Don't they look cozy?
We at USDemocrazy like to take a break from the news every once in a while.
And because we are wonderfully informed, cultured, connoisseurs of everything pop culture, we thought we’d do a little something on some recent summer movies. (If you’re behind a little, catch up on our posts on “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” and “Up!”)
This past weekend saw the opening of Judd Apatow’s “Funny People,” to only mediocre box office earnings. But, according to the L.A. Times, it’s been kind of a slow year for movies in general:
Ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada since the summer movie season began May 1 fell below 2008’s total for the first time, according to data from Hollywood.com.
(There’s a recession on, remember?)
So, should you spend your hard earned money on “Funny People?”
Well, that depends. Are you a man, or a woman? (or neither?)
Apparently, says the same article, this is not exactly a chick flick:
Audience reaction was starkly split along gender lines. Female moviegoers, perhaps put off by the number of jokes centered on male anatomy, gave the movie a C-plus, while men rated it a B-plus, according to market research firm CinemaScore.
Want a full review of the movie? Check out the review in the NY Times. Here’s the trailer:
If you’re feeling nostalgic, RottenTomatoes.com takes a walk down Apatow memory lane, here.
If that one’s not your speed, you might want to wait until this upcoming weekend, when two very opposite movies with duke it out for the top spot at the box office, “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra” and “Julie and Julia.”
Here’s the trailers, respectively:
So, what’s the buzz? MSNBC named “Julie and Julia” a best bet for the weekend, mentioning that you might not want to go to the movie hungry. (It’s all about famed chef and madame de French cuisine Julia Child and how she inspired modern-day, real-life Julie Powell to change her own path.) It even promotes happy marriages. What’s not to love?
As for “G.I. Joe,” the L.A. Times seems to have taken a more cynical point of view, showing that maybe it won’t be released to critical acclaim, but the movie sure is trying to court mainstream America:
The subtext is none too subtle: Critics are likely to roast the film, and fanboys of the original toy line and comic book may be indifferent, but if you’re a flag-waving, Nascar-loving American, it’s practically your patriotic duty to see this movie.
Are you one of these people? Go ahead, support Hollywood, and see the movie. If not, well, stay at home and rent a movie.
There’s tons of movie still to come this summer, but now you’re at least somewhat up-to-date on a few different releases that want your money. If you want a fuller list, check out Movie-moron.com’s list of summer blockbusters here, as well as the all-knowing http://www.rottentomatoes.com/.
If you find yourself thinking that it’s too hot outside to go for a picnic or a hike, an equally fun activity is going inside an air-conditioned theater (and you don’t have to see the energy bill at the end of the summer!) to cool down and laugh, cry, or, you know, sit.
Anyone have a review of their own?
