2008 Woodie Awards
Big Summer Movies
Cole Williams & Todd Piersall, Cartoonist and Arts Editor
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The web-slinging, wall-crawling, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man returns to theaters this summer in Spider-Man 3. Opening Friday, the latest entry finds Peter Parker, the spectacular Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) preparing to marry longtime girlfriend Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst) while also dealing with his former best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco), who is out for revenge thinking that Peter was responsible for the death of his father, the supervillain Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe).
Meanwhile, Spidey also has to deal with escaped convict Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), who may be responsible for the death of Peter's beloved Uncle Ben, and who also turned into the shapeshifting Sandman by a freak accident. But Spider-Man also gains a new black costume, made of a strange black substance that, while giving him enough enhanced strength and speed to face these new threats, may end up corrupting him into the very villains he fights.
Expectations are high as not only is the movie rumored to be one of the most expensive ever made (upwards of $250 million) but also because of the critical and financial success of its predecessors, that it's the third entry in a series, which is often when the quality begins to dip, and the multiple plot lines, including the eventual debut of fan-favorite villain Venom (Topher Grace).
However, unlike previous third entry superhero movies such as Batman Forever and X-Men: The Last Stand, which all had major changes in the cast and crew, the only major departure from the franchise here is of Danny Elfman, who is now replaced by Christopher Young (Ghost Rider, The Grudge) to score the film's music. Otherwise, the major members of the cast and crew are returning, including director Sam Raimi, aiming to continue the strong precedent set by the first two movies.
Rumors are already starting to buzz about the possibility of a fourth entry in the series, and while there's certainly still a deep well of villains to pull from (the Lizard, the Vulture, Electro, Carnage, Hobgoblin, a team-up of villains as the Sinister Six), the newest film still has to pull in an incredible amount of money and live up to its high expectations. Luckily, with the popularity of old web-head, the strength of the cast and crew, and very positive early reviews, Spider-Man 3 just may do that.
Everyone who made the first film so popular is back in possibly the last swashbuckling adventure. Starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Geoffrey Rush and Jonathon Pryce, At Worlds End is the final installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, which was shot simultaneously with the second film.
Captain Barbossa, who made his dramatic return in the last film, rejoins Will Turner and Elizabeth who must now sail to the end of the known world to save Jack Sparrow and defeat the evil lord of the sea, Davy Jones.
With Dead Man's Chest dominating the Box Office last year, At World's End promises to be the blockbuster to beat this summer, filled with swashbuckling adventure.
The loveable Scottish ogre is back in Shrek the Third, starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas and Julie Andrews.
After King Herald, the King who was turned into a toad at the end of Shrek 2, becomes ill and can no longer reign over the kingdom of Far Far Away, Shrek is looked to as the new heir to the throne, and unless he can find a replacement the ogre is stuck. Fiona's cousin, Artie, the slacker of Far Far Away is the only ideal candidate Shrek sees for the job.
In a recent interview, Antonio Banderas, the voice of the cat assassin Puss In Boots, said there will be at least two more Shrek movies.
A movie based on a Hasbro toy line? Yes. Starring Shia Labeouf, Jon Voight, Hugo Weaving, Megan Fox and Bernie Mac, Transformers, directed by Michael Bay and produced by film virtuoso Steven Spielberg, is the much-awaited adaptation. An epic battle between the Autobots and their evil counterparts, the Deceptions, is now on planet Earth, and Sam Witwicky, played by rising young star Shia LeBeouf, must help in the fight with the Autobots.
The action-packed thriller, with it's innovative special effects, will appropriately hit the U.S. on July 4th.
Trying to break out of it's super-hero flop, the second installment in the Fantastic Four series leaves comic book fans hesitantly optimistic.
Starring Ioan Gruffud, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis and Doug Jones, Rise of the Silver Surfer is the sequel to the first Fantastic Four and is filled with new plot twists and new villains. Together the Fantastic Four must defeat the Silver Surfer who seeks to destroy the earth.
Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix is the fifth installment in the Potter series.
Returning to Hogwarts for his fifth year, Harry finds his fellow classmates ignoring his recent encounter with the evil Lord Voldemort, choosing to deny his return. The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, appoints a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher to watch over Hogwarts. However, the new teacher fails to prepare the young wizards for the dark arts. Harry takes it upon himself to teach a small group of students, named "Dumbledore's Army," how to defend themselves against the Dark Arts.
Be sure to check www.acuoptimist.com for Cole Williams' online review on Spider-man 3.
Email the reporters at optimist@acu.edu
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