Summer movie season is officially upon us and it is the season most people look forward to movies. These movies aren't necessarily the best movies, but they are the ones we typically rush to, line up for, and see at midnight. These are the movies I am most excited about seeing this month, and from the looks of things it may be one heck of a good summer. So lets get started.
Fast and Furious 5 aka Fast Five
Ok I cheated I know this technically comes out on Friday April 29th, but seriously this is the first of the summer movies. Sometimes you just want to eat popcorn. You sometimes need to just let go of logic, reason, even physics and enjoy a good time. While I don't think this movie will be any better than the others Fast and Furious movies, I do think that it will be a good time. I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, I know some people get offended by the gratuitous half dressed women dancing on the hood of the tricked out cars, thats all just pandering to the masses, what these films are really about is action, and anti heroes, and I don't know about you but but I dig them.
Thor
The first of many super hero films that litter this Summer. I don't know exactly what to think of this movie. I look at the cast of Oscar Winners (Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman), quality character actors waiting for break out roles (Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleson), and other notable names (Stellan Skarsgard, Colm Feore, and Rene Russo). I also look at the director, (Kenneth Branaugh) who without a doubt has brought the only version of Hamlet to the screen that is worth watching. I realize all these things matter but the reality is that the film hinges on the performance of one man, Chris Hemsworth. Most of you know him from the 2009 re-boot of Star Trek. Apparently he made enough of an impression with his 8 minutes of screen time in that film to warrant a leading role as the God of Thunder. I think this movie lives and dies on his shoulders and I am cautiously optimistic that he will do well.
Bridesmaids & The Hangover 2
I am deliberately lumping these two films together because lets face it the Hangover 2 and Bridesmaids are essentially both unoriginal sequels to a very original comedy. I believe that Bridesmaids may have been given the label of a "Hangover knockoff" purely because of marketing reasons, but if this movie is going to break away from that mold it is going to have to be smart, clever, and better than the low brow schtick that has been playing in the trailer. I like Kristin Wiig, and I hope that this film elevates her standing better than Macgruber did. As far as The Hangover 2 is concerned, I think that if it is going to be as good as the original it needs to distinguish itself and be its own movie. It absolutely must avoid trying to top the original and just be a funny movie in itself.
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides
It is great to see Johnny Depp doing what he does best, films where he looses himself in the role are where he shines. Movies like Dead Man, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and of course Ed Wood, are the films he should be most remembered for. However he is going to be remembered for Jack Sparrow, the snarky, drunken buffoon of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I know that Jack Sparrow was the star of the first three Pirates movies, but the heart of the film lay with Orlando Bloom's Will Turner and Keira Knightly's Elizabeth Swan. If this movie is going to work, if we are going to want to see more of them then this movie had better make us not just like Jack Sparrow, but care about him more than just a sideshow to a greater love story.
The Beaver
Can Mel Gibson please be respected as an actor? Please, I know he is a complete a-hole, and that he is more than likely an anti-semetic woman hating, wife beater, but the guy can certainly act. He has had his ups and downs, and he keeps coming back, given the right roles I think he could definitely be forgiven, look at Robert Downey Jr. That guy was a complete mess, but he straightened himself up, got clean and sober, and got the second chance he needed. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe Mel should just ride into the sunset, and perhaps he will, I just hope this movie is a reminder to everyone of just how good he was when he was at his best.
Priest
I have little hope that this movie will be anything quality, in fact from the looks of things it looks like little more than this year's Jonah Hex. However I also didn't think much of the trailer for Legion. Legion, the directorial debut of visual effect artist Scott Charles Stewart's pleasantly surprised me with quality beyond what the Trailer showed. So I am including this film as one to watch if for no other reason than for my love of what Legion was.
Kung Fu Panda 2
I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, because it was clever, apart from the cliched use of the song Kung Fu Fighting as a marketing tool. My problems with Kung Fu Panda (along with many of the other Dreamworks Animation features aside from How to Train Your Dragon) is that to me it seems like the art of animation and storytelling take a back seat to being clever, and making a quick buck. The first was the usual run of the mill fish out of water tale, and I am not expecting much more from a children's cartoon. However children's cartoons are no longer the stuff of kids. If you have seen a lot of kung fu movies, you no doubt enjoyed the small clever references in Kung Fu Panda, and chuckled at them. But was it enough for more? I don't know. I hope that this movie has far more art and far less of the animated Jack Black hamming it up for the camera.
Tree of Life
What is this movie doing coming out in May? This is the most puzzling thing about this movie to me. It really is going to be under appreciated and literally confuse many people. This is the type of movie best suited for December, it is true Oscar bait, and hopefully Oscar quality. I am not saying that this is a time of year when we need to shut off our brains, but does a heady weighty drama about the struggles of identity belong mixed in with Superheroes, Kung Fu Pandas and Gay Drunken Pirates? Maybe it will be a nice break, something to cleanse the palate.
Something Borrowed
I will admit that I am interested in this movie. I love "chick flicks" especially if they are insightful, clever, and above all funny. This one just might be it, apparently it was based on a series of clever, insightful and funny books. I don't know how good it's going to be but the trailer has me interested and who doesn't love Jon Krasinski? He was the best part of the mediocre It's Complicated, shares my exact birthday (October 20, 1979) and with the departure of Steve Carrell, the funniest part of The Office, whats not to like. Well he did marry Emily Blunt, so yeah we can hate him a little. But Seriously, I think this movie could be this year's Devil Wears Prada and serve as the estrogen kick that a balanced Summer diet needs.
Ok I cheated I know this technically comes out on Friday April 29th, but seriously this is the first of the summer movies. Sometimes you just want to eat popcorn. You sometimes need to just let go of logic, reason, even physics and enjoy a good time. While I don't think this movie will be any better than the others Fast and Furious movies, I do think that it will be a good time. I know they are not everyone's cup of tea, I know some people get offended by the gratuitous half dressed women dancing on the hood of the tricked out cars, thats all just pandering to the masses, what these films are really about is action, and anti heroes, and I don't know about you but but I dig them.
Thor
The first of many super hero films that litter this Summer. I don't know exactly what to think of this movie. I look at the cast of Oscar Winners (Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman), quality character actors waiting for break out roles (Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleson), and other notable names (Stellan Skarsgard, Colm Feore, and Rene Russo). I also look at the director, (Kenneth Branaugh) who without a doubt has brought the only version of Hamlet to the screen that is worth watching. I realize all these things matter but the reality is that the film hinges on the performance of one man, Chris Hemsworth. Most of you know him from the 2009 re-boot of Star Trek. Apparently he made enough of an impression with his 8 minutes of screen time in that film to warrant a leading role as the God of Thunder. I think this movie lives and dies on his shoulders and I am cautiously optimistic that he will do well.
Bridesmaids & The Hangover 2
I am deliberately lumping these two films together because lets face it the Hangover 2 and Bridesmaids are essentially both unoriginal sequels to a very original comedy. I believe that Bridesmaids may have been given the label of a "Hangover knockoff" purely because of marketing reasons, but if this movie is going to break away from that mold it is going to have to be smart, clever, and better than the low brow schtick that has been playing in the trailer. I like Kristin Wiig, and I hope that this film elevates her standing better than Macgruber did. As far as The Hangover 2 is concerned, I think that if it is going to be as good as the original it needs to distinguish itself and be its own movie. It absolutely must avoid trying to top the original and just be a funny movie in itself.
Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides
It is great to see Johnny Depp doing what he does best, films where he looses himself in the role are where he shines. Movies like Dead Man, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and of course Ed Wood, are the films he should be most remembered for. However he is going to be remembered for Jack Sparrow, the snarky, drunken buffoon of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I know that Jack Sparrow was the star of the first three Pirates movies, but the heart of the film lay with Orlando Bloom's Will Turner and Keira Knightly's Elizabeth Swan. If this movie is going to work, if we are going to want to see more of them then this movie had better make us not just like Jack Sparrow, but care about him more than just a sideshow to a greater love story.
The Beaver
Can Mel Gibson please be respected as an actor? Please, I know he is a complete a-hole, and that he is more than likely an anti-semetic woman hating, wife beater, but the guy can certainly act. He has had his ups and downs, and he keeps coming back, given the right roles I think he could definitely be forgiven, look at Robert Downey Jr. That guy was a complete mess, but he straightened himself up, got clean and sober, and got the second chance he needed. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe Mel should just ride into the sunset, and perhaps he will, I just hope this movie is a reminder to everyone of just how good he was when he was at his best.
Priest
I have little hope that this movie will be anything quality, in fact from the looks of things it looks like little more than this year's Jonah Hex. However I also didn't think much of the trailer for Legion. Legion, the directorial debut of visual effect artist Scott Charles Stewart's pleasantly surprised me with quality beyond what the Trailer showed. So I am including this film as one to watch if for no other reason than for my love of what Legion was.
Kung Fu Panda 2
I enjoyed Kung Fu Panda, because it was clever, apart from the cliched use of the song Kung Fu Fighting as a marketing tool. My problems with Kung Fu Panda (along with many of the other Dreamworks Animation features aside from How to Train Your Dragon) is that to me it seems like the art of animation and storytelling take a back seat to being clever, and making a quick buck. The first was the usual run of the mill fish out of water tale, and I am not expecting much more from a children's cartoon. However children's cartoons are no longer the stuff of kids. If you have seen a lot of kung fu movies, you no doubt enjoyed the small clever references in Kung Fu Panda, and chuckled at them. But was it enough for more? I don't know. I hope that this movie has far more art and far less of the animated Jack Black hamming it up for the camera.
Tree of Life
What is this movie doing coming out in May? This is the most puzzling thing about this movie to me. It really is going to be under appreciated and literally confuse many people. This is the type of movie best suited for December, it is true Oscar bait, and hopefully Oscar quality. I am not saying that this is a time of year when we need to shut off our brains, but does a heady weighty drama about the struggles of identity belong mixed in with Superheroes, Kung Fu Pandas and Gay Drunken Pirates? Maybe it will be a nice break, something to cleanse the palate.
Something Borrowed
I will admit that I am interested in this movie. I love "chick flicks" especially if they are insightful, clever, and above all funny. This one just might be it, apparently it was based on a series of clever, insightful and funny books. I don't know how good it's going to be but the trailer has me interested and who doesn't love Jon Krasinski? He was the best part of the mediocre It's Complicated, shares my exact birthday (October 20, 1979) and with the departure of Steve Carrell, the funniest part of The Office, whats not to like. Well he did marry Emily Blunt, so yeah we can hate him a little. But Seriously, I think this movie could be this year's Devil Wears Prada and serve as the estrogen kick that a balanced Summer diet needs.
That is it for May I am looking forward to sharing my opinions of the movies above when I see them, and hopefully you see them too so we can have good discussions about these movies and our experiences seeing them.
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