This is shaping up to be a VERY memorable Summer for Hollywood. The biggest season of the year for movies could dominate once again with its hotly-anticipated big-budget projects that will surely leave their marks on thousands of screens from May to August. But with the recent and massive success of director Gary Ross's film adaptation of The Hunger Games, one would easily think that the Summer movie season has already started. While that may not be the case, it's very close to its arrival.
Just like many Summer's before it, this one is gearing up to launch some films that audiences have been keenly waiting quite a long time to see, maybe for as long as a couple of years. Marvel Comics' Avengers squad will finally team up, the Batman will be unleashed for the conclusion to Christopher Nolan's blockbuster trilogy, Ridley Scott's mysterious prequel to his sci-fi classic Alien will bring viewers back to outer space, Spider-Man will go back to his origins, the Bourne Identity series will return with a new agent on the run and much more will be waiting for audiences at the multiplex.
The Avengers (May 4) The Summer begins with this superhero epic that has been in the making for the last few years. Every Marvel film from 2008's Iron Man to last Summer's Captain America: The First Avenger has contained a post-credits scene that brought the stories of each Avengers character closer together. In the film, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of S.H.I.E.L.D., brings the superhero team together, which includes Iron Man (Robert Downey, Jr.,), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), to save the world from the army of Thor's half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston).
The Dictator (May 11) One of today's most outrageous comedic actors, Sasha Baron Cohen, returns for another film focusing on his latest character, Admiral General Aladeen (possibly a play on the name "Aladdin?") as a Middle Eastern dictator who travels to New York City and becomes subjected to quite the culture shock. Also starring John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris and Megan Fox.
Battleship (May 18) Based on the popular children's game, the story revolves around a vicious group of aliens called "The Regents" that travels to Earth to build a power source in the ocean, while a naval fleet stationed in the Hawaiian Islands tries to fend them off. Starring Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna and Liam Neeson.
Men in Black 3 (May 25) After Agent J (Will Smith) learns that the fates of Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and the world are at stake, he must time-travel to 1969 and team up with the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) to stop an alien named Boris (Jemaine Clement) from assassinating K and changing the course of history.
Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1) In this reimagining of the Snow White legend, the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) learns that her stepdaughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart), could surpass her as becoming the "Fairest One of All," as well as the kingdom's true ruler. The queen then recruits a huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) to kill her. After he becomes Snow White's protector instead, he teaches her how to fight. Then, with the help of her dwarves and Prince William (Sam Claflin), the troop sets out to conquer the unjust ruling of the queen.
Prometheus (June 8) Director Ridley Scott has been keeping this project tightly under-wraps for a while. Although some teaser footage from the film has been released, it's still difficult to tell exactly what audiences will be receiving in this brooding prequel to Scott's 1979 sci-fi classic. In the late 21st century, a star map that contains imagery of Aztec, Mesopotamian and Magdalenian societies is found. The crew of the spaceship Prometheus is soon sent to follow the map on a scientific exploration that could lead them to the origins of mankind. What they don't realize is that the advanced civilization they are exploring belongs to an alien race that could pose a threat to humanity. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron.
Rock of Ages (June 15) In director Adam Shankman's film version of the popular rock 'n' roll musical, the story follows waitress Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough) and busboy Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) as they eventually fall in love during the rock music era of the '80s. Also starring Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, Alec Baldwin, Bryan Cranston and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (June 22) Based on the 2010 novel, this story follows our nation's 16th president as he ventures to kill vampires to avenge his mother's death by the supernatural beings. Starring Benjamin Walker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rufus Sewell and Jimmi Simpson.
Brave (June 22) In Pixar's 13th film, Princess Merida of Scotland sets out to make her own path in life, and therefore, defies a custom that brings disorder to her kingdom. When she's granted one wish, Merida must use her courage and archery skills to reverse a terrible curse. Starring the voice talents of Kelly Macdonald, Julie Walters, Billy Connelly and Emma Thompson.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (June 29) In this sequel to the 2009 action film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, the team of Joes plan to fight back against the Cobra spy, Zartan, after he has many of the Joes killed, and must save the world as it comes under the threat of being destroyed by warheads, which are at the disposal of the Cobra Commander. Starring Channing Tatum, Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis and Adrianne Palicki.
The Amazing Spider-Man (July 3) In director Marc Webb's reboot of the Spider-Man franchise, Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) spends his days trying to unravel the secrecy of his past and get his high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone), to notice him. After Peter finds a briefcase belonging to his father, it leads him to his father's former work partner, Dr. Connors (Rhys Ifans). What Peter discovers will shape his fate into becoming Spider-Man and will bring him in a battle against Dr. Connors's villainous alter ego, the Lizard. Also starring Martin Sheen, Sally Field and Denis Leary.
The Dark Knight Rises (July 20) In Christopher Nolan's conclusion to his colossal Batman trilogy, the story begins with the Caped Crusader (Christian Bale) who is on the run after being accused of District Attorney Harvey Dent's death from the end of the previous film. Eight years later, he makes his return to Gotham City, where he must foil Selina Kyle's/Catwoman's (Anne Hathaway) and Bane's (Tom Hardy) plans to take down the city. Also starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard.
The Bourne Legacy (August 3) As the Bourne Identity series resumes after 2007's The Bourne Ultimatum, this installment deals with a new group of characters that must deal with the consequences of Jason Bourne's actions. Starring Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Joan Allen, David Strathairn and Albert Finney.
Total Recall (August 3) In this remake of the 1990 sci-fi film, the nation states of Euroamerica and New Shanghai fight for supremacy. Meanwhile, ordinary factory worker, Doug Quaid (Colin Farrell), soon begins to suspect that he's a spy, but he is unaware of which side he is fighting for. Also starring Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bill Nighy, Bryan Cranston and John Cho.
Don't let this list fool you. There are plenty of other films to see this Summer. This preview doesn't give any limitations. Far from it, actually. There will be big-screen journeys out there that will stimulate the interest of many moviegoing demographics. So when you have a day without anything on your to-do list, take a trip to a local theater, sit back and escape.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
The Works of Director Jason Reitman
Jason Reitman has an appealing flair for making films that touch upon serious issues, but with a comical twist. He has accomplished this in 2007’s Juno, 2009’s Up in the Air and most recently in Young Adult. These films allow viewers to share a few laughs while also putting some serious thought in the overall message of the story. Think of him as a provider of “the best of both worlds.”
Juno could be placed in either comedy or drama category. The film’s comedic factors derive from the titular character’s smart alec, teenage mannerisms and hip, snappy dialogue, brought to us by the always reliably clever and funny Diablo Cody. The script’s highly memorable lines also come at us from Juno’s inappropriate best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) and her strict but loving parents, played by Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons.
The dramatic side of the film has to do with Juno’s pregnancy. Throughout the film, we are thinking if she will decide to keep her baby for herself and raise it with her boyfriend (Michael Cera), or give it up to adoptive parents (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) so she could live a normal life. Juno desperately wants to fit in at school, but can’t when her life takes a left turn that could make her a social pariah.
Compared to dreadful MTV reality shows, such as 16 and Pregnant, the characters and situations in Juno come closer to real life, especially since the filmmaker doesn’t try to sensationalize Juno’s predicament like MTV does with its teen-pregnancy show. Diablo Cody’s story is simple in its telling of a difficult subject.
Up in the Air could be labeled as Reitman’s film that is a true drama. It was released about a year after the beginning of the recession. The script was co-written by the director and Sheldon Turner, which was based on the 2001 novel of the same name. The two still manage to put a humorous twist on the matter at large, but it still keeps the story in a serious perspective.
The film stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer from the Career Transitions Corporation who flies around to different companies to fire people because their bosses are apprehensive to do so. He is told to mentor a new college graduate named Natalie Keener (played by a spunky Anna Kendrick), and bring her along on his travels to show her the ropes. Clooney and Kendrick carry much of the film’s lightheartedness with their witty interplay of how each of them thinks the job should be done, with old views versus new views. He also gets involved in a relationship with a fellow traveler named Alex (Vera Farmiga). Their time together is spent with late-night trysts in their hotel rooms, followed by whipping out their laptops to see when their flight paths will cross again.
The film’s most heartrending moments come at the beginning as Ryan fires a succession of people, with a few more firings placed throughout the rest of the movie. Except for a couple of fired individuals played by well-known actors, such as J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis, most of them were extras who were fired from their jobs fairly recently prior to the film’s release. Reitman asked them to either respond to their firing as they did when they were fired in real life, or as they wished they had responded. Judging by what you see in the film, many of the extras responded in the way that truly expressed their feelings. Despite Up in the Air’s humorous undertone, this opening sequence grounds the film in a setting that’s very real to what we’re going through now.
Reitman’s latest film, Young Adult, is much like Juno in its more prominent blend of dramatic and comedic elements. The story follows Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who is a washed-up writer of young-adult novels. She gets invited back to her hometown to attend a party for her high school boyfriend’s (Patrick Wilson) and his wife’s (Elizabeth Reaser) newborn baby. While on her visit, Mavis intends to win back her old flame at all costs.
During the film, Mavis is seen as a cold, amusing portrait of someone who refuses to grow up. Although we laugh at her one-liners, we can’t help but have an unsympathetic view of her as she goes through pathetic attempts to win back her past boyfriend. She’s almost impossible to like or feel sorry for, which is fine, because that’s how screenwriter Diablo Cody wanted us to view her. It isn’t until the party that Mavis makes the reasons behind her behavior known, and our feelings for her immediately get switched to the other side of the coin as she makes this devastating confession. Her tirade is prompted by spilt red wine on her shirt, resembling a splotch of blood as she opens up this emotional wound.
Jason Reitman has recently become one of my favorite directors for his skill in mixing the funny and the serious. His depiction of real life issues has done an admirable job with strengthening the comedy-drama genre of film. Reitman’s films have come close to resembling what life is about, with all of its ups and downs, laughs and tears.
Juno could be placed in either comedy or drama category. The film’s comedic factors derive from the titular character’s smart alec, teenage mannerisms and hip, snappy dialogue, brought to us by the always reliably clever and funny Diablo Cody. The script’s highly memorable lines also come at us from Juno’s inappropriate best friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby) and her strict but loving parents, played by Allison Janney and J.K. Simmons.
The dramatic side of the film has to do with Juno’s pregnancy. Throughout the film, we are thinking if she will decide to keep her baby for herself and raise it with her boyfriend (Michael Cera), or give it up to adoptive parents (Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman) so she could live a normal life. Juno desperately wants to fit in at school, but can’t when her life takes a left turn that could make her a social pariah.
Compared to dreadful MTV reality shows, such as 16 and Pregnant, the characters and situations in Juno come closer to real life, especially since the filmmaker doesn’t try to sensationalize Juno’s predicament like MTV does with its teen-pregnancy show. Diablo Cody’s story is simple in its telling of a difficult subject.
Up in the Air could be labeled as Reitman’s film that is a true drama. It was released about a year after the beginning of the recession. The script was co-written by the director and Sheldon Turner, which was based on the 2001 novel of the same name. The two still manage to put a humorous twist on the matter at large, but it still keeps the story in a serious perspective.
The film stars George Clooney as Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer from the Career Transitions Corporation who flies around to different companies to fire people because their bosses are apprehensive to do so. He is told to mentor a new college graduate named Natalie Keener (played by a spunky Anna Kendrick), and bring her along on his travels to show her the ropes. Clooney and Kendrick carry much of the film’s lightheartedness with their witty interplay of how each of them thinks the job should be done, with old views versus new views. He also gets involved in a relationship with a fellow traveler named Alex (Vera Farmiga). Their time together is spent with late-night trysts in their hotel rooms, followed by whipping out their laptops to see when their flight paths will cross again.
The film’s most heartrending moments come at the beginning as Ryan fires a succession of people, with a few more firings placed throughout the rest of the movie. Except for a couple of fired individuals played by well-known actors, such as J.K. Simmons and Zach Galifianakis, most of them were extras who were fired from their jobs fairly recently prior to the film’s release. Reitman asked them to either respond to their firing as they did when they were fired in real life, or as they wished they had responded. Judging by what you see in the film, many of the extras responded in the way that truly expressed their feelings. Despite Up in the Air’s humorous undertone, this opening sequence grounds the film in a setting that’s very real to what we’re going through now.
Reitman’s latest film, Young Adult, is much like Juno in its more prominent blend of dramatic and comedic elements. The story follows Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), who is a washed-up writer of young-adult novels. She gets invited back to her hometown to attend a party for her high school boyfriend’s (Patrick Wilson) and his wife’s (Elizabeth Reaser) newborn baby. While on her visit, Mavis intends to win back her old flame at all costs.
During the film, Mavis is seen as a cold, amusing portrait of someone who refuses to grow up. Although we laugh at her one-liners, we can’t help but have an unsympathetic view of her as she goes through pathetic attempts to win back her past boyfriend. She’s almost impossible to like or feel sorry for, which is fine, because that’s how screenwriter Diablo Cody wanted us to view her. It isn’t until the party that Mavis makes the reasons behind her behavior known, and our feelings for her immediately get switched to the other side of the coin as she makes this devastating confession. Her tirade is prompted by spilt red wine on her shirt, resembling a splotch of blood as she opens up this emotional wound.
Jason Reitman has recently become one of my favorite directors for his skill in mixing the funny and the serious. His depiction of real life issues has done an admirable job with strengthening the comedy-drama genre of film. Reitman’s films have come close to resembling what life is about, with all of its ups and downs, laughs and tears.
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