Summer Movie Mon(Fri)day: The End is Nigh

So I'm hoping to work out my recurring internet issues as soon as I can so that I can get some regularly scheduled posts like this updated at the right times, but just hang in there because it's very slow going! Thanks for your patience!

This is the End

Opening Wednesday, June 12th
Directed by: Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen
Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, David Krumholtz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Rihanna, Martin Starr, Paul Rudd, Channing Tatum
83% on Rotten Tomatoes

I'm pretty impossibly excited about this most recent apocalypse movie. It seems like there's a new apocalypse movie every week (and definitely a few more that I'll feature) but this one will make its mark without a doubt. Starring your favorite freaks and geeks as "themselves" at a party at James Franco's house when the apocalypse hits, I'm betting that this riotous comedy will have you doubled over in laughter from the start.

The Bling Ring

Opening Friday, June 14th
Directed by: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Emma Watson, Israel Broussard, Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Claire Julien, Georgia Rock, Leslie Mann, Carlos Miranda, Gavin Rossdale 
60% on Rotten Tomatoes

Opinions seem to differ on this film, whose premise is so compelling as it offers a look at celebrity in this day and age and why it is that we develop such intense obsessions with those seen as "famous," and additionally, who is granted celebrity and why. Looking at the teens who infamously robbed from the likes of Orlando Bloom, Rachel Bilson, and Lindsay Lohan, it will be interesting to see at which angle the film hits in terms of being satirical or sympathetic.

 

 Update: The Bling Ring promises a lot but barely gets out of first gear. The idea of fame and celebrity, especially within this context, makes for a compelling premise, but there isn't enough depth and exploration within the actual topic. You see a lot of robbing and they did actually DO a lot of robbing, but it just feels boring and excessive after a while. The aftermath, which is the more interesting part of this is explored so briefly that there isn't much of a payoff for sitting in the theater watching a bunch of horribly annoying kids be, well, horribly annoying. Emma Watson has some pretty great deliveries though.

Man of Steel

Opening Friday, June 14th
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Harry Lennix, Richard Schiff, Christopher Meloni, Ayelet Zurer, Laurence Fishburne
56% on Rotten Tomatoes

In attempting to go in the same direction as Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins, this latest attempt to crack Superman seems to be heading in the right direction. After all, it's hard to sympathize with someone who essentially seems pretty perfect. Giving Clark Kent some flaws and a real journey should help this cause. I have no idea if Cavill can act at all, but here's hoping since he sure looks the part. I'm almost more excited to see Adams (hopefully) tearing up the screen like she is so capable of doing.

Update:

It's just not exciting enough. It was a prelude to something with some potential and it's beautifully shot (and Henry Cavill's beautiful to look at), but I'm more interested in Clark at The Daily Planet, which is only the last 30 seconds of the movie. As much as I wanted them to, Adams and Cavill just didn't have electric chemistry, but I do love Adams in just about anything and this was no exception. She bout a small spark to a movie that needed a whole lot more.

**Bonus: Check out Kevin Costner's IMDb page (linked above) for some weird and possibly slightly disturbing facial hair.

Also playing: Stuck in Love (57%), Vehicle 19 (25%)

Coming Next Week: Monster's University (78%), World War Z (67%)