By: Lauren Cohen, The Campus Movie Guru (University of Miami)
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When it comes to movies, the first half of this summer has been…disappointing, to say the least. I don’t consider myself a very tough critic, but this summer has really brought out the Simon in me. Sex in the City 2 — bust, Prince of Persia — fail, Shrek Forever After — eh, Jonah Hex — don’t get me started, and then just a stream of one unmet expectation after another. But here’s to hoping all that will change during the second half of the summer. Many of the summer’s biggest movies have already been released (Iron Man 2, Eclipse, The Last Airbender, etc…), but I have a feeling the summer’s best are just around the corner. Read on to find out what movies you should keep an eye out for in the weeks ahead!
July 9th:
The Kids Are All Right – Annette Bening and Julianne Moore star as a married lesbian couple with two teenagers (Josh Hutcherson and Alice in Wonderland‘s Mia Wasikowska) who track down the identity of their biological father/sperm doner (Mark Ruffalo). Already receiving rave reviews, this one has more than a lot of promise. Mark my words, this will be the indie hit of 2010.
Despicable Me – Steve Carell is the voice of Gru, the world’s biggest villain who is planning the ultimate heist: to steal the moon. That is, until three little orphan girls work their way into his life, proving to be his biggest challenge yet.
**Also to look forward to: Grease gets re-released to theaters with a special “Sing-Along” version! Who can resist seeing John Travolta and songs such as “Grease Lightning” and “Summer Nights” performed on the big screen?
July 16th:
Inception – Undeniably the most hyped-up movie of the summer, Inception, is the answer to movie-goers prayers; boasting a 200 million+ budget, Christopher Nolan (who also directed The Dark Knight), an all-star cast (Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt), and perhaps the elements working most in its favor: intrigue and originality. This is the movie we’ve all been waiting for. Trust me on this one, if there’s any movie you’re going to see this summer, make it Inception. Find out more about the plot here.
July 30th:
Dinner for Schmucks – Eager to impress his boss, Tim (Paul Rudd) is on the quest to find the perfect person to bring to his boss’s dinner party. But it’s not just any regular dinner party. It’s a “dinner for idiots” where everyone competes to see who can bring the most ridiculous guest…which Tim finds in Barry (Steve Carell). I’ve tried to formulate in my head a way this movie could possibly disappoint me…and I honestly can’t. Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and Zach Galifianakis….can you say “Dream Team”?
August 6th:
The Other Guys – Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg team up as two overlooked cops, the ones who never get any of the glory…the “other guys”. But all that’s about to change when they take on a seemingly harmless case that no one wants…but is more than meets the eye. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this one.
August 13th:
Eat Pray Love – Based on the acclaimed memoir, Julia Roberts plays a woman who, feeling she needs to rediscover her zest for life, goes on a trip to Italy, India, and Bali.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – In order to win over the girl of his dreams, Scott Pilgrim has to do a little more than the average guy might…he needs to first defeat her seven evil exes. Based off the graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley and starring Michael Cera, this is almost sure to be an overall fun summer movie.
So there you have it! What movies are you looking forward to seeing this summer?
