HOLLYWOOD—The best of 2017, in the music industry, the top songs were: Hands down, the most played and played song of the year goes to “Despacito.” A lot of people loved Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber’s hit bilingual single. Drake’s “Passionfruit” was another hit. Another year, another great album. Taylor Swift, “New Year’s Day,” one word, evocative. Ed Sheeran, “Shape of You,” Very sexy welcome. Portugal. The Man, “Feel It Still,” just impossible to erase from your brain.
In just a few days everyone will countdown, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…Happy New Year 2018! What a year it has been. A year of learning, awareness, growth and maturity. The end of the year is near and there is still hope. If you are reading this, whoever you are, I just want you to know and realize, that your story is still going. Don’t give up on yourself. We are all stories still going of hope. Let’s make 2018, the best year ever, full of health, wealth and happiness.
Let me look into my crystal ball! Are you ready for 2018? Get ready because in just a few days you’ve got a lot of awards contenders films to see and the clock will be ticking. You have Aaron Sorkin’s poker biopic “Molly’s Game” starring tough-as-nails Jessica Chastain, the gritty western “Hostiles” with Christian Bale, and Gary Oldman doing his best Winston Churchill in “Darkest Hour.” Frances McDormand in the profane “Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri,” Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep examine The Pentagon Papers in Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” and Ridley Scott surviving last-minute reshoots to give us a Kevin Spacey-less “All The Money in The World.”
February may be the shortest month of the year, but there are still plenty of hopefuls vying for your attention up in the run-up to the Oscars. Daniel Day-Lewis giving what he’s said will be his final film performance in “Phantom Thread,” Denzel Washington fighting for justice as lawyer Roman J. Israel, Esq., and Colin Firth setting out on an adventure sailing drama, “The Mercy.” Most likely best actress contenders Saoirse Ronan and Sally Hawkins will be going head to head for “Lady Bird” and “The Shape of Water,” while Margot Robbie will be on thin ice in the skating biopic “I, Tonya.” This month also brings us the first superhero film of the year, “Black Panther,” not to mention the final part in the “Fifty Shades” trilogy, “Fifty Shades Freed” -a Razzie contender if ever there was one.
March is the month for female actresses, with Jennifer Lawrence playing a seductive Russian spy in “Red Sparrow,” Rooney Mara tending to Jesus in “Mary Magdalene” and Alicia Vikander reviving Lara Croft in “Tomb Raider.” Robots battle even bigger monsters in “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” while Steven Spielberg follows “The Post” with the virtual world of “Ready Player One.”
This is no April Fool’s Joke, but you thought you’d seen the last of the X-Men? Marvel’s superheroes return in April in “The New Mutants,” which sees Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy play youthful misfits coming to terms with their nascent powers. That will be followed two weeks later by :Avengers: Infinity War,” the first in a two-part get-together for Marvel’s other superhero stable. Then comes, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, who stands between humanity and a giant mutant gorilla in “Rampage,” while Emily Blunt co-stars with husband John Krasinski in his supernatural horror film “A Quiet Place.”
In May, the release of “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” a stand-alone spin-off that explores the early lives of space pirate Han Solo-played by Alden Ehrenreich -and his furry co-pilot Chewbacca. Lady Gaga plays a rising star whose career blossoms while that of her mentor Bradley Cooper flounders in the much-anticipated film “A Star is Born.”
Rose’s Scoop: This month marks my 17th year with Canyon News. Thank you for your continued readership. Wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous and safe New Year!
