5 Blockbusters in 2017

I stumbled upon Looper’s “30 Movies That Are Going To Blow Everyone Away in 2017”.

Of the 30, only five caught my interest. Blockbusters are tricky. A good one ought to be watched on the big screen, but so few are worth watching in the first place. To each their own, here are five I want to see:

1. Ghost in the Shell 

Too bad this cool-looking Science Fiction story is surrounded in a white-washing controversy from Hollywood. Read all about it in THE VERGE .  Thirty years ago, Masamune Shirow created an anime Science Fiction story about a futuristic world with themes of globalization, the body, and consciousness. This adaptation set to release March 31 is about a cyborg policewoman, Major, chasing a computer hacker. I have missed its history and want to see the film. The colors look amazing, the issues of the near-future relevant, and I like Scarlett Johansson. It’s unfortunate an Asian woman was not cast in the starring role, for there are kick-ass Asian actors available like Ziyi Zhang, Ming-Na Wen, or Rinko Kikuchi who would do the role well. Do I boycott the film?

2. Dunkirk 

I can’t get enough of Chris Nolan. If he directs it, I will watch it. Add in a World War II storyline of the British forces evacuating Allied troops from Dunkirk, France, in 1940, and supply the talent (Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy), it becomes a July blockbuster I am hopeful will be worth the price of admission.

3. The Dark Tower

Stephen King’s series is a mashup of dark fantasy, science fantasy, horror, and the Western. This film adaptation set to release on July 28, stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey. I hope it’s good since King wrote eight of them, we can presume a decade of future episodes. Have you read the series?

4. Blade Runner 2049

I’m curious and apprehensive of Ridley Scott’s masterpiece toyed with. Perfection shouldn’t be touched, remade or rebooted, in my opinion.  However, with fingers crossed, you bet on October 6, I will rush to see Ryan Gosling as Officer K and Harrison Ford as the older Deckart. Love the looks of the ensemble cast: Jared Leto, Robin Wright and Ana de Armas.  Good luck to director Denis Villeneuve. He’ll need it.

5. Star Wars VIII

star-wars-episode-viii-plot-leaks-reveal-secrets-behind-luke-skywalkers-light-saber-who-is-rey

I’m curious how they will forward the story. Along with the rest of the planet, I’ll be watching in December. It’s what the blockbuster is all about. The technology will be stellar, no arguments. Please, oh please, let the script be interesting! It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for director Rian Johnson who will direct Star Wars VIII & IX. 

What blockbuster are you looking forward to? 

49 thoughts on “5 Blockbusters in 2017”

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  1. Blade Runner and Star Wars VIII are probably the two films I’m most looking forward too as well, that and the new Spider-Man movie. Blockbusters can be tricky, often the trailers get us all excited, but sometimes the films just can’t match the excitement of the trailers. Still, should be a good year in 2017, lots of good movies on the way 🙂

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    1. Hi Paul, I’m glad you share my anticipation. I’ve been disappointed, so I’m rather cautious. Still, there’s something about an original (especially science fiction) story that sweeps you away. We shall see what 2017 Blockbusters are legit!

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    1. ‘Wonder Woman’ has my curiosity, too. I like the historical setting she’s set in. I am going to wait about ‘Logan’ and hear what everyone thinks about it before making an effort to go to the theater. Thanks, Michael.

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      1. I really enjoyed the trailer for Wonder Woman Cindy and am buzzed to see what Patty Jenkins does with it. The humour and spectacle are nicely done in the trailer. Funny thing though, when she walked up in the open amongst the trenches I got mad. Hundreds of thousands died in those trenches. They couldn’t run through it like that. This is the first big budget female comic book film we are going to get and its about bloody time. Yet to have the setting of so many young men’s deaths. Real young men. With no super powers. To have that be the setting to show a strong woman getting to kick butt and walk through that danger like it is nothing. It felt a little bit like re-writing history even though the film is fantastical and nothing to do with real history. It’s ridiculous because I could care less when Kelly’s Heroes or Inglorious Basterds take a more lighthearted approach to the Second World War and many soldiers died horrible deaths there too in unforgiving conditions. I’m sure I’ll get over myself and look forward to seeing Wonder Woman. As for Logan, the last one was alright and the trailer was good but I don’t hold my breath for it to be the film of the year.

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  3. That “30 Movies…” type headline, I get that all the time when Entertainment Weekly arrives in the mail :-). I probably would have narrowed it down much the same. All are intriguing (well, with Star Wars I’m a tag-along with my son). Dunkirk is probably highest up the list for me, followed (apprehensively) by Blade-Runner.

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  4. I’m excited for all of these except for Ghost in the Shell. Dunkirk looks positively amazing! Nolan sure gets my butt in the seat 🙂

    P.S. The reading went very well, hence I’ve sort of lost interest in blogging now, so there’ll be more guest postings in the coming days.

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  7. Two leap out to me. My very young,26, and very talented grand nephew,Wayne Dalglish, is fight coordinator for the movie, WONDER WOMAN. This is the 4th in a row of being fight coordinator on a Marvel Blockbuster. He’s got quite a background, actor, stunt man, 15 times World Karate Champion before he was 18. Sorry to brag, but the lad is something to brag about.
    The second is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. Loved the original Disney and worked the production of the stage musical before it went to New York. Plus anything with Emma Watson and Ian Mckellan in it is worth the price of a ticket.

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    2. Don I’m sure the fight scenes are going to be awesome in Wonder Woman. Interesting fact, when the trailer for Beauty and the Beast launched it set a new record for downloads. Yep more than The Force Awakens.

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        1. That’s a good point Cindy. Deadpool got released on Valentine’s Day last year in Australia. Great counterprogramming I think and quite a few girls who wanted to see the film because of Ryan Reynolds. I think Wonder Woman would be a great choice for Valentines but alas conventional wisdom says it should bow in “Blockbuster season” which is crazy because Deadpool made crazy money. In fact there’s a long history of good movies well marketed getting the dump on blockbuster season. 300 is another example. Why not Wonder Woman?!

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          1. I’ll watch it! Yes, now is the slump. People will flock because they’ve been going during Awards season. There’s just not a lot out there to see. Remember Fury Road? That was perfectly placed in the slump of the year. Everyone got on the bandwagon to see that one.

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          2. Here in Australia at least some award season films are still to be released here but it’s slow still. Saw LaLa Land. Don’t care about Assassins Creed so I’m like hmmm. Fury Road which I loved was in May which is part of the blockbuster season that kinda runs from March to August. Think Batman Vs. Superman kickstarting it last year and then closing around Suicide Squad or Jason Bourne. Effectively the summer break for schools in America with particular interest for release dates close to Memorial Day and Independence Day as well as Easter. But I think that is changing. By that measure Sully and Deadpool were not blockbusters and I think those films release dates were carefully chosen for maximum effect.

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  9. I am so worried about ‘Blade Runner’, it is out of all proportion to the reality of what is yet another remake/sequel.
    I feel that I have to watch it, if only to settle my qualms one way or another.
    ‘Ghost In The Shell’ was powerful as an animated series, but if Scarlett is in it, I will watch it for her.
    The Dunkirk story is something that has been told many times, but no doubt CGI will try to improve on the originals. If you have never seen it, try this old version first. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunkirk_(1958_film)
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  10. Out of these, I am mostly looking forward to “Dunkirk.” I’m a Nolan fan too. I really think they needed better casting for “Ghost in the Shell.” It seems silly not to cast some of the many remarkable Asian actors available.

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    1. Yes, I agree. It was a similar complaint I heard from Dr. Strange. I adore Tilda Swinton as an actress and she nailed the ‘Ancient One’ but an Asian should have played the role. I’m so used to Nolan handling Science Fiction, I’m curious how his war movie will turn out. We expect razzle-dazzle, don’t we?

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  11. I am certainly looking forward to all of those films except maybe Ghost in the Shell. Your mentioning of it has put it more on my my radar so thank you Cindy. The Force Awakens will rise or fall in our estimated depending on how well Rian Johnson makes Episode VIII. I have hope hopes and wish them well. I’m also enthusiastic about Dunkirk. The line “There’s no hiding from this son.” really says it all. I share your concerns about Blade Runner 2049. I’m going to leave the original up on a pedestal untouched but the cast and director have me hopeful. A couple of things I took away from the trailer. First the look of the Blade Runner world hasn’t changed much in 30 years in the trailer. I wonder if that is to make it familiar for us old fans with the teaser trailer and we will see more in the footage to come or whether they just decided they couldn’t better the design so that’ll just keep it. Although I’ve seen a few comments about Harrison Ford’s clothes. Director: Mr Ford we’ll get you into costume now. Ford: How about I just wear this t-shirt I drove to work in? Director: Okay Mr Ford. 🙂 I love the reference to Ozymandias and I’m curious Cindy, do you think the lobby kind of looks like the hotel in the original? I’m a fan of The Dark Tower series. Books 1-4 are the best with the fourth arguably the best of all. I have not had a chance to read the 8th yet set before the series concluded. I’m interested in this but not super jazzed yet. I didn’t imagine Idris Elba in the part and race plays an important part in the book with one character being black and the other white. Will be interesting to see how that plays out in the film. These feel like brave choices that might create something new in the film adaptation. Finally one more blockbuster that I’m really looking forward to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cv2ueYnKjg

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    1. Ha! As usual,you have lots to say, and I’m grateful for your comments.
      I love Shelley and the “Ozmandias” poem is perfect and matches the set design. Yes, you have to connect this film with fans so the music is a good choice and it doesn’t bother me the set hasn’t changed too much. Yes, the lobby looks like the original hotel — good call.

      Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
      Ozymandias.

      I MET a Traveler from an antique land, 
Who said, "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone 
Stand in the desart. Near them, on the sand, 
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown, 
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, 
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read, 
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things, 
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed: 
And on the pedestal these words appear: 
"My name is OZYMANDIAS, King of Kings." 
Look on my works ye Mighty, and despair! 
No thing beside remains. Round the decay 
Of that Colossal Wreck, boundless and bare, 
The lone and level sands stretch far away."

      I like the flip of good guy / bad guy with the stereotypical color of white and black. Idris is a great actor and he plays sinister better than anyone. Matthew M. is white playing the bad guy but wearing all black including his hair. I think Idris has a stronger presence on the screen. He’s dynamite while Matthew M. seems softer, feminine on screen. This will be interesting for me.
      I’ve not read any of the King novels.

      Eventually you and I would have to disagree on something: No thanks to the Guardians in the Galaxy 2. You go and have a swell time. 😉

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  14. Guardians was formula garbage. So was Wick. But HEY, they made money. And it is a business.
    I will definitely be interested in the long, loooong awaited sequel to Blade Runner. Can it live up?
    I anticipate Alien Covenant (Noomi Rapace), Ghost (Johansson) … and, well, STAR WARS!!! They haven’t screwed it up yet.
    Dunkirk a “Blockbuster?” I find the topic matter far to dark and important to put that label on it. I hope it’s good.

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  18. The world can’t comprehend how excited I am for Dunkirk. Christopher Nolan is genius and after being so busy that I missed out on seeing interstellar in theaters I am clearing my calendar for it’s release date.

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  19. The only two of the thirty that I will make an effort to see are Dunkirk and Blade Runner 2049. Dunkirk for its historical content and Blade Runner 2049 for its cinematography and soundtrack. I am sure that I will also enjoy the storylines.

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