Summer Movie List No. 2 - Iron Man

Got my tickets. Psyched...as...hell.

First off, I have a comic background that contains very little Iron Man. I know the basics, whispered in tents at camps when I was 9 years old - Tony Stark was a functioning alcoholic who built a suit and fights Mandarin. Over the years, the knowledge base grew, and Iron Man still seemed sort of second tier behind the Batmans and Supermans and Spider-Mans of the world. He was no Thor or Ant Man, but still, second tier.

So when the news came down that John Favreau was directing Iron Man it was time to reexamine how excited to get at the prospect of an Iron Man film. When they cast Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, it was time for the excitement to start. When the first trailer hit and it was balls out fantastic, it was time to officially start anticipating.

What's there to get excited about? Let's count 'em down.

-The cast. Downey Jr., Terrance Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow (in short skirts, that helps), and The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges as the villain. Knock me over with a feather, what a great freaking cast.
-John Favreau has a knack for a) getting a lot out of his FX budget and b) has a love/hate thing with CGI. When at all possible, he likes the practical over the digital and that shows through in his flicks. Early reports are that it's hard to tell what's CG and what's practical. Good. I'm sick to death of overzealous CGI.
-Iron Man is the first movie from Marvel Studios, and they're looking to set up cross overs. Very cool, IMO.
-A lot of super hero movies brood maybe a touch more than they should. As the clip above demonstrates, Iron Man's got a nice goofy streak in it, but it doesn't look like it sacrifices the serious side of things.
-Stay with me for a sec - I watch "My Name is Earl" and believe that Jaime Pressly, who plays Joy, is a bad to fine actress who has excelled because she's found her role. It looks like Robert Downey Jr. has found his role, and he can act circles around most of his generation. He looks like he rocks a whole lot.

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait.

Summer Movie List No. 3 - WALL * E

To say Pixar is brilliant is almost a cliche at this point. They've yet to have a true bomb, with the great "Cars" the closest thing - and it wasn't bad, just not up to snuff in terms of the rest of Pixar's classic library. An arguably unblemished track record of the best animation and storytelling of the generation is reason enough to look forward to whatever it is the wizards over there throw at us next.

But after last summer's "Ratatouille," which was the most deeply resonant for me emotionally, I'd look forward to Pixar's remake of Jesus Christ Superstar starring a group of dancing turds after what that group did with a story about a rat who can cook. Frankly, they understand beats and layers and art-gallery quality animation so well, I'm pretty sure they can do anything with anything.

So imagine my delight when they announced their next movie would be, by all accounts, a silent film. There's hardly a word in the trailer (and the words, let's face it, are reeeeealy cute), and the concept Pixar stripped of dialogue...very cool.

Quickly, yes, I know it's a cute robot movie, and yes I know the trailer is kind of full of cliches and yes, I know it's a "kids movie." My contention, as someone who's sat through several Pixar films literally dozens of times with my girls, is that they understand storytelling in a preternatural way and that talent transcends genre. I also would argue that all of Pixar's ruminations on the human condition (Toy Story is about innocence and impending death - really! -, Monsters Inc. is about sacrificing for family, Finding Nemo is about over protectiveness, Ratatouille and The Incredibles is about using your gifts unabashedly) have a kiddie hook, hell, they need a kiddie hook. Again, the folks who did "Ratatouille" could do Hamlet with cute robots and make it work.

Specifically, here's what gives me hope about this movie:

-If there's an environmental message, it does not look heavy handed, thank God. If nothing else, it will be fun to see robots use our garbage for shenanigans.
-The production design of the main character is great, but the color palate is particularly inventive. It's the second sci-fi movie this summer behind Speed Racer to employ really bright colors and I think the film will movie from sepia to bright choices.
-I have no idea what the movie is about. What movie this summer can you say that about?
-It's somewhat refreshing to not have to deal with big named voice talent. The further away I can get from Jerry Seinfeld voicing a bee, the better I'll be.
-Cute isn't necessarily bad all the time.

So I'm really looking forward to WALL * E (I don't know how to make that cute little dot in Blogger), and chances are I'll see it, and then see it again and again and again against my will. But it won't be. It's artistry, plain and simple, and I'll fight the crowds for a peak.

Summer Movie List No. 4 - The Incredible Hulk

First thing we need to get out of the way, and please, take this in the constructive spirit it is intended: If you're one of those people who bitch about the Incredible Hulk looking "fake," I submit that you're expectations are unrealistic. The day science actually invents a way to make a regular person 11 feet tall and bulging with more muscles than the Maine coastline, you will look at the monstrosity of science in front of you and go "phhht. FAKE!"

My point - there is no way to make a creature like The Hulk photo realistic. It simply goes against what our brain tells us. There were shots in Ang Lee's "Hulk" that looked amazing, and while the plot left something to be desired, the special effects were not as bad as many made them out to be.

Which brings us to Louis Latierr's "The Incredible Hulk" or should we call a spade a spade and say Edward Norton's "The Incredible Hulk." Norton apparently came on board and was given some latitude in the writing process, which he fully exercised. Now he's at odds, somewhat, with the studio if you believe the New York Times, over the final cut of the film.

I don't much care, honestly, because Edward Norton as Bruce Banner and Tim Freaking Roth as the Abomination is enough to get me in the door. Throw in a 20 minute mid-city smackdown of the pumped up super beasts, a plot line that doesn't involve an ending I can't explain and cameo by Iron Man and Nick Fury and dammit, I'm not just there, I'm excited.

Drop the hype for a second, and look at the preview. What do we have? It looks like the origin story has been scrapped (that's fine) in favor of a fade in on a desperate and brooding Bruce Banner. He doesn't want The Hulk, he's together with Betty (thank God we're off that subplot) and the government is trying to exploit him. The Abomination starts breaking stuff, and the Hulk, in a great scene from the Ultimates line in the comics, hulks out via dropping off a helicopter. Cue superhero destruction. w00t!

Norton is a great performer and a genuine talent, that much is relatively undisputed. My anticipation of this film comes from the fact that a) Norton isn't just involved but ingratiated, b) the director seems to know his action, c) the rest of the cast looks solid to great and d) they look to be going a little more mainstream with a creature that's themes are very mainstream. Not to dump on Ang Lee, but the Hulk isn't necessarily about daddy issues (although I see why you went the way you went), it's more about duality. This trailer is all about duality.

Call me sentimental, but it will also be nice to see The Hulk as a hero instead of fighting for his own inner peace. I like it when buildings and women holding babies are on the line.

Norton + action +big green guy = anticipation. Pretty simple.

Picture Monday - I Wasn't Planning On It

Three things I'll mention about this photo

1) I fully realize it means don't bump this crate when at the shipping yard, but it's still funny.

2) It's not easy to be driving, passing a truck and pull out your camera to take a picture, even though it's funny. I wouldn't recommend it.

3) I am aware I have the sensibilities of a 12-year-old boy. And it's still funny.

Summer Movie List No 5 - Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

I'm a firm believer that we, as a culture, should just throw Ron Perlman a couple hundred thousand dollars every couple of months just for being so damn cool. The Hellboy franchise only makes me want to increase that amount that I'd be happy to pay in the form of a mill levy or a couple bucks more on the renewal fee for licensing my car. The dude is just cool. The voice, the way he carries himself and the way he gives soul to every character be they covered in hair, gallons of Plasticine or the red skin of a misplaced demon - the dude rocks.

And a lot of other components of the "Hellboy" franchise rocks. Guillermo Del Toro Rocks. Doug Jones, the guy inside the Ape Sapien make-up rocks. David Hyde Pierce, the voice of AS, rocks. Whoever Del Toro's production designer is...damn he rocks. Everything about this production screams "competent, borderline fantastic," and the previews, interviews and production stills give every indication that "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army" will be a great time with ideas that reach a little higher than the subject matter. Just like the original "Hellboy."

A couple element of "Hellboy 2" that I'm very interested in:

-The romance between Hellboy and Liz was one of my favorite romances of that year. The six pack at the mental asylum, the following of Liz on the roof by Red, "You should be running," the ending (is it dusty in here?), it's all very well done and where it goes now that they're together should be a fascinating study. Also, it brings about dorky "but how do they..." questions that I really don't want an answer to.

-The first movie was a nice little creature feature, but after the success of "Pan's Labyrinth" and the upcoming journey into Middle Earth on the horizon, I wonder if GDT is going to go ape shit with the beasts. I wonder if Hellboy 2 will be the first honest-to-God creature feature since...I don't know, the original Men in Black. They seem to have the imagination, and the geek cred to make it happen.

-If there's a weak point to the original Hellboy, it's the villain. Here, the same guy who was the very decent villain in Del Toro's "Blade 2" (who's name I'm too lazy to look up) is the villain here and he looks to be full throttle evil. A hero is only as good as his villain.

-A superhero story is always better once you remove the origin, with very few exceptions. When you can get right to it, you can cram more in and the first movie crammed a lot in. This flick should be pretty crazy when all is said and done.

-Ron Perlman, Ron Perlman, Ron Perlman. Here's my $8.50.

Summer Movie List No. 6 - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

A friend of mine has a great theory that the "Indiana Jones" movies subscribe to the law of diminishing returns. No one in their right mind argues that "Raiders of the Lost Ark" is the pinnacle, one of the greatest adventure movies of all time, and the movie that solidified Harrison Ford as an icon, no matter how much he may loathe the title (and it really freaking seems like he does anymore). Then "Temple of Doom" which you can file under extremely interesting failure if you're a hater and brilliant departure if you don't, and "Last Crusade" which didn't really hurt anyone, but didn't dazzle them either, with a few exceptions.

So what do you expect from this one - brilliance or disaster? I have a feeling we're looking at both. They've done little to hide the fact that the movie's McGuffin (engine that drives the plot, like the Ark of the Covenant or the Holy Grail) is an alien artifact, nor have they hid the fact that there are countless "oh God I'm Old" jokes to be expected. To both, I say "Ug." If that's all there is, leave me out.

But that isn't all there is, obviously. Forget the fact that Steven Spielberg knows what he's doing, even if George Lucas somehow forgot how to infuse joy into a movie. Harrison Ford, in the brief previews, seems to be having a good time.

Hallelujah and it's about damned time.

If all that comes out of this movie is a charge from John Williams score and Harrison Ford turning in a performance where he seems to care about providing the audience with a sly, salty yet goodhearted hero, than the movie will be a success with me. You can throw all the aliens, Communists and Shia LeBoofs (yes, I know it's misspelled, but doesn't that seem like how it should be spelled to you?) at me you want, if Harrison's got a gleam in his eye, I'm a happy guy.

Now put Spielberg back into the picture. I happen to think the third act of his career probably isn't his strongest, but it's got to be his most interesting. What does a man who can make any movie he wants to do? He makes edgy sci-fi that takes chances so often they sometimes fall flat on their face, he makes personal stories about terrorism, he makes incredibly frothy comedy/adventure bio pics and he indulges, maybe too much, in high concept. And then he goes back to the well. What an interesting guy. I can't wait to see what he's so excited about.

Other reasons to get excited about this movie:

-Kate Blanchet may be dressed like Natasha from the Bullwinkle cartoons, but she has yet to turn in a truly bad performance.

-Ray Winstone. The guy is just great all around, see "Sexy Beast" and "The Proposition" among others.

-Karen Allen is back and looked like she hasn't aged a day.

-The afore mentioned John Williams.

It's enough to make you excited, provided you temper expectations and don't mind an ET reference or two. Hell, I might even forgive them as long as I get Harrison Ford back from the self imposed career hell he seems to be in.

To close, here's a little piece of brilliant:

Summer Movie List No. 7 - X-Files: I Want To Believe

If this summer has a theme, it's "movies we never thought we'd see." After an absence of almost a decade from the Silver Screen, the reality of a sequel to X-Files: Fight The Future seemed about as likely as the Smoking Man actually being dead. If you told me 15 months ago we'd be seeing an Indiana Jones sequel, another Hulk movie and an X-Files movie in one summer, I'd advise less prescription drugs and more attention to industry trends.

Yet, here's Mulder and here's Scully and on July 25th, here's the sequel. Wonders may never cease, and that's reason enough to look forward to the flick.

A couple other reasons - At it's prime, "The X-Files" was a fantastic show and since the last few seasons sucked kind of hard despite Robert Patrick's noble efforts, that fact can get lost in the shuffle. Truth is, the show was original, the show was full of charisma and the show had a mean streak that sometimes pushed the envelope of what you could show on TV. Look no further than The Fluke episode as proof...or Little Green Men...or the one with the red glowing eye beasts...or the episode aboard the Queen Mary...or, or, or.

The first movie, while not spectacular, was a solid piece of entertainment in my estimation, and I'm expecting nothing but solid from this flick. Call me crazy, but going in with middling expectations sometimes makes a good movie great. Also, call it a hunch, but I think David Duchovny is due. He abandoned Mulder out of boredom and I think he now realizes what a gem he had on his hands as an actor, and is ready to plow ahead full steam.

A nice, spooky, empty thrill type of movie that aspires for better things is just what the late summer sometimes orders. I think "X-Files" will fit that bill. And, Gillian Anderson continues to be hot.