Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are

After a much lauded rebirth of the Star Wars franchise with 2015's The Force Awakens (directed by J.J. Abrams), it is understandable why the 2017 sequel, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, this time written and directed by Rian Johnson (Looper), is one of the most anticipated films of the year. To keep your mind at ease, I will attempt to keep this one mostly spoiler free. Picking up almost immediately after the 2015 offering ended (the first time a Star Wars film has done this), the remaining Resistance fighters are being mercilessly tracked soon after a First Order fleet has attacked their planetary base. Led by the unifying Princess Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), she must try to navigate them away from General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson). By her side is the fast talking, wild-card hero fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), who is no less spontaneous. Finn (John Boyega), having recovered from his injuries, has his own secret mission with Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) – a new addition to the franchise.

The third feature in the Thor franchise, 2017's Ragnarok, directed by New Zealander Taika Waititi (the talented filmmaker behind the comedic horror mockumentary What We Do in the Shadows), is like a well buttered (as in oiled) popcorn flick (of a machine). . . an entertaining, humorous, action-packed sci-fi extravaganza that does not take itself too seriously, all while showing an impressive amount of ingenuity and creativity for a multi-film Marvel saga. With three movies in this particular series (as well as several other mash-ups within the ever growing Marvel Universe), these actors, who we have known for some time, have grown into their respective parts, feeling fully meshed with their onscreen personas. Through the writing of Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle, and Christopher Yost, as well as by way of the flowing direction of Waititi, the comedy is so smooth in Ragnarok that it feels as if we are watching a well-seasoned vaudeville act hitting every mark as they try to explain exactly ‘who’s on first?’ It is a very different tone that works, meshing with recent excursions in The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Coming to theatres thirty-five years after the original motion picture, Blade Runner 2049 is set thirty years after the original film, expanding the vivid dystopic universe and the deep philosophical questions brought forth all the way back in 1982. Perhaps the most unexpected query to come out of the movie. . . can a world truly be dystopic if people are still listening to the one and only Frank Sinatra? At least to me, it cannot be too far gone if there is still the music of Ol’ Blue Eyes. Transporting us into the world in almost the exact same fashion as the original, director Denis Villeneuve (with original director Ridley Scott now executive producing) miraculously captures the original fusion of futuristic sci fi and film noir, with touches of his own unique style – all done in a more expansive, epic way.

It’s funny. As I chatted with my cousin while on the way to see Logan, I mentioned one of the most frustrating aspects of comic book movies – that it is somehow expected that the newest effort has to outdo the previous one, which is then interpreted by going bigger in the realm of special effects and mind-numbing final battles that end up feeling more than ludicrous (even for a sci fi fantasy). That is why I was so pleasantly surprised by James Mangold’s 2017 offering; a more personal, pared down feature that, at its heart, is about learning to live with your past, as well as recovery and redemption. Taking a page from the popularity of last year’s Deadpool, Logan does not hold back in the realm of violence, profanity, and one small moment of nudity. Set approximately a decade into the future, the opening shot may be jarring to some fans of the X-Men franchise. When we first see Hugh Jackman’s titular character – his big, bushy beard (not the perfectly trimmed mutton chops) and hair flecked with grey, it is an aged Wolverine like we have never seen. He more closely resembles a modern day Mel Gibson (perhaps after a lengthy bender) than the regenerative, sarcastic being we know and love. He is haggard, depressed and has lost a step. . . maybe even two. It is a world that has not seen the birth of a mutant in quite some time, and these gifted individuals are dying out.

It’s funny how the brain works. As I sat waiting for Andy Muschietti’s It to project onto the screen, I thought of what a disappointment it would be for the crowd if they had misconstrued the title – in for an unwelcome surprise as “I.T.”, the story of an ordinary Information Technology guy who struggles with work on a daily basis, popped up onscreen instead. Thankfully, that was not the case. It is very much a two-pronged film; a coming of age dramedy and a horror flick, the former works extremely well, the latter falls more into the average range. Set in the late 1980s, the town of Derry, Maine (Port Hope, Ontario a perfect stand-in the for the quaint locale that holds multiple mysteries) has six times the national average when it comes to disappearances and murders.

Let’s be honest – we don’t go to see a movie like Spider-Man: Homecoming for its shocking twists and turns. Now on its second reboot since the Tobey Maguire starring, Sam Raimi directed 2002 film, it draws us to the theatre as it is a known commodity, a popcorn flick that we feel comfortable settling in to. . . and its biggest twist is probably that the creative team chose to go with The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” instead of the band’s remake of the Spiderman theme song. Also, there is a little twist with the second post credit scene, a cheeky cameo that will have some happy they persevered, while others will complain that it didn’t pay off. Directed by Jon Watts, the narrative follows unusual high schooler Peter Parker (Tom Holland – the first time an actual teen has been cast in the part), the web-slinger must contend with those complicated teenage years, while also doubling as a quote/unquote intern with Stark Industries – motor-mouthed Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) flits in and out as the kid’s mentor.