Summer Movie Preview
May 19, 2008
Aside from Batman and this weeks’ Indiana Jones flick, there’s very little I “must see” this summer, but that doesn’t mean I’m not intrigued by a few titles out there.
The following is a list of the “big films” due out this summer, with my predictions and overall “review before I see it” notes.
Enjoy.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Click here for trailer
Due: Thursday
Synopsis: I grew up with Indy, and you can count me in as one of the many excited to see this one as well. The reviews so far have been mostly positive, some negative and some neutral. Still, it’s Harrison Ford and it’s Indiana Jones. I’ll have to see it for myself.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 10 … already getting the tickets.
Sex and the City
Click here for trailer
Due: May 30
Synopsis: I never cared for the show, and I probably won’t care about this movie … which I predict will be just a 90-minute version of the show. I’m just not that into watching four trend-setting cougars on the prowl. Sorry.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 2 … luckily, my wife never liked the show either
Kung Fu Panda
Click here for trailer
Due: June 6
Synopsis: Jack Black is an animated kung fu panda. It has promise, but ultimately, I’m thinking it’s another Madagascar. I’ll wait until it’s a Saturday night movie on NBC in two years.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 3 … there’s a chance a niece or nephew will be in town, and I may have to entertain them. A slight chance.
You don’t mess with the Zohan
Click here for trailer
Due: June 6
Synopsis: Adam Sandler is a Middle Eastern hairdresser and former assassin. Hmmm. Sounds like another SNL sketch that has no right to be made into a 90-minute film. I guess there’s potential.
Odds I’ll se it (1-10): 4 … if reviews call it the next Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore, I’m there.
The Happening
Click here for trailer
Due: June 13
Synopsis: My thoughts on M. Knight Shyamalan films goes as follows …
The Sixth Sense — Outstanding
Unbreakable — Great
Signs — Great
The Village — Good
Lady in the Water — never saw it and I’m told I don’t wanna.
Early, early reviews of The Happening aren’t good. But if it’s anywhere between The Village and Signs, I’ll give it a shot.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 5 … it could be good, who knows?
The Incredible Hulk
Click here for trailer
Due: June 13
Synopsis: I’ve been a huge fan of Edward Norton ever since Fight Club, American History X and Rounders. That said, I hated the most recent Ang Lee production of Hulk. Still, this one’s under new direction, and some are hinting it’s more like Iron Man than the previous Hulk.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 8 … I have a mancrush on Norton
Get Smart
Click here for trailer
Due: June 20
Synopsis: I love Get Smart. I love Steve Carrell in most things (mostly, The Office and 40-year-old Virgin). So why am I not excited about this? Is it the Sierra Mist commercial with The Rock? Fail. Is it the trailer? Fail. I’m not sure. I’m scared.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 5 … really, I just don’t know yet.
Wall•E
Click here for trailer
Due: June 27
Synopsis: Pixar just can’t go wrong, and this one looks like their most creative idea since Toy Story. The trailers for this movie already make this look like the next E.T. (the robot even looks a little like the alien, don’t you think?). Needless to say, I’m excited about this one.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 7 … movies are pretty expensive.
Hancock
Click here for trailer
Due: July 2
Synopsis: A great idea for a movie — Will Smith has superhuman abilities, but he’s a lazy drunk. The trailers look funny, and Smith has chosen his roles pretty well lately. I’m intrigued. Definately intrigued.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 6 … good early reviews will change my mind.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Click here for trailer
Due: July 11
Synopsis: I never saw the original Hellboy, but I’m told it’s pretty great. I’m not sure Hellboy II should have been a summer flick, and I don’t predict good things for it box office-wise, but hell .. what do I know?
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 1 … I haven’t even seen Iron Man yet.
The Dark Knight
Click here for trailer
Due: July 18
Synopsis: The Joker looks insane. The hype for this movie has achieved ridiculous levels. So yeah, count me in.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 12 … not even a bad mix of sleeping pills and booze would keep me away. Too early?
Step brothers
Click here for trailer
Due: July 25
Synopsis: Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are stepbrothers forced to share a room … as adults. The trailer looks great, but the timing couldn’t be worse. This comes out the same weekend as X-Files.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 1 … Cue X-Files theme music
X-Files 2
Click here for trailer
Due: July 25
Synopsis: I’ve read that the plot for this is more in line with the earlier episodes of the show … not really about an on-running alien conspiracy, but more about a mystery. Those shows were always X-Files’ best.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 9 … dooo dooo doo doo Dooo dooooo
Pineapple Express
Click here for trailer
Due: Aug. 8
Synopsis: “The people who brought us Superbad and 40-year-old Virgin” finally let me down with Walk Hard. I haven’t seen Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I’m told I’ll like it. This one intrigues me, but not on a Superbad level. Will have to see the early reviews again.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 6 … it’s awfully close to my anniversary
Tropic Thunder
Click here for trailer
Due: Aug. 15
Synopsis: Now this looks like a sleeper to me … the good kind of sleeper. The trailer has a Zoolander feel, except instead of male models, it’s soldiers. Robert Downey Jr. as a black man is also hilarious. I actually can’t wait to see this.
Odds I’ll see it (1-10): 8 … again, anniversary is Aug. 12. I may be elsewhere. Who knows?
Did I miss anything? Do you disagree with me on any of this?
Let me know. Now!
Entry Filed under: Random. Tags: Summer movie preview.
7 Comments Add your own
Leave a Comment
Some HTML allowed:
<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <pre> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed
1.
Jennifer | May 19, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hmm…you sure are making me think there’s a trip in store for our 5 year anniversary!!
Oh, and Tropic Thunder is about a group of actors portraying soldiers.
2.
Al Roethlisberger | May 19, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Saw all three Indy movies this week to “bring the kids up to speed”(they didn’t know who he was!), and I hate to say it, but I was kinda disappointed… in everything, the sets, the plot, the special effects, the whole package really. But then again, that probably shouldn’t be too surprising that three 20+ year old movies geared toward a 13 year old boy wouldn’t necessarily thrill a 40 year old man anymore. Never the less, we all stayed up on three school nights well past our bedtimes, heads nodding off, holding on to the very end… even this 40 year old that knew exactly what was happening next! We’ll definitely catch the new one. Question though, Indy and his father drank from the Holy Grail at the end of the last film. In theory they should be immortal. I wonder how, or if they reconcile that for this film. And man, Indy looks OLD now. I guess that is because he is after all, and watching the other three films recently only highlights that fact.
I have no desire to watch Sex and the City, for all the reasons you cite. But I have to say that my wife borrowed the entire DVD set for the show immediately following the birth of our daughter a few years back, and I got the treat of getting to watch all of them at the same time. Surprisingly, after a bit, I found I kinda liked the darned show. It was funny at times. But I can’t imagine pulling off a movie several years later, or even why.
I can’t offer much opinion on The Happening, but I agree that Mr. Shyamalan’s films have been trending downward since Unbreakable. The Village is where he jumped the shark I think, as it’s big surprise was really a sci-fi cliche’.
The last Incredible Hulk, and really any production of the Hulk has been horrific. But I think that is really a product of the character. Even with todays high end CGI, I find it is really hard to mix CGI and live action well and still suspend disbelief… although some obviously do this better than others. I’m hoping this version does the Hulk justice, and I think the recent Iron Man(also a victim of film technology “gap” for decades) was really quite good. Let’s hope the Hulk also fares as well this time around.
I’m really excited about Get Smart. I grew up with re-runs of the show, and I hope they equal Mel Brooks’ work. Some previews look great, others… well, we’ll see I guess.
Wall-E? Is it just me, or did Pixar execs never see Short Circuit? I’m thinking they didn’t and some ambitious animator snuck this one by, or had a crush on Ally Sheedy(who didn’t back then?). It looks like an interesting flick though, and you are right, Pixar usually does it right.
Much like the aforementioned Hulk, Iron Man, and let’s face it… most fantastic humans(heroes or villains) don’t translate well from comics to film. But I felt like the first Hellboy did a pretty decent job, and Mike Mignola’s art has a very distinct feel. Hellboy has a long and varied story arc, so it’s great to see another installment. Though not perfect, but then again no film adaptation ever is, I hope this one is as good as the first.
OK, enough speculation and analysis on my part of how bad super-hero films can be *laugh* I’m looking forward to the new Batman flick, but I have to be honest that the majority of the first batch were so awful, I have a hard time getting too excited about it. Christian Bale is perfect though. And he said there is plans for a third installment, which will fill out the Dark Knight trilogy, just as done in the comic series in the mid-1990s.
The X-Files movies are perplexing…. how long has the TV show been off the air now, six years? And I think it really peaked a couple or three years before that and all the contract issues, etc. I have to wonder about the draw, but then again the show was immensely popular. I agree that that earlier one episode non-alien conspiracy(which I frankly totally lost track of) shows were more entertaining. I didn’t care for the first installment, but maybe this one will work better on its own.
I read good things about Downey’s current projects, and Iron Man was certainly a good showing. We’ll have to see about Tropic Thunder though. I really have no idea on this one.
One you didn’t cover, I’m itching to go see “Red Belt” since much of my college days were spent with buddies very much into martial arts, the rise of MMA, and specifically Brazillian Jiu Jitsu. I haven’t really heard anything good or bad per se, so I’d like to check it out. We’ll probably rent this one though.
And I have to say, growing up a HUGE fan and consumer of all things Speed Racer, I really have no desire to see the new film. The charm of Speed Racer for me is the kooky old music, animation, and story lines. This new Speed Racer is great for the new generation, but everything that is nostalgic about the original can really only be found in the … well… original.
I can’t even stomach the new animated TV series, but the kids like it(although to be fair, they point out how awful the animation is
).
3.
Tammy Hebert | May 20, 2008 at 2:59 am
My 5 year old and I loved Speed Racer. That is where he took me for mother’s day..Had a blast.
4.
gordonanderson | May 20, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Al
In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indy and his father would only have remained immortal if they had remained behind the Great Seal, like the knight who guarded the Holy Grail for however many centuries.
Now excuse me while I go and get stuffed into a locker for knowing that off the top of my head.
5.
tracy | May 21, 2008 at 12:12 am
I just found out they’re screening Don’t Mess With the Zohan in LA before it even comes out. RSVP here http://www.mtvsneakpeekweek.com. I’m so excited for this and to see Adam Sandler at the Q&A afterwards – can’t wait! They’re screening Pineapple Express and Kung Fu Panda, too!
6.
Eric | May 22, 2008 at 5:52 am
Batting 1000 here Billy. I think some of your 5 and above might be a good netflix choice… Sex in the city maybe because of Charlotte. Kinda weird but she’s still hot.
7.
Al Roethlisberger | May 22, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Gordon,
I recall(after just having seen it last week *wink*) that the immortal last crusade knight said that the grail could not be removed beyond the great seal, but I don’t think he specified that it’s power would fail beyond the seal.
After all, that isn’t the legend of the grail.
But I did think about that, and I suppose they could spin it that way *laugh*
But I did find this:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097576/faq#.2.1.2
quote:
Are Indy and Henry immortal?
EditHistoryDelete
Simply put…no. The grail knight does say that the grail itself can NOT pass the great seal…for that is the price of immortality.
They were immortal, for a short time. Elsa took the grail over the seal and returned Indy & Henry back into a mortal state.
So they are NOT immortal.
(Alternatively, it may be that strictly speaking they were never immortal at all. It’s possible that in order to remain alive and healthy, it was necessary to drink from the Grail repeatedly — and since the Grail couldn’t pass beyond the Seal, that would have meant visiting the site every now and then. That would explain why the knights who left the cave after drinking from the Grail eventually died of extreme old age. Nothing in the film states that one becomes immortal by drinking from the Grail one time, and that were the case, it would be difficult to explain those knights’ deaths.)
end quote