Summer Movies: Something for the Adults as well!

Posted by Neil Miller (neil@filmschoolrejects.com) on June 11, 2006

The Modern Guy's Seven Days of Summer Movies And no this is not an expose on what “adult” films are being released this summer; I do have a little, if only a little, tact when it comes to my writing. So far during my Seven Days of Summer Movies we have seen all of the family fun, fanboy mania, sequels, remakes and mindless amusement that is to be had this summer at your local cineplex. But what about the grown ups? When is it going to be their turn? Now seems like as wonderful a time as any.

We begin, as we have all week, in the month of June; writing its way into our lives first is a very cool documentary by the name of Wordplay. Directed by Patrick Creadon, Wordplay is a celebrity packed and in-depth look at New York Times crossword puzzle master Will Shortz and his legions of crazy, crossed up fans. And when I say “celebrity packed,” I am referring to appearances from Jon Stewart, President Bill Clinton, and Ken Burns. Being heralded as a fantastic documentary is one thing, but being heralded as a fantastic documentary about crossword puzzles is a completely different story. Even with a very limited release (NY and LA), this one still makes me want to track it down and see what all the fuss is about.

Later in June comes another limited release that is sparking some heated conversation, as it is based on the true story of four British Muslims who were jailed for two years by American intelligence officials and mysteriously never charged. The Road to Guantanamo could be, if it finds a wide release, one of the more provocative films of the entire summer. This looks to be a film that takes a very harsh look at what “protecting the country from terrorists” really entails. Even though it is getting less press than a film like Da Vinci, this one has all the early rumblings of something that could ignite some serious controversy and some less than friendly bipartisan debate.

Moving on from the limited but provocative releases of June, we are met in July with the latest from Hollywood’s most obscure and undeniably impossible to ignore director M. Night Shyamalan. With Lady in the Water, Shyamalan has adapted a bed time story that he wrote for his kids into a carefully crafted fantasy film about – you guessed it – a Lady who comes out of the water. Paul Giamatti, who is always sensational, stars as a janitor who rescues this lady from a swimming pool and is ultimately sucked into her world. I am not sure what happens after that, but I guess that is the point. M. Night has become the master of twists, and we are all going to be sitting on the edge of our seats through this one; of that you can be quite certain.

Continuing my march through the month of July, I am anxious to take a look at a little film that made a huge splash at Sundance, Little Miss Sunshine. The film stars a host of great, seasoned actors and a very cute little girl who may be poised to show Dakotah Fanning what’s up. Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carell, Alan Arkin, and young Abigail Breslin star as a family who is a little bit off the beaten path. From the suicidal brother (Carell) to the druggie grandfather (Arkin) this family seems to have enough to deal with; but when the youngest of the bunch, Olive (Breslin) decides that she wants to be a young beauty queen, and otherwise dysfunctional family unit all set out with one goal in mind: to get her to the finals! I cannot find anything not to be excited about with this film, and you shouldn’t be able to find any reason not to see it.

Rounding out July is Woody Allen’s follow up to Match Point, Scoop. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman as a journalism student and an aristocrat caught in a whirlwind of rumors and hearsay as they are caught up in the hunt for an elusive Tarot Card Killer. The film looks like more fun than Match Point, bring back what everyone really loves about Woody Allen, and the on screen chemistry that will make or break the film comes from two of Hollywood’s hottest stars; what more is there to want? If you were let down by Woody with the very serious and mildly depressing Match Point last year, you are sure to have your Allen fix fulfilled with Scoop.

And so we have come to the month of August, and not only is it the last month of the summer, but it brings with it a very controversial film that is sure to bring with it great debate. On top of that, Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center will probably overshadow two other late summer films that probably deserve more attention. Unlike Universal’s United 93, which was released earlier this year, Stone has chosen to use some big names in the production and take a look at two port authority officers (played by Nicholas Cage and Michael Pena) who became trapped under the rubble of the WTC following the attacks of September 11th. Being marketed as a story of courage and survival will not save this film from being uncomfortable to watch for most folks, and the big name cast could hurt its credibility; I mean, do you expect me to really buy Nicholas Cage as a New York Port Authority cop on 9/11, especially with that corny 70’s porno mustache? Come on Mr. Stone, you could have done better. Let’s hope at least that your film shows reverence and doesn’t turn these tragic events into a sad marketing scheme.

Slipping out from under the shadows of World Trade Center are two films you absolutely must see in August. The first is The Science of Sleep, which is directed by Michel Gondry (who is an excellent director, I assure you) and stars young Gael Garca Bernal (from The Motorcycle Diaries) as an insecure man who is caught up in living in a dreamworld rather than the real world. This is a film that has “Oscar” written all over it. The second is a film that includes a stellar cast and a magical story. Edward Norton, Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti star in The Illusionist. Norton plays a magician in turn-of-the-century Europe who tries to win back his long lost love, played by the always lovely Biel. A sensational cast such as this should make this one more than worth a look.

So as you can see, while your kids are off watching some smooth animation courtesy of Hollywood’s best this summer, there are plenty of ways for parents to spend time at the cineplex without having to sit and sip coffee at the in-theater Starbucks and be forced to chat noir with some artsy-fartsy film school drop-out. And even though he would rather tell you about the influence of the French New Wave on today’s filmmakers, even the artsy-fartsy guy won’t be able to deny the fact that this summer is packed with plenty of films that may or may not matter come March of 2007 when little golden men are handed out. The only question will be whether you were there to see them when they first hit the silver screen or not…

Click below to check out the trailers for the films mentioned in this feature:

Be sure to also check out the previous three entries in my Seven Days of Summer Movies series:

Technorati Tags: Movies, Controversy, Adult, 9/11, World Trade Center, Iraq, War on Terror, Iraq, Muslim, Guantanamo, Beauty, Crossword, New York Times, Jon Stewart

Summer Movies: Something for the Adults as well!

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