Summer Movie Madness

Well, it's that time of year again when I start looking forward to a summer filled with hopefully awesome movies. There's just something about summer releases that makes me want to spend gobs of money on tickets and popcorn and enjoy a two hour stint in a darkened movie theater. Usually I'm psyched about some mindless action flick but in investigating the crop of films I want to see over the next few months there's not one action movie on there. Huh. What gives this year? I've already seen Iron Man 2, enjoyed it but not as much as the first, so I'm left with a few comedies and, because of the dearth of summer listings that entice me, I've had to search into the fall to get some more movies. So, here goes...

Toy Story 3 - releases June 18
I can't tell you how excited I am about this one! It was 15 years ago that we saw the first one - the one that put Pixar on the map. I'm always excited about Pixar releases because they never fail to dissapoint. And even though Up! is firmly rooted in first place on my all time favourite Pixar flicks, the Toy Story franchise will always hold a special place in my heart. This third installment is especially poignant for me because the premise is Andy leaving for college and the toys get sent to a daycare. My oldest daughter (almost 3 when she saw the first Toy Story) is now 17and is, herself, leaving for college this fall. She has - we all have - grown up with these movies and I believe this will be the last one (it should be - end it on a high note please, Pixar. I have utmost faith in you!) I've already placed an edict on the kids by saying they are not allowed to see this movie with anyone else except me and their Dad first. In fact, I think we'll do a Father's Day outing on Sunday to see this film together, as a family. There are just some films that are imbedded into your family life history and Toy Story is one of them. Woody, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, Barbie … and now a Ken doll and a female Tyranasaurous (sp??) Rex? I'll be choking with laughter on my popcorn and the next minute sobbing with sadness over some heartwrenching song showcasing how children have to, inevitably, grow up. Oh, lord … pass me the Kleenex now.

Despicable Me - releases July 9
Steve Carrell is one of my favourite comedy guys. The trailer looked hilarious. Yes, it's another animated flick but I still have a ten year-old at home so I'm totally allowed to go see this one, 'kay? Kay.

The Sorcereror's Apprentice - releases July 16
I'm not a fan of Nicholas Cage but I LUV Jay Baruchel. Awesome Canadian actor who is so engaging I'm hoping he can make me forget the weirdness that is Nicholas. This looks filled with great special effects and may give me my actiony type movie albeit dressed in fantasy story-telling.

Charlie St. Cloud - releases July 30
Zac Efron. Love story. Family drama. Dead younger brother. If Zac chooses to love this girl he loses the ability to communicate with his dead younger brother. OMG. What a conflict, what a premise. Zac is adorable. I think this will be a two Kleenex box movie. Can't wait.

The Other Guys - releases August 6
Will Farrell movies can be hit or miss but, boy, when they hit they're hilarious. Plus there's yummy Mark Wahlberg to look at. All I know is they play two cops and nothing else about the plot. But when I saw these two actors do their hilarious bit on the MTV movie awards I was hooked. Hoping for a funny one here. Fingers crossed.

Now, that's all I've got for summer this year. Not a lot but hopefully quality. But I couldn't help but take a peek at the fall to see what's coming up so I have to mention - in case anybody's been, like, living on another planet or anything that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows releases November 19th. EEK! I can't wait to see how Daniel Radcliff does the sob-inducing walk to his death written so beautifully by J.K. Rowling in the final book. I expect great things and hope I'm not disappointed. A few others that are intriguing me for fall are:

Due Date - releases October 2010
Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis (of Hangover fame) together on a road trip with RDJ trying to get to the birth of his first child and Zach being ,well, Zach. I'm hoping this is as funny as Planes, Trains and Automobiles with Steve Martin and the incomparable John Candy. The bar has been set high so I don't know if they can reach it but I love both RDJ and Zach so I'm hoping…

Life As We Know It - releases December 22, 2010 (my b'day!)
I like both Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel and this romantic comedy looks funny and fluffy about two people who don't exactly like each other but are forced to look after a baby together. Simplistic, overdone plot but I'm hoping the two leads have good chemistry to make it work. Katherine's movies choices have been iffy lately but I enjoyed 27 Dresses so I hope she can capture the magic of that even if the script is weak. Haven't seen a good rom com in ages so, again, fingers crossed.

Buried - unknown release date
Ryan Reynolds. Thriller. Buried Alive. Claustrophobia. Fear. Argh.
For Ryan I'll see anything he's in - even my worst fear up on the screen. Please Ryan get out of that box…

So, that's my list. What are you guys looking forward to?