May the Month for Trilogies

One of the worst things a filmmaker can do, in my opinion, is leave a cliffhanger ending to a movie which won't have a sequel for three or more years. This is exactly what Sam Raimi did at the end of the second movie in this trilogy. Now, finally close to release, Spider-Man 3 has all sorts of expectations to live up to.

After the disappointment of the third X-Men film (and if you go further back the third Batman and Superman movies), Spider-Man 3 needs to prove that trilogies can be good for superhero movies. The second Spidey flick was a clear improvement on the first, but can the third keep the magic going? There are a couple reasons why I think it will:

• More Villains - After the second movie it was obvious Harry Osborn would be a villain of some sort. But adding Sandman and Venom, both of which should showcase the amazing special effects studios are able to use these days, Spider-Man 3 has once again raised the bar. As long as all three villains are developed properly, as in the first two movies, this should be a bonus.
• Same Cast and Director - Sequels usually go sour when there are either main casting changes, see Batman Forever, or a helming change, see X-Men 3. Spider-Man 3 brings back the same principle cast and director from the first two movies.
• Did We Mention Venom? - Since he was first introduced to the comics, Venom and the alien suit have been fan favorites. After Sam Raimi stated he didn't care for the character, it seemed like a pipe dream to ever see him on the big screen. But after a little coaxing from Avi Arad, Raimi changed his mind and included Brock into the movie.
• It's Freaking Spider-Man - Even though this gets overused, "'Nuff said."

Spider-Man 3 is scheduled for release on May 4^th.

Shrek the Third

It wasn't long ago when Shrek was the biggest animated movie in the industry. The second Shrek movie was just as good if not a little better. Shrek finally gets a new adventure in Shrek the Third.

All of the main characters from the second movie seem to be returning. The movie will feature a number of fairy tale characters and should be a good deal of fun for the entire fun. Shrek the Third will come out on May 18^th.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

I've already expressed my dismay at sequels that take a long time to appear, so this final blockbuster of May is a nice change. At World's End will finish the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. All of the big names are back, Depp, Knightly and Bloom along with a couple newcomers like Keith Richards, as Jack's dad, and Chow Yun-Fat.

Anyone who saw the second movie knows that the end left many questions unanswered. It was almost disappointing to see a movie with no real payoff by the conclusion. Pirates 3 should finish the story properly and hopefully will make the second movie better because of it.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End will be released on May 25^th, ending a month full of terrific trilogy enders.