The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020

It’s kind of an odd feeling starting off a new year where the movies I’m most excited about don’t have the word “Marvel” or “Star Wars” in the title. 

There won’t be another “Star Wars” theatrical film until 2022. Marvel Studios is releasing two new MCU movies in 2020 - “Black Widow” and “The Eternals — and while I’m sure they’ll be solid entries, I don’t have the same sense of anticipation I did for movies like “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.” 

Without further ado, here are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020”:

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

From the moment I heard Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise were making a sequel to “Top Gun,” I was in! They’ve released two trailers for the movie (as of this writing) and I couldn’t be more excited (Harold Faltermeyer’s “Top Gun Anthem” has a way of doing that). 

One of my favorite movie memories was watching “Top Gun” at the Indian Hills Theater in 1986. While the theater no longer remains (“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”), it was an Omaha icon that was originally part of the  “Cooper Cinerama” family — and the main screen was a monster. 

The aerial sequences looked amazing on that wraparound screen. Definitely looking forward to more practical aerial combat shots in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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WONDER WOMAN 1984

I liked Gal Gadot’s turn as the lasso wielding superhero in 2017’s “Wonder Woman.” The trailer for the sequel — “Wonder Woman 1984” — is terrific. I’m a sucker for anything that takes place in the 1980s, and “Blue Monday” (by New Order) was a perfect song for the spot. 

I’m also excited to see what “The Mandalorian’s” Pedro Pascal does with the character of Max Lord. 

BTW… is it just me, or does the shopping mall featured in the trailer look a lot like Starcourt Mall in the most recent season of “Stranger Things”…? 😉 

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TENET

I have no idea what exactly “Tenet” is about, and I don’t care. As far as Bridget and I are concerned, Christopher Nolan “doesn’t make a bad movie.” 

That's why I'm excited. It isn’t a sequel (which is always welcome during the summer box office season). Plus, the cast includes acting stalwarts Kenneth Branagh and Michael Caine.  

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GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE

They might have finally found the right way to reboot the “Ghostbusters” franchise. If you’re going to make what is essentially “Ghostbusters: The Next Generation” it makes sense to bring one of the kids from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” along for the ride (Finn Wolfhard just looks like he’ll play the perfect grandson of Egon Spengler). 

I was impressed when I saw the first teaser trailer in December. I think writer/director Jason Reitman (he’s the son of “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman) has what looks to be a promising sequel/reboot on his hands. The trailer manages to bring the feels without featuring any of the original cast.  

Plus, it has the eternally affable Paul Rudd (who is brilliant in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” franchise). 

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NO TIME TO DIE

I reviewed the first teaser trailer for “No Time To Die” on this blog back in December. I think the movie looks terrific. As I said in December: “If this is Craig’s last outing as Bond, I hope the filmmakers send him off with a bang.” 

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And those are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020.” While they might not turn out to be the best movies of 2020 — or even the most successful at the box office — they’re the movies that I am looking forward to seeing at the theater this year. 

What do you think? Head down to the comment section below and let me know your thoughts.

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My Thoughts on the “No Time to Die” Trailer (New 007 Movie)

My earliest recollection of seeing a James Bond movie in the theater was 1981’s “For Your Eyes Only.”

I remember the day pretty distinctly because the movie was about to end its run at the local “99 cent” Gemini Twin Theater — the movie house where I saw “Raiders of the Lost Ark” 30+ times over the course of several months. 

I was in third grade at the time. 

In order to make the showing of “For Your Eyes Only,” we had to leave a youth soccer game I was playing in early. 

I don’t think my departure impacted the team (the Rockbrook Rockets). As I’ve said before, some people are destined to be athletes, others are destined to be fans. I’m in the latter category. My teammates were telling me how good the latest Bond film was as I left the field that evening at Sunset Hills Elementary. 

I had watched 007 movies on TV with my family. They aired on ABC at the time, and I’d developed a love for the spy franchise. 

Watching a movie in the theater is a unique experience, and that viewing of “For Your Eyes Only” at the Gemini ranks as a fond movie memory. 

So here we are — a little over 38 years after after I saw that movie in the theater — being treated to the first trailer for the 25th installment in the James Bond series “No Time to Die.” Here is the new trailer:

Daniel Craig is back as 007. There was some doubt a few years ago as to whether he’d renew his license to kill as James Bond. 

I’m glad Craig is back. I love what they’ve done with the 007 franchise since he’s played Bond. 

I remember when Bridget and I saw “Casino Royale” at AMC Oakview 24 in early 2007 (after the movie had been out for a while). I was really surprised how well the finished product turned out. 

More than that, the attendees at the showing (in a small auditorium) actually clapped at the end (something you don’t often see for a movie that’s been out several weeks). 

Unlike early Bond films, the Craig series has featured “intertwined” plot lines. There is a certain risk in doing that, but it has worked out well for the franchise (in my opinion). 

The last time fans saw a new Bond movie was 2015’s “Spectre.” At the end of that movie, Bond had decided to hang up his Walther PPK and drive off into the sunset with Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). 

Bond and Swann appear to be together at the beginning of “No Time to Die.” 

There have been rumors 007 will marry in this movie. The trailer doesn’t indicate whether or not that happens. 

It would be an interesting development. The last time James Bond wed theatrically was 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” — the one and only time George Lazenby played 007. In that movie Bond wed Contessa Teresa di Vicenzo (Diana Rigg), and it ended tragically. 

I think “On Her Majesty's Secret Service” is a underrated Bond film. Despite the awkwardness Lazenby brought to the role, the film managed to get a lot of things right. 

Keen observers watching the “No Time to Die” trailer will notice Bond uncovering what looks to be a 1969 Aston Martin DBS. If I’m right, it is the same model Aston Martin that Lazenby drove in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”  

It is also interesting to note that the trailer for 2015’s “Spectre” featured a newly orchestrated version of John Barry’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” score (starting at the 1:13 mark):

 

There is a new female “00” agent in “No Time to Die” played by Lashana Lynch (who played Maria Rambeau in “Captain Marvel”). Hard to tell if this is a setup for a reboot of the franchise in the future or not:

It looks like Bond returns to service in “No Time to Die” as a favor to CIA field officer (and friend) Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright):

Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) is back (behind bars this time), and still seems to be manipulating 007. The revelation in “Spectre” that Blofeld was the mastermind behind the events in all of the Daniel Craig Bond films suggests his influence might still wreak havoc for Bond in “No Time to Die.”

A new villain named Safin (Remi Malek) is at the heart of the narrative in “No Time to Die.” His presence appears to be related to a long-held secret Madeleine Swann has kept from Bond. I’d put my money on him being Swann’s brother, but I can only speculate at this point:

Both “Spectre” and “Skyfall” (a film I thought deserved an Oscar nomination for Best Picture) were directed by Sam Mendes. 

In my opinion, those two entries were visually stunning productions. In particular, the cinematography in “Skyfall” (done by the brilliant Roger Deakins) aided in the film rising above typical action fare — with several shots looking like they’d make lovely still photos. 

Handling cinematography duties for “No Time to Die” is Linus Sandgren, whose credits include “La La Land” (read my review) and “American Hustle.” If the trailer is any indication, the new Bond outing should have a beautiful look. 

For a first trailer, the new “No Time to Die” trailer is pretty meaty (the movie opens April 10, 2020 in the U.S.) 

It is hard to get a clear picture of the plot, but I figure Bond will have to navigate a world dealing with the fallout of the “Nine Eyes” intelligence initiative — something that was at the center of events in “Spectre.” 

“No Time to Die” is directed by Cary Fukunaga, who is probably best known for his HBO series “True Detective.” He wrote the screenplay for the horror film “It,” and was director/writer/cinematographer for the Netflix film “Beasts of No Nation.” 

If this is Craig’s last outing as Bond, I hope the filmmakers send him off with a bang. The venerable 007 franchise has managed to stand the test of the time at the box office. 

I’m just happy they’ve managed to evolve the series to a point where each film strives to be more than the sum of its parts. 

Like recent entries in the “Mission: Impossible” series (read my review of “Mission: Impossible - Fallout”), the James Bond franchise has focused on practical effects over CG. 

That creates verisimilitude in the narrative. 

Add in a luscious production design and stylish costumes (everyone looks like they stepped out of an issue of GQ Magazine), and the result is a tasty cocktail that is both shaken and stirred. 

The ability to continually reinvent the prototypical James Bond film for successive generations has been impressive. I’ll be waiting with baited breath to see what comes next. 

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New “Star Wars: Episode IX” Footage Reveals “Dark Rey”... My Thoughts

There is a lot riding on “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker” when it drops in theaters on Dec. 20. 

Not only will the film leave a lasting aftertaste in the mouths of fans as it regards the “Skywalker saga,” it will create a “vibe” surrounding future “Star Wars” efforts by Disney. 

There was significant hand wringing surrounding 2017’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” (read my review) and 2018’s “Solo: A Star Wars Story” (read my review). 

This year’s D23 Expo revealed a number of interesting “Star Wars” nuggets. Most notable was the new programming on Disney+ — “The Mandalorian” series set to debut on Nov. 12 and an upcoming series on Obi-Wan Kenobi starring Ewan McGregor. 

Despite the fact that Disney’s new streaming service appeared to take center stage, the theatrical universe wasn’t left out of the festivities.  

While Disney didn’t unveil a new trailer for Episode IX (last April’s teaser is still the only official trailer), we did get what they refer to as a “special look”:

Let’s take a look at some of the images presented. 

First off, there are several scenes from the previous eight chapters in the “Skywalker Saga.”

This was shown to an auditorium of fans at the D23 Expo, so it’s not surprising that they’d stoke the nostalgia flames. 

The footage for “The Rise of Skywalker” (which starts at roughly the 1:14 mark) features Rey, Finn, Poe, and Chewbacca looking out at some desert festival. I don’t know what planet this is supposed to be, nor do I know what is being celebrated. 

Next we have a brief shot of Leia. I didn’t include the image. Per writer/director J.J. Abrams they wove unused footage from “The Force Awakens” into Episode IX. 

Then we get a shot of Resistance (maybe Rebel?) ships coming out of hyperspace. We see X-Wings, a Blockade Runner, Y-Wings, B-Wings, A-Wings, and another ship in the right of the frame I can’t identify.

Then we get a couple cool shots of rows and rows of Star Destroyers. Are we to assume they’re First Order ships? 

Or, do they signal the Emperor and Darth Vader have returned from some sort of netherworld for a galactic showdown? (A guy can dream, right?)

There is an image of Finn in the cockpit of a ship with a new character, Jannah. Not sure if she might be related to Finn, or to Lando Calrissian (who appears for the first time in this trilogy).

We see C-3PO with “red” eyes. The droid had a red arm in “The Force Awakens” so I guess the oddities continue. 

For some reason, I feel like I remember a Kenner “Star Wars” toy back in the 1970s that featured our favorite protocol droid with red-jeweled eyes. But a cursory Google search seems to indicate “no.” 

We then see some sort of laser bombarding a planet, and then things shift to Rey wielding her lightsaber in a forested area. It looks like she’s training. She’s also got some sort of red ribbon on her hand.

Kylo Ren is seen clomping away from his TIE Interceptor-looking ship. 

From there we see Rey and Kylo dueling on top of what could be the remnants of the Death Star from “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.” Hard to say for sure. Let's just hope we get an epic lightsaber battle this time out. 

Emperor Palpatine has a voiceover during those two shots where he intones, “Your journey nears its end.” We also hear the sounds of Darth Vader’s respirator. 

By the way, Disney revealed a new one-sheet poster for “The Rise of Skywalker” at the D23 Expo that is inspired by this sequence. It's a lovely poster (I especially love the image of Palpatine in the background):

Then — just in time for Halloween costumes across the globe — we get the damn money shot!!

Rey looks like she’s gone all Sith, wearing a dark cloak and brandishing a dual-blade red lightsaber. 

The entire “Dark Rey” image could be a misdirect. Maybe she’s dreaming. Maybe it’s a vision. Maybe it’s a clone. 

That's pretty much where the trailer leaves us. We get the title card and that's it. 

The Rey character is one of my favorites, but her development was honestly lacking in “The Force Awakens” and “The Last Jedi.” 

In order to craft a satisfying conclusion, Abrams & Co. are going to have to come up with a finale that is both epic in scope, and brings the saga to a satisfying conclusion. 

Moviegoers saw such a film when “Avengers: Endgame” was released this summer. The question is whether Lucasfilm can create a movie that strikes a similar chord. 

Maybe that’s asking the impossible.  

That said, the filmmakers behind “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” need to finish strong. This new trilogy has to rise beyond being a “merchandising play” and show fans something that will give the story legs into the future. 

So far, the images we’ve seen from “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” look promising. Let’s hope the film holds true to that promise. 

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My Thoughts on “The Mandalorian” Trailer (New Disney+ Series)

Back in April, Lucasfilm unveiled some teaser footage for the new Disney+ streaming service series “The Mandalorian.” 

Unfortunately, Disney/Lucasfilm didn’t see fit to release that sizzle reel to the public (the only version available online is some rough-looking footage that an attendee recorded). 

The D23 Expo — touted as the “ultimate Disney fan event” (why am I not there?) — is upon us, and a proper trailer has finally been released. 

As I’m apt to do on this blog, I decided to take a look. (If you are interested in learning about the Disney+ streaming service, read my May 2019 post “Will Disney+ Be a Worthy Streaming Service?”)

The trailer starts off with a cool-looking shot of stormtrooper helmets skewered on sticks. The series takes place a few years after “Return of the Jedi” (the exact timeframe is up for debate on the interwebs):

We then get some establishing shots of the Mandalorian’s ship — called the Razor Crest. It has been suggested that this ship is from the Clone Wars era (and it is reminiscent of some of the ships seen in “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones”). 

Then Carl Weathers shows up. He plays Greef Carga. It seems that Weathers’s character is responsible for doling out bounties to bounty hunters like the Mandalorian. 

The next image that stood out to me was this one of an Ugnaught. Haven’t seen much of those creatures in the filmed SW universe since their debut in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980:

The Ugnaught is apparently going to be voiced by actor Nick Nolte (fun fact: my wife and I attended the same Omaha high school as Nolte). 

Executive producer John Favreau (who also handled writing duties for the first season) has suggested the show is structured using some classic western motifs. This shot of fingers tickling a gun in a holster definitely has that look (a classic gunfighter showdown):

The trailer for “The Mandalorian” really doesn’t give away any salient plot points. That said, it does do a good job creating a mood for fans. The series looks more in tune with the original “Star Wars” trilogy.

This image of a speeder bike at night is awesome:

So is this image of an AT-ST:

Because this story takes place during the aftermath of the events in “Return of the Jedi,” it is hard to say what role any remaining Imperial interests will have in the series, but there are some images in the trailer — like this image of Deathtroopers:

During “The Mandalorian” panel at Star Wars Celebration, the show’s creators demonstrated their commitment to authenticity, and showed the VFX crew filming physical spaceship models for the effects shots. We see that come to fruition in this bit from the new trailer:

Those of you who grew up playing with “Star Wars” action figures in the 1970s and 80s might have had an IG-88 action figure (a bounty hunter featured in “The Empire Strikes Back”). I’ve always enjoyed that droid’s retro-looking vibe. 

I initially assumed the IG droid in the trailer was IG-88, but it is apparently a bounty hunter named “IG-11.” This scene of him in a gun battle is pretty sweet:

For me, though, the “money shot” in this trailer is one of various beings frozen in bricks of carbonite. 

Darth Vader and Boba Fett might’ve tested that procedure on Han Solo for the first time in Cloud City during the events in “Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back,” but it appears the method has stuck around as a way to transport “bounties” across the galaxy. 

The series debuts on Disney’s upcoming Disney+ streaming service on Nov. 12. 

As I mentioned earlier, details are scant on this new series. The Mandalorian character is played by Pedro Pascal. 

I was in grade school when “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” was released. Boba Fett (a Mandalorian) was one of the more popular characters in the SW realm. His fate in “Jedi” seemed like a weak way to kill off the character, and fans have often wondered if the character actually lived. 

My assumption is the Mandalorian featured in the series is a fresh character, but time will tell. If it turned out to be Boba Fett, that could create some interesting narrative possibilities going forward. 

I mean, the character in "The Mandalorian" is reminiscent of the animated Boba Fett we saw in the "Star Wars Holiday Special" in 1978 (yes, I was alive then, and have fond memories watching it on TV):

For now, I’ll just savor this first trailer. I’m still not sure what to expect from Lucasfilm’s first live-action “Star Wars” series, but the early images look really good. 

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