2008 Woodie Awards
The good, the bad and the what the f***
by CJ Kershner
Issue date: 4/20/04 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Many people love the summer, that leisurely period right after mid-May and right before September, because it's when Hollywood releases all of its big-name, big-budget blockbusters. For me, sitting through summer movies has always been like trying to swallow a live wriggling trout whole.
In between all of the blatant sequel cash-ins, poorly written dialogue, bad acting, gunfire, explosions, and the steamy, multi-million dollar sex scenes, it's difficult to find quality (yes, we do remember that word, Hollywood?) entertainment in the cinemas.
So, what's good this summer? What's bad? What's going to be so god-awful that the notion of singing castrati with the Vienna Boys Choir actually becomes appealing (and for the record, this would require some organic manipulation and not in the vocal area)? Here's a quick rundown on my favorite part of the movie critic position: passing judgments on movies I haven't seen yet. You trust me, don't you?
The Good
Spider-man 2 starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina and James Franco, dir. Sam Raimi. Everything you loved about the original, now with more narrative oomph and slicker visuals. A sequel that looks to go above and beyond, this is going to be Hot on a capital H scale.
Troy starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, and Peter O'Toole, dir. Wolfgang Petersen. The man who dropped the Das Boot bomb (and in a good way) is going all out on this Trojan War epic. Pitt with an accent, eh, and Bana needs to recover from The Hulk, but Bloom and Bean are always solid, with O'Toole being the class act.
Shrek 2 starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Cleese, and Antonio Banderas. I loved the original Shrek. It was both witty and funny, literate, colorful, well acted, and easy to watch. The story takes place after the first with Fiona bringing Shrek home to meet the folks. Hilarity ensues. And Banderas as "Puss in Boots," say no to that. I dare you...
In between all of the blatant sequel cash-ins, poorly written dialogue, bad acting, gunfire, explosions, and the steamy, multi-million dollar sex scenes, it's difficult to find quality (yes, we do remember that word, Hollywood?) entertainment in the cinemas.
So, what's good this summer? What's bad? What's going to be so god-awful that the notion of singing castrati with the Vienna Boys Choir actually becomes appealing (and for the record, this would require some organic manipulation and not in the vocal area)? Here's a quick rundown on my favorite part of the movie critic position: passing judgments on movies I haven't seen yet. You trust me, don't you?
The Good
Spider-man 2 starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina and James Franco, dir. Sam Raimi. Everything you loved about the original, now with more narrative oomph and slicker visuals. A sequel that looks to go above and beyond, this is going to be Hot on a capital H scale.
Troy starring Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, and Peter O'Toole, dir. Wolfgang Petersen. The man who dropped the Das Boot bomb (and in a good way) is going all out on this Trojan War epic. Pitt with an accent, eh, and Bana needs to recover from The Hulk, but Bloom and Bean are always solid, with O'Toole being the class act.
Shrek 2 starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Cleese, and Antonio Banderas. I loved the original Shrek. It was both witty and funny, literate, colorful, well acted, and easy to watch. The story takes place after the first with Fiona bringing Shrek home to meet the folks. Hilarity ensues. And Banderas as "Puss in Boots," say no to that. I dare you...