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When is there going to be a good movie? Soon.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When a co-worker and then a friend and then a neighbor end up asking you the same question, then something is definitely up.
The question? “When is there going to be a good movie?”
They’ve all been right to ask. The 2008 movies have been a pitiful bunch. It’s been like asking when will Emeril Lagasse start making something worth eating at his Buckhead restaurant. (In this case the answer was always, “Never.”).
“Mad Money.” Stupid. “Jumper.” Lame. “Semi-Pro.” Amateur. “Penelope.” Putrid. “My Blueberry Nights.” Aggravating.
“Leatherheads.” This one’s the worst of the lot and the most shameless with lots of advertising and in-your-face marketing for a film everyone involved with knows is bad.
The summer season is primed to do what it always does — deluge us with action and big-name stars.
But there are little movies coming. And I know they are good, in some cases even exceptionally good, because I’ve seen them. All of them played at the Atlanta Film Festival and will soon have theatrical runs.
Here are four that should help cure the 2008 bad movie blues:
“Young@Heart.” A lively, fun documentary about a senior citizen chorus that belts out rock songs. Don’t miss it. Opens Friday.
“Priceless.” A thoroughly enjoyable comedy from France (Yes, that means the language is French and you will have to read subtitles) with Audrey Tautou as a likable golddigger. Opens Friday.
“Son of Rambow.” A British comedy that’s been a smash hit at festivals about two young boys making their own movie after seeing a pirated copy of Sylvester Stallone’s “First Blood.” Opens May 16.
“American Teen.” An entirely watchable and sometimes involving documentary centering on four kids from various cliques in high school. Opens Aug. 8.
Have you heard good things about these movies? Did you see them at the Atlanta Film Festival?
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Bob Longino
Comments
By Dave
April 22, 2008 9:52 AM | Link to this
The above movies will all be greeted by a tired “Yawn”. I hate the movies that come out as “Criticaly Acclaimed”, but have all the gusto and attention capturing of a knitting contest. If I want to watch movies about real life, I’ll turn on Lifetime or Oxygen. I go to movies to lose myself in wondrous adventure that make me scream, cheer and laugh out loud. For me, I’ll head straight to the most anticipated movie of the past 5 years…Indiana Jones.
By Will
April 22, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this
Those movies in your list will be added to the list of movies that barely cause a ripple. Does it mean that they aren’t good movies? No. But subject matter has a way of weeding out the movies that the public just sits through and movies the audience braces for. There’s a reason action movies, suspence, horror and fantasy movies do so well. Evem the bad movies in the genre I mentioned will do better than Young at Heart and Priceless. “Is it all about the money?” you ask. Well, DUH!
By MovieMan
April 22, 2008 10:36 AM | Link to this
“A lively, fun documentary about a senior citizen chorus that belts our rock songs.” WHAAA? “An entirely watchable and sometimes involving documentary centered on 4 kids from various cliques in high school.” ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? If I were forced to encounter any movie with plot lines as ZZZZZZZ as those, I’ll throw myself in front of a car to stop the suffering. C’mon….drink a cup of coffee, dude!
By lovelyliz
April 22, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
There are always plenty of good movies out there, but when the public doesn’t care to go watch them then we get the crap we deserve…..
Besides at $8+ a pop, plus more when you add in popcorn & drinks, people get choosier about what they go see. If a film is good, but works just as well on television, I’ll buy it on DVD when it’s cheaper than a trip to the theatre. If it’s an entertaining film that can only be appreciated on the big screen, I am more likely to go out.
When it comes to the big screen, sometimes the better film loses.
By George
April 23, 2008 8:42 AM | Link to this
My tastes in movies always vastly differs from the general public which I don’t understand why the public can’t go out and have a better appreciation for other types of movies besides action or horror or popcorn movies.
All four of these movies that Bob wrote in this column are all really good and worth seeing. They are all entertaining in their own way especially “Son of Rambow”.
By Bobby
April 23, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
George…entertaining in their own way? In other words, good storyline for someone with insomnia. Those movies will be out in theaters and then there will be a fire sale to get them to move on. 5 x people showing up at each showing is a good measuring stick as to how good the movie is. Evem the Acadamy Awards has to come up with obscure catagories, so these Ambien-laced films can crow about spomething.
By George
April 24, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this
Bobby…I would like to know what you think is a good movie. I am glad that there is a broad array of movies made so that they can be seen and appreciated by all people.
My tastes tend to lie in movies with good storylines and characters rather than CGI effects and trumped-up scary scenes that do nothing for me.
By Bobby
April 24, 2008 10:46 AM | Link to this
George, a good movie takes me someplace else. A good movie makes me forget about mortgages, jobs, the economy and pressures. TV is so full of everyday life that seem too repetitive. I want that “something extra”. I need stimulation, excitement, scares, the need to cheer, the emotions of laughter. I avoid tear jerkers because who wants to be sad? I need movies that are outlandish, over the top, maybe even unrealistic. I need the suspense of Aliens, the feel good of Rocky, the laugh out loud of comedy, the bravado of Indiana Jones, the cheering of Remember the Titans, the fantasy of James Bond, the “underdog” of Cinderella Man and the machismo of Gladiator. All the defeats shown in The Pursuit of Happyness, the sadness in Steel Magnolias, the repetitive of “girl finds man, loses man, finds him again” of the other 3,000 identical movies are like nails on a chalkboard. I have real life down pretty well. I live in it.
By Bobby
April 24, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
I really don’t like the “bad” movies in any genre. I am specific that the actors/actresses, story line and production is at least reasonable good. Subject matter and story line are what attracts me. Holly Hunter, who is a great actress and I loved her in Copycat and The Firm, but after watching The Piano, I thought to myself “Well, THERE’S 2 x hours of my life I’ll never get back.” Thought the same thing after Ghandi (date wanted to see it) and Out of Africa.