June Movies to See and Skip!

May was an interesting month.  Will Smith had his biggest flop of his career (not surprising) and The Incredibles, I mean Iron 3 soared at the box office (also not surprising).  Star Trek has done business on par with the sequel proving you can't bring in more people to that franchise. The film really hitting it big (along with Iron Man) is Fast & Furious 6, which has become this incredibly bankable franchise. 

Now You See Me is a surprise hit, as was The Great Gatsby !  Even on poor reviews Gatsby is up to 250 million worldwide, which is fantastic.  After, After Earth the biggest flop is The Hangover III which will barely make half of its domestic gross, although the overseas numbers will help.

From a creative perspective, most of the films were solid, but nothing out of this world.  Kings of Summer is great small film, and I have Before Midnight and Frances Ha still on my list of must sees.  Iron Man was decent, Star Trek beautifully shot, but I was not blown away by any of them.  I hate to say after looking, just briefly, at the June slate, there is not much hope there either.

June 7th 

The Internship

The Purge

Much Ado About Nothing 

The Internship pairs Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn together after their first succesful outing 8 year ago with Wedding Crashers (can't believe it was that long ago).  Crashers is funny, but has not aged as well for me (40 Year Old Virgin was released the same year).  I think this pairing looks a little bit more force, but they are both fun guys.  I am going to skip it.  You can go, but do so at your own risk!

The Purge starring Ethan Hawke looks like a great concept, but all concept and little execution.  People can do what they want (include kill) within 12 hours?  I am going to skip it, and maybe wait for DVD, or HBO.

Much Ado About Nothing What does one do after directing one of the biggest comic book films of all time?  Why direct a modern creation of a Shakespearean novel with some of your favorite actors.  I love Joss Whedon because he change it up, and this film adaptation looks great!  I will be seeing this, although I am not going to run out right away.

June 14th 

This is the End (June 12th)

Man of Steel

This is the End I saw it already, and you should see it too!  This is one of the funniest, scariest movies, and I loved every second of the inside jokes.  Even though I saw it I would pay to see it again!

Man of Steel sure spent a lot of money in promotion, they can't afford a failure here, and they will not have one.  Based on the good word of mouth, the trailer, the featurettes etc all online  I will absolutely be seeing this, even though I am not crazy about the man of steel himself (my least favorite super hero). 

June 21st 

World War Z

Monster's University 

The Bling Ring

World War Z looks boring for a zombie film.  I have heard a lot of complaints from people who read this book that Z looks nothing like they imagine, and Pitt is miscast, that's not a good sign if book fans are angry from the beginning.  The trailer has just never sold me.  I will be skipping this, and probably watching for free on flight at some point.

Monster's University looks different or that it has lost something from the original.  There was something about the first film which had character and heart this sequel looks like a cheap ploy to make money, although I think that's the bad taste of the 3-D re-release this past December.  I will not be joining Sully and the gang in college.

The Bling Ring got some mixed reviews from critics already citing same old same from Sofia Coppola, but less like able.  I am not sure a film about young girls who steal from celebrities is meant to be a warm and fuzzy film.  I am going to give this one a chance, Coppola has been hit or miss, but who doesn't like a good heist film?

June 28th 

The Heat

White House Down

I'm So Excited 

The Heat looks like it needs more fire.  Pardon the bad pun, but that's all I could think of.  Pairing McCarthy and Bullock with great comedy director Paul Feig seems like a sure fire hit, but just looks terrible like Identity Thief.  Reviews from screenings say this is just a mess and not funny.  I will be skipping this and never watching it just like Identity Thief (can we get Melissa McCarthy better stuff).

White House Down, yes another movie about an attack on the President and DC.  The theme of these movies is obviously a lack of faith in government, but they are not that smart.  While this film has Tatum and Foxx, it's sad to say it does not look as good as the other mediocre film with the same premise released earlier this year.  I will be skipping this assassination attempt.

I'm So Excited, comes from Pedro Almodovar, and this film promises to be in line with his earlier more campy comedies.  I loved Almodovar's darker work like Talk to Her and Volver, but I am excited to see him return to his lighter, and from the looks of the trailer, gayer roots.  I will be seeing this with my red cowboy boots on, thanks Ted!

This is the End is a Hilarious Tale of 'Real' Celebrities Dealing with the End of Days

This is the End (4 out of 5 Stars)

Directed by: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg

Written by: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (Pineapple Express)

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride

Imagine the world is coming to world coming to an end, and you are at a party at James Franco's new stylish pad, and go.  That is the basic premise to the the film This is the End (set to be released June 12).  Apocalyptic movies often have dark/ominous tones, but why not have some laughs as the world falls out from under your feet? Literally!

End starts as its centers around Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel two best friends from their Canada days playing themselves.  Everyone plays a version of them self in this movie, although Michael Cera's representation may be a bit exaggerated, and if not that's even funnier.  Jay is not an "L.A. guy" and is in town visiting Seth.  Seth and Jay end up going to a party at James Franco's house, insert a lot of amazing cameos from some of the funniest people working today, and you have one hell of a sequence.  After some pot and a need to get out of the party Jay drags Seth away from the fake Hollywood types only to have things go bat shit crazy.

I do not want to give any of the jokes from this film away, because they are far too funny.  Nor do I want to hype this movie the way people do with films like The Hangover or Bridesmaids, but its safe to say this may be the funniest film of the summer.  The cameos are endless, from Paul Rudd, Jason Segal, Kevin Hart, Mindy Kailing, Aziz Ansari, Emma Watson and many more.  There is one cameo towards the end which stole the show for me, but I will let you discover that masked man on your own.  

I think one of the best parts about this film is the clever way the script uses a version of reality to make fun of the situation, along with the actors and their true selves.  From the fact that Jonah Hill is a nice guy and now that he has an Oscar nomination he has to step up his game, or the gay jokes/rumors about James Franco, to the way the film pokes fun at films they have done like Seth Rogen in The Green Hornet.  Rogen knows his pals, and co-screenwriter (who has worked with all of these people before) knows how to stick the knife and jab with true comedic wit.  The script obviously has it flaws, the duo tend to sometimes let gags run on too long, and for those not in "the know" some of the gags may not make much sense.  Yet, the jokes were some of the funniest I have heard in a long time, especially anything that makes fun of Spider-Man 3.

This film is clever and a step ahead of both Superbad, and Pineapple Express (which came from the the same creative team.)  I have heard Seth Rogen talk about this project, and it was clearly something he was passionate about.  This film took a lot to get financed, and to find a production company, but when all was said and done the end result is something that will be remembered.  I like the direction from Rogen and Goldberg, they are taking comedy to a new level with this film.  While their previous collaborations have been funny, this film is both smart, and funny, which sets it apart from many films within its genre or type.  This is the End, is a not just a great comedy, but an laugh out loud enjoyable film.

Apocalypse Now? Film and Television's Obsession with the Apocalypse

Last night I saw the film Oblivion (review to come), and as I was sitting in the film I realized something, film and television have started to use the trope of the end of the world, more than ever before.  There have of course been numerous films about a post apocalyptic earth in both film and television ranging from The Planet of the Apes series (original 1968), to both versions of the television series Battlestar Gallactica (1978, 2004) to the Mad Max series (original 1979), 12 Monkeys (1995), The Road (2009), and so many more.  The end of world has always been on our mind, and whether its at the hand of apes, a cancer treatment drug, laziness, zombies, or aliens it appears to be on the mind of people more than ever.

NBC's Revolution may have been at the start of the most recent upswing.  The television series follows Earth as though the a big giant plug was pulled somewhere, and all the electronics we have come to rely upon have all but disappeared.  Like with most post-apocalyptic films or television series, a small group of tough as nails survivors battle against a group or people who will prevent the Earth from returning to its former glory.

Glory and empire status seem to be one of the trends which flow through these types of films.  As you you look at America specifically, America became a dominant power toppling the once great English empire in the Revolutionary War.

Martin Scorsese is quoted as saying "I love studying Ancient History and seeing how empires rise and fall, sowing the seeds of their own destruction."

Throughout time a cliche American phrase or quote has arisen "all great empires fall."  Which relates back to Scorsese's quote, and the recent trend within these apocalyptic films.  Film makers and television auteurs use these acts of destruction and rebirth to show the vulnerability and fragility within a people.

One of the few clever parts of the Oblivion screenplay is is the fact that Cruise's character picks up Thomas Babbington Macaulay's Lays of Ancient Rome, the passage specifically states:

“To every man upon this earth
Death cometh soon or late.
And how can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods?"

This quote relates beautifully to the the theme of Oblivion, but the book and the reference to the Roman Empire is what has started the inspiration for what I will refer to as the "end of days" films and television series.  As Scorsese stated studying the rise and fall of empires is fascinating, and many Americans believe the end is near or has essentially happened for America, so the jingoism is gone, and bring on the onslaught of films which not only show the end of one empire, but an end to everything.


Beyond this year's Oblivion and Revolution which started in the fall of 2012, there are numerous films about the "end of days" being released this year.  June kicks off with another film, entitled, After Earth which stars Will Smith, son Jaden, and directed by "I see dead people" M. Night Shyamalan.  Earth looks similar to Oblivion, in feel, but explores more of the father son dynamic as opposed to a love story in Oblivion.  World War Z looks more in the vein of I am Legend, and 28 Days Later.  Z follows the concept of a zombie like apocalypse, and a race for a cure to save the world.  Neil Blonkamp's August release Elysium is an apocalyptic world creating a division between the haves and have nots.

While Earth, Z, and Elysium follow the dramatics of an apocalyptic world, there are also numerous films which will explore the humorous side of the end of the Earth.  It's a Disaster is a comedy which follows two couples who are trying to escape a terrorist attack after brunch in New York City.  This is the End from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (release date June 12th) is another comedy much like It's a Disaster (unnamed at the moment, which sets a set of celebrities basically playing versions of themselves fighting an apocalyptic situation. Craig Robinson (The Office's Darryl) stars in This is the End, and has his own June Comedy "end of days" film entitle Rapture-Palooza, which is also a comedy.  Who knew the end of earth or society was as funny, but I am intrigued by this different take on the genre.

If you look at all films and television series recently there is one clear trend, the fear and fascination of our crumbling world.  Whether through the lens of laughter, tears, or an action packed sci-fi world, all of these films are trending at the moment the way in which vampires did the last few years.  Will we move on with the obsession, or is "this the end of world as we know it."