Third Time’s a Bomb

Before you get sucked into reading this entry here is a disclaimer: this is totally unrelated to Lost. It’s about movies! In my travels I’ve been hearing lots of hype about all the big movies that are coming out this summer and when I looked a little deeper I was amazed to discover that so many are sequels, and even more astounded to find that the majority of these are the third in the series or higher!

When it comes to movies, I’m hard to impress, and often times when I am impressed by a movie it spawns into a series of movies. Being a loyal fan I am sure to see the continuation of the story lines and characters I love so dearly. The second film in the series is usually never as good as the first but I often find them to be a solid effort, after all they have to live up to the greatness of the first.

Then comes number three. The third in a series is always about the money, and since they already have a following, they know that fans will go to see it whether it is good or bad. This pattern fuels my skepticism towards all of these sequels that are coming out this summer, lets take a look at them all.

Third in the Series:

Spiderman 3:
May 4
I’m a big fan of the Spiderman films; they have successfully brought together the action of a superhero film with emotional story lines that normal, non-super people can relate to. I haven’t seen this one yet but several friends have told me it doesn’t compare to its predecessors.

Shrek the Third:
May 18
Those people at Dreamworks can do some amazing things with digital animation and there is no doubt this movie will look even better that Shrek One and Two. I enjoyed the first two in this series and I think the story line could continue in a satisfying direction.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End:
May 25
The first Pirates movie was alright, Rob and I were fans of pirates long before that movie came out, we had made our own pirate movie called “Invasion from Pirates Cove” we joined a pirate website, and of course we celebrated talk like a pirate day before the rest of you even knew it existed.

But when it comes to Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (the second one) I agree with the Ask a Ninja guy, it was bad. Sure there were some cool effects to look at but the plot was impossible to follow and dragged out way to long, this third one might beat the second but it probably won’t be very good.

Ocean’s 13:
June 8
I saw the first but not the second. I greatly enjoyed Ocean’s 11, had a rich tapestry of actors, a decent plot, and great direction. But how many casino robberies can one group of people get away with?

The Bourne Ultimatum:
Aug 3
I never saw the first two so I can’t really say much about this one. From what I gather the Bourne series is like a one-man “amazing race” involving some type of government conspiracy.

Rush Hour 3:
Aug 10
I have a hard time remembering what happened in the first two, besides the unbelievable fighting skills of Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. Those two can get out of any tight spot. I’m sure this one will have more of the same.

More than Third:

Live Free or Die Hard:
June 27
Bruce Willis and Justin “Hello I’m a Mac” Long team up in this thriller. It’s the fourth in the “Die Hard” series, I’ve never seen any of the Die Hard films but I’d expect explosions, gunfire, and car chases.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
July 13
We just can’t get enough Harry Potter! The boy who lived is back to fight “You-Know-Who” in the fifth film in the series, based of course on the fifth book in the series. Harry Potter fever is sure to be in high gear this summer as the final book in the series is released just one week after this movie comes out.

Number Two’s:

28 Weeks Later:
May 13
Rob and I were big fans of the first one: 28 Days Later a post-apocalyptic thriller, which featured a virus called “rage” sweeping through London. The first had a gritty feel and was shot independently while the sequel looks to be “more Hollywood” as Rob so eloquently put it. It does feature Harold Perrineau, whom you may be more familiar with in the role of Michael on Lost.

Hostel: Part II:
June 8
Part of the Hostel horror series. This one features three beautiful college co-eds who check in to the deadly Bates Motel.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer:
June 15
Yet another comic book adaptation. This film features the Silver Surfer, I recognize him from the Capri Sun commercials.

Evan Almighty:
June 22
Sequel to the comedy “Bruce Almighty” this film follows the story of Noah’s Ark in a modern day context. Starring Steve Carell, so you know it’s going to be good!

Daddy Day Camp:
Aug 8
Sequel to Daddy Day Care, this one is a family film that the kids are sure to enjoy. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and directed by that guy from the Wonder Years, (also featured as “The Mole” in “Austin Powers in Goldmember”).

So there you have it, the round up of all the sequels you can expect this summer. They are sure to bring in record sales but will they live up to the hype? Probably not.