The Rab Blog: Dave's Long-Winded, Movie-Oriented Blog

The Producer
February 3, 2010

This week I want to start by talking about a very important person working on my film with me: our producer, Nate Haney. We've known each other for many years. We went to high school together. So far he's been really great to work with. It's nice to have someone there to kind of help push you to the next step. If you don't have someone else there then you can often loose track of where you are and stop doing the work needed.

This past weekend we found another actor to join our cast and we had another rehearsal. The rehearsals are going great, but we're somewhat limited as to what we can do until we cast a few key roles.

You know, one of the main things I've noticed and felt during this rehearsal process is this: a lot of suggestions come my way seeing as I wrote it and am co-directing it. Often times it feels like people want to re-write every line...which sometimes, admittedly, I'd be all for re-writing every word at times, and more times than not, the suggestions are really good. Even when we talk about certain scenes and begin deciding how needed they are, or if they could be combined with something else to maximum effect. There have been a lot of changes to the script. So many in fact, I can only wonder how horrendous the first draft really was.

Switching Gears
January 25, 2010

Hello Blog, long time no see.

So, when we last left I believe I was talking about how Avatar was going to possibly be a flop...and I've pretty much been busy eating those words since the movie opened...I've gained a couple 'a pounds in fact.

I realized I was tired of writing about upcoming movies, or just released movies. Occasionally it's fun, but weekly got to be too much. But I didn't want to desert the blog, so I had to do some thinking.

Many of you probably don't know this, but I'm currently making a movie. I started the script about a year ago, spent six months creating and re-writing and going through the first step of the journey.

To make a long story short, I had spent my summer in L.A., hoping it would become my new home. In September I realized that wouldn't be the case. When preparing to move back home I questioned what I would do. I was finally done a draft of the script that I was happy with. I talked to some dear friends of mine and we began talking about making it. We knew how, we had some of the resources, and we were willing to dedicate the time.

My close friend Dane Volke is co-directing the feature with me. We met our first day of college and lived in the same suite every year. He's one of the hardest working and talented people I know. See, I knew I would need a co-director for this for a few reasons. First off, I'm the main actor (no way was I going to look for someone who I had to rely on for 95% of all the scenes! Have you ever tried to schedule anything with an actor?!? Impossible!!!!) Being in front of the camera will be a hinderance, and another thing is, I'm not all that great with the camera. I want to get better and plan to learn as much as I can during this journey, but right now I'm not good. Dane on the other hand has a hand so steady you'd swear it was a steadycam!

While there are many other involved in the production, I think I'll introduce another one each week. (Next week, we'll learn all about our producer!)

We just started the rehearsal process two weeks ago and so far I have to say, I'm incredibly impressed. I look forward to talking more about them at a later date, but I'm even more excited for everyone to see them in this movie. I'll be the first to say it, we've got a future A-list cast (by the way, we have other people in the cast instead of just myself, so if you were reading this and thought I was just tooting my own horn, that is not the case. In fact, I'm probably the worst actor in the cast!)

This week we may have our first big rehearsal with a good deal of everyone together and I couldn't be more excited. I eagerly anticipate updating you all each week on the journey our movie is following.

Yes.

Directors of 2010 and Beyond
December 8, 2009

Last week I talked about the five franchises to get most excited over for the upcoming decade. This week I'm going to talk about the five directors to keep an eye on over the upcoming years.

Directors

5. Chris Nolan - In 2000 Nolan came into the pop-culture zeitgeist with the thriller Memento. Since then, he had the biggest hit since Titanic with The Dark Knight. There's already a lot of buzz over his next film, Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Will he return for a third Batman movie though? Who knows (well, maybe Nolan knows, but no one else sure seems to have a clue). Wether he returns to Gotham or not, any project from him I'm sure will be greatly anticipated.

4. Sam Mendes - While not as young as some of the other people on this list, Mendes doesn't have a huge list of movies under his belt. In 1999 he won the Oscar for American Beauty. This decade has seen hits such as Road To Perdition, Jarhead, Revolutionary Road, and my favorite film of the year, Away We Go. Mendes focuses on smaller character driven drama's typically, so while his box office gross may not amount to much, his critical response does. By far one of the most talented directors out there, it should be very exciting to see what else he has in store for us.

3. Wes Anderson - Like Mendes, Anderson has been around since the late 90's. This decade only brought about four movies from the acclaimed director (Royal Tenenbaums, Life Aquatic, Darjeeling Limited and the Fantastic Mr. Fox). While still a relatively unknown director, he does have quite the cult following. It would be fantastic if his output went up over the next ten years because it's a true treasure to go see one of his films when they come out.

2. Neil Blomkamp - With just one movie under his belt, anyone who has seen District 9 can tell you that Blomkamp is a safe bet to place your money on. District 9 reminded us why Sci-Fi works and what makes it great. While somewhat up in the air what Blomkamp will tackle next, some rumors suggest it could be a sequel to District 9, while others speculate he'll be given the reigns of the Halo movie franchise, which he was supposed to be his debut feature. I'm sure another ten years from now Blomkamp will have a few hits under his belt with many more to come.

1. J.J. Abrams - To boldly go where no man has gone before. While Mission Impossible 3 wasn't exactly my cup of tea, it's hard to deny Abrams popularity is on the rise now more than ever after the smash hit Star Trek. While plans can change, one would expect at least two more Trek films from him in the upcoming decade. I'm sure Trek won't be the only thing on his plate, seeing as his name is attached to quite a few projects as a producer. Wether it's in television or the theaters, I'm sure Abrams will continue to lead us into the final frontier.

Franchises of 2010
December 3, 2009

With the decade coming to a close in a month, I thought I would take this month to talk about what's come before and what's ahead of us. This week I'm going to talk about the five franchises I'm most anticipating over the next decade, as well as five filmmakers to keep an eye on as well.

Franchises

5. Captain America - I wanted to place this higher on the list, but truth be told, no one knows much about it. Joe Johnston will be directing the picture, and like Iron Man, it will be made completely in house by Marvel Studios. Slated for a 2011 release (yet oddly enough, not currently for either the Memorial Day weekend OR the 4th of July weekend.) From all indications so far, this first movie will take place during World War II, and tell the origin of Captain America. Many comic fans could pretty much tell you how this movie will end, setting up further sequels and the like. No one has been cast yet in the title role of Cap, but there have been many rumors circulating over the past year that have been as outrageous as Will Smith, and as awesome as Chris Pine. Whoever does wield the shield will have high expectations to hit as many comic fans are anticipating this adaptation more than most.

4. Thor - Typically I'm a bigger Captain America fan than Thor fan. Know more about Cap than Thor, but it would be hard to look someone in the eye and tell them that the Thor movie doesn't sound absolutely fantastic. Kenneth Branagh is directing and Chris Hemsworth will be playing Thor. For those who have no idea who Hemsworth is, you may recognize him as Kirk's dad in the opening scene of the new Star Trek movie. That's all I've seen him in, but it was enough to convince me that he has the potential to be an awesome Thor. Other members of the cast include Anthony Hopkins as Thor's father, Odin, Tom Hiddleston as the villainous Loki, and Natalie Portman as the possible love interest Jane Foster. While many have come to expect capes and masks when going to see a comic book movie, Thor should be unlike any of that and more in the vein of Lord of the Rings. As soon as that first production still of Thor hits the internet I'm sure more will be jumping on the bandwagon. Currently slated for summer 2011.

3. Iron Man - Everyone loved the first Iron Man movie. Everyone. In fact, if I met someone who didn't love it then I would probably suspect them of being a terrorist, or having strong ties to the terrorists. The teaser poster was just released for the sequel, slated for May 7th 2010, and we just got our first tease at War Machine, who will be played by Don Cheadle in this movie. Jon Favreau is returning to direct (and probably cameo) as are star Robert Downey jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. Also joining the cast this time around will be Mickey Rourke as the villain Whiplash, Sam Rockwell as Justin Hammer, and Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. Anyone who got a glimpse at the footage from this summers comic con will tell you how impressive everything looked, and hearing Favreau and cast about coming back for a third sounds promising. Will this be the first superhero franchise to have a successful third movie? Possibly.

2. Green Lantern - I'm a little biased with this one because I'm a pretty big Green Lantern nerd. First off, it's being written by Marc Guggenheim, Michael Green and Greg Berlanti. Over the past few years Guggenheim has been part of the team of writers currently writing the Amazing Spider-Man comic, and his issues have been great. He's done a good deal of other comic work as well and has also worked on shows like Law and Order and Flashforward. Green has also done comic work and has also been a part of the Heroes writing staff (okay, not entirely sure if that's a good thing...) Directing the film is Martin Campbell, the director of both Goldeneye and Casino Royale. Playing hotshot pilot Hal Jordan (AKA Green Lantern) will be Ryan Reynolds. While this casting came as some of a surprise to fans many do have faith they Reynolds can pull the character off. If the current comic line is any indication of where this franchise could go a few movies down the line we could be looking at one of the all time great cinema blockbuster sagas. While the rest of the cast has yet to be announced rumors have been circulating, and, if they want to hit their May 2011 release date, filming will more than likely begin within a couple of months.

1. The Avengers - This feels a bit like cheating. For those who don't know, the Avengers mainly consists of three character; Captain America, Iron Man and Thor. Assuming Cap, Thor and Iron Man 2 are good, how could one not be excited for this? In fact, it won't just have the major three. Rumors have begun circulating about what other members may join the team when time to assemble. It sounds like Cheadle could be in as War Machine, Johansson as Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson as the leader, Nick Fury, and recent rumors have begun circulating that Hawkeye will even be in the film. If this sounds like overload...then you could be right but unlike any other movie we'll already have had movies introducing us to each of these characters. Currently on tap for a 2012 release, this could be the biggest film of the decade (or one of its sequels)...or it could be one of the biggest flops of the decade. A director hasn't been announced just yet, but if I had to guess I would expect to hear an announcement about that sometime within the next year. Whoever does get it will have to be a pretty competent director, seeing as multiple franchises hang in the balance of this film.

Next week I'll be back about five filmmakers to look out for over the next decade.

Curb Your Enthusiasm Yada Yada Yada
November 25, 2009

This Sunday saw the seventh season finale of the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. There was a lot of hype coming into this season as the plot revolved around star Larry David, reuniting with the cast of Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards) to put on a reunion show. It's been 11 years since the show ended, and many still consider the series to be one of the all time greats.

The season started off pretty well. While mostly set up in the first two episodes, they still provided a good amount of laughs. It wasn't until the third episode when the cast of Seinfeld would reunite for the first of three episodes (some cast members were in more episodes than others). Seeing the cast together again was great, and to see them interact with Larry David was even better.

As great as it was having Jerry, Jason, Julia and Michael on the show, it also worked against it. The episodes in which they weren't in never had the same level of anticipation and hype. It was probably a smart move not to overuse them. If an episode even had one of them in it, Jerry was in a total of five episodes, it gave the show a bit more life.

Seeing Larry opposite Seinfeld was hilarious and everything you'd thought it to be. If there were a way they could do more work opposite each other on screen it would be a delight, but I can't imagine that really ever coming about.

Both Louise-Dreyfus and Alexander had been on the show in past season. Alexander and Larry have a great rivalry-like relationship played throughout the final episodes. Dreyfus, while good, may be the cast member who had the least memorable role. She was in four episodes, but none of her plotlines really stand out in retrospect.

Finally, we get to Michael Richards. Having been out of the spot light for about three years, after his racist rant at the Laugh Factory, we see Richards back...and he's back on a show that won't hold back. It's in the back of your mind if they'll address that throughout the season. Besides, when the season started, Larry was with a black woman (Vivica A Fox) and has a pretty good black friend now, Leon (J.B. Smoove). The issue is addressed, but not til towards the end of the season. I thought the situation was handled well and really a hilarious moment. It wasn't exactly what you would expect and the route they take it down is an interesting one.

The final two episodes of the season take place while they're putting on the Seinfeld Reunion show, and these are two of the best episodes that Curb has ever had. The second to last one, "The Table Read" was the true highlight of the season. It's a very awkward episode, but that's what makes it great. The finale itself, while not as funny, was still an exceptionally good episode. There were plenty of jokes to go around, but it also showed us a different side to Larry David than we've ever seen before. There were times in fact when the dialog felt like it was from a Woody Allen movie when things get a little serious. While never getting overly serious, it was interesting to see a deeper side to one of the most shallow characters on television.

But what about the Seinfeld Reunion show you ask? I think this is a brilliant idea of how to do this. Last night I looked back at the series finale of Seinfeld. I hadn't seen it in years but always remember being disappointed with it, but later on finding the idea of what happens in it funny. After re-watching it last night, I do have to say, I was quite disappointed. Maybe it was because something finally "happened" in the show about nothing. Every episode was just kind of a day in their lives, but this...this was much larger. It relied too much on trying to bring in everything that made the show good instead of really contributing one final bit of entertainment. It's all one linear plot, and for a show that always had up to four plots running, and would often find a way to tie them all in together at the end, it wasn't what you would have wanted. And at the end, sure they go to jail...but there wasn't really any true closure to the series. It just kinda...ends...

I'm happy to say that this finale they got things right. While not the funniest episode of the season, there are many plots and seeing it all come together is really amazing. When we actually get to see a couple of minutes of the reunion show, it looks just like you would imagine it to. The characters are all still there, as are the sets. We never get the full story of the reunion, but we get snippets and can piece things together. Some of it seems a little weird, while other bits of it seem completely natural, the great thing is, if you hate it then you don't have to accept it and if you love it then you can say it counts. It walks a very weird line, but in doing so creates the genius of it.

Twilight
November 18, 2009

The new Twilight movie is opening this week, and I gotta tell ya, as someone who adamantly follows movie and movie news. . . somehow . . . for the second year in a row, I have completely missed this craze, and, am once again confused by the popularity of it. Now, I know this movie isn't aimed for me, but I never even saw a preview of the first movie last year, and as for the sequel, I've seen the trailer twice, one of which I downloaded on the internet just because I wanted to see what the hoopla was about (and besides, we all look at dumb things on the internet).

How are these movies being marketed so I've completely missed them? Right now the ticket sales for this new movie are already on par with The Dark Knight and the Harry Potter movies. Huh? How exactly are these movies doing THIS well?!? I don't know any guys who've seen the movies or have any interest in seeing them, and taking that into consideration, shouldn't it only do half as well as a normal movie because no guy plans on seeing it?!?

If anyone can explain how this movie series has become such a phenomenon I would appreciate it. You can e-mail your Twilight analysis to dave@rabstudios.com and fill me in on what I'm missing.

The Rundown on Spider-Man 4...
November 11, 2009

Last night while browsing the internet I came across an interesting rumor about Spider-Man 4. Now, off the bat you should probably know that this movie won't be released until May 2011, but that means pre-production is going on right now, and they're expecting to begin shooting sometime around March. At this point there are A LOT of rumors out there, many of them more than likely false. But this rumor was reported on a few different sites and the thought of it got me very excited.

It's being reported that Sam Raimi is going to include the Black Cat in the upcoming movie, and could possibly be looking at Rachel McAdams for the role. Now, remember, until you actually see a picture of Rachel McAdams in costume on set, this should just be looked at as a rumor, but still an exciting one nonetheless. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Spider-Man comics, Black Cat is a cat burglar who often tries to win the affection of Spider-Man, similar in many ways to Catwoman of the Batman franchise.

Incorportating the Black Cat into the movies could be a fantastic move. Many fans have never been overly pleased with Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane, so adding a new love interest to the series could be a really helpful move. With Harry now out of the picture there's an open spot in the supporting cast, and to fill it with someone who can go out and fight crime with Spider-Man could really help rejuvinate the franchise.

Some of you are probably asking if Black Cat would then be the villain of the movie, or a sidekick to Spidey. The answer would probably be something along the lines of both. She'd be someone for Spider-Man to have one tussel with and have the occasional argument, but I can't see them making her the main heavey of the film. This is another aspect of the film that has created many rumors over the past few months as well. Fans of the series know that for two movies know we've seen the character of Dr. Curt Conners (Peter's professor), who eventually turns himself into the Lizard. A few weeks back in an interview with Bruce Campbell he mentioned that not only would he have a role in the upcoming film, but this time it will be a "significant" role, contrary to his previous cameos. Fans are already beginning to speculate if Campbell could be playing one of the villains of the movie. Many of the fans would tell you that he could make a perfect Mysterio, the master of illusion.

After Spider-Man 3 many people felt that Raimi had lost it. He had made his two good Spider-Man movies, but was now just another director making mediocre superhero films. This Summer Raimi went back to his roots and made the small horror film Drag Me To Hell. During the interviews for that movie many questions were asked about how he felt about the reaction to Spider-Man 3 and where he plans on bringing the series. If there's one thing I piced up when reading and watching those interviews with Raimi it was that he didn't seem completely satisfied with Spidey 3 whenever he mentioned it. He saw the criticisms and addressed them. I really began to get the feeling that he wasn't entirely happy with that movie, and didn't want to leave the stage with that as the final impression of his Spider-Man world.

Recently Raimi has said that when he returns to Spider-Man's world he wants to go back to the roots of the first and second movie; one villain. With all the different rumors about Lizards and Mysterio's and Black Cat's it's unknown exactly what kind of Spider-Man movie we'll be sitting down to see in a few more years, but so far people should feel confident. It seems the entire cast will be returning, which is shocking when you go back and hear them give interviews during the third movie's release. Perhaps they too know the third one didn't quite hit expectations and they don't want to end things there. Perhaps the cast and crew knows that they have this great power to make an excellent Spider-Man film, and therefore, it is their responsibility to make it as great as it can be.

Avatar...What's the Big Deal?
November 4, 2009

Last week a new trailer for James Cameron's Avatar hit theaters. Back in August the first teaser was released to little fanfare. Many found the teaser to be too much of a teaser and a disappointment. But, with the new preview, have views of the movie changed?

The biggest challenge that this movie will have to overcome is that this is Cameron's first movie since Titanic...and how do you top being king of the world? Ten years of expectations and buildup for this movie. Sure, Cameron has worked on other projects since Titanic, but none of them actual feature films.

Another challenge the movie will have to face is the hype Cameron has been building around the movie. He's been known to say that he's wanted to make this movie for quite some time, but the technology was never there. He's promised us that this will be a movie unlike anything we've ever seen before and that this will blow us away. While it's good to have a positive attitude about your movie and tell people it will deliver, there is also a thing called modesty.

Now, I'm not saying he is like this person I'm about to mention...but I feel it should be said...remember ten years ago when George Lucas was about to release Star Wars Episode I and he said that he could finally make these movies because the technology had caught up...and we thought he was going to change movies once again...I'm not saying that's going to happen again...but I can't help but notice the similarities.

All in all I think Avatar looks like it could be a good movie, but so far I haven't felt an immediate rush to go see the movie when it comes out. I know I'll see it, hopefully in IMAX, but compared to other blockbuster movies of the past few years, I can't say the level of enthusiasm quite matches. I'm sure the movie will be good and all, but right now I'm not sure if it can overshoot the expectations.

Last-Minute Halloween Costumes!
October 28, 2009

With it being a few days before Halloween some may still be in desperate need of a costume for the holiday. Well, here are some movie-themed ideas for you to go as:

A Jedi - While the Star Wars franchise may have seen better days, Jedi's are still quite well known throughout the world. They may be even more popular than ever. The fun part about being a Jedi is that you can choose an established character like Obi-Wan or you can make up your own Jedi. Just need to buy a robe, lightsaber and then anything else you think would work.

Your favorite superhero - Wolverine is a pretty easy choice because all his costume really consists of is a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. If you have wild hair just spike it outwards. Don't even worry about the claw, you're Logan, not Wolverine. Bruce Wayne is another easy choice, just put on a suit and double it over as Tony Stark too (but make sure to have a drink in hand to really make sure people know who you are).

Your favorite movie monster/villain - Now when I say monster, I mean people like Freddy and Jason...not the monster in Cloverfield...that would be a bit of a challenge. This can be a pretty easy option seeing as most of these people just wear a simple mask, much like Jason.

Character from a Woody Allen movie - This one's a pretty lame costume, but if you forget to get a costume, just claim you're some character from a Woody Allen movie. They all dress like normal people. You won't win any awards for best costume...nor will ANYONE give credit to it being a costume, but it's a worth a shot if in desperate need.

Borat - I'm guessing people are still dressing up as Borat for Halloween...and winning the award for most annoying costume at the halloween party.

Hope everyone enjoys their Halloween.

Toy Story to Infinity and Beyond!
October 23, 2009

Last night I was able to catch Pixar’s two week limited run TOY STORY double feature in 3-D. This was a night out I had been anticipating for quite some time. The first Toy Story movie was a huge movie for me when it came out in 1995. I was eight when it came out and I remember that Christmas getting a lot of toys that resembled the stars of the movie. I don’t think I’ll ever forget my Buzz Lightyear action figure. It was as big as the one in the movie was supposed to be and had all the functions the one in the movie had (except coming to life...that I know of...)

In 1999 when the follow up came out I remember thinking I may be too old to see it in theaters. I was now about 12 and just getting out of seeing cartoons. Truth be told, not entirely sure why I saw it, but I remember seeing it not just once, but twice in theaters. Now that Christmas I didn’t get any toys of the cast, but I did get the Playstation video game which I really enjoyed.

Ten years later and I still hold those films in a very high regard. If I had to choose a movie to win the title of best children’s movie of all time, I wouldn’t know if the first or second movie deserved it more. They’re both perfect and have become iconic classics over the years. Just this past summer I met my cousin son who just turned six, and low and behold, he was a huge Toy Story fan. Had stickers of Buzz Lightyear on his sunglasses and was even Woody a few years prior for Halloween (I was Buzz Lightyear the year after the first Toy Story and everyone thought I was an airplane....) I was happy to see that even though there hadn’t been a new Toy Story movie released about three years before my cousins son was born, it was still in the public eye.

A few years back it was announced that there would be a third Toy Story in summer of 2010, but before that, they would re-release the first two back into theaters, and convert them into the 3D format that seems to becoming more and more popular each year. So far I think we’ve really only seen this format with CGI animated films like, BOLT and UP. I haven’t had the opportunity to catch one of these in theaters yet, even though every time one comes out I say I will be seeing it, and it will be in 3D.

Seeing these movies last night was fantastic. I gotta say, it almost would have been better if I hadn’t remembered the movies so well because about ten seconds before every punch-line I would remember it and begin to prematurely chuckle. It didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the films, but when you know a movie really well you don’t get surprised by things as easily to add to the enjoyment. The stories still hold up amazingly and even the CGI used is still better than most things I feel I’ve seen in the past few years. They really created a wonderful world in these two movies, even if the plots are at times similar. Hell, even thinking about the cast and characters, part of me is wiling to say it’s the best cast/ensemble in cinema history....but that can’t be right...or can it?

Finally seeing a movie with the new 3D technology that’s been instituted was astounding. Making a movie just to tell the story and then converting it into 3D definitely seems like the way to go about this. Sure there were moments when it looked like something was coming at you, but not every shot had to rely on that gimmick. When a barrel of bouncy balls is knocked over and they begin bouncing towards you, I found myself reacting to those moments. When things aren’t flying at you you get to see depth. You get captured by the world and see it for more than it once was. Some may call the 3D a distraction and selling point just to get people to go back to the theaters, but I think they’ve gotten to a point where they’ve got the technology up to speed that it’s worth it.

While watching this movie in 3D I kept thinking about other movies in 3D. From what I can remember, it seems like only CGI movies have incorporated this thus far. This December James Cameron’s long awaited AVATAR will be released in 3D. The idea of a big, action, epic in 3D had me extremely excited. I can only imagine how fantastic the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy would look with this. Maybe in 2012 when the AVENGERS movie is out they’ll be using this and really creating these big, giant movies that people HAVE to go to the theaters to get the full effect. And who knows where this technology will lead. Maybe another twenty years down the line the big summer blockbusters will be shot completely with IMAX cameras and also be 3D. That would really be something.

Finally, one of the major selling points for me to go back and see these movies in theaters was the trailer for the new Toy Story movie, coming this summer. I’m sure at this point you can easily find the trailer online through the apple website or trailer addicts or youtube, and I recommend you watch it before reading my thoughts on it....which are here: man this movie looks depressing. Now, that sounds like I have a bad feeling for it, which is not the case. I’m cautious for it. It looks like they’re taking the series in a bold new direction. Would I have gone there? No, but I also would be fine just watching a movie of the toys directed by Woody Allen. The toys just sit around and talk about their college professors they had affairs with and the state of New York City in these harsh times...but I don’t think kids would be very entertained by that, and they are the audience.

I do look forward to Toy Story 3 and plan on seeing it during it’s opening weekend, and in 3D (and I mean that! Now that I’ve seen this amazing technology, how can I ever go back?) It does worry me that it’s been ten years since the last chapter in the Toy Story saga. I always get worried when one sequel comes out many years after the previous entires. I feel like there’s a window of opportunity to strike while the irons hot, and if you miss it...it could be catastrophic (i.e. Star Wars 1-3, Indian Jones 4). But I will go into the movie with an optimistic mindset. So far Pixar hasn’t really let us down. Sure, there have been a few movies of theirs that I haven’t loved (MONSTER INC. FINDING NEMO), but even those movies are much better than most things hitting cinemas their respective years.

After Toy Story 3 will the saga be done? Will we get a Toy Story 4 another few years down the line? I don’t know. I’m always open to seeing more of these characters. it really is one of the best children’s adventure movies of all time and worth staying in the public conscious. Perhaps instead of doing a Toy Story 4 they could make a Buzz Lightyear movie. I’d love to see a fun space adventure with Buzz fighting the evil emperor Zurg. Maybe they could even make a movie about Woody and Jessie and the gang. There’s a lot they could do with this property down the line, and whatever may come of it, I will be there anticipating the further adventures of the gang.

Dave's Mega Summer Blockbuster Breakdown Blog Entry October 8, 2009

Something occurred to me the other day. Summer is over. The movies enterting theaters now are...well, some of them are entertaining, but we’re in something of an off month. Movies that weren’t strong enough to compete during the summer are being released. Over the next few months there will be the traditional Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas movies, but as far as “Summer Movies” go, we have about a seven month wait before we get to see any of those again. I thought I’d talk today about some of the worst, best and surprising movies to have come out this summer.

Now, I will say that I, sadly, wasn’t able to catch every movie this summer. Still haven’t seen Inglorious Basterds, or Up, which have gotten some of the best reviews of the year. I’m sure if I had seen them then they would be on this list. Also, why rank just three bottom movies and five top ones? Because I wanna focus on the positive. But most importantly, remember, everything I say in this is just my opinion and if you disagree with it, then I’m afraid to inform you, that you do in fact have the wrong opinion. Sorry.

Surprise of the Summer

G.I. Joe

Now let me start off by saying this, if you didn’t like this movie, I will not say that you’re wrong in any way shape or form. Really, this wasn’t a very good movie. A lot of people were saying that months ago when the trailer originally premiered, but I still wanted to give it a try. Nothing about the movie made me feel that I had to rush off and see it, but I figured if I had the chance I would.

Caught an afternoon showing one day a few weeks into it’s run. There were only about five people in the theater, but I’ll be honest, this was one of the better times I had this summer. I’ve never read the comics or have seen the old cartoon, so I didn’t have a history with the property. I do watch a lot of cartoons based off of comics so I am familiar with cartoon worlds and the like. While watching this movie I really felt I was watching a live action cartoon, which is exactly what I wanted to see when going in. Sure,the dialog was terrible, the plot was over the top and most of the acting was abysmal, but it delivered what it said it would. Sure, this kind of movie isn’t for everyone, but it was a movie that eight year old Dave Schweitzer would have loved, and if we can’t still enjoy a movie that our eight year old self would have loved, then that’s a shame.

Bottom Three of the Summer

3. Terminator Salvation

Not a huge surprise to be on the bottom of the list. Honestly, this movie wasn’t really all that bad. It was forgettable though, and some could say that’s even worse than just being straight out bad. I know I somewhat forgot this movie came out this past summer. Strangely enough though, I hadn’t forgotten about Christian Bale’s onset freak-out, and occasionally quote it in my daily life when things are, “an-noy-ing” me.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high expectations going into this. Knowing it was directed by McG, and having once seen a 30 minute presentation on his work in a directing class, really made me fear going into the theater. Still, I’ve seen the other Terminator movies, Christian Bale’s worth checking out, and honestly, reading interviews before the release of the movie really had me rooting for it. McG seemed to want to make something that was really cool and he seemed passionate. Figured it was worth seeing. It’s possibly his best movie, but really that’s like saying you’re the best President of this decade, not a lot of competition there.

Would I go see Terminator 5? Probably. Would I care about it? Not until the three days before the movie was set to come out and friends and I had made plans to see it. But who knows, maybe this is simply his Terminator and his next outing would be his Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

2. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

If you told me this movie had been made for 20 million dollars, I wouldn’t be shocked. The sixth installment in the Harry Potter franchise was by far the worst of the series so far. There are some who seem to like it, but I have to ask, where has the magic gone? Remember in the first few Potter movies when we’d see golden moving staircases with pictures that would come to life? Remember the robes the kids would wear and the magic surrounding them? Well thankfully in this installment we don’t have to worry about any of the magic crap getting in the way. Kids dress like there’s a GAP on the Hogwarts campus and apparently magic can no longer be used outside of classrooms. I understand that they’ve, “entered a darker world,” but in no way should “darker” mean “boring.” There are plenty of ways in which they could express “the darkness” in a magical, unique manner. Everyone knows Harry Potters a wizard, why deny him and his world that notion.

Outside of the lack of magic, I found the movie to just overall be boring. This was my favorite of the books, so my expectations were pretty high for this one.Sadly, I’ve yet to care less about any of the characters. I remember reading the book years back and thinking of how amazing Dumbledor’s death would play out, and the proceeding fight that followed it. What we got was a rushed death with no battle. It was like taking the final 30 minutes to the Empire Strikes Back and removing everything except, “Luke, I am your father.”

In the Summer of 2011 the next movie comes out, I believe, and worst of all, it’s only the first part of the final book, which will span two movies. While this is a franchise that will always be loved and have a legendary impact on Hollywood, I look forward to it coming to a close.

1. Transformers 2

We all knew this would top this list so is there really much to say? When the first movie came out I saw it with my friend Dan. I found myself enjoying it and having a good time. Dan did not. In June when this came out I wasn’t able to see it right away, even though it was one of my most anticipated movies of the summer. Dan on the other hand, had seen it it’s opening night. I asked him what he thought and he said, “You know...I didn’t like the first one, so when I went into this, I went with incredible low expectations...and it didn’t even reach those.”

Rumor has it that this week Bay is meeting with Spielberg and other producers of the film to talk about where to bring the franchise next. Not being the biggest Transformers fan, all I can hope is they bring it in a direction that isn’t boring (which really shouldn’t be that hard. I mean, it’s just giant robots beating the shit out of one another. How can THAT be boring?!?!?)

Top Five of the Summer

Drag Me to Hell

I wasn’t entirely sure if I was going to see this movie initially. I like director Sam Raimi, but I’m not a huge horror fan. Eventually I realized it was only fair to give it a shot if I was going to claim I was a fan of his (which is mostly due to his work on the Spider-Man films). I’m really happy I gave this movie a shot. I had a lot of fun with it. It had its gross out moments, but everything was always fun. Hell, the movie had a talking goat at one point! How can you not love a movie that includes a talking goat?

Without spoiling anything, another thing this movie got major points for was it’s ending. Wonderfully done. This summer there have been rumors that Raimi may come back and visit this world again, but I hope he doesn’t. This was a really great done in one movie, and I’d hate for a franchise to come along and sully it’s name. Could more be done? Maybe, but I really can’t see a reason they need to be done. Raimi is currently working on the next Spider-Man movie. Being a huge fan of that franchise I hope that this movie has given Raimi the shot in the arm many critics and fans felt he needed after the lackluster third Spider-Man movie. Regardless of where his future brings him, this is a movie he can be quite proud of.

The Hangover

The highest grossing R rated comedy of all time. The movie that’s finally made Bradley Cooper and Zach Galifinaki’s movie stars. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who hasn’t loved this movie, and if I have, I’ve clearly forgotten all about them and their lousy opinion.

The storytelling in this movie is really smart. Having the group piece together the night before makes you unsure of what will happen next. You don’t go into every scene knowing what will happen because you’ve seen it before in so many other comedies. The actors have great chemistry and infinitely watchable.

Some have labeled this movie a gross out comedy, but I think it’s more of a buddy comedy. There are gross moments, but when I think back it, I think of the characters and their relationships with one another. Now that the Academy is nominated ten movies for best picture, some have suggested that this could get a nomination. It’s probably unlikely that it would win, or even get nominated. There’s been talk, once again, of a sequel. I’d love to see the cast working together again, and hopefully with Todd Philips, the director, but maybe a different vehicle is what they should do instead. Regardless of what their next move is, I’m sure many of us will be watching it.

District 9

Really, this should be at the top of the list. It’s the smartest film of the year. It’s also the most well made film. It’s brilliant. What this movie does that none of the other movies on this list did is play with your feelings. It starts off with a documentary feel to this world and the aliens that have come to inhabit it. The movie scares you. This was genuinely the scariest movie I’ve seen in years. The fear you have of the aliens and the unknown in the beginning is really incredible. What’s even more incredible is that as the movie continues, you switch sides. You begin to root for the aliens. You want to see the movie become Independence Day. Like any good science fiction story, there are strong themes of society dealt with. This movie focuses on racism, but in a light completely different than ever before.

I’ve never seen a movie like this. The basic format of how the story is told is amazing. Planning to make the movie like this must have been terrifying. Would intercutting between documentary and actual movie scenes work? Well, surprisingly they do. And best of all, it’s all seamless. It’s not jarring going from documentary to movie. Also, there’s not a single famous person in it. Really, this movie feels real. The aliens are some of the best CGI to date.

This is the first movie by director, Neill Blomkamp. A couple of years back it was rumored he was going to make the movie based off the popular video game series, Halo. After seeing D-9, we would be a very lucky audience if he were given the directors seat for what could be a major Hollywood franchise.

And, like, all the films so far, there has been sequel, or prequel talk in regards to this movie. Could we be seeing a possible District 8 or District 10 a few summers down the road? Looks it. What I think they should do is find a way to make the Halo movie a sequel. I’m not too versed in the Halo world, but that could be a really interesting way to go about the Halo series, and give this a sequel of sorts.

Star Trek

Before May 2009, I had never seen a Star Trek film really. I think I had maybe seen one or two of the Next Generation movies, but I really couldn’t remember them at all, so I didn’t think that should count. I’ve never watched the TV show, and truth be told, I’ve often been prone to making fun of “Trekkies.” I’d always considered myself more of a Star Wars guy growing up. Well, I never thought I’d see the day where I’d rather see a Star Trek movie over Star Wars, but that day has come.

This was the best blockbuster of the summer. It had everything one would want in a big summer tent pole. It had amazing action, fantastic characters, good moments of comedy and a larger than life feel. While sitting in the theater I realized that in many ways this is what I was hoping for about ten years ago when The Phantom Menace premiered on screens. Here are some of the genre’s most classic characters, and we get to see how they came to be who they are. And best of all, there wasn’t a single boring scene or overacted bit.

Unlike most of the films on all these lists, this is a movie where people really do want to see a follow up, myself included. This was a perfect origin story, and the possibilities of where the story could go now is something to get really excited about. To be honest, since this movie I’ve gone and watched the first five Star Trek movies. By far one of the most successful movies of the summer, and one of the best reboots of all time.

Away We Go

Best movie of the year so far. What makes this movie different than everything else on the list? Well, for starters, I haven’t heard a single word about a sequel. Also, the budget for this is probably drastically smaller than everything else (even though if I had to guess, Harry Potter was cheaper to make).

Away We Go is a small movie about a couple played by John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (SNL) looking to find a home before their child is born. Small movie filled with hilarious moments as the two travel across the country. There are moments that’ll make you laugh, and others that will make you want to shed a tear. There’s a lot of emotion in this movie, and that definitely helps make it the best of the year.

Directed by Sam Mendes, it’s his most hopeful film to date. This is the kind of movie you leave the theater feeling good about. A major element to the film is the music, mostly done by Alexi Murdoch. I haven’t bought the soundtrack yet, but it’s at the top of my list of CD’s to buy.

The movie is released on DVD on September 29th, and I can’t recommend it enough.