We’re not exactly in the summer movie season yet, but I feel like it’s already started. Now that the weather is warming up, so too are our selections at the cinema.
Now that I’m married with children, I can legitimately only expect to get out to the theater a couple of times a year, and I’m glad one of those occasions was spent Sunday afternoon watching Forgetting Sarah Marshall. It’s a great film in the mold of the other Judd Apatow-produced comedies, such as Knocked Up, Superbad and The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Translation: There are some great laugh-out-loud moments and, of course, some incredibly crass humor.
And now I look forward to a very promising slate of summer/late spring films due to hit the big screen in the coming months. In many ways, I’m acting like Bizarro Steve (that’s me). I’m not usually into the “summer movie season,” as it too often delivers overboard action flicks that seem to cater to the short-attention-span viewer. But I’m on board this year. Here are the top five I’m most looking forward to (in order of release):
Speed Racer (May 9). I expect nothing less than a visually stunning thrill ride as the Wachowski brothers put their Matrix-like spin to work on cult anime. Sounds like a dangerous combination, and one that should create quite a movie-going experience. I’m guessing this is one of those films that will be ten times better at the theater than in your living room.
The Incredible Hulk (June 13). This one’s a little bittersweet. I’ve always been a big fan of the Hulk, and I was one of the few who really enjoyed Ang Lee’s recent adaptation of the not-so-jolly green giant. The story was long on drama rather than action, but Lee’s unique direction effectively cast the mood. Remember, being the Hulk isn’t exactly a glamorous life. But is there any role Ed Norton can’t play? I’m sure he’ll do justice to this one, too.
Wanted (June 27). James McAvoy goes straight from period romance (Atonement) to an elite assassins club. It’s a premise that seems to start like the Matrix, with a cube-dwelling lead character who has no idea that his life is destined for a greater and much more exciting purpose. That apparent purpose is joining Angelina Jolie and others who possess uncommon agility and skill as they fatally stalk those deserving of a dark fate. One of my favorite actors of all time, Morgan Freeman, is the leader of the deadly fraternity.
Hancock (July 2). Will Smith is back to being the king of summer blockbusters in this story of a reluctant superhero. The trailer shows that his apathetic rescues often cause as much destruction as relief. I’m guessing the dry humor of Jason Bateman in a supporting role will also be pretty tough to beat.
The Dark Knight (July 18). The great and dark city of Gotham returns to the big screen, and it almost gives me a chill to see the trailer. Christopher Nolan’s new Batman franchise got off to a great start earlier in the decade, and it’s hard for me to believe his next chapter would disappoint. The Heath Ledger factor adds even more buzz, with his final appearance coming in the form of one of the greatest superhero villains of all time. I can’t wait.
Bonus: Pineapple Express (August 8). Count me in for another Judd Apatow comedy, this one starring Seth Rogan and James Franco as stoners on the run from dirty cops. I’m not into substance abuse, so I certainly hope this doesn’t turn into Half Baked 2; but based on the reputation of this crew, we should be in pretty good hands.
Yes, I know, I just contradicted the hell out myself because I said earlier that I’m not into the big action flicks and then went on to talk about five big action flicks. But I told you, I guess I’m going to be Bizarro Steve this summer. (And it helps that I’m a sucker for superheroes and comic book adaptations).
I don’t for a minute think there’s a way I’ll get out to see six movies over the course of four months, but it’s good to know that I’ll at least have motivation. God knows there’s always some crap out there too. More on those later …
1 Comment
April 29, 2008 at 7:03 pm
I will be very interested to see how the upcoming movie season fares in this shrinking economy. On one hand, people want nothing more than to escape from reality for a couple of hours and will pay just about anything to do so. On the other hand, trips in a car have to be thought out by some folks at this point, balanced against whether to get the brand name corn flakes or the off-brand. I suspect this flock of films will do quite well regardless of the cost of attending a film. As for me, I long ago traded in my love of the cinema for the boob tube and am a prisoner of prime-time television, even in the summer. One note – Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man jumps the shark for me as far as who has street cred to play superheroes. Will Carrot Top be the next Marvel Comics cinema star?