The Long Road

04/18/2003 Archived Entry: "Summer movies"

Summer is all about the big budget action movie and this year is no different. In fact, this summer is probably going to be one of the best ones for this kind of film. Forget about character driven dramas, you can watch those on TV on a weekday afternoon with your girlfriend and her pet cat (boyfriend and his pet dog if you're a girl); summer movies are the ones that are truly worth your hard earned $$. See 'em on the biggest screen you can find with a large enthusiastic crowd on opening night.

Here is a list of all the movies I'm looking forward to seeing and their release dates.

• Bulletproof Monk - April 16th - The 2nd comic book based movie of the year. Chow Yun Fat, James King and Stiffler do some Matrix-Style martial arts. Maybe they should have called this Bullet-Time Monk.
• X-Men 2 - May 2nd - With the introduction of the X-Men and their world out of the way, it's time for the filmakers to tell a REAL story. This time out, the X-Men team up with their arch-nemesis Magneto to fight against a force threatening all mutants. One of my top two movies for the summer. The other one being...
• Matrix Reloaded - May 15th - The Matrix showed that you could have an action movie with depth, plot and characterization as well as kick ass fight scenes; it forever changed the way action movie were made. Expect no less from the sequels. In the soon-to-be immortal words of Trinity: "Believe it".
• Finding Nemo - May 30th - Pixar's latest all CGI film. Between all these action movies, Finding Nemo will undoubtedly be hilarious to watch and beautiful to see.
• Hulk - June 07th - This movie is directed by Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) so we can expect a lot of very tender, human moments amidst all the incredible CG violence that will be unleashed by Bruce Banner's alter ego. HULK SMASH!
• Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle - June 27th - If this movie delivers on the sheer audacity shown in the trailer with the truck, helicopter, tank, bridge, and rocket launcher, then we're all going to be in for one fun ride.
• Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines - July 2nd - Honestly, this looks terrible. Looking like it won't contain any of the depth or impact of the first two, this movie has me interested solely based on the goodwill generated by its predecessors.
• Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas - July 2nd - The only traditionaly animated movie I know of this summer and the first of two pirate flicks. Expect this to live up to Dreamworks' high standards for its animated features.
• Pirates of the Caribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl - July 9th - Pirates. Slick effects. Gore Verbinski. Johnny Depp. Orlando Bloom. The sexiest tomboy beanpole on the planet. And perhaps the longest title for a movie you've ever seen.
• The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen - July 11th - The fifth (!) comic book based movie of the year. Adapted from the critically-acclaimed graphic novel written by Alan Moore, this movie unites some of the most famous characters from classic literature to fight against evil. Dorian Gray, Allan Quartermain, Dr.Jekyl/Mr.Hyde, The Invisible Man, Captain Nemo, Mina Harker, and Tom Sawyer are the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Now, if only they would stop insisting on referring to this movie by the incredibly dumb sounding acronym "LXG".
• Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life - July 25th - The first one was a big plot hole into which they threw some action scenes and Angelina Jolie's fake boobs. So why do I want to see the sequel? The fake boobs.
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico - Sept 12th - The third in a "Mexican Trilogy" that began with El Mariarchi and Desperado. Robert Rodriguez will give us some of the most stylish gunfights ever commited to film.
• Underworld - Sept 19th - Werewolves vs Vampires. Just the premise alone is enough to get my butt in the seat, throw in a Romeo and Juliet style plot with Kate Beckinsale as the vampire-in-tight-black-leather Juliet and I am so there. You should be too.
• Kill Bill - Oct 10th - Quentin Tarantino's 4th film. This movie features Uma Thurman as a badass martial artist with a big sword and wearing a Game of Death-style yellow jumpsuit. All of Tarantino's films have been amazing and this will be no exception. Kill Bill will set new heights for the American-movies-imitating-Hong Kong-movies genre.
• Matrix Revolutions - Nov 7th - See above.
• Timeline - Nov 26th - Based on Michael Crichton's novel. As per his M.O., we'll get a well-researched, realistic, and accurate look at midieval times
• The Last Samurai - Dec 5th - Continuing the age old trend of movies where white-guy-learns-and-excels-at-ancient-Asian-secrets-and-philosphies, Tom Cruise becomes "The Last Samurai". I'm a sucker for Tom Cruise action movies, this one included.
• The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King - Dec 17th - A fitting title and as good a way to end the year as any!

Ya, so I got a little carried away and included movies from beyond the summer. Sue me.

Replies: 7 comments

Summary of good movies:

X-Men Sequel
Matrix Sequel
Matrix Sequel
LOtR Sequel

Funny how all the good movies will be sequels - not a regular event.

Posted by Romer @ 04/18/2003 09:16 AM EST

Pirates of the Caribean
X2
Matrix Sequels
LoTR 3
Are the only movies you listed that i think will do really well, altho i have reservations about X2.
T3 i will watch because it's a terminator film. and that's about it =P

Posted by Anonymous @ 04/18/2003 03:36 PM EST

Nice post, I like the nice and brief description of each. There were a few you listed that I wasn't even aware of, but now their on my list for shure! :)

WB to Ottawa, slut!

-Dave

Posted by Dave @ 04/21/2003 02:22 PM EST

well, since i'm going to be in ottawa, i'll have to at least see SOME of those movie with you. and whoever else you bring along. remind me as they come up, cause i don't keep track of stuff like when movies are coming out.

Posted by shawnathan @ 04/22/2003 02:09 AM EST

OY.. I sense a lot of my summer money going towards movies... so bad!!!

Posted by Ting @ 04/23/2003 12:00 AM EST

I would like to know more about lord of the rings return of the king please

Posted by Sam Vantly @ 12/04/2003 07:47 PM EST

Hit the official site or ain't-it-cool.

Posted by Rayne @ 12/05/2003 05:12 AM EST