Previews Continued

To read the spoiler, highlight the text between the arrows.

Wanted

Not many of you will probably know this, but this movie is actually based on a comic book, as well. I only know that because I read an article about it in a comic book magazine. (Stop it...I'm really not THAT obsessed. I only get the magazine when I'm traveling on the train to visit PA. It's a nine hour ride, I have to do SOMETHING to pass the time. Sheesh.)

I've never really been a huge fan of Angelina Jolie, but I think she's good in this sort of role. I liked her well enough in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and I'm fairly confident she'll be good in this. Besides, I like James McAvoy, and you can't go wrong with Morgan Freeman.

I expect graphic violence and gratuitous sex scenes, and by Jove, I better get them!

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

They didn't actually show a preview for this, but I was checking the release schedule for the summer, and it caught my eye, so I'll talk about it.

If you haven't seen the first one, I suggest you rent it. It got little love at the box office, but it's a great movie and deserved to do better. Hellboy is a hero who looks like a demon. Well, that's because he IS a demon. But he fights against his nature, and tries to do good. He was raised by the US army, and works for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He likes cats.
I found this tidbit from wikipedia's timeline of events in Hellboy's life: "Hellboy eats pancakes for the first time. The demons of Pandemonium lament that he will never return to them now."

That really kinda says it all.

There have also been two straight-to-DVD animated features. I've seen the first one, which was very good, and will probably watch the second before the movie comes out.

I saw a poster in the subway with a picture of Hellboy with the tagline: Believe it or not, he's the GOOD guy.

I can't wait!

X-Files

From the preview, I don't think this will be the best movie ever. However, I'm just so excited to be reunited with my old friends, Mulder and Scully, that I'm willing to forgive quite a bit. I'll just be happy if it's entertaining and I get to see them kiss. Really, that's all I ask.

There was a group of 20-somethings near me in the theater who made cynical snorts for this (and almost every other) preview. I couldn't hear exactly what they were saying, but the tone was one of "man, I liked that show, but it looks like the movie will blow."

I can't understand that. Why is it considered cool to be cynical? It seems like, more and more, my generation has to put things down because being excited about something is lame. Where is the innocent joy of going to a movie and just having a good time?

I've heard a lot of people dissing Indiana Jones. Was it the best movie ever? No. Did it have flaws? Of course. But it was also a rollicking good time. It was so joyful, so innocent. You knew who the bad guys (or gal) were and they were really bad. And you knew who the hero was, and despite his getting on in years, he could still swagger with the best of them. Not only that, but Dr. Jones is a true archaeologist at heart. He goes from one piece of the puzzle to the next by calling on his considerable well of knowledge: a combination of history and local folklore. He takes the time during a high-speed chase to answer a student's question, for crying out loud.

And Shia LaBeouf, more concerned about how his hair looks than the mystery of some archaeological artifact, is downright hilarious.

Spoiler Alert-->And at the end, when he picks up the hat, and the audience thinks, "ah, so he's going to take up the mantle and go on to a sequel," Indy snatches it back as if to say, "I'm not done with it yet, kid." Brilliant.<--End Spoiler Alert

I've gone on another tangent. I wonder if there's a cream for that...?

Anyway, I hope X-Files does what Indy did: transport me to a previous time in my life. Remind me of my childhood, back when I didn't analyze every movie to death until I had rung all the joy out of it; but, rather, just let the film transport me to another world into an adventure beyond my wildest dreams. That would be a movie worth seeing.

And if they FINALLY pay off the sexual tension between Mulder and Scully, so much the better.

Well, that does it. Hopefully, by the time this is actually posted, I'll have another blog lined up. If not, you'll just have to take your chances that I'll feel inspired and write more tomorrow.

Later, Jules

PS-I've just realized that I said nothing about Dark Knight. I didn't see a preview, but I don't need to. I really want it to be good, so I think it's safer if I don't mention it anymore.