Most years the movie-going public seems to stay at home after the last big summer movie hits the silver screen. Whether that is due to a lack of hype for late-August or early-September releases, a lack of quality of these movies or simply we have reached our tipping point and can no longer take the high prices, big crowds and noxious combination of fake popcorn butter and fake nacho cheese.
Whatever the case may be, once the heat of summer begins to dwindle, so does our want to seek respite in the cool and refreshing environment of a dark movie theater. Of course, this year has been no different from all of those that came before it in regards to box office numbers. In fact, this year has seen one of the biggest and quickest drop-offs in terms of attendance, especially considering the huge commercial successes of movies like “The Hangover,” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” all of which set records in their own right and have taken in just under one billion dollars combined domestically.
However, after an August swoon and a slow start to this month, the last two weeks of September and the entire month of October seem to have a lot of potential in terms of the quality of movies being released, not necessarily the quantity of money they will make.
Granted, there are a few that will look to bring in copious amounts of cash in the six weeks before the holiday movie season begins with the releases around Halloween, but most understand that the box office numbers will continue to head south with the state of our economy. Wallets will be harder to open and purse strings will be tougher to loosen for these dozen movies.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs- September 18th
The movie with the best chance to ride the coattails of that summer-blockbuster feeling has to be “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.” Most of us are still getting back into the swing of things as school has started, vacations are over and because of this we are trying to hang on to that last glimpse of long days and warm weather.
“Cloudy” will ultimately benefit from those feelings as it provides at least one more chance to maintain that sweet summer vibe and enjoy the sun being up after 7 o’clock as we spend those hours in a darkened room surrounded by strangers we hope don’t talk to us.
Headlined more by the fact that it is a great children’s book other than it’s cast, we can see why this movie was pushed to a September release. While “UP” didn’t have any big names providing voices either, what it did have was the marketing and reputation of Pixar to back it up. “Cloudy” has the overlooked, but extremely funny Bill Hader, best known for his roles on SNL as well as one of the cops from “Superbad,” who needs and deserves more leading comedic roles. Inexplicably, however, he is teamed up with the annoying and unbearable Anna Faris (Scary Movie, The House Bunny), who was last seen in the worst movie of the year, “Observe and Report.”
Hopefully, this movie can survive on the merits and greatness of the book, which is probably one of the top three or five children’s books ever written. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is definitely a must-see if you enjoyed the book and even if you didn’t happen to read it, I guarantee you will be entertained by this on-screen adaptation.
The Informant!- September 18th
While everyone else is headed off to IMAX 3D theaters to see “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” most of the older audience will be moseying their way on over to the conventional screens to watch Steven Soderbergh’s foray into comedy starring Matt Damon, both of whom worked together on the “Ocean’s” trilogy.
Aside from the true story behind this movie, what makes this movie so intriguing is the cast and the roles they are playing. This is such a departure for Damon that it seems almost campy for him to be playing the role of a mustachioed, middle-aged, kind of dumb white business executive. Not that I am complaining, he looks as if he nailed the role, but it just seems odd to see the jump that Damon has made here.
You also have the Quantum Leaper, Scott Bakula, himself and “The Soup’s” and now “Community’s” Joel McHale playing FBI agents. They could be great in those roles, but I know that as I am watching the scenes with those two, I will keep expecting Al to pop in with his magical calculator talking about what Ziggy just said or waiting for the canned laughter from the crew every time McHale drops a one-liner.
With all of that said, I am so intrigued by how this movie will play out with the combination of the writing of Scott Burns (The Bourne Ultimatum), the directing of Soderbergh and the acting of Damon that I dub “The Informant!” a must-see.
Jennifer’s Body- September 18th
“How is the movie going to make any money?” you ask. Well, I would venture a guess and say that relying on the success of writer Diablo Cody’s last movie, the smash hit “Juno,” which gained a cult-like following, the success of this summer’s biggest hit “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” and promising young and old boys alike a glance at the bare breasts of Megan Fox is a fairly decent way to go about it. Just decent though and that is all that the box office numbers for this movie will show. Decent, but not good, probably still pretty bad and while Megan Fox is hot, I don’t need to pay $10.50 for what I saw on the Internet six months ago.
Looks like Diablo Cody is a one-hit wonder and it should be no wonder why no one goes to see this movie.
Capitalism: A Love Story- September 23rd
Michael Moore, who are helping? What are you helping or even hoping to accomplish? It seems that more than anything you are galvanizing the beliefs of the other side and making them more staunchly opposed to your ideas. Do I believe their needs to be more gun control in this country? Absolutely, yes. Should affordable, and by “affordable” I mean free, healthcare be available to all Americans? 100 percent, unequivocally, no doubt about it, yes. Are “Bowling for Columbine” or “Sicko” or any of your other movies responsible for these feelings? Nope.
Sorry to disappoint you Mike, but I don’t normally allow clever editing and bias push me one way or another, unless of course I am watching “The Daily Show,” and in that case I’ll do whatever Jon Stewart tells me to. He’s just so much more charming and smarter than you (Swoon).
My guess is that anyone who sees this movie is likely only to be pushed farther to the extreme side of their views than they are already. Moore’s movies have never been about bringing people together, but more about driving a stake between them, creating conflict, stirring things up and causing more arguments and friction and doing so unnecessarily. If you keep yourself informed, you already know the things he is complaining about and if you’re not than you probably don’t like or don’t agree with Michael Moore. Go see “Capitalism” if you must, but I would save yourself the trouble and just skip it.
Fame- September 25th
“I’m gonna last forever.” Well, maybe not me, but this article certainly seems to be moving in that direction.
Next up on the Hollywood assembly line of unoriginality that has been spitting our remakes and sequels and prequels of off that fast moving conveyor belt is “Fame,” an updated version of the movie from 1980. I was unaware that we needed an updated version, but somebody was paying attention and discovered that this world was woefully below the limit of teenage dancing movies. Three “High School Musical’s,” two (and soon to be three) “Step Up’s,” a “You Got Served” plus a “Stomp the Yard,” a “Roll Bounce” and a “Dirty Dancing” sequel finished off by a forgettable “How She Move” just are not nearly enough. Where am I supposed to get my fix when the nation is suffering through its worst dance movie drought ever?
Granted, I loved “Step Up 2 The Streets.” Not for the bad acting and terrible writing or the clichéd storylines, but for the dancing. It was extremely impressive and I see no reason why “Fame” cannot offer the same caliber. It is an old and played out story, but “Fame” would be decent watching on a cable movie channel or a rented DVD, just not in theaters.
Surrogates- September 25th
Bruce Willis is a busy man. After “Surrogates” is released at the end of September he has eight more movies due out in the next two years. It is too bad that he does not actually have a surrogate robot or two that can help lighten the load, but I am sure the man will persevere as he always does.
Willis has gone from John McClane to Hudson Hawk to John McClane to Harry Stamper to John McClane to Jimmy “The Tulip” Tudeski to John McClane. Obviously the guy has range. All kidding aside, I love Bruce Willis and nearly every movie he has ever done. The man is a living legend in the industry, an icon, and should be respected.
“Surrogates” looks like a fairly decent movie, but one that is better suited for a TBS or TNT viewing on a boring, lazy Saturday afternoon. Set in the future where no one leaves their house, but instead has robotic and ideal versions of themselves venture out into the world. Well, we’re probably not too far away from something along those lines happening, so if you would like to get an introduction into what life will be like in five to ten years, go watch “Back to the Future II”.
The Invention of Lying- October 2nd
What is more than likely to be the best movie out of this bunch, Ricky Gervais and his brilliant comedic mind delve into the possibility of a world where lying did not exist and only the truth is ever spoken.
A very simple idea, yet a very original concept and plot for a movie. Of course, something like this has to be done right and placing such a funny premise in the hands of the creator of “The Office” is obviously the best possible scenario.
Not only are we lucky enough to have Gervais behind the wheel, but we are also given a pretty damn good cast to go along with him. Honestly, where do you beginning naming the names on this list. “Lying” has Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, Rob Lowe, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Guest and probably one of the funniest stand-up comics, scratch that, men alive in Louis CK.
The only hesitancy I feel towards this movie is that it might rely to heavily upon the cast to make the movie, but with Gervais writing and directing that should not be a problem.
“The Invention of Lying” is without a doubt a must-see.
Zombieland- October 2nd
If you happen to be pitching a movie idea to Jesse Eisenberg or his agent, just make sure that the movie ends with the word “land,” although it is possible that a “world” or a “town” ending to the title would be acceptable as well.
After starring in “Adventureland,” which had the flare and flavor of “Juno” but only better, Eisenberg now takes on the undead other than those who just seem like they are. Along with Eisenberg, we are graced with the wonderful presence of Woody Harrelson, the always beautiful, but sometimes not picky enough, i.e “The House Bunny,” Emma Stone and “Little Miss Sunshine” herself Abigail Breslin. This foursome has to make up one the strangest quartets of zombie fighters ever assembled, but when life, death and “undeath” are on the line, we’ll take what we can get.
“Zombieland” looks to a prize-winning piece in the horror-comedy genre, taking its place along side the finest one of them all, “Shaun of the Dead,” which had the genius of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as its driving force. My only qualm with this movie, and it has nothing to do with the film itself seeing as how it looks like a hell of a ride that would make a fantastic video game, is the release date. You made it to October and that was close, but I think you wanted the end of the month, not the beginning.
Couples Retreat- October 9th
Vinnie Vaughn and Jonny Favreau back together again. Although not really, because it’s not as if “Couples Retreat” is a buddy comedy if you were to look at the cast. Again of movie with a big time list of actors is rolled out looking to make a splash in the box office bonanza. Along with Vaughn and Favreau, “Retreat” has the very funny Jason Bateman, the gorgeous Malin Akerman and Kristen Bell plus Ken Jeong, Kristin Davis and Jean Reno, not to be confused with former Attorney General Janet Reno.
Focusing on the problems of married life, “Retreat” brings four struggling couples down to a tropical island where one is happy to participate in the therapy sessions while the other three are forced to endure the rather unconventional means in which these “professionals” try to fix their marriages.
Any movie with Vaughn is gold and to bring the “Swingers” back together again with Favreau on board as a writer and actor as well, this movie should be hilarious. Directed by Peter Billingsley, aka Ralphie from “A Christmas Story,” “Couples Retreat” is bound to bring out those guttural laughs from deep, down below.
Law Abiding Citizen- October 16th
When I saw the trailer for this movie, I was really excited. I thought, “Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx? This should be a good one.” The action looked great the story seemed far fetched, but good enough for me to suspend belief and just enjoy a good shoot-‘em up, blow-‘em up and kill ‘em revenge inspired action flick.
However, after checking it out on IMDB I discovered that this movie is written by Kurt Wimmer, who is responsible for such bombs as “The Recruit” starring Colin Farrell and Al Pacino and “Street Kings” which had Keanu Reeves and Forrest Whitaker in the lead roles. Those are four pretty good names, but two very bad movies. It seems like Wimmer’s movies team up an Oscar-winner with an action star and “Citizen” is no different. Also, hurting this movie is the director F. Gary Gray, who was behind the cameras for “A Man Apart” with Vin Diesel, which also had a cool looking trailer for an appetizer, but the main course was just god awful.
Maybe Butler and Foxx can overcome the handicaps they have been given with Wimmer and Gray leading the way, but I highly doubt it.
Where the Wild Things Are- October 16th
Easily the movie I, along with many others, am most excited for is the big screen adaptation of one of the best-selling, finest written, most enjoyable and widely hailed children’s books of all-time, Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are.”
Directed by Spike Jonze, who is responsible for works not usually in this category, i.e the “Jackass” movies and a number of music videos and compilations, looks to have taken the cartoon and made it work wonderfully in live-action.
Now, along with Jonze, Sendak’s original work was adapted for the screen with the help of Dave Eggers who wrote the best-selling and highly revered “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius” in his late-twenties and recently wrote the indie flick “Away We Go” starring John Krazinski and Maya Rudolph. A fairly good duo, I would say.
Working in front of the cameras is another finely assembled cast of great actors including Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener, Lauren Ambrose, Chris Cooper, James Gandolfini, Catherine O’Hara and Forrest Whitaker. All of these people working together combined with the efforts of Jonze and Eggers plus the added benefit of Sendak’s material, something special was bound to happen. I just hope that it did, otherwise millions of people are going to be very disappointed and very angry.
Amelia- October 23rd
Hilary Swank is seeking another Academy Award because apparently she does not have enough friends named Oscar. In the upcoming biopic of the life and ultimately the mysterious disappearance and more likely death of Amelia Earhart, Swank is given the title role and puts her normal quality of work into and that quality is always top-notch.
Ewan McGregor and Richard Gere star along side Swank in this film, which will more than likely earn some consideration for a number of Oscar nominations due to the buzz already surrounding it.
I must say that I find the movie intriguing. Obviously I have a fairly good grasp on how it will end, but just like the recently released “Public Enemies” starring Johnny Depp, I want to know everything that led up to the unfortunate events of Miss Earhart. Of course, there is a good chance that we will see both Swank and Depp up for Best Actor/Actress nods for their performances when Oscar time rolls around.
All in all, the Fall looks like it should be set up for a few solid weeks of good movies, good performances and just decent revenues at ye ole box office.
