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Summer 2004
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General Stuff: Summer 2004
Friday 05.07.2004
MattM || 12:42 AM || trackback
Time for the first annual evaulation of movies that are arriving this summer that I am interested in. So there won't be any talk of Garfield, Saved (look at Macauly "throws like a girl Caulkin taking a page out of Jason Ritter's play book and playing a disabled person), Dodgeball (thats right a movie about dodgeball), or worst of all Catwoman. Halle Berry and Sharon Stone yea I just can't wait for that one (barf).
The Maybes
The Day After Tommorrow - Call this the cow goes flying by movie as the only real reason to go see it (thats Twister reference in case you don't know). The plot will be thin or thiner then most porn movies. The acting will only be slightly better. Instead of sex you get cool special effects. This will undoubtly be about as good as Independence Day (which wasn't that great except for the White House going boom).
The Clearing - This will probably wind up being bad or one I don't go see. It has a good cast in Dafoe and Redford but the kidnapping plot sounds a bit thin.
The Terminal - Two people mired in horrible slumps. Hanks and Spielberg. Neither has done anything excepational in quite awhile and how can a movie about taking residence in an airport because he can neither enter the US or go back home be all that interesting. Throw in the highly overrated Catherine Zeta Jones and this movie is a maybe strictly because it is Hanks and Spielberg but I doubt I will go see it.
The Bourne Supremcy - I have heard really good things about the Bourne Identity so if I get to see that and it lives up to expectations I will go see this.
King Arthur - The previews looked promising but this is the King Arthur legend something that rarely gets done right on screen so I have serious doubts about this one but it does have some potential and might be worth seeing (but I swear if its bad I give up on King Arthur movies all together).
The Manchurian Candidate - Another slumping actor in Denzel Washington. A good movie ripe for a remake so it has potential but Denzel needs to put in a great performance for this to be watchable movie.
The Sleeper Hit of the Summer - If I am right I am going to have to take back alot of nasty things I said about Lena Olin doing this movie over Alias. I am picking Darkness as the movie that will break out and be a surprise hit. It has an excellent cast (Lena Olina, Anna Paquin amoung others). It is done by a first time director so how good and talented he is probably makes or breaks this movie. The movie centers around a family that moves in a house with a troubled past (ok not so orginal granted) but it has a creepy Others or Sixth Sense feel to it.
The Worst Movie of the Summer - Garfield will do well but not as well as some expect but it won't be the big bomb of the summer. No that will go to Catwoman. I can't find a single thing about this movie to make me believe it is has any potential at all. I think it will be even worse then Daredevil (and thats saying alot but then again Ben Affleck or Sharon Stone who is more overrated?). I also think it will totally bomb in sales as people will go see it once and tell everyone not to go. Time to break out a few fake reviews boys!!
The Big Nine
9. Troy - I really do like the look of this movie. I like the actors in it. It has all the makings of a really strong Gladiator type movie. However, I just can't shake this gut feeling that will bomb. I can't really say why but my instincts say not to get my hopes up too high for this but that won't stop me from going to see it because if its good it has potential to be great. You can't beat a story about Helan the woman who launced a 1,000 ships. Plus Eric Bana and Brad Pitt quite literally beating the hell out of each other (http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---21377,00.html).
8. I. Robot - Ok stop laughing. I think this is a film that could really break Will Smith out of a slump (man there alot of actors in slumps lately). I love the look and feel of this movie and with the CGIs I think it will be really good.
7. Collateral - I would be feeling alot better about this movie if Adam Sandler had done it instead of Jamie Fox. I think he would have been good in a supporting role in this kind of movie. Probably the reason this is not as highly ranked is because Tom Cruise is another person in a pretty good slump but the Last Samuari I think was him starting to break out of this and I think this has potential to be his best film since Vanilla Sky (ok I am kidding about that).
6. Stepford Wives - I think this will be an excellent movie but anytime they start sticking an unproven country star (Faith Hill) into a movie it makes you a little leary. Plus Brodrick hasn't exactly been a big time actor since um.....Ferris Bueller???. Still this movie looks fantastic and the story is prime for an update and remake.
5. Van Helsing - When I first saw this preview I cringed but the more I see it the more I like it. Plus it has a superstrong cast of two actors not in a slump. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. Beckinsale did a great job in a surprisingly good movie Underworld and Jackman is built for these kinds of roles. I think this might be the second or third best movie of the summer but they left out of the Creature from the Black Lagoon......Dracula, Frankenstien, Wolfman, and Igor but no Creature??? oh the humanity!! Still you have to figure this will be a better move then the last one where these three monsters teamed up....Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstien.
4. Shrek 2 - I really loved the first movie. It was terrific and very funny. A kids movie that adults can enjoy too. I expect much more of the same although and the previews look very promising too.
3. The Village - The only thing that needs to be said about this movie is M. Night Shyamalan. This man does a movie I am there. He has made three movies and none of them have been anything less then very very very good and two have been absolute great. He has pulled performances out of Gibson and Willis that I thought were impossible to get. Plus the trailers are enough to creep anyone out. God I love M. Night he is a god of filmmaking.
2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkban - I really loved this book and even though the second movie was a letdown compared to the book I think this one has awesome potential. The previews are nothing less then spectactular. Also they couldn't have picked a better Sirus Black then Gary Oldman. I liked this book because it did have a real edge to it and you see boy start to turn in a man for the first time. Before it was all reckless fun and games but this is the first hint of when things get more serious and darker. That being said I can not see how on earth they can do a movie on the next two books since they are both just flat out HUGE (700 and 800 plus pages respectively) but if they can somehow put it together they might be able to pass Lord of the Rings for best fantasy series. I really cant wait for the 6th book to come out.
1. Spider Man 2 - Much like Harry Potter and the Village this is a first day movie. When its out I am there. I can't not WAIT for this movie to come out. The first one was awesome and this one looks even better. As Parker starts to stuggle with the consequences of his alter ego. Also they have done what I had thought was impossible. Make a believable looking Doc Ock. Can't wait can't wait can't wait. First day first show I will be there for it.
[MattM adds]
On the Terminal I saw the first preview of it. I must say Catherine Zeta Jones really toned down her look for this movie (a first that i know of). It also looks like it might be very good.
(May 22, 2004 03:20 AM)General Stuff: New Digs!
Saturday 04.26.2003
alice ttlg || 10:07 AM || trackback
New digs for Ramblings from the Idiot Box and the Big Screen! Got our own domain name, you can now find us at:
Ramblings from the Idiot Box
http://www.TheIdiotBox.org/
Ramblings from the Big Screen
http://MoviesAt.TheIdiotBox.org/
And along with the move, some nifty new stuff and changes, there's a search box over on the left now, enter a word, a phrase and see what you find on this site. I still have a bit of tweaking to do and some more features to add so keep an eye on that column on the left.
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