The Shape of Things to Come, II
We’re halfway through 2005 now, so I thought that this would be an opportune moment to look back and see what films I was looking forward to six months ago, and what I’m looking forward to now. Will I have managed to see everything I wanted to? Did they all turn out to be rubbish? Can I still enthuse about films after that awful Star Wars trilogy? Let’s find out!
First of all, let’s recap: here’s my original Shape of Things to Come article. I didn’t see The Polar Express but I can’t say I’m bothered about that. The Merchant of Venice and The Life & Death of Peter Sellers are both still on my ‘to-see’ list, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hasn’t been released yet but I still want to see it, particularly as the new trailer shows the Oompa Loompas — and what film isn’t complete without a bunch of Oompa Loompas?
Of the films that I did see, well, I loved Batman Begins, hated Revenge of the Sith and thought War of the Worlds was so-so (I’ll return to talk about that one at a later date). So, on reflection, I don’t think I did too well — I tended to see the films that stood the greater chance of being rubbish and left the better ones to fester. Will I learn my lesson for the next six months? Probably not.
Here’s what I’m looking forward to over the next few months, listed in the order in which I remember them.
King Kong
This one’s not due out until Christmas, which is good — last Christmas didn’t feel right without a spectacular Peter Jackson film to look forward to. The film itself looks great from this trailer, which shows a surprising amount of the titular ape as well as some nice shots of dinosaurs. Jack Black looks to be not-annoying as one of the lead male roles and Andy Serkis is back as Kong; I’ve a good feeling about this one, but mostly that’s based upon Jackson’s Lord of the Rings track record — his works previous to that were generally only average…
Fantastic Four
Well, this one will probably be awful, though I do enjoy the trailers for it (which use the same music as the King Kong trailer, oddly). It looks to be badly-scripted with poor special effects, bad casting and a crap plot, but really, if I don’t see these films then how can we warn the rest of the world about them?
The Island
The Island could be either intelligent SF, along the lines of Blade Runner or Gattaca, or it could be a good idea ruined by the mass-market’s perpetual need for explosions. With a plot that reminds me vaguely of Michael Marshall Smith’s book Spares, featuring clones that JUST WANT TO LIVE GODDAMNIT, this could end up being dumbed down — director Michael Bay doesn’t have a particularly thoughtful portfolio (Bad Boys 2, anyone?), but it features a strong cast — Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi and Sean Bean. Not that that helped Star Wars, of course…
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Has to be great, it’s British.
The Dukes of Hazzard
Looks good from the trailer, though I’m beginning to tire of seeing Sean William Scott playing every single role in exactly the same way. Burt Reynolds is clearly not fat enough to play the part of Boss Hogg either. Hopefully this won’t be a Starsky and Hutch-style raping of childhood memories.
Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
Ah, one of my guilty pleasures. I would have liked to have seen Alfonso Cuarón continue directing the Harry Potter series, but this time around the duty falls to Mike Newell, whose previous work (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Pushing Tin, An Awfully Big Adventure) doesn’t strike me as the portfolio of someone well-equipped to take on big-budget children’s fantasy, but you never know — probably can’t be much worse than Chris Columbus. The usual cast of EVERY ENGLISH COMIC ACTOR EVER is bolstered this time around by Ralph Fiennes as Voldermort and a cameo by Jarvis Cocker. Could be good, but with the original source material this time being bigger than the first three books combined it could also be a complete hatchet job. On the plus side, maybe most of Harry’s tedious teenage banter will be lost in translation.
A Scanner Darkly
This looks interesting; so far as I can tell from the trailer, this is an animated film but the characters have been drawn to look exactly like the voice actors — Robert Downey Jr., Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson — in a highly-stylised way. Based on the novel by Phillip K. Dick of the same name, this looks fairly innovative and unusual, so will almost certainly not be showing at any cinema within walking distance of me.
Serenity
Following on from the excellent (and thus cancelled) TV series Firefly, Serenity ties up some of the loose ends. If this is successful at the box office, I suspect it will lead to the TV series being renewed, except marketing execs will replace Nathan Fillion with, I don’t know, Charlie Sheen or someone, and introduce a cute-yet-precocious nine-year old girl. Anyway, I’m looking forward to this, even if it is simply an extended episode of the series.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
I devoured the Narnia books when I was a child, and I’m pleased to report that it was only years later that I discovered there was this whole Christian analogy running throughout them, which evidentally never did me any harm. This adaptation of the second book of the series (why does nobody ever want to hear about The Magician’s Nephew, eh?) looks impressive — will it give the Harry Potter series serious competition?
I never knew there was a Christian analogy in Narnia!! And I was looking forward to reading them again as well.
Some good “titles” here to look forward to – Fantastic Four will no doubt be rubbish, but it’s a superhero film so I’m in. Dukes of Hazzard had better not be another S&H style conversion – I refused to watch that. Polar Express was okay, my son watched it for ages until the next new kids film came out – you can borrow it if you feel a need.
Narnia has a christian analagy? Did everyone miss this?
Yeah, Aslan is, like, Jesus or something.
I never noticed the Christian analogy in the Narnia series either… I’ve got them out to start re-reading again soon, so this was a bit of a surprise. I hope it doesn’t stand out too much now and ruin them all.
Forgot to add… woohoo for the upcoming release of Serenity. The wait has been far too long.
Now you mention it, I can see the resemblence to Jesus, although most people realise that the Narnia books are just made up and not a true account of life in the olden days.
They’re not a true account of the olden days?!
All of my illusions are being shattered by these comments. I’ll just remember the classic BBC series and genuinely believing I’ll find my own wardrobe one day to escape through.
Weirdly there’s one like it in my new house, but I’m consigning the ghastly thing to the basement. It’s magic potential is as high as it’s ability to hold coat hangers properly, ie. Nil.
I missed the Christian analogy in Narnia the first time round – and I was one, so where’s my excuse?
Lewis said he never wrote them intending them to be specifically Christian, they just turned out that way. Reading them now, I love them for their depiction of my faith as much as I do for their sheer originality of thought.. a heck of a lot of fantasy since LOTR has been Tolkeinesque. Narnia, and Lewis’ sci-fi books are refreshingly different.
A Scanner Darkly: they got that weird life-drawing look by filming the scenes as normal, and then animating over the top. (Like in bits of the old Lord of the Rings cartoon, but hopefully better)
The estate of Philip K Dick have given this film the thumbs up, so just maybe, it’ll be good.
A Scanner Darkly really caught my eye, I’m almost certain that it’s filmed as movie and then drawn over. Most likely by applying some filter to the film and then adding/modifying details with 3D and drawing. Just my kind of thing, big thanks for telling it’s out there.
I’d actually been labouring under the misapprehension that Christianity was a Narnia metaphor.
Just what is wrong with having a Christian analogy in these books. Tolkien was also a christian, and that didn’t hurt anybody did it?¿
Well, I just don’t think that children should be exposed to those sort of lifestyle choices – you know how easily influenced they can be.
Up to a certain age, children simply would not understand or care about the analogies. After a certain age, you would hope that the cynicism would set in.
Clarie makes a mental note to begin the subtle brainwashing of Paul’s children as soon as possible : ‘My First Bible’ and other such gifts.
As if I’d let you near my children unsupervised. They’ll be running with scissors before they’re reading the bible, believe me.
The appeal of C.S. Lewis’ writings continues to be the way in which he combines reason and imagination. He argued that Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and, if true, of infinite importance. The one thing it cannot be is moderately important. Whether in the realm of reason or imagination, in personal or public life, Lewis maintained, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen — not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
CS LEWIS was a Christian who wrote many apologetic works. The Chronicles of Narnia is just one. Since many did not recognize the similarities and were not “hurt” or “damaged” by them then that just shows that God is indeed good.
It is a magical world where animals speak, mythical creatures roam the land, and four children fight an epic battle between good and evil. Young and old will be inspired by the underlying message about a relationship with the true lion Aslan — Jesus Christ
The children were sent to a cold world (sinful world grown cold in God) they were to fight the whie witch (very common comparison for contemporarty times of today when white witchcraft is so popular. It still remains however evil in the eyes of God and so the land remained cold, dormant and many dead) Aslan was Jesus Christ who gave his life to pay the penalty of the young boys sin. Though killed by the white witch ( as Jesus in real life was killed by Satan) thereby misleading the white witch that she had conquered Christ ( just as killing Jesus mislead Satan to believe he conquered Christ ) Aslan arose ( Christ arose) the sacrificial table broken ( the need for sacrifice destroyed forever) the child was saved by Aslan taking his place and fogiving the child (Jeuss takes our place paying our penalty for our sin and fogive us) Aslan tells the boys brother and sisters “it is past and not to be mentioned again” (Jesus tells us to fogive and move forward not looking back unto where we came but where we are going)
The children sent to conquer the eveil in the world do so with the help of Aslan (as do the children of God with the help of God in the form of the Holy Spirit) Evil is conquered by them all and the white witch destroyed by Aslan (evil is conquered by us all and Satan destroyed by Jesus in the end)
The world is renewed then as it will be when Jesus Christ returns in real life.
A facinating fictional story by a brilliant Christain writer.
Many works i.e. Veggie Tales give much analygy to Christ but are still fiction stories and there are many more such as Lord of the Rings and Screw tape letters.
Yes, friends it was a Christian movie. Aslan was indeed Jesus Christ who did and still does fogive us if we only are remorseful as was the young boy.
What an awesome friend and protector that Aslan,
What an awesome friend and protector that Jesus.
“He argued that Christianity, if false, is of no importance…”
You should have stopped there. All religion is inherently bunk. I recommend converting to Pastafarianism.
gv, it would appear that you have been touched by his noodly appendage.
I achieved enlightenment through an excellent linguini puttanesca.
The discussion was not a slant on Christianity but it was in regard to the Chronicles of Narnia if I am not mistaken. Yes it was a Christ based movie.
Christianity is not for the light hearted however. It is to cast oneself as a follower of Jesus Christ, to become strong and an overcomer. It is not for the weak, immature and faint of heart.
Pastafarianism is just as weak and limp as its namesake.
“Pastafarianism is just as weak and limp as its namesake.”
Well, that depends on whether you like it al dente or not, I think.
“It is not for the weak, immature and faint of heart.”
Nor for those with heartburn, acid indigestion or trapped wind.
Your comment alone has revealed you to be the bag with trapped wind otherwise known as a “windbag” serving to cause indigestion and heartburn to all those around you.
Case closed!
Now where were we…..ahhh yes….at the movies everyone.
How about WALK THE LINE. I read where Mr. Phoenix did his own singing. He did an outstanding job in that picture as an actor.
I really liked the film.
Hang on, hang on, you can’t just come here, to my website, insult me and then declare ‘Case closed’. I’m the one who declares cases to be closed. Honestly, haven’t you seen Without a Clue?
As gv says, “All religion is inherently bunk.”
Case closed!