IWSG and Movie Love: Blockbusters, Dead Weight and Wild Cards of 2017. Hi Grace!

Welcome to another IWSG and today we are doing something special on this little blog of mine. Over the last few years I have been adding in my love of movies along with everything writing and bookish. Today we go full on and my only insecurity is how much fun you'll have. Kidding, this is going to be loads of fun. Long post though so strap in everyone! Oh and I curse a few times in this. Advance warning.

I will be listing top movies for 2017 (in my opinion) according to a set of lists. These lists were inspired by Grace Randolph, a Youtuber with both the Beyond the Trailer and Movie Math channels. She even recently also started selling merchandise as well. A busy lady and one of the most reliable when it comes to keeping me informed on Entertainment News. 

Grace Randolph

Me: Hi Grace! *Waves*

Note: You can come back and check out this new video featuring great Black Panther info. Read on.

Last year she had the special lists of Originals, Sequels and Wild Cards to show her thoughts of the 2016 movie landscape. This year she returned with the list but made some changes. The lists for 2017 predictions were Blockbusters, Wild Cards and Regular Movies. Inspired by these changes I decided to do my own. My lists are Money Busters, Dead Weight and Wild Cards. So give Grace a big thank you for inspiring this post and maybe I'll make it a yearly event as well.

Money Busters - Movies that are expected to make huge sums of money

10. Transformers: The Last Knight: That teaser trailer...I promised to see this one in theaters because I was pissed I missed seeing the last one in theaters (seen all of them at home so far). Now I'm kinda mad that this is what I pledged to go see. What the hell were those writers hired for? This thing has even more madness and less story than before! But man do I love me some giant robots and nothing will keep me from seeing Transformers on the big screen at least once. Plus the franchise just keeps making money. Lots of money. It will do so with or without my ticket purchase. 

9. The Lego Batman Movie: If there is any justice in the world it will make loads of money. Unless Warner fucks it up. Don't you dare perform trailer trickery on me again!

8. Fifty Shades Darker: Just accept that this is a huge money maker already people! A writer turned her Twilight fan fiction into gold. That is just how it is.

7. Justice League: I can hear the gasps at this movie not being higher. Yes both Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad made DC and Warner Bros. a nice chunk of change. But the former under performed in comparison to two previous Nolan Batman movies and Suicide Squad was raked over the coals despite good profit. Hardcore DC fans are still on the train but there has been talk of a shaky mainstream. So while there is money to be had. The question is, how much?

6. Despicable Me 3: The animated movie of 2017 that is not allowed to make less than a billion dollars. Need I explain why it got this high up the list? Plus The Secret Life of Pets can boast that it beat a batman movie as one of the top grossing movies of 2016. That is quite an act to follow.

5. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2: Sorry this gem of a sequel just can't go any higher. The top four have a rabid fan base that will only turn on these movies if the studio head murders an infant and post it on Instagram. Yup, GOTG Vol 2 should make a billion dollars and has cool trending teaser trailers. But it just couldn't beat the formidable block that's the top 4.

4. Fast 8: If you know a reason why this movie isn't beyond guaranteed to make a billion dollars plus bank. Feel free to tell me.

3. Beauty and the Beast: No it's not #1. No I don't care if you decide to burn my blog address.

2. Spiderman Homecoming: Same response as in #3. 

1. Star Wars Episode Eight: See? Told you the top four was a tough set of movies. I'm no Star Wars expert or mega fan but this movie is the one that will rise above just about all the others.

Dead Weight: Do I really need to explain? No? Good!

And yes I'm starting with #1. Plus there is only five movies to suffer through until Wild Cards List.

1. Emoji Movie: Express Yourself: I am furious this garbage is even being made. Wasn't Norm of the North enough theater level animation trash (no I don't need to see it. More than enough traumatized online personalities have said it's terrible. I mean a twerking polar bear? Good Heavens!)? At least Trolls 2016 from what I heard is passable-ish. I'll leave you with the synopsis (THAT IS A SYNOPSIS?) from Wikipedia. Fuck this movie. You bet I said it! I'll say it again and again. *Bleep*

The movie will center on Gene, a multi-expressional emoji, as he sets out on a journey to become a normal emoji.

2. Monster Trucks: This should be a low budget DVD movie at best. But somehow has nearly double the budget of the Deadpool movie. What the hell Paramount? The trailer is below. Moving on.

3. It: Another horror movie remake packed with young folk. What could go wrong? Sorry S. King. Oh and the new Pennywise stole Ron's prom robes. Yeah, real nice pic there. 

4. King Arthur: Legacy of The Sword: There is absolutely no buzz for this movie. Let Transformers have King Arthur for 2017 and movie this beautiful tragedy to 2018. Guy Ritchie. Otherwise this movie will get eaten alive, no matter how good it might actually be. The trailer was okay but Kong: Skull Island crushed it by far. Then the recent new trailer ended all doubt that it will be epic. Just get this movie moved to 2018 for the sake of all involved.

5. Flatliners: Who asked for this remake? Seriously? Oh and Nina Dobrev is a great choice. Bring in the actress who when she left Vampire Diaries that the following Season 6 was one of their best yet. I loved her on the show but when a top star leaves and the show gets better, that's a bad sign. And VD aint exactly a series of epic greatness to begin with. She's back for Season 7 but it's the final one anyway. After all that she's in this remake. Oh and Kiefer Sutherland is there to tempt me to see this movie. I have one thing to say to that....

Wild Cards - Those movie risks that will either pay off or burn the studio that made them

10. Wonder Woman: Wonder Woman is the next DCEU movie on the horizon and word is it has a lot of pressure on it's shoulders. If WW tanks and mainstream turns skittish, that could spell diminished returns for Justice League. So let's hope that doesn't happen since they need the mainstream viewers to get the big returns. The trailer was epic so if the movie is then the cash will roll right on in.

9. Coco: At first when I saw this on Grace's list I thought she was crazy. Pixar going back to original movies risky? Oh come on, you complained about their sequel run, shame on you! But then I got me some thinking. Yes this is in fact a risk. Especially since the teaser trailer for Cars 3 has suddenly turned it from the joke of Pixar movies to a true contender. One teaser! Plus let's not forget what happened to The Good Dinosaur. Firstly this original film just couldn't attach itself to audiences like Inside Out did. Second, it didn't get a China release. Ouch! Now Coco is likely to not get a China release because of the ghostly side of this film that deals with a Mexican holiday celebrating the dead. Yes it has a great idea and I have loved some of the art I've seen. But this return to original film carries a risk factor that could affect the quality future of Pixar. Remember, they're with Disney now and that studio is looking for cash cows most of all.

8. Boss Baby: With their Trolls 2016 movie clearly a decent hit but mostly merchandise cash grab. DreamWorks Animation needs a hit badly. Especially after Croods 2 was recently cancelled. They need to prove to Universal that buying them out was a plus and not a minus.

7. Underworld: Blood Wars: Selene is back and ready to help us forget what an abortion the previous movie in this franchise was. The trailer was pretty good and I hope this movie is too. 

6. The Dark Tower: Never read the books but the premise is interesting and definitely looking way more forward to this than It remake. The cast is solid and the race bending has not caused much of an angry stir so things seem good so far. Hopefully that helps make this movie a good release next year.

5. Ghost in the Shell: Lord have mercy the white washing is fierce and so is the anger! But the trailer looks good and if enough fans and movie goers overlook 'white Asian woman', it could do well.

4. Baywatch: Who wanted a Rated R Baywatch? I was turned off upon hearing the rating. I already have Fifty Shades of Grey. Why the hell do I need Twenty-Five Shades of Ocean? Also the buzz seems specific to those who want to see nudity, The Rock and a couple millennials. Not mainstream at all from where I am sitting and that could pose a problem. Also it goes up against the new Pirates movie with Wonder Woman coming the following week. Not to mention it's May 2017 so Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 will be out by then. Hopefully Paramount gave this a string bikini budget.

3. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets: Europe wants to wow us with a sci-fi masterpiece. The trailer was a sight to behold but so was the female character's name axed from the title (unlike the comic) and some aliens having features and weapons that point to marginalized people/cultures. I really hope this movie has a thick skin as the release day approaches. Yikes.

2. Power Rangers: A gritty version of a beloved long existing franchise? This movie could go either way next year.

1. Logan: I'm sure some of you are like...

But hear me out. Fox has been having some hard runs with the X-Men franchise. The third one in the new trilogy made less than the previous film and criticism over the lack of aging across decades was valid. Now with Logan there is no question characters have not only aged but died. Also there just seemed to be a quality and grittiness to it that makes me forgive the move to Rated R. There might be some gimmick because of Deadpool but it seems Fox wants to do this right and send Logan off with a bang. Of course trailers aren't everything and with their shaky history, Logan becomes a huge risk with the potential for great rewards or a world of regrets. Please be great, please be great.

Thanks for staying with me through out this list. Even if some of you just read the movies and skipped my thoughts to get to the end quicker. *Eye twitches* Anyway I hope you enjoyed this special IWSG Movie combo. See you all on Monday. Don't worry I'll be visiting blogs. Just need time to replenish and get more writing done. This was loads of fun and God Bless all of you.