Premature Holiday Excitement

I know it’s still summer and I just wrote about why I am excited for Fall, but may I write about the exciting holiday season? It looks good. Really good. Good enough to make up for 2010’s crop of Summer films.

Exhibit A: 127 Hours – November 5 (limited)

It doesn’t look as interesting as 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, or even Sunshine. It also may bring out the worst in my claustrophobia, but I am not prepared to bet against Danny Boyle right now. Especially not with a leading man as likable as James Franco.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWWcQC0ZxIM

The following week we (hopefully) get another treat: Morning Glory – November 12

I love Jeff Goldlum… or at least the idea of Jeff Golblum. Maybe I only like him as Ian Malcolm and a Conan O’Brien guest. For whatever reason, I am much more optimistic about this Goldblum film than I was about The Switch, but I do feel like I am risking a lot with this pick. Especially because both Goldblum and Harrison Ford are such risks in this genre. The one thing I am confident about is that the always watchable Rachel McAdams will carry the picture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9lWUqraDoU

And a third consecutive intriguing release: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 – November 19

No explanation needed. It looks sick.


Then the potential crown jewel of the season: How Do You Know – December 17

I’ve only seen the trailer, but it looks like James L. Brooks is back to business. The comedy looks so sharp, so smart, and so funny. Hopefully there will be more to it than the trailer jokes. And how about that cast? Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, AND Jack Nicholson? Holy Cow! I hope I don’t regret saying this, but if I only see one movie the rest of the year, this is it (no offense, Harry). Please be better than Spanglish. Please be better than Spanglish. Please be better than Spanglish.

http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAZfBVGWimM

Why I'm excited for FALL!

Along with the magnificently comfortable temperatures, here are a couple more reasons why I am excited for Fall.

Monsters
I love sci-fi. I got excited for the Skyline trailer so you can imagine how giddy this trailer made me. And I should know better than to read in to the review snippets in the trailer, but if someone at “Aint it Cool News” considers this the best giant monster movie that he or she has seen in years, then that means said critic considers it better than Cloverfield AND The Host. I LOVE MONSTER MOVIES!!!
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IshZoIwz_o

Hurley
Weezer’s recent reinvention was so welcome. Better yet, they seem to have even further embraced silliness since Raditude. Want proof? Look no further than Hurley’s cover: no text, just the face of Jorge Garcia. “All we wanted was his amazing face,” said singer-songwriter Rivers Cuomo to Spinner. Cuomo is also very proud of a collaboration with Ryan Adams to be included on Hurley. For another fun Weezer collaboration enjoy the video posted below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiIwgcrv4wU

Or for a reminder of Rivers’ heartfelt songwriting…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztvJdAIGk54&feature=related

Sex(orc)sim

Now I’m no expert on exorcism movies; I’ve never even seen one. But from the little bit I know about the three that I’m aware of (“The Exorcist,” “The Exorcism of Emily Rose,” and the upcoming “The Last Exorcism”) they all feature possessed girls. That really tangles my rosaries! The repeated portrayals of women as controlled by spirits only further perpetuates the (not always conscious) belief that women are to be controlled.

These exorcism films are just one more message that reinforces the belief that men are able to control women- and that women should allow themselves to be controlled. This does not need to happen. The writers may not be doing it intentionally either. They may just be following the pattern of previous exorcism stories. That is why it is imperative for storytellers to carefully meditate on the subconscious messages of their stories. Let a demon torture a man. Let a superhero be in a same-sex relationship. Let a damsel save a dude in distress! It’s riskier, but the same messages over and over form dangerous stereotypes. Dangerous, demonic stereotypes!