I will spare you all my pithy reviews of recent movies. I've seen a bunch, including Benjamin Button, The Promotion, The Proposal, Drag Me To Hell, The Brave One, and (shudder) Semi-Pro. By the way, that was in order of my enjoyment.
But let's let talk upcoming movies. It's summer, and we're in full blockbuster craptacularness mode. Starting Wednesday is the altogether unwanted Transformers 2, which faces little in the way of competition this weekend. But nobody cares about Transformers 2, in large part because Transformers 1 was largely incomprehensible and the action sequences were so loud and confusing that it doesn't bear re-watching at all.
I've long said--to, ya know, people who ask me these things--that Transformers only succeeded because of the massive amount of nostalgic goodwill it invoked. I saw it in the theater, even though I was 98% convinced it was crap. But I got goosebumps, briefly, when Optimus Prime spoke with that same gravelly voice he used in the 80s cartoon. I loved Transformers back then, man.
But nostalgia only takes you so far. In the case of Transformers, it took me about halfway through the first film. I suspect the rapid drop-off will harm Transformers 2, which will undoubtedly win the weekend (it's only up against a Lifetime-esque movie about some little girl who is conceived to give her dying sister vital organs or something). But I bet you dollars-to-donuts that the drop-off next week is substantial. It faces Ice Age 2 (meh, but the same "meh" as Transformers) and Public Enemy, which so far sounds like a much, much better film. I mean, it's John Dillinger vs. Batman.
So there you have it, my random thoughts on your upcoming cinematic offerings. For those who want to plan further ahead, the big releases after July 4th weekend are Bruno (July 10) and the next Harry Potter (which will stomp the life out of every other film on July 15th). But also watch for 500 Days of Summer, which could be good because Joseph Gordon-Levitt is an amazing actor, and District 9 which is produced by Peter Jackson.
I will not see G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra unless terrorists call and tell me that my family is strapped to a bomb that will go off if I don't provide a ticket stub from the movie.
5 comments:
There will also be a dropoff in week 2 after everybody realizes that Transformers 2 is 2.5 hours long!
Holy crap, really?
I wish there was a way I could not go see that movie even more than I currently am not going.
Wow, I am so out of the cinematic loop. I recognize maybe 5 of the titles you've mentioned.
What's your take on "Away We Go"? I don't know how long the ads for it have been out but I saw John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph on a web banner and clicked on it. That was this morning.
What?! You're crazy! That's crazy talk. Transformers is the perfect example of a Michael Bay movie - it makes you stop whatever you doing and watch. Like going to Best Buy for blank media on your lunch break and instead watching 45 minutes of the movie on some giant screen with great surround sound, then rushing out of the store without buying anything because you have to get back to work on time.
I want to see Away We Go. It has been playing at inconvenient times, though. Maya Rudolph is great, I'd love to see her in a more non-goofy role.
J- that's exactly right. Transformers is perfect for watching in Best Buy at their spec set-up. Do I want to see it in the theater for $12? Hell no. :)
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