ALLIGATORS IN A HELICOPTER

a pro script reader ponders movies, reading, writing and the occasional personal flashback

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

13 Movies I Want To See This Summer

I originally called this "23 Movies I Want To See This Summer", but couldn't find that many automatics.

Keep in mind that in Hollywood, "summer" starts on May 4, when Spiderman 3 comes out. And there are more sequels not on this list than on it.

Films I want to see this summer, in order of release:

SPIDERMAN 3 (May 4). Because it's one of the few superhero series that have been doing it right every time out, and the storyline for this one looks inspired.

28 WEEKS LATER (May 11). Even though the cast and director are different, this still looks like it'll be good.

SHREK THE THIRD (May 18). Because they are always fun.

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END (May 25). Because the first one is good enough to make me forget the flaws of the second, and have hope for the third.

KNOCKED UP (June 1). Because the trailer is funny as hell, because it was directed by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old-Virgin) and because I like Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl.

OCEAN'S THIRTEEN (June 8). Because they've admitted that they blew the last one, and have learned their lesson. Plus Al Pacino is in it.

EVAN ALMIGHTY (June 22). Because that Jim Carrey guy is gone, and Steve Carell gets to be the star.

BLACK SHEEP (June 22). There are 40 million sheep in New Zealand, and they're pissed off. Plus the buzz is good.

SICKO (June). Because a Michael Moore documentary about the health-care industry is going to be interesting.

HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX (July 13). I haven't read the books, but I love the movies.

1408 (July 13). Trippy, odd movie based on a Stephen King short story. I've read the script, and it's interesting, plus John Cusack stars.

THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM (August 3). Because director Paul Greengrass is back, and he did a great job with the last one.

THE SIMPSONS MOVIE (July 27). Because.

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Movies I probably won't see unless they get GREAT reviews:

Lucky You, Mr. Brooks, Live Free or Die Hard, Surf's Up, Transformers, Ratatouille, License to Wed, Rescue Dawn, Hairspray, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Rush Hour 3, Stardust, The Invasion, Mr. Bean's Holiday.

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Movies I won't see unless Hell freezes over:

Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer; Daddy Day Camp

17 Comments:

At 12:07 AM, Blogger Chris Parr (ukscriptwriter) said...

Dude! Harry Potter! Seriously?

I can understand people going to see it, but on a "must see" list?

I walked out of the last one half way through. In my opinion they just took the book and stamped the word "Script" on the front and went off to make the movie.

- Lots of fancy CGI.
- Then they stand there and tell you what is going on/about to happen.
- Lots of fancy CGI.
- Then they stand there and tell you what is going on/about to happen.
[and repeat, repeat, repeat]

That is the only time I have ever walked out of a movie.

Just my 2 pence worth :)

Better put my soap box away before I get flamed.

 
At 6:53 AM, Blogger Suburban Screenwriter said...

I won't see Lucky You unless I'm the last person on Earth and theres nothing to do that day (course who'd run the movie?..) The last good movie with Drew Barrymore was E.T. and E.T. was a better actor even in that one. Can't wait for Spideyman III and I think I'll hit Live Free or Die Hard unless it totally stinks in the reviews (I don't trust just reviews alone though)

 
At 8:46 AM, Blogger E.C. Henry said...

Glad to see the READER is such a lover of film.

I'm with ya on Spiderman III. Absolutely LOVED the first one, didn't care for the 2nd.

I am going to try to discipline myself NOT to see "23 Weeks Later," saw "23 Days Later" and it scared the shit out of me! That was one horror movie they did TOO well. So though I'm currious, I'm going to try to avoid it.

Will definatetly see Pirates III, just because the 2nd installment was SO GOOD.

I'm very intreaged by the rom/com "No Reservations." Part of it's the horn-dog factor -- Catherine Zeta Jones is SO HOT! The other is I've always been intreaged by the notion of seeing her in a rom/com and am very currious to see how she does.

As for the rest of the summer pallate... Well, we'll see. Mabye I'll "get bored" and go see some of 'em, or like you said, read a good review and become inspired, but otherwise the rest of the slate looks like a bunch of filler.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

 
At 9:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

OCEAN'S THIRTEEN (June 8). Because they've admitted that they blew the last one, and have learned their lesson.

I would like to read that admission, because I'm still very, very miffed at them. Also, I think the only way to demonstrate that they've truly learned from the experience might be to not put Julia Roberts in THIRTEEN at all. I bet they didn't do that.

Hmph.

 
At 9:37 AM, Blogger Scott the Reader said...

George Clooney, in Entertainment Weekly, regarding "Ocean's Twelve": "It wasn't as good, and that was our fault. So when we started working on this one, we thought, 'The secret is just to get it back to the guys doing what they do.' Steven (Soderbergh) said we should call it "Ocean's: The One We Should Have Made Last Time".

And Julia Roberts isn't in it.

 
At 9:41 AM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

I will go see Harry Potter for sure. I love the last three books the most. I was a little disappointed with the last film, but I'm willing to see what happend here.

Ocean's, on the other hand. I don't think they can earn back my trust. Especially since I went on a date with a welder who works on the WB lot and when he told me what he was building for 13 I thought it was the stupidest thing ever.

It did turn out to be the worst date ever.

 
At 10:08 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

My list is pretty much the same as yours, Scott, with two additions: STARDUST (I love the book, I loved director Vaughn's last film, I love the cast) and RATATUILLE (It's Pixar. Brad Bird is back. Plus Ian Holm and Peter O'Toole do voices).

By the way, am I the only person in the world who liked Ocean's Twelve?

 
At 10:50 AM, Blogger Suburban Screenwriter said...

Apparently, it was a good thing I missed the 2nd Oceans even though I think George Clooney and Brad Pitt could pull off anything...

 
At 11:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It's odd, people act as though they were personally insulted with Oceans 12. Yeah, I didn't like it either, but sheesh, get over it. They thought they were making a good flick, and they failed. Clooney is probably the most honest of stars when it comes to his failing and shortcomings (Batman, Oceans 12). He doesn't set out to make bad movies. I have zero interest in Harry Potter though. I think the biggest scam in recent years has been the popularization (is that a word?) of those books and the movies.

 
At 1:23 PM, Blogger IQCrash said...

I'm still holding out that Transformers won't rape my childhood too much.

 
At 2:31 PM, Blogger Suburban Screenwriter said...

Even though I didn't see the film Oceans 12 just going off what other people who share my love of movies don't think they were insulted per say instead I think more let down. And that really is a compliment of sorts to Clooney and Pitt because we would and should expect more out of them because they typically bring their A game to a movie...now if it was Rob Schneider--well no real expectations there.

 
At 4:24 PM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

It think what pisses people off about Oceans 12 is that it seemed like a two hour circle jerk.

There's a point where they look at Julia Roberts and decide to use her as a diversion by getting her to pretend to be Julia Roberts.

I wanted to throw something. My own vommit, maybe.

It's like I just paid $12 to watch a bunch of spoiled rich superstars make an expensive home video where they all make each other giggle with their inside jokes.

 
At 10:20 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

And Julia Roberts isn't in it.

Holy cow! Okay, that may just mollify me enough to go see it. Thanks for including the quote from EW, Scott.

 
At 12:58 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"It's like I just paid $12 to watch a bunch of spoiled rich superstars make an expensive home video where they all make each other giggle with their inside jokes. "

I don't mean any offense Emily, but I really dislike when people complain about how rich and spoiled movie stars are. We are the reason they are wealthy. They deserve every bit as long as we pay it. But just being rich doesn't make you spoiled. I've heard nothing but honorable things about Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, and George Clooney as people. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

I liked Ocean's 12 okay.

 
At 2:13 AM, Blogger Abe Burnett said...

I, for the most part, agree with your list, Scott.

However, I believe that the studio would've been wise to keep Cuaron on-board the Harry Potter movies. The one he directed was--BY FAR--the best of all the Harry Potter films. It seemed the most authentically, unforced, cinematic film of them all. Without him, I have a hard time enjoying the Potter films as much.

Pirates 3: Uh, I just watched the most recent trailer for this (over at quicktime.com) and I was horrified by how ambitious it appears. There's a whole 'nother 2-3 movies worth of content (it appears) just in that trailer. Maybe I'm wrong, but it looks like the writers/studio simply weren't willing to exercise some creative discipline by NOT spending all the money they possibly could. There's way too much going on in the trailer and I don't think there's any way they can pull it off. It looks like crap to me...really expensive, really excessive, utterly insulting crap. Insulting in the sense that I loved the first movie, liked the second, but fear that they are seriously deviating from what made the 1st and 2nd films likable. It looks like the 3rd one is trying to buy the audiences love--and, as we know, that rarely/never works.

KNOCKED UP: looks like it might be the funniest thing I've seen since 40-year Old Virgin. I can't remember laughing that hard during a trailer. Ever. Dying to see this one.

STARDUST: Horrible title, but a fascinating trailer. I'm dying to see it just out of curiosity.

I'm still waiting to see HOT FUZZ. We haven't gotten it here (even though, for a small town, we have a ton of screens). I'm more excited about it than I am about Spiderman 3. I'm kind of over the blockbuster films. I'm developing a stronger and stronger dislike for having movie marketing shoved down my throat as the years go by. I abhor the studio attitude that if they throw enough money at a movie (to make it cool and BIG) then I'm almost duty bound to see their exercise in excess. Give me genuinely funny, heartfelt stories like 40-year Old Virgin and Knocked Up any day of the week.

 
At 12:22 PM, Blogger Emily Blake said...

Ok. Mea culpa. Not spoiled. And they are talented. But that's what makes this worse. They're all talented people who worked really hard to make a crappy movie.

 
At 10:57 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

That first fantastic four movie was so bad, I can't believe they are making another!
Matt

 

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