The SacTown Summer Movie Nights Begin!

Remember when you used to have to wait until, like, June for the summer movie season to start? They keep pushing that further and further back, those wacky guys in Hollywood, and pretty soon we’re going to start getting Michael Bay movies in January (that thought will keep you from sleeping well tonight, won’t it?). But this year, at least, we’re opening the season—at least as far as I’m concerned—in March. So many movies to see…and so many of the gang in Sac that rarely seem to get together! Sounds like it’s time for movie nights to begin! Woo hoo!

I’m presenting here a list of summer films of interest (helpfully compiled by Tim, who apparently has more free time at his desk at work than I do…), with some handy trailer/info links. So it’ll help everyone plan your summer movie dollar better, wherever you are, but it’s also a heads-up to the Sac folks. I’ll try to get movie things organized (probably at Century, as that’s our usual spot for the hot premiere action) on many, if not all (it could happen…) if these films, and I’ll get an email mailing list going as the season hits us. And I’ll likely be posting those notices (and later, reviews), right here, so keep checking back!

And the nominees are:

03/28/08 – Run Fatboy Run

You know your movie season if off to a good start when it starts with Simon Pegg! If you haven’t see Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, then you need to do some Netflix and learn the comedy genius of my favorite Brit. Simon’s back in a film co-written by him and Michael Ian Black (whom you know as bowling alley weirdo Phil Stubbs if you were smart enough to be an Ed fan (NBC’s feel-good Nice Guy-esque comedy that they STILL haven’t put on DVD due to music contract issues, the bastards!), and one that’s directed by none other than David Schwimmer. I’m in! ACT, fatboy, ACT!

04/11/08 – Street Kings

Okay, did we really just include a Keanu movie on the list? Well, yeah, because this L.A. cop drama also stars Forest Whitaker, Hugh “House” Laurie, Chris “Johnny Storm” Evans, Jay “Action” Mohr and is co-written by James “L.A. Confidential” Ellroy. MAN film, baby.

04/18/08 – Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Let the Judd Apatow love begin! Produced by the Judd man (40-Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up), this comedy not only stars Jason Segal in his first big headliner role (you might have either loved him in Freaks and Geeks or Undeclared, or currently love him in How I Met Your Mother), but he wrote the damn thing! Gee, wonder how he got the part? You put him in a comedy with other Apatow regulars Paul Rudd, Bill Hader and Jonah Hill—not to mention the way too delicious Kristen Bell—and I’m so beyond THERE!

04/25/08 – Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay

If you’ve seen the first one, you’ll probably know that there are only three words needed to get you back into the Cho/Penn road comedy groove: Neil…Patrick…Harris. N.P.H. WOULD do that! Hopefully, this time, without the love stains…

05/02/08 – Iron Man

How long have I waited for this film? Not as long as Tim. It’s his film. Just ask him. But I, too, was a monster Iron Man fan growing up, and always wondered if old shellhead would come to the big screen, and how bad they’d screw it up. And then they handed the film to my man Jon Favreau to direct, something I never would have seen coming, and then brilliantly cast Robert Downey Jr. in the Tony Stark role? Genius! My biggest must-see of the summer. How did the guys who brought us Swingers end up brining us Iron Man and Bourne Identity? I heart Hollywood.

05/09/08 – Speed Racer

Speaking of things I was a big fan of… Speed Racer FANATIC as a kid. I dreamed of riding in his trunk! Oh, wait a minute… The trailer is, in short, a big acid trip. Looks like the Washowski brothers decided to go a little…different…with it, and kind of make it LOOK like the cartoon it’s based on. Well, we’ll see how it works. Brilliant casting with Matthew Fox as Racer X! Also brilliant with John Goodman as Pops Racer. The only better choice than him would have been that guy who used to do the Doritos commercials… Go, Speed Racer! Go!

05/22/08 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I’ve blogged on it already. Soon after, I went and finally ordered my Indy box set. I’m ready. Can anything with Lucas’s name attached to it manage to NOT suck in this century? I hope this is it. Throw me the Ben-Gay, I throw you the whip!

06/06/08 – You Don’t Mess with the Zohan

Did I mention Judd Apatow? Guess who co-wrote this one with Sandler? It’s been too long since the old Adam Sandler gang got together to make a wacky film, and they’re all back…including Rob Schneider and Henry Winkler…and director Dennis Dugan, who did both Happy Gilmore and Big Daddy. Sounds like fun. Zabadoooo!

06/13/08 – The Happening

M. Night Shyamalan. He gave us Sixth Sense. Unbreakable. Signs. The Village. And then Lady in the Water, which made a lot of people scratch their heads. I think he needs to get back into top form, and this could be the one. Spooky trailer. So far so good. What a twist!

06/13/08 – Incredible Hulk

I’ll admit it, and fellow nerds can dispute me if they like. The last Hulk film? ASS! Sorry, Ang Lee. Didn’t care for it. But now, I not only get one with Edward Norton starring in it, but he WROTE it? Awesome! Plus Tim Roth and William Hurt in the mix? And they’re kindly ignoring the first film, I hear, so hey…bonus. Think of it as Fight Club…irradiated.

06/27/08 – Wanted

Angelina Jolie. With guns. Yeah, that about sells it. This summer’s guilty pleasure.

07/02/08 – Hancock

Will Smith as a washed-out, drunk super-hero. I love the crapshoot factor! Either a genius piece of comedy, or a total piece of crap! I look forward to finding out, and the addition of Jason Bateman really sells me.

07/11/08 – Hellboy II: The Golden Army

That un-horny devil is back in action, baby, and director Guillermo del Toro is sure to give us another eye-popping thrill ride. Just a reminder…light your cigars with a wooden match. It’s a flavor thing.

07/18/08 – The Dark Knight

Christian Bale’s way-too-cool Batman redemption returns, with the same director, same writers, and much of the same cast—sadly, with the brilliant addition of Heath Ledger in his final role. Hard to imagine them messing up this one. I’m on deck.

07/25/08 – X-Files 2

Holy crap! They actually pulled it off? Maybe a few years too late. But I’M psyched for it, at least. Mulder and Scully back in action, with a plot, I’m told, that has nothing to do with the conspiracy, which I think it a great idea. And creator Chris Carter decided to direct this one himself. Can he pull it off and bring back the magic? I want to believe!

08/01/08 – The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

What the…? I didn’t even know they were making one of these until just recently. And with Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh, no less? Right on! The only bad news appears to be the recasting of his bride. Guess they couldn’t talk Rachel Weisz into it. Kind of blows, but at least they cast Maria Bello (one of my imaginary girlfriends). I sense hot kung-fu action. Should be fun. And best yet, another appearance of a movie hero with the heroic last name of O’Connell!

08/08/08 – Pineapple Express

The Judd Apatow gang ends things for the summer season. The guys who brought you Superbad give us a new comedy about...let’s see if I got this…a yuppie pothead (Seth Rogan) and his dealer (Spider-Man’s James Franco) witnessing a murder by a cop and going on the run. You add Bill Hader and Gary Cole into the cast, and I think you’re going to have a pretty funny movie…if you can take what’s sure to be two hours of excessive weed humor (not a film for you, Russ).

So…that’s what we’ve got so far, and if we missed a couple (no, we did not accidentally miss Sex and the City: The Movie), just jump on the comments here and post them up. Looks to be a great season, so let’s get some Sac folks off their asses and into the movie theater! Where they’ll…sit on their asses…

“Hollywooooooooood!!!!” – that Japanese solider on the sub in “1941”