the slightest), it’s twist is underserved, and the framing device is far more interesting than the story it is framing. The style works and the music choices make for a fun time, but when the spy plot doesn’t earn its reveals, it’s a big waste from start to finish, and this director and cast deserve a whole lot better than this.

Rings

-I saw Rings early last year, and you know, there are some good scenes. Like 1% of the movie. The rest is convoluted boring dreck that isn’t scary, doesn’t update the mythology, and worst it all, doesn’t make any damn sense! Three opening scenes and none of them really work. A twist-ish of an ending that wasn’t interesting (and it was in the trailer). The plot points are clichés taken from better films and Samara isn’t compelling. It also ran on forever. Forever. Forever…Rings was, from beginning to end, a terrible movie, one that should’ve stayed unreleased.

Snatched

-The cardinal sin of Snatched is that it’s just plain unfunny. I recall giggling slightly at the film’s final joke, and that gleefulness may have just been my knowledge that the film was coming to a close. I love Goldie Hawn but she gets overshadowed by the far less funny Amy Schumer. Overall, I waited for Snatched to get good. I waited a long time. But the movie was so strung together by a dull plot and unlikable characters that my waiting didn’t get me anywhere. Snatched is disappointingly unfunny.

Rough Night

-Not only is Rough Night unfunny, it is a shell of a better plotline. We’ve seen this played out before in films like The Hangover and Very Bad Things, but those movies were funny. Rough Night is a rough watch because the story sets itself up for comedy that never shows up. Scarlett Johansson is woefully miscast and it almost feels like she is aware of that as she constantly appears bored. The rest of the cast play flat friend archetypes. Rough Night never seems to work and some of the comedy is so bad it feels cringe-worthy at times. It just doesn’t work.

Fifty Shades Darker

–Fifty Shades Darker learns nothing from its predecessor. It is supposed to be this erotic masterpiece of passion and sensuality, and it is so boring. The chemistry is virtually nonexistent, the plot has been done better in soap operas, and the ending. Dear God, the ending is so bad. I guess it shouldn’t surprise me, as the rest of the film was nothing to be happy about, but I felt as though James Foley on board as director was at least a good sign. Foley gets nothing to do with a shit screenplay from Niall Leonard based on a shit book from E.L. James. Garbage.

Sleepless

Even Jamie Foxx couldn’t keep his mouth shut about how bad Sleepless is. For the sheer number of solid actors in this film, the movie is just…awful. I can’t blame you if you have no idea that Sleepless was even a movie in 2017, but it was, and I suffered through it so you wouldn’t have to. You’re welcome. Maybe the film would be even marginally likable if at least one character were marginally likable. Dirty cops, broken families, and a flat villain. I always say that you don’t need to have likable characters if they are at least interesting. Well, guess what? No one is that interesting here either. Skip it.

The Bye Bye Man

The Bye Bye Man wastes Doug Jones. That’s just about the worst thing you can do. Doug Jones is magnificent, and when The Bye Bye Man is actually oscreen, he is pretty menacing, but a cliché, boring, laughably bad screenplay is the building block for your horror film, you are set up for failure. The first scene in the film is somewhat compelling, and then you put the pieces together, and then you hate it. Lastly, who the hell came up with this title? What a stupid creature name! Ugh.

Rock Dog

-I remember nothing of Rock Dog. Good for me, bad for the film. Seriously, I recall thinking to myself the whole time that this was a shitty knockoff of Kubo and the Two Strings, and I sat there for far too long as the film sputtered and died in front of me. I have nothing more to say.

Before I Fall

–Before I Fall might be one of the funniest movies of the year. That being said, the comedy comes from all the serious parts of the film, and the moments meant to bring lightheartedness to the film are ugh-worthy. This poorly-plotted and simple take on the Groundhog Day/Edge of Tomorrow model is so melodramatic that I couldn’t sit still in my theater seat. I wanted so desperately for the film to be over. No one is likeable/no one is interesting.

The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson

-The way this little indie portrays Stockholm Syndrome borders on the offensive, and that’s coming from a guy who is never offended. This shockingly stupid film stars James Duval of Independence Day fame. Oh, you don’t recognize his name? Yeah, there’s a reason for that. I watched The Abduction of Jennifer Grayson before going on a long trip out of town, and the trip felt like it took up less of my time than this movie. When you tuck yourself in at night, be thankful that you haven’t seen this pile of shit.

All Eyez on Me

-Well, more proof that just because you look the part doesn’t mean you can act the part. All Eyez on Me runs over the two-hour mark but it feels like a Tupac miniseries that someone scrunched into a film and then dropped a deuce on. There is nothing to say of merit to this movie. Yes, Tupac uses an iPhone in this 90s-set biopic. Yes, Jada Pinkett Smith called out the film’s historical inaccuracy. Yes, it has cars from the 2000s in it. Beyond all the issues with the film from a technical aspect, I was flat-out bored from beginning to end here, and there’s not a single piece of this movie that would make it commendable. It’s the worst film of 2017.

So there it is. These are the worst films of 2017. I’m glad that’s over.

Is there something missing here? What did you think was the worst film of 2017? Let me know/Drop a comment below!

-Kyle A. Goethe

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January 9, 2018 0

American Made (2017)

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright

Screenplay: Gary Spinelli

115 mins. Rated R for language throughout and some sexuality/nudity.

After The Mummy, is Tom Cruise (Top Gun, Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation) back on track?

American Made is the true story of Barry Seal (Cruise), a pilot who worked for TWA until the CIA came calling in the form of the mysterious Agent Schafer (Domhnall Gleeson, Ex Machina, mother!). Then, he works for the CIA until Pablo Escobar and company come calling. Then, he works for Pablo Escobar, the CIA, and himself as he attempts to swindle just about everyone with his faux delivery company. And Barry Seal is the man who delivers, as long as he keeps the biggest secrets from his wife, Lucy (Sarah Wright, 21 & Over, TV’s Marry Me).

I had little to no real expectation for American Made. I respect Tom Cruise, but outside of Mission: Impossible, I haven’t been reeling for much from the star recently. Well, I’m glad to have been wrong. Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) directed the hell out of this movie, capturing a true tonally strong sense of the late 70s/early 80s. From the moment the film starts, we get an injection of VHS tape fuzz running over the titles and from Barry’s self-recorded confessional tapes. With all the globetrotting in the film, Liman presents a handy-dandy map of all of it to make more sense to the viewers, and it works well. Every scene in the film had care for the tone and feel.

Tom Cruise was great as the lead. He plays Barry Seal with a king of genius stupidity that echoes throughout the accidental shenanigans he finds himself in. The voice he uses is pretty solid, but you can tell he really isn’t putting the pieces together until it’s too late. In fact, he seems to be just barely skating by on luck.

Though Cruise holds much of the attention, the supporting players turn in some really enjoyable work. I’m referring specifically to Domhnall Gleeson and Caleb Landry Jones, who plays Barry’s brother-in-law JB. Gleeson is smarmy and sleazy in all the right moments and from the moment JB enters the picture, you know exactly who he is, what kind of trouble he’s about to cause, and how much you are going to hate him. All compliments, of course.

American Made is a fine film, reminiscent of The Wolf of Wall Street at times, and perfectly enjoyable. Its one true flaw is that it seems to go on too long, though I’m not quite sure where to cut it down. It just feels bloated even though its pace is so swift. All in all, there isn’t much to hate in a film like this, and it’s a nice opportunity to learn more about America’s estranged past.

4/5

-Kyle A. Goethe

Have you seen American Made yet? What did you think? Let me know/drop a comment below!

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November 2, 2017 0

Box Office Report: Triple Threat Duking for #1, Flatliners is D.O.A.

Who can say for certain which film will come out on top this weekend. The contenders are:

-Doug Liman’s newest film American Made, starring Tom Cruise,

-Matthew Vaughn’s sequel Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and

-Andy Muschietti’s It, based on the Stephen King novel.

While American Made is a newcomer to this weekend, it hasn’t been making the splash many thought it could. This could be due to the poor reception to The Mummy, which also starred Cruise. The shift in the film world around blockbuster stars no longer having the kind of pull they once could. Director Liman has been working over two decades but doesn’t have the household name approval despite acclaim for his more recent work like Edge of Tomorrow.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle opened to lukewarm reception last weekend with many saying it was a major step down for the franchise from the universally loved first installment.

It is currently in its fourth weekend but continues to be a strong contender. Domestically, It is the fifth highest-grossing film of 2017 (the highest-grossing R-rated film) and the nation is currently on a King Renaissance, so there is no stopping this juggernaut.

All three films have been heading for roughly $16.5 million, and I’ve seen both American Made and It and enjoyed both, so I’m curious to see which one will walk away the victor here, but it is quite clear that the sequel to Flatliners, aptly-named Flatliners, will have a very weak opening weekend. The film, starring Ellen Page and Diego Luna, is dying in cinemas. Currently sitting at a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes, it isn’t surprising that the film is struggling considering the nonexistent marketing campaign for the film and the lack of press screenings. I mean, c’mon, even The Emoji Movie has defenders. Flatliners is currently trending to make $6 million this weekend.

What do you think? What film(s) are you seeing this weekend? Let me know/drop that comment below!

-Kyle A. Goethe

For more Almighty Goatman,

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September 30, 2017 0

Dark Universe Scores Big Hit in China with The Mummy Winning the Weekend

I was really busy this last weekend. I didn’t get the chance to see The Mummy, one of my most-anticipated films of 2017. Reviews are mixed but skewing more toward the rotten side of things, and the domestic box office displayed a win for Wonder Woman over the first film in the Dark Universe.

But over in China, The Mummy is making some bank, scoring almost $52 million in the opening weekend, accounting for more than 50% of all the film revenue at the Chinese box office.

In its opening weekend, The Mummy managed to outperform other American hits like Logan, Beauty and the Beast, and Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2.

The Mummy, from first-time feature director Alex Kurtzman, underperformed at the domestic box office but was expected to rake in heavily internationally and it stands as one of Tom Cruise’s biggest hits due to this.

It’s disappointing to me that The Mummy didn’t get more of a take domestically as I love anything that could possibly harken back to the classic Universal Monsters franchise and while I think it was a mistake to play so heavily to the Dark Universe aspect in all the promotional material, I’m still very excited to see the film.

So what do you think? Did you see The Mummy this weekend? Did you enjoy it? Let me know/Drop a comment below!

-Kyle A. Goethe

June 12, 2017 0

Kyle’s Top Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2017

Okay, folks, I’m a little late on this one, as I’ve already seen a few of 2017’s early films. But don’t worry, I made this list almost a month ago and am just now getting the chance to write it up for you. So, let’s start off with a point.

This list is most anticipated, not what I think will be the best by any stretch. These are the films I’m most looking forward to at the beginning of the year, so there will be a lot of bigger blockbustery films because that’s Sundance is just now happening and the other big Oscary films haven’t premiered yet. So with that being said…

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A COUNTDOWN BUT A LIST.

Star Wars Episode VIII

Whatever the title may be, I’m so excited to pick up with the further adventures of Rey, Finn, Poe, BB-8, Luke, and Leia in Star Wars Episode VIII. It’s also a bittersweet film for me personally as it is the last time fans will see Carrie Fisher as their general. It means so much for fans to have that connection, one that many have felt since 1977. But there are many things to be excited for in Episode VIII. More revelations about Snoke, seeing Luke back in action, and new characters played by Benicio del Toro and Laura Dern. What’s not to love? Have I even mentioned director Rian Johnson? So excited!

Alien: Covenant

I may find myself in the minority here, but I really enjoyed Prometheus. I had issues with some of the plot points, but the film made me yearn for more from this universe, and this year, we get it in full force with Alien: Covenant. I reported years ago about the then-titled Prometheus 2 having no Xenomorphs. I’m glad that director Ridley Scott changed his mind on that are we are getting Alien proper. Add in Katherine Waterston, Danny McBride, Billy Crudup, James Franco, and a return from Michael Fassbender as android David and you have a recipe for one hell of a film. At least…I hope.

War for the Planet of the Apes

I really enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but I absolutely loved Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Talk about a film that services fans both big and small. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was one of the best films of 2014 and remains a powerful work of art. Director Matt Reeves returns to helm War for the Planet of the Apes, and after Dawn, Cloverfield, and his remake Let Me In, I’m overjoyed to see what he does with this franchise next. Add in the extremely underrated Woody Harrelson to match the mo-cap performance of Andy Serkis as Caesar. This is an opening night kind of movie.

Kong: Skull Island

The fact that Skull Island is actually happening is pretty impressive. The fact that the trailers look amazing is even more so. Director Jordan Vogt-Roberts adds some lovely flair to this story of 1970s-set Kong tale with John Goodman, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson, and Tom Hiddleston. I only hope that the focus is on Kong and not set-up for the eventual match between the King of Skull Island and the King of Monsters, Godzilla in a few years. I’m thankful this one is coming out around my birthday so I have an excuse to drag everyone I know to this movie with me.

As sad as I am to be missing Will Poulter as the titular creature and Cary Fukunaga behind the camera, I’m still very excited to see this new R-rated take on Stephen King’s classic story. It is a fascinating look at fear itself as a beast targeting children. Splitting it into two films scares me only for the concern that we may not get the conclusion we want if the first isn’t successful. Thanks to Stranger Things from last year, I do not believe that to be the case, but hopefully a trailer drops soon to help convince film-goers to spend their money.

The Dark Tower

While we are on the subject of Stephen King, the long-gestating adaptation of his behemoth series The Dark Tower is almost upon us. Starring Idris Elba as the gunslinger Roland and Matthew McConaughey as the Man in Black, there has been a lot of confusing information being thrown around about what the film is actually going to concern itself with. With producer Ron Howard helping shepherd the film, I trust that it will be a hell of an experience, but I hope it will also bring in casual moviegoers with its marketing campaign. I’ll be there opening night, and I hope you join me.

The Mummy

Cinematic universes are such a big thing right now that many fail to realize the first universe created was the Universal Monsters universe with films like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula. Universal hopes to ignite a new fire in their monsters with The Mummy, the first in a series of monster movies aimed at bringing these creatures out from the darkness. After the first attempted failure of Dracula Untold, write Alex Kurtzman took directing duties with powerhouse producer and star Tom Cruise set to introduce the female mummy played by Sofia Boutella to the world. Aided by Russell Crowe’s Dr. Henry Jekyll, Cruise’s Nick Morton must save the world from an ancient and malevolent princess recently awakened. Count me in.

Thor: Ragnarok

I’m only picking one Marvel film this year and that’s because I really love Thor. I love Chris Hemsworth. I love the Hulk. I love Mark Ruffalo. I love director Taika Waititi. I just love everything I’ve heard coming out of this film. I cannot wait until November to see how this all plays out. Yes, I get it. Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2 will be pretty great. Spider-Man: Homecoming has a lot riding on it. But Thor…Thor is my favorite film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and I’m just dying to see him suited up, especially after that [SPOILER ALERT] post-credits scene in Doctor Strange.

Blade Runner 2049

I’m pretty late to the Blade Runner game, having only recently falling in love with the original film from Ridley Scott (Final Cut for the win!), but with Denis Villeneuve (Sicario, Prisoners, Arrival, need I say more?) behind the camera and original scribe Hampton Fancher’s screenplay, Blade Runner 2049 looks to be serving up some excitement heading towards its October release. It’ll be exciting to see original star Harrison Ford back in the fold with Ryan Gosling joining him. Another situation here of what’s not to love about this movie? Much in the way of The Force Awakens, there’s just so much to be excited about after being absent from these characters for over 30 years.

God Particle

Lastly, we get to the strangest entry in this list. God Particle is apparently the third installment of the Cloverfield series, and after only last year discovering that there is a Cloverfield series, its safe to say that something interesting is happening here. Now, the film was pushed back to October for reasons, and the IMDb page has updated with the title Untitled Cloverfield Anthology Movie (2017), I can only wonder when news will come of this tale featuring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Daniel Bruhl, Chris O’Dowd, John Ortiz, and David Oyelowo. One thing I can say: J.J. Abrams is insane.

SO there you have it. What film are you most excited for in 2017? Let me know/Drop a comment below.

-Kyle A. Goethe

January 22, 2017 0

Teaser Trailer for Regular Trailer for Reimagining of Classic Horror Monster Cinematic Universe is Exciting! In Short, The Mummy Trailer Teaser is Here.

Wow, who would’ve thought the idea of a Universal Monster Cinematic Universe would be so exciting, but here I am gushing over the teaser to a trailer for the upcoming 2017 The Mummy starring Tom Cruise.

I left the teaser below to check out, and there isn’t a whole lot to describe, but we get a chance to see Sofia Boutella as the titular mummy, Tom Cruise says a line, and we get a real quick glimpse at Russell Crowe who is co-starring as Dr. Jekyll and maybe Mr. Hyde.

But it isn’t so much what’s in front of the camera that excites me as what’s behind the camera. Alex Kurtzman is a terrific writer who is finally sitting in the director’s chair, and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

So what did you think of the trailer teaser (I hate that this is a thing now)? Are you excited for the trailer? Are you already plotting out when to see The Mummy? Let me know.

-Kyle A. Goethe

December 2, 2016 0

Russell Crowe Makes Me Feel Better about The Mummy

For those of you living under a rock, Universal Studios actually made a name for themselves back in the 30s, 40s, & 50s for their horror movie monsters. So much so that creature features like Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon all exist under the title Universal Monsters. Universal was most well known for these pictures that have now become classics in film. Recently decades have proven to be less successful in terms of Universal’s monster films. Their recent slate has felt like action films badly disguising themselves as horror films.

Films like The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, The Wolf Man and Dracula Untold have not given fans much to get excited for. But now, Alex Kurtzman is bringing a new vision of the Universal Monsters to light with a Cinematic Universe of creatures, similar to the MCU. It is important to note that the Universal Monsters were quite possibly the first cinematic universe with films like Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man and House of Dracula where multiple monsters came together to tell stories. The first installment (though some have counted Dracula Untold as the first, this is still uncertain), The Mummy, is lensing right now. It stars Tom Cruise and the project just recently added Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll (an interesting character to add to a story that never featured him), so it would seem like they are putting the wheels in motion to get this franchise up and going.

Not only was the addition of Crowe exciting, but the actor recently spoke to Collider about the tone of the story, remarking that it will “seriously scare the shit out of you.”

That’s what I like to hear, I think so often that Universal believes that the monsters put asses in the seats, but it has always been the tone first, and that tone hasn’t been right in some time. Now it seems, with Kurtzman at the wheel, that we will finally be seeing what we want from this franchise.

What do you think? Are you excited for The Mummy and the Universal Monsters cinematic universe? What’s your favorite creature feature? Let me know!

-Kyle A. Goethe

May 9, 2016 0

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Director: Brian DePalma

Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Henry Czerny, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vanessa Redgrave

Screenplay: David Koepp, Robert Towne

110 mins. Rated PG-13 for some intense action violence.

Adaptations of popular television series are really tough. How do you condense the best parts of a multi-season run into 90 minutes? How can it be done? Some successful versions, like 21 Jump Street, poke fun at the silliness of the source material. Others, like Mission: Impossible, drastically change the series direction while holding up its most important rules.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise, Top Gun, Edge of Tomorrow) has run into a bit of trouble on his newest mission to recover the IMF (Impossible Missions Force) non-official cover, or NOC, list. His entire team has been attacked and Ethan has become framed for the attack. Without long-time team leader Jim Phelps (Jon Voight, TV’s Ray Donovan, Heat) to help protect him, Ethan is now the target of a manhunt set in motion by Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny, TV’s Revenge, The A-Team), and now, with the help of two disavowed IMF agents, Franz Krieger (Jean Reno, Leon: The Professional, Hector and the Search for Happiness) and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames, Pulp Fiction, Jamesy Boy), Ethan is out to discover who wants him dead and who has the NOC list.

Mission: Impossible has a somewhat confusing plotline. There is a lot happening all at once, mostly due to the fact that the film went into production without a finished screenplay. Screenwriters David Koepp and Robert Towne were disappointed in the finished product. The original cast of the TV show (of which the film is a sequel) chose not to reprise their roles because they felt that the film was a bastardizing of their beloved property.

I personally found the finished product to be one of the more enjoyable espionage films of the 1990s. Tom Cruise solidified himself as a bona fide action star in a role where he doesn’t fire a gun the entire film. Jon Voight is a great man to take over the role of Jim Phelps from original television actor Peter Graves, who disliked Phelps’ portrayal in the story. I also really liked Reno, Rhames (who would become a staple of the series much like Cruise himself) and Czerny.

Mission: Impossible contains some truly iconic moments both for the franchise and the action genre in general. The only part of the film that truly irks me is the opening credits (to be fair, I love the opening credits, but the decision to montage important plot points throughout the now-iconic score and opening bothers the hell out of me, but it continues throughout the entire franchise). This is one Tom Cruise property that I can’t wait to see every time there is new installment (except for the second film, but we’ll get to that later).

4/5

-Kyle A. Goethe

December 9, 2015 5

July 2015 Preview

Wow. Jurassic World, nice job in June. But July is flat-out huge. There are so many major releases and highly anticipated films on the way to a theater near you. So let’s jump in and see what there is to all this mess of movies.

Obligatory Note: Again, I haven’t seen these films at the time of this post. This is merely a discussion based on my abilities to read these films from the outside, and I’m good at it, too, so take it with a grain of salt, and if you see something different, let me know!

Faith of Our Fathers

I’m not really going to get into this film very much. These “Christian” film releases in recent years have all been just terrible. I’m not saying anything about the religion, so don’t put me in that bucket. I’m a religious person by trade, but these films are terribly made. They aren’t well-written. They aren’t well-acted. They aren’t well-directed. They just aren’t good. This one will likely not change that.

Magic Mike XXL

Magic Mike was a critical success due to Steven Soderbergh. It was a financial success due to Channing Tatum and his merry men of male dancers. Soderbergh isn’t returning to direct this sequel, but he is editing and providing cinematography duties to director Gregory Jacobs. I don’t think Magic Mike XXL will deliver on the same critical aspects that the original had, but I happen to think that Channing Tatum’s abilities to carry a film as well as provide high-level pelvic thrusting should bring the sequel to moderate financial success.

Terminator Genisys

Now for the people that won’t be seeing Faith of Our Fathers or Magic Mike XXL. Finally, after hopping around several studios, the Terminator franchise has arrived once again with Terminator Genisys. This film reboots the franchise in a similar way to last month’s Jurassic World, while not retconning the previous films but really focusing on staying true to the original. I love the idea of revisiting the original film in a way similar to the Star Trek franchise, and I think it stays organic to the rhythm of where the series has been heading. Really, it’s the only logical step to take the franchise. Do I think it looks good? Not sure. I think it looks interesting, but this film’s visual effects were not ready when the first trailer released, and I’m not sure if they ever did get finished. I want to like it. I want to. I just can’t say I know it is going to be great.

Amy

The Amy Winehouse documentary doesn’t seem interesting to me. I never found her life to be all that exciting to learn about. I didn’t care for her music, and I can’t say I was surprised when her addiction caught up to her. Skip.

The Gallows

The Gallows is a new found-footage (damn) horror film about a school play titled The Gallows that accidentally resulted in the death of a student during its initial run 22 years back. Now, the school wants to get the play up and going, and several students realize that some stories are best kept from being told. I like this idea but I’m already playing out all the horrible ways that this film will be represented. There are ways to make this film the right way, but I don’t see it happening the right way.

Minions

Minions is the newest property in the Despicable Me franchise. It is presented as a prequel focused on Gru’s minions years before he meets them. Looking at the trailer, I actually really like this film for more than the cute factor. It has a truly morbid sense of style that I think it embraces this morbidity quite well for a film like this. I see definite potential here.

Self/Less

Self/Less is a remake of the 1966 John Frankenheimer film Seconds and is directed by Tarsem Singh. In it, Ben Kingsley plays a man dying of cancer who has his consciousness transferred into the body of a younger healthier man played by Ryan Reynolds. I like the idea, but I’m concerned about the possible connections I was making with Limitless and Transcendence. Elements of this idea have cropped up before to mixed results.

Ant-Man

Well, if you thought selling Guardians of the Galaxy was tough, try selling Ant-Man, the newest member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe hoping to build on the success of Avengers: Age of Ultron. Starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas, Ant-Man has an interesting style to it, focusing on creating a fun superhero film to take the franchise back from the seriousness that has been building in the recent films. It looks like a lot of film, but many are aware of the film’s troubles past with previous director Edgar Wright and especially off of Joss Whedon’s personal implosion following the release of the second Avengers film, people will be wary of this one, but I hope it brings people in to at least give it a try.

Mr. Holmes

Ian McKellan is perfectly cast as the 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes in 1947. It isn’t related to the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes series or the CBS series Elementary. It also appears to be a much more calculated piece, very much like the original series of stories from Arthur Conan Doyle. Mr. Holmes will be a critical hit, I know it was much loved when it screened at BIFF back in February.

Trainwreck

I like Judd Apatow. I do not like Amy Schumer. He directed. She starred and wrote. I’m not going to waste my time.

Paper Towns

I didn’t see A Fault in Our Stars. I’m sure it was fine. I don’t like when an author’s adaptation is successful, every other property is picked up immediately and thrown at the screen. The same thing happened with Gillian Flynn after Gone Girl. I think Paper Towns actually sounds pretty interesting and I will be seeing it.

Southpaw

Man, Jake Gyllenhaal really wants an Oscar! In Southpaw, Gyllenhaal’s transformation into boxer Billy Hope who is unable to get out of the world of boxing to spend more time with his family. When tragedy strikes, Hope discovers that boxing is all he knows. From an outside perspective, these types of movies become great character pieces but not exactly great films. I foresee Gyllenhaal’s nomination but not much else.

Pixels

I know you want to like Pixels. I want to like Pixels. I know I’m not going to like Pixels. I get the feeling you won’t like Pixels. Damn Pixels.

Vacation

I have a lot of hope that the reboot to Vacation will reinvigorate this franchise. The idea of Vacation is eternal, especially when you keep the family line of the Griswolds with the ever-evolving dynamic with the children. It looks hilarious, too.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

The fifth Mission: Impossible follows in the franchise of three other great action pics and also Mission: Impossible 2. In Rogue Nation, we get the whole team together for another romping globe-trotting pic that sets Ethan Hunt and his team against the Syndicate. This film adds a level of vengeance and finality to the film even though I know that Tom Cruise isn’t finished with this series. I hope Christopher McQuarrie can handle this series and keep it alive because I’ve enjoyed my time with it.

So there you have it, here is your final tally.

Best Bets: Minions, Ant-Man, Mr. Holmes, Vacation, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

On the Bubble: Magic Mike XXL, Terminator Genisys, The Gallows, Self/Less, Paper Towns, Southpaw

Likely Misses: Faith of Our Fathers, Amy, Trainwreck, Pixels

So what do you think? What are you most excited to see this month and why? Let me know!

-Kyle A. Goethe

July 1, 2015 0