X-Men: First Class - Coming June 3, 2011

Director - Matthew Vaughn

Main Characters
Professor Charles Xavier - James McAvoy
Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto - Michael Fassbender

Of course there are a lot of other characters in the upcoming X-Men: First Class that would certainly be considered 'main', however, the heart of this story is the loss of friendship over differing opinions between Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr.

In this prequel, we will finally get to learn the story, much alluded to in he other X-Men movies of the falling out of Xavier and Lehnsherr, who were once best friends. The movie is set in 1963 when Charles (James McAvoy) starts up the famous school for 'Gifted Youngsters' that we've become so familiar with. Of course, we know that the ultimate argument between Charles and Erik (Michael Fassbender) is whether mutants should try to combat the ignorance that causes normal people to fear them, or if they should use their special abilities in combat.

Along with some new characters, there are a couple of familiar characters appearing in X-Men: First Class, such as Mystique and Beast.

I've no doubt that this will be another action packed X-Men story, like those we've come to expect and love.

Thor - Coming May 6

 

Director - Kenneth Branagh
Lead Actors
Thor - Chris Hemsworth
Jane Foster - Natalie Portman
Odin - Anthony Hopkins

This movie looks like its going to be nothing short of epic, no doubt another blockbuster in Marvel's ultimate path to the Avengers movie.

You may remember in the scene after the credits of Iron Man 2 Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) saying four words while overlooking some kind on happening in the desert. "Sir, we found him." Followed by a shot of Thor's iconic hammer.

The Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division or SHIELD is the agency tying all of the individual movies together.

After Thor is stripped of his powers by Odin (Anthony Hopkins) he is cast down to earth, a development that our blonde, hunky God of Thunder doesn't seem overly thrilled about. He is found by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who obviously becomes his love interest, and my guess is eventually he realizes earth isn't such a bad place, and decides to use his expertise to help save it from some kind of disaster, eventually being recruited by SHIELD of course.

Chris Hemsworth plays Thor, and he does indeed appear to have the body of a God! Hemsworth is another in the parade of Aussie hunks that seem to be taking over the silver screen, and I for one am not complaining. In 2009's Star Trek he played father to the legendary Star Fleet captain James Tiberius Kirk, and although he wasn't in the movie long, he must have made an impression. He seems every bit the obstinate, arrogant, but ultimately right? youth that Thor is supposed to be.

Other names of note in the cast for Thor include Ray Stevenson (King Arthur, Punisher: War Zone) and Kat Dennings, (Charlie Bartlett). Renee Russo, Idris Elba, and Stellen Sarsgård also appear.

Thor will be presented in 3D, which seems to be the way the movie going experience is headed, but I don't know that I would be willing to spend the extra $5.00 per ticket to see Thor in 3D. I mean, when a movie is going to have that much going on, the big screen and big sound is often enough for me. Besides that, of the movies I have seen in 3D, (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Step Up: 3D) only Avatar and Alice in Wonderland had any kind of extra impact from being in 3D, for me anyways. It seems to me, that movies that have a lot of cg content lend themselves more to the 3D movement. I didn't find Clash of the Titans or Step Up: 3D to be any MORE enjoyable than I would have in 2D. I have a feeling that when my boyfriend and I go to see Thor a regular movie going experience will still be pretty awesome.

Something else I'm excited to see in this move is the cinematography when Thor is still in his heavenly realm of Asgard. You don't see tons of it in the trailer, but it looks like its going to be very opulent, and visually stimulating, with tons of attention to detail. Just because its an action movie, and a comic book movie at that, doesn't mean it shouldn't have some focus on other things, and I'm glad that the details don't seem to have gotten lost in all the butt kicking!

I can't wait to see this movie!

Superman: Man of Steel - Coming December 2012

Director - Zack Snyder
Lead Actors
Superman/Clark Kent - Henry Cavill
Lois Lane - Amy Adams
Martha Kent - Diane Lane
Jonathan Kent - Kevin Costner

So, since the release date for this movie is still so far in the future, I was unable to get a trailer, for obvious reasons, but couldn't even find an official movie poster for this go 'round of our favourite alien in blue spandex.
Since my boyfriend is big into both the Marvel and DC comic book universes, and Superman is arguably his favourite person in either, I'm always hearing about what's happening with the Superman movie franchise long before the movie hits the silver screen, and this time has been no exception.

Of course, the 6 million dollar question was again, who is going to play the Man of Steel? When I heard that Henry Cavill was chosen,  it was a definite 'yay' vote for me, I mean, have you seen the guy? He is HOT! But I did have to ask the question, 'Have you seen the guy?' Could the Superman franchise be suffering because of the choices that have been made to cast lesser known actors in the lead role? Its no secret that the previous incarnation of Superman starring Brandon Routh in 2006 didn't do nearly as well as expected. I mean we know that comic book lovers like my boyfriend will always line up to support their favourite super heroes, but what about movie goers such as myself, who aren't really into the comic book universe? When it comes to a Superman movie for someone like me, its needs to stand on its own as a great movie.

With names like Kevin Spacy and Kate Bosworth in the 2006 attempt to resurrect this franchise, could it be that the secondary cast members simply outshone Brandon Routh as the lead?

I knew exactly who Henry Cavill was when I heard he had landed the role of mild mannered reporter Clark Kent, but that's because I have a fascination with Tudor era England, and very much enjoyed watching him as Henry XIII's (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) right hand man, and loyal friend Charles Brandon in that series. I've also seen him in a couple of my other favourite movies, Stardust, Tristan & Isolde  and The Count of Monte Cristo. Notice what all of these rolls have in common? I consider them all 'period movies', which just so happens to be my favourite genre. Not however a list of movies that I would suspect that your average comic book aficionado has on their Netflix cue. In fact, I'm the only person I know that has seen all of those movies, along with the Tudors, and owns any of these titles and wants to own the rest.

I know when the Batman franchise was reinvigorated in 2005 with Batman Begins my draw to see that movie was Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. He was already a well known name in Hollywood, and to me personally, having seen him first in Little Women years ago, but more recently in movies like The Machinist, Reign of Fire  and Equilibrium. Of course, after attending Batman Begins I was only to excited to see The Dark Knight cause lets face it, the story line was great and the action was awesome. Because of this Christopher Nolan, director of the wildly successful Batman movies was brought on to help with the revamp of the Superman series as a creative consultant. But I have to wonder, will it be enough?

Take a look at the other names in this movie. Amy Adams? Diane Lane? Kevin Costner? It was even rumored that Kevin Spacey would be reprising his role as Lex Luthor, although, I can't find any confirmation of that at the moment. Even looking at some of the lists that were circulating of contenders for the role of Lois Lane, many were dismissed out of hand simply because the were too well known to play opposite Henry. Natalie Portman, Jessica Biel, Ellen Page, and Olivia Wilde to name a few. Personally, I would have loved to see Erica Durance have the chance to explore her take no prisoners portrayal of Lois Lane from Smallville to the big screen.

So to sum it up, I guess the question this movie is going to answer for me it this:
Is a great story enough to propel a movie with a rumored 175 million dollar budget to the status of 2012 Blockbuster, or will it fall short without a better known leading man? Henry does have a couple of movies scheduled to come out this year, perhaps they will be successful enough to put him in the spotlight. Maybe by the release of Superman: Man of Steel in late 2012, Henry Cavill will be a household name.

Personally, I'm pulling for Henry. He's a great actor and oh so easy on the eyes. I hope he is the Superman in the movie that brings this franchise new life.