WHICH BLOCKBUSTER WILL COME OUT ON TOP?

The Summer Movie season is nearly upon us and 2013 is shaping up to be one spectacular show. I think the battle for this year’s crown comes down to three outstanding projects: Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness & Man of Steel.

Which one will stand out critically? Commercially? Which one will connect to audiences most?

Ultimately, it depends on which franchise you love and the history behind it. Are you excited to return to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe after the events of The Avengers? Are you counting down the days until J.J Abrams unleashes another adventure in his rebooted Star Trek universe? Can the DC Universe thrive without Christopher Nolan’s Batman?

These are all questions that will be answered but which one will truly deliver?

IRON MAN 3

May 3, 2013 (April 18th)

The marketing machine behind this film did a fantastic job with the first two trailers. Tony Stark is in for one hell of a battle with The Mandarin but more importantly himself. Immediately, you get a sense that the events of The Avengers weighs heavily on him. It should be! Aliens opened a portal and invaded Earth! The whole planet was almost lost!

Iron Man 3 is a guaranteed success because of The Avengers and previous films but how will people respond to a standalone tale now that the team has disassembled? Are movie audiences spoiled now?

Personally, I think it will work. Judging by the trailers, Marvel has learned that Iron Man cannot be used solely to introduce elements of future films.  That approach killed any momentum Iron Man 2 could muster.

Thankfully, that movie was erased last year when Tony flew a nuclear missile through a portal in the sky and blew up an alien mothership…

Apparently, the finale of Iron Man 3 is full of different types of armors in one of the most explosive endings ever.  An ending that has Avengers director Joss Whedon worried about how he will top it in The Avengers 2.  This according to Marvel president Kevin Feige:

“There are a lot of suits in this movie. While it is both a movie in which he spends quite a bit of time outside of the suit, as you see it’s not working and he’s — and he’s with Ty in Tennessee, by the end of it we reveal that underneath the house, which is now covered with rubble, he’s got dozens and dozens of suits.

And once, throughout the course of the movie, and all that rubble gets pulled aside by construction cranes, just when he needs them, he calls them to the rescue and we have what I think is the biggest most action-packed finale we’ve had. I showed the film to Joss Whedon, who is our writer-director of Avengers and who is currently working on Avengers 2, and he saw the finale of this and he goes, ‘Now what am I supposed to do now? What am I going to do in Avengers 2?’ (Geek Tyrant)

Will Iron Man 3 win the summer 2013 movie season?

XTRA | Top 5 Moments: Iron Man 3 Trailer #1

XTRA | Top 5 Moments: Iron Man 3 Trailer #2

STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS

May 17th, 2013

J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot basically introduced me to the Star Trek universe.  That should NOT have been the case.  I didn’t dislike Star Trek at all, it was just never a part of my life growing up.  This universe is essentially all I know about the characters from the original series other than the standard pop culture references.  I’m reluctant to call myself a Star Trek fan but I did enjoy the reboot a lot.

This time around, the origin story is established and the possibilities are endless.  I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Will Star Trek Into Darkness win the summer 2013 movie season?

XTRA | Top 5 Moments: Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer #1

MAN OF STEEL

June 13, 2013

Christopher Nolan is done with Batman and has now turned his attention to Superman.  (I just read that last sentence again and grinned.)  Superman is returning for REAL this time!  This new take on the Man of Steel looks nothing short of spectacular.

I was highly disappointed in Superman Returns (2006).  For a Superman movie, it really didn’t offer much action and when it did, it he was lifting continents out of the water.  Lex Luther’s evil land plan was pretty dumb and the movie failed to relaunch the franchise as many hoped.

This time it’s going to be different.  This is the modern Superman movie I’ve been dying to see my whole life.  (My age when the first films were released ranged from non existent to infant child.)

I can’t wait to see Man of Steel.  I truly hope Zack Snyder, Christopher Nolan and the entire team deliver something amazing.  I’m at the point now where I’m just about prepared to guarantee it.

Will Man of Steel win the summer 2013 movie season?

XTRA | Top 5 Moments: Man of Steel Trailer #2

Do you think another movie can beat these three titans this summer? The Wolverine? Pacific Rim?

XTRA | Top 10 Summer Movies 2013

THE RANKINGS

TOTAL BOX OFFICE (WORLDWIDE)

3. Man of Steel

2. Star Trek Into Darkness

1. Iron Man 3

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

3. Star Trek Into Darkness

2. Iron Man 3

1. Man of Steel

MY PERSONAL PRE-SUMMER RANKINGS

3. Star Trek Into Darkness

2. Iron Man 3

1. Man of Steel

What do you think?

MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF 2012

2012 is over and I’ve finally caught up enough to make my ‘best of’ picks.  There are some movies I regret missing but overall, I saw more than 30 movies released in 2012.

Before I mention my top 5, I wanted to acknowledge some awesome movies that just missed the cut.

ARGO | Review

LIFE OF PI | Review

DJANGO UNCHAINED | Review

SINISTER | Review

TED | Review

Click here for a complete list of all my 2012 reviews.

THE TOP 5 MOVIES OF 2012

5. SKYFALL

Click here for my review.

Skyfall narrowly edged out Django Unchained purely because of the nostalgia it brought back to the Bond franchise.  Casino Royale is one of my favorite movies period but Skyfall felt like a better reboot.  Classic James Bond movie.

4. LOOPER

Click here for my review.

I was blown away by Looper’s style and originality.

3. ZERO DARK THIRTY

Click here for my review.

A smart and fascinating look behind the scenes of one of the most important events in recent memory.

2. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Click here for my review.

The end of an era.  Though the film didn’t rise above The Dark Knight, it still wrapped up a legendary film series I’ll cherish forever.

1. THE AVENGERS

Click here for my review.

I saw The Avengers 3 times in 7 days.  Two of those were matinee viewings before work…  By myself.  I absolutely adored The Avengers.  It was, by far, the most fun I had in theaters in 2012.

Bring on 2013!

Click here for the review archives.

Click here for The Bottom 3: The Worst Movies of 2012

Growing up, I was always interested in showing my family the latest technology. Imagine playing with an iPad having been around when television was just getting warmed up.  I’m starting to get that feeling myself.  I still remember our first modem and what it meant.  Back then, I used to log in to a primitive forum that only let you online for an hour a day.  Even then, I was interested in movies.  That was the first forum I visited and the majority of my hour was spent discussing movies.

Technology kept getting better.  The world got faster modems, better websites, more engaging content and up to the minute second information.  Just before I graduated high school, I remember scouring the web for any piece of information I could find on The Matrix sequels.  I had to know details immediately.  This desperate search led me to many of the websites I still visit every day.  Since that time, technology evolved and movie news has never been easier to consume.

Now I look back on how I used to get my movie news and I’m blown away by how far we’ve come.  Now there are thousands of websites and blogs out there.  The internet has a pulse and I’m no longer solely a reader,  I’m a contributor. It’s so much fun.

Looking back, I decided to focus on 5 announcements that blew my mind and kick started my addiction to movie news.

XTRA | Movies that changed everything: A 12 Part Series

SPIDER-MAN ON THE BIG SCREEN

My favorite Superhero.  When I found out that Sam Raimi was creating a live action Spider-Man movie I was speechless.  CG technology was exploding and the very thought of live action web slinging was too good to be true.

I still get goosebumps watching that trailer.  It’s Spider-Man!  I still can’t believe it’s been over 10 years since Peter Parker changed the Superhero movie forever.  I also can’t believe the series has already been rebooted but I enjoyed The Amazing Spider-Man and I’m looking forward to following the ‘electrifying‘ sequel.

THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE

“Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Nick Fury, Black Widow & Hawk Eye are on stage together!”

Marvel had done it.  4 movie franchises would come together in the biggest Superhero movie of all time:  The Avengers. Years later, I’m still stunned they not only pulled it off but exceeded expectations.  The ‘official’ hype began with a press conference at Comic Con in 2010…

XTRA | Top 10 Moments: The Avengers

I loved The Avengers but beyond that, I loved following the film’s development.  I loved the Easter eggs they built into the movies that preceded it.  What threat could possibly exist that would challenge these larger than life heroes?  I was actually sad after I saw The Avengers.  I had so much fun reading about the film.  Then I remembered PHASE TWO!  Another round of phenomenal Marvel movies is on the way and it all leads to The Avengers 2 in 2015.

Until then, we must wonder what Thanos will do to make these heroes assemble again.

XTRA | I’m glad I don’t know anything about Guardians of the Galaxy

PETER JACKSON & THE HOBBIT

The Lord of the Rings.  Three movies that I watch at least twice a year.  That includes the hours of amazing special features included in the extended editions.  LOTR is a remarkable achievement and an adaptation that captured the imaginations of millions around the world.  I absolutely adored The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The next logical step was the Hobbit but the film was plagued with legal issues causing endless delays.  Not to mention the concern fans had knowing Peter Jackson planned on handing over the keys to Middle Earth to another filmmaker.  Those concerns were alleviated when they announced that Guillermo Del Toro was on board.  Unfortunately, the production ran into more delays and Del Toro departed.  Heart break once again…

Until Peter Jackson himself stepped up and vowed to return to Middle Earth.  That was an unbelievable announcement.  Then they announced three movies instead of two!  Another trilogy directed by Peter Jackson featuring the same dedicated team of filmmakers.  A dream come true.

THE MATRIX GETS TWO SEQUELS

“They are making a sequel to The Matrix!? …  Hold on…  There is going to be two AND they are filming them back to back?”

The Matrix Reloaded.  Some people love it, others think the original should have been left alone.  Even those who hated the sequels were still curious at some point. Where will the Wachowski’s take Neo next?  I was obsessed.  I read every article I could.  I was searching for Matrix news before I checked my own email on a daily basis for months.  How could they possibly continue such a complex story? (Insert Architect joke here)

XTRA | Top 10 Matrix Moments

When The Matrix Reloaded came to an abrupt end, I was even more addicted to news and rumors.  Thousands posted theories on what could happen next and I read all of them.  Speculation was as endless and I was addicted.  The Matrix Revolutions delivered a fitting end even though it wasn’t as spectacular as I hoped.  The Matrix will always be my favorite but I loved Reloaded because it inspired the movie nerd in me.

The day I found out they were making two sequels changed everything…

XTRA | What The Matrix Screenplay Taught Me

DISNEY ANNOUNCES STAR WARS EPISODE VII

I thought we had seen the last of the galaxy far far away…  I didn’t hate Episodes 1,2 & 3 but they definitely didn’t rise to the level of the original trilogy.  I never imagined that one day, we would FINALLY get true sequels to Star Wars.  Then Disney announced the acquisition of LucasFilm.  One single press release literally blew up the internet.  The hype began instantly and speculation will dominate movie websites until the day Star Wars Episode VII is released in 2015.  This doesn’t even include the sequels and spin offs the mouse house is planning.

I don’t normally cover news on my blog but I couldn’t resist.  It’s Star Wars Episode VII!

What will it be about?  Will Luke Skywalker and the rest of the original cast return?  Who will direct it?  When will we find out more!?

XTRA | Star Wars Episode VII Story Round Up

XTRA | Disney & Star Wars: 5 Things I Love & A Couple Things I Don’t

There’s also an interesting battle brewing in the Summer of 2015.  Which film will gross more?  Star Wars 7 or The Avengers 2?    The culmination of Marvel Phase 2 and a sequel movie fans have been waiting decades to see. (Disney wins the Summer 2015 box office battle by the way.  I’m prepared to make that call now since they own both franchises.)

ARE YOU ADDICTED TO MOVIE HYPE?

I grew up searching for my favorite movies and devouring the articles I found.  Every new trailer, tv spot, poster, synopsis, casting announcement, set pic and interview makes me smile.  I’m addicted to movie hype.  Today, it’s easier than ever to find information on the movies you can’t wait to see.  Technology has indeed come a long way since I was young.

However, one thought makes me smile more than all of the massive announcements combined: Back then I used to search for articles.  Today, I write my own.  It’s funny how people evolve just like the technology we use to tell our stories.

Click here for more Movies

Click here for links to tons of GREAT movie blogs around the web.

XTRA | Follow this conversation on REDDIT

Marvel fans waited years for The Avengers to arrive.  Thankfully, when it did, it exploded world wide and became one of the most successful movies in history.  Joss Whedon brought the Marvel Universe together brilliantly in a movie that entertained millions.  The Avengers was a FUN movie to experience.

Movies events like The Avengers don’t come along very often and it’ll be interesting to see where The Marvel Universe takes us next.  If Iron Man 3 is any indication, we’re heading into darker territory which is fantastic.  I can’t wait to see what Thanos will unleash upon Marvel’s heroes in a few years.  Bring on Phase Two.

XTRA | The Avengers Review

XTRA | The Avengers & The Blockbuster Viewing Strategy

XTRA | I’m happy I don’t know anything about Guardians of the Galaxy

Here are the top 10 moments from Marvel’s The Avengers:

10. GALAGA

“That man is playing Galaga.”

I can’t imagine the amount of trouble someone would be in if they played Galaga in the Pentagon during an Alien invasion.  S.H.E.I.L.D is a pretty lenient organization.

9. THE VINTAGE SET

Apparently you’re able to buy the vintage set?  Not sure how collectable and/or cool they would be featuring Chris Evans but an old school comic book Steve Rogers set would be cool.

8. 10 BUCKS SAYS YOU’RE WRONG

I think this moment was meant for audiences.  Many people thought they wouldn’t pull off a movie of this magnitude.  By the time The Avengers ended, we were all happy we spent the 10 bucks.

7. THOR HAMMERS HULK

So Thor nails Hulk with his hammer…  I’m a big fan of the frustration Hulk feels when he can’t pick up Mjolnir.  Puny hammer.

6. SHAWARMA

These poor shop owners are busy sweeping up debris when 6 people come in.

“You guys are open right?”

10 bucks says Thor didn’t have any Earth cash and owes Tony lunch.

5. THANOS

It’s amazing how a tiny glimpse of Thanos sets the stage for Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy & The Avengers 2.  We don’t know what it means yet but Marvel has hit their stride.  Phase Two is going to be pretty special.

4. HULK SUCKER PUNCHES THOR

I saw The Avengers 3 times in theaters and this moment was a crowd favorite every single time.

3. THE LONG SHOT

My favorite shot of the movie.  It’s long and it’s full of incredible and continuous action.  Two moments really stand out during the shot:

1. Captain America reflects Iron Man’s blaster off his shield.
2. Hulk & Thor team up to hammer an electrified sky snake scale into it’s face.

2. THE PARTY

An incredible moment.  Who would have thought Marvel could bring these franchises together?  Seeing all the heroes together ready to take on an army gave me chills and still does.  What an epic cinematic moment.

1. PUNY GOD

The Party could (and probably should) be the number one moment but there are a few reasons why I picked this particular moment.  First, it’s hilarious.  Second, how long have we waited to see Hulk really go to town and smash things.  The Incredible Hulk did an admirable job but this is clearly THE Hulk we’ve all been waiting to see.  He picks up a God and proceeds to slam the crap out of him right in the middle of a monologue.

I hope we get another standalone Hulk movie someday.  It’s been hinted that Phase Three might feature a Hulk movie.  For now we have moments like these to watch as we await The Avengers 2.

Click here for more Movie Countdowns

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE PHASE TWO BEGINS!

Iron Man 3 looks incredible!  Hopefully we get a final battle that erases the awful memory of Whiplash’s instant and lackluster defeat in Iron Man 2.  The first trailer makes one thing perfectly clear: This is going to be a much darker Iron Man than we’re used to.  Personally, I hope the entire Marvel Universe takes a darker tone in Phase 2.  Thanos awaits!

But first we have a trailer to dissect:

My top 5 favorite moments:

5. Exploding Iron Man Suits

It’s awesome seeing all the suits lined up like that…  So why blow them up!?

4. Tony Stark vs Iron Man?

If this film follows the Extremis storyline is this suit operating on it’s own before Tony can perfect the technology?  Or is someone else wearing the suit and waking up Pepper…  Did they blow up the other suits?

Side note: I didn’t like the new suit design at all when they released a still months back.  Well…  I changed my mind.  It looks pretty sweet in motion.

3. The Mandarin Emerges

Welcome to the Marvel Cinematic Universe Ben Kingsley!

2. New York & The Pose

“Everything’s changed since New York…”

It’s going to be so much fun catching all the references in these movies now.  They aren’t just forgetting that Aliens invaded our world and nearly destroyed New York.  It had a massive impact on Tony Stark and presumably the rest of The Avengers.

Then the trailer shows this pose and suddenly, I remembered just how awesome the first Iron Man was.  These heroes will have no trouble carrying movies by themselves.

1. Stark Mansion No More

They are really going to beat the crap out of Tony Stark in this movie.  Iron Man vs Mandarin.  Let’s do this.

What’s your favorite moment?

Looking for more Iron Man 3 coverage?  Check out these trailer breakdowns from around the web:

IGN | Iron Man 3 Trailer Analysis Wiki

Collider | Iron Man 3 Trailer Breakdown

Hollywood.com | Iron Man 3 Trailer Breakdown

Den of Geek | Iron Man 3 Trailer Analysis

Comic Vine | Iron Man 3 Scene Breakdown

Click here for more Movie Countdowns