It’s that time of the year again and time for the 2nd Annual Truth On Cinema Summer Movie Preview! This is Part One of the Preview and it’s divided into two sections: films in May and films in June.
This is my favorite time of the year and this year’s lineup boasts some heavy hitters, a few sequels, comedies galore, and another excellent offering from Pixar. Sit back and relax and enjoy previewing this year’s Summer Movie Lineup.
May
X-Men Origins: Wolverine | May 1, 2009
The X-Men movies are back! Today the summer movie season begins with X-Men’s first spin-off film, Wolverine. This film has had its share of problems getting off the ground, with production delays, re-shoots, and the entire film (not a complete version) being leaked out onto the internet. Despite all of the snafus with this film, I can guarantee you that I will be venturing out real soon to check it out. I know there is a lot of talk about whether or not Gambit or Deadpool (yes, both are in this film) are true to form as they are in the comic, but to be honest, I just want to go see Wolverine kick some butt. I hope that they have enough story to match up with the action. I don’t want another X-Men 3 blunder.
Star Trek | May 8, 2009
The final frontier has come upon us once again. I didn’t believe that I would ever see another Star Trek film again after the Patrick Stewart era, but when I first saw the teaser for this film last year, I knew I would see it once again. J.J. Abrams’ slick and polished re-vamp of the beloved and creepy-fan-inducing Star Trek series’ has everything the modern film goer would want: young-and-up-and-coming-hot-stars in action, comedy, and a little romance, all aboard the Star Ship Enterprise. What more could you want in a summer movie? I will definitely be seeing this film in the theaters and I hope that a new breed of “Trekkies” will develop. Do you think there could be “emo Trekkies?”
The Brothers Bloom | May 15, 2009 (limited)
The Brothers Bloom is a film that many of you will miss. When I first saw the trailer I instantly fell in love with it. Essentially, Adrien Brody and the great Mark Ruffalo play con-men brothers who decide that their last big con will involve a rich heiress, played masterfully by Rachel Weisz, and of course, hilarious problems occur when this beautiful and eccentric heiress takes matters into her own hands. Early reviews have called it an “endearing quirk-filled film that will whisk the audience away on a flying crime-filled love carpet.” Huh?
Terminator Salvation | May 21, 2009
I don’t think there’s much I have to say to preview this film that you haven’t already seen or heard. McG, shaky director of Charlie’s Angels and multiple music videos, has taken on the challenge of bringing us a post-Judgment day Terminator. Will this film continue the story line? Can the machines be defeated once and for all? (hint: McG has already confirmed that this film is 1 of 3, so something tells me that the machines will survive) Christian Bale leads the charge against the machines as an all-grown-up John Connor with a beautiful Moon Bloodgod and Anton Yelchin. Will we see Arnold?
Night At The Museum:Battle of the Smithsonian | May 22, 2009
I saw the first Night At The Museum on a whim and actually came away really liking it…but not so much that I wanted to see a sequel. The whole magic from the first film was watching these classic pieces of art come to life, what else could there be to create that same kind of magic? From what I’ve seen, this film looks like a big ole’ mess. Granted, like all of these films, I haven’t seen it yet, but I am just judging by what I’ve seen in trailers and footage and from reports I’ve read. It could be funny, it could be great (read: the lovely Amy Adams stars as Ben Stiller’s love interest, get this, “Amelia Earhart”), but this probably won’t be one I see in the theaters.
Up | May 29, 2009
Pixar’s newest certain-to-be-a-hit film is called Up and it stars Ed Asner as an old man who ties thousands of balloons to his house so he can fly away and see the world…only he’s joined inadvertently by a little boy scout. Let the old man vs. the young bright-eyed kid hilarity ensue. With my affinity for Pixar’s films, this is a MUST SEE for me. What’s funny to me about Pixar’s movies is that I typically, from the first time I see the trailer or hear about it, am not interested in seeing them. Finding Nemo didn’t look all that great, Ratatouille (in my opinion, Pixar’s weakest, but still great) was a rent at best, even Cars looked like something only my 3 yr. old nephew would like. Yet, I have truly and wholeheartedly loved every Pixar film to date. Up is no different, I’m sure it will be fantastic.
June
Away We Go | June 5, 2009
Want to see Jim from The Office with a killer beard traveling across the US with Maya Rudolph (of SNL fame) trying to find a home for their unborn child? From the gems at Focus Features comes this quirky romantic comedy that looks to be this year’s Juno. Directed by the great and lucky-to-be-married-to-Kate-Winslet Sam Mendes, Away We Go promises to make you laugh at uncomfortable situations and cause you to cherish the love between two people and their baby.
Land of the Lost | June 5, 2009
I don’t know much about this film, or the original series for that matter, I just know that it stars Will Ferrell and Danny McBride and it’s about a park ranger (Ferrell) who stumbles through a time warp or something and ends up in a land with dinosaurs and an alien race called the Sleestaks. I am not sure what to make of it, it looks like a Will Ferrell comedy with some CGI dinosaurs added mixed with the awkward humor of Danny McBride. I am not historically a Will Ferrell-comedy fan (though Anchorman is pure genius) as much as I am a fan of his darker work (Stranger Than Fiction), so something tells me that this one may end up being a Netflix.
The Taking of Pelham 123 | June 12, 2009
I can already tell you this: I will see this movie. It’s directed by Ridley Scott, it stars Denzel Washington as the good guy and John Travolta as the bad guy: I will see this movie. I don’t care if liking or wanting to see this film dumb’s down my movie critic’s eye, I am a sucker for Denzel’s action movies. The 1-2 combo of Ridley Scott and Denzel is a winning combo in my opinion. Sure, the story may be lacking, it’s nothing original, we’ve seen it all before, bad guy takes over subway, holds people hostage, lowly anti-hero Denzel is called upon to be the hero and save the day: I will see this movie.
Moon | June 12, 2009 (limited)
I think Sam Rockwell is one of the most underrated actors out there right now. He continues to bring class, humor, and a subtle elegance to the films he does. He has this sense about him that he’s about to explode at any time, and if he does, it’ll be amazing and terrifying at the same time. This film has blown so many people away from Sundance, Cannes, to SXSW in Austin, that after watching the trailer, I felt like I had to include it in my preview. Although it’s a limited release, you need to see this film. There aren’t many sci-fi films that come along and actually engage your mind like what I think this film will do, most of them are bogged down with pointless CGI and random explosions.
Year One | June 19, 2009
For those Ghostbuster lovers out there, Egon is back! No, this isn’t a new Ghostbusters film (though one is being rumored), Harold Ramis, the genius director of such classic comedy greats as Caddyshack, Groundhog Day, and Multiplicity is back with a new comedy starring Jack Black and Michael Cera as two buffoon cave men who journey through Biblical times. Jack Black in Biblical times? And I thought him as a fat kung-fu loving panda was going to be funny! I am a fan of both Black and Cera but I can’t say I am excited about this one. I smiled at a few one-liners in the trailer, mostly when David Cross and Paul Rudd were on screen, but overall, I’ll wait to the see the film to see if it’s funny.
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen | June 24, 2009
Do I really need to say anything other than it’s the sequel to Transformers? Bigger explosions? Check. More Transformers? Check. Amazing mind blowing graphics? Check. Overuse of Megan Fox’s sexuality? Check. Funny one-liners that aren’t funny at all? Unfortunately, check. I can’t wait to see this movie. It doesn’t matter to me whether or not it’s anything like the original cartoon or it’s just a bunch of toys getting blown up, I am going to see it, and I am going to be excited! Michael Bay, if you’re watching, let’s try and tone down the cheesy one-liners from Optimus Prime. I mean really, would he really say, “my bad.”
The Hurt Locker | June 26, 2009 (limited)
Intense. That’s the one word I can conjure up after I saw this trailer. Many people will dismiss this film as an Iraq movie, or some propaganda film about the war, but let me tell you, it just looks like an action movie to me. I am fascinated with war-action movies and have been my whole life. I love feeling like I am right there, in the middle of the action, experiencing every heart-pounding moment with the soldiers. This movie will probably be missed by many and watched by a few because of its subject matter or because it’s not all lollipops and bubbles…but Truth On Cinema readers, don’t miss this film.
That concludes Truth On Cinema’s 2009 Summer Movie Preview Part I. Stay tuned for the second half. What do you think? Which film are you most excited about on this list?
