The summer movie thread

[Mike Felder]

bjkrautk wrote:

...well, that, and the dialog of the phone call with Landy changed from the end of Supremacy (which I watched again on Sunday).

What was different about it? I have the Bourne Supremacy too, but I don't think I would remember the exact dialogue from Ultimatum if I watched it right now.

[DuWayne Steurer]

(Just to bring it up....anyone else find themselves watching significantly more movies in the theater this year than in previous summers? I went to at least 6...and I'm probably forgetting another one or two.

 

 

Absolutely. We probably make it to 3-4 movies a year in the theaters, but this year we've seen close to 10.

 

I think this is just a good year for movies.

 

And I 2nd Roberts exclamations on Hot Fuzz. That movie was simply awesome.

[Katuluu]

Hot Fuzz is the best movie of the summer. Release date be damned!

 

And coming from someone who averages viewing ~150 new releases each year (Man I love my job) it hasn't been a very good year for movies so far. It's been a good year for hype, but not much more. Zodiac is the only mainstream film that has impressed me so far, and the Indie and foreign films haven't been much better.

 

That being said, with Paul Thomas Anderson, Wes Anderson, The Coen Brothers, Charlie Kaufman, and Ang Lee all having movies slated for this fall/winter, it could be a very good year. And those are just the big name releases coming out, their are a ton of smaller Indie films and limited release schedules coming out that could make this an impressive year.

[RobertR]

Hot Fuzz is the best movie of the summer. Release date be damned!

 

And coming from someone who averages viewing ~150 new releases each year (Man I love my job) it hasn't been a very good year for movies so far. It's been a good year for hype, but not much more. Zodiac is the only mainstream film that has impressed me so far, and the Indie and foreign films haven't been much better.

I don't know if I fully agree with that, although I'm counting Pan's Labyrinth, The Lives of Others, Hot Fuzz, Black Book, and The Host as films for this year, since that's when they actually came to town. That's close to one superior foreign/independent movie a month. I'd agree that it hasn't been a very good year for mainstream Hollywood though.

 

Zodiac is at the top of my Netflix queue, so I'm going to have an opinion on that soon. I'm looking forward to it.

 

Robert

[Katuluu]

It definitely gets fuzzy with foreign release dates. Pan's Labyrinth, Black Book, and The Lives of Others are all considered 2006 films, and were eligible for the Oscars last year because of it. The only one of those I didn't see this year was Black Book, which is definitely a great film to watch and one that would be on my must see list for either year. So I basically ignore them for this year.

 

The Host I am unsure on eligibility, but it's on my list for this year, along with Hot Fuzz. A couple other great Foreign films that have come out this year are The Wind that Shakes the Barley, Paprika, Day Watch, and Rescue Dawn. Sunshine and Eagle vs Shark wouldn't be far off either. So while that averages out to about one a month, I guess I am just spoiled from the past few years in which great Indie and Foreign films came out on almost a weekly basis. But you are right, compared to the meager offerings of the mainstream, foreign films are certainly holding their end of the bargain. Come to think of it, I might be more disappointed with US Indie films this year, as I think Sicko is the only one I can think of that has been worth watching. Everything else has been pretty meager.

 

I can't wait to hear your feelings on Zodiac Robert. Besides being a great film, it has me incredibly excited with what Fincher could do with Torso if it ever gets off the ground.

[TracyThom]

Has anyone seen Hot Fuzz yet? I liked Shaun of the Dead so I'm thinking I might just pick up Hot Fuzz without having seen it instead of renting it...

I liked Hot Fuzz so much I ordered the European version of the DVD 3-4 weeks before they released the U.S. version. I paid probably close to $30 for it, but the UK version has a 2nd disc loaded with extras.

[bjkrautk]

bjkrautk wrote:

...well, that, and the dialog of the phone call with Landy changed from the end of Supremacy (which I watched again on Sunday).

What was different about it? I have the Bourne Supremacy too, but I don't think I would remember the exact dialogue from Ultimatum if I watched it right now.

She told him his real name at the end of Supremacy, but not in Ultimatum, IIRC.

 

[BrewCrewForever]

I got to see an advance screening of Superbad on Tuesday through work. I have to say it was hillarious. If you like any of the other Judd Apatow films, you will love this one the same. Non stop laughter.

[homer]

Saw Superbad yesterday. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be although still pretty entertaining I guess. I just felt like they could have toned down the vulgarity and male anatomy jokes and it would have been just as funny if not moreso. It kind of got old after awhile. Some great laugh out loud one liners and sight gags and I love the way Michael Cera delivers lines but I wanted more for some reason. I have a feeling this will be one I enjoy more after I see the DVD a few times.

[flosses like fossas]

this is a super entertaining thread.

 

i like the debate about the bourne movies not being sequels. a series but not a sequel? that they can stand alone makes them unrelated?

 

and it's not too discreetly obvious that the guy with the graphic novel image as his avatar called 300 the surprise movie of the year.

 

i'm traveling (in scotland currently), and just saw eagle vs. shark, which i'd missed as an early summer release in the u.s. i didn't figure anyone would mention this amid all the SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS (is red the color of sarcasm or reverence on this board?), but i wonder if anyone here saw it? it stars one of the guys from flight of the concords on hbo. i found it to be pretty entertaining, but not all that far from being a pretty obvious napolean dynomite rip, same basic premise anyway.

[Katuluu]

I saw Eagle vs Shark months ago, and mentioned it as one of my favorites of the year just a few posts ago.

[flosses like fossas]

so you did, katuluu. i missed it among so many other names. don't you think the idea of it was a bit unoriginal, considering?

[Katuluu]

The idea is definitely unoriginal, and the film is clearly influenced by Napoleon Dynamite. I just found the characters far more interesting, as their flaws seemed much more realistic and fleshed out then what you would normally see in a movie. And while I can understand why it has gotten mixed reviews, I still found it highly enjoyable.

[RobertR]

and it's not too discreetly obvious that the guy with the graphic novel image as his avatar called 300 the surprise movie of the year.

Hey, who predicted that 300, which isn't even one of Frank Miller's best known works, would make over $200 million in the US and over $450 million worldwide? Looking over the top 15 grossers of the year, I think it's fair to call 300 and Wild Hogs the only real surprises, and 300 is the much bigger hit of the two.

 

Robert

[Team Canada]

Hey, who predicted that 300, which isn't even one of Frank Miller's best known works, would make over $200 million in the US and over $450 million worldwide?

 

I dunno, after the buzz started building and people were geeking out about the graphics, it was in the realm of possibility, add in thousands of (young) males with money to spend, and it's rather predictable. Heck, the way opening weekends work now, that's only a handful of decent weekends.

[BrewCrewForever]

Saw Superbad yesterday. It wasn't as good as I thought it would be although still pretty entertaining I guess. I just felt like they could have toned down the vulgarity and male anatomy jokes and it would have been just as funny if not moreso. It kind of got old after awhile. Some great laugh out loud one liners and sight gags and I love the way Michael Cera delivers lines but I wanted more for some reason. I have a feeling this will be one I enjoy more after I see the DVD a few times.

I also love the way Michael Cera delivers his lines, he makes the jokes the way he says them.

[TracyThom]

I finally saw Superbad. It was funny, but I probably had too high of expectations going in. McLovin and the cops made the movie for me. Some parts were too gross, like the stain scene. It was well worth my money though. I'm sure I'll enjoy it more the next time I see it.

[BrewCrewForever]

Yeah the stain scene is a bit much. But very funny.