By Chris Kavan - 07/09/10 at 11:12 AM CT
Considering the steaming piles of disappointment this summer, this weeks offerings aren't so bad. There's a little something for every taste, and only one semi-sequel to be found.
1) Despicable Me - While it doesn't have the punch that Toy Story 3 brought, this animated original is still being graded fairly well. A lot of the positive remarks are about the little yellow minions, who steal the show. With Steve Carrell, Russell Brand, Jason Segel and Julie Andrews, amongst others, lending their talents, the voice acting should be terrific. I'm not as hyped for this one, but I think it will be pretty good and the kids should like it too.
2) Predators - Far be it for me to ignore badass action. Still Adrian Brody and Topher Grace seem like strange choices to lead a band of mercenaries fighting against the awesome power of the predator race. I'm sure there will be enough guns, guts and explosions to keep men happy. And it has GOT to be better than the AVP films - right? Right!
3) The Kids Are All Right - Granted, I won't be seeing this one, but it has the best critical buzz - Oscar worthy even. Thanks to the blockbuster pairing of Julianne Moore and Annette Bening as a lesbian couple raising two children they had via artificial insemination. The kids, though, reach out to their biological father and I'm sure there's plenty of drama when two world collide and all that. I'm sure it will play to middling numbers, heaps of praise and we'll see where it stands when awards season rolls around again.
4) Rec 2 - I loved the first REC (and even the American remake, Quarantine wasn't half bad). Low budget, yet creepy as all get out. I doubt they can capture that kind of feeling again, but I would at least be willing to give it a shot. Sequels very rarely ever equal the original, and I'm going to say this will follow the same formula of going downhill. Still, anything with zombie-like humans? I like.
5) The Girl Who Played with Fire - Sure, it's only opening in New York, but I have to comment on what's the hottest property around right now. Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist (Noomi Rapace and Michael Nyqvist respectively) are back for the second film in the Millennium Trilogy. If you haven't heard about this Stieg Larsson trilogy, you've been hiding under the proverbial rock. I'm getting the first book in a week or so and I've got to say I'm pretty excited to see what all the fuss is about. If it's as half as good as advertised, I should be happy. Anyway, if you happen to be around the area, check it out for me.
That's a wrap people! We'll see what the report has to say on Monday about all the films. My guess? Airbender will fall hard, Eclipse will have a battle to stay on top - Toy Story 3 will hold strong, but will probably be beaten out by Despicable Me - Predators might hold up well as there isn't a lot of action right now.
