METTEL RAY

Thursday Movie Picks: Origin Movies

Isn’t every other movie an origin movie these days? With all those superhero movies coming at us from left to right, introducing characters with individual movies. The result, there are a lot of regular people becoming superheroes. With that in mind, I wanted to stay clear from all superheroes (didn’t manage completely) and pick movies that are a bit different and unique to the origin theme.

1. SPLIT (2016)

I think that I might have mentioned Split before but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to recommend it again. This is a rare origin movie which doesn’t scream origin but it is. It’s also a brilliant sequel to one of my all time favourite superhero movies, Unbreakable. It does have its flaws, and it feels like something that should be softened around the edges, but Split is still one hell of an origin movie.

2. HANNIBAL RISING (2007)

Though it’s the beginning, it’s also kind of an end to the entire Hannibal movie franchise as far as I know. But it’s not because Hannibal Rising is a bad movie, it’s just that I think the need for those gruesome things moved from big screens to smaller screens. And yes, it’s not perfect but I still recall some of its horrible scenes, which is all I want from a Hannibal origin story to be honest.

3. AVATAR (2009)

Now, I know some of you will hate me for this but I actually really like Avatar. I have enjoyed that movie from start to finish multiple times, and I think it had an entertaining edge to it. Am I excited for its multiple sequels? Not sure. But I think it’s still a memorable movie that changed the way we experience movies in terms of technological advancements. And it’s an origin story of a man becoming an alien, like, how often to you get to see a movie like that?

 THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES

mettelray

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15 responses to “Thursday Movie Picks: Origin Movies”

  1. sati Avatar
    sati

    Split was a great origin story and even better sequel because it was a such a twist! Cannot wait for Glass

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I know right! I want to see Glass so much!

      Reply
  2. Sofia da Costa Avatar
    Sofia da Costa

    Ahhh I loved Split, awesome pick!

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Thanks! I think it’s great too! 😀

      Reply
  3. Brittani Avatar
    Brittani

    Nooooo Avatar lol

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      I know it’s not loved by all but I like it a lot. 😀

      Reply
  4. Birgit Avatar
    Birgit

    Unbreakable is a great movie but I didn’t know there was a sequel so I’ll have to check that out. Hannibal Rising…I think I saw this one which was ok but nothing beats the original film. Avatar!..blecchhhhh except for the special effects

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      The sequel was kept under wraps and only us who had seen Unbreakable realised that it was a sequel at the end of the movie, it was amazing!!

      The original Hannibal movies are amazing but I like that the way they told a story how he became him, though it wasn’t done the best way.

      Hey, Avatar is okay… in my opinion. 😀

      Reply
  5. Sonia (A Film A Day) Avatar
    Sonia (A Film A Day)

    I also really liked Avatar but those sequels, why do they need to do that?! Avatar doesn’t need one.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      That’s problematic for me too but Avatar itself is good on its own, I won’t stop liking it. 😀

      Reply
  6. joelnox Avatar
    joelnox

    Haven’t seen Split yet but I already have it in my Netflix queue so I’m looking forward to it even more now. I haven’t and probably never will see Hannibal Rising but Avatar was okay. I waited to see it until it was almost out of theatres and perhaps that anticipation took the edge off of it for me. I thought it was technically terrific but the story trite.

    Like you I avoided superheros they’re just too thick on the ground and went looking elsewhere for picks this week.

    The Bourne Identity (2002)-A young man (Matt Damon) is found floating in the ocean by fisherman, bullet riddled and with no memory of who he is or how he came to be in his situation. As he recovers he discovers he knows many languages, is versed in complex defensive skills and for some reason has a computer chip implanted in his hip. Sensing danger he assumes the identity Jason Bourne, the name on his passport and sets off to discover the facts of his life. He is actually a pursued agent with the bulk of the film following efforts to eliminate him during which he uses his skills to defend himself helped by a young woman (Franka Potente) he enlists along the way. Kinetic, exciting opener to the series followed by several excellent (and a few not so hot) sequels.

    Dirty Harry (1971)-With San Francisco in the grip of a maniac known as Scorpio police inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is put on the case since others have been ineffective. Harry, untroubled by things like procedure and rules, opens a can of whoop-ass on a variety of lowlifes and criminals in his pursuit of the lunatic. Responsible for the catch phrase “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk?” this massively successful film lead to four sequels.

    A Family Affair (1937)-First film of the enormously successful Andy Hardy series follows the everyday adventures of small town California Judge Hardy (Lionel Barrymore in the first/Lewis Stone in the series), his wife (Spring Byington in the original/Fay Holden series), two children Marion (always Cecilia Parker) and Andy (Mickey Rooney) and their live in Aunt Millie (Sara Haden). This time out the judge is up for reelection but crooked politicians and a hack at the local paper try to throw the vote. Meanwhile oldest daughter Joan (who more or less vanished later on) returns home because of troubles in her marriage but after Andy jumps into action and has a man to man talk with his dad all turns out A-Okay! Sprightly piece of Americana was so successful (earning over 2 ½ million on a budget of less than 200 thousand) it begat a series of 15 follow-ups that proved such a money mill MGM used them to introduce their most promising up and comers including Lana Turner, Kathryn Grayson, Esther Williams and Judy Garland who became a semi-regular as next door neighbor Betsy Booth who pined for Andy though he was going steady with the short tempered Polly Benedict (Ann Rutherford). These helped turn Rooney into a top 10 box office attraction for many years including twice at number one.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      The Bourne Identity is a great pick for this theme! I liked it a lot and I thought it had one of the best action sequences at that time.

      Reply
  7. Dell on Movies (@w_ott3) Avatar
    Dell on Movies (@w_ott3)

    Split was fantastic. And it was made all the better because we didn’t realize it was an origin story that was part of a bigger universe until that moment at the end.

    I’m not as big on the other two movies. I thought Hannibal Rising was crap and Avatar was meh.

    Reply
    1. mettelray Avatar
      mettelray

      Exactly! Like, me and my best friend actually said “OMG!” out loud in the cinema, but we were also the only ones!! Like, nobody else probably realised this because, not movie buffs like us, but the fact that it was a surprise and it was kept as a surprise, I think it was this year’s best wow moment!

      Well I didn’t expect the other two picks to be mass favourites either but for me, I sort of like the idea of them, and I sort of like Avatar. Don’t hate me. 😀

      Reply
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