Doesn't it feel like we all moved in for the summer just minutes ago? As if the bounty of the summer season was stretched out before us instead of all used up? Everyone I know agrees that this summer flashed by faster than almost any other on record. I hope everyone had a good time in the river or by the pool, though, because fun was scant at the cinema.
This summer's movies seemed to take mindlessness to a whole new level. Perhaps part of the problem was that there were so many of them. Major studios released about 240 films since the beginning of May. Only some of these were worth a first look, let alone a second.
While there were quite a few movies that I enjoyed this summer, I'm embarrassed to say, I believe only four will survive this summer and become part of the American family video rental repertoire. The four are: "Saving Private Ryan," "The Truman Show," "Out of Sight" and "There's Something About Mary."
"Saving Private Ryan" is the biggest no-brainer of a movie in my memory. It was a no-brainer to make, a no-brainer to see, a no-brainer four-star-rating from yours truly and some say a no-brainer to sweep the upcoming Oscars. "Ryan's" overwhelming obvious quality tends to turn me off, however. It's a lot more exciting to find a diamond in the rough than to be given a perfect one.
Still, its place in cinema history is assured and deserved. "Ryan" is the most realistic war movie ever made, period. It's a truly moving experience. With a superior cast and a reasonably well-known director, "Saving Private Ryan" will be with us for many years to come.
While the early hype of "The Truman Show" may have been a little overboard, the movie's an undeniable winner. One of the highest concept movies to come along during the summer months ever, "The Truman Show" was a brand new twist on the classic movie theme of finding yourself.
"The Truman Show" was interesting and original. It was one of those flicks that makes you spend the rest of the evening thinking about it. I myself spent quite a while looking for the secret cameras that must be recording the spellbinding story of my life. Jim Carrey showed us his dramatic side and Ed Harris showed us his vaguely European side.
"Out of Sight" was my favorite movie of the summer. Looking back on it, the three stars I gave it at the time was fairly conservative. I really hate the whole star system. I feel like if I give any movie any less than three stars people will think I didn't like it.
"Out of Sight" had the best cast of the summer (George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Albert Brooks and more), the best dialogue of the summer and some truly beautiful art direction, not to mention a cool as hell plot. Luckily for all of you slackers who missed it in June, it's playing at the Nugget. Don't miss one of the smoothest crime flicks since "Pulp Fiction" and "Get Shorty."
Finally, there's "There's Something About Mary." "Mary" may not seem like a probable choice for one of the most enduring movies of the summer, but trust me on this one: we're going to be seeing a whole lot more of "Mary." This is going to be one of those movies that people know the entire script to, word-for-word. This is going to be a movie where those who still haven't seen it get treated as outcasts by those who have.
"Mary" surprised me because it made a pretty wide variety of people laugh their heads off. From politically correct girls to guys who never really got past the maturity level of sixth grade, "Mary" covers the bases. Only the unduly sensitive are going to hate it, which means all the rest of us just get another thing to make fun of them for. I mean, come on, even my mom loved "There's Something About Mary."
These are my predictions. You may disregard them freely, but don't get your hopes up about "Ever After." And "The Negotiator" had some of the best acting in a summer movie, how can you not with Kevin Spacey and Samuel L. Jackson? But it fell too much into a conventional action movie routine.
What about "Armageddon," you say? I realize I heaped ridiculous amounts of praise on the movie way back on Independence Day, but I think I had the patriotic flu -- "Armageddon" is, after all, little more than a two-and-a-half-hour commercial for not only NASA, but the American Way. "Armageddon" is a big screen movie. Watching it on video would be excruciating, the giant action scenes reduced to mere shadows, the "characters" taking on an increased prominence, it's too horrible to think about.
Thanks for listening, folks. You've been a great audience for my musings, ramblings and periodically qualified artistic judgments.
