Thursday, April 12, 2007

Top 6 Friday: Summer Movie Double Bill

Down Dossing Times way the month of May brings big cheery anticipation as to what the cinema screens will bring us this summer. It’s fair to say that whatever the outcome, and a lot of the most hyped movies have a lot to prove in my book, we are in for one hell of popcorn munching, blockbusting, release date set before script is even thought of, ride. In the spirit of pictures always saying more than words the first top 6 in our double bring is some form of picture from what will be the biggest movies of the summer, sequel and franchise heavy, pictures and titles tell you all you need to know.

1. Spider-Man 3 3 villains, personality conflict and 2 love interests, lets hope this over-achieving works out.

2. The Simpsons Movie

The most unexpected entry into the summer line-up, done right this movie can do no wrong.

3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End

A cast member has announced he has snorted his fathers ashes with coke, no one was very surprised!

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Star has been caught up in a 'can act' shocker. No previous evidence of such ability.

5. The Bourne Ultimatum

Surprising fact, Ian McKellen was last years biggest grossing movie star with X3 and The DaVinci Code. Could Matt Damon take up this mantle with Bourne and Ocean's 13 this year? 6. Die Hard 4 (Live Free or Die Hard)

Die Hard goes global, hi-tech and brings us probably the years best trailer.

The next 6 are the movies that haven’t had trailers released a year in advance, will try their best not to clash with the opening weekends of the above list and could fall into the category of sleeper hit, gain cult following or simply be good.

1. Black Sheep New Zealand setting, evil Zombie sheep, Weta, not as over hyped as Shakes on a Plane = all good things

2. Grind House Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino like kids let loose in the playground of their dreams have put together a double bill, exploitation, zombie slasher fest with fake trailers at the intermission. Expect careers of 70s and 80s stars to be resurrected.

3. Stardust The story of a young man entering a fantasy world to retrieve a fallen star only to find a feisty girl in its place, we have here an FX heavy movie from the director of Layer Cake, starring Robert DeNiro, Ricky Gervais, Michelle Pfeiffer and Clare Danes. The line starts here.

4. Ratatouille The Pixar entry isn’t under normal underdog entry but after what was deemed the ‘failure’ of ‘Cars’, quality generally not being up to par with an over saturation of animated movies in ’06 and the fact that the production has been troubled, changed directors and that not many kids will know what the title means, the film is facing an uphill battle. Premise: rat dreams of becoming a chef.

5. Super Bad High-school comedy, starring Michael Cera, the unfortunately named George Michael of Arrested Development, spends the movie trying to score beer to get girls. That boy has mastered awkward teenage angst. Sounds like great stuff.

6. Used Guys Emily Mortimer lives in a female-run future society, where male clones can be purchased as mates. Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey star as a pair of unwanted male clones.

3 comments:

Eamonn said...

Nice list, although I'd question the inclusion of Bourne in the list of what will be the 'biggest' movies of the summer. In my opinion both Transformers and the Fantastic Four will blow Bourne out of the water in terms of box office...as will Shrek the 3rd. Indeed I'd predict that Oceans 13 will be Damons biggest movie of the summer.

However, I've been wrong before. I thought Supes would kick ass last year and look what happened there.

As for your second list, I'm not sure anything by Rodriguez and especially Tarantino could ever be classed a potential 'sleeper hit'.

CK said...

Indeed it was hard to cut the list down to 6 but I do believe there is a faithful audience of Bourne fans and it being the most 'grown-up' movie of the summer, might not do as well as other monoliths, but I think it will be a success.

I wanted to get across in the second list that these are movie that are 'others' on the list of perceived must-sees and maybe some of them will be sleeper hits or gain cult status. Sleeper hit was not to be taken a catch all description for the list.

Trailers for Shrek 3, Transformers and Fantastic 4 just haven't done it for me, surely part of the build up to blockbuster season is the pre-publicity.

And you will be glad to know Superman will return again, studios were nevertheless happy with his performance at the box office and critical praise so a sequel has been green-lit.

Eamonn said...

"Trailers for Shrek 3, Transformers and Fantastic 4 just haven't done it for me, surely part of the build up to blockbuster season is the pre-publicity."

Agreed, but blockbuster season doesn't rest on your expectations CK. Whatever about FF4 and maybe even Shrek, Transformers is hugely anticipated.