The View From Jackie’s Head – #11
Well we made it through 2016 with more bad movies than good. It is time to take a look ahead and see what is popping up on the rest of the 2017 horizon. Here’s hoping we have something to brag about when 2017 is said and done. From my view, here is the best each of the ensuing months has to offer.
March – There are a couple of possibilities here. (1) “The Shack” is based on a book that was either loved or hated. It had more admirers than detractors and I think that is the way the movie will be received. Having Octavia Spencer as one of the leads is a real plus. She had a lot to do with making “Hidden Figures” a smash. Sam Worthington isn’t that well known but he shouldn’t harm the movie. (2) “Beauty and the Beast,” the title says it all. From the advanced trailers it looks like this is the animated version come to life with all the CGI magic Disney could pour into it. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens equals “Harry Potter” meets “Downton Abbey.” A sure winner.
April – The only one I am really excited about seeing is “The Fate of the Furious.” This is the first movie in the series not to have the talents of Paul Walker. Vin Diesel is back, and Dwayne Johnson is too. Thankfully they resurrected Michelle Rodriguez a few movies ago. Plus we get Helen Mirren in the mix and surprise, surprise Lucas Black reappears.
May – This is the month where the summer movies really start popping up. Who isn’t excited about “Guardians of the Galaxy 2”! And somewhere in my heart I have kept a warm feeling for Captain Jack Sparrow, so “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” is on my highly anticipated list. This is a make or break movie for Johnny Depp. Luckily Orlando Bloom is back and Paul McCartney is listed in the cast.
June – There are a lot of action movies but they are all iffy – “Wonder Woman”, “The Mummy” and “Transformers: The Last Knight”. The only film I am really looking forward to is “Despicable Me 3”. Love those minions!
July – It has been too long since we had a Christopher Nolan directed movie. This summer he is back with “Dunkirk”. His name alone is enough of a pedigree for me to be excited about this film. Another name that always lures me in is Stephen King. They have finally made a movie of his series of novels “The Dark Tower”. That should put some chills into the summer heat.
August – Hollywood fired all its big guns in June and July. There is nothing blazing in the month of August.
September – The only thing this month I am remotely interested in is “It”. Tim Curry scared me silly in the TV version so maybe this movie version will muster up some thrills too. Plus there is the lure of the Stephen King brand again.
October – We aren’t quite to the Academy Award group yet but “Blade Runner: 2049” has piqued my interest. Harrison Ford is back and he has brought along Ryan Gosling. Wouldn’t it be something if they snuck Sean Young into the cast. Probably won’t happen. Another actor I would watch in almost anything is Liam Neeson. His latest action thriller is “The Commuter” and his co-star is Vera Farmiga. Mark that one down as having plenty of potential. Make room for “The Mountain Between Us”. This one of based on a novel by my friend Charles Martin. His book is great and I hope the movie is too. Finally I will end October by seeing “Same Kind of Different As Me” which is the big faith based film of the year. Greg Kinnear and Renee Zellweger star and the trailer impressed me. We’ll see.
November – I loved the movie “Bad Moms” so I am eager to see “A Bad Mom’s Christmas”. Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and the oh so wonderful Kathryn Hahn are back. Oh happy day! And I have to mention “Justice League” because I know so many people who just can’t wait for this film. Me, I’ll save my excitement for the latest remake of Agatha Christie’s “Murder On the Orient Express.” Kenneth Branagh directs and stars along with Johnny Depp, Daisy Ridley and Judi Dench.
December – This is the month of getting movies out for Oscar consideration but everything is going to be overshadowed by a little movie titled “Star Wars: The Las Jedi.” If any one movie can swallow up December it is this one.
So there is my look at the rest of the year. Let me know what movies you are excited about.
JACKIE K COOPER
Thank you!
Thank You!