There’s only one wide release movie opening this weekend, so be prepared for total, absolute X-Men domination. Will it be enough to fill theater seats, keep people entertained, and bring more to the table than some blond dude swinging a Viking hammer and calling itself a movie? Well, so far, all reports say, yes.
What will you say when someone asked you where you were the weekend of June 3, 2011?
X-Men: First Class
As good as 2008’s Dark Night you say? Critics are saying the near impossible.
X-Men: First Class unveils the epic beginning of the X-Men saga – and a secret history of the Cold War and our world at the brink of nuclear Armageddon. As the first class discovers, harnesses, and comes to terms with their formidable powers.
What You Can Expect: Well, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender exercising their acting chops in a not terrible superhero movie. Hear that Thor?! There’s a not terrible superhero movie out! UNBELIEVABLE. This is good news for the struggling franchise. Most of us wrote the X-Men off after X-Men: The Last Stand (What dude? Cyclops just disintegrates ?) and Wolverine (What dude? Wolverine is doing slapstick with Ryan Reynolds?). Critics feel with this latest entry the movie brings us back to where Bryan Singer left off, before abandoning ship and letting Brett Ratner take the reins on the third movie, which was like watching a monkey trap his fist in a gourd. Mostly there’s been nothing but high praise for the efforts of the leading men and the story. Which are all good things. We’re excited for this pre-boot! Finally! Let summer begin.
What Could Annoy: The rising comparisons to The Dark Night. Yes, yes, we all agree that The Dark Night was revolutionary filmmaking for this genre. It really was that good. But the performance Heath Ledger gave will never be duplicated. It was just that genius, so I’d like it to just stand on its own merit. Personally, I’m not looking for that movie to be topped, except, well, Christian Bale’s goat-throated acting…that shizz will be topped, but everything else…let’s just leave it alone shall we?
Indie Pick
Submarine
We all love funny indies. It seems this one is striking the right note.
Fifteen-year-old Oliver Tate has two big ambitions: to save his parents’ marriage via carefully plotted intervention and to lose his virginity before his next birthday.
The Short and Sweet: Funny Brits, virginity, and all manner of hilarity that ensues? Pretty much movie gold. What’s better than an earnest coming-of-age comedy full of mishaps and foibles and endearing characters? Pretty much nothing. The difference here is that it’s fresh and new and not just Rushmore melded with Stand By Me. It’s unique and has verve…hear that French music in the trailer? Poignancy…this movie has it. Is this the next Juno? I certainly hope not. I have a feeling Oliver would giggle uncomfortably at this comparison.
Beginners
It’s the weekend of a thousand Olivers! And the critics like this one too.
Beginners imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Ewan McGregor).
The Short and Sweet: Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer play father and son in this movie about love, life, dying, and happiness. The happiness part comes in with Mr. Plummer who is sensational as always, and playing a gay near octogenarian who has finally come out of the closet and decides to “begin” the journey of being out in the world unencumbered. It really does look like a sweet, funny tale about defining one’s life by the only standards that matter…your own. And the scene with Plummer calling his son to find out what House Music is after visiting a gay bar is priceless.
Indie Tank
Love Wedding Marriage
I give you, Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times, “If there is a special hell for film critics, it probably has movies like “Love, Wedding, Marriage” on continuous rotation.”
Not sure there’s anything worse than that.
Mandy Moore is a marriage counselor whose life as a newlywed married to Kellan Lutz (Twilight) is turned upside down when she discovers her parents’ happy marriage is unexpectedly headed for divorce.
The Short and Sweet: So you’re telling me two random attractive young people in a movie don’t win Oscars? LIES!
More Indies Opening This Week
- Beautiful Boy: Michael Sheen and Maria Bello struggle with the realization that their only son committed a mass shooting on a college campus before taking his own life.
- Mr. Nice: Ever want to know what it’s like being a European drug lord? Well, someone named Rhys Ifans has a story you should probably check out. It’s the Seventies so be prepared for hot tubs and plenty of facial hair mixed into the cocaine.
- Small Town Murder Songs: A former dirty cop lives peacefully in an Ontario Mennonite town until someone disturbs that peace and threatens to upset years of calm. Sounds like someone’s gold watch may be wound a little tight and could be ready to pop.
