It's hard to argue with the idea that 1984's Ghostbusters is a certified classic. It's stood the test of time - and will continue to - not merely because of its once-dazzling special effects or laugh quotient but because, underneath it all, it has a big, beating heart that's granted it an everlasting charm. It's clear in every frame and every line delivery that everyone involved is simply having fun, more intent on having you laugh along with them than simply force-feeding you telegraphed punch lines. It's a love letter to the paranormal, to campfire horror stories, and to goofy science fiction that never needlessly overindulges itself in the genres it adores, remaining accessible for anyone and everyone, powered less by its actual narrative and more by the fact that its characters are genuinely lovable.
Ever since directing the original Saw back in 2004, James Wan's career has only continued to skyrocket. Say what you will about the franchise that his debut spawned, but the original film - in all its low budget simplicity - was the work of someone with potential and, better yet, the talent to see that potential through. In the years since, his name has become synonymous with modern horror, spinning two further franchises into gold with Insidious and The Conjuring, and while he's also helped guide Furious 7 through its troubled production and is helming next year's Aquaman, fans of Wan will always look forward to seeing him return to his horror roots.
When it comes to films where sharks are at the forefront, there’s a pretty large spectrum in terms of the quality of products we’ve been given over the years. On one end, of course, is Jaws, the undisputed king of shark movies that set a precedent that none that have followed in its wake have ever cleared. Then, on the complete opposite end, you can find things like the Sharknado series, any number of Syfy Channel original movies with names like Ghost Shark and Sharktopus, and even Jaws: The Revenge.
Let’s get it out of the way: 1982’s Tron is a perfect example of a film wherein style completely trumped substance to its lasting detriment. That’s not to take away from its importance as a groundbreaking piece of work, one undeniably laced with rich iconography, but instead to point out that on a narrative level, Tron left a lot to be desired, too caught up - and understandably so - in exploring its own world to focus on giving us a solid story with which to truly support itself. As a result, with several decades now under its belt and its once incredible effects and animation now painfully dated, it’s even easier to see that there's no real meat on the film’s bones that has allowed it to truly stand the test of time for most people outside of its own loyal fanbase.
There’s a reason, though, that we have sequels considered on par with or even better than their predecessors. Whether it’s Terminator 2, The Empire Strikes Back or The Godfather: Part II, the best sequels of our time have succeeded because they know how to strike that perfect balance between satisfying what audiences expect and giving them something new that they never even knew they wanted until they got it. They use the familiar as a launching pad into the unexpected and unexplored, and by building logically on what came before, they feel like natural, vital extensions of a story worth being swept up in.
After the success of 2000's X-Men and 2002's Spider-Man, the bell had been rung: Comic book movies were viable once again, and every studio was eager to push their own Marvel heroes into the ring. Outside of the further adventures of the X-Men and Spider-Man, the next few years brought with them cinematic outings for the Hulk, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil and more, with everyone behind them eager to launch franchises. It's easy to take for granted now how good we have it thanks to Marvel Studios' uncanny ability to push out hit after hit, but only just a decade ago comic book films had begun leaving more failed corpses behind than success stories, many of whom deserve to disappear into film history.
