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Friday, August 15, 2008
Harry Potter delay, Sir Critic’s away
So … how many people want to take bets that Warner Bros. changes its mind about delaying Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to next July after they get flooded with angry mail?
I’m actually half serious. No one outside of WB seems to be saying, “Hey, a Harry Potter delay! What a great idea! I don’t mind waiting 11 months instead of three!” I like the theory in Entertainment Weekly that since The Dark Knight has been insanely popular, WB didn’t need another big movie this year. It’s all Batman’s fault! Or maybe the Joker’s.
I understand the studio is trying to fill out its summer slate, but this still strikes me as a bad idea, if for no other reason than that it will generate a tremendous amount of ill will. If the studio doesn’t revert to November, I guess that means Madagascar: Back 2 Africa will have the IMAX field to itself after all. Yay! (SARCASM - I can’t think of a family film I’m looking forward to less, outside of maybe Fly Me to the Moon.)
Well, look at the bright side, gang. This way the last three Potter films will come in quick succession: 2009, 2010 and 2011. But somehow I think that’s small consolation.
While Potter fans sigh in exasperation, I will be away next week on my annual Memphis trek. Here’s what’s new in theaters while I’m gone. (I reviewed Tropic Thunder Wednesday and decried the attendant controversy Thursday).
At the multiplexes
Mirrors: Hm. Since this is a horror flick, and a bunch of mirrors are bound to break, does that mean more than seven years of bad luck?
Star Wars: The Clone Wars: I will not be seeing this while I am away.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona: This has attracted some of Woody Allen’s better reviews lately. I will be seeing this while I am away.
The Neon hangs on to Brideshead Revisited and The Wackness and adds Brick Lane, about a young girl from Bangladesh who finds the spark in her life fading after traveling to London for an arranged marriage.
The Little Art opens Brideshead Revisited.
At the Victoria
Hello, Dolly! is the Cool Film this weekend. The movie doesn’t have a great reputation, but it got some choice exposure by being featured so prominently (and used so well) in Pixar’s WALL-E. So question for Victoria: Does your programmer have a really sharp eye or is this a very happy coincidence? Either way, good going!
Next week’s offerings after the jump.
Multiplexes
The Rocker: On Wednesday, Fox opens this comedy featuring Rainn Wilson as an “I won’t grow up” rocker dude. I’m not sold.
Death Race: Paul W.S. Anderson remakes 1975’s Death Race 2000, and the ads for it actually don’t look too bad. One hopes it’s more Mortal Kombat than Alien vs. Predator.
The House Bunny: Wow, it’s a movie by Adam Sandler’s production company that actually doesn’t look terrible!
The Longshots: Five words: Fred Durst directs Ice Cube.
At the Victoria
The Cool Films series concludes with the Beatles in A Hard Day’s Night, one of my three favorite films of all time. It’s very clean.
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