2007 Year Of The Sequels....

been there done that, might as well see it again.

The Year of the Sequels

By: Breanne Cursley

This year really must be the year of the sequels! It seems that the only movies coming at this time are continuations of other storylines, that’s not entirely a problem as it can be enjoyable to revisit characters we love to watch. Who wouldn’t want to sit in the theatre and be entertained by Captain Jack Sparrow once again, or pick up where you left off with Jason Bourne? I look forward to seeing all these films, so I can relive all the action, comedy, adventure and romance that these sequels have to offer again, and again, and again……

 
Shrek The Third
It looks as though all the original characters are back, including Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots, and all the others. New characters in this movie include Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Lancelot, King Arthur and I’m sure many other nursery rhyme characters have their part somewhere in the film, as usual. As for the movie; it looks like another good Shrek film, filled with laughs and giggles that will entertain all ages.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Spider-Man 3
Back for its third installment this time Spidey is battling with his inner demons as well as the usual villain he must conquer. The cast is back, but as well there are new members to the Spider-Man crew including Topher Grace and Thomas Haden Church. Hopefully this third film will live up to its expectations, and leave the audience anticipating a fourth!

The Bourne Ultimatum

This movie follows The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Identity before that. This is certainly a sequel I am looking forward to, because the Jason Bourne films are a very fast, action-packed atmosphere that’s very addictive, and hard to tear your eyes away from. I am optimistic that this film will be a good one (how can you go wrong with Matt Damon?), and I hope Jason Bourne triumphs (against whoever it is this time) in the end - but then again, he always does!

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

This is the fifth Harry Potter motion picture and hopefully it will do better than its predecessor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which just didn’t do anything for me, compared to the first three films. Another reason I am hoping it does well is because this is rumored to be the final film for Harry and the gang, coming out at about the same time as the final novel as well.

Ocean’s Thirteen
The gang is back for their third movie, and this time they’re in it for revenge, after a casino owner rips off one of Ocean’s men, landing him in the hospital. Knowing these characters by now, we know that this ‘mission’ isn’t purely for noble revenge, and that the money surely is providing some incentive for Danny Ocean and his fellow band of thieves.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

This is the second film creation of Marvel’s first family of superheroes. In this film the four meet their biggest challenge yet when the Silver Surfer arrives on Earth to destruct, along with the return of the villain from the previous film, Dr. Doom. Sue, Johnny, Reed and Ben must reprise their roles as the Invisible Woman, Human Torch, Mr. Fantastic and the Thing in order to save the world from villains, while an impending marriage for two of the four adds an additional plotline.

Evan Almighty

More of a spin-off than a sequel, Evan Almighty is the follow-up to Bruce Almighty, the 2003 comedy starring Jim Carrey. Evan Almighty stars the ‘it-comedian’ for the moment Steve Carell, who gets contacted by God to build an ark, much like Noah. This looks like a comical and amusing sequel, and hopefully it lives up to Jim Carrey’s God-complex in Bruce Almighty.
 

The Golden Age

If it is a more serious sequel you crave, The Golden Age, the continuation of 1998’s Elizabeth, might be that film. The Golden Age follows the virgin queen during her fight to remain reigning Queen of England while Mary Queen of Scots seeks to usurp her role. With Cate Blanchett reprising the role of Elizabeth, Geoffrey Rush and director Shekhar Kapur again on task, this should be just as spectacular, if not better, than the original, nine years later. I’m looking forward to in this sequel is Clive Owen playing Sir Walter Raleigh; as dashing in the period costume as Joseph Fiennes was as Robert Dudley, I suspect this will be an equal challenger to Blanchett’s Elizabeth.

The Brazilian Job

Follow-up to The Italian Job (2003), this film follows Charlie Croker and his gang of thieves, who are to pull off another heist, and you guessed it – Brazilian fashion. This film takes place in Rio de Janeiro, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Seth Green and Mos Def; the gang is back, let’s hope the mini coopers are too!

Live Free or Die Hard

This is the fourth installment of Bruce Willis’ ever popular role as the ‘old-school’ police detective John McClane. This time he must foil the criminal plot to take down the U.S. economy’s computer system, helped by a young computer hacker, played by the movie business’ up and coming Justin Long. The question is – will he stop the villainous plan before it’s too late? And more importantly, does Willis have what it takes to bring the box office home twelve years after Die Hards’ last sequel? We think he does.

Of course there are the obligatory sequels of horror, sci-fi and action films coming out this year; Alien vs Predator 2, Boogeyman 2, Butterfly Effect 2, Daywatch 2, The Hills Have Eyes 2, Hostel 2, Jeepers Creepers 3, National Treasure: Book Of Secrets, Punisher 3, Resident Evil: Extinction, Rush Hour 3, Saw 4, Stir Of Echoes: The Dead Speak, True Lies 2, Under Seige 3, White Noise 2, Wolverine and Wrong Turn 2: Dead Ends.

And the ever present sequels of comedy (romantic or otherwise) and animation; Are We Done Yet?, Bringing Down The House 2, Daddy Day Camp, Harold and Kumar Go To Amsterdam, Hood vs Evil, How To Lose It All, Mr. Bean’s Holiday.

The only one of slight intrigue among these films would be Goonies 2 coming out, twenty years later with the original cast supposedly and a plot line that involves the originals and a next generation of kids. Provided the film is kept with that rough edged tone, and pirate ships full of adventure, just like the first, this storyline should be worth a second look at for multiple generations.

All in all I must say I am very excited to see all these sequels, whether it is the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th or even 5^th installment of some of my favourite storylines and characters. The appearance of so many sequels reminds us that it’s always good to stick with what you know, or so says the studios anyways, you know what they say ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’