The year 2019 was meant to be the most anticipated year of the decade for all the cinema and TV fanatics.....
COVER STORY
The year 2019 was meant to be the most anticipated year of the decade for all the cinema and TV fanatics. The highlight of the year was April: Game of Thrones, one of the most watched shows in human history, and Avengers, one of the most sought after movie franchise, were coming to an end. I will not get into the details of how April turned out to be for all the die-hard fans of both franchises but I do believe that life goes on.
Hey, let us direct you to the light at the end (read middle) of the tunnel of 2019. Summer movies. Yes, summer is the time when people are on vacations and that’s the time some of the best movies hit theatres. Some good ones are already out while a few more are on the way. Let’s just take a look at the good and the bad and how this year continues to spoil our franchises.
Our favorite friendly monster that has protected us in the past is back again. The King of the Monsters has the same Godzilla that was in the last movie, the grander and the stronger version of the original Gojira. And he is not alone. The latest Godzilla is basically the fight to power; to decide who will rule all the monsters.
So yeah, Game of Thrones (GoT) for the monster world, and is as disappointing as GoT was.
See, it’s nothing to do with me. GoT is everywhere. Anyway, Sophie Turner from GoT fame gets her silver screen big break with X-Men franchise’s latest outing Dark Phoenix. With the recurring cast of James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence, Dark Phoenix is the story of Jean Grey, played by Sophie Turner. Jean is one of the strongest, in fact the strongest mutant to date, will fight her own sinister side.
X-Men has been a very successful franchise with back to back hits and some memorable characters like Wolverine, Professor X, Magneto, and even Jean but the latest movie just looked dragged and lost the X-Men soul.
Thor: Ragnorok’s stars Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson unite for the 2019 version of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones Movie Men in Black. Like previous movies, this one is an action comedy, too, and though the trailer looks promising, we still need to wait till it releases in Pakistan to take a look at how things have changed post Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones.
The chemistry between Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsorth suited up for MIB: International reminds us of their already proven and loved chemistry from Thor: Ragnorok.
Now this is one sequel we could have done without. The serial killer possessed doll is the last thing we need this summer. Or do we want our kids to be scared of the same doll we were ages ago?
Aubrey Plaza stars in this horror reboot as a young mother who starts to notice that her son’s doll Chucky is behind some gruesome murders. In the 2019 version, Chucky is not just a doll but a high-tech toy that rejects its programming and embarks in its own killing spree mission.
I still wonder how parents can buy a doll like Chucky for their kids. It is so creepy!
The horror genre doesn’t rest here. Our very own Annabelle does not plan to leave us any time soon. This year she is not going to be alone but will bring all the evil spirits around her to life. If you love this genre and have enjoyed her presence in the past, gear up for her friends now.
Keeping the year of sequels going, one of the most sought after movies of this year just released last week, Toy Story 4. For all those who were teary eyed after Toy Story 3, here is hoping to have a happier movie this time around. After all, toys are forever.
In Toy Story 4, Woody, Buzz and the rest of the gang embarks on another adventure that involves saving a fellow toy. Can’t wait for its release in Pakistan!
After the heart-wrenching, Iron-Man-killing Avengers: Endgame, there seemed little hope for Spider-Man, really, but he is back and is far from home. Though there are references of Tony Stark’s influence on Spider-Man’s life, we can’t ignore the fact that he will be sorely missed.
Guess we will just have to watch and figure out how Spider-Man survives without his mentor and save the world. Not taking away much credit away from him, he is surely one of the better surviving Marvel heroes and will give us an entertaining flick on July 3.
Remaking an iconic movie takes courage. Especially when it is something like The Lion King. The 1994 release is a classic. We still cry when Mufasa dies and smile when Simba’s son is raised in the end to the jungle, explaining the circle of life to us. Yes, we have learned some of the best lessons in life through Disney.
Now The Lion King is coming to us in live action and we just can’t wait to see Mufasa, Simba and the most hated lion in the history, Scar, come to life and take our breath away. Ah, we still have a month till it hits the theatres.
Now this is no sequel or remake but it has surely gotten us hooked to any news related to its release or plot or cast. After all, this Quentin Tarantino movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino and Margot Robbie. It couldn’t get heavier.
Set in the 1969, the movie is about a Hollywood actor, his stuntman and a murder. The stellar cast and the director’s name is all we need to look forward to the movie.
The Fast & Furious universe expands with the series’ first spinoff, which features Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jason Statham as their popular characters pulling off a new heist. In the latest flick, the federal agent, Luke Hobbs, will team up with the former bad guy to take down an even worse guy.
Honestly, Fast & Furious franchise has not much to offer as far as the story is concerned but we are sure it will give us the right amount of thrills with some of the best car chase scenes and nail-biting action sequences. So, let’s get on the roads and be prepared for the adrenaline rush.
Emma Thompson stars as a late-night talk show host - the only female host on air - who’s at risk of losing her TV gig. She teams up with the sole female writer on her staff (played by Mindy Kaling, who wrote the screenplay) in an attempt to make the show a hit once again.
The movie has done fairly good business and garnered good reviews from the viewers. Of course, with Emma Thompson on screen with Mindy Kaling’s script and presence, it was bound to touch hearts.
From the crew of last year’s Bohemian Rhapsody comes Rocketman where Taron Egerton drapes himself in sequins for this biopic about Elton John’s rise to fame, from his days as a promising prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music to his rewarding partnership with longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin.
Taron Egerton has done his own singing so, if anything, watch it to see how he pulled off an Elton John.
Not that the movie generated much interest or created noise but it has our very own Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, and is a thriller so it is worth giving a shot. 21 Bridges follows an embattled NYPD detective (Chadwick Boseman), who is thrust into a citywide manhunt for a pair of cop killers after uncovering a massive and unexpected conspiracy.
