Summer Movies!

Following up with Episode 31, what movies are you most excited to see? Here are the ones I'm most anticipating this season.

I'm normally quite unimpressed by parades of sequels, but this summer looks like it has some sequels with potential. Perhaps that's partly because there are so many threes and up, and not so many twos. If you can pass the two test, a three looks a lot more viable.

1. Ratatouille - The new trailer looks absolutely fantastic. I think this has the best chance of winning the summer for me. On the other hand, I don't think it's a priority to see in the theater, either.
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Whatever my reservations, the first four delivered spectacularly. We'll make a pilgrimage to the IMAX to see this one.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Even being disappointed in the second, there's no way I'm going to miss this. For one thing, seeing part 3 on the small screen misses the point.
4. Ocean's 13 - Little exudes cool like the Rat Pack, but Soderbergh's gang for his version is pretty close. What's really amazing about this series is how it's affordable enough to make. They used to have star-studded ensembles much more often, when they could get the individual players for less than a skillion dollars apiece. Here, the major members of the cast all work for less than their standard asking prices, probably partly because they seem to have a blast making these movies and partly because they have such a profound respect for Soderbergh.
5. The Bourne Ultimatum - In a way, I wish they wouldn't stop making these. It's nice to have a constant out there, and spy stories are nicely suited to series.
6. Stardust - Despite looking like it's cashing in on current movie fads, it does look quite good. With any luck, it'll be a nice way to tide me over until the next Narnia movie, a series they're making awfully slowly considering how dependent it is on the ages of the children. Take a cue from Harry Potter, people!
7. Live Free Or Die Hard - Like Stephen, I think there's an excellent chance this will fall flat. But it's Die Hard. Probably a renter for me, though, unless the reviews are surprising.
8. Shrek the Third - Although these movies seem to be getting more and more disposable, in-the-moment entertainment, it's pretty good in-the-moment entertainment.
9. Mr. Bean's Holiday - ...but it's a renter.
10. Spiderman 3 - It's obligatory, I suppose. I probably won't see it in the theater.
11. The Invasion - This too, because I don't expect it to be any good. But, you know.


At the end of things, I would expect my "top movies of summer 2007" list to be quite different. Half of the sequels will probably have dropped out, replaced by originals I never saw coming. Mr. Brooks? 1408? Any of a dozen titles I haven't even listed here?

That's why studios make sequels. They're presold. They're largely reviewproof. Audiences know to anticipate them right off the bat. And savvy as I try to be, I fall for it too. But as long as we see it coming, I think that's ok. When all is said and done, we'll have some good sequels and some good originals, and the rest will fall by the wayside. I wonder how many of these titles will make Stephen's or my best of 2007 list?