2010: The Summer of Discontent
To paraphrase Goodfellas: It's gonna be a good summer... in 2011. The lineup of movies currently scheduled for then is quite imposing. Deep breath: Super 8, Thor, Captain America, The Hangover 2, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Kung-Fu Panda 2, X-Men: First Class, Cars 2, The Green Lantern, Transformers 3, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows and Cowboys and Aliens. That's some lineup, right? And it makes you wonder: How come 2010 got the short straw?
Sure, 2011 isn't perfect -- imagine how gaseous Transformers 3 will be -- but at least the roster of sequels and big-budget actioners looks exciting from a risk aspect. Why mess with The Hangover by making a sequel? How will audiences react to what will undoubtedly be the over-hyped Super 8? How much money can Transformers 3 make? Does Marvel over-saturate the marketplace with all their comic book adaptations? Will Harry Potter shatter box office world records?
This year, though, apathy reigns. Does anyone actually care about The A-Team, The Last Airbender, The Karate Kid or Knight and Day? No, probably not. Even the power sequels -- Sex and the City 2 and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse -- don't feel like they'll break through beyond their given (and lucrative) demographics. It's all very cut and dry; the movies that are supposed to make their money will, most viewers will be unmoved and everyone will go home relatively unsatisfied.
In fact, the validity of summer of 2010 rests almost solely with Inception. If Christopher Nolan's twisty dream heist movie can deliver on its breathtaking trailer, everything could be fine. Even if the film is a complete disaster, at least it will be something. And that's more than you can say for Prince of Persia. Is it 2011 yet?
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Comments
Nothing really seems like a "must see" this summer, although I think "Salt" will do really well.
You read my mind, that it exactly what I was saying today!
After seeing the new INCEPTION trailer amongst all the sourcery/superhero films it is definately a standout for me. The concept for that film could extend to countless imaginative sequels!
I think I will be going to be spending most cinema trips on my own it seems this summer due to my girlfriend not liking the fantasy superhero flick? Shafted!! still working on it though!
This summer is full of them this year ( thought Ironman passes her test due to the charisma of RDJ)
Last summer was a dud too. The only movies I'm looking forward to this summer are Inception and Scott Pilgrim.
A lineup of movies is one thing; how many of them will be hits and great movies is another.
it is b/c of the writer's stike from back in the day, thank goodness james cameron had the foresight to finish Avatar's script 10 years in advance of that
I suppose I'll still go to the theatre to see Transformers 3 even though she won't be in it. Heh