June
“The Proposal” promises audiences a Sandra Bullock (“Crash,” “Miss Congeniality”) romantic-comedy that we can all be proud of her in. I’m not knocking her talent, just her choice of movies over the last few years. Bullock plays an obtrusive boss that forces her young assistant, Ryan Reynolds (“Van Wilder,” “Waiting”), to marry her. She needs to keep her visa status in the U.S. so she doesn’t get deported back home to cold Canada. All the actors are terrifically funny on their own so there are seemingly no negatives with this movie. “The Proposal” releases on June 19.
“Old School” director Todd Phillips returns to give audiences another gut-busting movie. “The Hangover” begins with three guys (Bradley Cooper, and two stand-up comedians) wallowing through the aftermath of a Las Vegas bachelor party. As the smoke clears and they ponder at bruises sustained the night before, they realize that the groom-to-be is missing. So with twenty-four hours in their hands they band together to search for him. Warner Brothers is already in talks to make a sequel occurring in Atlantic City- since the movie has been barely screened it seems that even the executives realize its golden potential. “The Hangover” releases June 5.
Sam Mendes is an awesome creative director (“Revolutionary Road” and “American Beauty”) but he deals exclusively with drama. So why is he dipping his hands into the comedy pool? Maybe because he has John Krasinski (“The Office”) and Maya Rudolph (“Saturday Night Live”) as his leads in “Away We Go.” The two play first time expecting parents who travel across the country to find the perfect place to raise their bun in the oven. Mendes is able to combine the best comedic elements from both actors’ shows. “Away We Go” releases June 5.
July
“Public Enemies” is based off the life of legendary and real life, robin hood-esque bank robber John Dillinger circa the Depression era. Johnny Depp (“Blow”) steps into the robber’s polished shoes and the rest of the cast, on both sides of the law, is just as respectable as the people they are portraying. Christian Bale (“The Dark Knight”) and director Michael Mann (“Heat”) are also involved. “Public Enemies” releases July 1.
From the sick bastard that brought us all the culturally insensitive “Borat” or the whitest of all philosophical British rappers “Ali G” comes “Bruno.” That’s right, morally messed-up comedian Sacha Baron Cohen returns from infamy to bring us yet another golden comedic raunchy gem. The working title of the much anticipated movie garners just as much interest, “Delicious Journeys through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt.” That combined with the available photos of Cohen playing his new character (picture a blonde bob on a very tan Australian man fashionista, with questionable sexuality, straddling a horse in mesh booty shorts) are sure to make “Bruno” a blockbuster smash. “Bruno” releases July 10.
The humid month also brings an unlikely romantic comedy that is based on a misogynistic sportscaster. Ridiculously gorgeous and Scottish Gerard Butler (“300”) plays the chauvinistic brute who provokes his romantically challenged morning sports show producer, played by Katherine Heigl (“Grey’s Anatomy”), into several excruciatingly sexual and awkward tests to prove his theories on relationships, and also to find her love- if that’s possible. His clever plot will undoubtedly make the two hook up but “The Ugly Truth” has been whispered about for being lewd, humorous and sweet all in one. ‘The Ugly Truth” releases July 24.
August
I came across a film entitled “Taking Woodstock” in a recent movie review and was immediately attracted to it. Comedian Demetri Martin plays a supportive son working for his parents and their failing hotel business. When he attempts to keep his parents from defaulting on the mortgage he discovers, or starts something monumental. He inadvertently begins the summer generation-defining concert Woodstock. “Taking Woodstock” releases August 14.
“The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard” looks like a great comedy but because of little publicity it’s hard to predict the end result. Jeremy Piven (“Entourage”) plays a used car liquidator that is hired by a failing auto dealership to make their Fourth of July clearance into a wicked cash cow. Not much else has been released about the film other than the director of “Talladega Nights” and the co-creator of “Chappelle Show” have teamed up to provide the backbone of the film. “The Goods” releases August 14.
“Inglorious Basterds” is by far the movie I am most excited about. Perhaps it’s because every movie Quentin Tarrantino has touched has turned into cinematic gold. Perhaps it’s because Brad Pitt stars as an inbred hillbilly officer in WW2 whose main goal is to lead his soldiers to scalp Nazis. Perhaps it’s because film legend Robert DeNiro supposedly makes a mind blowing guest appearance. My list could go on but I have confidence that this will be one of the standout films of the year. “Inglorious Basterds” releases August 21.