Coming Up In 2007 January 3, 2007
Posted by gproject in : Articles , trackbackWith 2006 officially wrapped up, we can now look forward to the year that is: two thousand and seven. Of course, stating that you’re ‘looking forward’ to any movie this early on is usually just a prelude to disappointment, but I’m willing to stick my neck out and highlight the stuff that’s set to be big this year, and the items currently circled on my movie calendar.
If I’m honest, I imagine most of May will be consumed with the watching of, and discussion about, Spider-man 3. And even though I know that Sony will promote the living hell out of it beforehand, it’s still the movie on the top of my cinema-going list for 2007. I’m such a fan of the character, and the previous two movies have (somehow) lived up to all my expectations so far – I can only hope that this third instalment continues the trend. Roll on May 4th!
Some slightly less spider-oriented comic-book movies are also due to hit our cinema screens; Ghost Rider being the other prominent offering from Sony, while Frank Miller’s graphic novel 300 looks like it might turn out to be a cracker based on the trailers playing at the moment. Lots of TV shows are also getting theatrical outings too, with the bound-to-be-popular Simpsons Movie set for a Summer release. Despite being a Simpsons fan, I’ve got serious reservations about the choice to finally make a feature film. I can only hope that the writers have some surprises left for us, although after 18 seasons of episodes, it’s hard to see where they’ve got left to go. Coming out around the same time is the 
new Transformers movie, and with Michael Bay at the helm it’s bound to be a larger-than-life action spectacular at the very least. Also returning to our screens are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with an entirely computer animated outing for the Easter holidays.
There’s the traditional plethora of sequels too, with Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End bracing itself for sure-fire success, regardless of whether it’s actually any good. 2007 will also see the next instalment of the Harry Potter series, 
with the 5th movie: Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix dominating theatres countrywide in July. If you’re looking for something slightly less fantasy based, Steven Soderbergh has brought the gang back together for Ocean’s Thirteen, while Bruce Willis puts on the vest again to star in Live Free or Die Hard, the fourth instalment in the Die Hard franchise. Failing that, you can always catch Evan Almighty, the sort-of sequel to Bruce Almighty, which this time features God (a returning Morgan Freeman) asking Steve Carell (Jim Carrey’s rival newsreader in the first movie) to build an ark.
While many of the above are considered the ‘big releases’, there are a few others than I‘m personally excited about. First off, I’m itching to see Hot Fuzz, the next movie from Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, creators of the magnificent Shaun Of The Dead. Just as important is the new movie from David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club), which puts Robert Downey Jr. and Jake Gyllenhaal on the trail of a San Francisco serial killer in Zodiac. Jim Carrey is appearing in his first mystery thriller, Joel Schumacher’s The Number 23 while Narc’s Joe Carnahan has a January release for his explosive-looking Smokin’ Aces. And finally, being a Pixar fanboy means I’ll try and see Ratatouille on its release, although I’m actually looking forward to Bee Movie, the Jerry Seinfeld written CG adventure, a little bit more.
Whatever you choose to see this year, I hope you do get out and see something at the cinema. With DVD release windows falling to mere months, it’s all too easy to wait and watch something in the comfort of your own home. But I still believe that seeing a movie projected on the big screen is the optimum viewing experience. We often moan and complain when movies are altered from the director’s vision (studio interference, distributor cuts, censor cuts, pan & scan DVDs etc.), but ask any film director if they intended for you to watch their movie at home on your TV, or projected in a cinema. I think you already know the answer.
Thanks for reading, and have a safe 2007 everyone,
Gp.
Nb. To watch the latest trailer for any of the new movie releases mentioned above, simply click the title of the film! And make sure you visit DavesTrailerPage for plenty more.
Comments»
You do know that the famed Broadway musical Hairspray will be released as a musical movie the week before Simpsons and the week after HP5 with John Travolta as Edna Turnblad & Queen Latifah as Motomouth Maybelle.
Yes, I’ve read about the new Hairspray movie, and while it certainly looks bizarre I can’t pretend that it’s on my ‘must watch’ list for this year.
More startling is my ommission of the Tarantino/Rodriguez double-feature release, Grindhouse, which I actually think looks quite interesting. Plus you get two movies for the price of one! Although I’m still waiting to hear whether the two films (’Death Proof’ and ‘Planet Terror’) will be distributed separately in non-English speaking countries.