This is part 2 of my 2011 summer movie preview. Click here to see part 1.
July looks like it will be 2011’s biggest box-office month by far. Whether the quality is there is a whole other story. The month kicks off with Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. The first two films in the series were just garbage, so there’s no reason to expect this one to be any better. That said, the 3D appears legit, so I’m slightly intrigued for that reason alone. But memories of the “Matrix of Leadership” pretty much wipe away any good will I’m willing to afford Michael Bay and company. I’ll be there, but super reluctantly.
Two early July releases I’m more interested in are Larry Crowne and Horrible Bosses. The former is Tom Hanks’ long-awaited return to the director’s chair (he hasn’t directed something since 1996). Frankly, the trailer underwhelmed me a little, but it’s refreshing to see a subdued adult comedy in the midst of so much loud noise and eye candy. Horrible Bosses is something I’m anticipated on concept alone. We haven’t seen a trailer yet, so it’s hard to say if the premise will be played out like I’m hoping (dark and very, very rated-R), but the thought of Jason Bateman and Jason Sudekis running around, plotting to kill their office superiors sounds like it could be a blast.
July 15 brings a little film called Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows—Part 2, and I’m thinking it might be the biggest film of the season. Finally, the end of the series is here, and fans (myself included) will likely pump up the numbers with repeat viewings, as after this, there won’t be anything new from the Harry Potter world ever again. Add to that the extra profits made by the 3D conversion, and you’re looking at a box office monster. The best news of all is that I’m thinking this film might actually earn all the money it makes. Deathly Hallows—Part 1 was one of the best films of the series, and the action-packed trailer for the second edition looks dynamite. Trying not to get my hopes up too high, but this is easily one of my most anticipated of the whole year.
Of all the year’s superhero movies, I think I’m most excited for Captain America. I have no real connection to the comic, but the whole period feel of it intrigues me, and trailer actually impressed me quite a bit. I love the choice of Hugo Weaving as the villain (and I think the Red Skull character looks really cool). The only thing that makes me a little hesitant is director Joe Johnston’s spotty track record (The Wolfman, anyone?), but I’m hoping the film works out and leaves us actually excited for next May’s The Avengers.
Another big July release I’m excited for is Cowboys and Aliens. Genre mashing is typically a bad idea (when was the last time you saw a great action-comedy?), but this is certainly something we’ve never seen before, and in the hands of director Jon Favreau, and with the likes of Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig attached, I’m really optimistic.
With so much coming out in July (besides the aforementioned films, we’ve got The Zookeeper, Winnie the Pooh, Friends with Benefits, and The Smurfs…all skips for me, unless I hear otherwise), August looks especially barren. The month opens with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which if nothing else, should be in the running for clunkiest title of the year. Though I do have a great respect for James Franco after 127 Hours, my favorite film of last year, I can’t imagine this being any good. I mean, does anyone really care how apes took over the world? Didn’t Tim Burton suck all the fun out of this franchise 10 years ago? And why in the world would you put a potential franchise in the hands of a totally unproven, inexperience director?
The only August wide release I’m really looking forward to is 30 Minutes or Less, the latest from Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer. It’s also Jesse Eisenberg’s follow-up to The Social Network, and looks like it might be Aziz Ansari’s coming out film. The trailer hit recently and looks hilarious, but I’m also thinking they held some of the more ribald humor. If so, this one will be terrific.
August schlock includes Conan the Barbarian, Final Destination 5, Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World, and Apollo 18. One film most others seem to be anticipating is Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, but that’s mostly because Guillermo del Toro is attached as a producer. I’d like to remind those folks that Steven freakin’ Spielberg produced Transformers 2.
There you have it. That’s the summer of 2011 in blockbusters. Part three (coming soon) will cover the season’s smaller releases, and I’ll offer my top 10 most anticipated films.
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