Not all blockbusters are created equal.
And for every “The Dark Knight” we get “Hancock,” a film that can’t live up to the summer movie hype.
But here’s WWTW’s picks for the five movies at the top of the “can’t wait to see ‘em” list for ‘09:
- “Inglourious Basterds” – Quentin Tarantino. WWII. Summer movie season. The original was a blast, but expect QT to put his very own stamp on the source material.
- “Terminator: Salvation” – Why on earth would an actor with the chops – and b.o. clout – 0f Christian Bale sign up for a sequel unless he spotted something very, very good in the material. Plus, if WWTW doesn’t list his new film here he could go off on another rant.
- “Bruno” – The first R-rated trailer is a gas … but it also has an air of desperation about it. But “Borat” remains the most uniquely riotous movie of the past decade, so betting men shouldn’t count “Bruno” out.
- “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” – The best bet for superhero action this summer, and it looks loaded with mutants. ‘Nuff said.
- “Star Trek” – Yeah, I know. I’m buying into the hype, and the early trailers make it look like “Star Trek: 90210.” But J.J. Abrams is a smart fellow, and I’m betting he won’t blow the chance to restore a beloved franchise to its former glory.
(Photo: Christian Bale stars as John Connor in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action/sci-fi feature “Terminator Salvation.” Photo by Richard Foreman)
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Great choices WWTW. My five:
Drag Me to Hell
Inglourious Bastards
The Road (this summer?)
The Taking of Pelham 123
Public Enemies
Drag Me to Hell … consider that number 5.1 … thanks for the reminder.
As for “The Road” … I don’t know when that one’s coming (a bad sign).
I just saw the preview for “Inglourious Basterds,” and it looks a little too violent for my tastes. I still can’t get some scenes from “Resevoir Dogs” out of my head. I don’t think I’ll subject myself to this one.
However, I cannot wait for “Star Wars,” starring my favorite “Heroes” bad guy, and “Wolverine,” because I can’t get enough of the X-Men.
I think my inner geek is showing.
Public Enemies is probably my most anticipated. Then Transformers 2. I thought the first was popcorn fun at its finest, hopefully Bay has some of that left – from the trailer, the new installment looks entirely too dire, but I hold hope.
Inglorious Bastards should be fun. Who doesn’t like eviscerating Nazis? Well, besides our President.
I thought “Transformers” was near perfect popcorn entertainment … for about 60 minutes. The film fell apart after that. Big time. I fear what the sequel will bring.
As for “Public Enemies” – great cast, but I think director Mann is highly overrated.
Mann is overrated?! You cut me DEEP. Tarantino has become overrated. I do not have high hopes for “Basterds,” even with the nearly always-reliable WWII Germans-as-villains framework.
Bale v. rarely is in uninteresting films, but this 25 – year Apocalypse that is the “The Terminator” series may be more popcorn than thoughtful, unlike “T2″ and the original. I was mixed on the previews – some technical flaws that should not have been in the film.
OTOH, I want to see Ozymandias and Batman take down Jack Sparrow and Edith Piaf, so I vote for “Public Enemies.”
Hard to get in a good comedy in the Summer Blockbuster rush, but I’ll second “Bruno.”
I’ll second also “Wolverine,” b/c of Jackman’s direct involvement behind the scenes (Arad otherwise can misfire severely – Punisher – even among the success of the smart “Iron Man”); and “Star Trek,” b/c Abrams is back in his element: fast-paced human stories amidst action-feature set pieces (you KNOW the only real reason to put a Star Trek story on the big screen is to blow up the Enterprise, somehow) with familiar touchstones. Monster movies just are not his thing.
~ Dagnabbitt
Sorry, I bought into Transformers from start to finish. Didn’t even mind all the buzz-cut editing. And I was most certainly not a fan of the cartoon series (though my son was, which he’s still willing to admit). So Revenge of the Fallen is high on my list.
I dread Trek, though I’ll be there for the midnight showing on opening day (along with the aforementioned son). Why the dread? Because it absolutely trashes my favorite childhood hero, James T. Kirk. I don’t quite understand taking an established franchise with an established mythology and doing a hatchet job on it. The story, from what I can see in the trailers, looks exciting all on its own, but turning Kirk into a bitch monkey is unforgivable. Would have been best if Abrams could have done this as an original film and left Trek — and my heroes — alone.
Bob – it’s all about the name. Star Trek is a brand … and a brand name is what Hollywood marketers demand. Even if today’s kids wouldn’t know a Tribble if they stepped on one.
It’s sad, but true, and I agree with everything you wrote …
The best Star Trek movie ever made is still “Free Enterprise”…after “The Wrath of Khan” of course.
ctoto: You were right for the first 60 minutes. It fell apart once the robots became the star of the story, due to the clunky and overly long comedy routine in the backyard and the customary McGuffin/deus ex machina and the rest, but I still enjoyed it enough.
I still don’t get the Borat/Bruno thing.