June Movies: Transformers 2, The Hangover, Land of the Lost & Taki

[Mark Vader]

Thanks to all the big titles of May, the Summer Season is off to a booming start. Now the month of June rolls in adding more diversity, with comedies aplenty, and a few dramas, but there is still action, adventure and sci-fi still to come as well.

 

Coming in at the end of the month, Dreamworks & Paramount unleash their summer tentpole, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." Michael Bay is back in the director's chair as is Steven Spielberg in the executive producer's role. This time around the budget is bigger and expectations are even higher. Decepticon forces return to Earth on a mission to take Sam Witwicky prisoner, after the young hero learns the truth about the ancient origins of the Transformers. The marketing campaign has been huge, with the first teaser premiereing on the Super Bowl and the promise of more robots and more focus on the Decepticons. The success of the first film, has left fans clamoring for more, which culd make this film the top grosser of the summer. Starring Shia Labeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson & John Turturro.

 

As I mentioned before, comedies will be everywhere this month.

Leading the charge is, "The Hangover." In Las Vegas, three groomsmen lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, forcing them to retrace their steps in order to find him before the church bells ring. Starring Zach Gafilianakis, Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha & Heather Graham.

 

Universal combines comedy and adventure with "Land of the Lost." Based on the 70's tv show by Sid & Marty Krofft, On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant and a redneck survivalist. Starring Will Ferrell, Anna Friel & Danny McBride.

 

Denzel Washington teams up with director Tony Scott for the 5th time, and John Travolta & James Gandolfini join in as well, for "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3." Armed men hijack a New York City subway train, holding the passengers hostage in return for a ransom, and turning an ordinary day's work for dispatcher Walter Garbe into a face-off with the mastermind behind the crime.

 

Continuing with the comedies:

Harold Ramis directs "Year One." When a couple of lazy hunter-gatherers are banished from their primitive village, they set off on an epic journey through their ancient world. Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera & Olivia Wilde.

 

Sandra Bullock & Ryan Reynolds star in "The Proposal." A publishing executive forces her assistant to marry her so she can avoid deportation back to Canada. Also starring Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson & Betty White.

 

Woody Allen directs "Whatever Works." An eccentric older man encounters a Southern belle and promptly falls in love. But how will the couple, her family, and his New York City friends mix? Starring Larry David & Evan Rachel Wood.

 

In "Imagine That", A financial executive who can't stop his career downspiral is invited into his daughter's imaginary world, where solutions to his problems await. Starring Eddie Murphy & Thomas Haden Church.

 

In "My Life in Ruins", A travel guide rediscovers her romantic side, with a very unlikely match, as she whisks a group of tourists around Greece. Starring Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss & Rachel Dratch.

 

For those looking for something different than the usual mindless popcorn movies, a pair of dramas open this month.

In "My Sister's Keeper", Anna Fitzgerald looks to earn medical emancipation from her parents who until now have relied on their youngest child to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate remain alive. Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Jason Patric, Sofia Vassilieva, Alec Baldwin, & Joan Cusack.

 

"Cheri" is, a romantic drama set in 1920s Paris, where the son of a courtesan retreats into a fantasy world after being forced to end his relationship with the older woman who educated him in the ways of love. Starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend & Kathy Bates.

 

Calendar with trailers.

 

6/5

"Land of the Lost": http://www.landofthelost.net/

 

"The Hangover": http://hangovermovie.warnerbros.com/

 

"My Life in Ruins": http://www.foxsearchlight.com/mylifeinruins/

 

6/12

"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3": http://www.catchthetrain.com/

 

"Imagine That": http://www.imaginethatmovie.com/

 

6/19

"Year One": http://www.yearone-movie.com/

 

"The Proposal": http://www.myspace.com/proposalmovie

 

"Whatever Works": http://www.sonyclassics.com/whateverworks/

 

6/24

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen": http://www.transformersmovie.com/

 

6/26

"My Sister's Keeper": http://www.mysisterskeepermovie.com/

 

"Cheri": http://www.cheri-movie.com/

 

That's all for now. Independant films will be posted later. Enjoy!

[Mark Vader]

Here are this month's Independent Movies.

 

In "Away We Go", A couple who is expecting their first child travel around the U.S. in order to find a perfect place to start their family. Starring John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Daniels & Allison Janney.

 

"The Hurt Locker" takes place in Baghdad, where members of a bomb-disposal team near the end of their rotation deadline are pulled into a deadly game of urban combat by a new sergeant. Starring Jeremy Renner, Anthomny Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse & Evangeline Lilly.

 

In "Moon", Astronaut Sam Bell has a quintessentially personal encounter toward the end of his three-year stint on the Moon, where he, working alongside his computer, GERTY, sends back to Earth parcels of a resource that has helped diminish our planet's power problems. Starring Sam Rockwell.

 

"The Stoning of Soraya M." is a drama set in 1986 Iran and centered on a man, Sahebjam, whose car breaks down in a remote village and enters into a conversation with Zahra, who relays to him the story about her niece, Soraya, whose arranged marriage to an abusive tyrant had a tragic ending. Starring Shoreh Agdashloo, James Caviezel & Mozhan Marno.

 

In "Dead Snow", A wintry vacation turns horrific for a group of young people when they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies. Starring Jeppe Laursen, Charlotte Frogner & Jenny Skavlan.

 

In the Francis Ford Coppola directed "Tetro", Bennie travels to Buenos Aires to find his long-missing older brother, a once-promising writer who is now a remnant of his former self. Bennie's discovery of his brother's near-finished play might hold the answer to understanding their shared past and renewing their bond. Starring Vincent Gallo, Alden Ehrenreich, & Maribel Verdu.

 

Finally there's the documentary "Food, Inc.". An unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry and its trickle-down effects on the country's farmers and the health of its citizens.

 

Calendar with trailers. Note that these dates are for exclusive or limited release. Some films may be released in your area at a later date.

 

6/5

"Away We Go": http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/away_we_go/

 

6/11

"Tetro": http://www.tetro.com/

 

6/12

"Moon": http://www.sonyclassics.com/moon/

 

6/19

"Food, Inc.": http://www.foodincmovie.com/

 

"Dead Snow": http://www.ifcfilms.com/viewFilm.htm?filmId=1616

 

6/26

"The Stoning of Soraya M.": http://www.thestoning.com/

 

"The Hurt Locker": http://www.thehurtlocker-movie.com/

 

That is all for now, see you in July.

[WWVaBeach]

The Hangover wasn't as funny as I thought it would be but strangely I didn't leave disappointed. I expected pi$$ my pants snot running laughing. The actual funniest part to me was when the credits were rolling at the end.

[stuckincincy]

Here are this month's Independent Movies.

 

"The Brothers Bloom" has been getting some good ink.

 

We viewed the French flick "Summer Hours" on PPV last week. Eh - a "C" at best IMO.

[Mark Vader]

"The Brothers Bloom" has been getting some good ink.

We viewed the French flick "Summer Hours" on PPV last week. Eh - a "C" at best IMO.

Heard good things about Brothers Bloom. Unfortunately very few people have seen it.

I also do'nt understand why they pushed back that movie so many times.

[ajzepp]

Wow, Transformers is getting KILLED by the critics. Opens today, and I was keen to see it, but may see other stuff before I check it out. I enjoyed the first one, even though I wasn't blown away by it.

 

Very excited to see "Moon"....Sam Rockwell is a terrific actor, and the buzz surrounding this film is pretty exciting.

 

Agree with what WVA said above about "The Hangover". Wasn't as funny as I expected, but definitely enjoyed it....and the credits were hilarious! Talk about a payoff! lol

[PromoTheRobot]

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but I have my eye on "District 9" releasing in mid-August. Looks like it could be very interesting.

 

PTR

[John Adams]

Wife hate Land of the Lost but 7 year old and I went full sophomore and loved it's juvenile humor. I can't believe they spent 100M on it--they should have stuck with the original's special effects and it would have been equally good (bad).

 

The first Transformers blew; surely the second one will too. A great special effects/no plot bonanza.

[ans4e64]

The Hangover wasn't as funny as I thought it would be but strangely I didn't leave disappointed. I expected pi$$ my pants snot running laughing. The actual funniest part to me was when the credits were rolling at the end.

 

I love comedies, and actually, I thought Hangover was the funniest movie I'd ever seen, and it wasn't even close. The entire theatre never stopped laughing for more than two minutes straight. The hilarious acts just kept coming and coming, without much pause, for the entire length of the movie. It was great, IMO.

[Fan in Chicago]

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but I have my eye on "District 9" releasing in mid-August. Looks like it could be very interesting.

 

PTR

Same here. A documentary-style story about apartheid of aliens ! I hope it doesn't turn out to be a Cloverfield-level disappointment.

[shrader]

Agree with what WVA said above about "The Hangover". Wasn't as funny as I expected, but definitely enjoyed it....and the credits were hilarious! Talk about a payoff! lol

 

I'm surprised the credits didn't get them an NC17 rating.

[ans4e64]

I'm surprised the credits didn't get them an NC17 rating.

 

Is anyone even positive the BJ scene was real? I didn't think it was.

[ajzepp]

I'm surprised the credits didn't get them an NC17 rating.

 

No doubt....the one scene in particular had people doing a double take. Too funny....

[Stl Bills]

I love comedies, and actually, I thought Hangover was the funniest movie I'd ever seen, and it wasn't even close. The entire theatre never stopped laughing for more than two minutes straight. The hilarious acts just kept coming and coming, without much pause, for the entire length of the movie. It was great, IMO.

Couldn't agree more.......I about pissed my pants when they were watching the security footage of them stealing Tyson's tiger. The credits were great.

[Mark Vader]

Wow, Transformers is getting KILLED by the critics. Opens today, and I was keen to see it, but may see other stuff before I check it out. I enjoyed the first one, even though I wasn't blown away by it.

 

Very excited to see "Moon"....Sam Rockwell is a terrific actor, and the buzz surrounding this film is pretty exciting.

 

Agree with what WVA said above about "The Hangover". Wasn't as funny as I expected, but definitely enjoyed it....and the credits were hilarious! Talk about a payoff! lol

I just saw "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", and I feel the same way as I did when I saw the first Transformers movie.......nonplussed. I liked it, I did'nt love it. I am a huge Transformers fan, and this franchise could be so much more than what is being put out. Sadly, Michael Bay does not see it that way. Everything must be LOUD, and everything must be blown up.

 

I'm not saying that TROTF, is a terrible movie. On the contrary it is a good action film with lots of cool scenes and great special effects, and thank God there is more robot dialogue than in the first film, especially with the Decepticons. Soundwave & Ravage are awesome, even though they do not dominate the film.

 

What is very tough to take is the incredibly lame comedy in this movie. From Spike's roommate, to Spike's parents, to the miniature decepticon truck, and worst of all, the autobot twins. If there are two characters that you are actually rooting for to be killed in the most horriffic way possible, it's these twins.

 

It is still a fun movie, and that is important. As a Transformers fan, I wish that this franchise could be made into a movie that is much more serious, but I may be in the minority in that area.

 

Please Steven Spielberg, I beg you to relinquish your Executive Producer role and kick Michael Bay out of the director's chair and take full control of this franchise. Give it the dignity that Bay has taken away from it.

 

I'm going to start a Transformers 2 review thread, so I'll be reposting this message.

[Mark Vader]

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves but I have my eye on "District 9" releasing in mid-August. Looks like it could be very interesting.

 

PTR

Definitely. District 9 could be the sleeper of the Summer.

[/dev/null]

Universal combines comedy and adventure with "Land of the Lost." Based on the 70's tv show by Sid & Marty Krofft, On his latest expedition, Dr. Rick Marshall is sucked into a space-time vortex alongside his research assistant and a redneck survivalist. Starring Will Ferrell, Anna Friel & Danny McBride.

 

Sci Fi Channel ran a Land of the Lost marathon a couple weeks ago. That show had some really bad special effects

[Mark Vader]

Sci Fi Channel ran a Land of the Lost marathon a couple weeks ago. That show had some really bad special effects

Yes it did, but when you were a kid, it was awesome. Aside from the effects, Land of the Lost had some good sci-fi elements and stories in them. It's too bad that people do not give it good marks for the show's creativity.

[Zona]

Transformer-rotf was VERY disappointing. i didnt like it much. The effects were good. That was about it. I hated the twins. Hated the Dogs. Hated the final action sequence. I think the target audience is 10-15 year olds...

 

Hangover was friggin hilarious! i laughed at it almost nonstop. i need to see it again to see the stuff I missed. I also think the bj scene at the end was fake. Had to be given rules of movie ratings...

 

if a person can only see one of these two, i would recommend The Hangover.

[Mark Vader]

I saw "Moon" yesterday. Pretty good sci-fi tale. Sam Rockwell was very good. Check it out when you can.