Super Hero Movies

As I sit in the first lecture of my last month of classes, with senior-itis having already been a factor in my focus since late March, I was looking at fandango.com to figure out what movie I should see this week.

Now for many of you, the obvious choice would be The Avengers. And why not? It is the epitome of a weekend movie. There are Super Heroes, explosions, and of course, Scarlett Johansson. I will definitely see it eventually, but the excitement for it is not as great as it would have been a few years ago.

My excitement was absent for Thor and Captain America last summer as well. This got me to thinking. Why am I not nearly as excited for Super Hero movies as I was when Iron Man or The Dark Knight came out? The only Super Hero movie I am even somewhat excited for is The Dark Knight Rises. But the others have me looking for something else to watch the weekend they're released.

I have come to a few conclusions. The one thing that has changed for me between now and 2008 is the fact that I no longer work for a movie theatre. When I worked for the theatre, I didn't have to worry about sold out crowds, or even having to pay to see it. I would get an after hours screening of it, with just me and my friends from work, the day it came out. The annoyance of being crammed into the theatre and people taking up my elbow space, and whispering to each other distracting me from taking in the great visuals.

I have been spoiled with my movie going experience. The $10 ticket that everyone else had to pay while I was seeing everything for free makes me feel like I am putting a down payment on a car that might break down on my way out of the lot. The great thing about not having to pay for a movie ticket was the fact that if I didn't enjoy it, it didn't matter. Now, I have to carefully choose what movies I decide to pay to see.

That brings me to why I skeptical about paying to see a movie most people love.

Super Hero movies have  lost their flare to me.

Before you close out this blog out of disgust, hear me out. I have always enjoyed Super Hero movies. Even since I've lost interest I have still enjoyed them. Captain America was the best one I had seen in a long time! I love that movie.

But I have noticed something. The studios try to pump them out so fast, and don't take that much time on them that they have all become very formulaic. They all follow the same plot points, and have the same structure.

Some of you may be thinking to yourself "Well, all movies are like that", and for the most part, I would agree. But Marvel and DC Comic movies do it with such force that they might as well be sitting next you you, nudging your arm, saying "You see what we did there?". They are recycling movies, but inserting different characters and settings.

Here is the outline for almost every Super Hero movie that has been bade in the past decade.

• Introduction of the main character. He's either a nerd or a rich giant douche.
• He is in love with a girl that is either way out of his league, or don't want anything to do with him because he's a douche.
• Something happens to him that makes him have super powers (usually involving radiation), or something terrible happens like his parents dying, or being kidnapped by terrorists.
• He decides to become a hero, and tries to change things.
• Insert montage of him being awesome!
• Best friend, brother, or well trusted colleague becomes the villain.
• Villain kidnaps someone close to hero. Usually the girl.
• Hero struggles to defeat villain before ultimately winning.
• Happy times occur. Girl realizes she loves him, etc.
• Hero rides off into the sunset.

The most different movies in this genre are Captain America and Ironman. They manage to have certain things that make it feel fresh. And can I just say, Captain America had a great ending?!

"I are you gonna be ok?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I just.... I had a date"

So good.

All in all, I will definitely see The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises in theaters. But I will more than likely wait a few weeks until the crowds have died down. Crowds suck.

The Avengers opens this Friday, May 4th.

Movies To Look Out For In 2012

Just a list of movies I am looking forward to this year. I will more than likely see them all, unless something bad happens!

Prometheus coming June 8th.

Now, there are a lot of people that are saying this is a prequel to the Alien movies. But that's not true. It was originally intended to be the prequel, Director Ridley Scott thought it was strong enough to be it's own film. I, for one, prefer it that way.


Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter coming June 22nd.

If you've been following me thus far, you know I am excited for this movie. I dedicated an entire post to it. I need help. Look below for my post about this movie.


Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World coming June 22nd.

This movie seems like the most original concept for a comedy we have seen in a while. Taking a morbid scenario and turning it into what looks like a fun, entertaining comedy is definitely something I have never seen before. And with Steve Carell as the leading man, I expect this to be rather good.


Ted coming July 13th.

I don't have any comment about this other than it looks hilarious.


The Dark Knight Rises coming July 20th.

I don't think Christopher Nolan has made a bad movie. And I don't think this will be an exception. With the final installment of Nolan's Batman franchise, this should be an intense movie.


Neighborhood Watch coming July 27th.

Richard Ayoade is the main reason I want to see this. It looks funny.


The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey coming December 14th.

Need I say more?


Unfortunately, that is it for now. Hopefully, as the year plays out, more will come up.

In Anticipation: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

There are very few movies that, before they come out, the trailer and any mention of the film makes me as giddy as a school girl. Yes, I get excited for movies, but there are very few trailers I will watch over and over again and smile and giggle every single time.

The last I remember was Inception. Yes, that may have been less than 3 years ago, but considering thousands of movies have been released since then, that is a pretty significant amount of time. Before Inception it was The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford. And I don't remember what was before that. I remember when I was a manager for a movie theatre, I would walk in to a theatre that I knew would show the trailer for it and watch it as much as I could. The IMAX experience being the best of course.

But I digress.

I present to you Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Now, if by some chance there is anyone on here, reading this, that doesn't know me, I am obsessed with Abraham Lincoln. He is, in my opinion, the best human to ever walk the Earth. I read so much about him, that I sometimes worry about myself. And I have read the book this movie is based off of, and it is EXTREMELY historically accurate. Seth Grahame-Smith, the author and screen writer, more or less just took a biography and inserted vampires anywhere someone in the great President's life died. It is a very good book, and I highly suggest it to anyone who is looking for a new book to read.

That being said, here are 5 reasons I am as giddy as a school girl whenever this movie is mentioned.

1. I have an unhealthy obsession with President Lincoln.
2. There are vampires involved. And not the kind of wimpy vampires that have flocks of teenage girls running and screaming in the movie theatre whenever him and his stupid lame werewolf boyfriend take their shirts off. Actual, real, bad ass vampires.
3. It has Civil War scenes, but with Vampires ripping people to shreds. (Hopefully)
4. It has the most bad ass President this country has ever had being more bad ass than I have ever imagined possible.
5. Did you see him cut down that tree with one swing? Of course you did!

I just hope that this trailer doesn't get my expectations up to high. And I swear to all that is Holy, if this gets anything less than an 'R' rating, I will find Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov and I will come at them with the fires of hell at my heels and I will not stop until their legs are twitching'! 

You have been warned.

And what an awesome poster!

The Cabin In The Woods

Every so often, there is a movie that comes to theaters that splits it's audience completely down the middle. The feelings for such a movie are so strong on both ends of the spectrum that it becomes a metaphorical "Civil War" pitting brother against brother.

The Cabin In The Woods is one of those films.

Marketed as a cliché filled, college-party-vacation-gone-horribly-wrong horror film, this movie is not what the marketers would have you believe. Instead, what you experience is  a great, original (as far as my knowledge goes), tongue-and-cheek master piece written by Joss Whedon (Firefly, The Avengers) and Drew Goddard (Lost, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), the latter also being the director.

It tells the story of a group of College Students who decide to go on a little weekend trip to a cabin... in the woods, owned by the cousin of Curt, played by Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Star Trek). But what they do not realize is that they are being watched by a government run program that creates horror film scenarios to sacrifice young people to a blood-thirsty god. The program is run by two overly confident, conceded directors played by Richard Jenkins (Step Brothers, Let Me In) and Bradley Whitford (Billy Madison, The West Wing), and they are by far two of the more entertaining characters in the movie.

Now, I know that not everyone will enjoy this movie. I know a few people who did not like it specifically because it was not what was advertised. They went in, ready to be scared, or at the very least, thrilled by a twist ending and what-not. But the way the film is told, there are no secrets, and few scenes that will make you jump (unless you are easily frightened). They tell you what is happening from the start. But the filmmakers utilize this to their advantage.

They use it as an opportunity to create hilarious situations that will keep the audience (at least half of it) smiling and laughing.

Overall, this is just a fun movie for avid movie-goers. It pokes fun at all of the horror movies we know and love, but with more grace and subtlety than the Scary Movie franchise.

If you want to experience a movie that has the best aspects of both horror and comedy, I suggest you see The Cabin In The Woods.

My Rating: A-