It’s my favorite time in the movie year. Like a baseball fan on March 30, when your team still is undefeated and might win the pennant this year, I look forward to annual predictions of each summer’s hits and misses on the silver screen. While some will rise from the smallest niches and take their place by surprise, most summer movies seem to be birthed from a collaboration of A-listers or top-notch stories that we’ve read over the last few years of New York Times bestsellers. Sprinkle in a few remakes and sequels, and you’re bound to find something to entertain you and keep you cool this summer.
So just for kicks, I’ve made it my business to have my own list for the last few years, and settled on a “dirty dozen” for your perusal, consideration and, hopefully, argument. So, consider the list and then chime in with how I’ve gotten it all right (hardly) or dreadfully wrong (strong possibility!) You’ll have to excuse me, but action figure stardom (G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra), random science fiction (District 9) and remakes of Defiance (Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds) need not apply.
12. Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife (August 14) seems to have the right amount of tension to make a decent flick. It’s like The Fountain (Hugh Jackman appears later on this list) except this time a time traveler doesn’t stay put with the woman who loves him but instead bounces all over the timeline. Once again, we’ll be challenged to chase true love or love the one you’re with, this time with Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana.
11. The Taking of Pelham 123 (June 12!) stars Denzel Washington as a subway worker and John Travolta as the hostage-taking, ransom-making gunman in the remake of the 1970s movie of the same name. Star power and standoffs seem to have worked pretty well lately; both actors have been off the radar (for the most part) since 2006-07. The Falling Down-type breakdown and violence that follows provides the opportunity for heroes, but in a world-gone-crazy economically, it bears watching on screen how that tension often hurts more than it heals, no matter what the ransom is.
10. The Ugly Truth (July 24) beat out The Proposal (June 19) for the romantic comedy spot on my list (it’s the plot, not that Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler beat out Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds). Ugly Truth seems to have the Someone Like You-How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days bite to it, but the verdict might switch the two by the end of the summer. For the time being, I’ll take It folks Heigl and Butler as the winners in this winner take love battle on the set of a morning news show, with enough to entertain the men dragged to the theater by their wives/girlfriends.
9. Terminator: Salvation (May 21) pays homage to the movie trilogy and shows, but takes place in the future (like a prequel, only much much later.) Shining a light in the dark world where computers have taken over, this apocalyptic vision of the future has plenty of social commentary to spread around, not including Christian Bale’s Youtube-famous tirade. In his role as John Connor, Bale attempted to reboot a second franchise (Batman) and make believers out of a new generation of neophytes who know that idol worship of technology only abdicates our responsibility. Check out my review.
8. Funny People (July 31) has Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Leslie Mann working under the watchful eye of hitmaker Judd Apatow. This time, Sandler’s standup comedian is diagnosed with a terminal illness and finds himself leaning on the younger standup played by Rogen. Having laughed heartily with The 40 Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up, I’m interested to see what Apatow insight will come up with about dying with grace and humor.
7. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (May 22) follows the onetime hapless, now hopeful Stiller on into his next museum, where the exhibits come to life in hopes of romance, adventure, and “human” interaction. Surprisingly amazing, the first movie proved to spark the imagination of humans big and small (who knew museums not named “children” were quite so exciting) and with a romance-in-the-making with Amy Adams’ Amelia Earhart, Stiller’s guard-turned-extraordinaire provides both the laughs and more poignant moments. Check out our coverage here at HJ.
6. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (June 24) is the second sequel to make my list after its predecessor proved much more insightful (read: entertaining) than expected. If Shia LaBeouf can keep himself out of the negative national headlines, he stands to reap the rewards for quite a few years. While his Indiana Jones stint wasn’t nearly as satisfying, his interaction with the CGI-generated robots of this franchise proved to be the humanizing aspect that audience could get behind. Besides, from a faith perspective, how can you not dig that these Transformers are “more than meets the eye?”
5. Public Enemies (July 1) provides us with sheer starpower, and probably a fair amount of firepower, too. Johnny Depp’s weekend (okay, so he shares it with Will Smith regularly) finds his Dillinger on the run from Christian Bale’s second edition on the list, FBI agent Melvin Purvis. Robin Hood figures—those blessed with a fair amount of positive attributes but operating on the wrong side of the law—have always entranced us, and in this particular period, watching banks get robbed has ironic financial implications.
4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15) finds Daniel Radcliffe and Co. exploring the origins of Voldemort and experiencing first loves, while supposedly blundering through a funnier edition of the series. While the progression of the books always seemed dark, darker, darkest to me, watching the J.K. Rowling works played out on screen delights us, as we grow into our own sense of who we are, just like Harry.
3. Angels & Demons (May 15) was Dan Brown’s prequel to The DaVinci Code, but with a few switches, Ron Howard directs the film as a sequel, with Tom Hanks returning as an academic bent on solving the riddle. Up against the Illuminati, religion-hating scientist types, he joins with Vantage Point’s Ayelet Zurer to tackle the villains before more people die. While I appreciated the furor that the first film stirred up (hey, it led to good discussions!) I’ve always been a bigger fan of the more violent, action-packed prequel’s storyline. Read more about the film here at HJ.
2. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (May 1) might end up my number 1. In fact, it’s the movie that I most wanted to see this summer, but I think the last film on my list has more of an opportunity to challenge and provide insight on a new century, a new situation, and the economy of the world’s known and unknown today. But with Wolverine, besides Marvel finding a new cash cow, we see the reasons why Wolvie is who he is, and Hugh Jackman proves that another guy with acting chops can follow where Christian Bale has gone before. It’s a bit of a revenge flick, but it’s next in line for “how many superhero movies can prove to actually have plots, provide meaning and entertain a wide range of audiences” award. Butter up the popcorn, and bring on the plot. Other reviewers haven’t been so thrilled, but I liked it!
1. Star Trek (May 
stands to go where at least a few men have gone before, but with a reboot that hopes to work as well as the reworking of Batman, Superman, Transformers, etc. have. Starring Heroes’ Zachary Quinto as Spock (but guest starring Leonard Nimoy) and Chris Pine (Smokin’ Aces) as Captain James T. Kirk, and directed by Lost and Alias’ J.J. Abrams, the film doesn’t stop at providing a prequel to the original or any of its spinoffs, but starts with the Enterprise and crew and builds something new from there. With a ticked-off Romulan (Eric Bana—The Hulk, Munich) to deal with, the Enterprise and its heroes battle evil and each other, while exploring the outer reaches of space as well as the human condition. It has definitely set the bar for the remainder of the summer. Read more here!
Overall, blockbuster sci-fi types are leading all comers, 7-5. By the end of the summer, some of these will have fallen, their preseason hype unable to sustain the predictable hopes of a fan. Like the 0-10 Nationals, some teams don’t provide their fans with Opening Day joy. But a few of these are bound to be hits, and I’ve filled out my starting lineup.
Who’s up next?
June 10th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Having seen a few of these so far, my thoughts have changed..a little.
1. Star Trek (okay but easily knocked off by something later this summer.)
2. Angels & Demons (predictable…if you read the book)
3. Wolverine (good, but not great)
and falling to the bottom
12. Terminator: Salvation
I HOPE some of these other movies can rise to the top. Any takers? Harry Potter? Public Enemies? Please…!