I know I’m a bit late to the party- two jobs, a film gig, & life can get in the way- but I figured it’s now time to throw out my opinions on the summer movies of 2011. I won’t go too depth into the films themselves (knock on wood) but these are the summer movies of 2011 I’m looking forward to see &/or are curious about.
And so it begins!
MAY 06: Marvel’s THOR (Kenneth Branagh)
The summer kicks off (once again) with another superhero flick. I’m one of the few filmgeeks I know who ISN’T pumped about Marvel’s whole Avengers spiel. Marvel officially became a movie studio back in 2008 when they released Iron Man which is by far their best film. Since then, Marvel has been pushing on knocking out these Superhero flicks rather quickly with them all leading to their 2012 mega-blockbuster superhero team-up The Avengers. The films have been set up to all take place in one expanded universe & 2011 is the last summer before everything they’ve been working for comes to fruition. Now, I’m guessing this means The Avengers is going to be an incredibly fun feature (& hopefully embraces the magic stupidity of a superhero team) but I’ve felt it’s all been detrimental to the individual films themselves. Regardless, I’m curious about Thor because this film, if it embraces it’s inherent goofiness, could be their best standalone hero flick! The trailers sell it as some kind’ve odd hybrid of superhero shenanigans & hyperbolic Shakespearean drama. Now, I’ve openly admitted my weakness for Oliver Stone’s Alexander– a terrible movie that is so overblown & goofy it becomes good again- so if Thor could aim for a tone like that I’d be sold! I’m more curious about Marvel’s 4th feature than I am anticipating it. (Update: I saw THOR. It was decent BUT completely forgettable. It was not the overblown wonky tale I was hoping for. Kinda bland.)
MAY 13: BRIDESMAIDS (Paul Feig)
Two words: Kristen Wiig. I haven’t actively watched SNL in years but when I catch an episode here & there I don’t laugh (the new cast is just soooo smug) but when I do it’s all thanks to Kristen Wiig. Doesn’t hurt she’s cute as hell too! Besides, I love chicks & I love flicks. Why shouldn’t I love chick flicks? Especially if it’s as vulgar as this one is promised to be? Sold! (Update: Yeah. It’s great! Favorite film of 2011 as of Mid-May)
MAY 20: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Woody Allen)
I have a intense affection for the works of Woody Allen. It’s such a welcome treat when a film of his sneaks into theaters once a year. Woody has over 40 films to his name (written & directed) & he shows no signs of aging. Now he doesn’t always hit it out the park; going to the theaters to see a Woody Allen film is like going on a blind date- you’re either going to uncover a gem or a total drag. His 2010 film, You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger– even with Josh Brolin was a total bore. Thankfully though, based on reviews this year’s Woodster flick is one of the good ones & with that cast I’m not surprised, I mean I am literally in love with the entire female cast (Rachel McAdams & Marion Cottilard in one film? Be still my beating heart). Not to mention I’ve always loved the look of Woody’s films & it’s such a treat to know at least once a year I’ll have the chance to see a movie that is shot on film & has zero digital elements. With Darius Khodnji (Seven, Alien Resurrection, Funny Games 2008) acting as cinematographer this one should look INCREDIBLE.
Note: Pirates of the Caribbean 4: In Need of More Money is NOT on this list cause it looks terrible. You take Gore Verbinski out of Pirates & all you have is Johnny Depp collecting a paycheck.
MAY 26: THE HANGOVER PART II (Todd Phillips)
I can’t analyze why I’m looking forward to this film… I just am. I though the first film was utter genius & I’ve experienced a lot of Hangovers. Could the film be bad? Sure, the biggest worry I have is they’ll just repeat the first film beat by beat except in Thailand now but hell, this should be a damn good night at the movies regardless.
MAY 27: THE TREE OF LIFE (Terrence Malick)
If there is another legendary American filmmaker whose work is so out of tune with the summer movie season I’d like to meet him. Terrence Malick is a legend. The man makes films that are wholeheartedly his vision & lately I have found The Thin Red Line has gotten excessive plays on my BD player. The Tree of Life is anything but a summer blockbuster & yet it is… it’s a summer blockbuster for the art crowd. When I look back at 2011 I would not be surprised if THIS is the movie I most look back on. The summer season is an odd one for cinema because the movies that come out between May & August are usually the most hyped flicks of the year but also the most forgettable. I mean can anyone honestly tell me what movies came out last summer BESIDES Inception, Toy Story 3, & Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World? Either way, Malick’s 5th film is destined to be a pure cinematic experience that I can’t wait to partake in! There’s a whole 20 minute segment that portrays the “Birth of the Universe” & is apparently Douglas Trumbull equaling or one-upping his work in 2001:A Space Odyssey. May 27th can’t get here soon enough!
JUNE 03: X-MEN FIRST CLASS (Matthew Vaughn)
Should I know better? Yes. I should know better than to get excited about a 20th Century Fox summer blockbuster made under the cinema crushing gaze of Tom Rothman. Rothman for those not in the know is a murderer of cinema, a studio executive who never met a movie he couldn’t screw over in the story or production department in order to make another buck. But, I can’t help it. X-Men: First Class looks aces!… & I’m not even a fan of the damn franchise. In fact, I’ve been actively bored by ALL OF THEM except for X2 (I understand Bryan Singer’s original started the current superhero craze but it’s just not that interesting of a movie. The less said about Last Stand & Wolverine the better). Really I should be mocking this film for even existed. This is X-Men 5. A prequel put into production not because there was a story here dying to be told BUT because the original cast is too damn expensive now! When first announced I did mock the film but then Fox hired a real director (Matthew “Kickass” Vaughn) & hired my New Favorite Actor Michael Fassbender to play Magneto. Over the past few months my outlook on the film has changed from repulsion to fascination. I’m now fully sold on X-Men: First Class from the cast to look to swinging 60s time period & if Vaughn has been allowed to make a genuine character based actioner then this might be an excellent flick! Hell, it’s not even in 3D!
JUNE 10: SUPER 8 (J.J. Abrams)
I have big hopes for this one. I’m not the biggest fan of J.J. Abrams but I do appreciate his talent for crafting successful mainstream entertainment & even I fell head over heels in love with his Stark Trek 2009, perhaps the perfect example of how to make a brainless summer movie. Anywho, Super 8 is Abrams ode to his own history of backyard filmmaking & the cinema of Steven Spielberg. Could there be a summer movie more geared to tickle the hearts of all independent filmmakers? It’s the story of some young whippersnappers making a Zombie movie (awww) who suddenly find themselves caught in the middle of a huge event. Apparently Aliens are involved, mucho lens flares, that awesome guy from Peter Jackson’s King Kong 2005 as a Sheriff (could there be any more perfect casting& much Kodak Ektachrome 8mm stock is to be shot. I’ll be there opening night for sure.
JUNE 17: GREEN LANTERN (Martin Campbell)
ANOTHER Superhero movie? Sweet Baby Jesus, whatever happened to summer movies like Speed & The Matrix– you know, original movies that didn’t require extensive back knowledge on who is who in the films respective universe. But, I’m sold on this film because of one unsung factor- director Martin Campbell. Campbell has three genuine action movies to his name- Goldeneye, The Legend of Zorro, & Casino Royale, all perfect pieces of massive audience entertainment. Still, I wasn’t sold on Green Lantern until the most recent trailer showcased the massive scale of this flick that I found my interest piqued. Since I have zero foreknowledge of the comic book- what are the Lanterns powers again- I have no qualms with Ryan Reynolds in the role of Hal Jordan & aside from his suit being all CG (it just looks odd) I have no complaints about the look of the film. It’s another stupid case of post-conversion 3D so like all the other movies on this list I’ll be seeing this CLASSIC (film is anything but 2D so don’t call it that).
JUNE 22: CARS 2 (John Lasseter & Brad Lewis)
I’m not looking forward to this at all… but after so many good films Pixar earns a viewing off me out of goodwill. The original Cars was a “one-er” for me- I.E. watched it once, thought it was cute & never cared to view it again- & I expect the sequel will be the same deal. Will there be some strong elements in the film? Sure. But is there anything about the Cars universe that demands a second story (or second viewing?). No. But I guess after $5 billion in merchandise even Pixar couldn’t say “No to a sequel”. Anywho, I really don’t trust the Cars universe for many reasons (here’s Two: 1. anything that gives Larry the Cable Guy work is bad in my book 2. It can’t just be coincidence the original film was George Carlin & Paul Newman’s last film, it must’ve killed them) but I’ll give it a shot… even though I am bummed this is Pixar’s 2nd sequel in a row.
JULY 08: HORRIBLE BOSSES (Seth Gordon)
Black comedy. Murder. Great cast. Directed by the guy who did King of Kong? I’m sold. This looks like a solid piece of dark humor. I really hope this film delivers because it’s coming after a long dry spell in the summer (Cars 2 as previously said looks bland & I refuse to sit through another Michael Bay Transformers film after paying to see the dogshit 2nd movie). I’ll keep my fingers crossed on this bad boy.
JULY 15: HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS- PART 2 (David Yates)
I haven’t missed a Potter flick yet. I don’t intend to start now. You know, when all is said & done the Harry Potter franchise is really going to be the stuff of legends! Warner Brothers put this series into production way back in 1999 & have actually kept the same cast & crew ever since! It’s really amazing. Keeping Daniel Radcliffe & the rest in their respective roles helped define the series & I look forward to the day when I can look at the first & last film back to back. Now do I find any of the Potter films to be particularly fantastic? No, not really, the biggest problem with the franchise has always been that each entry is just another small piece of the whole & not it’s own standalone film. This means I don’t really expect Harry Potter 8 to be a fantabulous piece of work but it might be the strongest flick in the franchise because it’s all climax. Either way, regardless of what I think of each film individually the Harry Potter franchise should be one of the best epic stories ever told when viewed in it’s entirety. It’s gonna be weird when July 16 comes around & there will no longer be another Potter flick on the horizon. It’s the end of an era.
JULY 22: CAPTAIN AMERICA- THE FIRST AVENGER (Joe Johnston) Or how Steroids saved America. The final Marvel movie before their 2012 mega-blockbuster The Avengers hits next year, this is their last chance to educate filmgoers about who’s on the team. Hence the terrible moniker The First Avenger (they never called Iron Man the 2nd Avenger). Anywho, despite being shot digitally in 3D (all the visuals in the trailer look rather soft & flat) this is Marvel’s best chance to deliver a solid A-class piece of work. After Inglorious Basterds I really hoped Hollywood would take the hint & start making more off-kilter films about WWII. I’m a huge WWII buff & it’s one of the best represented periods of history on film (& for damn good reason) but seriously, how many times can we watch men behind enemy lines or Oscar bait Holocaust flicks? The idea of a superhero World War II just floats my boat. If Marvel & Joe Johnston just set out to make a kickass 2 hour WWII with a superhero then this might very well be my film of the summer! If they’ve set out to just make another goddamn commercial for The Fucking Avengers than fuck them… I mean, it might make for a fun but forgettable two hour trip to the movies but there’s no reason to settle for low goals.
JULY 29: COWBOYS & ALIENS (Jon Favreau)
Is 2011 the year of the Alien? Battle: Los Angeles. Paul. Thor. Super 8. Green Lantern. Transformers 3: Fuck You TicketBuyers. The Thing 2011. Etc. We are two years after District 9 now so the Alien craze is in full invasion (haha). Anywho, with my undying love for the Western & Alien invasion flicks it’s only right that I should be interested in this Jon Favreau mashup. The trailers look nice & it seems like Harrison Ford is ready to be BA again. So sign me up, short of horrid reviews, I’m there.
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE (Glenn Ficarra & John Requa)
Color me intrigued. After watching Blue Valentine I can’t help but wonder how Ryan Gosling will work in a manipulative Hollywood romance flick. I liked look of the recently released trailer & am always curious to see what will be done with Steve Carell on film. Call this my wild card of the summer. My opinion could change the closer we get to release but until then, I’ll gladly check it out at the cheap theater.
AUGUST 05: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (Rupert Wyatt)
Way to early to tell with this flick. I am a fan of the franchise but if the early reviews are negative this could very well be a “Wait for BD” title. Interesting to learn that Andy Serkis is the monkey (again) but selling your movie as “From the CGI team of AVATAR” isn’t too comforting. Nor is James Franco as a scientist… I think I’m over my Franco appreciation & have gone straight to disinterest.
AUGUST 12: 30 MINUTES OR LESS (Ruben Fleischer) All I can say is: “This movie is fucked up!” It’s a buddy comedy flick based off a real-life 2003 robbery case only in real-life the Goofy Pizza Guy’s head blew the hell off his body! Either way, despite the kinda sleaziness behind it all the cast rocks (Danny McBride) & as long as the film delivers should be a nice sendoff to Summer 2011.
& that’s a wrap. Now do I expect all these films to deliver on the promise I’m hoping for? No. Most won’t. They’ll either be terrible films made promising by fantastic marketing OR they’ll just underperform & be mediocre fluff. BUT one or two of these films should deliver on my expectations & be those great summer movies that are replayed again & again at home!
…. In a final closing note; As promising as Summer 2011 looks, leave it to Christopher Nolan to show them all up a whole year in advance. Meet one of my favorite villains ever to be introduced in next year’s The Dark Knight Rises-BANE!!