It’s hard to believe, but a whole other year has passed, and I find myself once again celebrating a Blogiversary. Has it really been five years since I started my original top 365 movie countdown?! It doesn’t feel like that long, but perhaps that just means I’m having fun. That must be it, because 2018 has been an especially good year for movie-watching, and as with every blogiversary before, it’s time to recap all the high points of the past year with (what else?) a Top Twelve List of the movies worthy of joining my Top 365 List!

Since I now have five years of movie-blogging under my belt, I’ve had to become more choosy with what I christen as List-Worthy, which means only 25 films earned that distinction this year, the least of any year thus far. That’s not to say I haven’t seen many more great films than that, such as Black Panther, Boyhood, Yi Yi, In This Corner of the World, Tombstone, Marjorie Prime, 50 First Dates, Sunshine, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Next Gen, The Sandlot, Still Mine, and Only the Brave, but for whatever reason, they fell just a tad short.

Yet, while last year’s 35 additions were mainly in the latter half of the list, this year’s favorites climb a little higher. I, of course, liked my Top Twelve from last year, but this year’s additions have some new films I truly loved. As usual, several of them are from me playing catch-up on 2017’s releases, but even more are from 2018, and I couldn’t help but notice that none of the additions are from the 20^th century. Hmm, I’ve got to fix that next year and see more older films.

As always, this is my personal opinion, and everyone is free to agree or disagree. I welcome any comments or recommendations, and I look forward to finding more movies worth loving next year.

Anyhoo, let’s get to the list itself and reminisce on the cinematic rollercoaster that was 2018.

 

12. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

As much as I enjoyed this second Ant-Man movie, I’m surprised it ended up as low as #12. After Infinity War’s epic doom and gloom, the MCU needed a little levity, and Ant-Man and the Wasp delivered an all-around fun thrill ride with one of the more satisfying endings in the franchise, at least until the after-credits scene. Luis saying “Whazzup!” still cracks me up.

 

11. April and the Extraordinary World (2015)

This is only the first awesome animated film you’ll see on this list. Animation lovers mainly get their jollies from American or Japanese properties, so it’s nice to be reminded that Europe’s got game too. A steampunk adventure out of France that would make Miyazaki proud, April and the Extraordinary World offers an exciting blend of genres that feels fresher than the vast majority of recent animated fare.

 

10. Coco (2017)

Pixar hit it out of the park yet again with Coco, a fantasy tale of a Mexican boy visiting the Land of the Dead on Dia de Muertos. Boasting astounding new heights of CGI detail and a surprising amount of heart, Coco is proof that Pixar’s storytellers still know what they’re doing.

 

9. Mission: Impossible III, Ghost Protocol, Rogue Nation, and Fallout (2006 – 2018)

Last year, I caught up on the excellent Planet of the Apes remakes and this year decided to again tackle a series I’ve been unconsciously avoiding, the increasingly acclaimed Mission: Impossible franchise. To my surprise, they were even better than anticipated, and all of them from the third on (after J.J. Abrams got involved) are outstanding actioners. I think M:i:III is still my favorite for having the most personal stakes and the most satisfying ending.

 

8. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (2018)

Ah, the tearjerker makes its way onto the stage. As a fan of both fantasy and anime, as well as movies that earn the viewer’s tears, I was bound to love this film, and indeed its ending hit me harder than expected. Easily the most poignant film I saw all year.

 

7. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

I may have seen this animated Spider-Man extravaganza for the first time only a couple days ago, but it keeps getting better in my head. The rap music wasn’t my favorite, but everything else about this trippy cross-over adventure was so well-done that I can’t wait to see it again.

 

6. Darkest Hour (2017)

Darkest Hour isn’t great just for having one of the most transformative performances on film, courtesy of Oscar winner Gary Oldman. It’s also among the best biopics I’ve seen, giving a well-rounded view of Winston Churchill, sometimes as a demanding bully but more often as a persevering patriot, as well as a vulnerable human being in his most dire period. Especially as a companion piece to Dunkirk, it’s a fascinating piece of history eloquently told.

 

5. The Incredibles 2 (2018)

This year, Pixar once again pulled off the unlikely, offering a worthy sequel to one of their best films. Continuing the story of the Parr/Incredible family as they try to make superheroes legal again and face a mind-controlling threat, this is a great family film and ranks among Pixar’s best sequels.

 

4. Ready Player One (2018)

This dystopian virtual-reality pop-culture treasure hunt was #1 on my list of films I hoped would be good at the beginning of 2018, and, thanks to Steven Spielberg and company, it was. True, it doesn’t quite measure up to the book, but the changes made sense as it offered up one geeky thrill after another.

 

3. Train to Busan (2016)

If you had told me a year ago that I would be putting a zombie film on my list, I would never have believed it. I am by no means a typical fan of the genre, but no film kept me on the edge of my seat like this South Korean thriller. It’s an adrenaline-pumping fight for survival where things repeatedly go from bad to worse, but it’s paired with an affecting tale of a father trying to live up to his daughter’s expectations while saving her life.

 

2. The Greatest Showman (2017)

I love musicals, and I insist that we need more original ones like The Greatest Showman. Not subtle or historically accurate enough perhaps to be considered Oscar material, it’s nonetheless a joyous film from start to finish, full of misfit empowerment, spectacular show tunes, and an undercurrent of family values. It leaves me smiling every time.

 

1. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Well, Marvel pulled it off, the crowning glory of the MCU thus far. Infinity War is staggering in its ambition, juggling so many characters that it so easily could have turned into a jumbled mess in less skilled hands (ahem, DC), yet I’ve little doubt that the Russos surpassed everyone’s expectations. The ending still stings, and my continued appreciation of this movie will likely depend on how well Endgame completes it in the coming year, but for now Infinity War still amazes. I’ve heard it called this generation’s Empire Strikes Back, and I don’t disagree.

 

 

So that’s the Top Twelve, but here are the other films that made it onto my Top 365 Movie List this time around. Keep in mind that I do group most franchises together, which is the only reason I made Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales List-Worthy, since it continued the original trilogy. I also group certain similar films together, so Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow will be paired with April and the Extraordinary World, while A Quiet Place will pair with Hidden.

 

A Monster Calls (2016)

A Quiet Place (2018)

Chronesthesia (a.k.a. Love and Time Travel) (2016)

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

Searching (2018)

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

The Last Days (or Los Ultimos Dias) (2013)

Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013) (brought back to join Thor: Ragnarok as a trilogy)

 

And as in past years, here are some unofficial awards for the List-Worthy films, which only list nerds like myself will find of interest:

 

Best opening scene: Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation

Best final scene: Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

Coolest scene: Avengers: Infinity War

Biggest emotional impact: Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

Oldest film: Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004)

Most recent film: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Longest film: Avengers: Infinity War (149 minutes)

Shortest film: A Quiet Place (90 minutes)

Best soundtrack: The Greatest Showman

Best score: Thor: The Dark World

Best special effects: Avengers: Infinity War

Most mind-bending: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (even though it wasn’t quite List-Worthy)

Most family-friendly: The Incredibles 2

Most mature: either The Last Days or Train to Busan

Scariest: A Quiet Place

Funniest: Ant-Man and the Wasp

Best VC Pick: Tombstone

Best male performance: Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour

Best female performance: Not many to choose from, but probably Sigourney Weaver in A Monster Calls

Personal favorite poem written: Yi Yi

Most represented year: 2018, with ten films

 

And last comes the difficult part, figuring out which entries on my current List will have to be displaced by these new additions. This always hurts since I still love all these movies, but it’s a necessary evil for me as a list nerd. The following are the (still great) films that sadly bit the dust:

 

Almost Famous (2000) and Sing Street (2016)

A Star Is Born (1937)

The Age of Adaline (2015)

The Big Sick (2017)

Cannery Row (1982)

Counterpoint (1967)

Footloose (1984)

The Impossible (2012)

Innerspace (1987)

The Iron Giant (1999)

The Iron Lady (2011)

Spy Kids (2001) and Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002)

Time after Time (1979)

X-Men: First Class (2011) and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

 

I’ll be posting the updated List tomorrow. Again, I wish to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my poetry or film ramblings and leave a like, follow, or comment in the past year (and especially anyone who is still reading this long post)! I can’t wait to see what the year ahead holds. A very Happy New Year to all!

 

P.S. And here’s a little montage video I found to sum up 2018 in film:

This is one of those lists for which the concept just came to me out of nowhere and niggled in my brain until I finally had enough for a list. Why? Because robotic arms are just cool, that’s why. While sometimes perceived as an encroachment of technology replacing the human person, they’re usually used as impressive enhancements indicating the technological progress of their owner’s futuristic setting. They’re also a convenient replacement that serves as an ever-present reminder of the trauma of a lost limb. For those who have lost a limb, I look forward to the day when fully functional limbs comparable to the real thing are actually a reality, though that might be a mixed blessing, as you can see in this very dark animated short film.

As for this list, I had to go outside my typical realm of movies in order to get a full twelve. I had considered forgoing the robotic part and sticking instead with any prosthetic arm (think Dr. Strangelove, The Fugitive, and The Best Years of Our Lives), but that’s a list for another time. Eschewing realism, we’re sticking with fully functional robotic limbs, with my selection aided by the likes of television and anime. I’m also not counting characters who are more robot than human, so don’t expect to see the Terminator, Robocop, or DC’s Cyborg on here, despite the fact they technically fit the theme. Thus, here are my Top Twelve characters with robotic arms:

 

12. Jet Black – Cowboy Bebop

As the captain of the Bebop, Jet Black is the most level-headed and fatherly member of his crew of interplanetary bounty hunters. A cop before being betrayed by his partner and losing his arm, he keeps his cybernetic replacement limb as a reminder of his former life and mistakes.

 

11. Ulysses Klaue – Black Panther

Andy Serkis’s Klaue lost his arm to Ultron’s rage in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but in Black Panther he got a fancy vibranium one complete with a laser cannon. Too bad he didn’t stick around long enough to use it more.

 

10. Yang – RWBY

This is sort of a spoiler for anyone who hasn’t watched Rooster Teeth’s ongoing animated web series, but Yang (the Y in the title RWBY) meets the wrong end of a sword and is dis-armed rather traumatically at one point. After a tough time healing, though, she’s come back strong with a cutting-edge replacement.

 

9. Finn – Adventure Time

This might also count as a spoiler, but Finn, the human main character of Cartoon Network’s hit Adventure Time, also misplaces his arm, several times actually. After one replacement made of cursed grass turned into a clone of him (this is a weird series), he finally went with a mechanical upgrade, just like his counterpart from another dimension.

 

8. Claw – Inspector Gadget

Whether it’s Rupert Everett in the first live-action film or his animated counterpart, Dr. Claw is Inspector Gadget’s most dangerous nemesis and gets this high on the list based on pure nostalgia. Yes, I realize the claw might be considered a hand prosthetic rather than an arm, but I’m allowed to fudge now and then.

 

7. Violet Evergarden – Violet Evergarden

The title character of Netflix’s recent anime series Violet Evergarden is a traumatized former child soldier who, after the war’s end, finds a new life as a professional letter writer. Having lost both of her arms, her two mechanical limbs are both strong and remarkably adept at activities like typing on a typewriter. It’s really a good and poignant series, with the tenth episode being one of the most emotional episodes of TV I’ve seen.

 

6. Furiosa – Mad Max: Fury Road

In most cases of replacement limbs, suspension of disbelief is required since their operation should involve complicated nerve links and such, so I have no idea how Furiosa’s mechanical forearm that straps into place is supposed to function. But it does, and it makes her that much cooler.

 

5. Long John Silver – Treasure Planet

I never said someone on the list couldn’t also have a robotic leg. I hold that Treasure Planet is much better than the gimmicky update some critics called it, and turning Treasure Island’s one-legged pirate into a cyborg was an inspired addition, as well as a neat way to work in CGI to the 2-D animation.

 

4. Edward Elric – Fullmetal Alchemist franchise

Here’s another character with a robotic arm and leg, both made out of a material called automail. The adventure of the Elric brothers in this hugely popular anime franchise all stems from an alchemy experiment gone wrong that claims two of Edward’s limbs and his brother’s whole body. Good thing he has access to automail prosthetics, which help facilitate all the fantasy action for which the series is known.

 

3. Bucky / The Winter Soldier – Captain America/MCU

I’ll be honest. I sort of developed this list around Bucky. Captain America’s friend-turned-brainwashed-enemy-turned-friend-again was the first character I thought of, with the best robotic arm of recent years. Time will tell if Rocket ever gets his hands on it.

 

2. Doctor Octopus – Spider-Man 2

Remember I said I could fudge? Sure, you could say Doc Ock’s robotic appendages are tentacles rather than arms, but the fact that they’re fused to his spinal column makes them limbs in my eyes, and he sure knows how to use them.

 

1. Luke Skywalker/ Darth Vader – Star Wars

Most nerds out there probably saw this one coming. I couldn’t choose between father and son, so both Skywalkers share the #1 spot. If you have to lose a limb, light sabers are probably the safest way for it to happen, and at least the Star Wars universe has handy life-like replacements on demand. One day, perhaps we’ll get to that point too. (I can dream, can’t I?)

 

 

And here are some prosthetic runners-up worth mentioning:

 

Tetsuo from Akira – Tetsuo builds himself a robotic arm with his psychic powers, though it doesn’t go well afterward.

Combustion Man from Avatar: The Last Airbender – A bounty hunter after Aang has both a third eye and a mechanical forearm.

Cable (Josh Brolin) from Deadpool 2 – Cable didn’t make the list because I have not seen Deadpool 2, but he’s still worth a mention.

Detective Spooner (Will Smith) from I, Robot – Despite hating robots, Spooner has a bit of robot himself.

Tee Hee (Julius Harris) from Live and Let Die – I barely remember this James Bond movie, but apparently there’s a henchman with a pincer hand?

Kushana from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind – The antagonist from this Miyazaki classic has removable hands thanks to some giant killer bugs.

Jonah (Beau Knapp) from The Signal – Alien experiments give abductees strange prosthetics in this sci-fi.

 

Thanks for reading my random nerdy list! Let me know what you think and feel free to tell me of any other robotic arm owners I may have forgotten.

 

With Easter approaching, I thought now was as good a time as any to post this list I’ve been planning for some time. Who doesn’t like bunnies, right? The long ears, the twitching nose, the lucky detachable feet—I’m partial to cats as pets, but rabbits are some of the most adorable creatures God placed on this planet. (Just don’t look too deeply into their dark side.)

Because of that, it’s no surprise that they’ve popped up in countless films and TV shows, especially anything animated, as well as commercials. If it features talking animals, there’s bound to be a bunny. Just look at all the commercial spokesbunnies, like for Cadbury, Energizer, Nesquik, and Trix. I must also mention the many movies I haven’t seen that nonetheless have a rabbit in the title, such as White Rabbit, Rabbit-Proof Fence, The Rabbit Trap, The Velveteen Rabbit, Get to Know Your Rabbit, The Nasty Rabbit, Bunny Drop, The House Bunny,The Brown Bunny, and Looking for the Jackalope, as well as Rabbit Hole, which is a great movie but has nothing to do with actual rabbits. Thus, here are my Top Twelve rabbits of the silver screen, some cute and funny, some not so much. Let’s hop along, shall we?
 

12. Alice in Wonderland

Whether it’s Disney’s original 1953 classic or Tim Burton’s dreadful remake, Alice in Wonderland has the distinction of having two separate rabbit characters, the clock-watching White Rabbit and the March Hare. Lewis Carroll must have been partial to lagomorphs too.

 

11. The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

Directed by Paul Newman, this well-acted 1972 drama based on a Pulitzer-winning play features Joanne Woodward as a bitter mother who takes out her frustrations with the world on her two daughters. Oh, and there’s a rabbit too. It’s a cute comfort for the younger daughter (played by Nell Potts, Woodward’s real daughter with Newman) but also one more thing for her mother to complain about. The ending is one of the most heartbreaking I’ve seen. (The picture is from the play version since I couldn’t find a picture with the movie’s rabbit.)

 

10. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Aardman Animation does love their clay rabbits, so much that they featured prominently in the Oscar-winning Wallace and Gromit movie. After experimenting to take away a pesky rabbit’s carrot cravings, Wallace is imbued with them himself and transforms into the giant were-rabbit.

 

9. Night of the Lepus

I actually haven’t seen the whole thing, but Night of the Lepus stands as one of the stupidest monster movie ideas in recorded history. (How could giant rabbits carry a movie, come on! Wait, what was #10 about again?) Granted, rabbits can be a considerable threat in high enough numbers, or big enough size in this case, but the effects are just laughable. This is the kind of movie that was made for Mystery Science Theater 3000 because it’s just so easy to mock, and the rabbits are everywhere.

 

8. Fatal Attraction

The rabbit died. Why did the rabbit have to die?  Darn you, Glenn Close, you bunny boiler! It’s not the first bunny death on this list, but it’s one of the most memorably disturbing.

 

7. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

“That rabbit’s got a vicious streak a mile wide. It’s a killer!” If you ever wonder why Monty Python and the Holy Grail is still such a popular comedy, just remember the Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog, which has apparently been parodied quite a bit in various video games. “That’s no ordinary rabbit. That’s the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!”

 

6. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

Still one of the most unique films ever made, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? has a rabbit both in the name and as a main character. I can’t help but wonder what this film’s mix of live-action and animation might look like if it were made today.

 

5. Zootopia

I think Judy Hopps is one of Disney’s most admirable characters, a starry-eyed bunny unafraid to challenge the system and take on the complexities of police work in the big city. Like I said, if there are talking animals, there’s probably a prominent bunny.

 

4.  Harvey / Donnie Darko 

Haven’t we all wished to see man-sized imaginary rabbits and discover they’re not imaginary? No, well, me neither. Yet that’s the case in both Harvey and Donnie Darko, the former a charming tale of positive thinking with Jimmy Stewart, the latter a dark mind challenge with Jake Gyllenhaal. I know one’s a pooka and the other’s a dead guy in a rabbit suit, but I couldn’t resist the comparison.

 

3.  Bambi

I rest my case again. Exemplifying the cute bunny image we all received at an early age, Thumper is adorable with that vibrating foot of his.

 

2. Bugs Bunny (in various shorts, Space Jam, and Looney Tunes: Back in Action)

I had to mention the most iconic rabbit of them all, though his presence mainly qualifies due to the two films that blended live-action with animation, much like #6. Silly as all get-out, Space Jam is a fond piece of my childhood and introduced Bugs’ crush Lola Bunny, while Looney Tunes: Back in Action is similarly off-the-wall fun, giving Bugs one of the funniest Psycho parodies ever.
 

1. Watership Down

For a general rabbit list, Bugs would come out on top, but for a rabbit movie list, Watership Down takes the carrot cake because, well, almost every character is a rabbit. I made a distinction in my review that this is very much a film about rabbits, not bunnies, since it includes some shocking violence you don’t normally see in children’s animation. Even so, it’s a great film from start to tearjerking finish, and the most rabbit-centric movie you’ll ever watch.

 

And here are some runners-up for all you rabbit lovers out there:

 

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Angela Lansbury turns a boy into a rabbit to prove her magic.

Boundin’ – Pixar short with a jackalope.

Bunny – Oscar-winning short film by Chris Wedge.

Con Air – “Put the bunny back in the box.”

Hoodwinked! – The bunny did it!

Hop – The film that almost ruined jelly beans for a generation.

Jean de Florette – Set on a rabbit farm in France.

The Last Mimzy – A stuffed rabbit enhances the intelligence of two children.

Of Mice and Men – George describes a farm with rabbits of their own to poor Lenny.

Peter Rabbit – This one should be obvious.

Presto – Pixar short with a magician’s hungry rabbit named Alec Azam (get it?)

The Rescuers – I don’t quite remember it, but there’s a rabbit apparently.

Rise of the Guardians – The only film I know of to actually star the Easter bunny and allowed us to hear Hugh Jackman say “I’m a bunny” in his Australian accent.

Robin Hood – The Disney version features numerous rabbit characters.

The Secret Life of Pets – Kevin Hart plays a maniacal bunny of vengeance.

Song of the South – Controversial film whose only merit lies in the animated Bre’r Rabbit segments.

Steel Magnolias – Ends with Kevin J. O’Connor in an Easter bunny suit riding a motorcycle.

Summer Wars – The fighting champion of the virtual world is a rabbit avatar.

Welcome to the Space Show – This imaginative anime film is put in motion by a search for a pet rabbit.

Winnie the Pooh – Let’s not forget Pooh’s over-worried pal Rabbit.

The Zookeeper’s Wife – A traumatized Jewish girl is comforted by a little bunny to hold.

 

Even if it’s still a tad early, a Happy Easter to all!

 

This is hardly an original idea for a list since I already took part in an Opinion Battle on this very subject, but I thought I’d do a quick Top Twelve to highlight the upcoming movies that have me most excited, or maybe afraid in case they flop. This year has plenty of movies worth some hype, from continued comic book installments to original potential blockbusters from big directors. Two that would have made this list have already come out, namely Maze Runner: The Death Cure and Black Panther, which says something when buzz-worthy films are coming out in the usually dry period of January/February. That’s why I’ve waited this long for this list, but there’s also the added advantage of most of these now having a trailer released to put alongside each one. So without further ado, here are the Top Twelve movies I’m most looking forward to in 2018.

12. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

As if we haven’t had enough versions of Spider-Man… Well, maybe we haven’t, especially when there’s an entire multiverse of alternate Spider-Men that the MCU is unlikely to tackle. Leave it to the animated minds of Phil Lord and Chris Miller to give us what promises to be a unique comic book experience.

11. Wreck-It Ralph 2

Wreck-It Ralph was already the Who Framed Roger Rabbit? of video games, combining new faces and familiar characters into a fun animated hodgepodge. The sequel seems to be strengthening that comparison, sending Ralph and Vanellope into the Internet to interact with Disney princesses and reportedly even Marvel and Star Wars characters. Based on the teaser, I’m hoping for good things, though I’m not a fan of the dark joke at the end.

10. Ant-Man and the Wasp

While some view it as second-rate, Ant-Man was one of my favorite recent entries in the MCU, so I hope the sequel will be even better, elevated by Evangeline Lilly getting her own shrinking suit as the Wasp, who incidentally was the comic character who came up with the name Avengers. As far as continuity, I’m not sure how this will fit in between the two halves of Infinity War, but we’ll find out soon enough.

9. First Man

Look for this, come Oscar night next year. A biopic of Neil Armstrong directed by Damien Chazelle? I am so there. Thanks to my grandfather’s and mother’s involvement, any movie about the space program is relevant to my family, and this could be up there with the best, though Ryan Gosling wouldn’t have been my first choice for Armstrong.

8. Alita: Battle Angel

A passion project of James Cameron, who is so busy on Avatar sequels that he’s handed the reins to director Robert Rodriguez, Alita: Battle Angel holds a very unique status. It’s based on a manga with a loyal but limited fanbase and no popular anime adaptation, unlike Ghost in the Shell or Death Note. It’s basically a super-niche project getting big-budget backing, which doesn’t happen very often. I have seen the single anime adaptation, which is old, obscure, and pretty violent, yet I see plenty of potential with the right treatment. And before anyone complains about her eyes, they’re apparently meant to be that unusually big. Huh, Christoph Waltz in another movie with big eyes….
 

7. Mirai of the Future

Continuing his trend of a new film every three years, Mamoru Hosoda is directing what I bet will be the big anime film of 2018. Seeming to combine elements from his previous movies The Girl Who Leapt through Time and Wolf Children (both favorites of mine), Mirai no Mirai is about a young boy who meets his future sister who has come back to the past. I can’t wait to see where this story goes.
 

6. Mortal Engines

Imagine Mad Max: Fury Road with giant cities on wheels. Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? With Peter Jackson producing, Mortal Engines should be one of the big blockbusters of the year’s end. Maybe I’ll have time to read the book it’s based on.
 

5. Mary Poppins Returns

This is one I’m not so much excited about as begging it’s not terrible. A sequel to Mary Poppins sounds like blasphemy, but Disney is doing it anyway. Emily Blunt seems like a pretty good choice for the iconic nanny, so I’ll try to keep an open mind.
 

4. The Incredibles 2

I’ll be honest: the first trailer for The Incredibles 2 doesn’t thrill me. The Incredibles is the Pixar film that most deserved a sequel, but I wasn’t expecting a super-powered version of Mr. Mom. Still, knowing Pixar’s track record, we have every reason to be optimistic.
 

3. Solo: A Star Wars Story

Despite all the complaints about the prequels and The Last Jedi, Star Wars has yet to do wrong by me. A prequel about Han Solo’s past seems like a great idea, and while Alden Ehrenreich doesn’t quite look like Harrison Ford, I’ll again keep an open mind. This looks to be the least Star Wars-y movie yet, so there might be backlash once again but I still can’t wait.
 

2. Avengers: Infinity War

This is it, the movie that the entire MCU has been building toward, and it will probably be much more serious than the string of comedic entries from 2017. With practically every hero involved, this is the definition of an all-star cast, and if the filmmakers can get the right balance, it could be Marvel’s finest hour. I hope. Oh, and I hear someone will die; the question is “Who?”
 

1. Ready Player One

My #1 should be no surprise to anyone who remembers last month’s Opinion Battle. This and Infinity War are practically tied, but Ready Player One has originality behind it and is based on a great book by Ernest Cline. Another Who Framed Roger Rabbit? of mixing franchises, this will be a nostalgia trip like no other, even directed by Steven Spielberg. It may go overboard on the CGI, but I’m praying that Ready Player One is the geeky thrill ride I want it to be. And at least I now have to wait less than a month for it!
 

And here are a collection of other upcoming movies with potential, starting with the next ones I’m most interested in.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom – It looks like a good sequel, and who gets tired of dinosaurs?
A Quiet Place – Silence is golden and scary. Reminds me of Hidden, very much my kind of horror, if done right.
Tomb Raider – I think I already like Alicia Vikander’s version more than Angelina Jolie’s.

A Star Is Born – The fourth remake of this story, this time with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.
Creed 2 – I’m still not sure if this is actually happening, but I hope it can come close to matching the first one.
Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch – I love Dr. Seuss, and Benedict Cumberbatch seems like inspired casting.
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! – More ABBA, so I’ll give it a chance.
Skyscraper – A Die Hard ripoff with the Rock. Why not?

The Women of Marwen – Another Robert Zemeckis film that was previously an acclaimed documentary about a delusional artist who creates his own fantasy village. Might be Oscar material.
Venom – Please don’t make it R-rated, people, especially if it connects to the current Spider-Man!
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – If Disney wants to make opulent live-action fantasies, this is the better way to go, starting from scratch rather than remaking their own classics.
A Wrinkle in Time – I loved the book, but there’s something off about the costumes and casting. I’ll still hope for the best.
I Want to Eat Your Pancreas – Really bizarre title, but it’s actually a sensitive YA anime dealing with cancer.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix – I can only hope they do this story better than The Last Stand did.
Aquaman – I still haven’t seen Justice League, so I don’t have much of an opinion about this one.
Teen Spirit – I hear it will be a musical, so I support it.
Outlaw King – Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce—it may be the next Braveheart.