July, A.K.A. Blockbuster Month

Note: (**) To the right of a title denotes that I have seen the film


Box Office Newbies:

1. Public Enemies (Jul. 1)
Notable Names: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Rated: R
Synopsis: FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale) sets his sights on American gangster John Dillinger (Depp) and others in an attempt to curb a rampant Chicago crime spree during the 1930s (IMDB).
Thoughts: Fun fact -- this film was shot in Madison, WI. Otherwise, my opinion is undecided.


2. Brüno (Jul. 10)
Notable Names: Sacha Baron Cohen
Rated: R
Synopsis: Flamboyant Austrian fashion reporter Bruno (Cohen) travels the world in search of the latest style trends (IMDB).
Thoughts: Perhaps it is time for me to finally see "Borat." That's right, I have not yet seen that gem. However, the synopsis of this film interests me - maybe not to the point of spending top dollar on a theater ticket, but enough to see it at some point.

3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Jul. 15)
Notable Names: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Tom Felton,
Rated: PG
Synopsis: Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his sixth year and learns more about they mysterious past of Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort.
Thoughts: I have yet to even see the movie, but already I have my complaints. To be fair, I am not an impartial judge (am I ever?), since this is my favorite book in the series.

4. (500) Days of Summer (Jul. 17) - limited release
Notable Names: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Rated: PG-13
Synopsis: Greeting-card writer Tom (Gordon-Leavitt), falls for his new colleague, Summer (Deschanel), on her first day of work. What comes next is a look at the subsequent year-and-a-half period the two lovers spend together (IMDB).
Thoughts: Yet another promising film that has two great actors leading the cast and which I probably will miss, since it is only a limited release. Yet another reason why I miss Appleton.

5. Funny People (Jul. 31)
Notable Names: Adam Sandler, Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann
Rated: R
Synopsis: When seasoned comedian George Simmons (Sandler) learns of his terminal, inoperable health condition, his desire to form a genuine friendship inspires him to take a relatively green performer (Rogen) under his wing as his opening act (IMDB).
Thoughts: From the people who brought us "40 Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up." Woo hoo. Ironically enough, this does not sound all that funny to me.


Your Home Theater:

This looks like a rather ho-hum month for movie rentals. Oddly enough, the only movies that look worthy of highlighting all come out on the 21st.

1. 17 Again (Jul. 21)
Notable Names: Zac Effron, Leslie Mann, Matthew Perry, Thomas Lennon
Rated: PG-13
Synopsis: About a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life (IMDB).
Thoughts: How weird that this title is rated PG-13. It looks like it would be one for the teeny-boppers and tweens who fawn over Effron. It also looks like it could be fun, but I wasn't about to spend $7+ to see it.

2. Coraline (Jul. 21)
Notable Names: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher
Rated: PG
Synopsis: An adventurous girl finds another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but it has sinister secrets (IMDB).
Thoughts: Everything animated nowadays is in 3D.



3. The Great Buck Howard (Jul. 21)
Notable Names: Colin Hanks, B.J. Hendricks, Tom Arnold, Emily Blunt, Tom Hanks, John Malkovich
Rated: PG
Synopsis: A young man, much to the chagrin of his father, becomes the new assistant to an illusionist in decline (IMDB).
Thoughts: This was one I actually would have seen in theaters, but its limited release prevented me from doing so. Well finally.


4. Watchmen (Jul. 21)
Notable Names: ? (no one I recognized)
Rated: R
Synopsis: When an ex-superhero is murdered, a vigilante named Rorschach begins an investigation into the murder, which begins to lead to a much more terrifying conclusion.
Thoughts: Still most definitely not one I will see without a hefty bribe. And it's not because there is supposedly a blue dildo in the film.