This has been quite an exciting blockbuster season, from Iron Man 2 to Eclipse, the theaters have literally been busting at the seams as the seats were filled to witness some of the year’s most anticipated films. But, all good things must come to an end. As the sun sets on this year’s summer blockbuster season, let’s take a look at what is on the way in the home stretch.
August 6
The Other Guys (Columbia Pictures)
Adam McKay and Will Ferrell are at it again. The Hollywood funny men who have collaborated on the films Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and Step Brothers, are out to tackle the buddy cop genre, and it looks like it could be a winner. Mark Wahlberg (The Happening, The Italian Job) and Will Ferrell (Land of the Lost, Blades of Glory) play two mismatched detectives who try to step up their game and become more like the top cops on the force, whom they idolize. But when things don’t go as planned, can this dynamic duo rise to the occasion or will their plan backfire? Considering how well the previous McKay/Ferrell films have gone over in the box office, this looks to be one late season comedy that will have audiences rolling.
August 6
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Universal Pictures)
Edgar Wright, the director behind the near flawless comedies Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, has moved into the comic book genre. Based on the popular comic book series, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World follows Michael Cera (Superbad, Juno) as he battles the seven evil exes of the girl of his dreams in order to win her heart. There seems to be nothing but positive buzz coming off of this film. Not only does this film appear to be quite funny, but is also being hailed as quite faithful to the original source material. The film has obviously captured the spirit of the graphic novels by keeping the perfect balance of music and gaming which feature heavily in the comic series. The movie will most certainly entertain fans of the books, and will undoubtedly draw in many more newcomers to the series.
August 13
The Expendables (Lionsgate)
And now boys and girls, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Rambo 6!!! Wait, what? Well, maybe not, but close. This is more like Rambo and Friends. Sylvester Stallone takes the helm as he both directs and stars in this film about a group of highly skilled assassins and mercenaries sent out on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator. However, as they soon discover, the mission is not what it seems and now the men are caught in an ever expanding web of lies and deceit. Much like the other summer blockbusters The A-Team and The Losers, The Expendables promises to be filled with lots of over the top action, some quotable one-liner jokes and, most importantly the film marks the long awaited return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to film after six years. While the film does look like a bunch of older action stars trying to recapture a bit of their former glory, it does also appear fairly entertaining.
August 13
Animal Kingdom (Porchlight Films)
This story of police vigilantism and revenge set against a 1980s backdrop in Melbourne, Australia is one of the most gripping and thrilling police dramas to come around in years. Based on the true life incident known as the “Walsh Street Shootings,” Director David Michod uses the character of seventeen year old Jay, whose entire extended family is part of the Australian criminal underworld as a way of exploring issues of what it means to grow up around crime, the escalation of crimes, and the effects of vigilantism, especially by the men and women who are sworn to uphold the law. The film is darkly disturbing and thought provoking, slowly paced and yet exhilarating in every way. Strong performances, stunning camera work and a plot that will keep you guessing until the end, Animal Kingdom emerges as a triumphant piece of Australian cinema and for the crime drama genre.
August 20
Nanny McPhee Returns (Universal Pictures)
If you are in the market for a fun family film to take the kids to see, Nanny McPhee Returns is just the right movie for you this August. Emma Thompson (Love Actually, Stranger Than Fiction) reprises her role as the magical Nanny McPhee who arrives on the scene to help a struggling mother maintain order in her household as her children wage an all out war on their spoiled cousins. As in the last movie, Nanny McPhee teaches the children five important life lessons in order to stop the fighting. Using the same basic framework as the story of Mary Poppins and updating it, the filmmakers have created a film which stands on its own and is enjoyable for audiences of all ages.
August 20
Piranha 3-D (Dimension Films)
Now here’s a movie which fits nicely into two categories: 1) it is yet another on the long list of unnecessary reboots/remake/or sequels which no one asked for, and 2) another film which just goes to show, if you are going to make a movie today, you better damn well make it in 3-D. French film director Alexandre Aja (High Tension, Mirrors) has taken it upon himself to give us what appears to be one of the worst horror movies of the year. Piranha 3-D appears to be an effects driven gorefest which focuses more on the poorly animated schools of 3-D fish that terrorize Lake Victoria and the hordes of teenagers on spring break, rather than on character development or tension building, and will succeed only on that level. Don’t expect these bloodthirsty 3-D fish to make much of a splash of the box office.
August 20
Vampires Suck (20th Century Fox)
Well Twi-hard fans, you knew this was bound to happen to you eventually. From the guys who brought you the most unwanted spoof films in history such as, Disaster Movie, Meet the Spartans and Epic Movie, comes the latest in what will almost certainly be another in their series of box office flops: Vampires Suck. Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg have tried repeatedly to create even a half- decent parody film of major box office hits, but their failed efforts have not made them popular with filmgoers and this particular one may get them drawn and quartered considering the strong following that the Twilight series has. I will not grace this film with anything more than a word to the wise: Twilight fans and haters alike avoid this film at all costs.
August 27
The Last Exorcism (Lionsgate)
The popularity of the “horror documentary” has been on the rise ever since the first Blair Witch Project premiered. More recently, moderately successful films such as Quarantine and Paranormal Activity have shown studios that audiences enjoy the “real feeling” of watching a documentary when mixed with horror. Now, The Last Exorcism is going to try and cash in on some of that success and hopefully create a blockbuster film on a shoestring budget with no stars to speak of. In this film, a troubled priest allows a camera crew to accompany him as he goes on his final exorcism, where he comes face to face with the devil that has possessed a young girl. The trailer for The Last Exorcism looks quite promising, and we should expect a lot of spine chilling moments from this newest horror documentary.
August 27
Centurion (Magnet Releasing)
British film director Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) is famous for his films which focus on small groups of people trapped in hostile territory under the most violent of circumstances with little to no hope of escape. Violence always ensues and there are never many in the way of survivors. Centurion is no different. This time, Marshall transports us to Roman Britain in the year AD 117 where the survivors of a Roman legion have to fight their way back across enemy lines after a Pictish guerilla attack massacred their fellow soldiers. Marshall is clear in his intent and honest in his storytelling. The film delivers the goods as far as action is concerned and has plenty of fast and bloody pitched battles as the Roman soldiers square off against the Picts. The film is an enjoyable historical action adventure piece that requires very little thinking, but it does not offer the viewer anything new that sets this film apart from others such as King Arthur, Gladiator or 300.
