First I want to start by saying DAMN! It's hella expensive to go see a movie in the theater these days and to be honest the movies that have come out recently haven't really been all that alluring. To be quite honest it seems to me like the quality of cinema has degraded exponentially since the 80's and 90's. I say it like that because now that it is 2011, it seems like the only thing Holly wood wants to produce is either remakes of older movies OR live action representations of old cartoons like Yogi Bear and Transformers. What's next, He-man? I even saw a trailer recently that they are remaking Conan the Barbarian. Okay, I was and am an Arnold Schwarzenegger fan (although I DID laugh when I heard he wants to do yet ANOTHER Terminator movie as the star... and he's in his 60's now), but the new dude they got to play Conan looks like a weenie compared to Arnold. But seriously, NOTHING is sacred any longer. Some things just don't need a remake, let alone many more repeated box office failures. It seems like the other alternative is one of two things: the same recycled story told slightly different or its grotesquely gory since Americans are so desensitized to the violence as we are inundated with it in our media constantly.
So for THIS summer, once again, the popular movies are comic strip heroes and sequels. There are a very few that I think look semi-worthy to go see, but that leads me to another issue. Why should people go directly to the theater to see a film when, in this digital age, the turnaround from theater to video is so damn fast. I remember being a kid and having to wait between 6 months to a year for a title to come out for home video. Now it is more like a couple of months and often the movies are STILL in the theater when the video is released for home viewing. With the inception of Redbox and Netflix along with all the other streaming video sites on the internet added on to the downloading capability of the X-box and PS3... there almost seems to be no need for theaters any longer. I personally don't desire to spend $6 for a bucket of stale greasy popcorn or $5 for a watered down soda. The most promising movie concept in recent memory is the movie grill idea where you can go and get a beer and dinner with your movie. STILL it is highly pricey, but if you have a dinner date, it's like killing 2 birds with one stone, I suppose.
Okay, so onto the summer movies now.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strange Tides
my vote is to see in the theater. Johnny Depp is the best actor in Hollywood right now. He doesn't make too many bad movies (except for for Sweeny Todd)
Kung Fu Panda 2
I think I will for sure take the kids to see this one. The first one was hilarious.
Super 8 I think I will go see too
Some others that look decent are the follow up to the finale of Harry Potter, although I have to say how unrealistic the writing of these storys have been. No other high school in the world would be like that. I understand it is fiction, but they forgot the important plot points of drunken partys and underage sex... just saying...
Captain America might be okay, but will probably be a video rental. Same goes with X men, Cowboys & Aliens, the Hangover 2.
Now for the WORST lineup of the summer:
Mr. Poppers penguins with Jim Carrey
Green Lantern
Zookeepr
The Smurfs
Planet of the Apes
Fright Night
and last but not least Final Destination 5... as if that series needed another sequel
Overall I give this summers choices a C-
You guys make your own choices and spend wisely. It might be better to go to the cheaper $3 show or just wait to rent it in a couple months. Either way, my friends I will see you in the movies ;)
This is the Quiet Mouse.
Peace. Love. Respect. Truth.
