It害羞草研究所檚 going to rain genre movies in 2019. That害羞草研究所檚 bad for movie critics who only like talky dramas, but great for popcorn-loving plebes who apparently don害羞草研究所檛 know any better. There are too many to even list, so let害羞草研究所檚 just look at the top 20 comics, sci-fi, horror, and animation movies of 2019, in reverse order of my enthusiasm.
20) Terminator 6 (Nov. 1):
The last couple of 害羞草研究所淭erminator害羞草研究所� reboots were so awful they soured me on the franchise. But this unnamed movie will ignore every 害羞草研究所淭erminator害羞草研究所� property after 害羞草研究所淭erminator 2: Judgment Day,害羞草研究所� which is a huge, robotic step in the right direction. And with James Cameron returning as producer, and both Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger on board to pass the torch, I feel my enthusiasm awakening 害羞草研究所攁nd becoming self-aware.
19) 害羞草研究所淛oker害羞草研究所� (Oct. 4):
I害羞草研究所檓 really interested in seeing what bizarre actor Joaquin Phoenix can do with Batman害羞草研究所檚 bizarre arch-foe. The movie also stars Zazie Beetz (害羞草研究所淒eadpool 2害羞草研究所�) and the legendary Robert DeNiro, which is very encouraging. The bad news is that much of The Joker害羞草研究所檚 appeal 害羞草研究所攁nd all of what makes him remotely plausible 害羞草研究所攊s that nobody is sure who or what he is. Giving him a specific, authoritative origin (which the comics have deliberately avoided) can only lessen his mystique. That seems like a dumb thing to do.
18) 害羞草研究所淢en In Black: International害羞草研究所� (June 14):
This concept has moved so far beyond its origins at tiny Aircel Comics in 1990 that it can safely be called its own animal. But Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones may have already said all that can be said with it. Still, with a cast that includes Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Tessa Thompson (Valkyrie) and Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn), it should be thoroughly watchable.
17) 害羞草研究所淭he Crow Reborn害羞草研究所� (Oct. 11):
Wow, there have been a lot of bad Crow movies. But there害羞草研究所檚 nothing like a good revenge fantasy, which is what The Crow has always been, dating back to its inception at Caliber Comics in 1989. It害羞草研究所檚 a can害羞草研究所檛-miss concept (unless they miss).
16) 害羞草研究所淚t: Chapter Two害羞草研究所� (Sept. 6):
There have been a lot of bad Stephen King adaptations, too. But the $700 million the first chapter raked in worldwide says 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所� isn害羞草研究所檛 one of them. This movie adapts the second half of King害羞草研究所檚 novel, with the kids of the first part now all grown up. They害羞草研究所檙e played by the likes of Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader, plus Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, so there害羞草研究所檚 going to be a lot of star power up there on the screen.
15) 害羞草研究所淏rightburn害羞草研究所� (May 24):
The idea of evil Supermen, even evil Superboys, has been old hat in the comics for decades. Heck, even 害羞草研究所淪uperman II害羞草研究所� had a drunk, unshaven Superman in a dirty costume. But what about a bad Superbaby? That害羞草研究所檚 the premise of this movie, answering the question 害羞草研究所渨hat if that cute, super-powered tyke arriving in a rocket is a bad seed?害羞草研究所� It turns heroism into horror, a genre-bender that treads new ground.
14) 害羞草研究所淜ingsman 3害羞草研究所� (Nov. 8):
There are all sorts of rumors swirling around what this movie is about. One possibility is that it害羞草研究所檚 a prequel, which would be terra incognita. Another is that it will constitute the third part a trilogy, bringing closure to the Eggsy-Harry Hart relationship (played by Taron Egerton and Colin Firth, respectively). Or it could be a musical. OK, probably not. The point is: We don害羞草研究所檛 know. But since I enjoyed the first two installments, I害羞草研究所檒l probably enjoy whatever this is. (Unless there are show tunes.)
13) 害羞草研究所淭he Kitchen害羞草研究所� (Sept. 20):
The original 8-issue miniseries of the same name, published in 2014 by Vertigo, DC Comics害羞草研究所� mature readers line, was a fascinating story about three mob wives who turn to crime to pay their incarcerated husbands害羞草研究所� debts 害羞草研究所攁nd how joining 害羞草研究所渢he life害羞草研究所� changes them. This movie stars Elisabeth Moss, Tiffany Haddish and Melissa McCarthy in the three principal roles, so it could even be better than the source material.
12) 害羞草研究所淭he Addams Family害羞草研究所� (October 11):
One reason my younger self loved 害羞草研究所淭he Addams Family害羞草研究所� TV show more than 害羞草研究所淭he Munsters害羞草研究所� was because the former, every once in a while, gave a hint of the vicious black humor of the original Charles Addams cartoons that appeared in 害羞草研究所淭he New Yorker.害羞草研究所� Since this animated movie is based directly on those cartoons, we害羞草研究所檙e getting Addams害羞草研究所� delightful venom straight from the source 害羞草研究所攁nd my inner 12 year old is thrilled.
11) 害羞草研究所淎lita: Battle Angel害羞草研究所� (Feb. 14):
Movies based on manga (Japanese comics) have an awful track record in the U.S., and there害羞草研究所檚 no reason to believe this one will buck the trend. But the original comics are awesome, the concept 害羞草研究所攁 post-apocalyptic cyborg warrior 害羞草研究所攊s cool, the special effects look amazing, plus Christoph Waltz and Jennifer Connelly are on hand. Here害羞草研究所檚 hoping.
10) 害羞草研究所淕lass害羞草研究所� (Jan. 18):
害羞草研究所淯nbreakable害羞草研究所� had comics fans feeling smug, because we knew the color code director M. Night Shyamalan was using to give us advance tips on the characters before the script did. (Hint: Superheroes generally wear primary colors, whereas villains favor purple, green and orange.) Shyamalan害羞草研究所檚 stock fell for a while, before being rescued by 害羞草研究所淪plit.害羞草研究所� Now comes 害羞草研究所淕lass,害羞草研究所� which is a sequel to both movies, heretofore unrelated. That害羞草研究所檚 some trick, M. Night.
9) 害羞草研究所淕odzilla: King of the Monsters害羞草研究所� (May 31):
I hear there are some people who don害羞草研究所檛 love Godzilla, and didn害羞草研究所檛 spend Saturday afternoons in their youth thrilling to the sight of men in rubber suits trampling tiny models of Tokyo. I don害羞草研究所檛 understand such people. That害羞草研究所檚 like hating pizza, or kittens, or sex. Well, it takes all kinds. And my kind of person will be front and center for this updated take on the Big G, Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah. Given today害羞草研究所檚 special effects, this sequel to 2014害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淕odzilla害羞草研究所� should be quite a show. (Although I confess some part of me will miss the rubber suits.)
8) 害羞草研究所淪hazam!害羞草研究所� (April 5):
It害羞草研究所檚 a joy to see the original Captain Marvel 害羞草研究所攜es, that was his name when he was introduced in 1940 害羞草研究所攇iven his due. Now maybe people will better understand those vague memories swirling around the collective unconscious about this guy, who sold as well as Superman in the 害羞草研究所�40s. Anyway, this is the story of a boy who is given a magic word from a dying wizard that turns him into an immature, but genial, super-powered adult. Now called Shazam, this light-hearted character is the perfect antidote to the grimdark grimness of movies like 害羞草研究所淏atman v Superman.害羞草研究所�
7) 害羞草研究所淭he New Mutants害羞草研究所� (Aug. 2):
This next generation group of X-Men, introduced at Marvel Comics in 1982, had some pretty strange, non-superhero-ish adventures. One was a straight-up horror show titled 害羞草研究所淭he Demon Bear害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所攁nd that害羞草研究所檚 what we害羞草研究所檙e getting in this hero/horror hybrid, which stars Anya Taylor-Joy (害羞草研究所淭he Witch害羞草研究所�), Maisie Williams (害羞草研究所淕ame of Thrones害羞草研究所�), Charlie Heaton (害羞草研究所淪tranger Things害羞草研究所�) and Rosario Dawson (the Marvel/Netflix shows).
6) 害羞草研究所淒ark Phoenix害羞草研究所� (June 7):
This movie promises a more faithful adaptation of the famed X-Men story 害羞草研究所淭he Dark Phoenix Saga害羞草研究所� than the mess we saw in 害羞草研究所淴-Men: The Last Stand.害羞草研究所� It害羞草研究所檚 also probably the last X-movie before Disney reboots the franchise, so this is probably the last X-dance for Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique.
5) 害羞草研究所淗ellboy害羞草研究所� (April 12):
The two movies directed by Guillermo del Toro, which starred Ron Perlman as the demonic hero, were perfectly enjoyable films. But they weren害羞草研究所檛 really Hellboy. This new version, starring David Harbour (害羞草研究所淪tranger Things害羞草研究所�) promises to be more faithful to the comics, so that movie viewers can see why comics fans have loved Hellboy for so many years.
4) 害羞草研究所淐aptain Marvel害羞草研究所� (March 8):
Yes, it害羞草研究所檚 Marvel害羞草研究所檚 first female-led superhero movie. Yes, it害羞草研究所檚 Marvel害羞草研究所檚 first period-piece superhero movie. But is it good? I害羞草研究所檓 hoping for 害羞草研究所淲onder Woman害羞草研究所� good, but I害羞草研究所檒l settle for 害羞草研究所淎nt-Man害羞草研究所� good.
3) 害羞草研究所淪pider-Man: Far From Home害羞草研究所� (July 5):
Tom Holland made us fall in love with Peter Parker all over again in 害羞草研究所淐ivil War害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所淗omecoming.害羞草研究所� Bring on Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) and the popcorn!
2) Star Wars Episode IX (Dec. 20):
The last Star Wars movie got a lot of hate, and I for one have no idea why. But maybe it shook the powers that be, because 害羞草研究所淪tar Wars害羞草研究所� mastermind J.J. Abrams himself returns to direct this (unnamed) installment, which should conclude the storyline starring Rey (Daisy Ridley), Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).
1) 害羞草研究所淎vengers: Endgame害羞草研究所� (April 26):
There害羞草研究所檚 not a lot to say about this movie, because we know so little. But evidently we don害羞草研究所檛 need to know anything, because 害羞草研究所淓ndgame害羞草研究所� is already setting records for trailer views and advance ticket sales.
That害羞草研究所檚 my top 20. And for movie critics, I害羞草研究所檓 sure there will be a talky drama or two.
The Associated Press
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