Random Movie Thoughts 5/25/07

• Today is the 30th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode IV. Rumors of additional Star Wars movies have been officially denied this week (that would be episodes seven, eight, and nine, for those of you scoring at home), but there is an upcoming CGI series coming to TV and a live action TV series in two or three years.
  
• The British are planning a big bash to celebrate James Bond. When's the party? 07/07/007, of course. I'm not a huge Bond fan myself, but GoldenEye 007 was one of the best video games ever.
  
• Remember Beetlejuice? Well, a sequel is going to get made. Of course Michael Keaton won't be in it and Tim Burton won't direct it and it'll be a direct-to-video deal by the same people that brought you Dukes of Hazzard 2. I probably won't get around to seeing it either.
  
• The 1980's are still all the rage. Plans are in the works for G.I. Joe and He-Man movies in addition to the Transformers movie that's about to be released. Apparently thirty-somethings are eager to fork over $10 a head for a trip down memory lane.
  
• The bravest thing I've seen a director do in a movie recently: cast a major star in a role that gets killed off in the first act. In Children of Men (2006), Alfonso Cuarón killed off one of his principle actors only 23 minutes into a 2 hour movie. I really didn't see that coming.
• The most uplifting (while still being depressing) movie I've seen recently is Pursuit of Happyness (2006). Will Smith is a great actor (nominated for an Oscar here) and this true story is truly inspiring about fatherhood, responsibility, perseverance, and pursuing your dreams.