Too Soon For Hulk Smash?

It's been five years since the release of Ang Lee's film version of everyone favorite comic book green guy, The Incredible Hulk and I'm inclined to say, "Ang, Ang, he's our man...if he can't do it, no one can." Well guess what, the Oscar winning director couldn't make a viable film out of the Hulk character, so if such an able director isn't able to make movie magic...can anyone?" Enter Louis Leterrier, whose previous notable directorial efforts include The Transporter and The Transporter 2, to try and fix or even create a franchise for the muscular grass toned comic book hero with sad walking away music. I'm of the school that says this is not possible. The Hulk just doesn't seem like a deep enough character. Sure having Ed Norton playing the title role does not hurt but seeing a big CGI green guy yelling "HULK SMASH!" just hasn't made my list of things to do in five years and I'm not inclined to do so again. The problem lies in the depth of the actual super-hero. I never really thought there was anything special about a superhero that gets really big and green and needs anger management classes. Though I was a fan of the TV show, it was more for the mere ridiculousness of seeing Lou Ferrigno in a bad
paint job and cut-off shorts...and of course the walking away music. So there are two questions that remain in regards to this weekend's release of the latest Incredible Hulk installment; first, can they pull it off? Secondly, will anyone care? Perhaps the 2nd question is the most important. After all if a tree falls in the woods and the Incredible Hulk debuts in theaters and no one is there to see it, does it actually matter? All negativity aside, I think The Incredible Hulk will get a sizable audience this weekend. There are enough superhero fanatics to give this franchise a second chance. The question remains will they walk into the theater with that glint in their eye saying, "don't make me waste $12 on this movie...you wouldn't like me when I waste $12 on a movie". By the second or third act most movie theaters in the country could be in ruins.

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Panda Express

Greetings film fanatics, while the heat may have wreaked havoc on our sweat glands and electric bills...the film industry was busy flourishing for yet another fruitful weekend at the summerbox office. Kung Fu Pandaand Jack Black vehicle which scored big with a $60.2 million take this weekend, we're slightly surprised by Adam Sandler's continued drawing power. Though in all honesty I shouldn't be so quick to judge since I haven't seen his latest film. Either way, for the 4th straight week, we've got a brand new #1. Indiana Jones managed to hold strong at the #3 spot coming in just above Sex and The City which still raked in a respectable $21.8 million for the two day span, though it seems likely that the latter will continue to fade fast since mostly everyone who's in that target audience has already had their dose of lady-centric cinema. The Strangers held on at the #5 position fulfilling the needs of those jonesing to be very afraid in a comfortably air-conditioned movie theater. Maybe we should take a cue from all of those film fans and get in line ourselves.

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A Wolf In Panda's Clothing

Happy new release day film fans. It's finally safe to re-enter the multiplex without fear of being hit on by a group of cosmopolitan lubricated spinsters. Maybe not completely safe, but at least the buzz has died down after Sex and The City's opening weekend and not a moment too soon. Things heat up this weekend if not necessarily on the big screen then certainly with the weather. With temperatures supposed hit the 90's in the Northeast there's never been a better time to seek the air conditioned comfort of a movie theater. While we fully expect blockbusters like Sex and The City and Indiana Jones to keep blockbustering along albeit at a slightly less
torrid pace, we could possibly see a new #1.

Kung Fu Panda kicks it's way into screens this weekend featuring the voices of such heavy hitters as Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Chan. It's sure to be a favorite for parents looking to stop their kids from whining "It's too hot outside". You can never
underestimate the appeal of an animated flick's draw at the box office though, unless that movie is called Bee Movie. Garnering mostly favorable reviews so far, we suspect this dose of kid cinema has the potential to reign supreme at the box office, giving paramount
yet another monster summer hit. It probably won't inspire tons of kids rushing off to film school to take animation classes, but it'll nonetheless prove enjoyable.

Also using some sort of martial art or marketing blitz to force it's way into theaters this weekend is the latest effort from Adam Sandler, You Don't Mess With The Zohan. Judging from the previews, this film looks entirely stupid. However, that's precisely what we like about previous Sandler"classics" like Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. Though, I think as time has worn on Sandler's stupid as funny act has begun to wear a little thin. Luckily, he's got a few cast members like John Turturro and Nick Swardson, not to mention the involvement of Judd Apatow, that might just swoop in to save the proceedings...maybe. This looks like a rental or "wait for cable" option. Other limited release options for the weekend, provided you live in a major city are Mongol, Sergei Bodrov's tale of the rise of Genghis Khan and The Promotion a comedy with heart and a very positive buzz starring Sean William Scott and John C. Reilly. Frankly, those seem a little more appealing than all of the other
stuff. Maybe we'll see one of those this weekend instead of standing outside and sweating profusely.

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Lackluster Blockbuster

Film fans, I am completely dumbfounded. It seems my powers of prediction should be held under suspicion after last week's post in which we had the audacity to proclaim that Sex and The City's opening weekend would trump that of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls, turning it into perhaps the biggest blockbuster of the summer. However, when the numbers came out on Sunday night my jaw was agape in disbelief. Frankly, I think someone got their math a little wrong. Every single female I know and even some men went to to see Sex and The City this weekend. I even know people who saw it twice. Some of them didn't even like the show and were just seeing it to be ironic. The numbers just don't add up. While $56.8 million is a whole lot of loot and certainly a respectable first weekend take I believe it to be a mathematic impossibility. Something foul is afoot and I demand a recount. Now you might be asking yourself what this would prove? Well, the answer is, absolutely nothing...but maybe just maybe Paramount rigged the numbers so nobody would beat their two most successful summer releases in Indy and Iron Man...or not. I would just like someone to check again because with all of the buzz that surrounded this movie you would've thought it was the only movie out in theaters. I find the numbers to be completely implausible and it hast landed me in a state of utter moviegoing shock. Somehow I would not have been surprised if it earned $500 million, but $56.8 million.

While Sex and the City was busy being a both a monetary and critical disappointment, a couple of other notable films picked up the slack. Indy pulled up in 2nd place with $44.8 million and the new horror thriller, The Strangers earned an impressive $21 million, knocking Iron Man all the way down to 4th place taking it to it's lowest rung on the box office ladder since it's release. Ok film fans, it's safe to go back to the multiplex...and even some of the art house theaters. There'll be less drunk people smuggling in Cosmopolitans this week.

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