The sequal

Hello and on to a much fun friendly post
the sequal, Although movie sequels do not always do as well at the box office as the original, they tend to do much better …and sometimes have a longer lasting legacy
you know the one, theres a film its a franchise it sparks a interest deemed success, and pop out comes another
but are they any good ?
well im going to take a look at what i think are some of the greatest sequels EVER
In no specific order

what can you say about this that hasn’t been said before ?
I prefer Phantom Menace. I’M JOKING!!! PUT THAT KNIFE DOWN!!
the fact it is in more experienced Irvin Kershner directors hands it has a more fleshed out story and some of the greatest battles ever The 1980 film was a smash then and now
, also introducing us to more icons like Yoda Lando and Boba and shock revelations (“I am your father”).,as Great as Star Wars was new hope was it was left standing in what has to be the best film of the original holy trinity
 Plot Driven, great Character development and interesting characters (even the new ones ) breath taking imaginative scenes style and substance,oh how it all went so wrong after this

“Terminator 2: Judgement Day.” They kept making sequels after this one, but they never came close to equalling “Judgement Day.” this film defined what it means to be a sequel it took the dark film noire cult 85 hit and in 91 made a monster sequel a stand alone movie you could see without knowing the first ,redefined special effects for a whole new generation and technological push that other films hadn’t thought of ,great film all round and movie thats a instant classic, and Put the icon of Arnie in the stratosphere on form in a role he was born to play add Cameron and Stan Winston movie gold

superman 2 ahhhhhhhh tricky one well the original was great family fun after donner we got dick lester and his light comedy flavour but using 70 % of donners already shot material

“Superman”, directed by Richard Donner, was released in 1978. Donner had planned to release a sequel soon after the original. To do so both films were filmed at the same time. However, Donner struggled stay on budget, and fought with the producers over the tone of the film. Donner was removed from the project after the original film was finished. Director Richard Lester then took charge of the sequel, piecing together footage shot by Donner while re-shooting scenes and re-writing others

then we have the recent Dick Donner cut that used unused screen tests and unseen footage to  fill the gaps and here is the movie as intended , stunning a comic book come to life the malevolent the icy Terrence stamp as Zod and the beautiful character driven story of the boy from Kansas and lois

The biggest compliment you can pay the film is that, for all the superhero films out there, this is still one of the best examples of the genre. 

a must own must see this is a perfect follow on to the iconic original and easily matches it in renown 

 

There’s a rule of thumb everyone should remember when it comes to the “Star Trek” series.
The even numbered films are good, the odd numbered films are bad (some very bad).
If you don’t believe me just look at the best “Star Trek” movies – “The Wrath of Khan” (number two), “The Voyage Home” (number four), “The Undiscovered Country” (number six), “Nemesis” (number eight) and the much misunderstood but yet visually entertaining Nemesis ( number 10 ). Now look at the lesser “Star Trek” efforts – “The Motion Picture” (number one), “The Search For Spock” (number three), “Generations” (number seven), and the truly awful “Final Frontier” (number five) and “Insurrection” (number 9) .

It’s to be expected that with so many sequels there will be hits and misses. The second “Star Trek” film to appear in theatres is one of the best film’s of the franchise (second only to ST 6 really), and perhaps should have been the first edition of the television show in feature-film form. It’s a terrific story of good battling evil. Ricardo Montalban reprises his cult bad-guy character from the television series, rekindling his hatred for Admiral Kirk (William Shatner) and displaying it on the big-screen with a frightening cold, hearted malice.
One of the few examples of a sequel being better than the original.it has all you can want no one does spaceships as well as Star Trek this is battleships submarines in space the close closeted feeling you get watching these is truly brilliant and atmospheric and Kirk n co doing what they do best being the crew of the Enterprise even the Starfleet Uniforms are the best theres ever been, naval formal military uniforms design with sense and purpose right down to functional away jackets coloured under shirts to pips on the cuffs, its all so real and been copied,  this realistic look has been tried since to varying degrees of success (no one mention boiler suits ok……)
dark gritty trek realistic trek and good story trek is as good as it can get in deep space entertainment
a formula attempted  for DS9 TV series but suffered from the lack of budget (cough boiler suits cough )

Some may say a sequel to Ridley Scott’s “Alien” was detrimental to cinema since it has influenced some poor imitations and several awful sequels. However, both “Aliens” and “Alien 3” are terrific films in their own right and deserve to viewed as such. “Aliens”, writer-director James Cameron’s faithful continuation of the story, is a heart-pumping, lost-in-space horror that allowed Sigourney Weaver to reprise her role as Ripley and examine her character more deeply. Much of the film’s success comes because Weaver has never been as good, seemingly born to play this feminine hero figure who is perennially fighting for her life. Cameron’s bleak, futuristic world is brilliantly realised, from the weapons and spacecraft, to the colony buildings and interiors, there is a sense of frightening authenticity to the horror that is prevailing. And that’s not mentioning the aliens themselves, which put simply, are the most gloriously conceived and designed monsters of horror cinema. HR Giger (Alien creature design for which he received the Oscar in 1980)  is a genius in Art and Design  there is no doubt, and here ably backed by the Genius that is Stan Winston true movie magic,

Smallville

Ok well tonight was the night that it all came to a end ten years later very long run for a TV series and surely one that will be in the history book 

The story of Clark Kent’s destiny to become Superman couldn’t have ended much better. In what felt like a two-hour whirlwind of an episode, the Smallville series finale managed to not only beautifully wrap up a 10-year-long adventure, but to also negate the “no flights; no tights” rule (absolute joke want that rule dont do a Superhero drama series as superheroes tend to wear costumes) with a set of scenes that transformed the mild-mannered Clark Kent into Superman albeit in CGI mainly and teasing us by not actually really showing welling in the suit 

Was it to long getting to this point  i personally think it was, to long getting here

here is my MAJOR problem with this series which i do like it has nice new fresh approach to it a nice modern take 
You got him running around being Superman as Clark and Clark looking like Superman eh? no disguise, so going off there theory when he does done the red and blue he will look no different and all those hes been around worked with will recognise him instantly as Clark Kent is Superman
hmmmmm spot the flaw here anyone ?
It works a treat in Smallville fine but as the ideas and potential there dried up fast and they had to move forward as it was getting boring quick ,But in Metropolis no sorry don’t work he needed new identity new start in life personally bit dumb doing it like this and not thinking or heck reading a comic

he is by far the perfect Clark and Superman he is brilliant in the part and after a decade he has got it nailed down i feel really he should of reached this 4 years ago, it is a shame it took so long and like the old showbiz saying “leave them wanting more ” well I’m sure i wasn’t only one you yearn to see him being Superman WB sort that movie contract out 

JUST PUT IT ON !!!

The story As Lois (Erica Durance) and Clark’s (Tom Welling) wedding quickly revealed itself to be the focus of the finale’s first hour, expectations of seeing the Man of Steel were subdued. Fortunately, it quickly became apparent that this was not needed, as the entirety of the two-hour Smallville series finale was peppered with perfectly executed actions scenes that served the whet the palate of all those watching.

Lex Luthor is back – and he’s back in a big, bad way. In a set of scenes, the contract of Superman vs. Lex Luthor was signed. Both echoing warnings from the past, and promises of the future, Michael Rosenbaum delivered what may be one of the best monologues in the entire series – it’s just too bad that it didn’t last. again left feeling short changed wanting more 

It sewn up some of the loose threads of old with dealing with Linol and Tess and the Alison Mack Chloe Character, 

Green Arrow was on hand (A nice stand in for Batman but then Batman in love and would he be so soft n criminals ? i think not ) ,With 20 minutes remaining in the finale, Clark began taking his final steps to become Superman. Starting things off with a pretty awesome first ACTUAL flying scene again this  was plainly a CGI Welling and sadly not what we would of liked again little short changed i felt

,While Clark’s aerial defeat of Darkseid seemed a bit simple, it provided for some wonderful Superman moments as the series came to a close. The handling of the suit was absolutely perfect (even though frustratingly, a complete reveal of Welling in the suit wasn’t included) it was so close to being what I’m sure ten years wait has been for

For 10 years fans have been watching the journey of Clark Kent. While the series had its fair shares of problems,messing with comic continuity to a point where none fans got lost
Even though Smallville fans have been demanding for years that Clark Kent fulfil his destiny, this series has made one thing absolutely clear:It’s not easy to become Superman.
and here’s a issue ,the fact he hasn’t been soring into the skies is like Peter Pan he needs to think happy thoughts ? having doubts and past issues and things playing on his mind ground him clip his wings ,Really ??????????????so when he next comes across a baddie and is unsure if hes done right thing hes grounded is this like the theory of Sun gos out hes Human despite having all that solar energy within him ???????and all his enemies need do is lock him in the boot of there car where it is dark then, or make him worry about what they have done to a loved one ??hmmm no flights cos think happy thoughts kal el think happy thoughts  does that work for anyone at all ? there’s me thinking it was just one of his firmly 70 yr old established abilities he just does like you and i walk

 the only thing I hope is that the next time they have to chose an actor for a Superman movie they go for Tom Welling (if he’s ok with that). Even though they only showed him from far away, Alex Ross was right when he said that he would make a great Superman on screen. The costume fits him well.he has much to learn about the nerd mild mannered Clark as to long the lines been blurred between the two characters

 Just feel almost there even had Supergirl return and tease us with a almost costume,and some lavish publicity to tease fans further

One thing not really clear on, the time thing it said 7 years ago so the last scenes was that 7 years after Darkside?
it skipped to 2018? so there not married soon to be we cut a chunk of welling as being Superman?,hes been Superman 7 years by that point ,hence Perry White (voice only) and the arrival of a superb jimmy? it was neatly thrown together for the last scenes literally imagine if that had been spread out over last 3 or four years or to be honest soon as he arrived in Metropolis

‘

I cant help but think there was some legal issues preventing the ‘Superman’ name? shame it  wasn’t applied officially but I guess the contract didn’t allow it?.perhaps legal issues prevented the   fulfilment
And warning plot spoiler ,whole point of the season and the last few years was this little monologue 

Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you… my only son.

 

we got there in the end even if it dragged,seemed this was the point after all, and nice turn around of Terrance Stamp from Zod to Jor El
are we there yet ?, nearly so very very close

NOW the tribute to the Superman movies was done correctly ,no slavish parody, the thunderous score heralding in the back ground beautiful iconic music from John Williams, which is superman’s music  of the last minutes i only think should of been used sooner i also wanted to see Welling do a Chris at the very end and fly out in space over the Earth smile at camera
The titles in Superman style nice touch 

Biggest complaint,why that awful, rubber fetish  returns suit?,the comic graphics nicely used show the proper Superman in tights 

well after the late great Christopher Reeve staring on it officially handing over the torch and Margot kidders appearance and even Dean Cain i think its official welling IS Superman now where’s the movie ,with new suit please

The last word shall go to Toms Predecessor and a Icon 

Christopher Reeve, star of the Superman films, voiced his approval of the show:
“I was a little bit skeptical when I heard about [Smallville] at first, but I must say the writing, the acting, and the special effects are quite remarkable. In 1977, a big stunt scene would have taken us a week to film—it’s pretty impressive what they are able to do with computers and effects technology today on a weekly TV show. It gives it a lot more production value and inventiveness than I thought I was going to see when I first heard about the series. I think the show is doing a really good job following the mythology, and Tom is doing a good job following the tradition.

EDIT 

One of the hot topics of speculation among fans of comic book movies, and movies in general, has been who would get the role of Superman in the latest reboot of the franchise. This film will be under the direction of Christopher Nolan, who oversaw the Batman movies with Christian Bale.
This weekend, the news finally came out that the role has been given to Henry Cavill for the movie, “Superman: Man of Steel,” which is tentatively set for a December 2012 release. Cavill is no stranger to folks, having appeared in all four seasons of Showtime’s “The Tudors” as King Henry VIII’s close friend, the Duke of Suffolk.
Cavill is a fine actor, and his work on “The Tudors” was wonderful. However, while I have no doubt that he will do an amazing job as the Man of Steel, I have to admit that I have been left, like a lot of folks, very puzzled by the casting decision.
However, it is the other name that has been kicked about that many feel should have been cast in the role, specifically Tom Welling, who has been playing Superman on “Smallville”  ,
The question a lot of fans of both the entire franchise, as well as “Smallville” in particular, have been left with is, why not Welling? With him in the role, and a big screen version of the superhero in his career after wherever the show leaves him, the movie would have an excellent chance to be a hit for DC Comics and Warner Brothers.
What are they offering the fans instead in December of 2012? Instead of a Smallville movie that would have been well received at the box office, the studio has opted to go with a total recasting of the story, and instead of a logical continuation of a winning show in a new venue, they have opted to, again, reboot the franchise.

This is not good at all and may i be first to ask why ???
The Smallville cast are known and accepted and work well the audience is excepting of them and a stand alone Superman movie with them would work well So once again, movie goers can expect another reboot, another retelling of the story that everyone who follows Superman knows, how he came to Earth to become the Man of Steel. How many times can you tell the story before it get too familiar? Must we be subjected to a reboot just because of the recasting?
This, again, is a sign of the reboot craze that has seemingly taken over Hollywood. How many reboots are going to have to be done and fail before Hollywood starts trying to create new material? At least a Smallville movie would have been new material, instead of retelling a story for the umpteenth time, and unnecessarily so.