2013 Movies I Want To See

I know lots of people are excited about J.J. Abrams’ latest Star Trek movie opening today but I don’t care about it at all.  Don’t get me wrong.  The original Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation are two Hall of Fame TV series but the movies have always been hit and miss for me, the best being Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986).  The Next Generation movies seemed half-hearted as if the cast really wanted to be somewhere else.  And I am one of the few people who disliked J.J. Abrams’ reboot 4 years ago.

This generation of filmmakers seems obsessed with starting old stories from scratch again as if the older versions no longer existed (probably the subject of a future blog).   Problem is I am not really interested in seeing something I’ve seen before start all over again.  I would rather see something new or see an established franchise keep moving forward and not just reliving its youth over and over (Hello, Superman, Spider Man, Star Trek).  For me, Star Trek is a closed book that I have finished reading.  I have no interested in starting it all over again.

So what AM I looking forward to seeing this summer?

BEFORE MIDNIGHT
The rousing conclusion to the romantic trilogy begun with Before Sunrise (1995) and Before Sunset (2004).  I can’t wait.  And I hope Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy still make another in 9 years time.  Richard Linklater is one of America’s most underrated filmmakers.

THE EAST
Has Brit Marling & Ellen Page and I like the story.

THE PURGE
Sounds like an interesting take on THE LOTTERY and probably has things to say about our country and its notions of law & order in this day and time.  And it has Ethan Hawke.  I'm in.

THE BLING RING
Sofia Coppola is another of my favorite contemporary directors.  I have loved all her films.  And this one has a cool true story.  Not to mention Emma Watson.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
Because I see everything by Pixar.  And I've forgiven them for the mediocrity of Brave (2012).  Wreck-It Ralph (2012) should have won the Oscar.

COPPERHEAD
Because I loved Ronald Maxwell’s Gettysburg (1994).  This is his next installment after the mediocre Gods and Generals (2003). 

THE LONE RANGER
Had tons of production problems but I’m hoping the team that brought us the Pirates of the Caribbean series can recapture the magic, despite Johnny Depp once again playing in white face.

THE WAY, WAY BACK
Supposed to be really, really good.  And I’m a Steve Carrell fan. 

TURBO
Because it’s about the Indianapolis 500.  Need I say more?

THE CONJURING
Sounds like an interesting horror film.  And I’ve been a Patrick Wilson fan since Phantom of the Opera (2004).

300: RISE OF AN EMPIRE
Didn’t like the first one but this one has Eva Green.  The Dreamers (2003), Kingdom of Heaven (2005), Casino Royale (2006).  Need I say more?
UPDATE: This has now been pushed back to March 2014.  Oh well.

THE LIFEGUARD
I’ve been a Kristen Bell fan since Veronica Mars.  This sounds like an interesting change of pace for her.

GRAVITY
Trailer looks cool.  With George Clooney & Sandra Bullock.

ABOUT TIME
Because it is about time travel.  And it is Richard Curtis who does romance and romantic comedy with the best of them.

AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
Because it has a bunch of actors I really like: Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Dermot Mulroney, Ewan McGregor, Benedict Cumberbatch, Abigail Breslin, Chris Cooper, Sam Shepard.  And the previews look like home movies of my family reunions.

SAVING MR. BANKS
I’m a Disney nut and this is about the making of Mary Poppins.  I can’t quite see Tom Hanks as Walt Disney (Edward Norton or Ryan Gosling would be better) but I’m willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I’m one of the few people who adored John Lee Hancock’s The Alamo (2004).

What are you looking forward to?

WHY THIS SONG OF THE DAY?
"Working For The Weekend" by Loverboy
Because it is the perfect "driving home from work on a Friday afternoon" song.   Because it is Friday night.  And we just got paid.  Enough said.