As I write this blog entry, 2010 is coming to a close and New Year’s is right around the corner. After enjoying Tron: Legacy last week with family and friends, I started to wonder what will be the holiday movie blockbuster next year. From there it was a short trip to wonder what the entire year’s worth of movies would be that interest me. So the list that follows is exactly that: dates and names of movies that I’m looking forward to in 2011 and beyond. Of course the dates get a little more fuzzy the farther out it is, so take them with a grain of salt. If I’ve missed any, please be sure to let us know in comments. If you’re interested in some in particular, let us know that, too! Here’s hoping that 2011 will be a great movie year!
Greetings all — Operator here…
Found some anime goodness that caught my eye. I’ll give you a hint: one has armor and the other has claws. Peep out the trailers after the jump.
Tonight we wrap up our all-too-brief X-Men arc with an X3 re-watch. Highlights: we enjoy the first appearance of a sentinel in the movies, argue that Xavier may well have brought the wrath of the Phoenix upon the world by preventing her from learning and understanding her nature (the way he helps other mutants), question what happened to the real Wolverine, wonder why Stan Lee is living next door to the Greys instead of on his own island in the Caribbean, hear Audra’s most recent comic junk report, and meet PMS Girl.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
We’re watchin’ X-Men 2 (Electric Boogaloo) this week! Highlights: we talk free-will vs. suffering, question Xavier’s motives in building cerebro, address some Wolverine morality and Professor X-isn’t-a-dick carry-overs from last week, hate on Stryker, love on Iceman, enjoy our momentary hope for a “fastball special” when Colossus and Wolverine meet in the hall in X2, speculate on Mystique’s mass-simulation limitations, compare Wolverine’s warning to Pyro to waking up after a night of partying with Tara Reid, and take lots of listener calls.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
This week we dive into the first X-Men movie. Highlights: we struggle to understand the motivations of Magneto and Xavier, wade through the history of the many characters who make appearances in the flick, speculate on why Wolverine is pissy, Cyclops is dickish, and Jean Gray is maybe a little boring (in the movie), note the differences in powers between men and women in X-Men and how it affects the way they fight, discuss the many sordid relationships in X-Men history, hear Sean’s why-Xavier-is-evil argument, and talk battle room, Storm’s sex life, bubble boobs, and comics as life inspiration.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
It looks like Star Trek XI’s move to spring 2009 isn’t as free of competition as it was a month ago. Variety is reporting that the new McG-directed Terminator flick is opening just two weeks after the Trek franchise’s new hope. Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins will (as of now) release May 22, 2009, and will star Christian Bale. With the Wolverine X-Men spin-off opening days before Trek, could this be another Nemesis situation?
For what it’s worth, I’ve always been a Nemesis fan. Sure, it’s not my single favorite Trek film, but I suspect that its poor box-office numbers — and subsequent fan thrashing — was due more to release date than to the quality of the film itself. Then again, I must not be the primary demographic — because I’m going to see all three. It’s gonna be a great spring!
The “Merc with a mouth” now has live action face: Ryan Reynolds is set to play Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I’m not saying I don’t have faith in Ryan — and I’ve seen from other pics that the dude is ripped — but can he bring the necessary personality to pull off Deadpool?
I’m doubtful. I could be wrong, of course. In fact, I hope I’m wrong. I hope Ryan puts on the red-and-black then proceeds to put out his cigarette in someone’s eye and steal 007’s girl on the way to the set to start filming.
That would allay my fears a great deal.
So I hear that Taylor Kitsch will be playing everyone’s favorite (or despised) Cajun — Gambit — in the new Wolverine movie. In the immortal words of Mal: “Hmpf.”
You can always recognize Gambit via his traditional garb — a long trench coat and (most of the time) a fighting staff. He can charge any solid object with energy that explodes like a plasma grenade on contact. His biggest weapon however, is his southern charm and boyish smile, which he employs at the drop of a hat.
Though many have never forgiven him for turning on the X-Men, becoming a Horseman of the Apocalypse — Death, no less — and trying to wipe out all his former colleagues, I’ve always been a Gambit fan. Sure, he has issues. But in his defense he was under mind control at the time. Plus, he does turn it around later and make it right.
This is a guy who gets caught in the middle of everything and normally is on the losing end of the battle — no matter what side he chooses. Why does he keep at it? Simply put: he loves Rogue and would do anything for her. I can respect that.
Of course, it’s a comic, so it stands to reason that the greatest lover in the Marvel world has the hots for the one chick that is physically incapable of touching anyone skin to skin. Which leaves Gambit perpetually… frustrated.
He’s also normally on the wrong side of Wolverine’s temper, so I can’t wait to see how that works out in the new movie. Think of Gambit as the yin to the yellow tights’ yang. If Logan would use brute force to resolve a situation, Gambit would charm his way through.
The upcoming movie should be interesting. Do us proud, Taylor.
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