Frankly, I wasn't very excited for any releases this summer. I usually have at least three or four high-profile blockbusters that seem marginally intriguing to me.
I wasn't even excited for the new Pixar film this year! I saw it anyway, of course, and it was terrible. I sometimes wonder if films are actually getting worse or if I'm simply becoming more fastidious. I rewatched Finding Nemo about a month ago, though, and I think the answer is that 2005 and 2006's new releases are just worse.
Weren't you surprised at how fundamentally uninteresting Superman Returns is?
Nick, you're getting old. In any case, "Superman Returns" was, indeed, fundamentally uninteresting, but I enjoyed the little bits that worked (and there are quite few of them, actually). If I were to give it a grade, I'd go for a B- (it really felt like a short time to me and was taken aback when I found out it's so long). The religious thing was off-putting and out of place, though. A serious turn off. What was Singer thinking?!?
Um... you're right though. Everything so far has been a disappointment (though Johnny Depp still is, you know, a god of acting).
Nick - When I was a teenager, I anticipated the summer movies just as much as the start of awards season. Things have changed since then, but I can at least depend on two or three releases that are surprisingly refreshing. This year, with the exception of District B13 (which doesn't count, because it's 2004 and not Hollywood), the output has been mediocre to out-right appalling.
I think everyone above the age of ten was disappointed (at some level) by Cars (what a clever title!). Just seeing from the trailers, it just didn't seem as creative or innovative as its Pixar predecessors.
Javier and Nick - As for Superman Returns, my problem was that the love triangle was simply dull and derivative. And having that as the main thrust of the film (while placing the Lex Luthor thread in the background) was a major mistake on part of the screenwriters. It just didn't click, and therefore the film lacked urgency, suspense.
And you're right Javier, the Christ savior allusions and the resurrection twist were just idiotic.
Well, I never really expect summer blockbusters to offer much that I'm interested in. So far the summer has only offered up one film I thought was legitimately good, and that was "Prairie Home Companion." I didn't even bother with "Superman"--I know better.
So did you finish "The Namesake"? What did you think? It's the lastest inclusion on my favorites list.
I'll have to wait for A Prairie Home Companion for video, unfortunately...
The Namesake was a blessing of a book at this point in my life, but I don't think it's at all in the league of The Interpreter of Maladies. Short fiction seems to be her forte; there were moments in the novel that seemed a little over-detailed.
Hmmm...I seemed to like it more than you did (maybe it didn't benefit you to read them back-to-back). I'll agree that she's probably better in the short story format, but I found very little to fault in her novel.
And if I could write like anyone, it'd still be her.
Superman Returns was, as Javi said, just uninteresting. I loved Posey but meh. I just didn't care. C+
I admit to loving Cars, is that wrong? I loved it's waxing nostalgia and thought the animation was the best I'd ever seen.
But, yeah, this year's crop of movies just hasn't been exciting. I still haven't seen the Pirates sequel!
I don't think it's that I don't like big blockbusters anymore (i do and I champion them when they are good) but all the big movies are just not as interesting as the smaller ones. This year most of my anticipated movies are smaller ones, or big-scale ones by directors I really like. I've also seen a bunch of Australian films this year and they're so much better than what they have been in the past!
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Frankly, I wasn't very excited for any releases this summer. I usually have at least three or four high-profile blockbusters that seem marginally intriguing to me.
I wasn't even excited for the new Pixar film this year! I saw it anyway, of course, and it was terrible. I sometimes wonder if films are actually getting worse or if I'm simply becoming more fastidious. I rewatched Finding Nemo about a month ago, though, and I think the answer is that 2005 and 2006's new releases are just worse.
Weren't you surprised at how fundamentally uninteresting Superman Returns is?
Nick, you're getting old. In any case, "Superman Returns" was, indeed, fundamentally uninteresting, but I enjoyed the little bits that worked (and there are quite few of them, actually). If I were to give it a grade, I'd go for a B- (it really felt like a short time to me and was taken aback when I found out it's so long). The religious thing was off-putting and out of place, though. A serious turn off. What was Singer thinking?!?
Um... you're right though. Everything so far has been a disappointment (though Johnny Depp still is, you know, a god of acting).
Nick - When I was a teenager, I anticipated the summer movies just as much as the start of awards season. Things have changed since then, but I can at least depend on two or three releases that are surprisingly refreshing. This year, with the exception of District B13 (which doesn't count, because it's 2004 and not Hollywood), the output has been mediocre to out-right appalling.
I think everyone above the age of ten was disappointed (at some level) by Cars (what a clever title!). Just seeing from the trailers, it just didn't seem as creative or innovative as its Pixar predecessors.
Javier and Nick - As for Superman Returns, my problem was that the love triangle was simply dull and derivative. And having that as the main thrust of the film (while placing the Lex Luthor thread in the background) was a major mistake on part of the screenwriters. It just didn't click, and therefore the film lacked urgency, suspense.
And you're right Javier, the Christ savior allusions and the resurrection twist were just idiotic.
The one I just saw isn't half bad - and you can give major credit to Philip Seymour Hoffman for that.
Well, I never really expect summer blockbusters to offer much that I'm interested in. So far the summer has only offered up one film I thought was legitimately good, and that was "Prairie Home Companion." I didn't even bother with "Superman"--I know better.
So did you finish "The Namesake"? What did you think? It's the lastest inclusion on my favorites list.
I'll have to wait for A Prairie Home Companion for video, unfortunately...
The Namesake was a blessing of a book at this point in my life, but I don't think it's at all in the league of The Interpreter of Maladies. Short fiction seems to be her forte; there were moments in the novel that seemed a little over-detailed.
Hmmm...I seemed to like it more than you did (maybe it didn't benefit you to read them back-to-back). I'll agree that she's probably better in the short story format, but I found very little to fault in her novel.
And if I could write like anyone, it'd still be her.
Superman Returns was, as Javi said, just uninteresting. I loved Posey but meh. I just didn't care. C+
I admit to loving Cars, is that wrong? I loved it's waxing nostalgia and thought the animation was the best I'd ever seen.
But, yeah, this year's crop of movies just hasn't been exciting. I still haven't seen the Pirates sequel!
I don't think it's that I don't like big blockbusters anymore (i do and I champion them when they are good) but all the big movies are just not as interesting as the smaller ones. This year most of my anticipated movies are smaller ones, or big-scale ones by directors I really like. I've also seen a bunch of Australian films this year and they're so much better than what they have been in the past!
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