Year of the Sequel
Johnny English 2, Alvin and the Chipmunks 3, Mission Impossible 4, X-Men 5, Rise of the Apes 7 and Harry Potter 8. 2011 was, without doubt, the year of the sequel with a record-breaking 27 of the little devils; 1 in every 5 movies made in a year, non original material. With Shakespeare in Love (2), Batman (3) and Die Hard (5) in production, 2012 looks set for the same. What awaits us next? Apollo 13 (2)?
Despite instincts to the contrary, there is method in this madness. Why do they make them? Because we keep on going. In fact, we flock in our millions, Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2 and Shrek 4, the highest grossing films of 2010. “There are no signs….to Hollywood that audiences have had too much”, notes Dr Jonathan Gray, a professor of cultural studies at the University of Wisconsin, “so why should they stop”? They shouldn’t and they won’t as the recently released Hollywood version of the Swedish, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, would attest.
And yet remakes and sequels are not always bad, Kenneth Branagh’s 1989 adaptation of Henry V arguably stronger than Olivier’s 1944 so-called definitive, original. Few would question the first, Star Wars trilogy, the Toy Story series, the three Lord of the Rings or the unforgettable 20 hours of the wizard, Harry Potter, the last of the (eight) films, a true tour de force. If certain originals are too good to touch – Citizen Kane, Casablanca and Singing in the Rain come to mind – then others - True Grit and Planet of the Apes in 2011 - surely ache, for a face- lift, at least.
Michael Holding testing John Edrich in Stevan Riley’s, Fire in Babylon
Nicole Kidman an Aron Eckhart in John Cameron Mitchell’s, Rabbit Hole
And so to my choices for 2011.
Pride of place to Colin Firth as an impeccable king. Second to Michelle Williams and Marilyn Monroe. Third, JK Rowling for her unforgettable epic, the culmination of which is as good as it gets. Fourth goes to Rabbit Hole (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart), a wonderfully portrayed tragedy about the loss of a child. Fifth the game of cricket and racism in the 70s. Sixth is a literally breathtaking self-amputation slightly ahead of a Hollywood remake, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Eighth comes the French with some reflection on life, 9th Japanese warriors and last, the rendition of David Nicholls’ One Day.
2011 has been fun and here’s to 2012. See you at the movies!
1. The King’s Speech
2. My Week with Marilyn
3. Harry Potter (8)
4. Rabbit Hole
5. Fire in Babylon
6. 127 Hours
7. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
8. Little White Lies
9. 13 Assassins
10. One Day
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