Weekend Small Talk: Summer Heat
So which summer films have the Soulhonky the most excited? Unfortunately, Wolverine does indeed make the top ten list. I've learned my lesson with Transformers (or have I? I'm not that excited about it but I might still see it in the theaters).
Personally, there just aren't that many movies that I want to rush out and see. It might be a sign of the drop in quality in Hollywood or it might be that I'm getting older and falling out of the key demographic. Both are probably true. This summer seems lackluster to me. Still, I was able to compile a list of ten films I'm (somewhat) eagerly awaiting.
Which films are you most eagerly anticipating... or eagerly anticipating the most... or are anticipated with the most eageriousness... or something. You know what I mean.
10. Bruno: I don't know. Maybe the Ali G period is over for me but I'm really not THAT excited about this film. I think it could be the funniest film of the year but something just doesn't seem as relevant. With normal gay couples fighting for their rights, why is watching people mock an over-the-top homosexual man going to be insightful? We shall see.
9. The Ugly Truth: I haven't hidden my affection for rom-coms nor my appreciation for Katherine Heigl. Add in Gerard Butler and you have a film that I'll most definitely be interested in seeing. Granted, it seems like a "Leave the Island" type movie; Wedding Crashers was hilarious but then they left the island and the plot overtook the laughs. This seems like a film that will have a lot of fun but then the heartstrings will starting getting pulled and the jokes will cease. Still, I'll give it a shot.
8. 500 Days of Summer: Yes, it seems like it could be a little too hipsterish but I loved "Garden State" so I'm somewhat immune to the trying-to-be-cool mojo that some of these indie romances have. I also like the idea that the trailer puts out there, that it's not really a "love story". I'm hoping that it is a refreshing take on the indie romance.
7. X-Men Origins: Wolverine: I can bash it until the day it comes out and I'll probably bash it the moment I walk out of the theater but the bottom line is that I will be there on opening weekend, hoping against hope that I'm wrong and that they made a quality film.
6. GI Joe: Rise of Cobra: I actually think this is going to be worse than Wolverine but they haven't dropped a terrible film before this (and one that killed most of the good will that came from the classic X2) and the kid in me really wants to see the live-action movie. Going in, I know that it's aimed for kids and, honestly, anyone who complains about that really needs to shut up. It's based on a cartoon in which people always managed to parachute out of their jets before they were shot down/exploded. The trailer looked awkward at best but I'm hoping for some mindless entertainment.
5. Rudo y Cursi: As a fan of sports films, I'm always hoping for someone to revitalize the genre. I love "Remember the Titans" but it spawned a decade of clones, none of which were able to match it. This film is supposedly more focused on the lives of the brothers than the sport they play but it's still a film that I hope can inspire a new era in sports films.
4. Star Trek: I've watched the original series and some episodes of Next Generation but I don't recall ever really sitting down to watching the movies except for Generations which was pretty bad. Also, I'm not a huge fan of JJ Abrams who, to me, seems like a guy who can bring a film or show to the brink of greatness but he always manages to find a way to not just pull it back but throw it on the ground and stomp on it until it's only mediocre. Then I saw the trailer. It's been some time since a trailer turned my opinion on a film around and that's exactly what Star Trek's trailer did. I'm also interested in seeing if Chris Pine can carry the weight and if he might be able to go where fellow Chris's (Klein and Evans) couldn't - to the A-list.
3. Public Enemies: I'm rooting for this because I really hope we get to see more major summer releases that are aimed towards adults. All too often, films like this get packed into the end of the year when everyone is clamoring for Oscar. Why not try to make some money? Part of me is ready to be disappointed but I'm still eagerly awaiting the film as well as the box office it takes in. Hopefully it can be Michael Mann's biggest film ever and shows studio execs that people will go to see films when school is out.
2. Terminator: Salvation: The first trailer made me forget all of my concerns about McG's direction but I still am a little nervous about it. While it makes for a good trailer, I'm nervous about whether the plot will be strong enough to hold the film together. Granted, I'm a fan of Bryce Dallas Howard and Moon Bloodgood so flashiing them up on the screen should be able to tide me over in spite of any plot holes but it'd be nice to see a film finds the right balance that the original and T2 did: enough plot to raise the bar but not too much to bog the film down.
1. The Brothers Bloom: I'm a big fan of "Brick", love con movies, and am a fan of the first 7 minutes which I posted yesterday. This is the one film that I could see myself going to a midnight showing of. Rachel Weisz is amazing in the trailer and I feel like Mark Ruffalo and Adrian Brody are two actors who've been waiting for the right role. Hopefully this is it.
