Movies of the Momemt – August 2005

Whoa! What a month. My last post was, sacastically, announcing that the box office was out of it’s “slump” (industry code for “we are not making as much money as want to be getting”). I didn’t bother saying that, two weeks later, the slump was back on.

Personally, these people, who only care how much money a movie makes (on it’s first weekend I might add), are making it no fun to be a movie fan anymore. I pay close to $1000 CND EVERY YEAR to see movies. I don’t want to spend that kind of money (which could have been saved for other things) and, every Monday, read about slump this and slump that. Ugh!

Anyway, here are the movies I’m looking out for in the coming month (usually dubbed the dog days of summer):

Sure Hits

The Dukes of Hazzard
I just saw this film today, so I can’t give an unbiased opinion. All I will say is YEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Sure, critics hate him, but Rob Schneider is a funny man. A supporting man for years (especially in Adam Sandler’s movies), Schneider got to step out on his own with the original Deuce Bigalow in 1999. The trailer looks funny and I’m sure this film will get some good box office.

Valiant
A british animated movie about Homing Pigeons, from the producers of Shrek. Sounds good to me.

Probable Misses

Supercross
August is filled with the lesser summer films, but this one stands out like a sore thumb. This movie will be seen by testosterone-filled guys and then never heard of again.

The Cave
This movie actually looked better when it was just creatures and not creatures, who become humans, or whatever the trailer shows.

Intriguing Curiosities

Broken Flowers
Since 1998 or so, Bill Murray has been concentrated on independant films instead of the loudmouth comedies of his ’80s hayday. The latest one is getting some good reviews and might be worth a look.

The Skeleton Key
The latest of the Ring-inspired horror films. This one looks better than, last month’s, Dark Water, but that cheesy “I DON’T BELIEVE” like in trailer kind of makes me want to have second thoughts about seeing it.

Red-Eye
In 1999, Wes Craven moved away from the horror movies he’s know for, to make the drama Music of the Heart. Craven is now branching out again, kind of, with this suspence/thriller. Some people would saw that “thriller” is just code for “mainstream horror film,” but there is an obvious differences between the two genres (in short, horror is meant to scare you, while a thriller is just meant to keep you an the edge of your seat). I may see an advance screening (with Wes Craven in attendance) next week, so I may post a report or something afterwards.

The 40 Year-Old Virgin
It seems that the R-rated comedy is starting to make a comeback. This movie seems to have promise, however I don’t think Steve Carell is currently that big an actor to have his own staring role. Also that poster, as it applies to the title, just freaks me out.

The Brother Grimm
A fictionalized take on the popular story writers. I honestly don’t know what to think of this movie.