The Summer of Our Discontent: July
May and June kick summer off with a yawn. Can July rally to offer some of the sizzle the season is known for? Our opinion: no. Thank god for indie cinema.
July 1
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Is there any point to me complaining that dinosaurs were extinct long before mammoths and sloths and saber-toothed tigers and little nut-horny rodents ever existed? I didn’t think so. What if I complained that the Ice Age series represents the sitcom-grade nadir of big studio feature-length animation? I thought not.
Public Enemies. A test screening a couple of months back left me with serious doubts that Michael Mann’s telling of the John Dillinger story would be any good. The unfinished film was filled with great ideas (all of them in the trailer) and good scenes (ditto), but none of them were developed or added up to anything interesting or unique – especially if you already know the Dillinger story. Nevertheless, the cast including Johnny Depp and Marion Cotillard (who were both great) plus Christian Bale (who didn’t have much chance to shine) makes me hope the final result is radically different. If it is, it could turn out to be the best film of the summer and I’ll eat my fedora. If it isn’t, it could turn out to be the biggest disappointment.
July 10
Brüno. Sacha Baron Cohen had a huge hit when he brought Borat, his politically incorrect, polyester suit wearing, Kazakhstani TV host character to the big screen. Can lightning strike twice with Brüno, his gay Austrian supermodel character? Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan was uneven and gradually wore out its welcome, but it was also responsible for some of the biggest laughs of 2006. Brüno appears to follow a similar template where the lead character asks people questions designed to entrap them into saying something foolish or offensive. The neat trick is that Cohen appeals to audiences who like to laugh at his offensive stereotypes and also to those who think he’s mocking those very people.
I Love You, Beth Cooper. What if you were the class valedictorian and you used your graduation night speech to profess your love for the school’s hottest cheerleader? What if, instead of barfing on your shoes, she then promised you the greatest night of your life? Yeah, neither of these things would ever happen in a million years and that’s why they make wish-fulfillment fantasy movies like this one. Hayden Panettiere (TV’s Heroes) stars as the hottie in this adaptation of Larry Doyle’s comic novel.
July 17
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (7/15). The sixth (and penultimate) entry in the ever-popular Harry Potter series finds the story turning darker and more hormonal as the teen witches continue to grow up. I’ll admit to having read all the books and I like the world that J.K. Rowling created even if the writing became increasingly bloated and indulgent as the story (the details of which are all a blur to me at this point) progressed. As for the films, they’ve all been as faithful (and dull) as museum pieces with the main bright spot being Alfonso Cuarón’s take on The Prisoner of Azkaban. On the other hand, the asinine game of quidditch is far more entertaining to watch on screen than it is to read about in page after excruciating page, so the films at least have that going for them. My cynicism aside, fans seem to like the movies unreservedly and I’m sure this one will prove no exception.
(500) Days of Summer. A self-described post-modern love story as Joseph Gordon-Levitt learns the hard truths picking over the year and a half he spent with the love of his life (Zooey Deschanel) before she dumped him. Gigantic aside, we’re still fans of Ms. Deschanel and we’re still waiting for Gordon-Levitt to live up to his potential. Therefore, we’ll take the positive reviews this thing has gotten and hold on to our optimism that it’ll be a nice summer palliative to the usual romantic comedy (see: The Ugly Truth below).
July 24
G-Force. This 3-D live-action/animated Disney film has a great voice cast including Will Arnett, Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Penelope Cruz and Steve Buscemi, but it’s becoming more and more clear that a great voice cast does not always make for a great movie. What the hell is G-Force? It’s an elite team of guinea pig spies, of course. Well, it’s got to be better than the Chipmunk movie…right?
The Ugly Truth. Katherine Heigl’s single TV producer and Gerard Butler’s sexist pig morning TV show host square off in a battle of the sexes. A few years ago, this romantic comedy would’ve had Kate Hudson in it. A few years before that it would’ve been Sandra Bullock. A few decades ago it would’ve had Kathryn Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in it and it wouldn’t have sucked.
July 31
Funny People. In Judd Apatow’s third film as a director, Adam Sandler plays a comedian whose near-death experience causes him to reevaluate his life. Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann and Eric Bana co-star with support from Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman. Apatow has made a career by revealing the warm center to his seemingly crass comedies, but the balance seems off in this one. Has his formula run out of steam or is he simply trying something new?
Up next: August
Filed under: Upcoming
Craig, let’s hope that PUBLIC ENEMIES has gotten all the rough spots from your test screening smoothed out by the time it hits theatres on the July 4th weekend.
I don’t care how bad it turns out to be. Those trailers (both versions) have gotten me so viciously stoked that I could not stay away.
The idea of JOHNNY playing JOHN DILLINGER is just too fabulous to pass up.
I’m also going to check out (500) DAYS OF SUMMER.
Romcoms are so horrifyingly awful now. If something even remotely resembling a film of that genre has any kind of a subversive streak (and this DEFINITELY does) then it has to be worth a look. If it’s released during the humid heartfelt dog days, all the better.
I wonder if THE UGLY TRUTH will be as bad as it sounds? I’m sure it will be predictable. But if it has half decent reviews or word of mouth, I just might take a chance on it.
Hmmm. You never told me you had a fedora….
I fear there are more than rough spots with PE, but who knows how different it will be come July.
Ugly has Heigl in it and she’s like Kryptonite to me. I do not see the attraction.
Luckily with romantic comedies we have the 40s to fall back on.
I don’t know if I told anyone this, but I received a call from Bruckheimer a few days ago. Seems he has to do some re-shoots for G-FORCE and needed some help from me in procuring the services of Muriel for a big action scene in which Muriels whomps the collective ass of the CGI G-Force guinea pigs. I said I’d get back to him.
OK, I’m lying. But that’s just about the only way I’d see this movie.
Wow, that is a dismal line-up. I am interested in (500) Days of Summer because of Gordon-Levitt and Deschanel. And I’ve heard good feedback from people who have read the screenplay, so at least it seems to have started off with good writing.
I’m probably the only person on the planet who has absolutely no interest in Public Enemies. I may give it a try just because of Marion Cotillard, whose career I will continue to follow closely. And I’ll be keeping an eye on reviews and public reaction, etc., just to see if they’ve managed to fix things up since the test screening you saw Craig.
The press seems to be hammering that Funny People is more James L Brooks than Harold Ramis in terms of Apatow 80s nostalgia. The trailer certainly plays like that’s the intent, but I don’t much like Brooks’ feature film work. He will have my eternal respect for his contribution to The Simpsons, but I find his movies pat and good-intentiony and boring (this includes Broadcast News, though that has a great Albert Brooks performance, and one good scene – when he finally lets Hunter have it.) I went with a group of three or four to see As Good As It Gets in the theatre, and it was a bit awkward, as they all loved it while I actively hated it. (It’s more watchable ten years later on TBS with ads for shitty sitcoms and most of a bottle of wine – but my objections still stand.)
My point is that Apatow is dropping a name that only confirms why I’m suspicious of the movie, but I commend that he’s branching a bit, he needs to, and I like, with qualifications, both of the movies he actually directed (though both are far too good-intention-y.)
Hahah…good to see you again Paul.
If for some reason I find myself at G-Force, I’m going to tell myself Muriel did all the stunts.
I’m not a Michael Mann fan Alison, so even under the best of circumstances my interest for PE was modest. I do like Depp better than you and I love the milieu, but still.
I sort of wish I could unsee that screening. I’m never doing one of those again, that’s for sure. I did one like 10 years ago and I don’t know why I caved in this time.
I liked BN back in the day, but I’m not sure I would now. Agreed on As Good as it Gets.
What’s odd is I kind of liked the Funny People trailer the first time…but the more I see it…
Also…really, I know I come at summer from a cynical point of view to begin with, but is this year especially lackluster? Last year had a lot of things I was genuinely looking forward to…not all of them panned out, but several did. This year….not so much.
Live and learn, as they say. :-)
As you pointed out when you first told us you went to the screening, it’s not fair to judge an unfinished work and yet it’s impossible not to once you’ve seen it. I think I went to one test screening in my life and the film was actually finished.
I’m cynical about movies in general these days, not just summer.
PE and Bruno have the best possibilities for entertaining me here and I’m sort of committed to seeing the Harry Potter movie because my girl loves the books so much. I’m hoping it’s better than the last one.
(500) Days of Summer is a possibility although I can’t escape a bad feeling about it. Feels/sounds like Made for Sundance, which I’m tired of.
Otherwise, July will be another good month for me to find other things to do, after June being such a train wreck though I’ll likely be desperate enough to wander in to Funny People.
Craig, I see that Centerpiece Gala at the L.A. Film Festival is PE. They must be confident about it.
Or a classic “With this director and this cast and this genre, how can we lose?” kinda thought process behind it. The trailer has gotten a good reaction overall so far elsewhere, so I can see how they think that.
It’s only a couple days before the film’s release so they’re just happy to have some names show up to the festival and it’s too late for any damage to be done to the film which will surely have screened for critics by then.
I liked the trailer even after seeing the screening, but imagine the movie being just as random…only longer. In the version I saw, it’s a two hour trailer for a better movie.
Also, I don’t know if they fix this sort of thing after the fact, but some of the digital photography looked harsh and crappy.
Summer is boiling down to Inglourious Basterds in August and Up in May…that’s about it.
I’m definitely looking forward to both Up and Inglorious Basterds.
With the positive reviews streaming in, I’m kind of hoping Star Trek will be fun. I don’t really have anything invested in it like Up and IB so I won’t be crushed if it’s lame, but this summer could use a few nice surprises methinks.
You know, I have to say that the ads on TV for Star Trek make it look like it’s a lot of fun. And it looks like they’ve updated it and added a lot of humor. It’s not one of the movies that was on my radar for this year but I may give it a shot.
Stil trying to catch up on the smaller films that were out earlier this year that I missed though.
Craig~~
You’ll probably be seeing more of me around here now, what with Screengrab going under at the end of May. Wait, did I say that out loud? We’re not really supposed to broadcast that, but the cat’s out of the bag so I guess I’m safe.
And you’re right that it’s not looking like a very promising summer. A handful of interesting-looking “smaller” films- the new Jarmusch and Coppola, for starters, as well as Tarantino and Pixar. But there’s no DARK KNIGHT or even IRON MAN, both of which were interesting twists on the same-old-same-old blockbuster formula. Most of the big stuff just feels like carbon copies of old hits. Hell, even PUBLIC ENEMIES looks like MOBSTERS with a better pedigree. To me anyway…
Well that’s suckass news, Paul. Sorry. Always liked that site.
LOL. The blue-blood mobster.
Sorry to hear about Screengrab, Paul.
That is a real shame, Paul. It’s been a very strong film site with its own unique personality and strengths. Because film sites seem a labor of love more than for profitability the notion of one going under has caught me by surprise.
That sucks about Screengrab, Paul. They were one of my preferred general film sites. Much sharper than AICN or Chud or any of a half-dozen others.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Public Enemies. I’m at least going to enjoy the costumes and art direction. I wasn’t impressed with the screenplay, but here’s hoping.
I’m down for Harry Potter and the Blood Prince. I’m a sucker for the Potter books, flaws and all. The sixth book is probably my favorite. The third film is the best, yes, but I thought the fifth was the first film to improve on the (bloated beyond belief) book. I really want 500 Days of Summer to be good.
Trivia: Apparently, a scene from Bruno was filmed here. Made the papers because everyone was steaming mad afterwards. I don’t want to say too much about the scene, but it involved a cage match on some weeknight–lured in the crowds by offering free beer–and got permission to film it from the authorities, but under some subterfuge that was later tracked down to being Sasha Baron Cohen’s doing. They did the same thing with a crowd in Texarkana, so I’m not sure if it’s my town or theirs that’s in the film, but reports are that one of them is.
Jennybee, I agree with you about the Potter books. They really are so enjoyable despite their flaws. Book 6 is indeed great, but Book 3 remains my favorite. Love that one.
I read all the damn books so despite my complaints, I must’ve thought something of ‘em right? Like I said, I enjoyed the world she created. The movies are very flat to me. Nice looking, but lifeless. Perhaps if I was more enthused by the books?
I remember reading about that Bruno incident JB. Funny stuff. On the other hand, they did a teaser for Myspace and it looked really unfunny. Also, are there still really people on Myspace?
I think you’ll like the costumes and production design and general look of PE JB, I think you’ll also like cast. The rest? We’ll see. I never did read the script to see if it was as big of a mess as the film. So little time for things that don’t suck, you know?