POISON SCOOTER

Summer of Duds?

As a life long movie buff, I have looked forward to two very important times of the year for film for the majority of my life. The rush to get films out to make the Oscar eligibility deadline coincides with the end of the calendar year, so you get to see the best of the best from Halloween on. The other time of the year that I normally look forward to is Summer Blockbuster Season.

During Summer Blockbuster Season's of the past I've been anxious every couple of weeks from Memorial Day through Labor Day to hit the theater, sometimes to see 2 opening movies in the same weeekend. I can recall seeing Terminator 2 twice in the same weekend I was that stoked. And what's ailing me right now is that this summer was full of anticipation for me. Superman, Pirates of the Caribean 2, X Men 3, Mission Impossible 3, Nacho Libre and The Davinci Code were all movies that I was juiced to see before summer even began. So what happened? Why is it mid-July and I can't even bring myself to see some of the very movies I was hyped for?

Well, I guess one reason is the disappointment with just how formulaic the movies I have seen this summer have been. Mission Impossible 3 did nothing that 2 and the original didn't do. Same with X Men 3. The Davinci Code just plain bored me when it wasn't confusing the hell out of me. Nacho Libre worked for me, but I will admit didn't live up to the expectation I had for it. (N. Dynamite became part of the culture and Nacho has become drive in movie fare paired with Cars) Once I saw the trailer for Superman was immediately disinterested. Kevin Spacey looks stupid, an unknown as the big guy and an emaciated Kate Bosworth with black hair? No thanks. And now Pirates is hitting the screen to borderline horrible reviews, and although I'm certain it will make some booty, I can't get excited to see a movie hated by many.

My favorite movies of the summer have been movies I had really no real interest in seeing prior to seeing them, The Break Up and The Devil Wears Prada. And right now, there is nothing out that draws my attention. Click? Sandler hasn't shined since the Billy/Happy back to back. Little Man? The Wayans scare me. I guess I need to look down the schedule for the rest of the summer to see if there is any saving me and my summer movie season.

Clerks 2 could prove to be just the funny I'm looking for, or it could be very, very unnecessary. I'm a Kevin Smith fan, so the minute I smell "sell out" on this thing, I'm going be pissed. Little Miss Sunshine, a well received festival circuit comedy with Greg Kinnear and Steve Carell, has hooked me in with a very funny trailer. Lady in the Water by M. Night could be a sleeper hit, afterall the guy did make Sixth Sense and is coming off the bomb The Village.

I wish I could say the next couple weeks hold promise, but the reality is that there is more junk coming out that one could argue is just not necessary. How many animated movies does the world need? Monster House? Uma becomes My Super Ex-Girlfriend, a movie I predict will bomb hard. People don't like female super heros. Miami Vice with Colin Farrell. OMG. What is Michael Mann thinking? I guess it's time to for me to shake off this horrible summer and get pumped for Novemeber/December when the quality comes down the pipeline.

posted by Scooter @ 6:28 AM