Movies and Books to Look Forward to in 2018
The new year has arrived, bringing with it the usual vows of self-improvement, opportunity for fresh starts, and hope that the coming twelve months will be better than the previous. It’s a traditional time for optimism. Unfortunately, New Year's Day 2018 doesn’t find me full of anticipation for the new year. Aside from the bigger problems of the world that haven’t disappeared with the 2017 calendars, my husband and I are both sick. We're also still recovering from the emotional drain of the holidays. And temperatures aren’t venturing above 30 degrees. Don’t get me wrong; my life is good and I’m still grateful for what I do have.
Still, it can be tough to find enthusiasm for the new year when I’m more inclined to curl up in a blanket with my dogs to stay warm. However, I'd like to feel that sense of a fresh start and anticipating the new. So I am focusing on something I am definitely looking forward to in 2018. I've asked the other Ladies what they are looking forward to as well so click through to find out what we can't wait for.
Of course, there's plenty to look forward to in 2018. Holidays, birthdays, the return of warmer weather. And there are plenty of Ladies events planned throughout the year as well. But for my current purposes, I’m looking at something that’s low effort and high anticipation.
https://youtu.be/ZJDMWVZta3M
The Incredibles remains one of my favorite Pixar films. A combination of one of the top current Hollywood animation studios, director Brad Bird, and superheroes is pretty much the recipe for my ideal movie. The resulting film more than delivered on its promise. And while Pixar's track record with sequels is not perfect, they’ve still had more good follow-up films than bad. Plus, the superpowered Parr family is one of the richest narratives to mine for new content. You just know there are more stories to tell there.
Smalerie's Pick:
Believe it or not, I had a hard time choosing just one thing to add to this list. In 2018, we are getting the first installment of the Avengers: Infinity Wars, a new Mary Poppins, a stand-alone Han Solo film, a rumored season 7 of Venture Bros, and our first ever female Doctor. In terms of the world of pop culture, we could be doing a lot worse.
However, in the interest of keeping things running along, I will choose the thing that has me most excited this week, and that would be adding Archaia's new ongoing Labyrinth series to my sub box for its February release. This won't be the first time there has been an attempt to return to the world of Labyrinth in comic form (I'm glaring at you Tokyo Pop), but Archaia makes such beautiful books, that I can't help but be optimistic that I'm going to get my hands on something good. I mean, just look at this gorgeous cover art by Fiona Staples. I don't know about you, but I'm sold.
Tiny Doom's Pick:
June of 2018 is going to bring me another Jurassic Park/World movie. The original Jurassic Park movie holds a place in my heart that will never be torn asunder. And while I will admit most of the sequels have not lived up to the original, I always look forward to more dino mayhem, especially the raptors (like, I want one as a pet so badly even though I know that’s a terrible idea). Plus, I can't help but love the shift that makes some of the dinosaurs the heroes.
That said, I am trying hard not to be overexposed to movie stuff these days. Remember when you only got a trailer or two before a movie? Not 8 clips, 3 trailers, and a whole social media blitz? Yeah, I’m old, but I think too much has been given away before the film is even in theaters. So my new practice has been, 1 trailer, and you know what, it's been great. If you haven’t seen the trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, here you go. This is the only thing I am going to watch till June, but I think it gives me plenty to be excited about.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn9mMeWcgoM[/embed] The Red Menace's Pick:
Like Smalerie, I had to work hard to keep this down to one pick. There are a ton of books I'm looking forward to reading in the new year. But when push came to shove, I realized there was one that stood out above all of the others, and it will come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog.
Y'all, in August 2018, the second half of My Favorite Thing is Monsters drops. I've mentioned book one more than once - it was one of my top reads of 2017. And at long last, the solution to all of the mysteries will be revealed! Will Karen come to terms with her sexuality? Will Deeze go to prison? Who killed Anka?! At last, we'll know. But more important than the destination is the journey, and I can't wait to see how Emil Ferris takes us there. Now, it’s your turn, dear readers. What are you looking forward to? As we battle the cold and the colds that kick off 2018, what thoughts of the future are keeping you warm and toasty? Let us know in the comments so we can all share in the anticipation.