Does Hollywood know how to make anything other than sequels anymore? This week’s collection of trailers is mostly for new installments in franchises that nobody actually expected to be continued.
‘The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge out of Water’
Ten years is a long time to follow-up on the moderately successful animated movie about a sponge that wears square pants. I was surprisingly entertained by the first one, and thankfully, this sequel looks to be just as good. I’m also a bit surprised that we’ve arrived at a point where Guns N’ Roses is considered age-appropriate for a kids’ movie. Anyhow, the same silly humor continues with the added bonus of an over-the-top Antonio Banderas dressed up as a pirate. I’m not planning to watch this in theaters, but will more likely give it a spin on Blu-ray.
‘Hot Tub Time Machine 2’
Be warned that this Red Band trailer contains lots of adult language and is quite explicit. Probably more shocking is that anyone thought audiences needed a sequel to Steve Pink’s time-traveling comedy. I don’t know about everyone else, but the lack of John Cusack, and to a lesser degree the very cute Lizzy Caplan, makes me want to avoid this. On that note, however, the stupid preview managed to get a few decent chuckles out of me, daring me to watch the whole thing. Damn! I’m renting, for sure.
‘Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb’
Five years too late, Ben Stiller reprises a role that neither made him a star nor furthered his career to any great degree. Rather, this third and hopefully final installment in the ‘Night at the Museum’ franchise keeps it on life-support while also continuing to make Stiller relevant for younger audiences. Aside from moving the plot from New York to merry old London, Shawn Levy’s film looks like it’s just recycling the same storyline, but with more museum pieces coming to life and lots and lots of CGI action. I’ll wait for the movie on Blu-ray with very mild interest.
‘Dumb and Dumber To’
It’s either a sad sign of our times or a good omen for the movie’s success, but this trailer made me laugh more than the others above. Or perhaps I’m developing some really bad taste, which is all the more worrying. Either way, this continuation to Harry and Lloyd’s misadventures might actually be entertaining.
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Shannon Nutt
There’s an article just begging to be written about how the major studios are nothing about brand these days (sequels, reboots, and copying other hits) and it’s only in the indie and lower-budget releases where true ‘film’ can be found.
I like a good sequel as much as the next fan, but when you’re making sequels to movies that weren’t very good the first (or second or third) time around, it really shows a lack of creativity/ideas. Then again, it’s a lot less risky for a big studio to put their cash behind something that was moderately successful before as opposed to something fresh and untested with audiences. So I understand that side as well…even though I don’t like it.