Henk van de Goor's Bloggers@large

Ok, it's almost March and last year it started Looking forward to the new movies of 2007 on Jan. 2nd already. But hey: I gotta fill my blog right? So here is a round-up of movies that I look forward to watching downloading this year;

• The Spiderwick Chronicles (fantasy)
• Street Kings (action/adventure)
• Boarding Gate (action/drama, featuring Asia Argento)
• The Happening (the newest thriller by M. Night Shyamalan)
• The Bank Job (action, starring Saffron Burrows, who I like ever since I saw her in Gangster No. 1)
• Forbidden Kingdom (action/fantasy; finally a movie Jet-Li and Jackie Chan)
• Diary of the Dead (horror: finally George A. Romero returns with a cool zombie movie)
• Superhero Movie (humor; from the makers of Naked Gun and Scary Movie)
• Iron Man (action: finally Tony Stark comes to live in yet another cartoon-made-into-movie)
• Doomsday (action/science fiction, starring Rhona Mitra)
• Defiance (war: the incredible story of three Jewish brothers from Poland who escape from the Nazis and fight back to rescue fellow Jews)
• Son of Rambow (comedy: a Sundance festival winner)
• 88 Minutes (thriller, starring Al Pacino)
• Star Trek (science/fiction: the prequel to the best SF series ever!)
• You Don't Mess With The Zohan (humor: Adam Sandler is back with a huger than life character!)
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (fantasy: 2nd part of the trilogy)
• Nim's Island (adventure/fantasy: starring Abigail Breslin from "Little Miss Sunshine")
• Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (adventure: yes, 65 year old Harrisson Ford is at it again!)
• Get Smart (humor, Steve Carell yet again in a role that seems to fit him like a glove)

It gives me great pleasure to see Hollywood posthumously picked up on a great movie by the late Theo van Gogh; "Interview". Even though they made a remake out of the original, it is a testament to the genious Van Gogh was as a filmaker. It is also particulary flattering (I think) that a guy like Steve Buscemi (who I love as an actor) took it upon him to direct and star in this movie. Obviously it is not blockbuster material, but not all blockbusters are good movies per se. Anway, I think that Theo van Gogh probably would have been flattered too and it is a shame he is not here to see the result.
The storyline itself is simple and there are no big sets or special effects involved: it's psychology of the two characters and how they handle themselves in the situation they are in that makes this a true actors movie. Off course the previous comments are on the Dutch version. But I am sure that the version Buscemi made is equally good. I for sure will try to see it when it comes out here.

Berlinale 2007: Steve Buscemi about his film "Interview"


Click here to see the trailer.

Oh yes! Tarantino and Rodriguez have paired up again for a rollercoaster movie called "Grindhouse". As the title already reveals its based on those over-the-top 'exploitation' movies that usually featured in a 'grindhouse' theather. Essentially it's Tarantino and Rodriguez' tribute to that particular style of cinema and that's why it's even presented as a 'double feature' movie, complete with fake trailers and such.

It really looks like a blast!

2007 is going to be an exiting year in cinema. I have seen some prviews for movies that I am very much looking forward to! It is like all my childhood favorite comic book heroes are coming to the screen! I read all those comics here in Holland when I was a kid: Batman, Superman, Spiderman, The Hulk, The X-Men, The Fantastic Four etc. etc.. I loved the Fantastic Four (my favourite cartoon) and I was thrilled when I learned they made that into a movie. Off all the movies made so far I think I like X-Men the best (Wolverine is just too cool). Superman Returns was quite a pearl too just like Batman Begins (Christian Bale is way better than all previous Batmans).

But in 2007 there will be quite a few movies that I definately look forward to. I can not get over the fact that one of my all-time favourite characters will come to life: the Silver Surfer! He will be in Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Since the Silver Surfer is in that movie, it can mean only one thing: Galactus (the Devourer of Worlds, Ravager of Planets) is coming for Earth! I swear: if he is in it (and maybe Uatu, The Watcher too), I can die and go to heaven! Although I figure that Galactus will be in episode 3 because the Silver Surfer is just his herald. But anyway: Galactus and the Silvers Surfer are two of my favourite comic characters ever.

So what else am I looking forward to in 2007 cinema-wise? Well here is my list so far:

- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (yup, I know: you love or hate it)
- Wild Hogs (a funny road movie)
- Evan Almighty (a funny sequel to Bruce Almighty)
- Ghost Rider (yet another comic hero comes to life)
- Premonition (a thriller with my favourite girl: Sandra Bullock)
- Smokin' Aces ("sleazy magician will testify against mobsters, so mobsters want him dead")
- Live Free, Die Hard (Die Hard 4 is gonna kick ass!)

And I guess there will be more to come! But boy out of that list there are four I definately want to see: Harry Potter, Ghost Rider, Fantastic Four and Die Hard 4.