Singapore Slings - Cultural Media Learnings of Asia Pacific for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Great Britain

Steve Blakeman

First up, the old guard are back to cash-in on former glories. Harrison Ford resumes his role as Indiana Jones in The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Clearly someone forgot this was meant to be a trilogy. Or maybe it's because Hollywood producers can't count. Unless it comes to money.

Next up is another crinkly, Sylvester (Lazarus) Stallone. Not content with bringing Rocky Balboa back to our screens last year, he has now resurrected John Rambo (in the film of the same name). Actually, when it comes to names, why is Sly suddenly insisting on calling his films after his characters names ? Where does he go from there ? Oh I know...

Rocky Balboa 2 - On the Ropes 

Rocky Balboa 3 - Really Ropey ? 

Just start the sequencing again. Very smart.

Also back from the grave is Star Trek. Yes well, we know there have been a gazillion sequels already but this one is going back to it's roots apparently. With a new hotshot director of course. And presumably a new cast - not sure Scottie can reprise his role since his ashes were fired into space a few years back.

Talking of going back to their roots, the new versions of both Bond and Batman did rather well last time out by treading old ground but with a sharper more contemporary edge. So it comes as no great surprise that their 'sequels' are out later this year. Bond 22 (as yet untitled, but this is as good as any title I guess) is back with Daniel Craig and the bloke who did the stunts in the Bourne series. Lots more fighting and less guns then. The Batman flick, entitled The Dark Knight  looks well, erm, dark. Heath Ledger as The Joker looks pretty scary actually. But then again, I always thought he did...

You want TV spin offs ? What about Sex And The City ? Personally, I'd rather have root canal work done for 2 hours than watch this.

So is there any good stuff coming up ? Well, maybe a few gems. There Will Be Blood with Daniel Day Lewis looks like it could be Oscar material. Or what about Valkyrie with Tom Cruise as a Nazi officer who tried to assasinate Hitler ? Or possibly another Tim Burton extravaganza with Johnny Depp playing Sweeney Todd (sort of an Edward Scissorhands sequel if you will ?).

Nah, none of those are going to get sequels. I'd recommend Ironman. Robert Downey Junior plays a gun-toting maniac who can turn himself into a cyborg killing machine superhero. Now that sounds like real entertainment to me. And I'm already looking forward to the sequel (prequel ?)...

Ironman and Transformers vs Alien and Predator

Box office gold.